41 Years Ago Today in Rutgers Football History

[Source]

Rutgers went to Worcester, MA and defeated Holy Cross 31-21 on November 18, 1978 to run their record to 9-1 with one game left. For the first time in their history, they received, accepted and would appear in a post season game – the inaugural Garden State Bowl on December 16.


1st Annual Garden State Bowl

Coaches: Frank Burns (Rutgers) Frank Kush (Arizona State)

Score: Arizona State 34 Rutgers 18

MVP: John Mistler (Arizona State wide receiver)

Time: 1:00 pm EST, Saturday, December 16, 1978

Place: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Tickets: $10-$12

Line: Arizona State favored by 9½

Attendance: 33,402

Payout $165,000

Coverage: Mizlou Television Sports, U.S.A. Network on 105 affiliates (84% of nation) including WPIX (Channel 11 at 2:00 pm, tape delayed), New York; WRSU (88.7 FM), New Brunswick; WBGO (88.7 FM), Newark; and WCTC (1450 AM), New Brunswick

Announcers: Mizlou TV (Merle Harmon, Howard David, Al DeRogatis); WRSU (Tony Malanga, Paul Hubert) WCTC (1450 AM) (Tony Marano) New Brunswick, WBGO (88.3 FM) Newark (Roger Cohen and Sam Brown)

TV Rating: ???

Honorary Captains: none (Kathy Young was the Garden State Bowl Queen)

Sponsor: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority

 

[BeantownKnight]

Rutgers went to Worchester, MA and defeated Holy Cross 31-21 on November 18, 1978 to run their record to 9-1 with one game left. For the first time in their history, they received, accepted and would appear in a post season game – the inaugural Garden State Bowl on December 16.


1st Annual Garden State Bowl

Coaches: Frank Burns (Rutgers) Frank Kush (Arizona State)

Score: Arizona State 34 Rutgers 18

MVP: John Mistler (Arizona State wide receiver)

Time: 1:00 pm EST, Saturday, December 16, 1978

Place: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Tickets: $10-$12

Line: Arizona State favored by 9½

Attendance: 33,402

Payout $165,000

Coverage: Mizlou Television Sports, U.S.A. Network on 105 affiliates (84% of nation) including WPIX (Channel 11 at 2:00 pm, tape delayed), New York; WRSU (88.7 FM), New Brunswick; WBGO (88.7 FM), Newark; and WCTC (1450 AM), New Brunswick

Announcers: Mizlou TV (Merle Harmon, Howard David, Al DeRogatis); WRSU (Tony Malanga, Paul Hubert) WCTC (1450 AM) (Tony Marano) New Brunswick, WBGO (88.3 FM) Newark (Roger Cohen and Sam Brown)

TV Rating: ???

Honorary Captains: none (Kathy Young was the Garden State Bowl Queen)

Sponsor: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority

Source -- there's no "h" in Worcester, MA.

 

[Source]

Source -- there's no "h" in Worcester, MA.

I made the correction. It was a tpyo.

 

[REDRICH65]

Garden State bowl: so proud to have been there.

 

[beaced]

Rutgers went to Worcester, MA and defeated Holy Cross 31-21 on November 18, 1978 to run their record to 9-1 with one game left. For the first time in their history, they received, accepted and would appear in a post season game – the inaugural Garden State Bowl on December 16.QUOTE}
The score doesn't show it but we were in a position to have beaten them . But for a fumble ,at the goal line by Dave Dorn.Would have been 17-0,Rutgers,if Teddy Blackwell had been the ball carrier.Don't know why he wasn't in as the ball carrier on that play.

1st Annual Garden State Bowl

Coaches: Frank Burns (Rutgers) Frank Kush (Arizona State)

Score: Arizona State 34 Rutgers 18

MVP: John Mistler (Arizona State wide receiver)

Time: 1:00 pm EST, Saturday, December 16, 1978

Place: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Tickets: $10-$12

Line: Arizona State favored by 9½

Attendance: 33,402

Payout $165,000

Coverage: Mizlou Television Sports, U.S.A. Network on 105 affiliates (84% of nation) including WPIX (Channel 11 at 2:00 pm, tape delayed), New York; WRSU (88.7 FM), New Brunswick; WBGO (88.7 FM), Newark; and WCTC (1450 AM), New Brunswick

Announcers: Mizlou TV (Merle Harmon, Howard David, Al DeRogatis); WRSU (Tony Malanga, Paul Hubert) WCTC (1450 AM) (Tony Marano) New Brunswick, WBGO (88.3 FM) Newark (Roger Cohen and Sam Brown)

TV Rating: ???

Honorary Captains: none (Kathy Young was the Garden State Bowl Queen)

Sponsor: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority

 

[beaced]

Garden State bowl: so proud to have been there.

Me too. Always thought that there was a bigger crowd.

 

[RutgersMO]

Rutgers went to Worcester, MA and defeated Holy Cross 31-21 on November 18, 1978 to run their record to 9-1 with one game left. For the first time in their history, they received, accepted and would appear in a post season game – the inaugural Garden State Bowl on December 16.


1st Annual Garden State Bowl

Coaches: Frank Burns (Rutgers) Frank Kush (Arizona State)

Score: Arizona State 34 Rutgers 18

MVP: John Mistler (Arizona State wide receiver)

Time: 1:00 pm EST, Saturday, December 16, 1978

Place: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Tickets: $10-$12

Line: Arizona State favored by 9½

Attendance: 33,402

Payout $165,000

Coverage: Mizlou Television Sports, U.S.A. Network on 105 affiliates (84% of nation) including WPIX (Channel 11 at 2:00 pm, tape delayed), New York; WRSU (88.7 FM), New Brunswick; WBGO (88.7 FM), Newark; and WCTC (1450 AM), New Brunswick

Announcers: Mizlou TV (Merle Harmon, Howard David, Al DeRogatis); WRSU (Tony Malanga, Paul Hubert) WCTC (1450 AM) (Tony Marano) New Brunswick, WBGO (88.3 FM) Newark (Roger Cohen and Sam Brown)

TV Rating: ???

Honorary Captains: none (Kathy Young was the Garden State Bowl Queen)

Sponsor: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority

This was the brain child and product of Rutgers alum Sonny Werblin.

We need more Sonnys.

MO

 

[Source]

I made the correction. It was a tpyo.

17Q66 - the only guy who gets my humor.

 

[ecojew]

We were there as well and I recall the day being much nicer and warmer than is usually the case for NJ in December.

It should be noted that there were many years prior to that when RU was or would have been invited to bowl games (which were much fewer in number back then) but the University had a "no bowl" policy. The same was true of ND, Army, and Navy back then. There may also have been other schools with that policy as well. RU changed its policy in the early 1970s, with the move to bigger time sports.

And the B1G only permitted its champion to go to the Rose Bowl, unless that team had been the year before, in which case the runner-up would go. No other teams could go to bowls, the argument being that the conference didn't want anything to detract from the honor of going to a Rose Bowl. I can't recall when the B1G scrapped that policy but it was certainly gone by 1978 or 79, whichever year it was that Woody Hayes hit a Clemson(?) player in the Gator Bowl.

It was a different world back then.

 

[BuckRU]

We were there as well and I recall the day being much nicer and warmer than is usually the case for NJ in December.

It should be noted that there were many years prior to that when RU was or would have been invited to bowl games (which were much fewer in number back then) but the University had a "no bowl" policy. The same was true of ND, Army, and Navy back then. There may also have been other schools with that policy as well. RU changed its policy in the early 1970s, with the move to bigger time sports.

And the B1G only permitted its champion to go to the Rose Bowl, unless that team had been the year before, in which case the runner-up would go. No other teams could go to bowls, the argument being that the conference didn't want anything to detract from the honor of going to a Rose Bowl. I can't recall when the B1G scrapped that policy but it was certainly gone by 1978 or 79, whichever year it was that Woody Hayes hit a Clemson(?) player in the Gator Bowl.

It was a different world back then.

True. And the 1976 undefeated team turned down a bowl (Independence?) because it was brand new and they thought we deserved better.

As I walked into the RAC this weekend I remember waiting in line in front of the ticket office on a cold December morning to get my free student ticket to the Garden State Bowl in 1978.

 

[RUsince52]

I couldn't wait to finally go to a RU bowl game even if it was home grown. The weather was great for a Jersey Dec day too. We thought maybe it would affect ASU being colder, but they came to play. They were loaded with speed guys too.
I remember after the Columbia game in 1961, the band spelling out bowl in front of the home stands. Not to be. In those days it was invitation only to get to a bowl and even more so for a team of our caliber. Anyhow, it was a fun experience.

 

[RUhasarrived]

Among the ads from the $2 program:Datsun,Merrill Lynch,and Briggs Chevrolet-Honda of South Amboy.

 

[newell138]

Most shocking thing about the OP is that 1978 was 41 years ago. Was my sophomore year in HS that long ago?

 

[50 yd line RR]

Garden State Bowl in “1978” vs Arizona State Insight Bowl 27 years later in “2005” vs Arizona State.
Home and home Bowl Game!

 

[Antnee79]

Thanks for the mention Source. It was a great experience broadcasting on WRSU the first ever bowl game for RU. As a member of the media I was invited to the bowl reception at Giants Stadium during the week and met Sonny Werblin and that nut job Frank Kush. But the best part of that reception was meeting the ASU cheerleaders-all of them blond, tan and drop dead gorgeous.

 

[srru86]

Source -- there's no "h" in Worcester, MA.

I woulda sworn Woostah.

 

[beaced]

I woulda sworn Woostah.

Now THAT's DOWN EAST for sure.

 

[76Scarlet]

True. And the 1976 undefeated team turned down a bowl (Independence?) because it was brand new and they thought we deserved better.

As I walked into the RAC this weekend I remember waiting in line in front of the ticket office on a cold December morning to get my free student ticket to the Garden State Bowl in 1978.

Yup.........turned down the Independence Bowl. At that time I thought it was the right decision. Losing a game like that seemed to put a damper on a successful season and winning would not turn many heads.

Also went to the Garden State Bowl..........thought we played better than the score indicated.