North Dakota football fans will notice a rather large gathering of football players around the midfield stripe right before kickoff with Portland State on Saturday evening at the Alerus Center.
As much as this group might like to be out there in shoulder pads and helmets, they will be dressed in street clothes. They will be surrounding current UND and Portland State football players as the officials conduct the pre-game coin toss.
But, memories of their playing days for the University of North Dakota will certainly be spinning in their heads. It was almost 40 years ago in Sacramento, Calif., when some of these former UND football players laced up their cleats for the final time as a collegian.
And, what an experience it was. The year was 1972 and that year's edition of the North Dakota football team defeated Cal Poly 38-21 in the Camellia Bowl to win the NCAA West College Football Championship.
The Mustangs were the No. 1 ranked team in the country, while the Fighting Sioux that season were ranked No. 3. One of the top defenders on that team, John Miklesh, remebers it like it was yesterday.
"We were out practicing in snow, taking warm-up breaks in preparation for (that game)," Miklesh said. "We get out to Sacramento and the football gods were with us.
"It was the first time it had snowed in 10 years out there. We were out there running around in shorts and t-shirts before the game and they cancelled their practice."
UND took its 9-1 record and second straight North Central Conference title out to California with a nothing-to-lose type attitude.
"We went out and totally dominated the game," Miklesh recalled. "The offense controlled the ball and went out and scored early and often.
"(As for) the defense, we did not give up a first down until one of the last plays of the first half and they finally got a first down. They ended up scoring up later, but it was total domination. That was before the playoffs started and all that, but we thumped them and ended up No. 1 in the nation in the final polls of Division II."
Miklesh and head coach Jerry Olson will be one of 30-plus former players and coaches from that team standing out there at midfield of the new turf at the Alerus Center. They will serve as honorary captains for the game and gather afterward to reminisce even more on that special season.
"Needless to say a lot of years have passed but this team was indeed memorable," Olson said. "I think the most memorable (thing for me) was the balance of strength between the offense and defense.
"We could win games from either side of the ball, and we had players on either side of the ball who were capable of dominating in a game. My fondest memory at this time would be the Championship game and how we were able to dominate a very good football team.
The 1972 team was inducted into the UND Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and that was indeed a special moment for both Miklesh and Olson. Another special way these men commerorated that season was to start a scholarship endowment after that Hall of Fame reunion. They are continuing those funds up through the UND Champions Club.
The uniqueness of such a reunion and all the special things this team has done after all these years is not lost on Miklesh.
"This is one of the biggest moments of my life. To do what we did 40 years ago, beat what was at that time the No. 1 team in the nation in the Camellia Bowl, then get inducted into the UND Athletics Hall of Fame with almost our whole team in attendance for that event was special," Miklesh said. "Then come back and have more than 30 guys coming back some 40 years later, is just an awesome moment in my life and a lot of the players and former teammates feel the same way."
