Low-hanging clouds loomed over Fresno, California’s Bulldog Stadium on Saturday, December 14, 1985, but a different cloud hung over the Bowling Green Falcons as they geared up for the California Bowl against the Fresno State Bulldogs.
In his eighth season with Bowling Green, head coach Denny Stolz led the Falcons to a perfect record in the regular season, including conference play with the Orange and Brown winning their 8th Mid-American Conference title (MAC), the second of Stolz’s tenure.
It seemed as if Stolz and the Falcons were on track for a bright future together, but it would all come to a screeching halt in the locker room as Stolz abruptly announced the bowl game would be his last as BG’s head coach, as he accepted a new position with the San Diego State Aztecs. While the news dampened the team’s spirits, senior quarterback Brian McClure and the rest of the squad were not entirely surprised, having heard rumors beforehand.
“We had heard rumblings,” McClure said. “I wasn’t singled out by anybody to let us know what had happened. We pretty much all found out at the exact same time.”
McClure also made it clear that, despite the announcement, he does not hold anything against his former coach.
“I have a lot of respect for Denny Stolz,” McClure said. “Some players may not, but I do.”
Former Falcon quarterback coach Mark Miller said the move shocked him, even going as far as to begging Stolz to not make this decision during team meetings before flying out to Fresno for the game, knowing of the devastating mood the news would cause for everyone involved.
“He came in early evening, and he told us that he had been offered the San Diego State job, and that he had accepted the job,” Miller said. “I, for one, and most of the assistants begged him not to; I was fearful of what would happen, and it indeed did. The kids were very emotional; they took it very hard.”
Stolz’s announcement hurt, but the battle against the Bulldogs took the pain to a new level as the Falcons would struggle through all four quarters, eventually losing 51-7.
It was a harsh ending to what was an incredible season for BG, and one that still stings four decades later.
“The first half we were getting destroyed. I mean, we had turnovers and penalties,” Miller said. “The final score was 51-7 or something, we got killed; That was a very unfortunate end to a dream season.”
Stolz after the game also didn’t mince words of the team not being in a rhythm, even if it was due to the announcement of his departure.
“The game got away from us really early,” Stolz said. “Things start going bad when get out of your tempo; Everything then breaks down, whether it is dropping the ball, fumbling, penalties, protection, it all breaks down.”
