The series began with a game in Spartan Stadium in 1935, with the Aztecs losing, 24-9. But the next year the Aztecs won their Homecoming game, 14-6, in what was just the third game ever played in the new Aztec Bowl, with an overflow crowd of 10,000 cheering.
The Aztecs won again in 1937 at San Jose, 7-6, but then suffered through an 11-game losing streak from 1938 to 1952.
In 1956, the Aztecs played one of the most exciting and misleading games ever. New coach Paul Governali had led his team to three straight wins to open the season, then faced a heavily favored San Jose State team in the annual Shrine Game in Balboa Stadium. A huge crowd went home encouraged by a 19-19 tie that seemed to signal a new era in Aztec football. Sadly, it quickly went downhill from there.
After a 46-0 loss the next season, the series wasn’t resumed until 1964 when the Aztecs lost a 20-15 heartbreaker in Spartan Stadium, thanks to a terrible call by the officials – and you know I am very objective in my judgment of such calls.
Revenge and national recognition came two years later, again at San Jose. They were highly touted, having beaten Cal and Oregon, led by QB Danny Holman, who was #1 in the nation in total offense. But between Don Coryell’s offensive genius and John Madden’s amazing defensive plan, the Aztecs won, 25-0. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED was there to do a big feature on Holman. Instead they ran a big story praising the Aztecs: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1079184/1/index.htm
Starting in 1976, the Aztecs ran off a 7-game winning streak, but the Spartans now have a 3-game streak going, and they lead the series 19-5-2. Let’s put an end to their streak for all the good reasons cited.
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Aztec QB Brian Sipe led the
Aztecs to a 32-6 win over San Jose State in 1970 (photo by Ernie Anderson)
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