THE RIVALRY : It’s Not Army-Navy, but CSUN and CLC Play It Tight

Year in. Year out. That’s what a rivalry is all about.

Cal Lutheran College vs. Cal State Northridge is not the oldest of college football wars, but the game has rapidly escalated from a once-in-a-while skirmish to a lively annual battle with high stakes.

As the teams prepare for their ninth meeting today at CSUN’s North Campus Stadium, consider:

The clash has crucial conference consequences. Cal Lutheran joined CSUN this season as a member of the NCAA Division II Western Football Conference after 23 years as a National Assn. of Interscholastic Athletics independent. Conference action begins today. Of the Kingsmen’s first WFC game, CLC Coach Bob Shoup said: “We feel like a girl who finally made it to the altar after 24 years of waiting.”

CSUN’s run-and-shoot offense and Cal Lutheran’s pro-style attack should establish the game as a Valley-area pass time. CSUN quarterback Chris Parker has recovered from an ankle injury, but Tom Bonds of CLC is hampered by a shoulder injury and may not play.

CLC (4-1) is a small, private college with a fine tradition in the tiny NAIA. That contrasts sharply with CSUN (3-2), a large, public university that has struggled for recognition in the vast NCAA.

The schools compete for top high school and junior college recruits because of geographic proximity. A convincing victory may convince local prospects to attend one school over the other.

The most recent meetings have been the best. CSUN won in 1984 and ’83 by a total of five points. CLC took hard-fought games in ’82 and ’81.

Said CSUN Coach Tom Keele: “We’ve got all the ingredients of a great rivalry. It is something both teams recognize.”

Added Shoup: “It is not going to take anything special to get us motivated. The rivalry is strong and getting stronger.”

The pre-conference fortunes of the teams suggest a close game. Both have defeated Sonoma State, St. Mary’s and San Francisco State, and both were defeated by Cal State Hayward. CSUN has been slightly more convincing in its victories and blew a fourth-quarter lead against Hayward, a team that led Cal Lutheran, 24-3, at halftime en route to a 37-15 win.

Cal Lutheran has a better record by virtue of whipping Western New Mexico, an NAIA school. Northridge lost its opener, 56-12, to Nevada, Reno, an NCAA Division I-AA power.

CSUN would appear to be the favorite, ever so slightly, but the coaches claim the match is even.

“Odds can be thrown out the window for this one,” Keele said. “Cal Lutheran always gives us an emotionally charged dogfight.”

Keele’s seven-year record at CSUN is 30-37-1 overall and 3-2 against CLC. Shoup is 170-55-6 over 24 years at CLC and 5-3 against CSUN.

A review of the past eight meetings:

Gray Paves the Way

1972: CSUN, 49, CLC 7

No rivalry was expected after CSUN thoroughly waxed CLC in the first meeting of the schools. CSUN’s 565 total yards, 394 yards rushing and 34 first downs still stand as CLC records of defensive ineptitude.

CSUN quarterback Don Gray, who had been recruited heavily by CLC, threw for three touchdowns and ran for another.

After winning the NAIA title in 1971, CLC was rebuilding. The season-ending loss dropped the Kingsmen to 5-5.

CSUN (6-5) outscored its opponents 375-192 in 1972, but the five losses were by a total of eight points.

The Bauer & Trumbauer Hour

1975: CLC 16, CSUN 8

Before the game, CSUN Coach Gary Torgeson was asked if his defense would concentrate on tough CLC fullback Hank Bauer. Torgeson facetiously replied: “Who’s Bauer?”

A senior who later had a distinguished career with the San Diego Chargers, Bauer rushed for more than 100 yards on his way to a still-standing Kingsman record of 1,024 yards that season.

Bauer ran for a first-quarter touchdown to match an early CSUN score. After Bob McAllister kicked a 19-yard field goal to put CLC ahead to stay, tight end Steve Trumbauer caught an eight-yard scoring pass from Bill Wilson to ice the victory.

Tempers flared as CLC’s Butch Eskridge and CSUN’s Don Donegal were ejected for fighting. CLC was penalized 15 times for 129 yards and CSUN was flagged nine times for 73 yards.

Shoup said: “This win is my greatest thrill. I can’t imagine anything more important. It was gratifying to see the courage we showed today.”

The win over CSUN during the season’s fourth week propelled the Kingsmen to the NAIA finals, where they lost to Texas Lutheran.

Late Out of the Gate

1976: CSUN 26, CLC 14

Despite finishing the season with a 9-1 record, CLC was denied the NAIA playoffs because of the season-opening loss to CSUN.

Two early touchdowns by Craig Galligher and one by Jim Krug gave CSUN a 19-0 lead it never relinquished. A 14-yard pass from John Kindred to Butch Eskridge and two Brad Hoffman field goals were the only CLC scores.

The tone was set early when Matador Charles Schroeder recovered a fumble on CLC’s first possession. CSUN scored four plays later.

Galligher and Krug led a Matador running game that piled up 209 yards on 60 rushes. CSUN, in its first season under Coach Jack Elway, used the win as a springboard to an 8-3 record, which remains the best in Matador history.

After the loss, CLC never received playoff recognition from the NAIA.

A Real Keele

1980: CSUN 30, CLC 0

“We will beat Cal Lutheran,” said CSUN Coach Tom Keele in an uncharacteristic bit of braggadocio before his first game against CLC. “We are the better team.”

Indeed they were. The Kingsmen were shut out for the first time in 106 games, a string that stretched back to a 0-0 tie with Cal State Fullerton in 1970. The Matadors rebounded from an embarrassing 31-3 loss to Reno by taking a 13-0 halftime lead and burying CLC with 17 fourth-quarter points.

David Gonzales of CSUN caught a four-yard touchdown pass, threw for a 31-yard score and gained 80 yards on 21 carries.

Asked if he could determine the game’s turning point, Shoup said, “That’s like asking a guy that just got machine-gunned which bullet was the fatal one.”

After the game, Keele reminded anyone who would listen of his prediction. “I said we would beat them,” he said, beaming. CSUN went on to post a 5-6 record.

Sutton on the Button

1981: CLC 10, CSUN 0

Wide receiver Mark Sutton helped spoil CSUN’s homecoming by snagging a 15-yard pass from Craig Moropoulos late in the first half for the game’s only touchdown. Phil Frye intercepted a Dan Morrow pass to set up the score.

A 20-yard Moropoulos-to-Sutton pass kept alive a drive that ended in a 37-yard field goal by Glenn Fischer earlier in the second quarter.

CSUN was shut out for the first time since 1975, a stretch of 59 games. Tom Wilkes of CLC sacked Morrow three times and batted away two passes.

“I think we just had more character at the end than Northridge,” Shoup said. The win was CLC’s fifth straight en route to an 8-2 season. CSUN fell to 4-2-1 and finished 6-4-1.

Morrow completed 21 of 36 passes for 223 yards but couldn’t get CSUN into the end zone.

As part of homecoming festivities, CSUN distributed helium-filled balloons to fans, requesting that the balloons be released the first time the Matadors scored.

Instead, the Matadors were deflated.

Wagner Wavers

1982: CLC 27, CSUN 15

CSUN sophomore kicker Bryan Wagner, who played at CLC as a freshman, missed two extra points, two field goals and had a punt blocked against his former teammates.

“A kicker can’t get psyched up,” he said. “I was a little bit nervous and that’s too much.” Wagner had kicked 17 of 17 PATs and 4 of 7 field goals going into the game.

The Matadors led, 12-0, in the second quarter, but were gored thereafter by CLC quarterback Russ Jensen, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. Jensen, now a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, completed 19 of 40 passes for 240 yards.

Kane Causes Pain

1983: CSUN 26, CLC 23

Mike Kane, a CSUN freshman, gained 117 yards on 20 carries, including a 12-yard scoring run which tied the game, 23-23, with 1:39 remaining. Wagner booted the winning PAT and the Matadors added two more points seconds later by sacking CLC quarterback Greg DeGennaro for a safety.

CLC clawed back from a 17-3 third-quarter deficit by rattling off 20 straight points. Joe Haynoski kicked field goals of 53, 44 and 43 yards and Rich Sanchez, who gained 143 yards, moved the ball consistently for the Kingsmen.

CSUN, 5-1 after coming back against CLC, went on to share the WFC title with Santa Clara.

“We thought we could just throw (ourselves) on the field and win,” CSUN fullback George Williams said. “We were flat.”

“We had nothing to lose,” said Sanchez. “We came out and played our best game of the season. I thought we deserved to win.”

Goss Applies the Gloss

1984: CSUN 17, CLC 15

Defensive back Simon Goss, who leads the WFC with four interceptions this season, sealed the win by intercepting a Bonds pass intended for a fallen Greg Harris at the CSUN 30 with one minute left to play.

“Harris was knocked down on (the interception),” said Shoup angrily at the time. “That should have been pass interference.”

Wagner, now a senior, kicked a 52-yard field goal with 3:40 remaining to give CSUN a 17-7 lead. Bonds served as a relief pitcher most of last season, and came off the bench to hit Joe Fuca with an 80-yard touchdown pass seconds after Wagner’s kick. A two-point conversion pass from Vic Wilson to Denham Leftwich was successful, putting CLC only two points back.

Bonds completed 10 of 15 passes for 221 yards, but threw three interceptions. Sophomore halfback Kane was tireless for CSUN, rushing for 178 yards on 40 carries.

After Bonds hit Fuca with a 23-yard pass on the last Kingsmen possession, Goss stole their victory hopes.