By BSU Alumni & Foundation
Published 2:00 pm on November 29, 2024
With Beaver Football in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row, the Bemidji State University Alumni & Foundation wanted to celebrate.
The result: The release of a recently digitized Bemidji State football game from 1955.
The Bemidji State Teachers College football team (in dark jerseys) hosted Mankato State (white jerseys) for Homecoming in 1955, playing a back-and-forth game. The footage also features a halftime performance from the BSTC marching band.
In this game, Don Campbell set a Bemidji State program record with an 86-yard punt return, though that play wasn't recorded on the reel. We believe that the record-setting play happened around the 2:23 mark, when Mankato lined up to punt just as the video cuts to the Beavers kicking an extra point attempt at the 2:30 mark.
You can also watch Bemidji State score a touchdown at the 18:06 mark.
The marching band performs starting at the 11:17 mark.
Unfortunately, the Beavers lost the game 19-12. But the Beavers still held their own and finished out the season 4-3-1. And two years later, Bemidji State captured the Northern Intercollegiate Conference championship.
If you want to fast forward nearly 70 years to find more information on this weekend's playoff game, click the button below.
Good luck, Beavers!
More photos from the 1955 Homecoming
The Alumni & Foundation also has a number of photos from the 1955 Homecoming festivities, which included a parade, coronation ceremonies and more, on top of the traditional football game. You can navigate below to check them all out.
