Editor’s note: In the Colorado Classics series, The Denver Post takes a weekly look at individuals who made their mark on the Colorado sports landscape and what they are doing now.
As the Air Force football team gathered in its locker room in Falcon Stadium, coach Ben Martin worked his dry humor in hopes of easing the tension of the monumental task his team faced that day.
Ray Wild, a senior defensive back, remembers that Martin often tried to relax his team with a joke or two or a funny saying as the players donned their blue and silver uniforms in preparation for battle.
But this wasn’t any ordinary battle. It was Oct. 18, 1975, and mighty Notre Dame was the opponent. All indications pointed to a colossal mismatch.
Martin was three years from retiring and the Falcons had not won their previous 10 games, including the last five games of the 1974 season. There had been some close games in the stretch, but a 20-20 tie with UCLA in the third game of the 1975 season was the only bright spot in a season that ended 2-8-1. Air Force had not beaten the Irish in five tries and had lost 38-0 the year before.
The Irish came into Falcon Stadium 4-1, the only loss a 10-3 setback to Michigan State. They were 10-2 the previous season, as Ara Parseghian closed out his term as Notre Dame coach. Dan Devine had taken over and was on his way to an 8-3 season. An unknown sophomore quarterback, Joe Montana, was on the Irish roster.
What happened that afternoon is a classic example of why games are played and decisions aren’t made on the basis of previous records.
Junior cornerback Jim Miller was just another face in the crowd in the Air Force locker room. His career at Air Force had been somewhat nondescript. He came to the academy from California and walked on as a candidate for the freshman team. He was cut from the squad, but accepted freshman coach Jim Bowman’s invitation to try again as a defensive back and played at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds. Little did Miller know that he would become one of the most celebrated college football players of the day.
“I haven’t thought about that game for a while,” said Miller, now 51 and a commercial airline pilot living in Round Rock, Tex. “I haven’t forgotten it because it was the most memorable game of my college career.”
It’s doubtful that any of the 43,204 fans in Falcon Stadium that day have forgotten it either.
As the game entered the fourth quarter, Air Force was ahead 30-10. Devine had put Montana in the game late in the first half, but Miller intercepted two of his passes to keep Air Force safely ahead. He also recovered a Notre Dame fumble late in the second period that led to a Mike Worden touchdown and a 10-0 Air Force lead.
“I don’t know that we were real optimistic going into the game, but as the game continued, we began saying we could win this one,” Wild said.
Montana rallied the Irish early in the fourth quarter and scored on a 3-yard keeper with 10:26 left, but Air Force still led 30-17. Miller remembers the play.
“I made a hit on him near the goal line, but he spun off me and into the end zone,” Miller said. “I still had the feeling that Notre Dame’s offense wasn’t done yet.”
Miller’s classic game wasn’t over. But in one of the most bittersweet moments imaginable, Miller’s place in the sun dimmed as the sun set to the west of Falcon Stadium.
With Montana trying to prolong the Irish rally, Miller grabbed his third interception of the game at midfield and took off for the goal line for what could have been a game-clinching run. He made a critical decision as he neared the 15-yard line, deciding to cut into the playing field instead of going out of bounds.
“I cut back to my left and that’s when I got hit by a player coming up from behind,” Miller said. “I didn’t know he was there.”
Miller fumbled and Notre Dame recovered at the 15-yard line. The Irish scored 14 points in the last 6:56 to win 31-30.
“I can laugh about it now,” Miller said as he remembered back 31 years. He even accepts the claim that he played a part, though bittersweet, in launching Montana’s career.
“At the time, I knew we had given our last drop of energy, made an entire team effort for a cause and had come up short,” Miller said. “I was proud of our team because we had fought hard. It was a high-low experience, but that’s life.”
He’s not sure, but Miller thinks he and Montana exchanged words after the game as players met in the middle of the field.
“Football prepared us to be winners,” Miller said. “I remember my teammates and I know we never gave up.”
Miller became a fighter pilot in the Air Force, serving stateside and two tours in Europe. He separated from the Air Force in 1988 and became an airline pilot.
Martin never guided the Falcons to victory over Notre Dame in six tries in his 20-year tenure. But the Falcons defeated the Irish four straight years 1982-85 under coaches Ken Hatfield and Fisher DeBerry. DeBerry’s 1996 team beat Notre Dame 20-17 in overtime in South Bend, Ind. The series stands 21-5 in favor of Notre Dame.
The Falcons and Irish play again Saturday in Falcon Stadium. Miller won’t be there, but memories of his game of games will linger.
Irv Moss can be reached on 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
