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Can you lot hear the drumlines rattling? That'south the sound of college football officially returning, and not a moment as well shortly. The past 12 months accept seen conferences shuffling, storied programs faltering, and—who would have imagined—a playoff installed. Fifty-fifty with the changes, we're still beaming that Saturdays at long last mean pigskin, tailgates, and coeds again.

But if yous want to sympathize how the game went from college campus ritual to billion-dollar industry, showtime in 1958, when the Army Black Knights finished third in the national rankings. While the boys from West Point are now an afterthought, their 8-0-1 season in 1958 was the last great fall for the Cadets—and the subject of the new book When Saturday Mattered Most, by Sports Illustrated editor Marking Beech.

That year, A rmy was led by Heisman-winning halfback Pete Dawkins, with Head Coach Earl "Red" Blaik manning the sidelines in his last of 18 seasons at the academy. College football may take changed forever post-obit that season, but there are even so enough of lessons to be learned from the '58 Army squad. Hither, Beech reveals how yous can be more like the cadets at W Signal, past and present. (Heading dorsum to campus soon? Discover everything you demand to know to pimp your dorm room, get good grades, and rule the schoolhouse.)

The End of an Era
A month after Army beat out Navy in '58, the Colts defeated the Giants in a game referred to as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." (Come across where the game ranks in our list of  The Best NFL Moments Ever.) "Information technology was watched by 45 meg people, which was unheard of," says Beech. The adjacent yr the AFL had its commencement player typhoon, where crazy behest wars started taking place. The marriage of pro football to a national goggle box audition and big-money contracts made military academies less appealing to good higher football players who wanted to exist noticed.

Put Education First
There certainly weren't any Jimmy'southward Chicken Wing Bowls back in 1958. "College football was not the incredible money generator it is today," says Beech. In fact, that undefeated Army team actually gave up a Cotton Bowl game against national champion LSU that season. Ground forces assistants didn't play bowl games, as it was thought cadets should get back to academics, and Ruddy Blaik thought a basin game would take distracted from the importance of the disharmonism with Navy. "The players, of course, wanted to play. They however gripe about it a little," says Beech. To put that into perspective, imagine Alabama saying, "Nope, we're adept!" about a rematch with LSU last flavor.

Kindred Spirits
If you want a comparing of how good Heisman winner Dawkins was, call up of legendary game-breakers similar Desmond Howard. "Dawkins was a touchdown motorcar and could score whatsoever way," says Beech. He could run, he was a tremendous receiver who averaged over 30 yards a catch, and he fifty-fifty ran back punts.

Meanwhile, Blaik modeled his coaching style after the leadership of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Compare him today to Chris Peterson of Boise Country or former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. "Blaik was aloof, cold, hands-off, only in command of everything that went on," says Beech.

Redeem Yourself
You know how USC is expected to compete for a title this year afterward being banned from bowls by the NCAA for the past two seasons? That was Regular army in '58. Under Blaik in 1951, 37 players were kicked off the team for an academic scandal. Cheating at Due west Indicate was a big deal. It made for a good redemption story when the team came dorsum less than a decade afterward to get undefeated. (Gearing up for a large game? Click here for The Best Tailgate Grub.)

Play with Honour
Bob Anderson—a stable mate of Dawkins in the backfield—was recruited by some of the superlative schools in the country. But he sensed that it was easier at the other schools. "All these players on Army wanted to go some identify that was hard and gave them a challenge," says Beech. There's a fable about a sense of duty and correct and wrong in Due west Point players to this 24-hour interval. The Blackness Knights don't boast five-star recruits anymore, but when Ground forces meets Navy each fall, you can still sense the pride put into each snap.

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Source: https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19530993/the-last-great-college-football-team/

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