1963 Saint John's Johnnies football team

{{CFB schedule

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|September 14||{{cfb link|year=1963|team=St. Cloud State Huskies|title=St. Cloud State}}|Saint John's Stadium|Collegeville, MN|W 40–0||{{cite news|title=St. John's Routs St. Cloud 40–0|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|date=September 15, 1963|page=S4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88482598/st-johns-routs-st-cloud-40-0/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|September 21||{{cfb link|year=1963|team=Hamline Pipers|title=Hamline}}|Saint John's Stadium|Collegeville, MN|W 38–14||{{cite news|title=St. John's Burst Rips Hamline|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|date=September 22, 1963|page=8S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88477507/st-johns-burst-rips-hamline/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|September 28|at|{{cfb link|year=1963|team=Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs|title=Minnesota–Duluth}}||Duluth, MN|W 60–6||{{cite news|title=St. John's Annihilates UMD 60–6|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|date=September 29, 1963|page=9S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88482748/st-johns-annihilates-umd-60-6/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 5||{{cfb link|year=1963|team=Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties|title=Gustavus Adolphus}}|Saint John's Stadium|Collegeville, MN|W 34–7||{{cite news|title=St. John's Survives Severest Test|newspaper=St. Cloud Times|author=Mike Augustin|date=October 7, 1963|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88482944/st-johns-survives-severest-test/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 12|at|{{cfb link|year=1963|team=Augsburg Auggies|title=Augsburg}}|Parade Stadium|Minneapolis, MN|W 26–6|> 7,000|{{cite news|title=St. John's Spoils Augsburg Homecoming With 26–6 Win|newspaper=Minneapolis Tribune|author=Merrill Swanson|date=October 13, 1963|page=Sports 4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88483166/st-johns-spoils-augsburg-homecoming/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 19||{{cfb link|year=1963|team=Concordia Cobbers|title=Concordia (MN)}}|Saint John's Stadium|Collegeville, MN|W 28–0||{{cite news|title=St. John's Defense Cracks Concordia 28–0|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|author=Merrill Swanson|page=12S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88483321/st-johns-defense-cracks-concordia-28-0/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 26|at|{{cfb link|year=1963|team=Macalester Scots|title=Macalester}}||St. Paul, MN|W 40–6|3,500|{{cite news|title=Johnnies Win 40–6 to Clinch Title Tie|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|date=October 27, 1963|page=8S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88476719/johnnies-win-40-6-to-clinch-title-tie/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 2|at|{{cfb link|year=1963|team=St. Thomas Tommies|title=St. Thomas (MN)}}|O'Shaughnessy Stadium|St Paul, MN|W 32–6| |{{cite news|title=Johnnies Finish Unbeaten, Await Post-Season Bid|newspaper=The St. Cloud Daily Times|date=November 4, 1963|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88476385/johnnies-finish-unbeaten-await/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 30|vs|{{cfb link|year=1963|team=College of Emporia Fighting Presbies|title=College of Emporia}}|Metropolitan Stadium|Bloomington, MN (NAIA semifinal)|W 54–0|12,348|{{cite news|title=Johnnies Crush Emporia 54–0, Gain Bowl|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|author=Merrill Swanson|date=December 1, 1963|pages=Sports 1, 8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88476015/johnnies-crush-emporia-54-0-gain-bowl/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|December 14|vs|Prairie View A&M|Charles C. Hughes Stadium|Sacramento, CA (NAIA Championship Game—Camellia Bowl)|W 33–27|12,220|{{cite news|title=Johnnies Win National Football Championship 33–27: Whip Prairie View in NAIA Struggle|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|author=Charles Johnson|date=December 15, 1963|pages=1S, 8S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88478493/johnnies-win-national-football/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=St. John's Tames Tough Prairie View Via Air, 33–27: Texas Team Muffs Historic Chance to Also Top NAIA|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Courier|date=December 21, 1963|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40184196/st_johns_tames_tough_prairie_view_via/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=St. John's Jars Prairie View 33–27|newspaper=The Sacramento Bee|author=Marco Smolich|date=December 15, 1963|pages=F1, F7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88496697/st-johns-jars-prairie-view-33-27/|via=Newspapers.com}}

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The team represented Saint John's University as a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) during the 1963 NAIA football season. In their 11th season under head coach John Gagliardi, the Johnnies compiled a 10–0 record (7–0 against conference opponents), won the MIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 335 to 72.

The 1962 Saint John's team had also been unbeaten and untied but did not receive one of the four berths in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics NAIA playoffs. Having strung together consecutive perfect seasons, the 1963 team was invited to the playoffs.{{cite web|title=J-Club Hall of Honor: 1963 Football Team|publisher=Saint John's University|accessdate=November 6, 2021|url=https://gojohnnies.com/honors/j-club-hall-of-honor/1963-football-team/13}}

On defense, the team set a national record by giving up an average of only 12.9 rushing yards per game.{{cite news|title=Defense Paces Johnnies to 16–0 Victory Over River Falls|newspaper=St. Cloud Times|author=Bob Hall|date=September 13, 1965|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88553710/defense-paces-johnnies-to-16-0-victory/|via=Newspapers.com}}

In their first playoff game, the Johnnies faced undefeated {{cfb link|year=1963|team=College of Emporia Fighting Presbies|title=College of Emporia}} which featured the NAIA's most potent offense with an average of 517.3 yards per game.{{cite news|title=St. John's Rated Fifth Best, But Emporia Game Films Impressive|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=November 29, 1963|page=15B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88494350/st-johns-rated-fifth-best-but/|via=Newspapers.com}} Saint John's smothered Emporia's highly-touted offense and won by a 54–0 score. Saint John's scored its 54 points in the first three quarters, intercepted four Emporia passes, recovered two fumbles, and blocked a punt.

On December 7, 1963, the Johnnies faced Prairie View A&M in the Camellia Bowl, the NAIA national championship game played in Sacramento, California. Prairie View, which featured future NFL stars Ken Houston and Otis Taylor, came into the game as the undefeated black college national champion.{{cite news|title=National Champs Carry Big Load Into Playoffs|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Courier|date=December 7, 1962|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40181483/national_champs_carry_big_load_into/|via=Newspapers.com}} Three months after the March on Washington and two weeks after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Camellia Bowl matched the all-black Prairie View Panthers against the all-white Saint John's Johnnies. The Johnnies trailed at halftime, but moved ahead with two third-quarter touchdowns and won by a 33–27 score. The victory extended Saint John's winning streak to 19 games. It also brought an NAIA Football National Championship to Saint Johns.{{cite web|title=65th Annual NAIA Football National Championship Media Guide|publisher=NAIA|year=2021|pages=53, 56–57|url=https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/z/1/hmekbq05exka1t/2020_FB_Media_Guide.pdf}}(Saint John's NAIA national championship in 1963)

Coach Gagliardi was selected by the United Press International (UPI) as the MIAC Coach of the Year.{{cite news|title=Emporia, St. John's Respect Records|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=November 26, 1963|page=31|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88484115/st-johns/|via=Newspapers.com}} He was also named small college coach of the year by the Rockne Club of America.{{cite news|title=Elliott named coach of year by Rockne Club|newspaper=Globe-Gazette|date=January 16, 1964|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88484561/coach-of-year/|via=Newspapers.com}} The 1963 team won the first of four national championships earned by Gagliardi's teams at Saint John's. Gagliardi's teams also won national championships in 1965, 1976, and 2003. Gagliardi became the winningest coach in college football history and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.{{Cite news| issn = 0362-4331| agency = Associated Press| title = John Gagliardi, Winningest College Football Coach, Dies at 91| work = The New York Times| access-date = 2018-10-08| date = 2018-10-08| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/07/obituaries/john-gagliardi-dies-at-91.html}}

Halfback Bernie Beckman was named MIAC Player of the Year, as voted by the MIAC coaches for the UPI.{{cite news|title=Beckman Is UPI Player Of Year|newspaper=St. Cloud Times|date=November 27, 1963|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88484322/bernie-beckman/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Saint John's dominated the 1963 All-MIAC football team selected by the conference coaches, filling 12 of 22 spots: Craig Muyres (named as quarterback on offensive team and safety on defensive team); halfback Bernie Beckman (named to the offensive and defensive teams); halfback Bob Spinner; fullback Rich Froehle; end Ken Roering (named to the offensive and defensive teams); tackle John McDowell (named to the offensive and defensive teams); offensive guard Dave Honer; and defensive end Hardy Reyerson.{{cite news|title=Johnnies Dominate All-MIAC Team: Fill 12 of 22 Positions|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|date=November 24, 1963|page=4S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88473942/johnnies-dominate-all-miac-team/|via=Newspapers.com}}

The 1963 team was inducted into Saint John's J-Club Hall of Honor in 2019.

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