1963 Stanford Indians football team

1963 Stanford Indians football
ConferenceAthletic Association of Western Universities
Record3–7 (1–4 AAWU)
Head coach
Home stadiumStanford Stadium
1963 Athletic Association of Western Universities football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Washington $ 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
USC 3 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
UCLA 2 – 2 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Washington State 1 – 1 – 0 3 – 6 – 1
California 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
Stanford 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1963 Stanford Indians football team represented Stanford University in the 1963 NCAA University Division football season. The team was led by first-year head coach John Ralston. Ralston succeeded Jack Curtice, who had been fired at the end of the previous season.[1] The team played home games at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21San Jose State*
W 29–1331,000[2]
September 28Oregon*
  • Stanford Stadium
  • Stanford, CA
L 7–3631,000[3]
October 5UCLA
  • Stanford Stadium
  • Stanford, CA
L 9–1021,000[4]
October 12at Rice*
L 13–2330,000[5]
October 19at Washington
L 11–1954,000[6]
October 26Notre Dame*
  • Stanford Stadium
  • Stanford, CA (rivalry)
W 24–1455,000[7]
November 2at Oregon State*
L 7–1017,697[8]
November 9at USC
L 11–2557,035[9]
November 16Washington State
  • Stanford Stadium
  • Stanford, CA
L 15–3227,500[10]
November 30[a 1]California
W 28–1782,000[11]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Source: [12]
  1. ^ Rescheduled from November 23 following the Kennedy assassination.

Game summaries

California

Team 1 234Total
California 3 0140 17
• Stanford 0 31213 28
Scoring summary
1CALTom Blanchfield 37-yard field goalCAL 3–0
2STANBraden Beck 36-yard field goalTied 3–3
3STANSteve Thurlow 5-yard run (run failed)STAN 9–3
3CALJim Blakeney 7-yard run (Tom Blanchfield kick)CAL 10–9
3CALTom Blanchfield 69-yard punt return (Tom Blanchfield kick)CAL 17–9
3STANKen Babajian 1-yard run (run failed)CAL 17–15
4STANBraden Beck 48-yard field goalSTAN 18–17
3STANSteve Thurlow 5-yard run (Braden Beck kick)STAN 25–17
4STANBraden Beck 46-yard field goalSTAN 28–17

The 66th Big Game was scheduled for November 23, but after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, like nearly all sporting events, the game was canceled and rescheduled for the following week.[13] Stanford was winless in the conference coming into the game, and following a California punt return for a touchdown, were behind their rival 17–9 late in the second half. But the Indians fought back, scoring the last 19 points in the game on two touchdowns and two field goals to win the game.[14]


Roster

1963 Stanford Cardinal football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
  Steve Thurlow Sr
OL Marvin Harris Sr
FB Ray Handley So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB Jack Chapple Jr
DT Gary Pettigrew So
DB Richard Ragsdale Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Players drafted by the NFL/AFL

Player Position Round Pick NFL/AFL Club[b 1]
Steve Thurlow Running back 2 25 New York Giants
Bob Nichols Tackle 9/18 122/142 Pittsburgh Steelers/Houston Oilers[b 2]
Dick Leeuwenburg Tackle 11/17 154/134 Chicago Bears/Houston Oilers[b 3]
Marv Harris Linebacker 13 175 Los Angeles Rams

[15][16]

  1. ^ AFL Draft selections shown in italics.
  2. ^ Signed with Pittsburgh.
  3. ^ Signed with Chicago.

References

  1. ^ "Coach Jack Curtice fired by Stanford". The News and Courier. November 27, 1962. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  2. ^ "California, Stanford score opening wins". The Sacramento Union. September 22, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Berry sparks Ducks past Stanford, 36–7". The Arizona Republic. September 29, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Late TD gives UCLA win". The Daily Breeze. October 6, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Rice trips Tribe, 23–13". The Fresno Bee. October 13, 1963. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "UW defeats Stanford 19–11". The News Tribune. October 20, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Stanford surprises Notre Dame, 24–14". The Lima Citizen. October 27, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Oregon State edges Stanford, 10–7". Santa Barbara News-Press. November 3, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "SC gets scare, wins, 25–11". The Daily Breeze. November 10, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Ford guides WSU rout, 32–15". Tri-City Herald. November 17, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Stanford rips Cal in last quarter, 28–17". The Register. December 1, 1963. Retrieved January 24, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Schedule/Results (1963 Stanford)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  13. ^ Migdol, Gary (1997). Stanford: Home of Champions. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC. p. 140. ISBN 1-57167-116-1.
  14. ^ "Stanford defeats California by 28–17". The Register-Guard. December 1, 1963. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  15. ^ "1964 NFL Draft". Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  16. ^ "1964 AFL Draft". Retrieved November 25, 2013.
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