#96 - 9/29/23 - BYU wins opener in 2nd season: BYU - 16, Montana St. 15

             Despite BYU’s dismal performance in their opening season (1-5), enthusiasm for the sport ran high among the students. The 1923 graduating class submitted a proposal to raise funds to build a stadium as its senior class project. The project was supported by Franklin S. Harris, who was installed as school president in 1921 and pledged to “exert every effort and endeavor to make football a major sport at the Y.” Construction began in 1926, with much of the work being done by volunteers using funds and equipment donated by companies from across the state.

BYU’s first game of season #2 was scheduled against Montana State. Details of this game are very sketchy, but we do know that BYU won 16-15. With a one-point differential, it must have been an extremely exciting game. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as well the rest of the year, and the Cougars finished the season with a 2-5 record.

Cleo and Tarbo
Courtesy of BYU Library

Cosmo the Cougar
Courtesy of BYU Photo


School spirit ran high following the victory over Montana State. Two days later, on Oct. 1, 1923, BYU named the Cougar as the official mascot of the university’s sports teams. In 1924, the school purchased a pair of cougar cubs for a dollar. The cubs were named Cleo and Tarbo, and prowled the sidelines until 1929, when they broke out of their cage and killed a pair of dogs. One died of natural causes shortly thereafter and the other was donated to Liberty Zoo in Salt Lake. Still, live cougars continued to make appearances at special BYU games through the 1960’s. On October 15, 1953, Cosmo (the Cougars’ famous mascot) made his first appearance in front of BYU fans. He continues to thrill Cougar fans to this day.

 

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