The Ricks College football team finished the 1992 season with its first-ever 11-0 record, outshooting the Wranglers of Cisco (Texas) Junior College to win the 6th annual Real Dairy Bowl Nov. 24.

      The Vikings, ranked third nationally among junior colleges, scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to down Cisco, 61-35, at the Holt Arena on the Idaho State University campus. The Wranglers dropped to 7-4 with the loss.Ricks jumped out to a 27-0 lead early in the second quarter, but the Wranglers proved they still had some Texas fight left, and eventually narrowed the Viking lead to two points, 37-35, with 14:04 left in the game.

      However, Ricks converted two Wrangler turnovers into touchdowns in the final minutes of play to ice the win. With 7:16 remaining, Viking linebacker Todd Sofonia returned his second interception of the game 48 yards for a touchdown. Ricks' Cole Wilson also intercepted another pass to set up the game's final touchdown, an 18-yard reverse run by receiver Mark Harris.

      Viking head coach Ron Haun was pleased with the victory and the play of his team. "It feels great," said Haun. "You can't do any better than that. We're proud of our team. Our kids are a class act."

      In the game's early going, Ricks' running back Mark Morgan found the end zone three times, scoring on runs of 10, 46 and 25 yards. Both Morgan and Jerome Oliver rushed for 87 first-half yards. Quarterback Kevin Stephens threw first-quarter touchdown strikes of 2 and 23 yards to tight end Lance Labrum and Harris, respectively.

      The Viking defense, best in the nation against the run this season, held Cisco to just five yards rushing on 15 carries in the first half. The Wranglers got on the scoreboard with 9:54 remaining in the half when Lefevre hit Travis Dougherty with a one-yard TD pass, capping a 71-yard drive. Cisco added two additional second-quarter scores, and trailed 34-21 at the half.

      Early in the third quarter, the Wranglers cut the Viking lead to six points, 34-28, when linebacker Tim Rose intercepted a Stephens pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. A Ricks field goal and Cisco touchdown upped the score to 37-35 before the wild fourth quarter.

      Ricks place kicker Jesse Neville hit field goals of 43 and 49 yards, and added six extra points to help the Viking cause. "It felt really good," Neville said of his 49-yarder. "I haven't gotten many chances this year, and I knew I had to put it through."

      Ricks tallied 455 yards of total offense, while Cisco gained 291.

      Stephens completed 14 of 24 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. Harris caught five passes for 115 yards and two TDs, and tight end Matt Nelson had three receptions for 46 yards.

      Viking rushers combined to roll up 274 yards. Oliver finished the game with 133 yards on nine carries, and Morgan ran for 94 yards on 13 carries.

      Ricks had received a bid to the Dairy Bowl after winning its third Western States Football League title since the league was formed in 1985. The Vikings improved their Dairy Bowl record to 4-2 with the victory.