The 1960 football team, led by Hall of Fame coach Moe Agler, was the heart of the “Glory Days” era, narrowly missing an undefeated season but still finishing at 8-1 to set a new Otterbein single-season record for most wins, at the time.

The quick and athletic Cardinals featured an explosive offense behind Hall of Fame and eventual All-American quarterback Larry Cline, averaging a staggering 39.1 points per game and surpassing 50 in four separate contests. The group’s average margin of victory that fall was nearly 27 points per win.

Otterbein’s only slip-up came in a 7-6 loss to Heidelberg, a game in which it led 6-0 down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Heidelberg unfortunately found the end zone on the final play of the game, keeping the Cardinals from achieving an undefeated season and Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) championship.

The Cardinals did rebound nicely after the loss, winning their final six games that culminated with a dominating 50-12 triumph over cross-town Capital. Other victories that year came over Findlay, Defiance, Kenyon, Oberlin, Hiram, Marietta and Ashland. Many pundits agreed that the team would have been capable of advancing deep in the playoffs had postseason play existed during that time.

Cline and standout wide receiver Ron Jones earned first team All-OAC honors that year while lineman Jack Pietila received second-team recognition. Many of the same contributors returned the following year to help the team post another 8-1 record and keep the ball rolling during a notable time in Otterbein football history.