In the fall of 1984, Ronald Reagan was seeking his second term as President, the price of gas in California hovered around $1 per gallon, and the Summer Olympic Games had been successfully and profitably hosted in Los Angeles.  Historic Titan Gym had even served as an Olympic venue for Team Handball.

Cal State Fullerton Football was then at its zenith.  In the 23-year history of the Titan program, perhaps no home game was more important, more hyped, or ended more emotionally than their November 3, 1984 contest with the Fresno State Bulldogs.

The Titans were 9-0 after victories over, among others, Boise State, Hawaii, Idaho, Colorado State, and a dominating 42-28 win at Veterans Stadium, vanquishing arch-rival, Long Beach State.  The win streak was beginning to garner national attention as the Titans prepared to host Fresno State, perennially one of the top teams in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, the precursor to the current Big West Conference.    

Head coach Gene Murphy had led the underfunded Titans to a PCAA championship the prior season, which was highlighted by an appearance in the 1983 California Bowl against Mid-American Conference champion, Northern Illinois. 

The 1984 Titan squad was packed with returners, and featured Damon Allen, younger brother of NFL Hall of Famer, Marcus Allen, at quarterback.   Allen was aided on offense by a talented quartet of running backs: Roy Lewis, Burness Scott, Todd Gerhart, and Rick Calhoun.  The Titans were perhaps even more blessed by the "Bomb Squad" wide receiver corps of Allen Pitts, Corn Reddick, James Pruitt, and Wade Lockett.  Additional pass-catching and blocking help was provided by tight ends, Marv Williams and Bob Kent.  Fullerton's stout defense was led by Andre Pinesett, Sean Foy, John Nevens, and Mark Collins.   

Heading into the game with Fresno State, the Titans were ranked 20^th in the nation in the UPI and Sports Illustrated polls.  (Yes.  You read that correctly).  Collins remembered, "It was awesome that there were only 20 teams mentioned back then.  It put us on the map, and it was good for the school."

Titan Stadium would not be built for another eight years, so home games were played at the Santa Ana Bowl.  Pregame tailgate activities were held within shouting distance of the Orange County Men's Jail. 

Tim Murphy, son of the Titan head coach, was then an 18-year-old CSUF freshman, and served as a student manager.  Tim remembered, "We all knew it was a huge game. Each win kept the streak alive. We knew Fresno had some amazing talent that we had tried to recruit as well.  Jim Sweeney, Fresno State's head coach, was my dad's good friend.  We were 3-1 vs Fresno in dad's first four years.  I certainly don't think we were intimidated by what Fresno was doing that year."

12,121 boisterous football fans would pack the sold-out stadium.  Many of those in attendance were members of Fresno's "Red Wave" booster group who had made the four-hour drive south for the 1:00 p.m. kick-off.  

The Titans started off slowly, falling to a 14-3 second quarter deficit.  Fullerton entered the tunnel at halftime trailing only 14-10 after Pitts scored on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Allen.

Collins added, "We knew Fresno was good, and well-coached.  They had some really good receivers.  Coach Burt (defensive coordinator, Bob Burt) told us to 'weather the storm.'  We felt that our job on defense was to keep it close."

Fullerton's defense would flex their muscles in the second half.  With their collective backs to the wall, Mark Collins intercepted a Bulldog pass on Fullerton's 3-yard line.  "I jumped a slant," Collins recollected, "I was shocked when they threw the ball my way."

The Titans would allow only three Bulldog points in the second half, and would hold Fresno State scoreless in the fourth quarter. 

The speedy Reddick was to come up big late in the game.  With a little more than five minutes remaining and the Titans trailing 17-10, Allen and Reddick hooked up for a pivotal 51-yard completion to the Fresno State 4-yard line.   Burness Scott would eventually slam forward from the 1-yard line to tie the score at 17-17.

With three minutes to go in the game, Reddick would move the team into possible field goal position after a 13-yard reception brought the Titans to the Fresno State 32-yard line. 

Facing a fourth-and-9 on the Bulldog 31-yard line, coach Murphy called on senior kicker, Greg Steinke.  Nicknamed "Helium Head" by coach Murphy for his uber-confidence, Steinke had previously missed attempts from 28 and 46 yards. 

Alumnus and longtime booster, Henry Tran, remembers the electric atmosphere which was further spurred on by the Tuffy mascot at the time, Mark Monninger.  According to Tran, "Tuffy was running all over the student section.  When the field goal attempt was set to go, he climbed up on the railing facing the crowd, and took off his elephant head and yelled: 'Everybody hold hands!'  We raised our hands up high and waited."

After being "iced" by a Fresno State timeout, Steinke, used it as an incentive, saying at the time, "I love it when they call time out.  I use self-hypnosis and it gives me time to pre-visualize the kick."  Steinke then drilled a 48-yard field goal with 1:36 left on the clock.  Remembered Tran, "The kick went up and it seemed like it traveled in slow motion."  Titan fans were delirious when it cleared the crossbar.    

Steinke admitted, "I was really nervous, to tell you the truth."

Collins added, "In the second half we began to play very aggressive defense, daring coach Sweeney to throw the ball."  Thanks to a Duane Henson interception, Fullerton's stingy defense held on to secure the win, and the Santa Ana gridiron was soon overflowing with happy Titan fans. 

Tim Murphy looked back, "It really was amazing to see the stadium packed with fans, and with the way the game played out, with Steinke nailing the field goal.  I was so excited for Greg!  And, obviously, for dad and his team… our team."

The win over Fresno State would prove to be the high-water mark in the history of Cal State Fullerton football.  Despite the win, the Titans were dropped from the national Top-20 polls.  "It doesn't make a difference," intoned coach Murphy at the time.  "I guess the wins weren't big enough."  The always-optimistic Murphy offered: "Two more wins will take care of the national rankings.

"It was nice for one week, though," Murphy said, not knowing he would be describing the apogee of the Fullerton program.

Despite a 20-0 final game shutout of New Mexico State, Fullerton's record-setting season would effectively and controversially end at UNLV's Sam Boyd Silver Bowl on November 10.  Trailing 26-20 and positioned on UNLV's 13-yard-line, Allen and the Titans failed to connect for a touchdown. 

By virtue of Fullerton's lone defeat, UNLV would ultimately secure the conference championship and qualify for the California Bowl.  Despite Fullerton's excellent record and proximity to Anaheim's inaugural Freedom Bowl, the organizers would choose to snub the home-county Titans.  Iowa was instead chosen to play #19 Texas in a driving rainstorm that night, which undoubtedly held down attendance.  A well-known Titan booster claims to have performed an indigenous rain dance prior to the kick-off.   

It was later determined by the PCAA that UNLV's football program had used seven academically ineligible players.  The Rebels were forced to vacate 18 wins from their 1983 and 1984 seasons, including the 1984 PCAA and Cal Bowl championships.  Cal State Fullerton would technically finish their 1984 season undefeated at 12-0.

The too-late sanctions would provide no satisfaction to anyone at Cal State Fullerton.  Murphy said at the time: "I think this makes the conference a laughing stock."  

UNLV's head coach, Harvey Hyde, was eventually fired after the 1985 season, following off-the-field allegations involving his players. 

1984 Titan players, Daren Gilbert, Andre Pinesett, Rick Calhoun, Marv Williams, Wade Lockett, James Pruitt, Corn Redick, Hank Goebel, and Vincent Gamache would enjoy varying stints in the NFL.  Mark Collins would star for 13 seasons as an NFL defensive back, winning two Super Bowls with the New York Giants.  John Nevens and Todd Gerhart would play for the long-defunct Denver Gold of the USFL, and Damon Allen and Allen Pitts would go on to be enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Mark Collins was inducted into the Titan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.  Damon Allen and the late Eugene Vincent Murphy followed in 2009.  Ten years later, in 2019, the entire 1984 Cal State Fullerton Football team was honored with their induction.

After nearly 30 years in the baseball industry, Tim Murphy currently works for Trader Joe's in San Diego. Tim and C.J. (Christine) Murphy have been married for 26 years, and have two adult children. 

Mark Collins lives in Kansas City, Missouri.  The father of five and grandfather of two is the owner of 2Five Sports, a recruiting service for potential college student-athletes. 

Henry "Hank" Tran is married to Kay, and they have two adult children.  Tran is retired after a career in aerospace, sports information, and coaching basketball.  Tran has also taught at Cal State Northridge and Cerritos College.