Bio

The 1978 football team turned in one of the best seasons in program history and one of the best seasons during Head Coach Ken Gibler’s tenure at Missouri Valley College. The Vikings finished the regular season with an 8-1 overall record, including an undefeated championship in the Heart of America Athletic Conference and an appearance in the NAIA Division II National Playoffs.

Highlights from 1978 include a season-opening win over Rolla (Mo.), 14-6, a 22-17 win over William Jewell (Mo.), a 25-0 win over a highly-ranked Baker (Kan.) team, a 14-0 win over Graceland (Iowa) to finish the conference season with a 6-0 record, and a 28-15 win over Benedictine (Kan.).

This season capped a stretch that saw the Viking football program win five-straight conference titles. The stellar play in the regular season allowed the football team to make its first National postseason appearance since 1974. In the first round of the playoffs, Missouri Valley played Bethany (Kan.), and earned a 30-16 win, advancing the team to its second National semifinal appearance in program-history. The Vikings fell to Findlay (Ohio) in the semifinals, ending the season with a 9-2 record.

A number of student-athletes on the team received indvidual recognition for their play during the season. They produced two All-Americans, seven Heart First Team All-Conference selections and three all-conference second team selections. Six were selected to the NAIA District 16 First Team, with six more second team selections. Five were chosen as honorable mention selections to the all-district team. Gibler was named the Heart Coach of the Year and the NAIA District 16 Coach of the Year.