Better late than never. Debbie Yow corrects an oversight:
"I feel tremendous. I’m so proud," said Coleman, sporting a ring with his number and the year of the championship on it.
N.C. State Sports Information Director Annabelle Myers said the 1965 team had never previously been recognized.
The Wayne District supervisor received the gold-plated ring last week along with a second letter from Yow.
In the second letter, Coleman and other members of the 1965 team were told, "you never received your championship rings. We wanted to rectify this oversight."
The 1965 Wolfpack football team was named co-ACC champs along with Clemson after South Carolina was forced to forfeit conference games in which a couple of ineligible players participated. From the ACC's football media guide:
Duke and South Carolina finished the 1965 regular season tied for conference leadership with identical 4-2 league marks before ACC Commissioner Jim Weaver ruled that the Gamecocks had violated league rules in regards to the eligibility of two players and were required to forfeit all conference games in which the two players had participated. Due to the forfeit wins they received, NC State and Clemson, which had both lost to South Carolina, were declared ACC co-champions with 5-2 records in league play.
Hey, a championship is a championship even when you back into it after the fact.
Before I read the details, I was having fun with this imaginary scenario:
NCSU Official: "Please fill out these championship swag forms in triplicate."
Football Player: [Does so.]
NCSU Official: [Stamps approval.] "That'll be 46 years."
Football Player: "46 years! But I don't plan to live that long."
NCSU Official: [Shrugs.]