This Week in College Football History

Courtesy of the National Football Foundation

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Featured Moment: Nov. 1, 2008

On Nov. 1, 2008, Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree tip-toed along the sideline for a 28-yard TD with one second  remaining as the Red Raiders beat Texas, 39-33. (Image courtesy of the NFF)

This report courtesy of the National Football Foundation.

Published by Bonesville on Oct. 26, 2013

FEATURED MOMENT

NOV. 1, 2008: No. 1 Texas travelled to No. 5 Texas Tech as the two undefeated teams fought to keep Big 12 and national title hopes alive. The Longhorns, who knocked off rival Oklahoma earlier in the season, fell behind 19-0 early. Texas slowly chipped away at the deficit, going up 33-32 on a touchdown run with 1:29 left to play. Red Raiders quarterback and NFF National Scholar-Athlete Graham Harrell hit receiver Michael Crabtree, who tip-toed along the sidelines for a 28-yard touchdown with one second remaining to pull out a 39-33 win. Oklahoma defeated Texas Tech three weeks later, landing both teams in a three-way tie with Texas atop the Big 12 South. The Sooners claimed the regular season title, won the Big 12 championship game and a spot in the BCS National Championship.

OTHER NOTABLE DATES

OCT. 28, 1978: College Football Hall of Fame running back Joe Delaney (Northwestern State) scored all four touchdowns, including a 90-yard TD run, as the Demons topped Nicholls State, 28-18. The sophomore carried the ball 28 times for 299 yards, gaining 263 of those yards in the second half, an NCAA record for rushing yards in a half. Northwestern State retired Delaney’s No. 44 jersey at halftime of his final college game in 1980 as he closed his career with 3,047 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. Delaney passed away in 1983 when he drowned after diving into a pond in attempt to save three children.

OCT. 29, 1926: It was a one-man show when Ben Stevenson, Tuskegee's Hall of Fame halfback, led the Golden Tigers against Lincoln in 1926. In front of 35,000 fans, the triple-threat back scored all 20 of Tuskegee’s points on two touchdowns (including a 90-yard run), two extra points and two field goals. Final score: Ben Stevenson 20, Lincoln 16. In his eight seasons at Tuskegee (1923-26 as a high school player on a college team, 1927-30 as a collegiate player), Stevenson helped the Golden Tigers to six Black National Championships and a 69-2-9 overall record. An all-around athlete, he lead the team and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in rushing, scoring, kicking and interceptions from 1923-30.

OCT. 30, 1971: College Football Hall of Fame tailback Ed Marinaro (Cornell) had a record-setting day when the Big Red hosted Columbia. Marinaro rushed for 272 yards and two touchdowns, breaking the NCAA career rushing record of fellow Hall of Famer Steve Owens (Oklahoma, 3,867 yards). In the 24-21 win over Columbia, Marinaro also became the first running back in NCAA history to eclipse 4,000 career yards. Cornell finished the 1971 season with an 8-1 record, the school’s best finish since going 8-1 in 1949. Marinaro won the 1971 Maxwell and UPI College Player of the Year awards, and finished runner-up to Hall of Fame quarterback Pat Sullivan (Auburn) for the 1971 Heisman Trophy.

OCT. 31, 1959: College Football Hall of Fame running back Billy Cannon  of Louisiana State led the top-ranked Tigers to a 7-3 defeat of No. 3 Mississippi on Halloween night 1959. The defending national champion, LSU committed numerous mistakes throughout the game, giving up four fumbles, having a field goal blocked and failing to convert a fake punt. Clinging to a 3-0 lead, Ole Miss shifted into conservation mode and had Hall of Fame quarterback Jake Gibbs (Mississippi) punt on first down, hoping to capitalize on more Tiger errors. Early in the fourth quarter, the Rebels punted away to Cannon, who shook several defenders en route to an 89-yard touchdown return and an eventual 7-3 LSU win. The victory extended the Tigers’ win streak to 19 and handed Ole Miss its only loss of the year. Behind Hall of Famer coach Johnny Vaught and Hall of Fane fullback Charlie Flowers, Ole Miss claimed revenge with a 21-0 shutout of LSU in the 1960 Sugar Bowl.

NOV. 2, 1991: An early winter storm made for an offensive struggle when Tulsa hosted Southern Mississippi. With 12 seconds remaining and the score knotted at 10, Southern Miss missed a 35-yard field goal attempt, giving the ball back to Tulsa. In a last-ditch effort, Golden Hurricane quarterback T.J. Rubley threw up a Hail Mary that was caught by receiver Chris Penn for a 65-yard gain. At the Golden Eagle 16 with a second left on the clock, Tulsa kicker Eric Lange slipped in the snow, sending his 32-yard field goal try wide left. The game appeared to end in a tie, but USM was flagged for 12 men on the field, giving Lange a second chance, this time from 24 yards out. Lange connected, giving Tulsa a 13-10 victory. The Golden Hurricane finished the 1991 season with a 10-2 record and a No. 21 national ranking.

NOV. 3, 1990: Virginia quarterback Shawn Moore’s record-setting day was not enough to save top-ranked Virginia and Hall of Fame coach George Welsh (Navy, Virginia) from an upset at home by No. 16 Georgia Tech. Moore passed for a school-record 344 yards, connecting with wide receiver Herman Moore on nine passes for 234 yards and a touchdown. The Cavaliers held a comfortable 28-14 halftime lead before Georgia Tech quarterback Shawn Jones led the comeback charge. Tech capitalized on back-to-back Virginia turnovers with two quick touchdowns to start the second half. The Yellow Jackets took their first lead of the game on a 35-yard field goal by Scott Sisson, but the Cavs answered with a field goal of their own. Tech marched 56 yards before Sisson nailed the 37-yard game-winning field goal with seven seconds remaining, handing the Jackets a 41-38 victory. Despite heading into the game with a perfect 7-0 mark, the Cavaliers finished the season 8-4. Georgia Tech posted an 11-0-1 record, defeating No. 19 Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl and earning a split national title.

The Bonesville staff contributed to this report.


11/01/2013 08:00 PM