TikTok was invented in 2016. Six years before that came Instagram. While Facebook has been around since 2003, it only became publicly available a few months after Twitter did in 2006. Along with these inventions came the term “going viral,” where a moment gets captured and instantly shared to anyone who has access to an electronic device with a screen. When it comes to college football, a big play, a wild fan, an incredible announcer call or more is seen by not just those watching the game but all across the nation, leading to even more interaction between fans and the game they love. But what about the long history of pre-social media college football? I can’t list everything, but I gathered several pre-social media moments that would have blown up the internet.
Hail Flutie
The 1984 game between No. 12 Miami and No. 10 Boston College was already an all-time classic as the game wound down. Bernie Kosar had passed for a then-Hurricane record 447 yards to go along with two touchdowns. On the other side, the Eagles’ Doug Flutie had 424 yards and two touchdown passes of his own. But with six seconds left at the Miami 48-yard line, it looked like the home team would come out on top. Then Flutie, all 5-foot-10 of him, took the snap, dropped back all the way to his own 37-yard line, then launched a pass against winds of up to 30 mph that sailed through the air and into the waiting arms of Gerard Phelan for the 47-45 victory that launched Flutie into immortality.
Fifth down: Nebraska vs. Colorado
1990 is the only year Colorado football won a national championship. However, it never should have happened. In their early October road trip to Missouri, the Buffaloes were given a narrow 33-31 victory due to an officiating error. Driving in the final moments following a second-down run stuffed at the goal line and Colorado’s final timeout, the down marker was never changed. So on third down (that was marked second down), the Buffaloes ran, got stuffed, then spiked the ball on third down (which was actually fourth down). On fifth down (marked as fourth down) with two seconds left, Colorado scored on a QB keeper. The officials realized their mistake, talked it out for about 20 minutes, then allowed the play to stand. Of course, if the marker hadn’t been incorrect, it is safe to assume that sequence of plays would not have happened, but nonetheless it was controversial.
Fifth down: Dartmouth vs. Cornell
Colorado’s “fifth down” may be more infamous, but the ending of this 1940 matchup had a wilder ending. No. 1 Cornell came into the game at 6-0 as reigning national champions looking to go back-to-back. Trailing 3-0, the Big Red put themselves in position for four goal-to-go chances with under a minute to go (before you ask, if college kickers are iffy today, imagine how they were in the ‘40s. So tying the game wasn’t a gimme). On third-and-goal from the 1, Mort Landsberg plunged into a mass of bodies and was ruled short. However, teammate Lou Conti maintained until his passing in 2014 that he was lying in the end zone and Landsberg was on top of him when the play was over. There was mass confusion, and Cornell called a timeout. However, the Big Red were out of timeouts, so it resulted in a delay of game penalty and they were pushed back five yards. But more importantly, the confusion most likely led to an extra down. The following play was an incomplete pass and should have been a turnover on downs, but the Big Red were given one last shot, which they converted to win 7-3.
After the game, the officials reviewed the tape and realized their error. The following day, referee Red Friesell sent an apology telegram to Dartmouth and Cornell President Ezra Day called a meeting with the team to discuss his own telegram to Dartmouth. In it, Day stated that Cornell was forfeiting the win because “I’m a Dartmouth graduate. I know Dartmouth, and it won’t be long before we get a return telegraph saying, ‘no Cornell you won it on the field, and that’s the way it should be.’”
Of course, the return telegraph never came, and Cornell’s dream of back-to-back national championships ended.
Ohio State vs. Miami “Pass Interference”
The 2003 Fiesta Bowl could be seen as the end of an era as Miami, aka “The U,” was looking for yet another national title against a historically great Ohio State program that hadn’t won a title since 1968. It was back and forth throughout, with the game ending up in overtime. Up 24-17, Miami looked to have sealed a championship as a fourth-and-3 Buckeye pass from the 5-yard line fell incomplete. However, as the Hurricanes rushed the field, a late flag was thrown. It was defensive pass interference and new life for Ohio State. The tying touchdown was scored three plays later as Miami tried to recover mentally. Already reeling heading into double overtime, the Hurricanes’ defense gave up a touchdown to go down 31-24, and on their offensive possession, they failed to score, giving Ohio State the win. Miami has never been the same since.
Miracle at Michigan
In a battle between the visiting No. 7 Colorado Buffaloes and the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, it looked to be finished as Colorado’s Kordell Stewart fumbled the ball into the end zone down 26-14. It was recovered by Michigan with 5:08 left in the game, and after a few runs and timeouts burned by Colorado, 3:52 remained for the Buffaloes as they started at their own 28-yard line. They scored a touchdown but failed to recover the onside kick with 2:16 on the clock. A few runs then a punt placed Colorado on its 15-yard line with 21 seconds left. A 21-yard pass to Michael Westbrook followed by a spike left 64 yards of field to cover in six seconds. Colorado then called “Jets, Rocket, Victory.” Three receivers lined up left then went streaking down the field as Stewart danced around then let the ball go from his own 27-yard line. The pass settled near the goal line where it was tipped by Blake Anderson then miraculously caught by Westbrook for the 27-26 stunner. Anderson would later say everything went according to plan..
“I definitely hit it. Westbrook was behind me. That’s the designed play. I just went up and tipped it,” Anderson said after the incredible finish.
Punt Bama Punt
Before Alabama special teams gained notoriety for missing field goals, there was “Punt Bama Punt.” Cruising to a 16-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the No. 2 Crimson Tide looked on their way to a dominant victory over No. 9 Auburn and also putting themselves in prime position to win a title. Auburn kicked a field goal to make it 16-3, then Alabama imploded. With less than six minutes left, Bill Newton blocked a punt which was grabbed on the bounce by David Langner, who sprinted to paydirt to make it 16-10. The Crimson Tide did nothing on their next drive and lined up to punt. Once again, Newton broke through and Langner fielded a high hop and took the ball into the end zone. The extra point was good, and on Alabama’s last gasp, Langner clinched the game by intercepting an overthrown pass as the cherry on top of a shocking comeback.
Archie Griffin’s Second Heisman
Archie Griffin had a legendary career while at Ohio State and won not one, but two Heisman Trophies. The only player to ever do so, his second Heisman season in 1975 was impressive, with 1,450 rushing yards and four touchdowns. However, there were plenty of players who could have laid claim to the award. Second-place Chuck Muncie of California ran for 1,460 yards and 13 touchdowns, third-place Ricky Bell of USC had a dominant season of 1,957 rushing yards 13 touchdowns, and fourth-place Tony Dorsett of Pittsburgh put up 1,686 yards and 13 scores. Another argument against Griffin was that it was a legacy award to get him history. Finally, Griffin got the bump of being on an 11-1 team that finished fourth in the final AP Poll while the others played on unranked teams. Whatever the case may be, Griffin’s place has been cemented into college football lore.
Notre Dame Ends Oklahoma’s 47-Game Winning Streak
From 1953 to 1957, Oklahoma won 47 straight games, winning two national championships and ruling the sport. The closest a team has gotten since is Toledo’s 35-game winning streak between 1969 and 1971. Hosting a 4-2 Notre Dame team who Oklahoma had crushed 40-0 in the previous season, it appeared the Sooners would keep it rolling. But then it all came tumbling down. All day, the Fighting Irish stuffed a high-powered Sooners’ rushing attack and eked out a touchdown. As the clock hit triple zeros, Notre Dame pulled out a 7-0 victory, bringing it full circle as Notre Dame had been the last team to defeat Oklahoma in 1953 before the streak started (Oklahoma tied with Pittsburgh the week following that 1953 loss).
About the author
I’m a Washington Huskies fan who is still amazed but not surprised that we didn’t have more success under Chris Petersen (I blame Jake Browning). Sports are my life. I know nothing else. I graduated from Bethany Lutheran College with a degree in Communication. I’ve been a part of a newspaper since 8th grade, including my college’s official newspaper where I was co-copy editor.
[…] In Part 1, I looked back at eight college football moments that happened before the dawn of social media that would have been all across people’s timelines. Of course, that list barely touched on an extensive history of the sport pre-social media. I gathered several more college football events that would have blown up the internet. […]