While we’re getting closer, the 2015-’16 season is still several weeks away.
With that in mind, here are seven additional plays that’ll get you fired up for college football season.
7 – Wentworth Waltzes In (Cal Poly at Fresno State 2013)
While this play isn’t as famous as some of the others on this list, it’s still one of my favorites. There’s nothing like watching an offensive lineman get the opportunity to score a touchdown.
Fresno picked the perfect time to run this play, as everyone in the stadium was expecting Davante Adams to get the ball. On first and 10 at the Cal Poly 13, Bulldog QB David Carr threw a short pass to Adams. Just as the Mustang defenders were about to bring him down, he pitched the ball to left tackle Austin Wentworth, who waltzed into the end zone untouched.
6 – Bluegrass Miracle (LSU at Kentucky, 2002)
Watching this game live, I was convinced that the Wildcats were going to win. The Kentucky players certainly thought it was over, dousing coach Guy Morriss with Gatorade even though there was time remaining on the clock.
All of us were dead wrong.
With 75 yards to go and only one play remaining, LSU called “Dash Right 93 Berlin.” Quarterback Marcus Randall sprinted to his right and threw the ball as far as he could. The ball went off the hands of a UK defender into the capable mitts off Devery Henderson, who rumbled into the end zone for the game-winning score.
5 – Braxton Miller’s Heroics (Wisconsin at Ohio State, 2011)
Speaking of improbable comebacks, don’t count out Braxton Miller in the Ohio State quarterback race. While many in the media expected him to transfer to another program, Miller’s track record suggests that he’s more than talented enough to win the job. Whenever the Buckeyes needed him to make a big play, he seemed to deliver every time.
Just looked at what happened against Wisconsin back in 2011. Down 3 with 30 seconds to play, the Buckeyes needed something special. The Badger pass rush broke through the line and forced Miller out of the pocket. He managed to elude the UW defenders and scrambled towards the sideline. Instead of pulling the ball down and running, Miller kept his eyes downfield and found a wide open Devin Smith for the game-winning TD.
4. Rice’s Run (Notre Dame at USC, 1988)
Even though the Irish came into this game as the number one team in the country, they weren’t the favorite in this contest. After all, Notre Dame was playing USC on the road without its top running back and its top receiver. That left many fans wondering how Lou Holtz’s squad was going to score enough points to defeat the Trojan offense, led by future NFL QB Rodney Peete.
Tony Rice answered that question on the first series of the game. On third and four, he ran the triple option to the left side of the field. Behind a punishing block from offensive guard Tim Grunhard, Rice broke into the open field and outran the Trojan defense to the end zone, putting the Irish ahead 7-0.
This run would set the tone for the entire contest. Notre Dame would go on to win the game, 27-10, and capture the national championship a few weeks later with a 34-21 win over West Virginia.
3. Punt Rooksi (Florida State at Clemson, 1988)
Bobby Bowden made one of the gutsiest decisions in college football history by calling this play.
Make no mistake about it: Florida State should have punted the ball in this situation. Sure, the ‘Noles needed only four yards. But, if they’d failed to pick up the first down, Clemson would get the ball back deep in FSU territory. With less than 90 seconds remaining, the Tigers could have easily run the clock down before kicking the game-winning field goal.
However, Bowden channeled his inner Captain Morgan and called “Punt Rooski.” Upback Dane Williams took the snap from center and ran to the right side of the field. He handed the ball to Leroy Butler, who rumbled 78 yards down the left sideline before being tackled at the Clemson 1-yard line, putting the Seminoles in position to win the game.
2. Roll Left (Texas vs Nebraska, 1996 Big 12 Championship Game)
Believe it or not, the clip above wasn’t the boldest decision on this list.
That distinction belongs to Texas head coach John Mackovic for his brilliant play call in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Rather than play it safe and punt the ball away, Mackovic relied on his offense to win the game. QB James Brown took the snap and rolled to the left side of the field, where it looked like he’d be stopped short of the first down. However, Brown stopped running and fired the ball to a wide-open Derek Lewis for a 62-yard gain.
This clutch conversion broke Nebraska’s back. Priest Holmes would run for a TD on the next play, giving the Longhorns an insurmountable 10-point lead.
1. The Play (Penn State at West Virginia, 1988)
Two weeks ago, I wrote that Tommie Frazier’s 75-yard TD was arguably the greatest run in college football history.
This gem from Major Harris also belongs in that discussion.
Let’s be honest: Harris made this happen all on this own. The play was supposed to be an option run to the left side of the field. However, he took the snap and ran the other way, ending up surrounded by a sea of Nittany Lion defenders.
It didn’t matter. Harris stiff-armed the initial defender, made three others miss, and broke a tackle at the five-yard line before galloping across the goal line for a touchdown.
