College football’s 150th anniversary: The 150 best moments that stood the test of time

147. Harvard Tops Tufts 1-0 in First American Football Contest (1875)

For the first few years of college football history, the sport more closely resembled other football codes than the one we now know as American football. The first game in 1869 was more like soccer than the gridiron game, and many contests on college campuses followed variations of rugby rules.

When Harvard squared off against Tufts in 1875, though, their showdown transpired amidst major rule changes. Participants were limited to 11 per side, while teams could either kick the ball or carry the ball to try to move it downfield. Tackling stopped play and reset the action at the spot of the tackle.

There were still plenty of tweaks that still needed to take place before football could really get close to the sport we know today. But the Crimson victory was the first game that we can really pinpoint as prototypically American in its design, even if the scoring system that led to Harvard’s 1-0 victory leaves something to be desired.

146. The Snow Bowl (1992)

When Notre Dame and Penn State met in South Bend in November 1992, both independent powerhouses sat in the AP Top 25 hoping to set themselves up for a berth in one of the Coalition bowl games. The Fighting Irish prevailed in a contest where the Indiana weather made its presence felt.

Penn State had the lead for most of the contest. With 25 seconds remaining it appeared that the Nittany Lions were about to pull off the upset over their hosts and vault their way up the polls. But the home side had a little more magic to work as snowflakes fell all around the two teams and blanketed the gridiron.

Rick Mirer took the snap and found running back Jerome Bettis to pull within one point. In the days before overtime, Lou Holtz and his team had to decide whether to opt for the extra point and a tie or to go for two and the victory. Opting for a win, Mirer took one last snap and found Reggie Brooks in the back of the endzone to pull the Fighting Irish ahead. The win ultimately helped secure a Cotton Bowl berth and a No. 4 finish in both major polls.

145. Beavers Dominate Special Teams vs. USC (1996)

Special teams are often given less attention than offense and defense, given the relative lack of special teams opportunities vis-à-vis the majority of game time. But they often make for some of the most exciting plays possible, as one big play can change the entire complexion of a college football game.

When Oregon State traveled to Los Angeles in 1996 to face Southern California in an early-season Pac-10 showdown, they were coming off a 35-14 loss to I-AA Montana. There was little expectation that the Beavers would take down the No. 16 Trojans. But, while USC ran away with a 46-17 victory, the Beavers came away with a new record.

Since the split of Division I in 1978, no team had ever blocked three different types of kicks in the same game. Oregon State did just that when their special teams unit tapped down a field-goal attempt, an extra-point attempt, and a USC punt in their September 14 showdown at the Coliseum. Even in defeat, Oregon State provided a lasting memory that remains unique in the annals of college football history.