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

141. The Penalty Flag is Born (1941)

Few college football fans tend to get excited when a yellow flag falls to the turf. The ubiquitous marker for a penalty is in no way one of the more beloved aspects of the sport. But prior to 1941, fans were greeted instead with a shrill whistle every time a penalty was committed. For all the heartache flags bring, they are at least far less painful to the ears.

For the innovation, we can thank Youngstown State head coach Dwight Dike Beede. The coach conceived the idea of using flags instead of whistles to signify penalties and found a sympathetic test case in referee Jack McPhee. The flag was first introduced as an experiment for the October 17, 1941 game between Oklahoma City and the Penguins.

McPhee, an instant advocate of the flag, found that it made it clearer for those both on the field and in the stands to understand why play was being stopped. He later utilized flags when refereeing at the Rose Bowl, and was instrumental in their wider adoption across college football.

140. Howard Upsets UNLV for Biggest Win Against Spread Ever (2017)

Usually, when a team schedules an FCS opponent, the goal is to secure an easy victory and get one step closer to bowl eligibility. For the FCS opponent coming to town, though, the goal is to play hard enough to become a Cinderella story instead of merely another cupcake on a bigger team’s schedule.

Usually, such games are not even given a point spread by Las Vegas. Yet in 2017, when Howard came to Sin City to face UNLV, local interest led the oddsmakers to set up the HBCU program as a 45-point underdog against the Rebels. Some sportsbooks were installing odds up to 600-to-1 or higher.

Instead, the Bison did not lie down easily for their hosts. Though they were outgained by more than 100 yards on offense, Howard forced three Rebels fumbles. Taking a 21-20 halftime lead, Howard fell behind in the third quarter but charged back for the victory on Caylin Newton’s second rushing touchdown of the contest.

139. The Fumble Game (1969)

When most football fans think about the Fumble Game, they likely think back to the AFC Championship Game in 1987 where Cleveland running back Earnest Byner fumbled near the Denver goal line in the final 72 seconds. But the moniker should more aptly be applied to a weather-beaten contest in Tallahassee on the 100th anniversary of college football.

Florida State hosted Wichita State in September, on a rain-soaked day that turned the field into a quagmire. Between them, the Shockers and Seminoles set a damning record for the most combined fumbles in a single football game.

Wichita State coughed up a total of 17 fumbles in the mud, losing 10 of them. Florida State was right there with the Shockers, dropping the rock 10 times and giving it to Wichita State seven. The Seminoles prevailed 24-0 as their defense held the Shockers to 77 total yards on 66 offensive plays, in a game that is memorable for its ineptitude far more than the final result.