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

129. Clipping Call Saves Colorado from the Rocket (1991)

A year after Notre Dame took down Colorado in the 1990 Orange Bowl to spoil a Buffaloes bid for a national championship, the two teams met again a year later in Miami with similar stakes on the line. Bill McCartney’s Buffaloes were ranked No. 1 in both major polls, while Lou Holtz’s Fighting Irish hovered behind at No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the Coaches Poll.

The game turned into a defensive struggle, as Colorado’s defense held the Fighting Irish to three field goals and Notre Dame allowed just 10 points through the first three quarters. Ultimately, though, it was special teams that nearly turned the tide of the entire contest. Only a penalty flag could stop the biggest play of the game.

Raghib “Rocket” Ismail had proven all season that he was among the most electric return men in the country. With less than a minute remaining, Colorado punted away the ball right to Ismail. He darted 92 yards through the coverage for what looked to be the winning points. But a clipping call negated the explosive play, and Colorado held on for a 10-9 victory and a share of the national title with Georgia Tech.

128. An Icy Day at Soldier Field (1930)

Chicago weather is notoriously fickle, and so it was no surprise when sleet and rain combined for an icy affair at Soldier Field when Army met Notre Dame in the Windy City near the end of the 1930 season. The Cadets from West Point were also unbeaten, boasting an 8-0-1 mark that included a 7-7 tie against Yale.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, had won 17 games in a row dating back to their undefeated 1929 championship season. The Fighting Irish were sitting at a perfect 8-0 as they fought to defend that title. But an already-muddy gridiron became that much more treacherous as a result of the inclement weather, leaving Notre Dame’s speedy lineup at a disadvantage.

The two teams remained deadlocked in front of more than 100,000 fans for more than three quarters. Then Marchmont Schwartz, Notre Dame’s fleet ball carrier, broke through the Cadet defenses for a 54-yard touchdown run. The extra point from Frank Carideo proved the difference as Army kicked two field goals but could not find the endzone. After the win, Notre Dame went on to defeat USC for their second straight national title in what proved to be Knute Rockne’s final season at the helm of the program before his tragic plane crash the following spring.

127. Yale Caps Perfect Season at Harvard (1909)

As the 1909 season wound down to its conclusion in November, two rivals were on a collision course to play for the mythic national title. Both Yale and Harvard were sitting at the top of the college football world, boasting perfect records. The Bulldogs had shut out every one of their first nine opponents, while Harvard had conceded just nine points total in their first eight wins.

Something had to give when the two blueblood programs met at Harvard Stadium on the penultimate weekend of November. One would emerge with an undefeated season, while the other would rue the opportunity lost at the hands of a rival.

Yale proved the immovable object on the road, as they capped their 10th win of the season with their 10th shutout of the year. Harvard was unable to make much progress, and a Bulldogs score proved enough to secure the 8-0 victory. The win earned Yale their fourth national championship in five years, as they burnished their credentials as one of the most storied programs in college football history.