List of nicknamed college football games and plays

College football games & plays with widely-used nicknames From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Several college football games and plays throughout its history have been given names by the media, football fans, and as part of a team's or rivalry's lore as a result of a distinctive play associated with the game, a unique outcome of or circumstance behind the game, the rivalry or undefeated nature of both teams, or for other reasons that make the game notable.

The following is a list of games that have been given names that are widely used or recalled in reference to the game or as part of an American college team's lore. This list does not include games named only after being a bowl game or a playoff game unless they are referred to by a separate nickname.

List

Nicknamed games

More information Name, Date ...
Name Date Away team Score Home team Notes
First College Football Game November 6, 1869 Princeton Tigers 4–6 Rutgers Queensmen First collegiate soccer match, and the birth of soccer in the United States.[1][2][3]
The Birth of Black College Football December 27, 1892 Biddle football team 4–0 Livingstone football team First game between two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).[4][5]
Hampden Park Blood Bath November 24, 1894 Yale Bulldogs 12–4 Harvard Crimson Notoriously violent Harvard-Yale contest resulting in crippling injuries to four players, causing the contest to be suspended until 1897.[6][7][8]
C6H0 October 29, 1921 Centre Praying Colonels 6–0 Harvard Crimson Named based on a Centre College professor stating that Harvard had been poisoned by the impossible C6H0 chemical formula in reference to the final score, resulting in their upset defeat and the formula name being painted throughout Danville, Kentucky.[9][10][11]
The Game That Changed The South January 1, 1926 Alabama Crimson Tide 20–19 Washington Huskies The first radio broadcast bowl game and first national championship victory of the Alabama Crimson Tide.[12][13][14]
Tall Grass Game October 6, 1928 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6–22 Wisconsin Badgers Played on a football field where the grass had not been mowed in a week, and resulted in a Wisconsin upset dubbed by fans as "The Victory In The Tall Grass".[15][16]
Game of the Century (1935) November 30, 1935 1935 SMU Mustangs football team 20–14 TCU Horned Frogs Match between two undefeated and untied Southwest Conference teams, with victory necessary to secure the conference championship. The first Texas football game to be broadcast nationwide.[17][18][19]
When Punts Rained from the Sky November 11, 1939 Texas Tech Red Raiders 0–0 Centenary Gentlemen Game marred by torrential downpour and muddy field conditions that prevented running or passing, forcing both teams to punt the ball 77 times together in hopes of a fumble recovery.[20][21][22]
Fifth Down Game (1940) November 16, 1940 Cornell Big Red 0–3 Dartmouth Indians Game conceded by Cornell after film confirmed that errors by the game officials had allowed an un-permitted fifth down as the last play of the game.[23][24]
Game of the Century (1946) November 9, 1946 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 0–0 Army Cadets Game played between No. 1 (Army) and No. 2 (Notre Dame) ranked teams, resulting in a defensive battle leading to zero points scored and allowing both teams to finish the season undefeated.[25][26][27]
Snow Bowl (1950) November 25, 1950 Michigan Wolverines 9–3 Ohio State Buckeyes Big Ten Conference football championship-crucial game impacted by two inches per hour of snowfall and significant wind chill.[28][29]
Game of the Century (1966) November 19, 1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10–10 Michigan State Spartans Considered one of the greatest games in college football history, played between two undefeated teams resulting in a tie, with criticism levied at playcaller Ara Parseghian for running the ball on five of six plays in the last minutes.[30][31]
Game of the Century (1967) November 18, 1967 UCLA Bruins 20–21 USC Trojans Widely regarded as the signature game in the UCLA–USC rivalry, having a 64-yard run by O. J. Simpson for the winning touchdown considered one of the greatest run plays in college football history.[32][33][34]
Harvard Beats Yale, 29–29 November 23, 1968 Yale Bulldogs 29–29 Harvard Crimson Significant Harvard last-moment comeback by scoring 16 points in the final 42 seconds to tie the game.[35][36][37]
Game of the Century (1969) December 6, 1969 Texas Longhorns 15–14 Arkansas Razorbacks No. 1 Texas visited No. 2 Arkansas, with United States President Richard Nixon attending to award a presidential plaque to the winner. Highest Nielsen TV rating in American football history at 52.1 (a 74 share), college or professional.[38][39][40]
Game of the Century (1971) November 25, 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers 35–31 Oklahoma Sooners Match between undefeated teams, helping to give the winning Nebraska program a national following.[41][42][43]
Punt Bama Punt December 2, 1972 Auburn Tigers 17–16 Alabama Crimson Tide Iron Bowl game where Auburn blocked two Alabama punts and ran them back for touchdowns to win the game.[44][45][46]
The Vote for the Roses November 24, 1973 Ohio State Buckeyes 10–10 Michigan Wolverines One of the most controversial games in NCAA history, due to game's tie outcome resulting in Ohio State being voted into the Rose Bowl instead of Michigan.[47][48][49]
The Toilet Bowl November 19, 1983 Oregon State Beavers 0–0 Oregon Ducks Notorious poorly played game with eleven turnovers and four missed field goals, and presently the last Division I 0–0 final score.[50][51]
Hail Flutie November 23, 1984 Boston College Eagles 47–45 Miami Hurricanes Game known for a last-second Hail Mary pass from quarterback Doug Flutie to wide receiver Gerard Phelan to give Boston College the win.[52][53]
Earthquake Game October 8, 1988 Auburn Tigers 6–7 LSU Tigers Game where an important play triggered a crowd reaction that registered on a seismograph.[54][55]
Catholics vs. Convicts October 15, 1988 Miami Hurricanes 30–31 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Match between two undefeated teams involving Notre Dame's Catholic image and Miami's perceived flamboyance and player arrests.[56][57][58]
Fifth Down Game (1990) October 6, 1990 Colorado Buffaloes 33–31 Missouri Tigers Game involving an officiating error that allowed the Colorado Buffaloes to score a touchdown at the end of the game and claim the 1990 Division I-A 1990 national championship.[59][60][61]
Wide Right I November 16, 1991 Miami Hurricanes 17–16 Florida State Seminoles Named after a missed 34-yard potential game-winning field goal "wide to the right."[62][63]
Wide Right II October 3, 1992 Florida State Seminoles 16–19 Miami Hurricanes Similarly named after a missed potentially game changing field goal to the right.[64][65]
Game of the Century (1993) November 13, 1993 Florida State Seminoles 24–31 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Matchup between two unbeaten teams.[66]
Band Brawl September 19, 1998 Southern Jaguars 37–7 Prairie View A&M Panthers Named after a halftime brawl between the marching bands of the two schools, resulting in several injuries and suspensions on both bands for two games.[67][68][69]
The Snow Bowl December 31, 2000 Mississippi State Bulldogs 43–41 Texas A&M Aggies Occurred during a snowstorm rare for the Shreveport region that persisted throughout the game.[70]
Miracle on the Mountain October 12, 2002 Furman Paladins 15–16 Appalachian State Mountaineers Game involving a failed two-point conversion attempt culminating in Furman's loss.[71][72]
The Brawl November 20, 2004 South Carolina Gamecocks 7–29 Clemson Tigers Extensive and violent brawl between both teams, resulting in both teams being suspended from participating in any bowl game for the season.[73][74][75]
Game of the Century (2006) November 18, 2006 Michigan Wolverines 39–42 Ohio State Buckeyes Match between two rival undefeated teams, resulting in Ohio State claiming the Big Ten championship and several players on both teams receiving awards and recognition.[76][77][78][79]
The Upset / Appalachian State Miracle September 1, 2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers 34–32 Michigan Wolverines Referred to as one of the greatest and most unlikely upsets, resulting in Michigan dropping from the top five to out of the top 25 of the AP Poll, and causing reforms to the poll to allow FCS teams to be part of the rankings.[80][81][82]
13–9 December 1, 2007 Pittsburgh Panthers 13–9 West Virginia Mountaineers Unranked Pittsburgh upset No. 2-ranked West Virginia in one of the biggest upsets in college football history.[83]
Game of the Century (2009) December 5, 2009 Florida Gators 13–32 Alabama Crimson Tide Match between two 12–0 teams, often seen as the beginning of the Alabama dynasty.[84][85]
One Second Left December 5, 2009 Texas Longhorns 13–12 Nebraska Cornhuskers Ended with an egregiously elapsed second reverted by review, allowing Texas to score the game-winning field goal and advance to the BCS title game.[86][87]
Separate But Equal Bowl January 4, 2010 Boise State Broncos 17–10 TCU Horned Frogs First game where two teams from the BCS non-AQ (automatic qualifying) conferences, the historic predecessor to today's Group of Five conferences, earned BCS bowl berths in the same season.[88][89]
The Camback November 26, 2010 Auburn Tigers 28–27 Alabama Crimson Tide Down by 24 points against Alabama, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton led his team in a come-from-behind victory.
Game of the Century (2011) November 5, 2011 LSU Tigers 9–6 Alabama Crimson Tide Match between two rival 8–0 teams.[90][91]
South Beach Smackdown January 4, 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers 70–33 Clemson Tigers In the 2012 Orange Bowl, West Virginia demolished Clemson 70–33 despite Clemson being favored to win.[92]
Trouble With the Snap October 17, 2015 Michigan State Spartans 27–23 Michigan Wolverines Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game where Michigan's punter fumbled the snap, resulting in the ball being returned for a touchdown on the last play of the game.[93][94]
Battle at Bristol September 10, 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies 24–45 Tennessee Volunteers Played at Bristol Motor Speedway. Holds the record for the largest single-game attendance of an NCAA football game at 156,990.[95][96]
Cheez-Int Bowl December 26, 2018 California Golden Bears 7–10 TCU Horned Frogs Infamous for having nine interceptions, with six occurring in the first half.[97][98][99]
Game of the Century (2019) November 9, 2019 LSU Tigers 46–41 Alabama Crimson Tide Match between two top-ranked teams, with both teams tied for first place in the Southeastern Conference's West Division entering the game.[100][101]
Mormons vs. Mullets December 5, 2020 BYU Cougars 17–22 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Named after BYU's Mormon affiliation and the mullet haircuts worn by many Coastal Carolina players.[102][103]
Shoe Throw Game / Shoe Game December 12, 2020 LSU Tigers 37–34 Florida Gators Notorious for Florida cornerback Marco Wilson throwing an opponent's shoe down the field to celebrate a defensive hold, resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that granted LSU a first down, culminating in a game-winning field goal.[104][105][106][107]
Rich Rod's Revenge September 13, 2025 Pittsburgh Panthers 24–31 West Virginia Mountaineers In Rich Rodriguez's first game against Pittsburgh following the 13–9 game (see above), West Virginia mounted a 10-point comeback in the fourth quarter, including a last-minute touchdown to send the game to overtime, where West Virginia would win to upset Pittsburgh.[108][109]
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Named individual plays, series of plays, and in-game instances

More information Name, Date ...
Name Date Away team Score Home team Notes
Billy Cannon's Halloween run October 31, 1959 Ole Miss Rebels 3–7 LSU Tigers An 89-yard punt return by Billy Cannon resulting in the game's only touchdown.[110][111][112]
The Gator Flop November 27, 1971 Florida Gators 45–16 Miami Hurricanes A play where nearly the entire Florida defense fell to the ground to allow Miami to score, giving Florida QB John Reaves the ball back so he could beat Jim Plunkett's NCAA record for all-time passing yardage.[113]
The Kick September 24, 1977 Oklahoma Sooners 29–28 Ohio State Buckeyes Oklahoma kicker Uwe von Schamann's last-second 41-yard field goal to win the game.[114][115]
The Play November 20, 1982 Stanford Cardinal 20–25 California Golden Bears Five lateral passes during a kickoff return allowing the Golden Bears to score a controversial last-moment game-winning touchdown while the Stanford Band had already entered the field.[116][117]
Miracle at Michigan September 24, 1994 Colorado Buffaloes 27–26 Michigan Wolverines Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart's 64-yard Hail Mary pass to Michael Westbrook to win the game in the final play of the game.[118][119]
Flea Kicker November 8, 1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers 45–38 Missouri Tigers A last-seconds play involving the ball being kicked up twice to allow Nebraska to score a game tying touchdown, with overtime ending in their victory.[120][121]
Black 41 Flash Reverse October 27, 2001 Oklahoma Sooners 10–20 Nebraska Cornhuskers Significant play with Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch receiving the ball to run untouched to the end zone for a 63-yard touchdown, helping Crouch win the Heisman trophy.[122][123][124]
Bluegrass Miracle November 9, 2002 LSU Tigers 33–30 Kentucky Wildcats 74-yard game-winning touchdown pass with no time left on the clock after the ball was tipped by a Kentucky defender and then caught by Devery Henderson to run the ball into the endzone.[125][126][127]
Holy Buckeye November 9, 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes 10–6 Purdue Boilermakers Named after Brent Musburger's exclamation as Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel threw a 37-yard pass down the left sideline caught by Michael Jenkins in the endzone to score the game-winning touchdown.[128][129]
The Mississippi Miracle / Lateralpalooza October 27, 2007 Trinity Tigers 28–24 Millsaps Majors A game-winning 61-yard touchdown involving 15 laterals considered to be "the longest play in college football history".[130][131][132]
Prayer at Jordan-Hare November 16, 2013 Georgia Bulldogs 38–43 Auburn Tigers Game-winning 73-yard Hail Mary pass tipped by a Georgia defender before being caught for the touchdown.[133][134]
Kick Six November 30, 2013 Alabama Crimson Tide 28–34 Auburn Tigers A short 57-yard field goal attempt caught by opposing Auburn's Chris Davis to run the entire field into the end zone to win the 78th Iron Bowl.[135][136][137]
85 Yards Through the Heart of the South January 1, 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes 42-35 Alabama Crimson Tide An 85-yard touchdown run by Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott to give the Buckeyes a 14-point lead and ultimately send them to the National Championship Game.[138][139]
Miracle on Techwood Drive October 24, 2015 Florida State Seminoles 16–22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets A blocked final field goal attempt that was returned for a touchdown by Georgia Tech's Lance Austin, resulting in an upset victory.[140][141]
Block Six October 22, 2016 Ohio State Buckeyes 21–24 Penn State Nittany Lions A blocked field goal resulting in a 70-yard return touchdown, regarded as the best play in Penn State football history in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.[142][143][144]
2nd and 26 January 8, 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide 26–23 Georgia Bulldogs Play from the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship involving a game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass by Tua Tagovailoa to DeVonta Smith following a 16-yard sack.[145][146]
Piss and Miss / Ole Piss November 28, 2019 Ole Miss Rebels 20–21 Mississippi State Bulldogs Play series involving Elijah Moore mimicking a dog urinating in the end zone to celebrate a touchdown bringing the game to 21–20, resulting in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that led to an extra-point miss by kicker Luke Logan and resulting in Ole Miss's loss in the Egg Bowl.[147][148][149][150]
4th and 31 / Grave Digger November 25, 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide 27–24 Auburn Tigers A game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Jalen Milroe to Isaiah Bond on a fourth-and-goal situation from the Auburn 31-yard line with 32 seconds remaining.
A Dagger from 82 Yards January 10, 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes 28-14 Texas Longhorns Late in the fourth quarter of the 2025 Cotton Bowl Classic, on an attempt by Texas to tie the game, Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer forced a fumble from Texas Quarterback Quinn Ewers, recovered the fumble himself, and ran the ball 83 yards for a touchdown.[151][152] This put the game out of reach for the Longhorns and was called, errantly, "A dagger from 82 yards" by announcer Chris Fowler.
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