College Football Old School Game of The Week: Miss State Beats Texas A&M in Snow Bowl

When most college football teams go to a bowl game, they do not expect to be play in a driving snowstorm.
But that is what happened in the 2000 Independence Bowl as the Mississippi State Bulldogs of the SEC faced off with the Big 12's Texas A&M Aggies in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Both teams entered the game with 7-4 records, but the main storyline entering this game was the fact that Missisippi State head coach Jackie Sherrill would be facing off against Texas A&M head R. C. Slocum, who had been Sherrill's defensive coordinator when Jackie was the head coach for the Aggies from 1982-88.
However, that storyline got lost in the shuffle when about 30 minutes before kickoff when it began to snow and would continue though the entire game, leaving the field at Independence Stadium in Shreveport almost entirely covered by snow and making it difficult for viewers on ESPN to watch the game, especially since the Bulldogs had decided to wear special white uniforms for the game.
But for those viewers who stuck with the game and the fans who remained in the bleachers, they got to see a heck of a game.

Texas A&M mascot Reveille had to fight off the snow to watch her Aggies play the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the 2000 Independence Bowl.

The Bulldogs got the ball to start the game before gave it right back to the Aggies on the first play from scrimmage as quarterback Wayne Madkin lost the football when he was hit by defensive end Ronald Flemons at the end of a six-yard run, causing a fumble which Flemons recovered at the Mississippi State 20-yard-line.
Four plays later, A&M was in the end zone as running back Richard Whitaker scored on a nine-yard touchdown run to give the Aggies a 7-0 lead just 2:04 into the game.
After the A&M defense forced the Bulldogs offense to go three-and-out on their ensuing possession, the Aggies traveled 74 yards in 7 plays with running back Ja'Mar Toombs carrying the ball on all but one play of the drive putting together runs of 34 yards and 19 yards, capping the drive with a four-yard touchdown to push the A&M lead to 14-0 with 8:06 left in the first quarter.
Both teams would trade punts until the second quarter when Mississippi State put together their best drive of the game, going 59 yards in six plays with the drive culminating in a 40-yard touchdown run by Dontae Walker to cut the A&M lead in half to 14-7 with 9:22 left in the second quarter.
A&M would punt on their following possession, giving the Bulldogs the ball back at their 14-yard-line where Walker got the ball on the first three plays of the drive, running for 37 yards to give Mississippi State a 1st down at the Aggies 49-yard-line.
The drive stalled and the Bulldogs were forced to punt, but punter Pretniss Cole was able to pin the Aggies back at their five-yard-line.
The Bulldogs defense almost got a safety as linebacker Mario Haggan sacked quarterback Mark Farris on 3rd-and-six, forcing the Aggies to punt from their one-yard-line, giving Mississippi State great field position as A&M punter Cody Scates was only able to punt the ball 24 yards to the Texas A&M 25-yard-line, which was followed by a four-yard return by a four-yard return by Larry Huntington to give the Bulldogs the ball at the Aggies' 21-yard-line.
It only took three plays for the Bulldogs to get in the end zone as Madkin hit running back Dicenzo Miller for a four-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 14 with 54 seconds left before halftime.
On the ensuing kickoff, Mississippi State attempted an onside kick, but A&M recovered the kick at the Bulldogs' 42-yard-line.
Then on the next play from scrimmage, Farris hit Robert Ferguson for a 42-yard touchdown to break the 14-14 tie with 46 seconds left in the first half.
Mississippi State defensive tackle Willie Blade blocked the ensuing extra point, keeping the score 20-14 as the first half came to a close.

Texas A&M running Ja'Mar Toombs plowed the snow for 193 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries.

A&M got the ball to start the second half, but on the third play of the half Whitaker fumbled the football which was recovered MSU's Haggan giving the Bulldogs the ball at the Aggies' 13-yard-line.
Disaster nearly struck for Mississippi State when Madkin fumbled the football on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage as Madkin lost the football on a sack by A&M linebacker Cornelius Anthony, only to have Miller recover the ball for the Bulldogs at the Aggies' 17-yard-line.
Four plays later, Mississippi State had its first lead of the game as Walker punched it in for a one-yard touchdown that with the extra point gave the Bulldogs a 21-20 lead, 3:05 into the third quarter.
After both teams punted on their ensuing possessions, the Aggies took over at their 17-yard-line and were able to drive the Bulldogs' 35-yard-line in seven plays as the third quarter came to a close.
Then on the first play of the fourth quarter, Farris hit Bethel Johnson for a 35-yard touchdown to put A&M back in the lead.
With the score 26-21, A&M decided to go for the two-point conversion which they made as Whitaker ran it in to make it a one-touchdown game as the Aggies pushed their lead to 28-21, nine seconds into the fourth quarter.
The A&M defense forced a three-and-out to give their offense the ball at the Mississippi State 39-yard-line where the Aggies put together a seven-play, 39-yard drive that saw Toombs carried the ball six times for 33 yards, with the last carry being a 13-yard touchdown run to increase the A&M lead to 35-21 with 9:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Down two touchdowns, the Bulldogs needed a score quickly and were able to get to back into the end zone just 63 seconds after Toombs' touchdown as Walker scored his third touchdown of the game on a 32-yard touchdown run to cut the Mississippi State deficit in half to 35-28 with 8:17 left in regulation.
The Aggies went three-and-out on their ensuing possession which was followed by a three-and-out by the Bulldogs, but was followed by an coffin corner punt by Cole, giving A&M the ball back at their six-yard-line with 4:34 to play.

Mississippi State running back Dontae Walker only carried the ball 16 times, but gained 143 yards and scored three touchdowns.

After two runs by Toombs picked up zero yards, the Aggies went to air on 3rd-and-10 where disaster struck for A&M as Bulldogs cornerback Marco Minor picked off Farris' pass and returned it five yards to give Mississippi State a 1st-and-goal at the four-yard-line with 2:56 to go in regulation.
Two runs by Walker gained one yard forced a 3rd-and-goal from the three-yard line when Madkin hit tight end Donald Lee for the three-yard touchdown that with Scott Westerfield's extra point, tied the game at 35 with exactly 1:30 left in regulation.
The Aggies were unable to mount a drive as time run out in regulation forcing the game go into overtime where A&M got the ball to start the extra period where it only took them one play to get in the end zone as Toombs ran for a 25-yard touchdown to give A&M a 41-35 lead.
But before giving the ball back to the Bulldogs for their overtime possession, the Aggies had to kick the extra point when disaster struck as Blade blocked his second extra point of the game.
The loose ball was picked up by Bulldogs safety Eugene Clinton who started to run to the A&M end zone to try and get two points for Mississippi State.
It looked Clinton's try at two point was going to be stopped at midfield as he was about to be tackled until he lateraled the ball to cornerback Julius Griffith, who then ran in untouched to the end zone, to complete the return to give Mississippi State two points, making the score 41-37 and meaning that all the Bulldogs needed was just a touchdown and no extra point to win the game.
On the Bulldogs' first play from the 25-yard-line, Madkin picked up 19 yards on a run to the left side giving Mississippi State a 1st-and-goal at the six-yard-line.
Then after Walker was stopped for no gain on 1st down, Madkin called his own number again and ran in for the game-winning touchdown, to give the Bulldogs the 43-41 win.

The win allowed the Bulldogs to finish with a 8-4 record and a #24 ranking in the final AP Poll of the 2000 season.
However, it would be the last time Mississippi State would go to a bowl game under Sherill as the team would win only eight games over the next three seasons, leading to Sherrill's retirement following the 2003 season after 13 years in Starkville, where he finished with a 75-75-2 record and eight winning seasons.
As for the Aggies, they finished with a 7-5 record in 2000 as Slocum would remain as the Aggies' head coach for the following two seasons, leading them to a 8-4 record in 2001, then a 6-6 record in 2002, which was his last season in College Station as Slocum retired following the 2002 season after 14 years in College Station, finishing with a 123-47-2 record.
A decade after the retirements of Sherrill and Slocum, the Bulldogs and Aggies would become SEC West rivals as Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012, making Mississippi State facing off with Texas A&M an annual thing.
But no matter what happens in the future of the A&M-Mississippi State series, their encounter in the 2000 Independence Bowl will likely go down as the most memorable meeting between the two programs.

Mississippi State linebacker Jason Clark does a snow angel after his Bulldogs defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 43-41 in the 2000 Independence Bowl.

NFL Old School Game of the Week: Vikings Beat Browns with 'Miracle at the Met'

Ahmad Rashad(28) makes the game-winning catch as time expires to give the Minnesota Vikings the win in the "Miracle at the Met".

When you things miracles in sports in 1980, the "Miracle on Ice" where the United States men's hockey team shocked the Soviet Union comes to minds of nearly every sports fan.

But if you go up to Minnesota and ask them about a "miracle" in sports in 1980, they will talk about the "Miracle at the Met" that the Minnesota Vikings pulled off on December 14, 1980.

Minnesota entered the game with a 8-6 record, but could clinch the NFC Central Division title and a spot in the playoffs if could beat the visiting Cleveland Browns at Metropolitan Stadium, or "The Met", in Bloomington, Minnesota.

If the Vikings won, it would give head coach Bud Grant his 11th division title in 13 seasons as the head coach of the Vikings.

But this division title would have special meaning for Grant as stars like quarterback Fran Tarkenton, running back Chuck Foreman, and the famed "Purple People Eaters" defensive line with defensive tackle Alan Page and defensive ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall, who had helped the Vikings to four Super Bowl appearances during Grant's reign as Minnesota head coach, were either retired or with different teams.

If there was a new face of the Vikings, it was quarterback Tommy Kramer, who was only in his fourth season with Minnesota, but had earned the nickname "Two Minute Tommy" for leading the Vikings to eight 4th quarter comeback wins in his brief NFL career.

The Vikings' opponent, the Cleveland Browns, also entered the game with a chance to clinch their division as they were 10-4 and were going for their first division title since 1971 and first playoff berth since 1972.

The Browns were led by head coach Sam Rutigilano and quarterback Brian Sipe, who helped lead the Browns to five 4th quarter comeback wins in 1979 and to eight wins by a touchdown or less in 1980, leading to Cleveland fans to nickname the team the "Kardiac Kids".

10 of the Browns' first 14 games were decided by a touchdown or less and it would be 11 after this game was done.

The Vikings got the first scoring chance of the game when they drove to the Cleveland 28-yard-line where the drive, forcing Minnesota to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt by Rick Danmeier.

However, Danmeier missed the field goal, keeping the game 0-0 and setting an ominous tone for the kicking game on both teams.

The Browns took over at their 28-yard-line and put together a 10-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with a 18-yard touchdown pass from Sipe to Calvin Hill that put Cleveland ahead 7-0 with 4:43 left in the first quarter.

The score remained 7-0 in favor of Clevleand when Danmeier missed another field goal, this time from 41 yards out, to give the Browns the ball at their 23-yard-line with 2:47 left before halftime.

That is when Sipe went to work as he completed four straight passes after following a one-yard run as the eventual MVP would hit running back Mike Pruitt for 22 yards, then launched a 41-yard bomb that was caught by wide receiver Mike Logan at the Vikings' nine-yard-line.

Then after completing a seven-yard pass to Greg Pruitt, Sipe rolled to the right side and ran in for a two-yard touchdown run.

Even though Don Cockroft missed the extra point, the Browns went into the halftime break with a 13-0 lead.

Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer threw for 456 yards and four touchdown passes on 38-of-49 passing.

After forcing the Browns to punt on their opening possession of the second half, the Vikings took over at their two-yard-line when Kramer got hit and completed five of six passes for 92 yards on the eight-play which ended with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Kramer to Joe Senser to put the Vikings on the scoreboard.

However on the extra point, Danmeier's woes continued as his extra point kick banged off the left upright, keeping the score 13-6 in favor of the Browns with 8:56 to go in the third quarter.

The Browns responded to the touchdown by driving down to the Vikings' 22-yard-line where they had a 1st-and-10, following a 30-yard pass from Sipe to Ricky Feacher on 3rd-and-15.

That is when the Browns caught a break on 1st down when Sipe threw a pass to the end zone that was intercepted by Minnesota strong safety Tom Hannon, only to have the officials rule that Hannon did not get his feet inbounds, making the pass incomplete, even though replays showed that Hannon did get his feet inbounds.

With the referees unable to reverse the call on instant replay(that wasn't available to referees until 1986),Cleveland was able take advantage of the missed call by putting up three more points as Cockroft made a 32-yard field goal to increase the Browns' lead to 16-6 with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

The Vikings came back with by driving 62 yards in nine plays as Kramer completed five straight passes to set up a 2nd-and-goal at the Browns' six-yard-line when Kramer had a pass knocked down at the line of scrimmage, which was followed by a potential touchdown pass to Terry LeCount be taken away when Cleveland defensive back Oliver Davis knocked the ball away from LeCount to prevent the touchdown.

Grant decided to send in Danmeier to attempt the field goal even though he was 0-for-2 on field goals and 0-for-1 on extra points.

But Danmeier's 24-yard field goal sailed through the uprights and cut the Browns' lead to a touchdown at 16-9 with 10 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Browns would respond with a long drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock as they traveled 83 yards in 16 plays with Cleo Miller capping off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give the Browns their largest lead of the game at 14 points, 23-9 with 7:16 left in regulation.

Browns quarterback and 1980 MVP Brian Sipe went 20-of-33 for 232 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

With less than half the fourth quarter gone, the Vikings needed a touchdown quickly to have any chance of at least forcing overtime.

That is when Kramer went to work as he completed all five of his passes on the 72-yard drive which culiminated with a seven-yard touchdown pass to running back Ted Brown to make it 23-15 with the extra point pending.

However, disaster struck on the extra point as a high snap by batter Jim Langer led to Danmeier's extra point being blocked and keeping the score 23-15 with 5:01 left in regulation, meaning that the Vikings could not just get a touchdown and a extra point to force overtime as there was no two-point conversion in the NFL in 1980.

After the kickoff, the Browns were able to take three minutes off the clock and as they had a 2nd-and-9 at their 41-yard-line when the Vikings were forced to call their first timeout with 2:18 left in the game.

Following the timeout, the Browns decided to gamble and throw for the 1st down, but in sign of things to come, Sipe was intercepted by cornerback Bobby Bryant, giving the Vikings the ball at the Cleveland 47-yard-line with 2:12 to go and two timeouts for the Vikings.

It only took Kramer and the Vikings 37 seconds to go in the end zone as "Two Minute Tommy" would complete four of five passes for 47 yards on the drive, the last one being a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ahmad Rashad on a crossing pattern across the middle that with Danmeier's extra point cut the Minnesota deficit to just one point, 23-22 with 1:35 to go.

Every one knew what was coming up next: an onside kick by the Vikings in hopes of recovering it and have a chance to drive for the game-winning field goal.

But Danmeier's bad day got worse as his onside kick only traveled nine yards as it was recovered by Browns strong safety Clarence Scott, giving the ball to Cleveland at the Vikings' 44-yard-line with a chance to run out the clock.

Following a three-yard run by Miller on 1st down, the Vikings spent their second timeout before they faced a 2nd-and-7.

Things looked good for the Browns as Mike Pruitt picked up five yards to set up a 3rd-and-2, only to have an illegal motion penalty be called on right tackle Cody Risien which not only negated the Pruitt run and make it 2nd-and-12, but also stop the clock with 1:23 to go.

Pruitt got the ball the next two plays and gained ten yards to set up a 4th-and-2 at the Minnesota 36-yard-line with 23 seconds to go.

Rutigilano called on the punting unit to try and pin the Vikings back which punter Johnny Evans was unable to do as his punt went into the end zone for a touchback.

Still, things looked bleak for the Vikings as they had only 14 seconds and no timeouts to try and move into field goal range.

But with the day Danmeier was having, the best chance for Minnesota to win was to get a touchdown.

On the first play from scrimmage, Kramer found Senser at the Vikings' 30-yard-line, who made the catch, and then lateraled the ball back to Brown, who ran 24 yards before going out of bounds at the Browns 46-yard-line with five seconds left on the clock.

That is when Grant decided to call for "Squadron Right" where Lecount, Rashad, and Sammy White would line up on the right side of the field and ran as far as they could before Kramer would launch a pass toward the three receivers, hoping one of them would draw a pass interference penalty or one would tip the ball so another could make the catch.

Kramer took the snap, dropped back seven yards, and fired a pass that came down at around the five-yard-line where the ball was tipped by Browns free safety Thom Darden.

The deflection then landed in the left hand of Rashad, who made the catch at the one-yard-line with his back toward the end zone, then walked in to complete the shocking 46-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a 28-23 win and the NFC Central Division title(double-click to play).

The Browns would rebound from the loss the following week by defeating their intrastate rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-24 as they rallied from a 10-0 halftime deficit to win the AFC Central and clinch a 1st round bye into the Divisional Playoffs.

However, the Browns would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders 14-12 on the infamous "Red Right 88" where Sipe was picked off by Raiders cornerback Mike Davis in the end zone even though Clevleand was in range for a game-winning field goal.

Sipe and Rutigilano could not recapture the magic of the 1980 season as the Browns would only make the playoffs one more time under the Sipe-Rutigilano combination in the 1982 strike-shortened season as Sipe left the Browns following the 1983 season for the United States Football League, USFL, and Rutigilano would be fired halfway through the 1984 season.

As for the Vikings, they would be lose to the Philadelphia Eagles 31-16 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs and make only one more playoff appearance under Grant and Kramer, also in 1982, before Grant retired following the 1983 season, then came back for the 1985 season, before retiring for good, while Kramer remained with Minnesota through the 1989 season and then retired the following season after one year with the New Orleans Saints.

As for Rashad, he would retire following the 1982 season and entered into broadcasting where among his list of credits including being the host of NBA Inside Stuff for 16 years and being the sideline reporter for the NBA on NBC and often being granted exclusive interviews with Michael Jordan.

But while most sports fans known Ahmad for his broadcasting career, he is remembered in Minnesota for his part in "Miracle at the Met".

College Football Old School Game of The Week: Penn State Wins in First Trip To Big House

 On October 15, 1994, the Penn State Nittany Lions made their first ever trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan and to the largest football stadium in America, Michigan Stadium or "The Big House" to take on the Michigan Wolverines.

Penn State entered the game 5-0 and ranked #3 in the country thanks to a high-powered offense featuring the trio of quarterback Kerry Collins, running back Ki-Jana Carter, and wide receiver Bobby Engram.

Behind the trio of Collins, Carter, and Engram, the Penn State offense averaged 51.6 points per game and 557 yards of total offense though their first five games of the season with an average margin of victory of 24.4 points per game.

But Penn State's game with Michigan was going to be their toughest test yet as they would face their toughest test of the season as they traveled to Ann Arbor to play in front over 100,000 fans, most of them to cheer for the maize and blue.
Michigan entered the game ranked #5 with a 4-1 record, with that loss being the legendary "Miracle in Michigan" as the Wolverines lost to the Colorado Buffaloes on the final play of the game as Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart fired a 64-yard touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook as time expired.

Despite that gut-wrenching loss, the Wolverines still had dreams of winning the Big 10 and going to the Rose Bowl, as they were led by Heisman Trophy candidate, running back Tyrone Wheatley, who had rushed for over 1,000 yards the previous two seasons.
So, Penn State's historic first trip to the "Big House" was a very meaningful game for both teams and would live up to the billing of a top-5 college football showdown.
The Nittany Lions got the ball to start the game at were at the 50-yard-line in just two plays as Carter picked up 11 yards on a screen pass of the first play of the game which was followed by a 19-yard run.
Two plays later, the Nittany Lions would convert on 3rd-and-3 at the Michigan 43-yard-line as Collins hit Engram for 10 yards and a 1st down, which was followed by another 3rd down conversion as Carter picked up 13 yards on a screen pass, giving Penn State a 1st down at the Wolverines' 15-yard-line.
The third time would not be the charm for Penn State as they failed to convert on their next 3rd down situation, forcing the Lions to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Brett Conway to give them a 3-0 lead exactly five minutes into the game.
Michigan began its first posession of the game from its own four-yard-line, but were able to drive 87 yards in 10 plays, with the bulk of the yardage coming courtesy of wide receiver Amani Toomer, who caught three passes for 63 yards on the drive.
The Wolverines were poised to tie the game as Remy Hamilton set up to kick a 26-yard field goal, but his kick bounced off the left upright and was no good, giving the ball back to Penn State who took over at the Michigan 20-yard-line.

From there, the Nittany Lions drove 80 yards in 11 plays, with the drive culminating in a three-yard touchdown pass from Collins to tight end Keith Olsommer to increase the Penn State to lead 10-0 with 46 seconds left in the first quarter.

Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter would run for 165 yards on 26 carries.

As the game moved into the second quarter, Penn State was given an excellent opportunity to put more points on the board as Michigan running back Tim Biakabutuka lost the football when he was hit by strong safety Jason Collins, who recovered the fumble at the Wolverines' 39-yard-line.
The Lions appeared to have a 17-0 lead as Carter scored on a four-yard touchdown run on 2nd-and-goal, only to have the touchdown called back because of a holding penalty on offensive tackle Keith Conlin, pushing the Lions back 10 yards and eventually forcing them to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Conway to increase the Penn State lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter.
Then after forcing a three-and-out, the Lions got the ball at the Michigan 43-yard-line and were in the red zone again as Collins connected with tight end Kyle Brady for a 23-yard completion on the first play of the drive to give Penn State a 1st down at the Michigan 20-yard-line.
But once again the Wolverines' defense held to Lions to a field goal as Carter was stopped on 3rd-and-1 at the 11-yard-line by linebacker Steve Morrison, leading to a 29-yard field goal by Conway to push the Penn State lead to 16-0 with 5:49 left before halftime.
It looked like it was going to be 16-0 in favor of Penn State as the first half came to a close, especially when Michigan faced a 3rd-and-17 at their 38-yard-line with 20 seconds left before halftime when Todd Collins scrambled for 12 yards and a 1st down.
The 12-yard-play became a 27-yard play as Penn State linebacker Brian Gelzheiser was called for a late hit as Collins was going to the ground, putting Michigan at the 35-yard-line.
From there, Todd found Mercury Hayes for a 19-yard completion that put the Wolverines at the Penn State 16-yard-line with two seconds left, just enough time for Hamilton to come on and kick a 33-yard field goal as time expired, making the score 16-3 as the first half came to a close.

Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins would threw for 231 yards and three touchdown passes on 20-of-31 passing.

The Wolverines hoped to continue the momentum they gained the field goal as they got the ball first to start the second half.
Michigan was able to do that as on the second play of the second half, Wheatley, who had gained only 11 yards in the first half, burst through the right side for a 67-yard touchdown run to cut the Nittany Lions' lead 16-10 just one minute into the third quarter.
Michigan forced the Lions to punt on their opening drive of the second half, getting the ball back at their 49-yard-line when Todd Collins hit Amani Toomer for a 30-yard completion on the first play of the drive, putting Michigan at the Penn State 21-yard-line.
Then after an incomplete pass intended for Toomer, Collins tossed the ball to Wheatley, who ran around the right side for his second touchdown of the game, that with Hamilton's extra point put Michigan ahead 17-16 just 4:19 into the second half.
After allowing 17 unanswered points, Penn State responded with a 10-play, 86-yard drive that saw Engram pick up 29 yards on a reverse to put the Lions in Michigan territory at the Wolverines' 40-yard-line, which was followed by a 15-yard pass from Collins to Brady to give Penn State a 1st-and-goal at the 10-yard-line.
Then on 2nd-and-goal , Collins faked a handoff to Carter and found fullback John Wittman in the flat for a nine-yard touchdown pass.
Penn State decided to go for two after the touchdown and were successful on the two-point conversion as Collins found Freddie Scott in the right corner of the end zone to complete the two-point play and putting the Lions back on top, 24-17 with 6:27 left in the third quarter.
It was still 24-17 in the 4th quarter when Todd Collins connected with Toomer again on another 30-yard pass play that gave Michigan a 1st down at the Penn State 21-yard-line.
Six plays later, the Wolverines were in the end zone as Biakabutuka punched it one from one yard out.
With 11:37 left in the game, Moeller decided to go for the extra point(there was no overtime in FBS football until 1996)which was successful, tying the game at 24.

After running for only 11 yards in the first half, Tyrone Wheatley would run for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the second half to finish with 144 yards on 19 carries.

A 24-24 tie seemed possible as both teams would trade punts until the Lions got the ball at their 45-yard-line with 4:46 to go in the game.
That is when Collins found Engram, who was able to a shoestring catch and get one foot inbounds, for a 14-yard reception on 1st down, which was followed by a 26-yard run by Carter to give the Lions a 1st down at the Michigan 15-yard-line.
Then after two straight runs by Carter lost a yard, Collins fired a pass down the middle for Engram who made the catch in the end zone that with Conway's extra point gave Penn State a 31-24 lead with 2:53 to play.
There was still plenty of time for the Wolverines to get back in the end zone and it seemed like it was going to happen sooner rather than later as Wheatley busted for 30 yards on the first play of the Wolverines' ensuing possession giving Michigan a 1st down at the 50-yard-line.
That is when Todd Collins tried to connect with Toomer on another deep pass, but this time they could not connect as the ball was just an inch too far for a diving Toomer at the Penn State five-yard-line.
Still, it seemed like the Wolverines were still in good shape after Biakabutuka picked up nine yards on 2nd down, setting up a 3rd-and-1, only to have Biakabutuka be stopped for no gain on 3rd down, setting up a 4th-and-1 at the Penn State 41-yard-line.
That is when Collins dropped back and fired a pass that was picked off by cornerback Brian Miller with 1:26 to go in the game.
Kerry Collins and the Lions were able to run out the clock and come out of Ann Arbor with a 31-24 win and a move to 6-0 while dropping Michigan to 4-2.

Bobby Engram(10) catches what would be the game-winning touchdown.

The rest of the season would be a roller coaster for Michigan as they went 3-2 over the second half of the season to end up in the Holiday Bowl where they defeated Colorado State 24-14 to finish with a 8-4 record and #12 ranking the AP and Coaches Poll.
As for Penn State, they would continue to win, but had to survive close calls against Indiana and Illinois to finish the season 11-0 to win the Big 10 championship in just their second season and earning the Lions their first ever trip to the Rose Bowl where they crushed the Oregon Ducks 38-20 to finish with a 12-0 season.
Despite finishing undefeated, the Lions did not finish ranked #1 in either the AP or the Coaches Poll as both polls ranked Nebraska in front of Penn State, giving the Cornhuskers their first national title in 23 years.
Even though they did not win the national championship, many Penn State fans consider the 1994 team as the greatest team in Penn State football history.

NFL Old School Game of the Week: Dolphins Defeat Jets in 'Super Duper' Thriller

Mark Duper lived up to his nickname of "Super Duper" as he caught eight passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the Dolphins' 21-17 win over the Jets.

In 1984, Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino rewrote the NFL record books with his 48 touchdown passes and 5, 084 passing yards.
One of Marino's favorite targets was Mark Duper, who caught 71 passes for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns during the 1984 season earning him the nickname "Super Duper".
Following the '84 season, Duper actually changed his middle name to "Super" so his name would Mark Super Duper.
Duper lived up to his nickname in the Dolphins' November 10, 1985 meeting with their AFC East rivals, the New York Jets.
The Dolphins entered the game with the Jets with a 5-4 record, two games back of the 7-2 Jets for 1st place in the AFC East.
Miami was perhaps suffering from a Super Bowl hangover as they had been trounced by the San Francisco 49ers 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX back in January.
Plus, it didn't help that Duper had been sidelined with a hairline fracture in left tibia since the second game of the season, taking out one half of the "Marks Brothers" and leaving Mark Clayton, who had set the NFL record for most touchdown catches the year before, as Marino's only threat as wide receiver.
After losing three of their previous four games, the Dolphins needed a lift and they got it as Duper returned in time for the Jets' arrival in Miami.
As aforementioned, the Jets entered the game in 1st place with a 7-2 record, thanks in large part to third-year quarterback Ken O' Brien and their ferocious defensive line known as the "New York Sack Exchange" featuring Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons, and Mark Gastineau.
One month earlier, the Jets had trounced the Dolphins 23-7 on Monday Night Football, so another win over the Dolphins not only would mean a seasons sweep of Miami, but almost would knock the Dolphins out of the race for the AFC East title, so Miami needed to win this game badly.

Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino avoids the rush of Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau as Marino finished the game 362 yards on 21-of-37 passing and three touchdowns and three interceptions.

 The Jets got the ball to start the game as they begin their initial possession from their 19-yard-line and drove to their own 47-yard-line where the drive stalled, forcing a punt.
But the Jets got a reprieve when Miami returner Tommy Vigorito fumbled during his punt return after a hit by the Jets' Guy Bingham, causing a fumble that was recovered by Rocky Klever to give New York the ball at the Dolphins' 36-yard-line.
The Jets drove 13 yards before having to settle for a 41-yard field goal attempt by Pat Leahy, but his kick sailed wide right as New York was unable to convert the turnover into points, giving Miami the ball at their 24-yard-line.
Both teams would trade punts until the Jets drove into Dolphins territory as the first quarter come a close after starting their drive at their own 15-yard-line.
However, on the second play of the second quarter, running back Johnny Hector lost the football when he was hit by Dolphins linebacker Alex Moyer, leading to a fumble that was recovered by defensive end Kim Bokamper at the Miami 43-yard-line.
From there, the Dolphins drove to the Jets 31-yard-line until Marino was sacked by Klecko for a 12-yard-loss on 3rd-and-6, forcing the Dolphins to punt the ball back to the Jets, who took over at their 20-yard-line after Reggie Roby's punt landed in the end zone.
The Jets decided to go to the running game as running back Freeman McNeil carried the ball on five of New York's next eight plays, gaining 26 yards, leading to a 3rd-and-9 at the Miami 40-yard-line, when O'Brien dropped back and found Jo-Jo Townsell for 36 yards, setting up a 1st-and-goal at the four-yard-line.
However, the Miami defense rose up and did not allow another yard, forcing the Jets to settle for three points as Leahy's 21-yard field goal broke the scoreless tie and put New York ahead 3-0 with just over six minutes before halftime.
After Leahy's field goal, it only took the Dolphins 25 seconds to score as Marino and Duper connected on back-to-back plays, the first for 20 yards, followed by a bomb that was caught by Duper at the Jets' 30-yard-line, who then outran the rest of the Jets defense for the 60-yard touchdown to give Miami a 7-3 lead with 5:39 lead left in the first half(double-click to play).

The Dolphins kept the momentum going as they forced a New York punt, giving Marino the ball back at the Miami 42-yard-line, only for the Dolphins to go three-and-out.
However, the Dolphins were allowed to continue their drive when Jets defensive back Bobby Humphrey was called for running into the kicker when he ran into Roby during his punt, giving the Dolphins a 1st down at the New York 46-yard-line with 2:27 left before halftime.
From there, Marino got the Dolphins to the Jets' 20-yard-line until he was picked off on a pass intended for tight end Joe Rose by Jets defensive back Davlin Mullen in the end zone with a minute left in the half.
The Jets were unable to put together a serious scoring threat following the interception and the first half came to a close with the Dolphins up 7-3.
Miami got the ball to start the second half as they began their initial possession of the second half from their 19-yard-line, only to give the ball right back to the Jets four plays later when Marino lost the football when he was sacked by New York linebacker Rusty Guilbeau forcing a fumble that was recovered by Klecko at the Dolphins' 34-yard-line.
However, the Jets could only gain 14 yards and had to settle for another field goal attempt by Leahy, this time from 37 yards out, whose kick sailed wide left, marking the second time the Jets failed to capitalize on a Miami turnover.
The Dolphins responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that saw Marino complete four of six passes for 73 yards, culminating with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Clayton, to push the Miami lead to 14-3 with 6:08 left in the third quarter.
The Jets come back by driving from their 31-yard-line to the Dolphins' 31-yard-line in just four plays, until the Dolphins defense forced another field goal attempt by Leahy, who for the third time in the game missed as his 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, giving Miami the ball at their 25-yard-line with 2:35 left in third quarter.
But the Jets got the ball back on the very next play as New York linebacker Joe Clifton picked off a Marino pass intended for Clayton to give the Jets the ball at the Miami 37-yard-line.
It  didn't look like the Jets were going to capitalize on the turnover as a holding penalty on the 1st down pushed them back 10 yards, leading to a 3rd-and-15 at the 42-yard-line.
That is when O' Brien found Al Toon down the right side for 28 yards, which was followed by a 14-yard touchdown pass to McNeil to cut the deficit to 14-10 with 1:14 left in the third quarter.

Jets quarterback Ken O'Brien threw for 393 yards on 26-of-43 passing with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in the Jets' loss to the Dolphins.

After forcing a Miami punt, the Jets took over at their 22-yard-line with 12:21 left in the fourth quarter and a chance to take the lead.
However four plays later, McNeil lost the football after being hit by Miami nose tackle Mike Charles and linebacker Bob Brudzinski forcing a fumble that was recovered by Mark Brown giving the Dolphins the ball at the 50-yard-line.
Miami went three-and-out, but Roby pinned the Jets deep on his punt which was downed at the three-yard-line by the Dolphins' Joe Carter.
The Jets went three-and-out, giving the Dolphins the ball in Jets territory at the New York 40-yard-line with 7:08 left and a chance to make it a two-score game.
But on 2nd-and-3 from the New York 16-yard-line, Marino was intercepted for the third time in the game, this time by cornerback Bobby Jackson, who picked off Marino's pass intended for Clayton in the end zone for a touchback and giving the Jets the ball at their 20-yard-line with 5:02 to play.
The drive began with a five-yard run by McNeil on 1st down, but those five yards were lost on an illegal motion penalty on the next play, forcing a 2nd-and-10.
No matter, the Jets got the yardage back and more as McNeil ran for 13 yards and a 1st down, which was followed by a 12-yard pass from O'Brien to Toon putting New York at their 45-yard-line.
A series of penalties by the Jets led to a 3rd-and-11 from the New York 44-yard-line when O'Brien found Toon for nine yards, setting up a game deciding 4th-and-2 at the Miami 47-yard-line with under two minutes to go, when O'Brien connected with Toon for six yards, to give the Jets a 1st down at the 41-yard-line with 90 seconds to go as the New York took a timeout.
Following a timeout, Toon made his fourth catch of the drive, this one for 21 yards to the Dolphins' 20-yard-line, which was followed by O' Brien finding tight end Rocky Klever for a 20-yard touchdown pass to give the Jets a 17-14 lead with 1:06 to go in regulation.
Even though they were trailing, the Dolphins still had three timeouts and Marino at the the helm in hopes of driving into Jets territory and setting a potential game-tying field goal by Fuad Reveiz.
The Dolphins' chances of forcing overtime got off to a good start as running back Lorenzo Hampton returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to the Miami 44-yard-line, giving the Dolphins great field position.
Marino fired a short pass for Clayton, who gained six yards and then went out-of-bounds at the 50-yard-line, leading to a 2nd-and-4.
That is when Marino, lined up in the shotgun, dropped back and fired a pass down the right side for Duper, who made a juggling one-handed catch at the 15, and then ran into the end zone for the 50-yard touchdown that sent the Orange Bowl crowd into a frenzy as Miami retook the lead, 21-17 with 41 seconds to go(again, double-click to play).

After Duper's heroics, the Jets got one last shot to pull out a miracle as they took over at their 20-yard-line with one timeout left in their pocket.
The drive started with a 16-yard pass to Toon, followed by a 15-yard pass to Wesley Walker, that put the Jets in Miami territory at the Dolphins' 49-yard-line.
After an incomplete pass, O'Brien hit Walker for 13 yards, who got out of bounds at the Miami 36-yard-line with five seconds left, giving the Jets one last play.
That is where O' Brien fired a pass for the end zone, intended for Toon, only to have Dolphins free safety Bud Brown break up the pass as time expired to preserve the 21-17 win for the Dolphins, dropping the Jets to 7-3 while improving the Dolphins to 6-4.
Duper's game-winning touchdown reception had major repercussions in the AFC East race as the last-second win over the Jets began a seven-game winning streak for the Dolphins, which included a 38-24 win over the Chicago Bears, ending their chances of an undefeated season, to finish the regular season 12-4, one game ahead of the Jets, who finished 11-5 as Miami would win the AFC East while the Jets had to settle for a Wild Card berth.
However, both teams would lose to the New England Patriots in the playoffs as the Jets lost 26-14 in the AFC Wild Card Game while the Dolphins would fall 31-14 in the AFC Championship Game.
As for Duper, he would remain with the Dolphins for the next seven years until his retirement after the 1992 season, all with the Dolphins as he finished his career as the all-time leader in receiving yards in Dolphins history with 8,869 yards on 511 receptions(2nd in Miami history) and 59 touchdown catches(3rd in Miami history).

NFL Old School Game of the Week: Eagles Knock off Redskins in Wild Shootout

Randall Cunningham completed 34 of 46 passes for 447 yards and threw five touchdown passes to lead the Eagles back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the Washington Redskins.

When most Eagles fans think of a shocking fumble in the final minutes that lead to an unbelievable win, they think of “Miracle at the Meadowlands” in 1978 when cornerback Herman Edwards recovered Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik fumble and ran it back 26 yards for the game-winning touchdown as the Giants chose to run one more play and instead of taking a knee to run out the clock.

While maybe not as miraculous and not as memorable to some, 11 years later the Eagles got a mini-sequel to the “Miracle at the Meadowlands” when they traveled to RFK Stadium to face their division rival the Washington Redskins in the second week of the NFL season.

The Eagles were coached by Buddy Ryan, who was in his fourth year at the helm and had built the Eagles into a team to be reckon with as they were coming off a NFC East title in 1988 and their first trip to the playoffs in seven years.

With Randall Cunningham at quarterback and a fierce defense led by defensive end Reggie White, the Eagles were considered a threat to reach the Super Bowl.

While the Eagles were a team on the rise, the Washington Redskins seemed to be a team in transition as they were coming off a 7-9 record in 1988, their worst season under head coach Joe Gibbs since he arrived in D.C. back in 1981.

Washington had a new starting quarterback as Mark Rypien, a sixth-round selection in the 1986 NFL Draft, took over for former Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams.

The Redskins were also transiting from a run-first team into a passing team with Rypien’s ability to throw the deep ball and a wide receiving corps that featured Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders, which came to be known as “The Posse”.

The Redskins entered the game with a 0-1 record having lost 27-24 to the New York Giants while the Eagles came in with a 1-0 record having defeated the Seattle Seahawks 34-7.

Some experts expected a typical hard-hitting, low-scoring game amongst these two NFC East foes.

Instead, they got a game that featured nearly 1,000 yards of offense, nine turnovers, and a bizarre ending that would proved vital in the playoff race.

The fireworks started on the first play from scrimmage when Rypien launched a deep pass for Clark, who had beaten Eagles cornerback Eric Allen by three yards, who made the catch and then ran in untouched to complete a 80-yard touchdown to give the Redskins a 6-0 lead just 15 seconds into the game(Washington did not make the extra point because of a bad snap),

It got even better for the Redskins on their first defensive possession when Eagles fullback Anthony Toney fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Washington defensive end Charles Mann at the Eagles’ 41-yard-line.

Once again, it only took the Redskins one play to get into the end zone as Gerald Riggs took a handoff from Rypien and scampered 41 yards for the touchdown and a 13-0 Washington lead with 2:26 gone by in the game.

It seemed to go from bad to worse for the Eagles on their next possession when Toney fumbled the ball again with the Redskins recovering the ball again deep in Eagles territory with a chance to put more points on the board.

But Allen, atoning for giving up the 80-yard touchdown, picked off Rypien, giving the ball back to the Eagles, only to have them give it back to the Redskins when Cunningham was intercepted by Washington cornerback Bryan Davis, whose 13-yard return gave the Redskins the ball at the Philadelphia 11-yard-line.

Two plays later, Rypien found running back Earnest Byner over the middle for a 12-yard touchdown to make it 20-0 in favor of Washington after just seven offensive plays for the Redskins.

Mark Rypien completed only 12 passes in the game, but four of them were for touchdowns.

After turning the ball over three times on their first three possessions, the Eagles’ offense finally put together a good drive as they drove 80 yards in nine plays, culminating with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Cunningham to tight end Keith Jackson to cut the deficit to 13 points, 20-7 with 1:36 left in the first quarter.

The Redskins responded with a eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Rypien’s five-yard touchdown pass to Clark, which had been set up by a 46-yard run by Riggs, to push the lead back to 20 points at 27-7 with 12:43 to go in the second quarter.

The score was still 27-7 when the Eagles defense picked off Rypien for the second time of the game, this time by William Frizzell whose 23-yard return to the Redskins’ three-yard line set up Toney’s three-yard touchdown run to bring Philadelphia back to within two scores as they trailed 27-14 with exactly seven minutes to go in the first half.

Again, the Redskins responded with another long drive, this one covering 63 yards in 12 plays, but had this time had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Chip Lohmiller to make their lead 30-14 as the wild first half came to a close.

The third quarter was pretty calm as compared to the first half as they was only one touchdown score in the quarter coming courtesy of the Eagles, as they drove 92 yards in 12 plays, ending with another touchdown pass from Cunningham to Jackson, this one from five yards out, to bring the Eagles to within nine points, at 30-21.

The touchdown drive was propelled by two completions from Cunningham to fullback Keith Byars that covered 31 and 12 yards, respectively.

Then, the Eagles defense struck again and forced another turnover when defensive tackle Jerome Brown sacked Rypien, knocking the ball loose which was recovered by strong safety Andre Waters at the Redskins’ 42-yard-line.

Seven plays later, Cunningham found Cris Carter in the left corner of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown to cut the Washington lead to just two points at 30-28 with 12:39 to play in the fourth quarter.

It seemed the Eagles were on the verge of taking the lead, especially when they recovered another Washington fumble deep in Redskins territory on the Redskins’ ensuing offensive possession.

But kicker Luis Zendejas missed a 33-yard field goal that would have given the Eagles the lead, keeping it 30-28 in favor of the Redskins with 10:22 to go.

The score was still 30-28 when the Redskins put together a six-play, 71-yard drive that ended when Rypien hit Monk in stride on a sideline route for a 43-yard touchdown that along with Lohmiller’s extra point seemed to put the game away as Monk’s touchdown pushed the Redskins lead back to nine points, 37-28 with 3:06 remaining.

The Eagles got the ball back and went no-huddle in a desperate attempt to get a score to stay in the game.

Gerald Riggs rushed for a team-record 221 yards, but his fumble with a minute left proved costly for the Redskins.

On a fast-paced eight-play, 69-yard drive, Cunningham found wide receiver Greg Garrity on a pair of receptions, one for 29 yards and the other for 12 yards, to set up a two-yard touchdown pass to Mike Quick in the back of the end zone to bring it back to a two-point game, 37-35 with just 1:48 to play.

Needing at least a field goal to win the game, the Eagles could have attempted an onside kick, but Ryan chose to trust his defense and kicked the ball back to the Redskins, who took over at their own 20-yard-line.

But the decision to kick away looked like it backfired when on 1st down Riggs took a handoff from Rypien and ran 58 yards down the right sideline, before being tackled at the Eagles’ 22-yard-line as Riggs went over the 200-yard mark and broke the team record for most rushing yards in single game while seemingly breaking the back of the Eagles at the same time.

Still, the Redskins needed another 1st down to clinch the game, but could not move forward on their next two plays as the Eagles used their remaining timeouts, setting up a 3rd-and-10 at the Eagles 22 with 1:10 remaining.

Gibbs had a choice to make: either have Rypien take a knee so he could milk the clock down to about 25 seconds, then kick a field goal, or give the ball to Riggs again and hope he maybe break another run to get the 1st down and ice the game or at least worst gain a few yards or set up better field position for Lohmiller to kick his field goal.

Gibbs decided to run the ball with Riggs and that is when the unthinkable happened.

Rypien handed it off to Riggs, who managed to gain three more yards, before running into his center Reggie McKenzie, who had replaced starting center Jeff Bostic in the second quarter, fumbling the football, which was picked up by Eagles linebacker Al Harris.

As Redskins offensive tackle JIm Lachey grabbed Harris and try to bring him down, Eagles safety Wes Hopkins raced to Harris and asked him to lateral the ball to him.

Harris obliged and Hopkins ran 77 yards before he was knocked out-of-bounds by Sanders at the Washington four-yard-line.

It only took the Eagles one play to get in the end zone as Cunningham connected with Jackson for their third touchdown of the game, this one giving Philadelphia its first lead of the game at 42-37 with 58 seconds to go.

The Redskins got one last chance to save themselves and pull out a victory but Brown forced another fumble off a sack of Rypien, which was recovered by White to give the Eagles a shocking 42-37 victory.

While it was only the second game of the season, the shootout between the Eagles and the Redskins was the difference between the two teams and making the playoffs, as Philadelphia finished with a 11-5 record which earned them a wild card spot, while Washington finished with a 10-6 record and out of the playoffs.

However, the Redskins would get some revenge one year later when the two teams meet in the Wild Card Round of the 1990 NFL Playoffs as Washington knocked off the Eagles 20-6, which end cost Ryan his job as Eagles head coach.

Keith Jackson caught 12 passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 58 seconds left.

NFL Old School Game of the Week: Raiders Knock Off Chargers in AFC Title Game

The 1980 AFC Championship Game pitted two AFC West rivals against each other as the San Diego Chargers played host to the Oakland Raiders for the right to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XV.

The Chargers being in the AFC title game was not a surprise but the Raiders being there was a shock, especially with how the year started for the team.

Oakland entered the 1980 season coming off back-to-back 9-7 seasons as the franchise was seen to be as rebuilding as they were under second-year head coach Tom Flores and had a new starting quarterback for the ‘80 season in Dan Pastorini, who they got in a trade with the Houston Oilers for quarterback Ken Stabler, who had been Oakland’s starting quarterback for the past seven seasons.

But in the fifth game of the season, Pastorini broke his leg and the Raiders had to turn Jim Plunkett, a man who had been the #1 pick in the 1971 NFL draft with the New England Patriots and was seen as the time as a “bust”.

Plunkett looked like a man who had only thrown 15 passes over the past two seasons as he was intercepted five times in the game he replaced Pastorini, a 31-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs which dropped the Raiders to 2-3.

However, Flores decided to stick with Plunkett and the former Heisman Trophy winner rewarded him by leading the Raiders to a 9-2 record over the rest of the regular season and the team’s first playoff berth since 1977.

Even though Plunkett only completed 22 of 53 passes in two games, the wild card Raiders were still able to advance to the AFC Championship Game as they defeated the Houston Oilers 27-7 in the Wild Card Round, then went on the road and upset the Cleveland Browns 14-12 in the Divisional Round, thanks to Mike Davis’ end zone interception in the final seconds on the infamous “Red Right 88”.

If the Raiders were going to knock off the Chargers, Plunkett was going to need to have a big game as Oakland was going to up against the most explosive offense in the NFL.

The Chargers entered the 1980 season as Super Bowl contenders as they had gone 12-4 the previous season under head coach Don Coryell and his passing offense which was known as “Air Coryell” and led by quarterback Dan Fouts, who set the NFL’s single season passing yards record in 1979 with 4, 082 yards.

Fouts would break his own record in 1980 as his 4, 715 yards lead the Chargers to a 11-5 record and their second straight AFC West title.

Jim Plunkett had the fourth highest quarterback rating in a NFL playoff game, 155.8, in the 1980 AFC Championship Game.

After receiving the opening kickoff and returning it to their 29-yard-line, the Raiders gained six yards on the first two plays of the game to set up a 3rd-and-4.

That is when Plunkett fired a pass five yards downfield for running back Kenny King, but the ball bounced off King’s hands and into the hands of teammate Raymond Chester, who made the catch and then outran the Charger defense for a shocking 65-yard touchdown that put Oakland ahead 7-0 just 95 seconds into the game.

The Chargers responded quickly to the touchdown on the first play of their opening drive as Fouts connected with Ron Smith for a 55-yard completion that put San Diego at the Oakland 28-yard-line.

However, four plays later, Fouts was picked off by Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes, who returned his 18th interception of the season 16 yards to the Oakland 25-yard-line.

The Raiders were unable to move the ball and were forced to punt the ball back to the Chargers who took over at their own 40-yard-line when wide receiver Charlie Joiner made his presence felt.

Joiner caught a 12-yard pass on the first play of the drive, then made a spectacular catch with two Raider defenders between him for a 48-yard touchdown that tied the game 7-7 midway through the first quarter.

The Raiders struck back with a 7-play, 76 yard drive that included a 48-yard pass from Plunkett to Cliff Branch to the San Diego 37-yard-line and a 21-yard pass interference penalty on Chargers linebacker Ron Preston on a 3rd-and-6, leading to a five-yard touchdown run by Plunkett that put Oakland back on top 14-7 with 3:46 left in the opening quarter.

After forcing the Chargers offense to go three-and-out, the Raiders took over at the San Diego 49-yard-line where it took them only four plays to get back into the end zone as Plunkett found King for a 21-yard touchdown to increase the Oakland lead to 21-7 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.

Now facing their largest deficit of the season, the Chargers drove down the field in hopes of cutting the lead, only to have Fouts threw his second red zone interception of the game, with Raiders safety Burgess Owens being the culprit this time, as he picked off Fouts’ pass intended for John Jefferson at the one-yard-line.

The Raiders were able to drive to their 29-yard-line before punting the ball back as Ray Guy kicked the longest punt in postseason history, a 71-yarder that ended up in the end zone for a touchback.

Then on the second play of the Chargers’ ensuing possession, San Diego suffered its third turnover of the game as running back Mike Thomas fumbled the football when he was hit by Raiders defensive tackle John Matuszak, with linebacker Ted Hendricks recovering the loose ball at the Chargers’ 29-yard-line.

Seven plays later, the Raiders were back in the end zone as Mark van Eeghen punched it in from three yards out to push the Oakland lead to 28-7 with 6:26 to go in the first half.

Desperately needing a score to get back into the game, the “Air Coryell” offense put together a 13-play, 64-yard drive which ended with a 8-yard touchdown pass from Fouts to Joiner which cut the Oakland lead to 28-14 with 1:05 left before halftime.

It looked like the Chargers were going to have a chance to cut into the deficit before the end of the half as the Raiders’ Arthur Whittington fumbled the ensuing kickoff which was recovered by the Chargers at the Oakland 14-yard-line.

But the Chargers were called for offsides, nullifying the kickoff and the recovered fumble, leading to a rather anticlimactic finish to the first half as both teams traded punts to end the first 30 minutes with the Raiders still on top 28-14.

Though he threw for 336 yards and two touchdown passes, Dan Fouts' two interceptions in the red zone proved costly for the Chargers.

The Chargers got the ball to start the second half and drove 68 yards in 12 yards, but had to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Rolf Benirschke to trim the deficit to 11 points at 28-17.

The Chargers were able to keep the momentum going as the defense forced the Raiders offense to go three-and-out on their ensuing possession, punting the ball back to San Diego where they took over at the Oakland 41-yard-line following a 28-yard return by Mike Fuller.

Six plays later, the Chargers were in the end zone as Chuck Muncie ran it in for a six-yard touchdown that brought San Diego to within four points, 28-24 with 6:13 left in the third quarter.

That is when Plunkett and the Raiders offense woke up and put a halt to the Chargers’ comeback as they drove 68 yards in nine plays, with Plunkett hitting two key passes on the drive, one for 33 yards to King and another for 18 yards to Chester, leading to a 27-yard field goal by Chris Bahr that pushed the Raider lead back to seven points, 31-24 with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

Then after forcing the Chargers to go three-and-out, the Raiders took another five minutes off the clock and got three more points on the board as Bahr made a 33-yard field goal to push the lead back to double digits at 34-24 with 9:46 to go in the fourth quarter.

Needing at least a touchdown and a field goal to force overtime, the Chargers put together a 12-play, 72-yard drive, which ended with a 27-yard field goal by Benirschke to bring San Diego to within a touchdown, 34-27.

There was still plenty of time left for the Chargers to force overtime, as the Raiders took possession at their own 25-yard-line with 6:43 to go.

A quick stop by the San Diego defense would give the ball back to Fouts and the offense with a chance for the game-tying score.

But the Chargers never got that stop as the Raiders ran 15 plays, 14 of them on the ground, and drove 53 yards, but most importantly were able to run out the clock and hold on for the 34-27 win to clinch the franchise’s third trip to the Super Bowl.

The Raiders had needed a big game from Plunkett and they got it as he completed 14 of 18 passes for 261 yards with three touchdowns(two in the air, one on the ground) and zero interceptions.

Two weeks later, the Raiders would defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 in Super Bowl XV as Plunkett was named the Super Bowl MVP as he threw touchdown pasess on 13-of-21 passing for 261 yards and zero interceptions.

The following season would not be as good as for Plunkett as he lost the starting quarterback job to Marc Wilson as the Raiders missed the playoffs while the Chargers returned to the AFC Championship Game only to lose to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-7 in the “Freezer Bowl” a game that was played in -59 degree wind chill.

Plunkett came off the bench again in 1983 to help lead the Raiders to another Super Bowl title, which was followed by only 17 more starts in the next three seasons before the former Heisman winner finally retired after the 1986 season.

The Raiders celebrate after their 34-27 win over the San Diego Chargers sent them to their second Super Bowl in five years.