Today in SMU Sports History: Nov. 13, 1982

[MrMustang1965]

LUBBOCK – It will go down in the Mustang record books as the miracle of Jones Stadium.

Long after SMU's national championship bid has been buried in musty archives, Southern Methodist faithful will recount how Bobby Leach returned a squib kickoff 91 yards on a throwback play Saturday to beat Texas Tech, 34-27, with four seconds left in the game.

It was, of course, no miracle. Rather, Leach's storybook play should answer all questions over Bobby Collins' contributions to the 1982 Mustangs.

Whatever Gamblin' Bobby inherited from Ron Meyer, this throwback was Collins' play, one he had his players practice every week of the season. It was a personal ace in the hole, a bit of prestidigitation that he saved for the day when he found himself hanging from a cliff by his fingernails with no help in sight.

Certainly SMU's situation fit that description.

The Ponies' record – 9-0-0 coming in – and No. 1 aspirations seemed unavoidably stained with a tie when Tech's Ricky Gann kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 27-27 with 17 seconds left.

A kickoff return was SMU's only hope, and Tech coach Jerry Moore ordered Gann to kick it short and slow up the middle, forcing one SMU's blockers to field it.

Gann's kick went up the middle, but it was kicked too hard. It hit the ground at about the 20, took a high bounce and came down at the feet of SMU senior safety Blaine Smith.

Collins put Smith there because Smith was a quarterback in junior high, so he could throw a pass. Yet Smith was a frequent punt and kickoff returner, so his presence aroused no suspicion.

Smith fielded the ball Bump Wills style. Three times he tried to pick it up, and twice it eluded him. It even hit teammate Sterling Wilson's foot as the Red Raiders converged on the 12-yard line.

Finally, Smith picked the ball up. Immediately, as practiced, he threw an overhand lateral pass out to the left sideline, where Leach waited after faking a block and peeling back, making sure he was behind Smith. Even then, Smith's pass bounced, and Leach, a sophomore wide receiver whose touchdown on a tipped pass was the key to victory over Texas, short-hopped it. His knee almost touched down, but no whistle blew.

By then, Collins' wall of blockers was set up, giving Leach a clear path down the sideline to the goal line. "Once I got the ball, I looked up and saw nothing but white jerseys," Leach said.

To the disbelief of everyone in the stadium, Leach went the distance. His blockers knocked off the few Red Raiders who got close enough to take a run at him. "It was like a dream," Eric Dickerson said.

And that's how the second-ranked Mustangs claimed their 14th consecutive victory, a 10-0 record and clinched at least a tie for the Southwest Conference championship. They can win it for the second year in a row next Saturday by defeating Arkansas.

Collins' call was a fitting climax to a game that went against all form charts.

All season, Tech (4-6 and 3-4 in SWC play) had felt its strength was its defense. Yet the Red Raiders offense gained 421 yards against an SMU defense that ranked 10th in the nation. SMU's Dickerson came into the game needing 191 yards for an SWC career rushing record, yet it was Tech's 5-10, 180-pound Anthony Hutchison who gained 206 yards on 39 carries and ran 71 yards for a touchdown.

All year, SMU specialized in wearing opponents down and making fourth-quarter comebacks with long sustained drives. But on this day, the Pony offense did not stage a touchdown drive in the second half. In fact, the Mustangs were three for 17 in third-down conversions for the day.

SMU won because of its kicking game.

Before Collins' throwback play, there was the punt that Tech's Leonard Harris fumbled in the third quarter, robbing Tech of field position. And there was the punt that SMU nose guard Darin Boone blocked and linebacker Ben Wise recovered at the Tech 14, setting up a touchdown for a 24-10 lead.

Dickerson ran for 115 yards on 21 carries, and Craig James got 97 on 19 carries, including a surprising run for a first down out of punt formation from his own 5-yard line.

Tech's Jim Hart, one of 10 Raider starters from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, countered with 14-for-25 passing for 177 yards and one touchdown. But Hart had two picked off.

SMU led, 7-0, on a 28-yard TD run by Dickerson behind James' clearing block. Tech surged midway through the second quarter for a 10-7 lead, the touchdown set up by quarterback Lance McIlhenny's third interception of the season.

Back came the Ponies to score 10 points within three minutes for a 17-10 halftime lead. Dickerson was fortunate on his 9-yard TD run. He fumbled McIlhenny's pitchout, but on its third bounce the ball hopped into his arms, and Dickerson tip-toed the sideline to score.

Linebacker Gary Moten's interception of a tipped Tech pass, and McIlhenny's 33-yard toss to Gary Smith set up the first of two field goals by junior Jeff Harrell.

When Boone blocked Dennis Vance's punt in the third quarter, and Wise recovered at the Tech 14. James covered that distance in one run for a 24-10 lead.

Soon, however, the SMU bench was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalty sparked Tech on a drive that ended when Hart evaded a safety blitz to throw a 9-yard TD pass to tight end Buzz Tatom of Richardson.

Less than three minutes later, Hutchison went 71 yards around for the tying touchdown.

SMU capitalized on a short punt and a personal foul penalty to drive 47 yards for a 23-yard Harrell field goal and led, 27-24. But Hutchison carried the Raiders to midfield, and then Hart completed four consecutive passes, and the Raiders were on the Mustangs' 10-yard line, third and one, with 27 seconds left.

Tech coach Jerry Moore chose to run for a first down rather than throw for a touchdown. Hutchison was stopped by SMU defensive end Russell Washington.

Gann easily made the field goal, and Tech seemed delighted to settle for a tie – a happier result than its 21-3 loss to Arkansas and its 10-3 defeat against then-No. 1 Washington.

Bobby Collins, however, had one card left to play.

http://www.wfaa.com/s/dws/spt/misc/hist ... 82smu.html

[ThadFilms]

Great article - fun to read.

[Mustang98]

That Bobby Leach play was all the talk of college football the following week. It was replayed over and over again until seven days later. The following Saturday, the famous Standford vs Cal game with the band walking on the field before time expired robbed SMU of the glory from the previous week. It was a prelude to how we would get robbed a few months later in the Polls.

We scored on a trick play and we didn't need any marching band to help us get to the endzone.

"Sometimes you miss the pain because you have lived with it for so long" -- Loyal SMU Fan oath

[craigjames4ever]

Quit living in the past. Look forward or the Curse of Craig James will never go away.

[docabel]

I can't remember who our special teams coach was then, but if memory serves me correctly, he ended up coaching for the Tennessee Titans. They ended up running the exact same play in their miracle win over Buffalo in the playoffs several years ago. Mention was made of the ST coach having run the same play at SMU many years ago.

[Mustang98]

Quit living in the past. Look forward or the Curse of Craig James will never go away.

Exactly what is the Curse of Craig James?

[craigjames4ever]

Quit living in the past. Look forward or the Curse of Craig James will never go away.

Exactly what is the Curse of Craig James?

Curse of Craig James = No bowls

He came back to broadcast the game in order to ensure that SMU gets no bowl this year. It was successful so far in losing last week. You know Craig was laughing in New York when he saw the SMU collapse.

[RGV Pony]

That Bobby Leach play was all the talk of college football the following week. It was replayed over and over again until seven days later. The following Saturday, the famous Standford vs Cal game with the band walking on the field before time expired robbed SMU of the glory from the previous week. It was a prelude to how we would get robbed a few months later in the Polls.

We scored on a trick play and we didn't need any marching band to help us get to the endzone.

"Sometimes you miss the pain because you have lived with it for so long" -- Loyal SMU Fan oath

What, they replayed the radio broadcast over and over again? Or game film from the school? I think Stallion is on the record as having said there was no TV coverage of the game.

[MrMustang1965]

That Bobby Leach play was all the talk of college football the following week. It was replayed over and over again until seven days later. The following Saturday, the famous Standford vs Cal game with the band walking on the field before time expired robbed SMU of the glory from the previous week. It was a prelude to how we would get robbed a few months later in the Polls.

We scored on a trick play and we didn't need any marching band to help us get to the endzone.

"Sometimes you miss the pain because you have lived with it for so long" -- Loyal SMU Fan oath

What, they replayed the radio broadcast over and over again? Or game film from the school? I think Stallion is on the record as having said there was no TV coverage of the game.

There was footage of Leach's return broadcast on sports segments nationwide. The game itself was not televised. But there were sports reporters/cameras there to cover SMU & Texas Tech. I have a videotape with Leach's return on it. It's from WFAA in Dallas and it's shot from the endzone showing Leach running to the other end zone.

[RGV Pony]

That Bobby Leach play was all the talk of college football the following week. It was replayed over and over again until seven days later. The following Saturday, the famous Standford vs Cal game with the band walking on the field before time expired robbed SMU of the glory from the previous week. It was a prelude to how we would get robbed a few months later in the Polls.

We scored on a trick play and we didn't need any marching band to help us get to the endzone.

"Sometimes you miss the pain because you have lived with it for so long" -- Loyal SMU Fan oath

What, they replayed the radio broadcast over and over again? Or game film from the school? I think Stallion is on the record as having said there was no TV coverage of the game.

There was footage of Leach's return broadcast on sports segments nationwide. The game itself was not televised. But there were sports reporters/cameras there to cover SMU & Texas Tech. I have a videotape with Leach's return on it. It's from WFAA in Dallas and it's shot from the endzone showing Leach running to the other end zone.

You've been holding out! Too bad YouTube is so strict on copyrighted stuff, huh?