Justice From CFN

[PonyKai]

SMU-Texas Tech 1982 makes the list of top 100 finishes at number 30.

Writeups by Pete Fiutak
No. 30 SMU 34 ... Texas Tech 27, November 13, 1982
At the time: No. 2 SMU was in its heyday, coming into the game on a 13-game winning streak and a 9-0 record led by the Pony Express, Eric Dickerson and Craig James. Texas Tech wasn't doing too much with a 4-5 record, but had beaten SMU six straight times.
The setup: A blocked punt led to a 16-yard James touchdown giving the Mustangs a 24-10 lead late in the third quarter, but Texas Tech was able to bounce back on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Buzz Tatom. One 71-yard Anthony Hutchinson touchdown run later, and the Red Raiders tied it up. After an SMU field goal, Hutchinson was able to make a big fourth down play leading Tech to a march down to the Mustang 11 as the clock was running down. In came Ricky Gann for a 28-yard field goal and a 27-27 tie with :17 to play. With no overtime, the Mustang winning streak appeared to be over.
The ending: Worried about a kickoff return for a touchdown, Texas Tech decided to squib it to run down time. SMU head coach Bobby Collins was prepared and sent in defensive back Blane Smith to field the kick and throw it across the field to receiver Bobby Leach who would, in theory, have a wall of blockers to run behind. Smith was in position, but he had a hard time fielding the ball bobbling it before chucking it backwards to Leach a split-second before being blasted by Red Raiders. Leach grabbed it off the turf on the nine and didn't have anyone in front of him going 91 yards for the touchdown and the 34-27 win.
How they ended up: Following the "Miracle on Fourth Avenue", the Mustangs tied Arkansas 17-17 barely missing a win on a short 52-yard field goal attempt. Even so, they still won the SWC title and a spot in the Cotton Bowl beating Pittsburgh and Dan Marino 7-3 to finish 11-0-1 and second in both polls. Texas Tech lost to Houston 24-7 to finish 4-7.

[ReedFrawg]

Who finished #1?

[PonyKai]

And coming in at number 12...

No. 12 BYU 46 ... SMU 45, Holiday Bowl, December 19, 1980
At the time: BYU had one of the nation's most explosive offenses averaging 47 points per game led by star Jim McMahon. Coming into the Holiday Bowl on an 11-game winning streak after losing the opener 25-21 to New Mexico, the Cougars were looking for their first ever bowl win. SMU, led by the running back tandem of Eric Dickerson and Craig James, was 8-3 with its young team.
The setup: SMU ran amok, getting out to a 29-7 lead and up 38-19 in the fourth quarter. After James scored SMUs fifth rushing touchdown to take a 45-25 lead with less than four minutes to play, McMahon led the Cougar offense to what seemed to be an oh-by-the-way touchdown on a 15-yard pass. The two-point conversion failed. BYU got the ball back at midfield after recovering the onside kick and McMahon went back to work marching the offense down to the one finishing with a one-yard Scott Phillips touchdown run and a two-point conversion to get within six with less than two minutes to play. The onside kick didn't work and SMU appeared ready to run out the clock needing just one first down.
The ending: The Pony Express wasn't able to get the job done as Dickerson was stuffed on third down forcing a Mustang punt. SMU punter Eric Kaifes couldn't get his kick off as BYU's Bill Schoepflin came in untouched for the block putting the ball on the SMU 41 with:13 left. McMahon's first two passes fell incomplete, but he had one final shot with just three seconds to play. McMahon dropped back and launched a high-arching pass that made its way down in between a mass of Mustang defenders, and into the hands of tight end Clay Brown. SMU's Wes Hopkins also had the ball, but the catch goes to the receiver when two players have it at the same time. The official signaled touchdown BYU to tie it at 45. BYU kicker Kurt Gunther hit the game-winning extra point for the 46-45 win. Dickerson ran 23 carries for 110 yards and two TDs while James carried it 23 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns. McMahon threw for 446 yards and four touchdowns.
How they ended up: SMU finished 8-4 and 20th in both polls. As painful as this loss was, it helped motivate SMU for the following year going 10-1 with only a 9-7 to Texas. BYU finished 12-1 ending up 11th in the UPI poll and 12th in the AP.

[DiamondM75]

Who finished #1?

Papa Joe Paterno. Said he was going to retire, so he got the sympathy vote. Then he decided to continue after Penn State was voted national champs.

[LonghornFan68]

Who finished #1?

Papa Joe Paterno. Said he was going to retire, so he got the sympathy vote. Then he decided to continue after Penn State was voted national champs.

lollers. gotta love that old coot.

[ReedFrawg]

Who finished #1?

Papa Joe Paterno. Said he was going to retire, so he got the sympathy vote. Then he decided to continue after Penn State was voted national champs.

East coast bias strikes again!

I've never heard this discussed, but if SMU had finished #1, would the NCAA have taken away the national title and removed all references to the title, etc. as part of the DP? Just curious.

[Stallion]

Penn St. lost by 21 to Alabama earlier in year and still was National Champs over an undefeated team.

[EastStang]

Pity for old JoePa. Had there been a BCS back then, SMU would have played Penn State in a warmer place than Dallas that New Years Day. The Pony Express would have stomped them.

[ponyboy]

Penn St. lost by 21 to Alabama earlier in year and still was National Champs over an undefeated team.

Combine that with the facts both that it was widely known that SMU had cheated its way to its record as well as the unimpressive nature of its win over Pitt.

[mrydel]

Pity for old JoePa. Had there been a BCS back then, SMU would have played Penn State in a warmer place than Dallas that New Years Day. The Pony Express would have stomped them.

I may be very wrong but weren't we 3 going into the bowls, PSU 2 and they played 1. It was set up that we could not win unless PSU and the number 1 team played a sloppy game and we won big over Pitt. We were doomed by the start of the bowls. I think the "voters" jumped PSU over us after the last game when we tied Arkansas.

Historians, correct me freely.

[PonyKai]

Tough to argue with some of that.

[Ponymon]

Penn St. lost by 21 to Alabama earlier in year and still was National Champs over an undefeated team.

Combine that with the facts both that it was widely known that SMU had cheated its way to its record as well as the unimpressive nature of its win over Pitt.

So, it was widely known? Please elaborate.

It was as widely known as Egypt Allen taking money from Wacker at TCU!