Historical Do-Over

[smallcollegefbfan]

Someone mentioned this topic to me and I thought I would post here and see what everyone says.

In the history of your football team's program if you could change one loss into a win, what game would that be and why? (You can do 2 if you have a 1 regular season game and 1 playoff game)

[TexasTerror]

My two choices...

Based on your question...SHSU playoff loss to Montana in 2004 in the semifinals. We win that, SHSU is in the championship game and I believe it changes a lot of things. Perhaps those on KatFans.com would be a bit more positive! Perhaps we have a different head coach in wake of Randleman leaving.

In spite of an opponent...wish SHSU beat TXST in the 2005 regular season finale. We pushed them to OT and both teams had chances to win. SHSU more than TXST had the opportunities to win. If SHSU wins, TXST does not go to playoffs and we're all still waiting for a TXST playoff appearance! ;)

[Big Cats]

2005 National championship game with App State...for obvious reasons.
2006 game at Iowa State. If Wingert makes the field goal with 6 secs left, UNI wins and makes the playoffs. That loss and the one to DII North Dakota kept us at home in December that year.

[Go...gate]

Two games with UD - 1977 (season finale) and 2003 (I-AA Championship Game)

[UNHWildCats]

Someone mentioned this topic to me and I thought I would post here and see what everyone says.

In the history of your football team's program if you could change one loss into a win, what game would that be and why? (You can do 2 if you have a 1 regular season game and 1 playoff game)
i don't want to seem like a whiner with what I say but here it is. 2005 UNH vs UNI. UNH had well over 600 yards of offense to UNI's 300+ 999 out of 1000 times UNH probably wins that game. Had UNH won it, they certainly could have gone all the way.

But as it is its just 1 of 3 great games played between the two teams.

[93henfan]

'04 playoffs vs. W&M. I'm still sick about how we threw that one away, coughing up a 31-10 lead in the 4th quarter.

[McNeese75]

1997 National Championship Game with YSU.

1974 regular season game against Delaware. That game still stands as the biggest comeback in 4th Qtr history by the Hens. They were losing 6-24 and ended up with a 29-24 victory. I believe the teams were ranked 1&2 in the nation at the time. I remember listening to the game on the radio and it wasn't pretty, lxsmhx xlolx

[DFW HOYA]

1940 loss vs. Boston College, 19-18. A win would have sent the undefeated Hoyas to the Sugar Bowl.

[RichH2]

Loss to Mass 98 playoffs 27-21

Also,playoffs 14-13 loss to JMU in 04

[slycat]

2005 semi final playoff game against UNI. Should have beat them anyway and the infamous knee just handed it to them. Panthers punter faked getting hit at the end of the first half that allowed them to kick a field goal. The Bobcats were fantastic that season and would have lead to a great game against App St in the finals.

[bjtheflamesfan]

Its hard to really narrow it down to just one game in my mind to be honest because there are so many. Probably the first one that comes to mind is the Toledo game in 2007. LU wins that game they finish 9-2 and have a better case for the playoffs that year. Also Id say the Presbyterian game last year. LU wins that one and they finish 11-1 with two wins over top 25 teams and probably get much more serious consideration for the playoffs. The only other one Id say woud be the loss to Youngstown St in 2003. LU was looking like they were in control then the game was delayed by lightning. if that delay doesnt happen LU possibly wins that game I think

[phoenixphanatic21]

First games that come to my mind are the Citadel and Furman games from two years ago. Had we won one of those, we clinch a share of the SoCon title and the automatic birth into the playoffs and, should my memory serve me correctly, knocked App out of the playoffs, not allowing them to go for another title. xsmhx
Alas, you cannot change history. But it sure is nice to dream, isn't it?

[UNHWildCats]

2005 semi final playoff game against UNI. Should have beat them anyway and the infamous knee just handed it to them. Panthers punter faked getting hit at the end of the first half that allowed them to kick a field goal. The Bobcats were fantastic that season and would have lead to a great game against App St in the finals.
you of course assume you would have gotten past UNH.

[TexasTerror]

2005 semi final playoff game against UNI. Should have beat them anyway and the infamous knee just handed it to them. Panthers punter faked getting hit at the end of the first half that allowed them to kick a field goal. The Bobcats were fantastic that season and would have lead to a great game against App St in the finals.

Fantastic?

You were not too far away from making the playoffs - PERIOD. xreadx

[Saint3333]

1995 undefeated ASU's loss to SF Austin - heart breaker.

1999 loss to Auburn by 6, missed two fields goals, an extra point, and Joey Hoover dropped a wide open TD pass.

2000 semifinal at Montana, damn you Jimmy Farris. ASU and GSU would have played for the title had we won.

[UNHWildCats]

First games that come to my mind are the Citadel and Furman games from two years ago. Had we won one of those, we clinch a share of the SoCon title and the automatic birth into the playoffs and, should my memory serve me correctly, knocked App out of the playoffs, not allowing them to go for another title. xsmhx
Alas, you cannot change history. But it sure is nice to dream, isn't it?
Doubtful a 9-2 Appy misses the playoffs in 2007. Not with a win at Michigan.

Most likely had Elon won the AQ for the SoCon, UNH misses the playoffs that year while Appy took the at large spot.

[phoenixphanatic21]

Doubtful a 9-2 Appy misses the playoffs in 2007. Not with a win at Michigan.

Most likely had Elon won the AQ for the SoCon, UNH misses the playoffs that year while Appy took the at large spot.

Like I said, it's nice to dream, isn't it? Haha

[NSUDemon98]

Someone mentioned this topic to me and I thought I would post here and see what everyone says.

In the history of your football team's program if you could change one loss into a win, what game would that be and why? (You can do 2 if you have a 1 regular season game and 1 playoff game)

1998 - loss to UMass in Semi-Final game...would have sent NSU to C'Nooga.

2000 - loss to SWT(now TxSt). NSU was league leading and had wins over Top 10 Troy St., Top 10 McNeese, FBS wanna-be UL-Lafayette heading into the SWT game with a 6-1 record and a Top 15 I-AA ranking. NSU lost the game to SWT and proceeded to go winless the rest of the season against mediocre teams (that season at least).

[poly51]

For Cal Poly the 1 point loss to Wisconsin in overtime. 2008.

[LUHawker]

Loss to Mass 98 playoffs 27-21

Also,playoffs 14-13 loss to JMU in 04

I agree with the playoff loss to UMass in '98. Very painful to be around the 10 yard line with 4 downs to score and go ahead and not execute. That was a special team and could have gone all the way.

While the 14-13 loss to JMU was a bitter pill to swallow especially considering some of the poor officiating, I'd vote for the 1991 loss to Holy Cross in what I still consider to be the best game I've ever seen.

[RichH2]

Gee, I wish you hadn't reminded about that HC game. Yup , certainly worse reg season loss

[Big Dawg]

FAMU's 1999 Semifinal loss to Youngstown St. There's no way we should've blown the lead and lost that game.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

The fumble on the would-be winning drive in the 1988 NC

In FBS games, I'd undo that messed up punt play against Oregon State in 1999. IMO without that play we win the game.

[slycat]

you of course assume you would have gotten past UNH.

It was the semis. If Texas St would have won they would have played App St in the finals.

And yes as long as its not at UNH in snowxsmiley_wix

[slycat]

Fantastic?

You were not too far away from making the playoffs - PERIOD. xreadx

Which is what makes the team good. They almost overlooked an average Bearkat team. But rivals always play great and the Cats held out to win.

[zilla]

Believe it or not, CCU has had several, even though we've had a program for only six years.

The 2005 Charleston Southern "Super Safety" fiasco tops Coastal's list. We were up by seven points. Jerome Simpson took a punt snap & tried to run around to kill the clock. Instead, he stepped out of bounds inside the five-yard line. CSU had a chance for one more play & they scored to take the game into OT - where they eventually won. Had we won that game, we probably would have reached the playoffs. Our only other loss that year was to App St. The week before, we had beaten JMU (defending national champs).

Last year, CCU had four special teams turnovers against Stony Brook which led to three SB touchdowns (Seawolves won 28-24).

Also, last season, Colgate attempted a FG, down by two points with no time left on the game clock. The snap was botched, the holder picks the ball up & finds a Raider tight end wide open in the end zone ('Gate won by four).

In 2007, we were up 24-0 in the first quarter against Presbyterian & allowed them to come back and beat us in OT.

[UNHWildCats]

It was the semis. If Texas St would have won they would have played App St in the finals.

And yes as long as its not at UNH in snowxsmiley_wix
my bad... i thought u guys had played UNI in the first round that year.

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

i don't want to seem like a whiner with what I say but here it is. 2005 UNH vs UNI. UNH had well over 600 yards of offense to UNI's 300+ 999 out of 1000 times UNH probably wins that game. Had UNH won it, they certainly could have gone all the way.

But as it is its just 1 of 3 great games played between the two teams.

Touche!

[laxVik]

I'd settle for a do over with the hiring of Glanville.

[GannonFan]

I'd change the 1992 semifinal game against Marshall. UD had a great team that year, had just destroyed one of the top seeds in NE Lousiana, and the offense was just rolling. Until the QB, Vergantino, gets the flu before the Marshall game, and spends the first half on the field at 50% and on the sidelines puking his guts out. He's unable to play the second half and a close game at half time, even with Vergantino in such a state, turns into a Marshall victory. The Hens would've been in a very, very good spot to win a NC in '92 had Vergantino not gotten ill.

[McNeese75]

I agree with the playoff loss to UMass in '98. Very painful to be around the 10 yard line with 4 downs to score and go ahead and not execute. That was a special team and could have gone all the way.

While the 14-13 loss to JMU was a bitter pill to swallow especially considering some of the poor officiating, I'd vote for the 1991 loss to Holy Cross in what I still consider to be the best game I've ever seen.

There is a bone yard of teams that were victimized by that 98 UMass team including McNeese losing 21-19 (plus Lehigh, Northwestern State and of course Georgia Southern).

[MR. CHICKEN]

MAH DO-OVERAH.......1997....DECEMBER 13th......SEMI-FINAL...WHIFF MCNEESE STATE.....WE LOST 23-21...@ DELAWARE STADIUM...WHEN BAYOU LAD...SHONZ LAFRENZ...BOOTED UH 31 YARDER....WHIFF O:O5...TICKS.......COWBOYS WENT ON TA SELF DESTRUCT.....AGIN' YOUNGSTOWN STATE....10-9.....HAD DUH HENS PULLED IT OUT......AN' WHIFF OURAH....STELLAR RECORD...AGIN' DUH 'GUINS......TUBBY PICKS UP DUH GRAND POO-PAH O' BLING...........DANG NAB IT...:(...AWK!

[Ud1Hens]

MAH DO-OVERAH.......1997....DECEMBER 13th......SEMI-FINAL...WHIFF MCNEESE STATE.....WE LOST 23-21...@ DELAWARE STADIUM...WHEN BAYOU LAD...SHONZ LAFRENZ...BOOTED UH 31 YARDER....WHIFF O:O5...TICKS.......COWBOYS WENT ON TA SELF DESTRUCT.....AGIN' YOUNGSTOWN STATE....10-9.....HAD DUH HENS PULLED IT OUT......AN' WHIFF OURAH....STELLAR RECORD...AGIN' DUH 'GUINS......TUBBY PICKS UP DUH GRAND POO-PAH O' BLING...........DANG NAB IT...:(...AWK!

Uh, what he said...That 4th down catch still baffles me. Why the heck don't you just bat it down!!!! xeekx

[McNeese75]

Uh, what he said...That 4th down catch still baffles me. Why the heck don't you just bat it down!!!! xeekx

I was at that game and for some reason, we walked around the opposite end of the field from the student section to get back to the parking lot :D

[TheValleyRaider]

Two games with UD - 1977 (season finale) and 2003 (I-AA Championship Game)

Definitely this one xnodx xnodx xbawlingx xbawlingx

[blukeys]

MAH DO-OVERAH.......1997....DECEMBER 13th......SEMI-FINAL...WHIFF MCNEESE STATE.....WE LOST 23-21...@ DELAWARE STADIUM...WHEN BAYOU LAD...SHONZ LAFRENZ...BOOTED UH 31 YARDER....WHIFF O:O5...TICKS.......COWBOYS WENT ON TA SELF DESTRUCT.....AGIN' YOUNGSTOWN STATE....10-9.....HAD DUH HENS PULLED IT OUT......AN' WHIFF OURAH....STELLAR RECORD...AGIN' DUH 'GUINS......TUBBY PICKS UP DUH GRAND POO-PAH O' BLING...........DANG NAB IT...:(...AWK!

Mr. C the situation was worse than you mentioned. McNeese was behind 21-20, had a 4th and 1 which they went for and failed. The flag went down for an illegal procedure against McNeese. The Hens were not allowed to decline the penalty and McNeese backed up 5 yards to Kick the winning field goal after being stopped stone cold. Any McNeese fan who complains about the '97 championship game needs to be tarred and feathered. They used up at least 4 breaks to get to the finals in Newark.

[hippy@GSU]

1998 Championship game against UMass. GSU is 14-0 heading into that game and has everything on their side. 7 fumbles killed the offense even though GSU still racked up 43 points and outgained UMass 595 yards to 462.

That would mean 7 flags on the pole.

[OL FU]

1985 NC game against GSU. I could easily pick the 2001 NC Game against UM but while the game was close Furman never really looked like they would win. The 1985 game after the first half was ours to lose and we did. Nothing against GSU they made one of greatest comebacks in I-AA history.


Regular season. 2005 against either GSU or WCU. Probably would pick WCU only because they beat us badly with a team that wasn't nearly as good as GSU. Win that one and we are seeded in the top four and the Mountaineers come back to Greenville for the playoff game. xnodx

[drpnut]

For Wofford

2002's loss to VMI which certainly kept us out of the playoffs

2003's loss to Delaware in the Semis. Win that game we go on to play for the NC

[GaSouthern]

1998 GSU vs. UMASS National Championship. 6+ Fumbles. Perfect season ruined = 14-1. We got our payback next season when Adrian Peterson Rushed for 333 yards in process of beating the dog snot out of them like we should have the first game on the way to the national championship again while they watched from home the next two years.

[AppHokie]

VMI 1994. xbangx

[griz37]

1993 1st round playoff loss to Delaware 49-48, if the Griz win that game we are plalying Marshall the next week.

[Touchdown Yosef]

2006 NC State that one still stings

[GSUhooligan]

'98 UMASS has already been said a few times so.....

Furman 2001, AP and PJ's last game.

Furman 2007, make the field goal and we make the most improbable season to season turnaround in FCS (or Socon) history and the playoffs.

See why we hate Furman?

[MR. CHICKEN]

1998 Championship game against UMass. GSU is 14-0 heading into that game and has everything on their side. 7 fumbles killed the offense even though GSU still racked up 43 points and outgained UMass 595 yards to 462.

That would mean 7 flags on the pole.

YEAH..BUT.....SIX FLAGS OVERAH GEORGIA......ROLLS OFFAH DUH TONGUE....SO MUCH MO' SMOOTHLY............BRAWK/OBAMA/BIDEN!!!

[MR. CHICKEN]

1993 1st round playoff loss to Delaware 49-48, if the Griz win that game we are plalying Marshall the next week.

YES GIRZZWOLDS.....WE SPARED YA....DAT SPANKIN'.....xrotatehx.....BAWK!

[SU DOG]

For Samford, it is without a doubt the 1991 semi-final game against Youngstown State. The Bulldogs had beaten New Hampshire and James Madison, both road wins, to get to this game. Samford had a wide-open offense with an outstanding passer and terrific WRs. The weather up there in December was snowy, radically COLD and the swirling wind gusts were somewhere close to 40 mph. The Penguins won the game 10-0. Both scores coming off of fumbles. YSU then went on to become the national champion. Had the game been played where the weather was decent.....hmmm. No way to know, of course and Youngstown had a terrific team, but we Bulldog Fans will always think it would have been different.

[89Hen]

Regular season = 1985 season ending loss to Maine played in a bitter cold, sideways rain in Newark dropping the Hens to 7-4. The '85 team featured Rich Gannon and had TWO I-A wins, Navy and Temple both at home, and could have done some real damage in the playoffs. :(

Playoffs = 1997 McNeese as stated in earlier posts. Tough loss to swallow the way it went down and I have to believe the Hens would have had more than a good chance against YSU in the NC game. :( :(

[jmufan999]

2007 - @ App State: "the fumble"
2008 - vs. Montana: "the fumbles"

[Kiss My Apps]

Regular season. 2005 against either GSU or WCU. Probably would pick WCU only because they beat us badly with a team that wasn't nearly as good as GSU. Win that one and we are seeded in the top four and the Mountaineers come back to Greenville for the playoff game. xnodx


Suprised you didn't mention the "Miracle on the Mountain". It would seem like the epitome of a do-over game.

[NHwildEcat]

i don't want to seem like a whiner with what I say but here it is. 2005 UNH vs UNI. UNH had well over 600 yards of offense to UNI's 300+ 999 out of 1000 times UNH probably wins that game. Had UNH won it, they certainly could have gone all the way.

But as it is its just 1 of 3 great games played between the two teams.

I remember that game vividly...that was a tough one.

[OL FU]

Suprised you didn't mention the "Miracle on the Mountain". It would seem like the epitome of a do-over game.

I have no clue what you are talking aboutxsmiley_wix

[UNIFanSince1983]

The two I really want over happen to both be playoff games.

2005 National Championship against App State
and 1992 Semifinal against Youngstown State

[smallcollegefbfan]

1998 Championship game against UMass. GSU is 14-0 heading into that game and has everything on their side. 7 fumbles killed the offense even though GSU still racked up 43 points and outgained UMass 595 yards to 462.

That would mean 7 flags on the pole.

Yeah but then we wouldn't have the phrase "six flags over Georgia" when talking about GSU. xthumbsupx

[WrenFGun]

Since people have largely already commented on the devastating loss to UNI in '05, I'll talk about a couple more I'd love to change.

UNH/UNI in '07, during Santos last season as a Wildcat. Up by 4 with 1:12 to go, UNI drives the length of the field and the hated Montari Leonard catches a TD with something like :10 to go to cinch it for UNI. UNH was maybe a quarter of a second away from a sack, and if I recall, dropped an easy INT earlier in that drive. Would have been an enormous upset (last team in over #1 seed).

UNH/UMass in '06 playoffs. Down 7, UNH drives down to the 6 yard line where David Ball clearly gets a first down, but he is marked out of bounds almost a yard short of where he actually went out. Two or three plays later, UNH is still at the 6 and it's fourth down. Santos rolls out, has a man open and it's batted down by Jason Hatchell to give UMass the win.

In general, winning any one of our FOUR quarterfinals games over the last FIVE years would stand out. All I want is to reach the semis...

[apaladin]

For Furman it would be:
2004 Loss to JMU when FU fumbled on the one in the second half that would have given FU a 2 score lead in a defensive game.
2005 FU's Ingle Martin slips on the ice at the ASU one all by himself that would have given FU a 2 score lead late.
Turn those 2 losses around and FU wins back to back NC's.

[Houndawg]

Last year against UNH hurt because the poor special teams play that cost us the game, but that was all gravy for a team picked fifth in conference and hampered all year by new system.

The big one (literally one play) was losing 20-17 to Delaware in the semis in '07 when the winning TD pass was called back for a lineman downfield.xbawlingx

[GannonFan]

Last year against UNH hurt because the poor special teams play that cost us the game, but that was all gravy for a team picked fifth in conference and hampered all year by new system.

The big one (literally one play) was losing 20-17 to Delaware in the semis in '07 when the winning TD pass was called back for a lineman downfield.xbawlingx

Didn't that play happen at the start of the 4th quarter? Plenty of game to be played afte that call - heck, I think there were 3 different scoring drives after that play.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

i don't want to seem like a whiner with what I say but here it is. 2005 UNH vs UNI. UNH had well over 600 yards of offense to UNI's 300+ 999 out of 1000 times UNH probably wins that game. Had UNH won it, they certainly could have gone all the way.

But as it is its just 1 of 3 great games played between the two teams.

When I'm about to check out of this wonderful world, I expect the last thing to flash before me will be the image of the 4th and two play late in the 4th Quarter. Rather than try a long game tying FG which would have been risky on the cold, windy day, UNH went for it. Ricky rolls left toward the home stands, has a receiver on his left, only one defender who has to pick Ricky or the receiver, yards and yards of open green grass ahead, the defender goes for Ricky who makes a perfect pitch right on the numbers which proceeds to be handled like hot coals. What makes it even more painful is the ridiculous catches of bad pitches made by the same receiver on the same play during the season especially the game at UMass. (Don't feel like going Billy Buck on the receiver.) Catch the pitch and it's a first down minimum, maybe even a TD. I still can't purge the image of that play from my consciousness! xoopsx xsmhx xbawlingx xbawlingx

UNH wins that game, hosts the semi-finals the next Friday against Texas State who hadn't played a game all year in under 50 degree weather. And a 16" snowstorm finished up around Noon that day in Durham. We didn't have field turf then. I'm a homer, but I don't like TX State's chances that night. It wasn't like UNI where despite playing indoors, their players are mostly from Iowa and the Midwest where it is cold and it snows. Not the case with TX State. Portable lights in Cowell, biggest football game in UNH history, would have been an epic evening leading to a trip to Chatty.

Honorable Mention:

1) 1976 D-II Quarterfinals at Montana State. UNH loses 17-16, MSU goes on to win the National Championship.

2) 2006 Quarterfinals at UMass that Wren mentioned. Mainly because it was the most incredible New England football atmosphere I've ever experienced in 40+ years of watching UNH Football. And because I know how much it means to UNH to beat UMass. And of course how much UMass hates losing to little ol' New Hampshire. Kind of like the Red Sox going to the World Series by beating the Yankees. ;) xnodx xlolx

3) Not trying to torment VT Wildcat Fan53 further, but the 1977 Regular Season Finale at Cowell Stadium in Durham. Record crowd of 20K on hand to watch UMass and UNH battle it out for the Yankee Conference crown and the AQ to the D-II Playoffs. UNH has been in the playoffs the past two seasons and now the QB, RB, WR and others who have lead the Wildcats on a 25-8 three year run are now seniors. UMass wins 19-6.

4) 1994 First Round Playoff game in Durham vs. App State goes to OT. App scores a TD on their possession then UNH fumbles on the first play of their possession. The infamous Mr. C's PC Freeze Up (literally) in the Cowell Press Box game. :D

Thank gawd I have some great memories of beating UMass in 1975 and 1976, beating Rutgers, Northwestern, Marshall and Army as well as that unbelievable 52-49 win at the Tub and many wins over the UConVicts. Otherwise I'd probably need therapy or would have a serious drinking problem!! xlolx xlolx xlolx

[UNHFootballAlum]

The 1984 UMASS rivalry game where UNH loses 14-10. UNH was 9-1 We had just beaten a previously undefeated Holy Cross team the week prior and a win against a 1-9 UMASS team would have clinched a playoff berth and possibly a seed.

[McNeese75]

Mr. C the situation was worse than you mentioned. McNeese was behind 21-20, had a 4th and 1 which they went for and failed. The flag went down for an illegal procedure against McNeese. The Hens were not allowed to decline the penalty and McNeese backed up 5 yards to Kick the winning field goal after being stopped stone cold. Any McNeese fan who complains about the '97 championship game needs to be tarred and feathered. They used up at least 4 breaks to get to the finals in Newark.

xrolleyesx xbawlingx xcoffeex

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

The 1984 UMASS rivalry game where UNH loses 14-10. UNH was 9-1 We had just beaten a previously undefeated Holy Cross team the week prior and a win against a 1-9 UMASS team would have clinched a playoff berth and possibly a seed.

Wow, don't know why I forgot that one!! Maybe because I was much better in my younger days of purging those bad games out of my mind. xlolx During the 80's with a 10-1 season as well as a playoff bid on the line along the game being closer to me in Amherst, I know I would have been there.

I was at that game at Fitton Field and it was great bursting the bubble on Holy Cross. I recall how they were really talking about going undefeated into their rivalry game with the Chestnut Hill Beagles.

Must have still been an eight team playoff field if 9-2 didn't make it! (Undefeated OOC against HC, Dartmouth, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell and Northeastern.) Especially when the only other loss (Boston U.) was by one point!!

[catatac]

It would absolutely have to be a redo of the most painful game in MSU BOBCAT history. 1997, in Bozeman, it looked like we had the game locked up to end "The Streak" but the griz found a way to squeak out the W. That one left a mark

http://www.missoulian.com/specials/UM-MSU100/C7.html

[andy7171]

I'm not going to mention the 2006 team that went 7-3 and then layed down to JMU, AT HOME, in a virtual play in game. Because if I magically reverse that loss to a win, we get embarrassed in the play offs.
...so I'll go back to Towson's other legitimate chance to get into the post season, 1993, my senior year. We went 8-2, all D.1 wins. Losses to 10-0 Howard and a dud in a monsoon up in Hofstra. Howard beat us on a 35 yard screen with 1 second left. Heart breaking. But I'd reverse the Hofstra loss. 9-1 as an independant would be tough, but with the #1 offense in I-AA, I know we would have done damage in the post season.

[UNHFootballAlum]

UNH_Alum_In_CT

I played in those games, it was my last year. BU ended up getting the bid from the Yankee conference. Billy Brooks was a part of that BU team. Against UMASS we had the ball on their 30 yrd line with 30 seconds remaining and 1 timeout. We had 2 downs to get 1 yrd for a 1st down and we had Andre Garron running the ball. We threw the ball twice for incompletions. That was so contrary to the Bill Bowes offensive philosophy.

[GaSouthern]

1987

East Carolina beat GSU 16-13

Should have never lost that game!

[blueballs]

2000 semifinal at Montana, damn you Jimmy Farris. ASU and GSU would have played for the title had we won.

After the regular season barnburner at Paulson between those two teams, the rematch would have been spectacular... although the title game between GSU and Montana was a classic too.

[blueballs]

1998 Championship game against UMass. GSU is 14-0 heading into that game and has everything on their side. 7 fumbles killed the offense even though GSU still racked up 43 points and outgained UMass 595 yards to 462.

That would mean 7 flags on the pole.

That's not all the fall out from that defeat...

... with a win that GSU group goes 15-0-0 and is remembered as one of the all time great teams in the division. Instead, that team is only a 14-1 afterthought.

If that 1998 team wins over UMass GSU wins 3 consecutive titles during the Peterson era and Greg Hill may well have had his number retired. Instead, Hill will be remembered only for being the SoCon POTY in the same year Peterson won the Payton.xeekx

Folks don't realize how close GSU was to winning four straight titles during the Paul Johnson/Adrian Peterson era... 4 fumbles might have cost them two titles.

The other sickening defeat was the 1988 title game when Raymond Gross fumbled with about a minute left in Furman's red zone which gave Furman their only title. Again, if GSU holds onto the ball and scores that group- the "Last of the Hard," wins 3 in a row with the trump card of a 15-0-0 season mixed in and Gross probably has his number retired.

Instead, Gross is perhaps the most underrated great player in the last 20 years in the division, a winner and big game player who is under appreciated, under rated, and unloved outside of the old GSU Faithful.

[blueballs]

1987

East Carolina beat GSU 16-13

Should have never lost that game!


...after the officials really screwed GSU against ECU in 1986, the 1986 game was an absolute travesty.

[Houndawg]

Didn't that play happen at the start of the 4th quarter? Plenty of game to be played afte that call - heck, I think there were 3 different scoring drives after that play.



That was the other TD called back for an ineligible receiver, on a fake FG I think. The first one was a 20 yd. Hill TD pass. Not to mention the botched snap on a FG try.

[Yosef84]

It's a hard choice, but for me it would be:
Regular Season - 1999 loss to Auburn in final seconds. A win would have elevated the team's exposure and who knows where it would have led. My second choice would probably be the loss to JMU this past season, but that's probably because the wound is still recent.

Playoffs - 2000 loss to Montana. A win would have put us in the finals against Georgia Southern. Although we lost to GSU in the regular season, I think we were primed for a rematch and it would have been hard for them to beat us twice.

[eagle1]

Easy choice for me because the most painful loss was in the Quarterfinals of the 2004 playoffs against Sam Houston State in Cheney. The Eagles had a commanding 21 point lead in the fourth quarter and Sam Houston scored the go-ahead TD with 2 seconds on the clock. By far the most painful lost in EWU history. If we would have won that game we would have headed to Missoula for the chance to go to the title game in Chattanooga. Interesting that a Sam Houston fan picked their game with Montana that same year as their do-over. :)
Go Eagles!!!

[Yosef84]

VMI 1994. xbangx

I thought about that one after I posted. I think I had blocked it out of my memory.

[GaSouthern]

4th Quarter

Georgia Southern - 10
Florida State - 7

14:52 Remaning in game

:(

[Reign of Terrier]

For Wofford

2002's loss to VMI which certainly kept us out of the playoffs

2003's loss to Delaware in the Semis. Win that game we go on to play for the NC

I second that notion and go on a limb and say we win the NC

[SactoHornetFan]

In 2000, we were one first down away from running out the clock and winning at Montana. Ricky Ray though All-American RB Charles Roberts was there to pitch the ball to. He wasn't and a UM player scored the winning TD, 24-20.

We win that game, we finish the year 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the Big Sky and would have probably gone to the playoffs. xbangx

[billya]

For Furman it would be:
2004 Loss to JMU when FU fumbled on the one in the second half that would have given FU a 2 score lead in a defensive game.
2005 FU's Ingle Martin slips on the ice at the ASU one all by himself that would have given FU a 2 score lead late.
Turn those 2 losses around and FU wins back to back NC's.

I still love the Ingle Martin play. I don't see any Ice. I think he tripped over the 3 yard line.

[CrackerRiley]

I still love the Ingle Martin play. I don't see any Ice. I think he tripped over the 3 yard line.

ahhh haha! I still remember screaming "NOOOO!" and the next thing I know the play is dead... "WTF just happened?"

[FCS Preview]

Someone mentioned this topic to me and I thought I would post here and see what everyone says.

In the history of your football team's program if you could change one loss into a win, what game would that be and why? (You can do 2 if you have a 1 regular season game and 1 playoff game)

Playoff Game: 1990, Lycoming 20 - Hofstra 10. Hofstra was good enough to win the D-3 title that year, losing in the 3rd round of the playoffs when their QB was declared ineligible 24 hours before the game. Had the NCAA told the school early in the week, the backup (who later was a star QB) would have had a full week of practice.

Regular Season: 1994, Towson 24 - Hofstra 21. Hofstra went 8-1-1 that year, and what would have been the winning TD by Wayne Chrebet was called back on a holding penalty, in this, their only loss. They missed the playoffs when they tied UD 41-41 in the final game of the season. But a win here would have left them undefeated at 9-0-1 and probably in the playoffs.

[catbob]

Admittedly a recent Cat fan (2002 sophomore year in college), I can't share in the complete disgust of the 97 Cat/Griz game. I wasn't really a fan of either team at the time, thought I did follow the Griz a lot in my youth. So I'm sure most Cat fans will say this game, but having not experienced the pain first hand, only through stories, I'll choose another after my transition into a diehard Cat fan. :)

2004, we were 6-3 (4-0) heading into the final three games. We lay an egg down in Sac State, which isn't that uncommon unfortunately. Alright we hurt ourselves, but we still have a home game against EWU and then the big game at Montana.

We come out looking good against EWU, up 24-10 at the half. We scored right out of the game to make it 31-10. They get a TD (botched XP), we kick a FG, 34-16 with 6:29 left in the 3rd. Then EWU catches on fire, scoring 28 points from that point on. Tied up at 37 now, we scored 32 yard TD pass from Lulay to Gatewood, take a 44-37 lead with 1:17 left. EWU marches 76 yards in 1:05 seconds and ties the game to send it to OT.

We get down to like 1st and goal from the 3 on our first possession in OT. Stopped 3 times, 4th time Lulay is stuffed on a QB keeper from the 1. EWU scores a 22 yard TD pass ends the game. Maybe it happened the other way around, I don't exactly remember. Blew our playoff chances that day, deflated ourselves and came out flat at MT, losing handily.

That was an offensive showcase,
MSU = 683 total yards
EWU = 536 total yards
Only 1 TO per team.

Lulay ended with 542 yards of total offense and 4 TDS (3 passing, 1 rushing)

Still makes me sick thinking about it.

[catatac]

Admittedly a recent Cat fan (2002 sophomore year in college), I can't share in the complete disgust of the 97 Cat/Griz game. I wasn't really a fan of either team at the time, thought I did follow the Griz a lot in my youth. So I'm sure most Cat fans will say this game, but having not experienced the pain first hand, only through stories, I'll choose another after my transition into a diehard Cat fan. :)

2004, we were 6-3 (4-0) heading into the final three games. We lay an egg down in Sac State, which isn't that uncommon unfortunately. Alright we hurt ourselves, but we still have a home game against EWU and then the big game at Montana.

We come out looking good against EWU, up 24-10 at the half. We scored right out of the game to make it 31-10. They get a TD (botched XP), we kick a FG, 34-16 with 6:29 left in the 3rd. Then EWU catches on fire, scoring 28 points from that point on. Tied up at 37 now, we scored 32 yard TD pass from Lulay to Gatewood, take a 44-37 lead with 1:17 left. EWU marches 76 yards in 1:05 seconds and ties the game to send it to OT.

We get down to like 1st and goal from the 3 on our first possession in OT. Stopped 3 times, 4th time Lulay is stuffed on a QB keeper from the 1. EWU scores a 22 yard TD pass ends the game. Maybe it happened the other way around, I don't exactly remember. Blew our playoff chances that day, deflated ourselves and came out flat at MT, losing handily.

That was an offensive showcase,
MSU = 683 total yards
EWU = 536 total yards
Only 1 TO per team.

Lulay ended with 542 yards of total offense and 4 TDS (3 passing, 1 rushing)

Still makes me sick thinking about it.


Yep, I'm with you on that one. Definitely the 2nd most painful loss in Bobcat history. My friends and I just stood there with our jaws open for about an hour after that game. Eastern wanted it more that day and they literally took that game away from us... we had them beat and let up. That had the makings of a PERFECT weekend as we caught huge browns on the Jefferson, went to the Van Halen concert, partied like rock stars... and almost watched the CATS take that game. xsmhx

[Uncle Buck]

That's easy. 2001 playoffs at Lehigh. Hofstra is up by 7 with maybe 3 minutes to go, somewhere about the Lehigh ten, ball is on the right hash. 3rd down, instead of running left to center the ball for an easy FG and a 10 pt lead, for some ungodly reason, Hofstra runs toss right to the short side, the RB fumbles the toss. Lehigh gets the ball and momentum, drives about 90 yards to tie it and we lose in OT 27-24.

It was our last playoff appearance and it was also the start of this miserable slide where we went from a top 25 team to being the one that everyone considers an automatic W. It's a freakin' jinx i tell ya, a freakin' jinx!

[RichH2]

I was at the game. Was sure that Hofstra would take fg. I was busy packing up the kids when we got the fumble. That drive was a thing of beauty

[GoBlueHens83]

I would have to say the 2007 NC game. Man that was painful to watch. After watching that game, I knew how Colgate fans felt in 2003.

[Silenoz]

For Furman it would be:
2004 Loss to JMU when FU fumbled on the one in the second half that would have given FU a 2 score lead in a defensive game.
2005 FU's Ingle Martin slips on the ice at the ASU one all by himself that would have given FU a 2 score lead late.
Turn those 2 losses around and FU wins back to back NC's.

Oh I dunno, the other teams playing for those championships were hardly push-overs ;)



For UM, the loss I'd reverse would be the Delaware game. The Wofford, UMass, JMU, Richmond, GSU, YSU, and Marshall games were all tough, but that was the biggest heartbreaker. Maybe because I was just a little kid and had just gotten into Grizzly football

[JagHammer]

If anything, I would love to take back the last minute td catch Alcorn made against us in 2003. That would prove to be the only blemish to that season.

R.I.P Steve McNair.

[LU73]

I was at the game. Was sure that Hofstra would take fg. I was busy packing up the kids when we got the fumble. That drive was a thing of beauty

Yes, that drive was truly amazing. Realize that Lehigh's starting QB, Brant Hall (who had an illustrious career, having the lowest int % of an Lehigh QB in history), was already on the bench, having a somewhat ineffective game. He had missed time for a few games due to an injury, and was still sporting the rust. As Hofstra lined up for that third down play, I said, "The only way Lehigh has any chance to win this game is if Hofstra turns the ball over on THIS play." Otherwise the impending FG on the next play would put the game out of reach. Lehigh's backup QB, Luke Cianello, led the team to one of the most amazing comeback wins ever.

[bostonspider]

I guess for UR, I would like to have seen the Spiders win that 2001 game versus UVA that UR lost 17-16 including a missed extra point in the 4th quarter by the Spiders. In the FCS level I think that would be the quaterfinal game versus Furman in 2005. UR was driving in Furman territory for the go ahead TD when the Spiders faced a 4 and 2 at the 25 with 1:09 left. Instead of just letting Tutt run it, they tried a cute scramble left pass that came up incomplete. I thought it was just a horrible call as Tutt had been tearing the Pallidans up on the ground with over 100 yards rushing. I imagine that ASU would have blitzed by UR in the semifinals, but then again Furman gave them all they could handle.

[Appfan_in_CAAland]

1999, final score Auburn - 22, Appalachian State - 15.

Auburn won the thing in the final minutes, it would be great to get a do-over on for that 4th quarter.

[GaSouthern]

1999, final score Auburn - 22, Appalachian State - 15.

Auburn won the thing in the final minutes, it would be great to get a do-over on for that 4th quarter.

Yeah we were up over Auburn something like 21-0 at half... Lost that game also :(

[I-AA Fan]

Regular Season: Sept. 4, 1982, I remember like it was yesterday. The first game at Stambaugh Stadium between Youngstown State and Akron in front of a sellout crowd. Penguin great Paris Wicks broke open on the first series for a 65-yard run & TD. After that it was all FG's for both sides. Both teams featured future NFL kickers. Penguin/NFL great Paul McFadden made four fields goals all at 40 or more. Akron won the game with a 48-yard field goal with only one second remaining. Losing the first game in your first stadium ...all the more reason to hate the Zips.

Play-off: Nov. 24, 1990, Youngstown State hosted its first home playoff game against Central Florida after posting an 11-0 regular-season mark. UCF’s kicked a field goal as time expired for the victory after the Penguins rallied from a 17-6 halftime deficit to tie the game.

Championship: I want to say YSU vs. Marshall in 1992, tell the NCAA to keep their letter of apology. Also, that would be 4-straight titles. However, I am going to go with Dec. 8, 1979, YSU vs. Delaware for the DII national title. YSU came out with the power game and UD could not stop it, Guins went up 21-0. But Penguin QB Snoddy was hurt and only went 8-23, & late in the second quarter the Hens got a hold on the Penguin run game and it was over 38-21.

[TheBisonator]

I don't know if I dare say it:

Regular season: October 2003: The last Nickel battle. We lost to the bad guys in the pink and green in Grand Forks 28-21 on a failed 4th down attempt in overtime. Even though we moved on after that to bigger and better things, the boys in pink still had that over us through the years.

Playoffs: If the NCAA DII Playoff Committee didn't smoke a bunch of peyote and decide that Delta State should host the 2000 DII Semifinal against NDSU after NDSU had a better record and ranking than DSU, and we eventually lost the game on a field that was about the consistency of oatmeal in front of a fraction of the crowd that would have seen the game if it were at the Fargodome. I was told that this alone was a contributing factor in NDSU's eventual decision to move to DI two years later.

[BisonAccountant44]

I don't know if I dare say it:

Regular season: October 2003: The last Nickel battle. We lost to the bad guys in the pink and green in Grand Forks 28-21 on a failed 4th down attempt in overtime. Even though we moved on after that to bigger and better things, the boys in pink still had that over us through the years.

Playoffs: If the NCAA DII Playoff Committee didn't smoke a bunch of peyote and decide that Delta State should host the 2000 DII Semifinal against NDSU after NDSU had a better record and ranking than DSU, and we eventually lost the game on a field that was about the consistency of oatmeal in front of a fraction of the crowd that would have seen the game if it were at the Fargodome. I was told that this alone was a contributing factor in NDSU's eventual decision to move to DI two years later.

Ah, the kitty litter game xbangx at least something good came of that fiasco.

The '06 gopher game is the regular season game that comes to mind. Without the tripping call that negated a touchdown we win 13-10 and were 2-0 againsts the rodents. Let alone the missed FG's that should've sealed that game.

In the playoffs I automatically go to the OT Playoff game we lost to Pittsburgh somewhere in the early 90's. I don't remember the exact year, but it was the first Bison game I remember watching on TV, and we blew a big lead in the 2nd half to go to OT, gave up a TD, came back and scored, then opted to go for the win and missed it....twice after a PSU penalty, and the 2nd time we missed by about 1".

[Gil Dobie]

2002 - waiting a year to see if UND and USD would join NDSU and SDSU in the move to I-AA now FCS. Should have followed Northern Colorado that year.

[WUTNDITWAA]

1975: 20-11 loss to Western Carolina after beating East Carolina, Wake Forest and South Carolina that season. That one kept us from going to a bowl game.

1937: 7-0 loss to Southern Mississippi in a postseason bowl game at Biloxi, Mississippi. ASTC was 8-0-1 entering that game, and was unscored upon all season.

1928: First game ever, a 26-0 loss to Mountain City, led to a 3-6-0 losing season. One of only 15 losing seasons in our history.

[leatherneck177]

The 2002 loss at home to Western Kentucky. WKU went on to win the national title, it is a true what could've been game. It was only the Necks 2nd loss of the season.

Also, the loss to Colgate in the 2003 playoffs. Colgate went on to the national championship game and I believe that the Necks could have put together a better effort than Colgate did against Delaware. Unfortunately the Necks weren't used to playing in 20"+ of snow!

[Uncle Buck]

I was at the game. Was sure that Hofstra would take fg. I was busy packing up the kids when we got the fumble. That drive was a thing of beauty

One of the dumbest coaching calls i have ever seen. You can bet that after i cooled off and had a chance to speak to Joe Gardi who was also my old head coach at Hofstra, i told him how dumb it was. He didn't even try to argue it.

[Seven Would Be Nice]

I'll go out on a limb here and say the 1 game that we lost that has caused the most "what-ifs" to be asked about our program would be the 2005 Texas State game. Sewak wins that game (or doesn't throw it away in the 4th quarter) and most likely he keeps his 4 year extension, and we run the tripple O for the next few years with Jayson Foster at the helm. With Jayson in that offense there is no telling how much damage GSU could have wrecked on everyone. Unconfirmed rumors also say that Armanti Edwards was considering GSU until Sewak got fired and BVG didn't want anything to do with a mobile QB.... so there are quite a bit of "what ifs" that came out of losing that one game.. so that is my choice for the one I'd take back.

[CatMom07]

My two choices...

In spite of an opponent...wish SHSU beat TXST in the 2005 regular season finale. We pushed them to OT and both teams had chances to win. SHSU more than TXST had the opportunities to win. If SHSU wins, TXST does not go to playoffs and we're all still waiting for a TXST playoff appearance! ;)

Tend to disagree. Going into that game TxSt was ranked #4 in the nation. I doubt that 1 loss would have left us out. We likely would have gotten an at large bid.

(I know this is an old post but I've been out of the loop a long time due to circumstances I won't divulge)

[TexasTerror]

Tend to disagree. Going into that game TxSt was ranked #4 in the nation. I doubt that 1 loss would have left us out. We likely would have gotten an at large bid.

(I know this is an old post but I've been out of the loop a long time due to circumstances I won't divulge)

You are misinformed.

With the loss to SHSU, you would not of had the SEVEN wins over Division I schools necessary to make the playoffs. How could you forget those two sub-Div I wins and unlike most of the conference, you had no games taken away due to Rita or Katrina.

TXST = OUT!

[CatMom07]

But the rest of your post is wrong too TT. We made the playoffs this year so we would still not be waiting.

Sorry for the 7 wins faux pas. I'm on codeine, so sue me.


My game has to be the infamous "knee heard round the FCS" no contest there.


BTW - same thing in 2008. We lose at SHSU, no title, no playoffs. Seems to be a pattern forming here.

[TexasTerror]

But the rest of your post is wrong too TT. We made the playoffs this year so we would still not be waiting.

That was based on 2005 and that game. We would have still been waiting for the Bobcats to make a playoff appearance, which yes - they duplicated in 2008.

Amazing how a school with a budget that has for the most part dwarfed the rest of the SLC since their arrival took until 2005 to make a playoff appearance...and even then... xlolx

[dystopiamembrane]

In 2006 Portland State had three 1-A teams on the schedule.

If we had won one of the 1-AA games below, we would have been 8-3 and playoff bound.
Montana (lost 26-20)
@ Montana State (lost 14-0)