College Classics
I. Table of Contents
A.  Intro
B. College Classics
1. Holiday Bowl- 1980
2. The Play- 1982
3. Holiday Bowl- 1983
4. Orange Bowl- 1984
5. Hail Mary- 1984
6. Iron Bowl- 1985
7. Fiesta Bowl- 1987
8. Orange Bowl- 1991
9. Wide Right I- 1991
10. Snow Bowl- 1992
11. Game of the Century- 1993
12. The Miracle at Michigan- 1994
13. Choke at Doak- 1994
14. FSU at Virginia- 1995
15. Rose Bowl- 1997
16. Nebraska at Missouri- 1997
17. The Best Game Ever Played in the Swamp- 1997
18. Michigan State at Ohio State- 1998
19. Virginia Tech at Syracuse- 1998
20. Fiesta Bowl- 2003
C. Terminology / Play Polish
D. Special Thanks
E. Copyright Notice
F. Contact Information
A. Intro
Ok, people, this is my second guide, for almost the same thing as last year,
but for a different game. This year, they changed a few of the classics (ie.
The 1980 Holiday Bowl) and they are a little different because of the game
play that is new. Still no fancy ASCII art for a title (if you want to make
me one, I'd be happy to include you in the Credits Section.) Also included
are a few things that should help you play the game in general (including a
two-minute offense FAQ which you'll use in more than one situation in the
Classics.) If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to e-mail me
and I'd be happy to add you to the FAQ. I hope this helps you when you try
to conquer to past.
B. College Classics
These will be done in the following format:
Title:
Your team:
Opponent:
Date:
Score:
Difficulty:
Overview:
Summary:
Strategies:
So here we go:
Title: Holiday Bowl (1980)
Your team: Brigham Young Cougars
Opponent: Southern Methodist Mustangs
Date: December 19, 1980
Score: BYU-46 SMU-45
Difficulty: 6/10
Overview: "America's Most Exciting Bowl Game", otherwise known as the
Holiday Bowl, was an old-fashioned shootout in the 1980 version of the
game between BYU and SMU. BYU is trailing 45-25 late in the 4th
Quarter. Can you lead a "Cougar Comeback", just as the legendary BYU
Quarterback did over 20 years ago?
Summary: Ok, they changed it this year. You're down 31-45 and about to
attempt a PAT (they corrected this part.) You have all three of your
timeouts (this is the incorrect part.) There is 2:33 remaining on the
clock.
Strategies: This year is almost too easy. Last year, you had to score three
times along with the PAT, but this year it is too correct. Just kick the PAT
your first time around. It will put you down by 13 so two more scores will
put you ahead. When you kick your PAT, there is no real need to kick an
onsides kick. You have all three of your timeouts and a failed onsides kick
will give SMU good field position. If you want to, go ahead and attempt one.
If you get it, skip the next part. If not, read it. SMU will be running the
ball, and they have two of the best Halfbacks in college football (Craig
James and Erik Dickerson.) Clog the middle and keep control of a linebacker
in case SMU tries a pitch play to the outside. After you stop each play, call
a timeout. SMU will try to run as much time off the clock if you don't. On
their third down, they MAY attempt a pass, so be ready. They do have a few
dangerous players. If they do, simply use a Power Hit on the defender and
they'll drop it almost automatically. If you can't force a punt, start this
classic over. Vai Sikahema is a great punt returner, so get as good of a
return as you can. Use a good Fun N' Gun offense and throw the ball down the
field. The crowd shouldn't be too hard to deal with as you hurry to the line
and call audibles. If you get into a 4th down situation, go for it no matter
what. Should you not convert, restart. Once you score, kick another PAT. If
you have less than a minute remaining on the clock when you score, attempt an
onsides kick. If you get it, you the same strategy as before. If not,
restart. If you have a bit of time left, simply stop SMUs offense again (they
may pass again and that would be good because you can stop the clock.) If
not, let them run all the time they want. You'll get the ball back with
plenty of time to at LEAST attempt a Hail Mary Pass (or in the Mormons case,
a Save the Game Pass.) Jim McMahon has a hell of an arm, so it is definitely
possible. Once you score, kick another PAT and this pennant is yours.
Title: The Play
Your team: Cal Berkely Golden Bears
Opponent: Stanford Cardinals
Date: November 20, 1982
Score: Cal-25 Stanford-20
Difficulty: 6/10
Overview: This game will be forever known for one play. To this day,
"The Play" is one of college football's most memorable moments. The
1982 regular season matchup between Cal and Stanford wasn't for the PAC
10 title. It had no national title implications. But it did have a
marching band and a five lateral last-second kickoff return for a
Touchdown. Take control of Cal and see if you can lead them to victory
in the final seconds, this time without the help of the band.
Summary: The Stanford kicker is about to kick a PAT with 8 seconds
remaining to take the lead 19-20.
Strategies: A few ways to go about this. First of all, you can set the
difficulty level to JV. Pump up the crowd as much as possible, then
call a timeout to ice the kicker Harmon. If it works, he may miss the
FG and you win automatically. If he makes it, you only have two options
left. The first one is to call a fair catch off the kickoff and then
attempt a Hail Mary. You can either do that or try to get as many yards
as you can before diving to stop the clock at 1. Once you do this, try
to catch a receiver in stride and run to the end zone. Either that, or
you can attempt a full-fledged Hail Mary and go straight for the end
zone. If you don't want to do that, you can go about returning the
kickoff in one of two ways. The first is a textbook kickoff return.
Follow the wedge, run behind your blockers, and hope a hole opens up.
Either that or you can be risky and try to do it like the Bears did and
have a lateral return. Use the Onsides Kick formation and then audible
into the normal kickoff return formation. This puts the quicker people
who have experience holding the ball on the kickoff return team so you
can pitch it to them if you are about to get hit. I returned one
kickoff after doing 6 laterals once, so keep pitching even when you
think all is lost. After a few tries, you should get this one easily.
Title: Holiday Bowl (1983)
Your team: Brigham Young Cougars
Opponent: Missouri Tigers
Date: December 23, 1983
Score: BYU-21 Missouri- 17
Difficulty: 3/10
Overview: The 1983 Holiday Bowl matched up the BYU Cougars and the
Missouri Tigers. BYU used a trick play halfback pass to the Quarterback
to cap a 4th Quarter comeback win. Take control of the Cougars with 30
seconds left, trailing 17-14 and see if you can come up with the win as
well.
Summary: It's 1st and 10 on the Missouri 14 yard line and you have 30
seconds left. One timeout
Strategies: This is a fun one. You're only down by three, so unless you
go crazy and turn the ball over, you should win this. Try to get into
the end zone three times. If you don't get in, kick a FG and win in
overtime. Steve Young is pretty fast, so you can scramble or try a few
tricks. Just like BYU did, I ran the Ace Slot formation and chose the
QB screen play. I passed it back to Steve Young who ran behind his
blockers and easily scored. Mizzou doesn't have a good offense, so you
should be able hold them from making a crazy comeback once you score.
It's really easy.
Title: Orange Bowl (1983)
Your team: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Opponent: Miami Hurricanes
Date: January 1, 1984
Score: Miami-31 Nebraska-30
Difficulty: 4/10
Overview: The Cornhuskers came into the 1984 Orange Bowl undefeated,
ranked #1, and as heavy favorites. The #4 Hurricanes took that underdog
role and got out to an early lead. But with 48 seconds remaining, the
Huskers scored a TD making the game 31-30. Instead of going for 1 point
and tie, the Nebraska coach decided to go for 2 and the win. Take
control of the Huskers and go for the win.
Summary: You are about to attempt a PAT with 48 seconds remaining in
the game.
Strategies: If you got guts, do like Osbourne and go for the two. If
not, kick the PAT, tie the game, and win it in OT. Use a good power
play for short yardage situations. The runningback is a Heisman trophy
winner and should easily be able to score with speed if you run an
outside pitch or power if you run between the tackles. Also, Turner
Gill is a FAST QB and is good for options or rolling out on a pass.
Spread the defense out with a pass play and either roll out and run in
for the end zone, or throw the ball to an open receiver. You have
plenty of options to score the two points, so it shouldn't be that
tough. Miami's QB Bernie Kosar has a heck of an arm and some good
receivers to throw to, so be prepared to play some good defense if you
want to keep Miami from getting into FG range and kicking one on you.
Title: Hail Mary
Your team: Boston College Eagles
Opponent: Miami Hurricanes
Date: November 23, 1984
Score: BC- 47 Miami- 45
Difficulty: 7/10
Overview: It's arguably the most famous play in College Football
History. The 1984 Boston College - Miami regular season matchup
featured a huge performance by a pint-sized Quarterback. The Boston
College QB threw for 476 yards and 3 touchdowns. But no other pass was
as important as that last second 63- yard Hail Mary which gave Boston
College the win, and it gave their Quarterback the Heisman Trophy. Take
control of the Eagles and try to duplicate this great moment in college
football history.
Summary: First and 10 on your own 47 with 6 seconds left...
Strategies: They made this one easier too. Flutie can heave the ball
down the field and into the end zone if need be. In last year's game,
you'd only be able to throw the ball to maybe the 3 yard line and you'd
have to avoid tackles from the swarming secondary of Miami. This time
around, you simply need to catch it and you've got this one won. Flutie
is pretty quick, so roll out to either the left or right, tap the
button lightly of the receiver you want to throw it to, take control of
the receiver, and leap into the air and pray for a miracle.
Title: Iron Bowl
Your team: Alabama Crimson Tide
Opponent: Auburn Tigers
Date: November 30, 1985
Score: Bama-25 Auburn- 23
Difficulty: 4/10
Overview: Some call it the Greatest Iron Bowl Ever. The 1985 Alabama- Auburn
matchup was a classic battle in their fierce rivalry. Auburn came into the game
with the best running back in the country; a future Heisman winner. On this day
however, the kicker was the difference. The Alabama placekicker made 4 field
goals in route to a 25-23 Alabama victory. Relive this moment by taking over as
Alabama in the 4th quarter, needing that one last drive to win this game. Roll
Tide!
Summary: You trail 22-23 with only 57 seconds left on your own 20. Two timeouts.
Strategies: This one isn't too tough. You may have to get used to throwing with
a South Paw QB, but other than that, it's not too tough. You have a pretty
decent passing offense (it's no Texas Tech) and some good receivers. Make sure
you get out of bounds whenever possible, although don't resort to losing yardage
to do so. You can stop the clock once (I recommend saving your second timeout
for trying to get the game-winning FG in place with the clock stopped) but try
to get a first down with each completion. Don't leave too much time on the clock
for Auburn's good Receiving unit. Your kicker is a great one, so you should
easily get a 40 yarder if need be.
Title: Fiesta Bowl (1987)
Your team: Miami Hurricanes
Opponent: Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: January 2nd, 1987
Score: Miami-10 Penn St-14
Difficulty: 3/10
Overview: The 1987 Fiesta Bowl between the Miami Hurricanes and the Penn State
Nittany Lions was the first in the Fiesta Bowl's history to decide the
National Championship. It was a tale of two entirely different styles. Penn
State was quiet and confident. The Hurricanes got off their plane in Tempe
dressed in military fatigues. The Penn State defense was dominant, forcing
Miami's QB to throw 5 INTs. Can you lead Miami down the field in the final
minutes to capture the national title?
Summary: 3:09 left to play from your own 23. One timeout. You're down 14-10
Strategies: Although Vinny Testaverde has thrown 4 INTs in the game, don't be
afraid to pass with him. Four INTs doesn't mean he's a bad QB by any means. He's
quite mobile too, so don't be afraid to roll out and possibly scramble for
yardage. You've got 3:09 with two timeouts, so if you somehow DO throw a pick or
fumble the ball (this happened to me), it is possible to get the ball back with
plenty of time (but no timeouts.) Unfortunately, a FG does you no good in this
situation, so you MUST score, but it isn't all that hard. Don't bend over
backwards to get out of bounds or rush to the line, because you've got plenty of
time to score. Just make sure you steadily get down the field and score a TD
with power running and short passes.
Title: Orange Bowl 1990
Your team: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Opponent: Colorado Buffaloes
Date: January 1st, 1991
Score: Colorado-10 Notre Dame-9
Difficulty: 4/10
Overview: The 1991 Orange Bowl was a matchup between the top ranked Buffaloes
and the #5 Fighting Irish. This game had National Title Implications because a
Colorado win could give them at least a share of the Championship. Colorado had
some bad luck at the end of the 1st Half when their Star QB went down with a
knee injury. With Colorado clinging to a 10-9 lead late in the 4th quarter, they
were punting to the Irish and their star return man. Can you make something
happen here?
Summary: You are down 10-9 with only 43 seconds left. Colorado is punting to
you.
Strategies: As the overview says, the return man is a star: Raghib "Rocket"
Ismail who has blazing speed. Depending on what difficulty you are playing on,
it is possible to run the punt itself back for a touchdown just like he did
(although it was called back in real life.) If they punt the ball to the
sideline, immediately take off in the other direction. Once you get to about the
hash mark, cut back and take off down the original sideline. With his speed,
Ismail should be able to outrun most tacklers and you should be able to juke
past the one or two defenders remaining. If you don't return the punt for a
Touchdown, you are in some trouble. With only 43 seconds left, it's hard to
drive too far. Remember, you are only down by one, so a field goal will give you
the lead. Just drive with good clock management and you'll be in FG range with
some time left.
Title: Wide Right I
Your team: Florida State Seminoles
Opponent: Miami Hurricanes
Date: November 16, 1991
Score: FSU-16 Miami-17
Difficulty: 4/10
Overview: The #2 Miami Hurricanes stormed into Tallahasse to face the top
ranked Seminoles on November 16, 1991. In what turned out to be an excellent
game from start to finish, it will almost certainly be remembered by football
fans for one missed field goal. Miami is leading 17-16 late in the 4th Quarter,
Florida State has the ball. It's up to you to lead the Seminoles down the field
and put them in position for the game winning field goal. And here's one last
word of advice: Don't miss it Wide Right.
Summary: You are trailing 16-17 with 3:09 remaining in the game.
Strategies: Weldon is a more mobile QB than you would expect for a white one, so
rolling out is a good idea if under pressure. With three minutes, you have
plenty of time to get into field goal range. The Miami Linebackers are
outstanding, so be careful if you run the ball up the middle. Just use an
intermediate passing game to get down the field while melting as much time off
the clock as you can. Miami has a good offense, so don't even think about
letting them get a shot to score. When you get into field goal range, try to get
into the middle of the field and be careful. Do NOT miss it wide right.
Title: Snow Bowl
Your team: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Opponent: Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: November 14, 1992
Score: ND-17 Penn St- 16
Difficulty: 3/10
Overview: The 1992 Penn State- Notre Dame game was a classic college football
matchup. To most people, this was simply known as "The Snow Bowl" because the
entire field was covered with it. The game also featured a very exciting 2-point
conversion to win the game. Here's the situation: Penn State is leading
16-9. There's 25 seconds left, Notre Dame has the ball on the PSU 3 yard line.
Not only do you have to score a TD here, you also have a tough decision after
you score, do you go for the tie or the win?
Summary: As the overview says, the score is 16-9 with 25 seconds left on the
clock. Fourth down.
Strategies: Your first priority is getting into the end zone. Use your Fullback
or Halfback to get in. The QB Sneak play didn't work for me. However, your FB
should be able to power his way into the end zone without any trouble. Once you
get into the end zone, it is your choice to go for the win or attempt to win in
OT. Personally, I had a GREAT game in OT, but it would be quicker to go for two.
If you fail the two-point conversion, it would be quicker to start over than to
play in OT. After you make your decision, be careful and don't let Penn State
get into Field Goal range on a long pass.
Title: Game of the Century
Your team: Florida State Seminoles
Opponent: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Date: November 13th, 1993
Score: ND-31 FSU-24
Difficulty: 6/10
Overview: The 1993 regular season matchup between #1 FSU and #2 Notre Dame is
still to this day known as "The Game of the Century". FSU, led by it's Heisman
Winning Quarterback, came into the game on a role. It had already beaten five
ranked opponents and they were looking to add a sixth victim. The Fighting
Irish had different plans. The Seminoles are trailing 31-17 with about 4 minutes
to play. Can you change college football history and lead FSU to a victory in
South Bend?
Summary: You are down 17-31, 4th and 20 from the ND 20, with 4:09 left to play.
Two timeouts remaining.
Strategies: Go for the end zone. Period. Charlie Ward has an excellent arm and
great speed, so scramble out of the pocket and take your time finding an open
receiver in the end zone. If you don't make it, don't panic just yet, just get
ready to play some good defense. Blitz McDougal and he will hopefully have to
throw off of his back foot, stopping the clock with an incompletion or getting
you the ball back by way of an INT. If you do score, don't go for the onsides
kick. There is too much time remaining in the game to give ND good field
position. So after you score, you're only down by 7. When ND gets the ball back,
they won't attempt to run the clock down unless it is already rather low. You
have two timeouts, so don't worry about it if they do. Simply call a timeout
after first and second downs if they run, and be ready for a pass on third down
(if they don't, you should be able to stop a run.) Force an incompletion or INT
on the third down pass. Once you get the ball back, there shouldn't be too much
time left on the clock, especially if you didn't score the TD the first time.
Drive down the field with the fast-break offense and score to tie the game at
31. You should be able to easily win in OT.
Title: The Miracle in Michigan
Your team: Colorado Buffaloes
Opponent: Michigan Wolverines
Date: September 24, 1994
Score: Colorado-27 Michigan-26
Difficulty: 8/10
Overview: The early season battle between the Michigan Wolverines and the
Colorado Buffaloes in 1994 was a great game with a fantastic finish. Some refer
to the game as "The Miracle in Michigan". It's 26-21 Michigan leading. There's
only 6 seconds left, it's CSU ball on their own 36 yard line. Their only hope is
one last Hail Mary throw. The Colorado QB takes the snap and launches the ball
towards the end zone. The CU receiver somehow sneaks past the defenders and
hauls it in. Can you duplicate this feat?
Summary: Six seconds, down by five, on your own 36 yard line. No timeouts.
Strategies: Well, Stuart has the arm to make it to the end zone. Just hope
Westbrook or one of your other receivers can catch it. He's a quick QB, so wait
as long as you can (buy some time scrambling if you need to) and heave the ball
to the end zone. When I did this, the ball got tipped a lot but a receiver of
mine finally brought it down. If you aren't comfortable with throwing the ball
74 yards, here's a strategy. Run a deep pass play along the sideline. Catch the
ball and get out of bounds IMMEDIATELY. Don't fight for extra yardage. Pray for
a second to be left, and then try a Hail Mary from wherever you are in the
field. It is easier just to go for one long throw because you won't have to
worry about getting out of bounds before the clock stops.