Ivan Maisel has a good story today about the legacy of ties in college football. I remember how ties used to drive me crazy when I was younger, but as nostalgia tends to do, I kind of look back on them as a quaint relic now.
Maisel lists his 10 biggest ties in the history of the game, and one of them resonates with Big East fans.
Checking in at No. 5 is the infamous 1988 Sugar Bowl tie between Syracuse and Auburn. The Orange were 11-0, and they needed everything to go right to have a chance at the national title. Auburn coach Pat Dye decided to kick a field goal with four seconds left rather than go for the win, a move that still enrages some Syracuse fans. And it led to the nickname Pat "Tie" Dye.
Some other notable ties with Big East, er, tie-ins:
1983: Pitt 24, Penn State 24: Pitt fans rushed the field thinking they'd won, only to learn there was time still left on the clock. The Nittany Lions then kicked a 32-yard tying field goal.
1985: Pitt 10, West Virginia 10 and 1989: Pitt 31, West Virginia 31. How is one supposed to feel about the Backyard Brawl when the brawl ends with no winner?
1990: Louisville 10, San Jose State 10. The Cardinals went on to win 10 games and beat Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl, but the season started inauspiciously with this deadlock.
1994: Cincinnati 17, Miami of Ohio 17. The Bearcats went ahead with a few seconds left only to have the kickoff returned for a touchdown.
1960: Pittsburgh ties three on. The Panthers couldn't stand inequality this season, going 4-3-3 with ties against TCU, Michigan State and Army.
1986: Rutgers 16, Kentucky 16. Don't ask me why, but I remember listening to this one on the radio as a kid and being frustrated with the outcome. Both this tie and a 1994 knot against Boston College kept the Scarlet Knights from possible winning seasons (or losing seasons, depending how you look at things).
1872: Rutgers 0, Columbia 0. Who can forget this game, right?
What other ties stick out at you from the past? And would you rather have a tie than lose the game in overtime?
Maisel lists his 10 biggest ties in the history of the game, and one of them resonates with Big East fans.
Checking in at No. 5 is the infamous 1988 Sugar Bowl tie between Syracuse and Auburn. The Orange were 11-0, and they needed everything to go right to have a chance at the national title. Auburn coach Pat Dye decided to kick a field goal with four seconds left rather than go for the win, a move that still enrages some Syracuse fans. And it led to the nickname Pat "Tie" Dye.
Some other notable ties with Big East, er, tie-ins:
1983: Pitt 24, Penn State 24: Pitt fans rushed the field thinking they'd won, only to learn there was time still left on the clock. The Nittany Lions then kicked a 32-yard tying field goal.
1985: Pitt 10, West Virginia 10 and 1989: Pitt 31, West Virginia 31. How is one supposed to feel about the Backyard Brawl when the brawl ends with no winner?
1990: Louisville 10, San Jose State 10. The Cardinals went on to win 10 games and beat Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl, but the season started inauspiciously with this deadlock.
1994: Cincinnati 17, Miami of Ohio 17. The Bearcats went ahead with a few seconds left only to have the kickoff returned for a touchdown.
1960: Pittsburgh ties three on. The Panthers couldn't stand inequality this season, going 4-3-3 with ties against TCU, Michigan State and Army.
1986: Rutgers 16, Kentucky 16. Don't ask me why, but I remember listening to this one on the radio as a kid and being frustrated with the outcome. Both this tie and a 1994 knot against Boston College kept the Scarlet Knights from possible winning seasons (or losing seasons, depending how you look at things).
1872: Rutgers 0, Columbia 0. Who can forget this game, right?
What other ties stick out at you from the past? And would you rather have a tie than lose the game in overtime?
Brian Bennett | email
College Football- ESPN.com Big Ten blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008
- Wrote for The Courier-Journal
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
You must be signed in to post a comment