From: morse@cs.unc.edu (Bryan Morse)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: Re: record comeback
Date: 5 Jan 1993 13:46:00 -0500
Organization: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Distribution: rec
NNTP-Posting-Host: currituck.cs.unc.edu

In article <CRESPO.93Jan4185903@hpvclic.vcd.hp.com> crespo@hpvclic.vcd.hp.com (Ivan Crespo) writes:
>
>1981 Holiday Bowl BYU 46 - SMU 45 
>It was SMU 45 - BYU 20 with 3 min. left in the game

Not quite.  SMU took a 45-25 lead with 3:57 left in the game.
And I think the original thread was discussing the *margin* of comeback,
not the shortest or most exciting.  Personally, I think 21 points in
four minutes is a lot more exciting than 31 in a half, but that's how
they measure it.

This is my favorite finish to a game ever.  For those who didn't see it,
SMU was leading 38-19 late in the fourth quarter.  BYU scored a touchdown
and missed the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 13.  Lee Johnson,
the BYU kicker, tried what appear to be an onside kick, but it bounced back
up, hit his foot again, and only went a few yards.  On SMU's first play
from scrimmage, Craig James ran 42 yards for a touchdown that appeared to
seal the game at 45-25 with less than four minutes left.  Then:

  SMU kicked off after their touchdown and BYU started at their own 28.
  McMahon scrambled for a first down and out of bounds at the 42.
  A 60-yard incompletion.
  A screen pass to Lane out to the 50. 
  Sideline pass to Phillips at the SMU 40.  (First down.)
  Incomplete pass to Phillips.
  Screen pass to Clay Brown who ran down to the SMU 15.
  ("Although in a losing effort, Clay Brown has put on quite a show tonight.")
  Diving catch in the endzone by Braga for a touchdown.
  Missed two-point conversion (fourth missed attempt in the game).
  SMU 45  BYU 31

  Onside kick--BYU recovers at the 50.
  Pass to Phillips at the SMU 40 (just short of the first down).
  Incomplete pass.  
  McMahon to Davis who is knocked out of bounds at the SMU 1-foot line. 
  (2:03 left on the clock.)
  Touchdown run by Phillips.
  BYU called for delay-of-game on the conversion.
  McMahon throws to Phillips for the two-point conversion anyway.
  SMU 45  BYU 39

  [To this point in the comeback, BYU has scored twice in two minutes
   without using a timeout.  They only have one left.]

  Another onside kick--SMU recovers on the BYU 47.
  1st down: Run up the middle for no gain.
  2nd down: QB keeper for one yard.  BYU uses their last timeout.
  3rd down: Dickerson to the outside for two yards.
  SMU lets the play clock run out and takes the delay penalty.
  Clock stops with 0:18 left in the game.
  BYU blocks the punt and recovers at the SMU 41.
  McMahon over the middle incomplete (trying for Clay Brown).  0:09 left.
  McMahon tries for the endzone but throws it just out of bounds.  0:03 left.
  Hail Mary--McMahon drops back and throws from his own 46, Clay Brown catches
    the ball with two defenders covering and about five within three yards.
  PAT with no time left on the clock.
  BYU 46  SMU 45.

Simply unbelievable.

-- 
Bryan Morse                University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
morse@cs.unc.edu           Department of Computer Science
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college