Remember When

Opening week of school for my daughter wrecked my schedule last week, but I will make up for it for this week as there are plenty of topics to discuss. There were a number of big games to write up for our weekly Remember When series, so I will do one now and another for this week on Saturday. As always, there recaps can be found in our book The USA TODAY College Football Encyclopedia.

1981 Orange Bowl: Oklahoma 18 Florida State 17

There were quarterbacks with bigger reputations tossing pigskins in college ranks in 1980, but Oklahoma (10-2) coach Barry Switzer would not have wished to replace his QB J.C. Watts with any of them before team's final Orange Bowl possession. Watts ended his collegiate career with heroics, needing only 46 secs to march OU 78y to TD on 11y pass to WR Steve Rhodes. Watts, who finished with 128y passing and 48y rushing, then threw winning 2-pt conv pass to TE Forrest Valora with 1:27 left. On final drive, Watts (7-12/128y, TD) completed 4 passes for 73y, including 42y strike to Rhodes that took Sooners to Florida State 35YL. Seminoles (10-2) had taken 17-10 lead with 3:53 left when CB Bobby Butler pounced on flub of snap by K-P Michael Keeling in Sooners EZ. Game had been scoreless until final min of 1st H when TB Ricky Williams (19/99y) gave Noles lead with 10y TD run. Sooners had time for quick drive to 53y FG by K Keeling as time elapsed in 2nd Q. Oklahoma took its 1st lead at 10-7 by cashing in opening possession of 3rd Q with 78y march to 4y TD run by HB David Overstreet. Florida State K Bill Capece kicked tying 19y FG at end of 3rd Q. Florida State surprisingly won rushing battle 212y to 156y, which happened infrequently in victories by Oklahoma. Sooners had now notched 3 straight Orange Bowl wins, while Watts had pair of wins and 2 Orange Bowl MVPs.