Marshall moments make list

From The Herald-Dispatch, June 27

 

Herald-Dispatch photo Byron Leftwich agonizes over a hit to his left leg in a 2002 game against Akron. A moment later in that game in which offensive linemen Steve Sciullo and Steve Perretta carried Leftwich down the field during a drive has made ESPN.com's list of the 100 plays, performances and moments that have defined college football.

Two of Marshall's classic football moments have made ESPN.com's list of the 100 plays, performances and moments that have defined college football.

At No. 83 on the list is Marshall's 1971 win over Xavier. The Young Thundering Herd, so named because most of the team's veteran players were killed in a plane crash the previous year, defeated Xavier 15-13 on a last-second touchdown pass from quarterback Reggie Oliver to Terry Gardner. It was Marshall's first win since the crash.

No. 100 is the carrying of injured Herd quarterback Byron Leftwich down the field by offensive linemen Steve Sciullo and Steve Perretta in a 2002 loss at Akron.

Only the last 40 of the top 100 plays had been released as of Tuesday. Twenty more will be unveiled each day through Friday.

Another play of note in the first 20 selections unveiled Monday was Florida State's famous "puntrooskie" run against Clemson in 1988, which was 86th. Iowa quarterback Drew Tate's game-winning "Hail Mary" touchdown throw in the 2005 Capital One Bowl came in at No. 91. The 29-29 tie between Yale and Harvard in 1968, when Harvard scored 16 points in the final 42 seconds, was 87th.

No. 66 on the portion of the list unveiled Tuesday was the 1939 Rose Bowl in which fourth-string USC quarterback Doyle Nave came off the bench in the last two minutes and completed four passes, the last resulting in a touchdown that gave his team a 7-3 win over Duke. Those were the only points Duke allowed all season.

At 75 was a fumble recovery and winning touchdown for Tennessee against Arkansas in 1998 that allowed Tennessee to keep its No. 1 ranking.