Pitt Lost 5 Fumbles in the 1st Quarter

28-0 6min in

Total arse beating

The quarterback ran out of bounds and the crowd cheered.

The Butter-Fingers Bowl.

Very generous with the ball they are.

Good lord...

Apparently, Pittsburgh only tied the record for fumbles in a quarter.

What I want to know now is WTF happened between Wichita St. and Florida St. back in 1969...

quote:

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What I want to know now is WTF happened between Wichita St. and Florida St. back in 1969...

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TALLAHASSEE, FL - If the playing conditions had been as they were here last night as Princeton and Rutgers played the first collegiate football game 100 years ago, there just wouldn't have been any centennial to crow about in 1969.

They would, surely, have forgotten the whole bit.

As frog-strangling rain fell from beginning to end, Florida State and Wichita State wallowed around in the slop looking for the football.

The visiting Shockers fumbled the football an incredible 17 times, with the Seminoles recovering 10 times. Meanwhile, Florida State fumbled 10 times, and Wichita State claimed seven of 'em.

The Seminoles won 24-0. If they played three times again under the same conditions it's doubtful whether Wichita State would score. The Shockers had every opportunity Saturday night.

In the first half, a startling turnout of 31,821 fans - oblivious to a disease called pnemonia - saw quarterback Bill Cappleman calmly ignore the adverse situation and complete eight of 11 passes for 125 yards as the Seminoles took a 17-0 lead.

But in the final half the quarterback managed only four completions in 16 tries for 55 yards. His receivers were dropping the ball right and left - but then, everyone else was too.

The Seminoles scored in the first quarter on Cappleman's 53-yard bomb to Tom Bailey and on Grant Guthrie's 40-yard field goal, in the second quarter on Arthur Monroe's 18-yard run, in the last quarter on Cappleman's 9-yard throw to Don Pederson.

As they shut out an opponent for the first time in 18 games, the Seminoles indicated more defensive potential than generally viewed. Wichita was almost helpless on the attack. The Shockers managed just 77 net yards, 29 running and 48 passing.

Best at finding the ball on this night were tackle Tom White and end Ronnie Wallace, who both recovered three Wichita fumbles for the Seminoles.

With Bailey running 20 times and gaining 93 yards, the Tribe gained 137 on the ground, had a total offense of 317 tacking on that 180 passing. But 243 of the total came in the first half as Wichita defenders, led by a fine tackle in Lynn Duncan, choked off FSU's ground game and defied Cappleman to complete passes in this mess.

Jim Tyson, the tight end, did cling to five throws for 65 yards.

Florida State had to punt five times, and fans held their breath on each. One was blocked. Duane Carrell and Frank Whigham kicked twice each. FSU's punting average was an alarming 21.0.

Fumbles, poor punts, one thing and another, Florida State turned over the ball to Wichita at the Seminoles' 13, 34, 41, 27, 30, 48, and 5. The thing that Wichita maybe did best on offense was lose fumbles where they were not so potentially costly.

The last half, particularly, saw a fantastic succession of errors by both sides. At the half Wichita had lost just three fumbles, and FSU four.

Florida State ran through a lot of scoring opportunity also - an awful lot.

The Seminoles perhaps looked sharpest on punt returns. John Pell broke three for 68 yards, Phil Abraira one for 46.

"I've been extremely impressed," said Charlie Tate after the game. "They've looked extremely good under these conditions."

Charlie Tate is coach of the University of Miami. Charlie Tate's Miami team plays Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Friday. Charlie Tate is a kind fellow when his team is not playing.

1983 Oregon vs. Oregon State

There was 17 fumbles but only 6 lost...and the game ended in a 0-0 tie.

The last scoreless tie game in CFB history.