October 03, 2004
San Jose State And Rice Set Records In Free-Scoring Game
FROM THE LEFT COAST comes a report of the highest-scoring regulation game in Division I-A history as the San Jose State Spartans beat the Rice Owls 70-63.
In somewhat of an understatement, San Jose State coach Fitz Hill said, "This is one of the wildest things I've seen."
Obviously, with such a basketball-like score, it was an especially tough day at the office for the defensive units. Various newspaper accounts described the defensive play accordingly, such as: �horrendous defense� and making �a mockery of the concept of defense.�
Consider the following:
� The two teams produced a combined 1089 yards of total offense.
� Rice ran a school-record 100 plays for 634 yards.
� Rice set the NCAA record for most points in a loss.
� The game�s 133 points surpassed the 128 total when Middle Tennessee State beat Idaho 70-58 in 2001.
� The total was one point shy of the Division I-A mark for any game. In 2003 Arkansas beat Kentucky 71-63 in seven overtimes.
� The teams fell just shy of the NCAA regulation record for all divisions, set in 1968 when D3 North Park creamed North Central (IL) by 104-32.
� The game�s 19 touchdowns broke the twice-accomplished Division I-A record of 18, most recently by Middle Tennessee and Idaho in their 2001 game.
� The 63 points was highest modern point total in Rice�s history but it was topped by the Owls' 146-3 victory over SMU back in 1916.
Rice led the entire game, until San Jose State scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. At one point�five minutes into the second quarter�they led by 27 points at 34-7.
However, in a rousing comeback, the Spartans tied the game at 63-63 with less than three minutes left in regulation. Then they took their only lead of the game on a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:18 left.
The San Jose State football program has suffered months of indecision about its future, due to budget problems and low attendance. The game�s attendance of 4093 at San Jose State�s Spartan Stadium did not help the situation, as it was nowhere close to the NCAA-mandated 15,000 for Division I-A schools.
Here�s hoping that the thrilling victory will invigorate the Spartans for the rest of the season.
More later . . . . .
(this 388 word excerpt�with accompanying commentary�was distilled from an 821 word article from USA Today of 10-3-04, a 715 word article from the Sports Network of 10-2-04, and a 652 word article from the Houston Chronicle of 10-3-04)