The Most Ridiculous Games in Sports History Part 1: Texas A&M 74, LSU 72 in 7OT

When #7 LSU came into College Station in November of 2018, they didn’t think they’d give up 74 points.

They also didn’t think they’d score 72 of their own.

If you took the under in this game, you parted with a few greenbacks. After an Aggie touchdown tied the game at 31 as time expired, the two teams scored 84 more points before the game ended. They scored more points in the seven overtimes than in the 60 minutes of regulation. It was the game of the season, and was so nutty that in the offseason new overtime rules were put in place to make marathons like this one less likely. Let’s break this one down:

1st Quarter:

The two teams trade touchdowns. Tied 7-7.

2nd Quarter:

A&M gets a TD and a field goal, LSU gets a field goal. Aggies lead 17-10 going into halftime.

3rd Quarter:

The teams trade TDs again. 24-17 Aggies.

4th Quarter:

LSU scores two touchdowns to take the lead, and douses coach Orgeron with Gatorade after an interception in the final seconds. Further review revealed otherwise, however, as A&M’s quarterback Kellen Mond’s knee had scraped the grass before releasing the football and had time for one more play. They used it well, scoring on a Hail Mary to send the game to overtime.

Then the fun began.

OT:

LSU kicks a field goal, and so does A&M. 34 all.

2OT:

Mond runs it into the end zone for a touchdown, only for LSU to get the same. 41 all.

3OT:

Joe Burrow throws a 25-yard pass and scores a two point conversion to go up eight, only for Mond to do the same. Orgeron’s shirt is almost dry from the Gatorade bath. 49 all.

4OT:

A&M settles for a chip-shot field goal. LSU blows their chance to win it with a touchdown and also settles for a field goal. 52 all.

5OT:

LSU’s running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire throws a touchdown pass but they cannot get the two-point conversion. A&M scores as well, and finds themselves only a 2-point attempt from winning (they could not kick a PAT as it was past the 3rd OT), and fails. 58 all.

6OT:

Same touchdowns, different two point tries. Both teams get the 8th point and knot it up again at 66. Both teams start to wonder whether they’ll finish the game in time for the start of next season.

7OT:

Joe Burrow gets the Tigers another touchdown to crack the prestigious 70-point mark, but cannot get the 2 point conversion. Texas A&M also fails to convert, but then out comes a pass interference flag. I wonder how many people think this flag was thrown in a desperate attempt to get the game to end. Either way, Greedy Williams did pummel the receiver pretty good, so the flag was valid. On the second try the Aggies convert and win, and all fans that didn’t die of old age during the overtime periods storm the field in glee.

But what if the flag hadn’t been thrown? What if the game is still being played in another dimension in 2000034OT where the score is 59238239-59238239?

I’m pretty sure there’s never been a college football doubleheader, but this was quite close to one. 74 to 72, seven overtimes, almost five hours long.

That’s college football’s nomination in the collection of Most Ridiculous Games in Sports History. Basketball on grass.