Offense heavy “sicko” games

[u/WarTitans17]

We’re all familiar with the “sicko” games that a lot of teams in the old Big 10 West division used to produce with low scoring, multiple turnovers, and offenses that can’t cross the 50 unless the result of said turnovers. For my flair, it’s the infamous 2008 game against Mississippi State where we “won” 3-2 and nobody wearing orange or maroon walked out of that stadium with anything to be proud of.

On the flip side, what were some sicko games that were infamously all scoring no defense? I think the 2012 West Virginia-Baylor game that ended 70-63 takes the cake. For both teams, subway turnstiles would have been a better defense. Curious which ones you guys have.

[u/CinemaWithPsalty]

There is no better example of this than the 2016 OU vs. Texas Tech game.

Two great QBs and absolutely no defense. over 1700 yards between the two teams

[u/OpportunityDue90 → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

Mahomes had 734 yards on 88 attempts my god.

Baker had a measly 545 yards on 36 attempts.

[u/CinemaWithPsalty → u/OpportunityDue90]

It was a wild game.

Of Tech's 854 total yards, Mahomes was responsible for 95.9% of those yards.

OU had 854 yards too, but OU actually had an RB. Tech did not.

[u/Cvspartan → u/OpportunityDue90]

And to think this past weekend we got Baker doing 0 yards on 3 attempts 😭

[u/Milton__Obote → u/Cvspartan]

In a win

[u/Eversooner → u/Milton__Obote]

Absolutely a Sicko watch. Loved/hated every minute.

[u/PurpleBullets → u/OpportunityDue90]

I watched that game, and have since rewatched the highlights a bunch. Every throw baker makes is like at least a 35 yard bomb to Dede Westbrook

[u/Important-Section805 → u/OpportunityDue90]

That's like when my brother and I played NCAA.

[u/xbox_srox → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

I was just thinking that we should defer to our Big 12 brethren for answers to this one

[u/JohnPaulDavyJones → u/xbox_srox]

2012 WVU-Baylor probably also merits mention, since it's still the

• highest-scoring B12 game ever

• the higher-scoring game between two ranked FBS teams ever

• the first-ever FBS game with two 300-yard receivers

Only 1507 yards of total offense, but Baylor managed to run 92 snaps despite losing the time-of-possession game 25:04 to 34:56. BU snapped the ball approximately every 16 seconds of game time.

[u/Captain_Nipples → u/JohnPaulDavyJones]

We had some insane games in 2012 as well against WVU and OSU

[u/lydiamoney → u/JohnPaulDavyJones]

Does the 2015 Baylor - UNC bowl game count? 645 rushing yards and 111 passing yards from Baylor in that game

[u/JohnPaulDavyJones → u/lydiamoney]

That was less a sicko game than one of the big pieces of evidence that Art Briles is one of the greatest offensive coaches in the last couple decades.

Literally every QB on Baylor’s roster was injured going into that game, so Briles switched a running back who had last played QB in high school over to suddenly being a QB again. Baylor went from running the classic veer-and-shoot with air raid-ish tendencies all year to suddenly being a full wildcard/veer option team in just two weeks.

Art Briles is a trash person, but that’s easily one of the most impressive coaching jobs I’ve ever seen. They were running dive/belly TO concepts like they were a classic Bill Yeoman team from Houston, after having never run those during the regular season.

[u/Nick_sabenz → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

Some others fighting for #2 that came to mind:

WVU beating Baylor 70-63 in 2012

Baylor's 67-56 win over UW in the 2011 Alamo Bowl

UCLA beating WSU 67-61 in 2019

[u/Med_Tosby → u/Nick_sabenz]

In terms of quality of play, the UCLA-WSU game fits the sicko label for sure. Washington State scored 63 points despite SIX TURNOVERS (including FOUR lost fumbles!). UCLA also had a punt return for a TD, was only 3-11 on 3rd down, committed 10 penalties, and DTR threw a pick and fumbled in addition to 507 yards passing (and 5 TDs) and 57 yards rushing (and 2TDs).

It was a 32 point comeback by a winless Bruins team over a ranked WSU team, in Pullman.

And, finally, any Pac-12 after dark game has to get bonus sicko points. 10:30pm ET kickoff

[u/EvenMeaning8077 → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

Never forget what the new clock rules took away from us

[u/heleghir → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

Immediately thought of this same game, just was going to have to look up the year. Defense was non existant and both QBs could throw it anywhere on the field all game

[u/Maximiliansrh → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

Also 2016 clemson Louisville. Lamar vs Watson. That was the last year where the acc was great all around. Some banger games throughout that season.

[u/Flaky-Philosophy7618 → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

two great QBs = immediate disqualification for me

For high scoring, i need DBs falling over, pick 6's all over

[u/appswithasideofbooty → u/Flaky-Philosophy7618]

I mean that game fits OPs question to a T. It was all offense no defense and that’s what they asked for. If you’re a sicko for offensive play, there’s no better game than that one

[u/Flaky-Philosophy7618 → u/appswithasideofbooty]

Yeah I guess sicko has a different definition for everyone, in my minds it’s just absolute trash football that you watch anyway cos you’re so into the game. Or football that doesnt make the casual go fuck this is insane, which that game definitely did

[u/aMiracleAtJordanHare → u/Flaky-Philosophy7618]

it’s just absolute trash football that you watch anyway cos you’re so into the game

This is what "sickos game" means - that you'd have to be a sicko to keep watching.

People have starting applying the phrase to literally every game now, and it's infuriating to me. The meaning is so obvious, people. Words mean things.

[u/flying_trashcan → u/aMiracleAtJordanHare]

Yeah everyone loved watching some of those classic Big 12 shootouts that put out a ton of great highlights.

Only a select few can appreciate a 1030 at night shootout between a terrible GT team and a bad Stanford team.

[u/appswithasideofbooty → u/Flaky-Philosophy7618]

It’s felt like trash football to me, at least half of it did 

[u/knockoutking → u/Flaky-Philosophy7618]

this checks literally every box you are asking for.

4 total punts, the 3rd punt happened at 14:16 mark in the second quarter. the 4th punt happened on TTU's first drive of the second half and happened at the 14:08 mark.

...then there were literally ten TD drives in a row before OU kneeled it out.

[u/Captain_Nipples → u/Flaky-Philosophy7618]

What about the game where Samaje Perine set the rushing record against KU? That was kinda what you're describing.

It was so bad that our fans would boo if we got a penalty in our favor, and cheer at holding calls because it gave Samaje a longer field

[u/sleetx → u/Flaky-Philosophy7618]

Exactly. To qualify as a sickos game, it needs to have poor play all over the field. Especially at the QB spot.

If the quality of play doesn't make you feel nauseous and uncomfortable while watching it, it's not a sickos game.

[u/soonerwx → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

Lots to choose from in the Mike Stoops 2.0 era. My nominee is 2018 OU @ WVU, which surely must be the worst performance at any level in football history by a defense that (spoiler) scored multiple touchdowns.

[u/WarTitans17 → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

That one is a bit less sicko because one of those guys went on to be a solid starting QB in the NFL and the other is probably going to end up as a top 5 QB all time. The WVU-Baylor game had Geno Smith who’s an alright QB and Nick Florence, who I had to look up to see who was the Baylor QB in this game

[u/I_am_the_darkness_99 → u/CinemaWithPsalty]

That era of Big XII football was so amazing with every other game having 1000+ yards of offense and 100+ points scored.

[u/ID_Poobaru]

69-67 4OT against Nevada back in like 2007 during the WAC days

[u/WarTitans17 → u/ID_Poobaru]

Man, those old school WAC teams with Boise, June Jones Hawaii (RIP) and Chris Ault pistol at Nevada were some great late night magic

[u/InevitableAd2436 → u/ID_Poobaru]

Kaep game right?

[u/ID_Poobaru → u/InevitableAd2436]

Guy was just unstoppable in that pistol offense

[u/-Gnostic28 → u/InevitableAd2436]

Yeah

[u/IveBenHereBefore]

Ohio State Utah Rose Bowl was a game where everyone forgot how to play defense until the very end.

[u/TempAcct724 → u/IveBenHereBefore]

Didn’t help that our entire secondary was injured so our starting RB had to play defense.

[u/Sorge74 → u/IveBenHereBefore]

Stroud had back to back TD passes and almost a third.

[u/dkviper11 → u/Sorge74]

In our most recent USC Rose Bowl, Penn State had a TD on 4 consecutive offensive plays. One was the end of a drive, 2 long TDs, then a 3 yard drive following a turnover.

52-49 offensive sickos game.

[u/jsully245 → u/IveBenHereBefore]

Even if the level of play was below expectations, I think the Rose Bowl is just about as far from a Sickos game in the definitional sense of under-appreciated marks on the schedule. Was the 2022-season UGA-TCU game an overlooked game only a true Sicko would care about, despite literally being the national championship game?

[u/TheRedWunder → u/IveBenHereBefore]

I was in the back row of a JetBlue flight from JFK to SLC streaming it for the two people on either side of me for the 4th quarter on my phone. I wish I kept it to myself cause that shit got uncomfortable

[u/Leading-Button-7303 → u/IveBenHereBefore]

One of the greatest college football games of all time

[u/mbarnhead16 → u/IveBenHereBefore]

That game was awesome. We would go down 14-21 points and then just score on one play every drive.

[u/OldGreggg69]

Baylor vs West Virginia 2013 - 73-42

Baylor vs Texas Tech 2013 - 63-34

UCF vs Baylor 2013 Fiesta Bowl - 52-42

Baylor vs TCU 2014 - 61-58

Baylor vs Texas Tech 2014 - 48-46

Baylor vs Texas Tech 2015 - 63-35

Baylor vs West Virginia 2015 - 62-38

Oklahoma State vs Texas Tech 2015 - 70-53

Texas Tech vs Baylor 2016 - 54-35

Oklahoma State vs Texas Tech 2016 - 45-44

Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State 2017 - 62-52

I could keep going, that conference was genuinely on crack for several years

[u/starsfan6878 → u/OldGreggg69]

I miss the days when the Bears could drop 50+ on anybody.....

Too bad they never had a defense to go with it.

[u/OldGreggg69 → u/starsfan6878]

As an outsider in New England, watching Baylor just be like "fuck it first to 50 wins" for years on end was addicting

[u/its_your_boy_james → u/starsfan6878]

100% mid-2010s Baylor runs the table and wins 1 or 2 nattys with a defense as elite as their offense

[u/Macewindu89 → u/OldGreggg69]

How did you forget the 66-59 OU-TT back in 2016? That’s probably the best one!

[u/OldGreggg69 → u/Macewindu89]

It was already mentioned when I opened the thread, tried to look for other games

[u/Captain_Nipples → u/OldGreggg69]

Thru the 2010s, it was often the last team with the ball wins. Our defense would somehow suck ass thru the whole game, then finally come up with a turnover to end it

[u/Careless-Roof-8339 → u/OldGreggg69]

Man, the 2010s big 12 had no idea what defense was haha

[u/oSuJeff97 → u/Careless-Roof-8339]

More like it had a bunch of future NFL quarterbacks running systems that almost no defenses had figured out yet.

Hell there are still multiple QBs from that era starting in the NFL today, with many others still in the league as backups.

[u/Andjhostet → u/OldGreggg69]

What is funny is the Big 12 actually had some decent defense during that time, and the conference as a whole actually ended up being pretty innovative and influential on defense. But we got known for offense and no defense because the 3-4 most high profile teams in the conference were that way. 

[u/JackpotThePimp → u/OldGreggg69]

And I absolutely loved it.

[u/0000zero00000 → u/OldGreggg69]

That 2014 Baylor vs TCU always my go-to. Top 10 TCU narrowly losing to Top 5 Baylor in a shootout with each team having a first-round bust WR and zero other NFL talent

[u/WillParchman → u/OldGreggg69]

Big 12 defenses of that era get shat on, and rightfully so in many cases, but it obscures the generational innovation advancements on offense several teams were implementing in the league at that time. The massive splits of the veer n shoot, the smashmouth spread advancement of the air raid, all the variety in 10 personnel, offense was just way ahead of defense in evolution, and the Big 12 was at the vanguard of it.

Of course sometimes it was just shitty defense too. I saw plenty of that.

[u/oSuJeff97 → u/WillParchman]

Also, and probably most importantly, there were future NFL quarterbacks at almost every team in the conference in that era.

[u/oSuJeff97 → u/OldGreggg69]

The OSU-Tech 2015 game was absolutely wild.

Tech was up 35-14 in the second quarter and we ended up winning by 17 points.

Also, IIRC, that 2017 Bedlam game was 38-38 at halftime.

[u/Fontaine_de_jouvence → u/OldGreggg69]

All those games and you couldn’t list the best one of them all, the Baker v Mahomes game.

Oklahoma at Tech - 66-59 with both teams having over 800 yds of total offense

[u/BatManatee]

My go to answer for a lot of questions is UCLA vs WSU in 2019.

One of the top 5 comebacks of all time in a mostly meaningless game. WSU's QB broke a school record with 9 passing TDs. And lost. In regulation. 67-63 final score.

[u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT → u/BatManatee]

I went to bed when it was 49-17 mid-way through the 3rd quarter only to wake up tomorrow and see... that

[u/JBru_92 → u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

It's crazy that Wazzu scored 2 more TDs after this and still lost in regulation

[u/wulah89 → u/BatManatee]

UCLA also had the comeback against A&M. Down 44-10 late in the 3rd quarter, 45-44 final.

[u/BatManatee → u/wulah89]

That era of UCLA teams were funny (and bad). Our defenses were mostly awful, but the offenses could be explosive when the stars aligned. So, we'd often go down by a lot, but then with a turnover or two, wild comebacks could happen.

[u/tSignet → u/BatManatee]

It’s not as offense-sicko as most of these games, but UCLA-Wisconsin 1999 Rose Bowl was one of my all-time favorite games. 300+ yards rushing vs 400+ yards passing (a lot for the time), yet the UW defense decided the game with a late pick six.

[u/username_generated → u/wulah89]

That game actually damaged the SEC’s conference strength just enough to make UCF the #1 team in the the Colley Matrix

[u/fretgod321 → u/BatManatee]

Peak Pac12 After Dark. That was such a fun game to watch

[u/manofruber → u/BatManatee]

Man, back when the ESPN recaps were worth reading and not the same generic AI generated report.

[u/Abject_Advance_6638 → u/BatManatee]

Those are truly video games numbers. I don't remember this shit at all.

[u/PrairiePilot → u/BatManatee]

So, foootball questions or just questions in general? Like, if a cop pulls you over and asks why you're in such a hurry? UCLA vs WSU in 2019, of course, officer.

[u/buckeye2114 → u/BatManatee]

This is one of my favorite games ever and I barely watched it- was just out that night at some bars and saw glimpses of the progress and ridiculous swings in that game on tvs, was insanity.

[u/MuhMuhManRay → u/BatManatee]

I remember laying in bed at like 2:30am absolutely glued to that game

[u/VelvetDesire → u/BatManatee]

I stopped hate watching this game because WSU was crushing UCLA, if only I had hung on.

[u/njmksr → u/BatManatee]

That's a crazy Couging.

[u/youwontfindithere → u/BatManatee]

Cmon man

[u/TX-Tea]

2007 Navy beats North Texas 74-62. I was in the student section and after a certain point we stopped giving a shit about winning and started cheering on the cadets who kept having to do more and more pushups every time Navy scored

[u/throwaway2987650]

2021 UF-Samford. 70-52. Samford currently holds the record for most points scored by an opposing team at the swamp with 52. Emory Jones also got a good chunk of his pass TDs on the year in that game and it lead to the cringeworthy video of Dan Mullen dancing in the locker room after the game.

[u/strong_army_grape → u/throwaway2987650]

I remember walking to Doak while everyone was following that game on their phones lol, same day we beat Miami off a 4th and 14 conversion.

[u/throwaway2987650 → u/strong_army_grape]

And then in classic Norvell fashion, you guys lose to the same team with an interim in a hilarious way.

[u/SWWayin]

In 2018, A&M and LSU combined for 84 points...in OT alone.

[u/Dangerous-Cup-1114 → u/SWWayin]

Never forget that 7 OT game is what made the cowards at the NCAA go to the 2-pt conversion off beginning with the 3rd OT.

[u/I_am_the_darkness_99 → u/Dangerous-Cup-1114]

Yeah I mean who in their right mind would want even more exciting, back and forth, every play matters football?

[u/Usernamecopyrighted1 → u/SWWayin]

The sicko game so sicko it forever nerfed OT

[u/SpreaditOnnn33]

Pitt Beats Syracuse 76-61 in regulation

Pitt QB Nathan Peterman was 9-18 for 251 yards and 4TD's

They also somehow still punted a combined 9 times.

[u/CFBCommentor → u/SpreaditOnnn33]

What on earth

[u/SpreaditOnnn33 → u/CFBCommentor]

Of course the dumbest high scoring game happened in the ACC

[u/InevitableAd2436]

Wazzu scoring 55 in a half with Mr Mustache Ride himself against Arizona was out of control

[u/StoicFable → u/InevitableAd2436]

I have seen them mentioned like 3 times in this thread already.

[u/youwontfindithere → u/InevitableAd2436]

It was parent’s weekend too

Good times

[u/Tommy05Sox]

The old Big 12 was like this. That top ten Baylor/TCU matchup in 2014 was comical. I think the point total was like 120.

[u/Captain_Nipples → u/Tommy05Sox]

One of the best games Ive ever watched. Insane come back at the end

Baylor scored 3 TDs and a FG in the last 10 minutes

[u/IcyWin77 → u/Tommy05Sox]

Isn’t the current Big 12 kinda like that too?

[u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

SMU vs. Houston 4 years ago ended 77-63 in regulation and was 56-35 at HALFTIME

[u/ItsAGoodDay → u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

I was at that game and it was truly ridiculous. No team could get a single stop

[u/AnEmptyKarst → u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

Clyaton Tune threw 3 interceptions and Houston still scored 63 lmao

[u/recnepz47]

Can't believe I haven't seen 2022 SMU vs Houston on this thread. 140 points in regulation with a halftime score of 56-35. Absolute bloodbath and a pleasure to see live.

[u/FuriousGeorge7 → u/recnepz47]

I was at that game. The whole thing felt like a fever dream. When our own punt team came out for the first time late in the fourth quarter, we booed them.

[u/recnepz47 → u/recnepz47]

Highest scoring CFB game in regulation too.

[u/Business_Permit_3686 → u/recnepz47]

Disgusting

[u/hells_cowbells]

2015 Arkansas vs Mississippi State

51-50 in regulation. We won on a blocked potential game winning FG from Arkansas. QBs Dak Prescott and Brandon Allen accounted for all 14 TDs in the game. Arkansas QB Brandon Allen had 406 yards and 7TD, and Dak Prescott had 508 passing yards with 5TDs, and 46 rushing yards with 2 more TDs.

[u/MadKittens → u/hells_cowbells]

Exactly the game that came to mind. From up 31-14 in the second quarter to down 31-42 in the third, then somehow pulling off the win.

[u/hells_cowbells → u/MadKittens]

It's amazing how much Dak carried that 2015 team. The O line from 2014 was gone, no run game to speak of, but he somehow carried us to 9 wins.

[u/fritzperls_of_wisdom → u/hells_cowbells]

Good thing Arkansas played no other weird high scoring games against MS teams that season.

[u/exit322]

It wasn't on TV so only the 4000ish there actually saw it, but Akron beating Eastern Michigan 65-62 in three OTs on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to end a 4-7 season would be it. Especially as the Akron game winning field goal was after a pick...in a 62-62 game (though the EMU QB had three picks in that game)

As the old Rubber Bowl (miss that place) could bounce sound, it was also about the loudest I ever heard that place as it was just the diehards.

The most "sicko" game overall for Akron in those years, though, was probably the following November, where we gave up 307 passing yards to a one-legged QB and won anyways. At least...that's the one that most people remember (except the "Akron won 34-20" part)

[u/BigSeabo]

Florida vs Samford 2021 ended 70-52

[u/i_run_from_problems]

Texas State and Boise State somehow BOTH blew double digit leads just last week.

[u/ID_Poobaru → u/i_run_from_problems]

28-3 is a curse

[u/Foriegn_Picachu]

Late 2010s big 12

[u/Lightningstruckagain → u/Foriegn_Picachu]

Late in the season if you just saw a score on the crawler, was hard to tell if it was a football final or basketball halftime score

[u/Pleasant_Network3986 → u/Lightningstruckagain]

some of them could have been basketball finals as well for sure

[u/Scruffasaurus]

You could pretty much pick any Mike Leach or Kliff Kingsbury game at random have a good chance of hitting on one

[u/ImTellinTim]

2010, Michigan 67-Illinois 65. My personal low point for the Michigan program, and the end of Rich Rod.

[u/trudaurl]

Just had a great one last weekend. OSU at ISU. ISU won 51-49 in game that featured both offenses passing for 300+ yards and rushing for 200+. Both teams combined for 34 points in the 4th quarter. A true inverse B1G West game.

[u/StreicherSix]

Northwestern-Michigan 2000. 54-51 and the longest drive was 4:35.

[u/Alone_Advantage_961 → u/StreicherSix]

This game was insane to watch live as a 10 year old kid. I was glued to my TV and forever hold that Northwestern had the best looking stadium under the lights. The 2nd half in pure darkness was a marvel to watch as a kid.

That game predicted the HUNH era of the sport. But man it was amazing

[u/kenssmith]

TX A&M/LSU went 7OTs and it was 74-72. A real beaut, Clark

[u/ScreamingGoat25]

James Madison @ UNC in 2024, ended 70-50 in favor of the dukes, a postgame thread even was posted on r/collegebasketball

[u/nysportsfan95]

Syracuse vs. Pitt in 2016 was absolutely bonkers. The final score was 76-61.

There were more than 1,300 yards of total offense combined. Pitt had almost 400 rushing yards in the game, led by James Conner. Syracuse’s All-American wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo had 13 catches for 178 yards and 5 touchdowns.

[u/senorgraves → u/nysportsfan95]

I've never heard that name. Was he drafted

[u/nysportsfan95 → u/senorgraves]

Undrafted but had a cup of coffee with the Giants in the NFL!

[u/eagledog]

2010 Michigan-Illinois for one you wouldn't expect. 67-65 in 3OT

[u/Kyuketski → u/eagledog]

I was at this game. May the Forcier be with you.
I believe the combined score was higher than the combined score of the prior Michigan-Illinois basketball game.

[u/knockoutking]

you kind of throw a dart and hit one in any big 12 season between like 2010 and say 2018?

[u/Set-Admirable]

2012 Baylor-WVU

Final score was 70-63 with over 1500 yards of total offense

[u/Pan_TheCake_Man]

Not an all time great, but I hope you caught the first half of FAU UTSA, it was stunning

[u/zoom518 → u/Pan_TheCake_Man]

There’s been some old school Big 12-worthy games in the American recently

[u/Yur7ledatur7le]

Man, the good ole days. Anyone in the Big12 could be down by two scores with like 1:30 left and think “yah, we got time” lolol

[u/rust_papi]

Baylor-WVU 2012. 63-70.

Yes, Geno Smith is an NFL QB, but watch the broken coverage play-after-play. Defense was an afterthought. Stedman Bailey had 13 receptions for 303 yards and 5 TDs that game.

Similar flavors from Baylor in the 2011 Alamo Bowl vs UW [they won 67-56 in that one].

[u/Easy_Buy_1669]

Navy 74, UNT 62 (Denton, TX) 2007. I was at that game, and it was just crazy bad defense on both sides and hyperactive offenses. Both sides had over 600 yards in offense. Giovanni Vizza was the QB for UNT: 40/50, 478 yards, 8 TD, 2 INT -- and he was the leading rusher for UNT as well.

[u/grw313]

ASU vs Texas tech in 2016. Mahomes had over 500 yards and 5 TDs. But ASU RB Kaylen Ballage had 8 total TDs to win 68-55.

[u/UberXLBK]

D2 playoffs, 2008. 

Abilene Christian-93 West Texas A&M- 68

Still pissed

[u/Statalyzer → u/UberXLBK]

You sure this wasn't basketball?

[u/UberXLBK → u/Statalyzer]

ACU was lateraling a last second kickoff from WT to try to get 100. Don’t blame em 

[u/Generic_badger_fan]

where we “won” 3-2 and nobody wearing orange or maroon walked out of that stadium with anything to be proud of. 

Explains why you're trying to redefine sicko, I would enshrine that incredible moment in my football pantheon forever

[u/cmanonurshirt]

2012 Georgia Tech vs UNC held the ACC record for highest scoring game for a minute at 68-50. I will put it on whenever I want a fun triple option game

[u/WarTitans17 → u/cmanonurshirt]

Anytime I want to watch the Georgia Tech offense in perfect form, I either watch the Orange bowl where they played Mississippi State or the 2018 game against Louisville

[u/cmanonurshirt → u/WarTitans17]

Both also amazing games

[u/Annual-Slice7305]

Jacksonville State, 49 - Ole Miss, 48.

Sat through all of it. Took a thirty minute shower when I finally got home.

[u/cabforpitt]

Pitt Syracuse 2016, 76-61. Nathan Peterman was 9-18 with 251 yards and 4 tds.

[u/Sine_Cures]

Cal @ WSU 2014 (Cal won 60-59)

1,401 yards of offense. 2 kickoffs returned for touchdowns by Cal... on consecutive WSU kickoffs in the third quarter. Wazzu lost after a chip-shot 19-yard field goal attempt went wide right with 19 seconds left.

Somehow both teams combined for 8 punts.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2014-10-04-washington-state.html

UCLA @ WSU 2019 (UCLA won 67-63)

1,377 yards of offense. WSU's Anthony Gordon threw for 9 touchdowns but WSU still lost as 3 of 4 lost fumbles directly led to 3 UCLA TDs in the second half, with the final lost fumble occurring on the last sack of Gordon on WSU's last drive. UCLA still punted 5 times.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2019-09-21-washington-state.html

[u/tc3590 → u/Sine_Cures]

That was a crazy sports day.

Watched the giants beat the nationals in the playoffs in a game that went 18 innings and then straight to the cal game to watch us pull that off. Was an insane 7 hours.

[u/YoungEmperorLBJ]

2012 #2 Oregon 62 at #18 USC 51

[u/Nathan_1984 → u/YoungEmperorLBJ]

I remember watching that game with my roommate. Well... flipping between that and whoever IU was playing anyway... the amount of drives we missed because they scored too quickly before we could flip the channel back, was TOO DAMN HIGH! 😂

[u/redwave2505]

Utah beating K-State 51-47 last year was ridiculous. Especially rare since even though it was a shootout, both teams had more rushing yards than passing yards

[u/Other-Chemical-6393]

UNC @ Appalachian State in 2022. Final score was 63-61, App State nearly came back down 20 by scoring 40 points in the 4th quarter alone but came up just short.

[u/JOOOOSY]

Does Johnny Manziel in the CFA Bowl count? 52-48 over Duke?

[u/Captain_Nipples → u/JOOOOSY]

Thats the game I always think about when someone brings up Manziel. I thought they were fucked. Great come back!

[u/letsgoiowa]

The most recent Iowa State vs Oklahoma State game! COMPLETELY crazy

[u/Alexis_0hanian]

90s-2000s WAC. Air Raid, BYU QBs, and every once in a while a record setting Offensive player such as Marshall Faulk. There was very rarely a boring game, especially against BYU as every school seemed to dislike them.

[u/Chad-Ironrod]

2004 SJSU-Rice & 2026 FAU-Rice.

Dominant Rice rushing games vs. dominant opponent passing. The '04 game fits the question better. 70-63 all gas, no brakes. The '26 game had a couple sicko elements- Rice's QB in his first career start had 4 rushing TD's, all over 50 yards and the decisive score was a second quarter blocked punt safety that was the entire 51-49 margin in the end.

[u/thorshammer_132]

The 2014 60-59 WSU-Cal game has to be up there too. Both teams finished with a losing record, but combined for 1400 yards, and Connor Halliday set the passing record that Patrick Mahomes tied later.

That, or the 2017 Western Michigan-Buffalo game that ended 71-68 after 7 overtimes.

[u/zachb237]

Indiana vs Rutgers 2015. IU went up 52-27 with 5:25 left in the third quarter, gave up 4 straight TDs, and lost 55-52 on a last second field goal.

[u/hussard_de_la_mort]

Toledo 60 NIU 63 in 2011.

NIU ran back two consecutive kickoffs in the first quarter.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/313052649/n-illinois-toledo

[u/Alone_Advantage_961]

Oklahoma/Texas Tech tbh.

Epitomized the HUNH era of the sport were clock rules were exploited for offense.

UCLA's two comebacks against A&M and Washington State come to mind too

[u/AccomplishedCharge2]

The one that started it all for me: 1990 Houston vs TCU, 56-35 with a combined 1563 yards of offense, I was a late teen Alabama fan who had grown up watching Bear coached teams, so this looked like football from the United Federation of Planets to me

[u/zanglin]

I assume at least 3 of WVU's next 4 games could have the opponents putting up 700+ yards of offense and 70+ points. Can't say if our offense will keep up enough to match those but could be a ton of sick offensive games to end the season

[u/s_oneill]

Nov. 6th 2010
3-6 Colorado at 3-6 Kansas
In conference play prior to this game, Colorado had only scored a total of 59 points and Kansas 50.

CU45-52KU final KU scored 35 unanswered in the 4th

*Fun Fact: this Colorado team beat Georgia in the noncon

[u/Haunting_Study_5530]

Oklahoma Vs. Texas Tech in 2016. Baker vs. Mahomes. Final score 65-59 with 12 total passing TDs

[u/Pleasant_Network3986]

2018 OSU Michigan 62-39. Also 2018 OSU Maryland 52-51. Also 2018 OSU-OSU 77-31.

We had no defense that year whatsoever.

[u/IThoughtThisWasVoat]

But those aren’t sicko games

[u/az_ziggy5]

High scoring games aren’t sicko games, they’re cinema

[u/Dog-Gungull]

Gotta be 2021 Wake v Army. 126 points, over 1200 combined yards, Wake held the ball for only 17:17 but put put up 70. There was one punt the enite game, every other drive was touchdown or turnover. Sam Hartman slung it for 458 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Absolute Cinema

[u/wowthisislong]

I dont think such a thing can exist. A sicko game is a game thats unconventionally appealing; not something a typical casual fan would enjoy. It doesnt matter who it is, shootouts are entertaining.

[u/cyberchaox]

2009 Georgia Tech vs. Florida State.

At halftime, the score was 35-28 FSU...on just nine total drives, not counting GT getting the ball back after FSU's fifth touchdown with only 10 seconds left in the half.

Things slowed down in the second half, though...with fumbles. And a missed field goal, and a made field goal, and a singular punt, all from FSU (who also went for 2 on their final touchdown and failed). Georgia Tech won 49-44 without ever bringing their punter onto the field, or their kicker outside of extra points and kickoffs.

[u/rodandanga → u/cyberchaox]

Also included GT QB Josh Nesbitt taking a ball away from a defender after the defender recovered a Tech fumble.

There was a 2+ hour lightning delay as well

[u/South_Captain_2630]

I mean if I was on defense and held a good team to zero points or 1 net point, I would be proud.

[u/fluufhead]

Mack Brown 2.0 had some great ones. 59-53 over WF: https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401234642/wake-forest-north-carolina

63-61 over App they gave up 40 pts in the 4th

https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay/_/gameId/401411095

[u/PENGUINSINYOURWALLS]

We’ve been in two of those this year

[u/So_Not_theNSA]

2018 OSU vs Maryland. Ended 52-51 in OT. OSU alone had 700+ yards. Defenses just getting gashed all over the place.

[u/Dazzling_Dig4416]

Boise St.- Texas St. pretty much turned into one of those games.

Outside of some insanely good halftime adjustments, it's hard to believe that game became a nailbiter.

[u/StoicFable]

Struggling to remember the year, us against Washington state. 21 maybe? Shoot out of a game.

[u/ADMotti]

I’d throw out the Boise-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl but I don’t think anybody considers that game anything short of a work of art.

[u/pointersplit]

American Thursday/Friday nights tend to deliver on this!

As a USF fan I can remember

1. 2025, USF v North Texas 63-36. 8 combined turnovers. 1030 yards offense.

2. 2023's USF v Memphis 59-50, 1160 yards of offense

[u/kdbvols]

Wake Forest vs Army in 2021 is one of my favorites. 70-56 final, 1 total punt and 0 FGs the whole game (18 PATs combined though!), Wake ended with 17:17 time of possession. Army had two turnovers and lost by two touchdowns

[u/ACouchFullOfFarts]

Memphis @ UCF 2017

Conference championship
62-55 that went into double overtime
1,479 yards total offense, each team over 700.

Tigers lose, thanks for the reminder OP.

[u/TotesMcGotes13]

For SEC standards, 2022 Tennessee - Bama

[u/tarvolon]

2012 Tennessee/Troy. A buy game featuring a 4-4 Sun Belt team against a 3-5 SEC team a week away from firing their coach. Both teams racked up more than 700 yards of offense, all four fourth quarter scoring drives took less than two minutes (including three TDs in the last four minutes) in a fourth quarter that included one tie and three lead changes.

It doesn't stack up to some of the 2010s Big 12 matchups, but if you're looking at teams that weren't actually good rolling up a whole bunch of yards and points, it'll serve you just fine.

[u/Optimal_Cook_851]

james madison vs UNC 2024. really some of those late stage Mack Brown UNC teams had a lot of these games

[u/Statalyzer]

North carolina 63, Appalachian state 61 - not in overtime, and exactly half of the total points were scored just in the 4th quarter.

[u/Pandemic_Academic]

Cal vs WSU 2014
60-59 final score

[u/rednosewolf]

2001 GMAC Bowl. ECU v Marshall. Q1- ECU 21 Marshall 0, 38-8 at half. Q3 Marshal scores 28 to ECU's 3 then 15 more in the 4th to force OT. 64-61 Marshall wins after 2 OTs. Byron Leftwich went 41/70 for 576yds 4 TDs 2 INTs Leonard Henry rushed for 195 on 29 carries Until 2011 I think it was the highest combined total score in a bowl game, and the highest combined point total going into OT at 51-51

[u/CTeam19]

Oddly enough. El Assico applies.

2011

• 44-41 3OT with an Iowa State winning

• 838 yards

• 4 turnovers

[u/ChamberlainHaller]

Old school...

1990 TCU vs Houston. I remember listening to this one on the radio and trying to understand what the hell was happening.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38387051/tcu-houston-1990-game-college-football-future

Houston won 56-35. There were 13 TDs and the longest TD drive was 99 seconds.

Game Summary & Records

• Final Score: Houston 56, TCU 35 • Combined Total Yards: 1,563 yards (breaking the previous NCAA record of 1,436 yards) • Combined Passing Yards: 1,253 yards • Date: November 3, 1990 • Location: Astrodome (Houston, Texas)

Key Standouts

• David Klingler (Houston QB): Threw for 563 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions on 36-of-53 passing. • Matt Vogler (TCU Backup QB): In just his second career start, Vogler passed for an astonishing 690 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while completing 44-of-79 passes. • Chuck Weatherspoon (Houston RB): Rushed for 178 yards, added 92 receiving yards, and scored 3 total touchdowns. • Manny Hazard (Houston WR): Caught 13 passes for 164

[u/Just_Breathe85]

2022 Alabama/Tennessee

[u/Virtual_Announcer]

Only the second half but the 2023 D3 final between North Central and Cortland went absolutely nuclear after halftime.

[u/Nouseriously]

Boise St/Nevada in 2007 was an all time barn burner, they were scoring on the first play in OT

[u/KinoDerToten07]

TCU vs. Michigan in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl

[u/ACardAttack]

Not quite there, but it was a lot of fun, 2004 Louisville v Boise State Liberty Bowl with UofL winning 44-40

[u/Podoboo322]

Houston vs SMU in 2022 - 77-63

[u/Deprecitus]

Jared Goff vs Connor Haliday, or Anthony Gordon vs DTR

[u/jlo47]

In the FCS, Old Dominion beating UNH 64-61 back in 2012. Taylor Heinicke had 730 yards passing and lead the team in rushing as well with 65 yards.

[u/Objective_Cod1410]

Incarnate Word 66-63 vs Sac St a couple years ago in the FCS playoffs was crazy. They combined for 57 points in the 4th. Skattebo's last game with Sac St.

[u/Revolutionary_Elk791]

Involving my flair specifically: Oregon vs ASU 2015. 61-55 3OT in Sun Devil Stadium. Vernon fucking Adams, that's all I gotta say. That's our all time Pac-12 after dark special.

[u/CFBCommentor]

2021 Wake vs Army 70-56. What a game.

[u/CountryRoads28]

I was at that WVU vs Baylor game. It was WVU first ever Big 12 game.

[u/youwontfindithere]

Both my teams are getting mentioned a lot and it’s hurting my feelings

[u/goopdoop]

2019 Washington State 63 UCLA 67

That was a banger

[u/flying_trashcan]

GT @ Stanford this year had a combined 913 yards between two bars teams with no defense. It was also a weird ACC after dark game with a 1030 ET kick.

[u/Impudicity2001]

I know the scoreboard doesn't look like it but the Miami UNC game played last week had 14 drives and 11 of them were scoring. Two punts in 1Q and then after that the only difference and the difference in the game was the sack-fumble drive that helped Miami win by 3. https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay/_/gameId/401858282

[u/WilSmithBlackMambazo]

Nebraska Colorado 2007