Todd Kinchen remains favorite LSU/Texas A&M memory

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by LSUDad, Nov 26, 2014.

  1. LSUDad

    LSUDad Veteran Member

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    Jacques Talk: Todd Kinchen remains favorite LSU/Texas A&M memory
    Posted: Nov 26, 2014 8:50 AM CST Updated: Nov 26, 2014 2:18 PM CST
    By Jacques Doucet
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    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) -
    Certain games and memories stick with sports fans and never leave. They may attend hundreds or perhaps thousands of sporting events, but always circle back to those handfuls of moments forever entrenched in their heart.

    September 29, 1990 is definitely one of those unforgettable experiences for me. LSU wide receiver Todd Kinchen delivered an absolutely amazing performance that night against No. 11 Texas A&M, leaving a 13-year-old kid wowed and likewise, sending the near capacity crowd of 77,703 into bedlam.

    "There were glimpses of greatness with our team," Kinchen said. "We had a lot of talent. I thought I was a pretty good player. I wanted to get the ball more and more, especially in a game like that."

    With LSU nursing a 3-0 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers faced a third down and nine yards to go from their own 21-yard line. Kinchen ran a shallow crossing route to the middle of the field, before breaking his path back towards the sideline. Quarterback Chad Loup then flipped him the football for what was nothing more, initially, than a simple, 3-yard reception. Then, the magic began.

    "It took place really fast. It was like a short, shallow route and then I basically cut back. I made one guy miss and then I was running down the sideline. Then, (Aggies') Kevin Smith was coming towards me and I cut it back on him. I didn't know I had some speed in me. So, I was always looking for that cutback route to the end zone," Kinchen recalled.

    Kinchen made his cutback at roughly the Aggies' 37-yard line, beginning a somewhat lateral sprint towards the northeast end zone. The final 20 yards, in particular, were pulsating and dramatic. Would he make it or would he get stopped? With just enough fuel to spare, Kinchen put his head down and surged into the paint for the amazing 79-yard touchdown. "The Earthquake Game" might have been loud, but it couldn't have been much louder than this.

    "So many people erupted. I know I did on the inside. That one play kind of gave us a boost we could do it. It was all about staying close. And when we actually went up, it was a boost in everyone's arm that we can actually pull this thing off," Kinchen explained.

    Just moments later, Texas A&M punted and Kinchen electrified the raucous crowd again. He gathered the short, line-drive kick on the fly and weaved his way through traffic for a thrilling 60-yard return to the Aggies' 23-yard line. Star running back Harvey Williams carried for six yards on a fourth down and one-yard to go from the 14-yard line, before finishing the drive with a 1-yard scoring surge. LSU went on to pull off the 17-8 upset.

    "I never wanted to fair catch a ball, ever, especially in a game of that magnitude. I just caught the ball and made one guy miss. I think I hit another guy out of the way and got to the sideline with the help of my teammates. And, I think I tripped over one of my own guys. I think it might have been Gordy Rush, actually. But that was my fault," Kinchen added.

    Many may argue that exhilarating evening in Death Valley and Kinchen's human highlight reel didn't translate to much in the grand scheme. LSU finished the year 5-6 and head coach Mike Archer was fired before the season even ended. Curley Hallman followed and so did more losing seasons. But for some reason, that still doesn't cheapen the game or experience one iota for me. There's something undeniably pure and positive about youthful experiences - you're unquestionably more impressionable and less jaded.

    And times like this one, you just don't forget. The LSU fan base was completely captivated, elevated and mesmerized roughly 24 years ago - mostly because Todd Kinchen and his relentless spirit refused to surrender. And to this day, watching him zigzag across the field and through a sea of Aggies for that incredible 79-yard score still makes me smile.

    Catch Todd Kinchen relive this thrilling game and his huge plays from it on 9News at 6 p.m.
     
  2. Bengal B

    Bengal B Founding Member

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    I haven't thought about that in years. I was at that game. I was also at the Vanderbilt game where Kinchen caught th winning TD on the last play of the game but got called for pushing off
     
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