Boise State-UCF Game The Third Time in NCAA History That Opposing Kickers Have Hit Field Goals of 55+ in the Same Game

Last Saturday's Boise State game vs. UCF is one of only three times in NCAA history (154 years) that opposing kickers hit field goals of 55 or longer in the same game. Boise State's Jonah Dalmas connected on a school record-tying 56-yard field goal, answered by a 55-yarder Colton Boomer of UCF in the Broncos' 18-16 loss.

There are only two other occurrences in which opposing field kickers hit field goals of 55 or longer in the same game. The first featured long-distance legends who happened to play in the same game when Russell Erxleben of Texas played Steve Little of Arkansas. Erxleben hit a 58-yarder only to be outdone by Little's 67-yarder.

The other is Washington State vs. Arizona in 2017, when Lucas Havrisik of Arizona booted a 57-yarder, followed by Erik Powell's field goal of 56 yards for Washington State.

In addition to the three times in NCAA history in which opposing players have kicked field goals of 55+ in the same game, here are also eight instances in which the same player hit two field goals of 55+.

Dave Strock of Virginia Tech booted field goals of 59 and 55 vs. Southern Mississippi in 1972, Joe Duren of Arkansas State kicked 56 and 63-yard field goals against McNeese State in 1974 (Arkansas State is a current FBS member but wasn't at the time), Tony Franklin of Texas A&M booted field goals of 65 and 64 yards vs. Baylor in 1976, Russell Erxleben of Texas kicked field goals of 58 and 64 against Oklahoma in 1977, Dan Eichloff of Kansas kicked field goals of 61 and 55 yards vs. Ball State in 1992, Michael Barbour of East Carolina kicked field goals of 58 and 57 vs. Marshall in 2011 and Gabe Brkic of Oklahoma kicked 55 and 56-yard field goals against Tulane and Cade York of LSU nailed kicks of 55 and 56 yards against McNeese in 2021.

That is what makes this unique. It is seldom that one kicker can kick a field goal of 55 yards or more. But to have two amazing kickers on opposite sidelines do it in the same game is rare indeed. Three times in the 154-year history of NCAA college football.