Lane Stadium

When is College Football’s Next Earthquake Game? Here is the Answer

Nearly 30 years ago, Death Valley shook. No, literally, the crowd at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana went so crazy following a fourth-quarter touchdown that it registered on a seismograph. The LSU upset over No. 4 Auburn created the first recorded earthquake at a football game, college or otherwise.

Everyone at the October 8, 1988 game will never forget it. Chances are, those alive for that moment, when Tigers quarterback Tommy Hudson found Eddie Fuller for an 11-yard touchdown on fourth down, still remember it, too.

The "Earthquake Game" is the first of its kind during a football game, but it certainly has not been the only.

At Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium, there has been seismic activity four times; against Miami (2011), Ohio State (2015), Miami (2016), and Clemson (2017). Hearing "Enter Sandman" creates pandemonium in Blacksburg, Virginia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJb98KPeK-w

It happened at the 2013 Iron Bowl, when No. 4 Auburn returned a missed field goal attempt for a touchdown to beat No. 1 Alabama.

It also happened at a 2011 NFL Wild Card Game at Qwest Field in Seattle when Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch took this ridiculous 67-yard run to the house to create a "Beast Quake."

With seven football games in total, with the last one coming on September 30, 2017, the only question is: When will the next earthquake game happen?

There is a logical answer for a college game in 2018.

If history is any indicator, a game at Virginia Tech is the easy bet considering it's happened four times. But is there a game that can create the type of buzz to generate seismic activity?

Oh yeah.

Go ahead and circle October 6 on the calendar, when the No. 20 Hokies host No. 12 Notre Dame at Lane Stadium, right around the 30-year anniversary of the LSU-Auburn game.

The Fighting Irish, one of college football's most iconic and successful programs in history, have never played a game at Virginia Tech. In fact, the only meeting between the two programs came in 2016 when the Hokies beat Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium, 34-31.

There will be plenty of buzz around the game, and if both are still ranked, a decent chance ESPN's College GameDay will be there. Only Florida State at Miami, Auburn at Mississippi State, and Oklahoma versus Texas in Dallas are the games that could get the national show.

This is a rare game, one the fans will be ready for, and it's only fitting something rare happens there, too.

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