12 Best Comeback Games in College Football History

We’ve all experienced it, for better or for worse. You’re watching your favorite college football team, and everything’s going perfect. You have a huge lead with time running low, and the opponent scores a touchdown. Then another. Then, they recover an onside kick, drive down the field and ruin your week (and maybe the season) with a magical, stunning comeback victory. Or, maybe that comeback makes your year, or more, depending on the opponent.

Comebacks are part of college football lore, and although they’re less stressful when you’re not emotionally involved in the game, they can be incredibly fun to watch.

Here’s a look at 12 of the best comebacks in college football history. Consideration was given for the size of deficit overcome, as well as the importance of the game. Every game covered here involved a deficit of at least 20 points.

12. 1989: Ohio State 41, Minnesota 37

Nick Ut/Associated Press

John Cooper had a very successful run as Ohio State's head coach.

John Cooper never seemed to win the biggest games as Ohio State’s head coach, but he won plenty of games regardless. One of the most impressive was a 1989 game at Minnesota. That day in the Metrodome, Buckeye mistakes helped Minnesota build a 31-0 lead.

But Golden Gopher mistakes sparked the Buckeyes’ run, and they scored 18 points by the third quarter’s end, cutting the lead to 31-18.

A Carlos Snow touchdown and two-point conversion cut the lead to 34-26 with 11:24 left, but Minnesota added a field goal, pushing the lead back to 11 points. However, Ohio State scored the game’s final two touchdowns, including the winning score with 15 seconds left, for a stunning 41-37 win. At the time, it tied for the largest comeback in Division I-A history.

11. 2010: Kansas 52, Colorado 45

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

Kansas pulled off a shocking comeback against Colorado in November 2010.

The 2010 editions of Colorado and Kansas football were nothing to write home about. But Kansas fans who were in attendance for a November 2010 home game against the Buffaloes will never forget what they saw.

With 11:05 remaining, it looked like Colorado was rolling to a blowout win in a forgettable season for KU coach Turner Gill, holding a 45-17 lead over the Jayhawks. But Kansas started scoring and just kept going. A Jonathan Wilson 38-yard touchdown reception cut the lead to 45-31, and Tyler Patmon’s 28-yard fumble recovery and return trimmed the lead to seven points with 7:12 remaining.

Just 43 seconds later, Patmon intercepted a Colorado pass, setting up James Sims’ six-yard, game-tying touchdown run with 4:30 remaining.

Sims rumbled 28 yards with 52 seconds left for the game-winning touchdown. Kansas scored a program-record 35 points in the fourth quarter, handing Colorado a stunning defeat. Gill’s KU tenure proved disastrous, but he’ll never forget that comeback.

10. 1994: Florida 31, Florida State 31

A tie can be a frustrating result, but that certainly wasn’t the case for Florida State in November 1994. The Seminoles entered their regular-season finale against rival and fellow top-10 team Florida with hopes of a 10-win regular season, but those hopes looked dim entering the fourth quarter.

Florida held a 31-3 lead and appeared likely to clinch its own 10-win season. But as the Gators turned to a conservative attack, FSU and quarterback Danny Kanell hurried up. They scored a pair of touchdowns to cut the deficit to 31-17 with 10:17 left, and they just kept going.

A Kanell touchdown run made the score 31-24 with just over five minutes left, and a James Colzie interception gave FSU the ball back at the Florida 40. A Rock Preston four-yard touchdown run pulled the Seminoles within 31-30 with 1:45 to play, and Bobby Bowden elected to kick for the tie rather than go for two points and the win (college football didn’t have overtime at that time).

It was successful, and although the game ended with Florida State holding the ball at the Florida 43, the Seminoles were euphoric about a stunning, shocking tie. The game is now known as the Choke at Doak. As Keith Niebuhr of the St. Petersburg Times wrote, it remains one of the most memorable games in rivalry history.

"It was like two separate games," Florida center David Swain said in 2004. "Ten years later and you still can't believe it."

9. 2000 Outback Bowl: Georgia 28, Purdue 25

STEVE NESIUS/Associated Press

Georgia put together a stunning comeback in the 2000 Outback Bowl.

Drew Brees has enjoyed plenty of amazing moments in his long, illustrious football career. The 2000 Outback Bowl is not one of them. Early in the second quarter, Purdue held a 25-0 lead over Georgia, but it all fell apart.

Quincy Carter led Georgia to a stunning comeback, connecting with Randy McMichael for an eight-yard touchdown pass to tie the game with 1:19 remaining. He completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards on the day. In overtime, Purdue missed a field goal, and Hap Hines kicked a 21-yard field goal to complete the stunning comeback for a 28-25 Georgia win. At the time, it was the largest comeback in bowl history.

8. 2001 GMAC Bowl: Marshall 64, East Carolina 61

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One of Byron Leftwich's greatest moments came in the 2001 GMAC Bowl.

While at Marshall, Byron Leftwich led one of the nation’s most prolific offenses. In the 2001 GMAC Bowl, he and East Carolina quarterback David Garrard put on a show for the entire nation to see. Well, after Marshall gave the Pirates a head start.

East Carolina led Marshall 38-8 at halftime, but the Thundering Herd scored 28 third-quarter points, including a pair of interception returns for touchdowns. Marshall eventually tied the game with seven seconds left when Leftwich found Darius Watts for an 11-yard leaping touchdown grab.

The Herd could’ve won in regulation, but they missed the extra point. That just set the stage for more overtime fireworks.

East Carolina led 61-58 in the second overtime when Leftwich connected with Josh Davis for an eight-yard, game-winning touchdown. He finished with 576 yards passing, and the teams combined for the highest-scoring bowl game in college history.

7. 1992: Clemson 29, Virginia 28

Ken Hatfield wasn’t one of Clemson’s most memorable coaches, but a 1992 day at Virginia gave Hatfield a day to savor. An unbeaten and No. 10 Virginia team built a 28-0 second-quarter lead on the then-No. 25 Tigers, but they were just getting started.

Quarterback Louis Solomon sparked Clemson off the bench, and a trio of second-half rushing touchdowns pulled the Tigers within 28-26 with 5:31 remaining. Nelson Welch nailed a 32-yard field goal with 55 seconds left, and Clemson had a stunning 29-28 win—its biggest comeback victory in program history.

“The Lord’s still in the miracle business,” Hatfield said, according to a story from Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun.

6. 2006 Insight Bowl: Texas Tech 44, Minnesota 41

On paper, the 2006 Insight Bowl looked eminently forgettable. Instead, it turned out to be a night Texas Tech, Minnesota and especially coach Glen Mason would never forget. Midway through the third quarter, the game looked like an afterthought. Minnesota held a 38-7 lead. But the Gophers wouldn’t score again in regulation, and Mike Leach’s passing offense was just getting going.

A comeback led by prolific quarterback Graham Harrell cut the lead to 38-35 with under two minutes left, and Tech got the ball back one last time, tying the game as time expired on Alex Trlica’s 52-yard field goal.

Minnesota scored a field goal in overtime, but Shannon Woods’ three-yard touchdown run gave Tech a stunning 44-41 overtime victory. Harrell finished with 445 yards and two touchdowns. It wound up being the final straw for Mason at Minnesota; the Golden Gophers fired him two days later.

5. 1980 Holiday Bowl: BYU 46, SMU 45

Entering the 1980 Holiday Bowl, BYU had no bowl wins in program history. And with just four minutes left, that streak looked destined to continue. An SMU touchdown pushed the Mustangs lead to 45-25. But fiery quarterback Jim McMahon and the Cougars weren’t ready to roll over.

BYU scored a quick touchdown and recovered the onside kick, then marched right back down the field, finishing the drive with a one-yard Scott Phillips touchdown run. The two-point conversion cut the lead to 45-39.

SMU had the ball with 1:57 left, but it couldn’t quite run out the clock and was forced to punt. Miraculously, BYU defensive back Bill Schoepflin blocked the punt with 13 seconds left, giving the Cougars one last chance at the SMU 41.

Following a pair of incomplete passes, McMahon threw a Hail Mary pass to Clay Brown, who pulled down the pass to tie the game with no time remaining. BYU’s extra point gave the Cougars a truly shocking 46-45 win, a game BYU fans call the Miracle Bowl.

4. 1984: Maryland 42, Miami 40

Most fans remember Doug Flutie’s famous “Hail Flutie” touchdown pass to help Boston College stun Miami 47-45 in November 1984. Flutie’s fling was painful, but it wasn’t the worst comeback the Hurricanes absorbed that season. Far from it.

Two weeks earlier, Maryland pulled off what was then the biggest comeback in NCAA history, erasing a 31-0 halftime deficit for a shocking 42-40 win. Led by Frank Reich, the Terrapins scored on six consecutive possessions. A 68-yard tipped-pass-and-run score by Greg Hill gave Maryland a 35-34 lead late in the fourth quarter.

The Terps added another touchdown, but Miami wasn’t done. The Hurricanes scored with a minute left and went for a game-tying two-point conversion, but Keeta Covington tackled Melvin Bratton to seal the win and the amazing comeback.

3. 2006: Michigan State 41, Northwestern 38

M. SPENCER GREEN/Associated Press

Michigan State pulled off the biggest comeback in college history, stunning Northwestern 41-38.

It looked like just your average Big Ten blowout. In late October 2006, a struggling Northwestern team took a 38-3 third-quarter lead on a Michigan State program that entered Evanston riding a four-game losing streak. The rest? NCAA Division I history.

Michigan State got back in the game with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns, but it still trailed 38-17 entering the final period. Northwestern was poised to extend the lead to 45-17, but Wildcat quarterback C.J. Bacher was intercepted in the MSU end zone. Instead, Michigan State’s Devin Thomas blocked a punt on Northwestern’s next possession and cut the lead to 38-24.

A Drew Stanton 12-yard touchdown run cut the lead to 38-31 with 7:54 left, and Stanton’s nine-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Williams tied the game with 3:43 remaining. Following Travis Key’s interception, Brett Swenson’s 28-yard field goal won the game with 13 seconds remaining.

It was a 41-38 Michigan State win, and the largest comeback in FBS history.

2. 2010: Auburn 28, Alabama 27

In the state of Alabama, the Iron Bowl is always meaningful. Every year, the state grinds to a halt for three hours while Alabama and Auburn conduct their annual blood feud. Careers are made and lost in the Iron Bowl. For Auburn and Cam Newton, the 2010 Iron Bowl is one that will never be forgotten.

Auburn entered the game with an 11-0 record, looking to solidify its hopes at a national title berth. Alabama entered with a 20-game home win streak but, with a 9-2 record, was essentially playing spoiler. Early on, the Crimson Tide looked as if they would do just that, building a 21-0 lead and a 314-2 edge in total yards.

But Newton wouldn’t go so easily. His 36-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake got Auburn on the board, and a 70-yard touchdown bomb to Terrell Zachery less than a minute into the third quarter cut the lead to 24-14.

A Newton one-yard run brought Auburn within a field goal, and his seven-yard touchdown pass to Philip Lutzenkirchen gave the Tigers the lead for good with 11:55 left.

The Tigers held on for a 28-27 win, clinching a 12-0 regular season that kept them on the road for a BCS National Championship. It was a Friday afternoon Auburn fans will never forget. For Bama fans, it was truly Black Friday.

1. 1979 Cotton Bowl: Notre Dame 35, Houston 34

During a Hall of Fame career, Joe Montana built a reputation for high-profile comebacks with the San Francisco 49ers. But for those who followed his college career, this was nothing new. Montana provided a preview of his clutch abilities in the 1979 Cotton Bowl.

With the city of Dallas encased in ice following a horrible ice storm, the Cotton Bowl was played in freezing conditions, and Montana felt it. Houston built a 34-12 lead after three quarters, and Montana’s body temperature dipped to 96 degrees, with the Fighting Irish training staff feeding him chicken soup to stay warm.

It worked. Montana keyed a stunning comeback over the final 7:37, and Notre Dame rallied for a 35-34 win. The Fighting Irish pulled within two touchdowns on a blocked punt returned for a score and a two-point conversion, and Montana’s two-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion cut the lead to 34-28 with 4:15 remaining.

Houston elected to go for it at its own 29 with under a minute to play, and Notre Dame stuffed the Cougars, giving Montana one last chance. He converted, throwing an eight-yard touchdown pass to Kris Haines as time expired. The extra point gave Notre Dame and Montana a most improbable victory.