25 Best College Football Games from 2015 Season
It’s hard to believe, but the 2015 college football regular season is over. Navy’s thrilling 21-17 win over Army put the capper on a thrilling regular season, and 40 bowl games plus the national title game are all that remain this year.
It has been a fun year, with a lot of great moments, upsets and unexpected heroes. Why not take some time to look back at the year? As we roll into bowl season, here’s a look at the top 25 games of 2015. Games were ranked for their quality of play, excitement level and their significance to the larger national picture. Here we go:
25. Ohio State 42, Virginia Tech 24
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The final game of the regular season’s first week was its most anticipated. No. 1 Ohio State won the 2014 national title after running the table following an early-season home defeat to Virginia Tech, and the Buckeyes headed to Blacksburg for a Labor Day rematch with the Hokies.
Who would line up under center for the Buckeyes? Would it be Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett? How would Urban Meyer’s team handle Lane Stadium’s raucous environment?
Jones got the start, but it wasn’t a smooth one for Ohio State, which trailed 17-14 at halftime. The Buckeyes needed a big game from another quarterback, and they got it from Braxton Miller. The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, playing his first game at wide receiver, had two huge touchdowns, a 54-yard dash down the sideline and a 53-yard catch-and-run that featured an amazing spin move.
Ohio State pulled away for a 42-24 win. It was the first but not the last in a string of tougher-than-expected outings for the Buckeyes, who walked a tightrope all season. Miller was largely a non-factor in the offense, reaching the end zone only twice more in his next 11 games.
24. Michigan State 31, Oregon 28
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One year ago, Michigan State’s trip to Oregon ended in disappointment for the Spartans and launched Marcus Mariota’s Heisman Trophy campaign in the Ducks’ 46-27 comeback win. So Oregon’s return visit was clearly marked on the Spartans’ calendar.
With Mariota gone to the NFL and new starter Vernon Adams in his place, the Spartans held the edge. Michigan State built a 31-21 fourth-quarter lead before Adams’ 15-yard touchdown pass to Byron Marshall drew Oregon within a field goal.
Oregon’s final drive reached the MSU 33, and Adams had Marshall open but overthrew him. He was then sacked for a 10-yard loss before his final pass went incomplete. It was a tenuous night, but the Spartans had a resume-building win for their eventual College Football Playoff run.
23. Michigan 29, Minnesota 26
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Minnesota named Tracy Claeys its full-time head coach on Nov. 11, replacing Jerry Kill, who retired for health reasons. But it’s a good thing the Gophers gave him plenty of time to find himself. Because his first outing as the interim head coach was awfully questionable.
The Gophers were hosting rival Michigan and playing for the “Little Brown Jug” trophy. Michigan took a 29-26 lead on Wilton Speight’s touchdown toss to Jehu Chesson with less than five minutes to play, but the Gophers had one final chance.
Minnesota drove inside the Michigan 1-yard line with two seconds remaining. A chip-shot field goal would’ve sent the game to overtime, at home. Instead, Claeys elected to have quarterback Mitch Leidner sneak in for the win.
The Michigan defense stuffed Leidner, and the Wolverines took a head-scratching victory. Minnesota finished 5-7 and made a bowl game only thanks to an NCAA waiver that allowed sub-.500 teams to fill the 80-team bowl quota.
22. Stanford 30, Washington State 28
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For both Stanford and Washington State, 2015 was a resurgent season. The Cardinal won the Pac-12 for the third time in four years (with 2014’s 8-5 record an outlier), and the Cougars rallied from a 3-9 season to an 8-4 record and Sun Bowl bid.
The Pac-12 North rivals played a scintillating game on Halloween. Washington State grabbed a 15-3 lead early in the second half and, despite a Stanford rally, led 28-27 with five minutes and eight seconds left. But quarterback Luke Falk was intercepted by Quenton Meeks with 3:27 left, which set up Conrad Ukropina’s go-ahead 19-yard field goal with 1:54 left.
Washington State had one last drive, but kicker Erik Powell, who’d made five field goals on the night, missed wide from 43 yards as time expired.
21. Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37
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Alabama has made both editions of the College Football Playoff. And both seasons have one thing in common: a comeback following an early-season loss to Ole Miss. Ole Miss and the Crimson Tide played one of the season’s wildest games in the third week of the season, with the No. 15 Rebels taking a 43-37 upset over the No. 2 Crimson Tide.
It was an uncharacteristically sloppy game for Alabama, which committed five turnovers. Ole Miss turned them into 24 points. Rebels QB Chad Kelly threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns, including one of the strangest plays of the season.
In the third quarter, Kelly was swarmed by a group of Alabama defenders, and he threw up a prayer. The ball deflected high into the air and came down in Quincy Adeboyejo’s hands, who raced 66 yards for a stunning touchdown.
Despite the loss, Alabama found its starting quarterback. Jake Coker replaced starter Cooper Bateman with a 30-10 deficit and nearly brought the Tide all the way back before a pair of late Ole Miss defensive stands. It was Ole Miss’ first win in Tuscaloosa since 1988. But the upset clearly woke up the Tide, who haven't been defeated since.
20. Cal 48, Arizona State 46
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The Pac-12 has a reputation for wild late-night games, and this season only perpetuated it. The final Saturday of the league’s regular season provided one of the best examples. While Arizona State and Cal had average seasons, their matchup was an off-the-radar classic.
Cal trailed the Sun Devils by 21 points midway through the second quarter but found an offensive groove behind star quarterback Jared Goff. The Bears outscored Arizona State 38-19 in the second half, and Goff threw for a program single-game record of 542 yards and five touchdowns.
The back-and-forth fourth quarter featured five lead changes, with ASU taking a 46-45 lead with 2:37 left on Raymond Epps’ four-yard touchdown catch.
But Cal wasn’t done. The Bears methodically moved into position, covering 69 yards on nine plays. Kicker Matt Anderson nailed a 26-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Bears their first seven-win season since 2011.
19. Tennessee 38, Georgia 31
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When Mark Richt was fired by Georgia despite a 9-3 season, some eyebrows were raised. But a third consecutive season without an SEC East title wasn’t good enough for UGA officials, and games like Tennessee's 38-31 over Georgia ultimately spelled his doom.
The Bulldogs built a 24-3 lead in the second quarter, but Tennessee put together an excellent rally behind Joshua Dobbs’ leadership.
Dobbs’ two-yard pass to Aaron Medley gave Tennessee a 31-24 lead late in the third quarter, and Greyson Lambert’s 48-yard pass to Reggie Davis on the first play of the fourth quarter tied the game.
But Tennessee responded with an eight-play, 78-yard drive capped by Dobbs’ five-yard touchdown run with 2:57 remaining. Defenders broke up Lambert’s final-play pass in the Tennessee end zone, and the Vols hung on for a big win.
It was the third-largest deficit UT had ever overcome in a victory, and it was a very damaging game for Georgia. The Bulldogs lost standout tailback Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury on the game’s first offensive play.
18. Oklahoma 31, Tennessee 24 (2 OT)
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Following a disappointing 8-5 season that led to an offensive revamp, Oklahoma hoped to show it had made progress. The Sooners’ first test? Sept. 12’s visit to a rising Tennessee program. It didn’t start well. The Volunteers built a 17-0 second-quarter lead and trailed 17-3 as the fourth quarter began.
Then, new starting quarterback Baker Mayfield worked some magic. He completed 11 of 14 passes for 103 yards with three touchdowns the rest of the way. His five-yard touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard with 40 seconds remaining forced overtime, and another 18-yard toss to Shepard gave OU the lead for good in double overtime. OU took a 31-24 double-OT win and got a huge confidence boost in the process.
17. Cal 45, Texas 44
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Texas appeared snakebit first month of the season. The Longhorns lost a pair of games following late special teams errors, but the one that will stick with Charlie Strong and his roster the longest is likely a loss to Cal.
Cal led the Longhorns 45-24 after three quarters, but Texas roared back with a trio of fourth-quarter scores. The third, a 45-yard Jerrod Heard run up the middle of the field, left the score 45-44 with 1:11 left. All that was left was an extra point from normally reliable kicker Nick Rose. Easy, right?
Nope.
Rose pushed the extra point wide right, ruining an incredible comeback and a great effort from Heard. Heard accounted for 527 yards of total offense (364 through the air and 163 on the ground), becoming the first UT quarterback to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game since Colt McCoy did so in 2009.
16. Notre Dame 34, Virginia 27
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Notre Dame was significantly improved from 2014, deeper and more experienced. A Week 2 trip to Virginia showed the No. 9 Irish had improved, but it really tested their depth. Quarterback Malik Zaire claimed the starting role after former starter Everett Golson transferred, and he was excellent in a season-opening rout of Texas.
But that joy would be short-lived after he broke his ankle against the Cavaliers, ending his season. Notre Dame led the Cavaliers 26-14, but Albert Reid’s one-yard touchdown run with 1:57 left gave UVA a stunning 27-26 lead.
It was up to backup DeShone Kizer to finish the job, and he did just that. Kizer found a streaking Will Fuller open down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown with 12 seconds remaining, giving the Irish a 34-27 victory and another close-but-not-quite loss for soon-to-be-former UVA coach Mike London.
15. Clemson 24, Notre Dame 22
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Notre Dame and Clemson don’t get together very often. When the Fighting Irish visited Clemson on Oct. 3rd, it was their first visit to Death Valley since 1977. In other words, it was highly anticipated, and not even a monsoon that brought flooding rains to South Carolina could dampen 82,000 fans’ enthusiasm for an epic showdown.
And the game lived up to the hype. The Tigers built a 21-3 lead and held on for dear life in a driving rainstorm. Clemson led 24-9 with 10:56 remaining before the Irish put together one last rally. DeShone Kizer’s three-yard run cut the lead to 24-16 with 9:03 remaining. And with seven seconds left, Kizer’s one-yard pass to Torii Hunter Jr. made it 24-22.
Notre Dame needed a two-point conversion to tie, but defensive tackle Carlos Watkins stuffed Kizer on a running play, and a soaked Clemson team hung on for a wild win. It was a cornerstone performance of the Tigers’ run to the College Football Playoff, and one of the most impressive wins of the season overall.
14. TCU 52, Kansas State 45
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At times this season, defense was optional for TCU. So the Horned Frogs had to lean heavily on senior quarterback Trevone Boykin, which he was just fine with. Kansas State learned that the hard way. The Wildcats built a 35-17 halftime lead on the Horned Frogs, the most points TCU had given up in a half since 2004.
In the second half, TCU did get a spark from its defense, thanks to Derrick Kindred’s pick-six of Joe Hubener. Boykin’s 69-yard touchdown run gave the Frogs a 45-42 lead with 6:07 left. A Kansas State field goal tied the game at 45, and then it was Boykin’s turn again.
With 1:10 remaining, he hooked up with standout receiver Josh Doctson for a 55-yard touchdown and, ultimately, a 52-45 victory. Boykin finished with 301 yards passing and two touchdowns, as well as 124 yards rushing and two scores on the ground.
13. Michigan State 17, Ohio State 14
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All season long, Michigan State-Ohio State was expected to be the best game of the Big Ten season. The late-November showdown pitted the last two league champions against each other, and they entered with one loss between them. It lived up to the billing, and then some, coming down to the final play.
Michigan State played without senior standout quarterback Connor Cook, who missed the game with a shoulder injury. Backup Tyler O’Connor threw for just 89 yards and a touchdown, but the Spartan defense held Ohio State to just 132 yards. The Buckeyes scored both of their touchdowns following MSU turnovers.
The Spartans tied the game at 14 on Gerald Holmes’ two-yard touchdown run with 12:03 left, and after getting the ball back with 4:07 remaining, they drained the rest of the clock on a nine-play drive that covered 25 yards. Michael Geiger nailed a 41-yard field goal on the game’s final play for a 17-14 victory.
Ohio State’s 23-game win streak was over, and the Big Ten had a new big dog.
12. Michigan State 16, Iowa 13
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Iowa began the season well off of the national radar. The Hawkeyes ultimately stood one quarter away from crashing the College Football Playoff party, but one of the season’s most epic drives kept them out and pushed Michigan State into the playoff.
Michigan State began the fourth quarter of the Big Ten Championship with a 9-6 lead, but C.J. Beathard turned the game on its ear on the quarter’s first play. He connected with Tevaun Smith for a stunning 85-yard touchdown, giving the Hawkeyes a 13-9 lead.
But Michigan State wasn’t done. The Spartans took the ball back with 9:31 and put together a methodical march down the field. It covered 22 plays and erased 9:04 from the clock (the longest drive in the Big Ten season). It featured four third-down conversions and a fourth-down conversion (Connor Cook’s two-yard run on 4th-and-2 from the Iowa 5-yard line).
L.J. Scott’s lunge into the end zone with 27 seconds capped off the drive and gave the Spartans a 16-13 victory. It was a drive those in East Lansing and Iowa City will never forget, for vastly different reasons.
11. Duke 45, Virginia Tech 43 (4 OT)
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Duke isn’t known as an ACC football power, but the Blue Devils have become a consistent force in the league under David Cutcliffe’s watch. Games such as their Oct. 24 visit to Blacksburg are a big reason why. Virginia Tech boasts one of the nation’s most intimidating environments, but Duke wasn’t frightened.
Regulation ended in a 24-24 tie, and the game just kept going, and going, and going. The teams first traded field goals, and then touchdowns, and then field goals again, with the game tied 37-37 after three overtimes.
Teams are forced to go for two-point conversions following touchdowns after the second overtime, and after Virginia Tech scored to take a 43-37 lead in the fourth overtime, Michael Brewer’s two-point pass attempt was broken up.
Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk connected with Erich Schneider for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play of the Devils’ possession and then ran the ball in for the winning two-point try. It ended the longest game in ACC football history.
10. Houston 35, Memphis 34
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Tom Herman enjoyed a special first season at Houston’s helm. The Cougars finished at 12-1 and as American Athletic Conference champions, and they earned the Group of Five spot in the New Year’s Six bowls with a Peach Bowl date against Florida State as a reward.
They’d never have done it without an impressive rally for a 35-34 win over Memphis. The Cougars lost standout quarterback Greg Ward Jr. to an injury but still managed to erase a 20-point deficit behind backup Kyle Postma.
Memphis began the fourth quarter in excellent shape, leading 34-14. Kenneth Farrow’s 10-yard touchdown run cut the lead to 34-20. Javin Webb’s five-yard run and subsequent two-point conversion left Houston within six points (34-28) with 5:49 to play.
And Postma finished the rally with a seven-yard touchdown run with 1:27 left, giving the Cougars a surprising 35-34 lead. Memphis had one final chance, but Jake Elliott’s 48-yard field goal try sailed wide with 19 seconds left.
9. Michigan 48, Indiana 41 (2 OT)
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Michigan fashioned an impressive 9-3 record in Jim Harbaugh’s first season at the helm. The Wolverines were mentally tough this fall, and a double-overtime victory at Indiana serves as a shining example.
Michigan was far from its best, especially on defense. Jordan Howard’s 24-yard touchdown run gave the Hoosiers a 34-27 lead with 2:52 remaining. But quarterback Jake Rudock guided the Wolverines down the field and found Jehu Chesson for a touchdown on the game’s final play to force overtime at 34-all.
He answered the Hoosiers’ touchdown on the first possession of overtime with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jake Butt.
And after Rudock hooked up with Amara Darboh for a 25-yard touchdown in double-OT, the Wolverines’ D finally made a stand to win the game. Rudock finished with 440 yards passing and six touchdowns against one interception. He’ll spend only one season in Michigan’s program following a graduate transfer from Iowa, but he has proved himself invaluable to the Wolverines’ turnaround.
8. Oklahoma 30, TCU 29
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Even without star quarterback Trevone Boykin, TCU gave Oklahoma everything it wanted, and then some.
For much of their late-November Big 12 showdown, Oklahoma appeared to have the game well in hand. OU led TCU 30-13 in the fourth quarter. But the Horned Frogs and backup quarterback Bram Kohlhausen weren’t done just yet. Kohlhausen found KaVontae Turpin for an 86-yard touchdown with 8:59 left to cut the lead to 10 points, and a field goal made the score 30-23.
With 51 seconds left, Kohlhausen connected with Emanuel Porter for a 14-yard touchdown pass. But rather than tie and play for overtime, Gary Patterson elected to go for two and the win. Steven Parker knocked away Kohlhausen’s pass, and OU held on for the win and stayed on its path to the Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth.
7. TCU 55, Texas Tech 52
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TCU began the season as a strong College Football Playoff contender, but defensive injuries and inexperience ultimately kept the Horned Frogs from claiming a playoff spot. But Gary Patterson’s bunch still finished 10-2, a testament to the strength of its offense keyed by senior quarterback Trevone Boykin.
One of the best examples was the Frogs’ Sept. 27 date with Texas Tech. TCU’s defense struggled against the Red Raiders’ pass attack led by Patrick Mahomes, who threw for 392 yards and accounted for three touchdowns. But Boykin was better.
Tech took a 52-48 lead on Mahomes’ 50-yard touchdown pass to Justin Stockton with 5:55 left, and the Frogs took over for their final possession with 2:53 remaining. That was more than enough time. He guided TCU inside the Tech 5-yard line, facing a 4th-and-goal with 23 seconds remaining. Boykin’s pass was tipped right into tailback Aaron Green’s hands, and he got a foot in the back of the end zone for a wild score.
Boykin threw for 485 yards and four touchdowns, while receiver Josh Doctson had 18 receptions for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
Tech didn’t give up. On a final, untimed down following a TCU defensive penalty, a series of pitches and laterals brought the ball to the TCU 10 before a defender pushed Jakeem Grant out of bounds. It stood as one of the season’s wildest endings.
6. Georgia Tech 22, Florida State 16
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Roberto Aguayo is one of the nation’s most reliable kickers, a guy who’ll surely have a fruitful NFL career. So when Aguayo lined up for a 56-yard field goal with Florida State tied 16-16 with Georgia Tech and six seconds remaining in the game, the Seminoles surely felt pretty good about their chances.
At worst, they were headed to overtime. Or not. Aguayo’s low kick was blocked by Patrick Gamble, and Lance Austin picked it up at the 22-yard line. He raced 78 yards for a winding score and a stunning 22-16 victory.
Georgia Tech handed Florida State only its second loss in three seasons and snapped the Seminoles’ 29-game win streak against ACC foes. The Yellow Jackets wouldn’t win again the rest of the season, but they had one heck of a memory from a lost 3-9 campaign, and Florida State was left to wonder what went wrong.
5. Stanford 38, Notre Dame 36
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Stanford’s regular-season finale against Notre Dame was, for all intents and purposes, a College Football Playoff elimination game. And both teams knew it. The top-10 showdown at Stanford Stadium pitted a pair of rivals that badly wanted to be part of the playoff, and the game came down to one final kick.
Stanford held a 35-29 fourth-quarter lead until Notre Dame put together a 15-play, 88-yard drive that covered 6:18, capped by DeShone Kizer’s two-yard touchdown run with 30 seconds to play.
That was just enough time for Kevin Hogan and the Cardinal. Hogan’s 27-yard pass to Devon Cajuste got Stanford in field-goal range, and Conrad Ukropina nailed a 45-yard field goal as time expired.
Neither team made the playoff, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort.
4. Nebraska 39, Michigan State 38
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Mike Riley had a highly disappointing first season at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers finished 5-7 and only qualified for a bowl thanks to an NCAA waiver after there were less than the 80 six-win teams needed to fill out the 40-bowl roster. But he’ll always have a magical night against College Football Playoff qualifier Michigan State.
The Cornhuskers trailed 38-26 with less than five minutes to play, but then Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. went to work. Armstrong’s rushing touchdown with 1:47 left cut the lead to 38-33.
Then Michigan State went three-and-out, but its punt pinned Nebraska at its own 9-yard line. No matter. Armstrong connected with Jordan Westerkamp for gains of 28 and 33 yards. With 17 seconds left, he threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Reilly.
Replays appeared to show that Reilly had stepped out of bounds before coming back in to make the catch, but officials said he’d been forced out by corner Jermaine Edmondson, handing Nebraska a wild upset of the then-No. 7 Spartans.
It was Michigan State’s only loss of the season and a huge accomplishment in an otherwise down year for Nebraska.
3. Arkansas 53, Ole Miss 52 (OT)
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Ole Miss will compete in a New Year’s Six bowl game for the second consecutive season, taking on Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl. But games like the Rebels’ matchup with Arkansas probably leave Hugh Freeze and Co. wondering what they left on the table.
Arkansas stunned the Rebels with one of the wildest finishes you’ll ever see.
Arkansas trailed 45-38 with under a minute to play, but Brandon Allen’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Dominique Reed tied the game with 53 seconds left, forcing overtime.
Ole Miss scored on its first overtime possession for a 52-45 lead. Arkansas was in serious trouble, facing a 4th-and-25 at the Rebels 40-yard line on its possession. Allen threw to tight end Hunter Henry, who flung the ball backward. Tailback Alex Collins picked it up and ran 31 yards to the Ole Miss 11. He fumbled, but Reed recovered.
Arkansas cashed in for a nine-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Drew Morgan, and Bret Bielema elected to go for two. Its first try failed, but an Ole Miss facemask penalty gave the Hogs another shot.
This time, Allen ran the ball in for a stunning 53-52 victory.
2. Miami 30, Duke 27
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Miami-Duke is hardly a classic football rivalry. But the way their Halloween night matchup ended will never be forgotten. Miami pulled off one of the greatest endings in college football history—and as it turned out, one of its most controversial.
Thomas Sirk’s touchdown sneak gave Duke a 27-24 lead with six seconds left. And then the real fun began. All the Blue Devils had to do was kick off to the Hurricanes, and Miami almost certainly wouldn’t have time to run a play.
So, of course, Miami returner Dallas Crawford picked up a squib kick at his own 25. He tossed it to Corn Elder, who flipped it to teammate Jaquan Johnson. Johnson lateraled to Mark Walton, who then flipped it back to Johnson.
Johnson tossed it to Tyre Brady, who threw it back to Elder, and Elder tossed it back to Crawford. Crawford then finally tossed it back to Elder, who ran down the left sideline before finding a seam across the middle of the field at the Duke 40 and into the end zone for a stunning touchdown.
One problem: A flag at the Miami 25, tossed on Walton for a clip of Breon Borders. But after huddling, officials ruled that the block was in the side, not in the back. In addition, replay showed that Walton’s knee was down before he released one of the laterals, but the call was not reversed.
The ACC officiating crew was suspended for two games for their transgressions, but the play won’t be reversed. It’ll live on as an all-time crazy finish.
1. Michigan State 27, Michigan 23
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Jim Harbaugh authored an excellent debut season at Michigan, going from 5-7 to 9-3, but he and Wolverine fans know it could have been even better. And that has to hurt.
On October 17, the Wolverines were on the verge of a huge victory over rival Michigan State. Michigan held a 23-21 lead, and all Harbaugh’s team had to do to seal the win was get off a final punt. If only it were that easy.
The snap to Michigan punter Blake O’Neill was low, and O’Neill bobbled it. He spun to attempt the kick but was met by a host of Spartans, and the ball came loose. Michigan State’s Jalen Watts-Jackson snagged the ball and raced 38 yards to the end zone for a most improbable final-play touchdown and a stunning 27-23 victory for the No. 7 Spartans over the No. 12 Wolverines.
"I don't know what you say about that," Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said, per Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press. "You go from 10 seconds (left) and a guy punting the ball and you're thinking, 'This is done,' and all the sudden, life gets flipped upside down."
It was the first time an FBS game had ended on the final play of a defensive or special teams score with no time left since the famous Iron Bowl “Kick Six” game in November 2013. Watts-Jackson suffered a dislocated hip in the ensuing pileup and celebration, but it was worth it. Without this game, the Spartans wouldn’t have made the College Football Playoff.
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