College Football: 41 Great Games We Wish We Had Attended

We've all seen a few great games on TV before.

Others of us have been fortunate enough to be in the stadium for some classic games.

What officially makes a game great is up for interpretation, but a few things are not up for debate.

- Some sort of historical moment occurs

- There's a great finish

- A championship is on the line

It doesn't have to cover all of these, but this is a good place to start.

Now let's look at 41 college football games that we all wished would have been in the stands to watch.

41. West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh (1975)

Before Bobby Bowden became a legend at Florida State, he was guiding West Virginia to some big wins.

Entering this game, though, Bowden needed a signature win and for Mountaineer fans in the 1970s nothing ranked higher than beating rival Pitt in the Backyard Brawl.

Tony Dorsett was the Panthers superstar running back and he lived up the billing as he ran for 107 yards and caught a touchdown pass.

The game looked like it was going to end in a 14-14 tie after the Mountaineers held Pitt late in the game. On fourth down, however, Pitt quarterback Matt Cavanaugh thought it was third down and got to the line of scrimmage before coach Johnny Majors and an assistant coach ran onto the field and were flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty.

That pushed the punter back even further, which allowed WVU to get the ball on the Pitt side of the field with 10 seconds remaining.

Quarterback Dan Kendra completed a pass down to the Pitt 22 with four seconds remaining, setting up kicker Bill McKenzie for a 38-yard attempt at the win. He booted it through as time expired for a 17-14 win.

It may have been before burning couches was popular, but they still partied in Morgantown.

40. Notre Dame vs. Houston (1979)

The weather was horrible in Dallas this day, so sitting in the stands may not be the best.

This game became known as the Chicken Soup Game at the Cotton Bowl.

Why?

Well, Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana was suffering from the flu and the freezing temperatures didn't help a bit. Montana struggled early, and needed warm liquids (including chicken soup) at halftime to get his body temperature up to normal levels.

Houston took a 34-12 lead late into the game. The Cougars were so confident they had put in their back ups.

While Montana was on the bench, he started to feel better, and he returned to lead a miraculous comeback.

The Irish cut the lead to 34-20 after returning a blocked punt 33 yards for a score.

Montana then led a 61-yard scoring drive to get Notre Dame within six of the Cougars.

With 34 seconds to play, Houston decided to run an offensive play on 4th-and-inches, but the Notre Dame defense stood tall and got the ball back at the Houston 29.

With two seconds remaining, a scrambling Montana hit Kris Haines in the corner of the end zone for the tying touchdown. Joe Unis' PAT sealed the win.

39. Tennessee vs. Florida State (1999)

It's not so much how great this game was, but more how Tennessee turned the tables on favored Florida State to win the first ever BCS Championship.

This was the first year after Peyton Manning led the Volunteers, and Tee Martin was not supposed to be the guy to lead UT to its first championship since 1951.

Wide receiver Peerless Price didn't make a ton of catches, but he made his four receptions count as he hauled one in for a 79-yard touchdown and another 76-yard catch set up a score. In all, he had 199 receiving yards.

Florida State struggled on offense because the inexperienced Marcus Outzen was playing in place of future Heisman winner Chris Weinke, who was out after neck surgery.

The Seminoles fought, but in the end, Tennessee was too much and won 23-16.

38. Marshall vs. East Carolina (2001)

Believe it or not, but East Carolina led the GMAC Bowl 38-8 at halftime.

However, Byron Leftwich led Marshall on an unbelievable comeback that included overtime.

East Carolina quarterback David Garrard had a great first half, but Marshall returned two interceptions in the third quarter and scored 28 points in the quarter.

In the end, Garrard couldn't match Marshall's Byron Leftwich, who finished with 576 passing yards.

The Herd tied the game at 51 when Leftwich connected with Darius Watts with seven seconds to play. But Marshall's kicker missed the PAT and the game went to overtime.

The two traded touchdowns in the first OT, but East Carolina could only muster a field goal in the second frame.

That was the opening that Leftwich needed, and he hit Watts again for a game-winning touchdown (64-61).

37. Miami vs. Maryland (1984)

On a sunny day at the Orange Bowl, Bernie Kosar guided Miami to a 31-0 halftime lead en route to what should have been a blow out.

Maryland didn't quit, though.

Instead, the Terrapins turned to former starting quarterback Frank Reich in the second half, and he led Maryland to one of the largest comebacks in NCAA history.

Maryland scored three touchdowns in the third quarter and got an early one in the fourth to make the game interesting, but the Hurricanes still led 34-28.

Reich completed the improbable comeback when he connected with Greg Hill on a 68-yard score. Maryland outscored Miami 42-9 in the second half for a 42-40 win.

36. Michigan vs. Alabama (2000)

Both Michigan and Alabama had enjoyed respectable seasons, but both fell short of their goals.

When they both arrived at the 2000 Orange Bowl it seems they were ready for good old-fashion shootout.

Running back Shaun Alexander was almost unstoppable as he scored three touchdowns. On the other side, receiver David Terrell caught three touchdown passes from Tom Brady.

In a game that didn't have much on the line, it was quickly becoming one of the best bowl games of the season.

With the game tied 28-28, Michigan drove into field goal range, but Hayden Epstein's 36-yard kick was blocked, and the game went into overtime.

The Wolverines struck first with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Shawn Thompson. Alabama was up to the challenge as Antonio Carter caught a 21-yard scoring strike to pull within one.

However, Alabama kicker Ryan Pflunger missed the PAT wide right and Michigan walked off with the crazy win, 35-34.

35. West Virginia vs. Georgia (2006)

If you hadn't heard of Pat White or Steve Slaton before this game, you certainly knew who they were afterward.

The SEC champions Georgia were the clear-cut favorites in this Sugar Bowl matchup. The Bulldogs had the experience and WVU was talented but young.

West Virginia didn't seem too fazed by all of that "SEC speed." In fact, Georgia learned real fast that it was the Mountaineers who had the speed.

Playing in Rich Rodriguez' up-tempo offense, WVU built a 28-0 lead and barely held on for a 38-35 win.

Slaton was the MVP after rushing for 204 yards and three touchdowns.

The game wasn't decided until the final minute of the game.Faced with a 4th-and-6 around midfield, Rodriguez made his gutsiest call of the night when he had punter Phil Brady take off running for a first down.

It kept the ball away from Georgia's potent offense, and the Mountaineers could run out the clock.

34. Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma (1957)

This 1950s classic did not have a lot of offensive fireworks to excite the average fan, but Notre Dame found a way to knock off Oklahoma and end the Sooners 47-game winning streak.

The Irish scored the only points of the game by marching 80 yards on the ground at the end of the game for a 7-0 win.

Would you like some affirmation of how good Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkerson was? This was just his ninth loss at OU since 1947.

Notre Dame limited Oklahoma's offense to 145 yards in Norman, Okla.

33. Pittsburgh vs. Georgia (1982)

The Sugar Bowl has been the site of some legendary games.

Here's another one pitting Pittsburgh against Georgia.

Herschel Walker led the Bulldogs with two touchdowns, while Dan Marino was nearly flawless as he threw two touchdowns for a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter.

Georgia regained the lead at 20-17 on Clarence Kay's eight-yard touchdown reception.

It appeared the Bulldogs were going to hold on for the win when they snuffed out a Pitt fake punt, but Georgia couldn't run out the clock.

Marino got one more shot, and he delivered. On fourth down and less than a minute to play, Pitt considered trying a 50-yard field goal for the tie.

Instead, the Panthers went for it, and Marino connected with tight end John Brown over the middle for a score and a 24-20 win.

32. Alabama vs. Auburn (1985)

The 50th anniversary of the Iron Bowl ended up being one of the best to date.

Auburn was ranked and had stud running back Bo Jackson, who scored two touchdowns to give the Tigers a 17-16 lead.

Alabama didn't waste much time as Gene Jelks busted loose for a 74-yard score with less than six minutes to play. However, the Tide didn't convert the two-point conversion and led 22-17.

Auburn methodically moved the ball down field grinding down the clock until the Tigers' Reggie Ware scored the go-ahead touchdown. Auburn didn't convert its two-point try, so the Tigers led 23-22.

Alabama quarterback Mike Shula struggled early in the final drive, but when it counted, he came through. He made a few key passes that set up a 50-yard field goal attempt by Van Tiffin.

He drilled the kick, his fourth of the day, for a 25-23 victory over rival Auburn.

31. Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech (1998)

Virginia Tech and Syracuse were the top two teams in the Big East in 1998.

Miami and West Virginia were down a bit, so this was the big game on the conference schedule.

The Orangemen were playing much better than the Hokies but still trailed 21-6 at halftime.

Syracuse, though, had the talented Donovan McNabb, and he guided the Orangemen to a 22-21 lead in the fourth quarter. But the two-point try was a disaster.

McNabb's pass was intercepted and returned almost to the end zone. Virginia Tech Loren Johnson fumbled the ball into the end zone, and it was recovered for two points giving the Hokies a 23-22 lead. Tech also added a field goal for a 26-22 lead late in the fourth.

McNabb, much like he had many times before, kept the late drive alive with his scrambling abilities.

With five seconds to play and 13 yards from the end zone, Syracuse ran a play that became associated with the program.

McNabb rolled right, but tight end Stephen Brominski ran a route to the opposite side of the end zone, and McNabb heaved a pass to him for the game-winning touchdown as the clock expired.

Syracuse wins 28-26.

The win sparked the Orangemen to the Big East title.

30. Arkansas vs. Kentucky (2003)

There would have been almost no way to predict that this Nov. 1, 2003, game between two middle of the pack SEC teams would be worthy attending.

But if you watched any of it on TV that night you'll remember it became an instant classic as neither team could better the other.

So it took seven overtimes (which is tied for the NCAA record), and the Razorbacks finally won 71-63.

Arkansas led pretty much the entire game, except for the final minutes when Kentucky tied the game at 24-24.

In overtime, the two teams piled up another 86 points.

The game finally ended when Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen fumbled the ball away on a quarterback sneak.

The game lasted almost five hours and didn't finish until 12:01 a.m. Nov. 2.

29. Oklahoma vs. Ohio State (1977)

More than 88,000 packed Ohio Stadium to watch the first ever meeting between the two storied programs.

If this game was played today, ESPN would have promoted this contest for a month and the Game Day crew would have camped out all week.

Ohio State was more experienced, but Barry Switzer's team came to Columbus ready to prove something.

The Sooners took a 20-0 lead behind the running of Elvis Peacock and Billy Sims. Of course, Ohio State fought back and scored 28 unanswered points to get the home crowd fired up again.

Another Peacock touchdown pulled the Sooners within two, but they couldn't score on the two-point conversion so Ohio State led 28-26.

Uwe Von Schamann's onside kick worked to perfection and the Sooners took possession at midfield. After the offense moved the ball to the OSU 24, Von Schamann returned to the field and nailed a 41-yard field goal for the big road win, 29-28.

28. Syracuse vs. Texas (1960)

Ernie Davis's first season starting for Syracuse was a year to remember.

The Orangemen earned a spot in the Cotton Bowl to take on highly touted Texas, who was actually a two-touchdown underdog.

Syracuse enjoyed a 15-0 lead at halftime, but Texas scored on its first possession of the second half when Bobby Lackey hit Jack Collins on a 69-yard touchdown pass.

Both teams added another score each and Syracuse won 23-14 in a game that was very physical and even included a on-field scuffle.

27. Colorado vs. Notre Dame (1991)

It was an Orange Bowl rematch for Colorado and Notre Dame as a year earlier the Irish ruined the Buffaloes' chances of a national title.

The game was a defensive struggle, but that doesn't mean it wasn't exciting.

With players like Eric Bienemy and Rocket Ismail on the field, you knew something big could happen at any moment.

Well, Colorado led 10-9 with about a minute to play, and the Buffaloes were forced to punt from mid-field.

With Ismail back to return the kick, it was expected that Colorado punter Tom Rouen would just kick it out of bounds or through the end zone and not give the nation's best returner a shot.

Instead, Ismail fielded the kick inside the 10 and blew past the Colorado defenders for what looked like a game-winning 91-yard score.

However, a Notre Dame blocker was called for a clipping penalty, and the run was erased and Colorado held on for a 10-9 win and a share of the national title.

26. Texas vs. Alabama (1965)

The Orange Bowl made its primetime debut with No. 1 Alabama taking on No. 3 Texas.

The Longhorns took a quick 14-0 lead behind a 79-yard Ernie Koy touchdown run and George Sauer's 69-yard reception. Koy finished with 133 yards.

The Crimson Tide were at a disadvantage because Joe Namath sat the early part of the game with a knee injury, however Bear Bryant put him after staking Texas to a two-touchdown lead.

Namath responded, but it wasn't enough.

He appeared to score the winning touchdown late, but the referees spotted the ball just short and Texas took over possession and won 21-17.

25. Utah vs. Alabama (2009)

Outside of the state of Utah, there aren't many people around the nation that really gave the undefeated Utes a shot in the Sugar Bowl.

However, Alabama wasn't overly motivated to play in this game after losing the SEC Championship to Florida.

Utah built a 21-0 lead en route to a 31-17 win over the Crimson Tide.

Alabama actually closed the gap to 21-17, but couldn't find the end zone again.

Utah quarterback Brian Johnson played a nearly flawless game. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns.

The Utes finished the season as the only undefeated team in the nation, but they finished No. 2 in both polls.

24. Miami vs. Florida State (1991)

This is one of many classic battles between Miami and Florida State, when both were routinely Top 5 programs.

In this game, FSU was No. 1 and Miami was No. 2.

Florida State led 10-7 at half following a Paul Moore one-yard run. The Seminoles added two more Gerry Thomas field goals for 16-7 advantage.

But this is a Miami-FSU game. The fireworks were still to come.

Miami took a 17-16 lead on a Carlos Huerta field goal and a Larry Jones' TD run.

The Seminoles got a chance to pull out the win at home as they took over the ball with a little more than three minutes to play.

FSU Casey Weldon guided a nice drive down the field and set up Thomas for his fourth field goal of the game. However, his kick sailed wide right and the Seminoles came up short again against Miami.

23. Auburn vs. Alabama (2010)

Alabama fans were pumped to put an end to the national championship run by Auburn and Cam Newton.

For a half, it looked like anyone who has ever said "Roll Tide" was going to get their wish.

However, Newton wanted nothing to do with it.

He quieted the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd by leading the Tigers back from a 24-0 hole to win 28-27 on the road.

No matter what you think of Newton, the guy was special on this day.

Just another great moment in Iron Bowl history.

22. USC vs. Ohio State (1975)

While neither offense accomplished much for three quarters (Ohio State led 7-3), the fourth quarter is when the fireworks began in the 1975 Rose Bowl.

In the final quarter, USC quarterback Pat Haden hit John K. McKay, the coach’s son, for a 38-yard touchdown. Still, Ohio State was clinging to a 17-16 lead.

USC chose to go for two and once again, Shelton Diggs hauled in a pass from Haden for an 18-17 win.

The Trojans corralled Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, which hurt the Buckeyes' chances of winning the Rose Bowl.

21. Clemson vs. Nebraska (1982)

Clemson entered the Orange Bowl game against Nebraska undefeated and No. 1 in the polls.

Nebraska was playing as good as anyone in the country, and the Cornhuskers had a shot at the national championship with a win. That shot was even greater after No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Alabama lost earlier in the day.

The Tigers led 12-7 at halftime and never lost the lead.

Clemson took a 22-7 lead into the final quarter, but Nebraska closed the gap to 22-15 when Roger Craig scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

The Cornhuskers got the ball one ore time but couldn't rally.

So with William "The Refrigerator" Perry on the defensive line, Clemson defeated Nebraska 22-15 to claim its first national championship.

20. Auburn vs. Alabama (1972)

This game has become known "Punt Bama Punt."

Bear Bryant's Alabama squad entered the game at 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Crimson Tide were also huge favorites against their rival.

Alabama built a 16-0 lead with 10 minutes to play.

Auburn finally got on the board with a field goal, but the Tiger fans were not happy with the choice to kick.

Alabama had to punt on its next possession and Auburn's Bill Newton blocked Greg Gantt's punt and Auburn's David Langner ran the ball back 25 yards for score.

Now the game was 16-10, and the Tigers were in striking distance.

Just a few minutes later, Alabama had its punt team on the field again. Somehow Newton blocked the punt again and Langner returned it for the tying touchdown. The extra point gave Auburn an unbelievable 17-16 win at Legion Field in Birmingham.

19. Michigan vs. Indiana (1979)

Indiana was supposed to be Michigan's homecoming patsy. But Lee Corso's 1979 team was ranked and talented.

The Hoosiers led at halftime 14-7 and had Michigan reeling after quarterback B.J. Dickey was injured. The Wolverines didn't abandon their running game and they scored two times to take a 21-14 lead.

With less than a minute to play in Ann Arbor, Indiana quarterback Tim Clifford found Dave Harangody for a three-yard touchdown pass to tie the game in front of a shocked Big House crowd.

It didn't look like Michigan's offense was going to do much and the game would end in a tie. But on fourth down, Bo Schembechler needed just one yard so he turned to Butch Woolfork, who got more than a yard.

With six seconds to play, freshman Anthony Carter started to build his reputation at Michigan as he caught a pass down the middle, and he was hit by two Indiana defenders. However, Carter remained upright as the two defensive players fell to the ground.

Carter sprinted to the end zone for a 27-21 win.

18. Miami vs. Florida State (1987)

In a classic Miami vs. Florida State game, the 1987 classic ranks the highest.

The Hurricanes were ranked No. 3, while the Seminoles were No. 4.

FSU dominated the early going, but instead of punching it in for touchdowns, the Seminoles were settling for field goals.

Finally the Miami offense found a rhythm and tied the game at 19. FSU had a late charge that ended with a Sammie Smith fumble. A tie between the two bitter rivals seemed inevitable.

Miami's Steve Walsh hit Michael Irvin for a 73-yard touchdown and a 26-19 lead.

The Seminoles didn't back down either.

Quarterback Danny McManus converted a huge fourth down in FSU territory and later made two huge throws—one to Dexter Carter and the other a touchdown to Ronald Lewis. Instead of going for the tie, McManus convinced Bowden to go for the win.

McManus' pass was broke up and Miami held on for a 26-25 win in Tallahassee.

17. Miami vs. Notre Dame (1988)

It became known as Catholics vs. Convicts, which always seemed ironic since it was the Notre Dame players who started the pregame fight.

But the game lived up to the billing of two serious national title contenders.

The Hurricanes were able to move the ball up and down the field, but turnovers proved to be extremely costly. Notre Dame's Pat Terrell returned a Craig Erickson interception 60 yards for a 21-7 lead.

But Walsh didn't get rattled too easily, and he guided two scoring drives that tied the game at 21 going into halftime.

Notre Dame regained the lead 31-21 in the third quarter before Miami cut the lead to 31-24.

Miami, playing the role of convicts, were the ones who got robbed on this day. Cleveland Gary, who caught a pass from Walsh, spun and reached for the end zone but was clearly down. However, when he reached the ball across the line it was ruled a fumble and a Notre Dame recovery.

The Hurricanes got one more opportunity and on fourth-and-11 Walsh found Andre Brown for a score.

Miami coach Jimmy Johnson wanted a win and went for two, but Terrell came up big again and knocked down the conversion pass...preserving a 31-30 win.

16. Texas vs. Arkansas (1969)

A game that became known as "the Big Shootout," pitted No. 1 Texas against No. 2 Arkansas on Dec. 6, 1969, in Fayetteville, Ark.

Running the wishbone, Texas had one of the nation's top offenses, while Arkansas had the best defense.

The Razorbacks used their defensive prowess to hold Texas scoreless for three quarters. Arkansas scored in the first and third quarters for a 14-0 lead.

Texas, led by quarterback James Street, scored 15 unanswered points to win the "Game of the Century."

The Longhorns went on to beat Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl to win the national championship.

15. Colorado vs. Michigan (1994)

In the early 1990s, Colorado was a perennial Top 25 team and this 1994 game in Ann Arbor was a prime contest.

The Buffaloes led at halftime, but the Wolverines came on strong in the second half behind the home crowd.

Colorado scored late to close the gap to 26-21, but Michigan seemed to lock away the win when the Wolverines recovered an on-side kick.

However, the Wolverines were not able to run out the clock and had to punt the ball away with less than 30 seconds left in the game.

Colorado took over at its own 15 and didn't have any time outs.

Kordell Stewart completed a pass to Michael Westbrook for 21 yards. After spiking the ball with six seconds remaining, Stewart called "Rocket Left."

Michigan's defenders did not apply much pressure on the play, so Stewart waited for his receivers to traverse almost the entire field. With the clock expired, Stewart heaved a pass more than 70 yards.

With two Michigan defenders going up against one Colorado receiver, the ball bounded off of receiver Blake Anderson into Westbrook's hands for the game winner.

Michigan won 27-26.

14. USC vs. Notre Dame (2005)

This is the game that became known as the "Bush Push."

Most observers remember Matt Leinart's quarterback sneak in which he twisted and turned until Reggie Bush gave him a little help into the end zone for a comeback win in South Bend.

Ironically, the USC coaches were yelling for Leinart to spike the ball and set up another play.

However, if not for a clutch, quick-strike pass from Leinart to Dwayne Jarrett that turned into a 61-yard gain, USC probably would have never had a shot at winning.

Brady Quinn's performance for Notre Dame was possibly his career best, especially when he guided the Irish on an 87-yard scoring drive to take a late lead.

13. Penn State vs. Miami (1987)

By this point, Miami had become the baddest team in college football.

The players talked a lot of trash but backed it up on the field.

When the Hurricanes arrived in Tempe, Ariz., they deplaned in Army fatigues. It was the classic old-school Penn State vs. the new-school Hurricanes.

Miami's powerful offense, which was led by Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverde, moved the ball up and down the field on Penn State. But the Hurricanes couldn't turn the yards into points because of turnovers.

With Miami leading 10-7, the Hurricanes would have probably won if they just kept running the ball on a tiring Penn State team. However, Jimmy Johnson kept throwing the ball, and Testaverde was intercepted for the fourth time.

The turnover led to a D.J. Dozier touchdown run with about eight minutes to play.

Somehow, it seemed Miami and Testaverde were going to play like they had all season and rally for a win and the championship.

But on the cusp of scoring, Testaverde threw his fifth interception, and the Nittany Lions won 14-10 to claim the national title.

12. Texas vs. Texas Tech (2008)

This game had it all.

Great plays, great crowd and Mike Leach.

Texas appeared to have the game wrapped up after a late four-yard touchdown run by Vondrell McGee gave Texas a 33-32 lead.

Texas Tech never gave up though.

But Michael Crabtree's catch and run for 28 yards with one second left gave the Red Raiders a 39-33 win over No. 1 Texas in Lubbock.

11. Miami vs. Nebraska (1984)

After Miami lost its first game of the season to Florida, Howard Schnellenberger's team just kept on winning.

When the Hurricanes were pitted against No. Nebraska in the Orange Bowl following the 1983 season, no one really gave Miami a chance against the bigger Cornhuskers.

For some reason, Miami's players weren't listening.

Miami jumped out to a surprising 17-0 lead behind freshman quarterback Bernie Kosar. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne needed a little trickery to get his offense going, so he ran a Fumblerooski with All-American center Dean Steinkuhler.

Still, Miami had a 31-17 advantage at one point, and it looked like the upset was in the bag.

Nebraska wasn't the top-rated team for nothing, though.

Turner Gill guided the Huskers on consecutive scoring drives to cut the game to a one-point Miami advantage. Without hesitation, Osborne kept his offense on the field to go for the win.

However, Gill's pass into the end zone was broken up, and the Hurricanes pulled off one of the biggest upsets in bowl history by knocking off Nebraska 31-30 in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 1984.

10. Notre Dame vs. Army 1913

The 1913 Notre Dame-Army game is the first time the two teams met on a football field and has been considered the game that put Fighting Irish football on the map.

Notre Dame used the forward pass to roll to a 35-13 victory.

9. Cal vs. Stanford (1982)

It's not so much that this game was great for four quarters.

Instead, when Cal defeated Stanford 25-20, it was all about that final play.

After Stanford's Mark Harmon made a 35-yard field goal to give the Cardinal a 20-19 lead it looked like John Elway would finally get a shot at a bowl game.

On the ensuing kickoff Harmon sguibbed the kick to reduce the chance of someone returning it for a score.

What happened next has been called the greatest play in college football history.

Cal's return team started to lateral the ball all the way down the field as the Stanford band had made its way onto the field for a post-game celebration.

But Kevin Moen, the man who picked up the original kick, now had the ball again, and he raced to the end zone (while clobbering a tuba player) for the winning score.

8. Georgia vs. Florida (1980)

In a clash of two Top 20 teams, Florida seemed primed to pull off the upset of rival Georgia in "The World's Greatest Outdoor Cocktail Party."

The Bulldogs had relied on freshman Herschel Walker to get them to 8-0 coming into the game.

Walker played a key role in this game with more than 200 yards rushing.

However, it was Buck Belue who scrambled away from pressure and connected with Lindsay Scott, who raced 93-yards for a game-winning touchdown.

Georgia's miracle win helped the Bulldogs win the national championship.

7. Ohio State vs. Miami (2003)

Was it pass interference?

It doesn't matter any more. Ohio State won the BCS Championship and the players have the rings to prove it (of course some are probably at a Columbus-area pawn shop).

Ohio State led 17-7 before Miami's offense started battering the Buckeyes' tired defense. Miami's running attack was dealt a serious blow in the third quarter when Willis McGahee's knee was ripped apart on a very graphic tackle.

Miami tied the game at 17 on a Todd Sievers' 40-yard field to force overtime.

The Hurricanes scored first in OT and appeared to win the championship 24-17 when Glenn Sharpe broke up a Craig Krenzel pass. Approximately two-and-a-half hours later Sharpe was called for interference, and the Buckeyes had a second life.

OSU scored and again on its second overtime possession.

When Miami got the ball, Ohio State's defense stiffened and delivered the Buckeyes its first championship since 1968. OSU won 31-24.

6. Alabama vs. Penn State (1979)

Now we get another classic 1-2 matchup in the 45th edition of the Sugar Bowl.

No. 1 Penn State was a slight favorite entering the game after going 11-0 during the regular season.

The game was expected to be a defensive tussle, and the two powers didn't disappoint.

Alabama led 7-0 at half and 14-7 going into the final quarter.

But it wasn't until Alabama's goal-line stand on 4th-and-a-half-yard that Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide could claim the 1978 National Championship.

5. Boise State vs. Oklahoma (2007)

This is the game that truly put Boise State and the Broncos coach Chris Petersen on the national radar.

While the Broncos entered the game at 12-0, Oklahoma was expected to take care of the non-BCS counterpart in the Fiesta Bowl.

However, Boise State was the better team on this night, and they led 28-10 after three quarters. Give Oklahoma and Bob Stoops credit for rallying and tying the game at 28.

Then Oklahoma's Marcus Walker intercepted a Jared Zabransky pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown and a 35-28 lead.

With less than a a minute to play, the Broncos didn't give up. In just five plays, Zabransky guided Boise 78 yards. The biggest play was a 4th-and-18 conversion on a hook-and-lateral play that saw Jerard Rabb score from 35 yards to force overtime.

The Sooners scored on their first play and appeared to be displaying a level of superiority over Boise.

The upstart Broncos, though, converted another fourth down with another trick play. This time a five-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Vinny Parretta to tight end Derek Schouman.

Petersen realizing it might be futile to keep slugging it out with Oklahoma, decided to go for two, and the Broncos converted with the Statue of Liberty play.

The win changed the way everyone looks at the non-BCS teams.

4. Michigan State vs. Notre Dame (1966)

This clash of top-ranked teams was the most anticipated game of 1966.

Notre Dame was No. 1 and Michigan State was ranked second.

Notre Dame quarterback Terry Hanratty had to leave the game in the first quarter after getting sacked by Bubba Smith. That loss impacted the Irish offense.

Michigan State took a 7-0 lead at home and added a field goal for a 10-0 advantage. Notre Dame added a touchdown as the Spartans led 10-7 at half.

Notre Dame tied the game on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 28-yard field goal from Joe Azzaro.

The Irish had a chance to win the game after Tom Schoen's second interception. However, Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian played conservatively and preserved a 10-10 tie.

3. Boston College vs. Miami (1984)

If Boston College's Doug Flutie hadn't sewn up the Heisman Trophy already, he certainly did with his performance in this game that was moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The defenses were pretty much MIA in this last-season game, but it made for one of the more exciting games of 1984 on a rainy day at the Orange Bowl.

The Hurricanes, who won the 1983 National Championship, seemed to lock up the game when Melvin Bratton scored on a one-yard run with 30 seconds remaining in the game.

With seconds remaining in the game, Flutie called "55 Flood Tip," for one final shot at victory.

After scrambling away from the rush, Flutie aired it out more than 60 yards. The ball sailed over the Miami defenders and into the waiting hands of Gerard Phelan for a 47-45 Boston College win.

2. Oklahoma vs. Nebraska (1971)

For Oklahoma and Nebraska fans it is simply known as the Game of the Century as the top-ranked Cornhuskers faced the second-ranked Sooners in Norman, Okla.

Flanker Johnny Rodgers electrifying punt return helped spark the Cornhuskers to the 35-31 victory on the road.

The Sooners actually led the game 17-14 at half, but Nebraska outscored Oklahoma 21-14 in the second half.

The win gave Nebraska the Big Eight championship and eventually the Huskers won the national championship.

1. Texas vs. USC (2006)

Keith Jackson had the call, "4th-and-5, the national championship on the line."

And Texas quarterback Vince Young delivered the game-winning score.

Even if this hadn't been for the BCS Championship, the Longhorns' 41-38 victory at the Rose Bowl is the greatest game ever played.

The fact it decided the championship and USC was looking to repeat and had Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, Young's performance was all the more impressive.

Argue all you want about the top spot, but this was and still is the greatest college football game of all time.