Ranking the Best CFB Conference Championship Games Since 2000

Conference championship games have the potential to be many things in a college football season.

For many programs, it's the crowning achievement of a great year or the final obstacle to clear for a respected bowl game. Other teams enter a league title game with national championship (or College Football Playoff) implications.

And sometimes, the games are flat-out awesome.

In the last 20 years, conference championship games have brought exciting and meaningful results. Sure, several are lopsided and forgettable each year, but the best matchups of the last two decades are some of the sport's most memorable games.

Honorable Mentions

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

2001 MAC: Toledo 41, Marshall 36

2001 SEC: LSU 31, Tennessee 20

2002 MAC: Marshall 49, Toledo 45

2005 ACC: Florida State 27, Virginia Tech 22

2009 ACC: Georgia Tech 39, Clemson 34

2009 SEC: Alabama 32, Florida 13

2010 Big 12: Oklahoma 23, Nebraska 20

2012 MAC: Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37 (2OT)

2012 Pac-12: Stanford 27, UCLA 24

2016 Big Ten: Penn State 38, Wisconsin 31

2019 Big 12: Oklahoma 30, Baylor 23 (OT)

8. 2011 Big Ten: Wisconsin 42, Michigan State 39

During the regular season, Michigan State stunned Wisconsin on Keith Nichol's improbable touchdown as time expired. But in the 2011 Big Ten Championship Game, the Badgers got their revenge.

Wisconsin surged to a 21-7 lead before MSU scored 22 consecutive points—including Nichol's unplanned lateral to B.J. Cunningham for a score and the fake extra point that followed. After alternating touchdowns in the third quarter, a Michigan State field goal opened the door for Russell Wilson's heroics.

About a decade in the future, Wilson is respected across the NFL for his ability to scramble and create plays. Michigan State missed out on the Big Ten title because of that frustrating skill.

Wilson escaped pressure to throw a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter and convert a pivotal 4th-and-6 in the fourth quarter. Though the latter throw led to Montee Ball's go-ahead touchdown with 3:45 to play, the Spartans still had another chance.

Kirk Cousins and the offense went three-and-out, but the defense forced a punt. Keshawn Martin returned inside the 10-yard line, sending MSU fans into a roller coaster of emotions. Officials (properly) threw a flag for running into the kicker, and the penalty gave Wisconsin enough yardage for a first down.

Wilson kneeled out the clock, and the Badgers headed to the Rose Bowl for the second straight year.

7. 2017 AAC: UCF 62, Memphis 55 (2OT)

One week before the AAC Championship Game, UCF clipped South Florida 49-42 in a thrilling game. The regular-season finale was merely an appetizer to the madness of UCF and Memphis.

UCF jumped ahead 17-7 in the first quarter, but Memphis stormed back for a 31-24 halftime lead. UCF responded and took a 45-34 edge, but Memphis overcame a 14-point deficit to even the score at 48 and had a chance to win in regulation.

Although UCF appeared to block a 46-yard field goal, a delay of game on Memphis paused the celebration. There was no doubt Riley Patterson could hit a 51-yarder, but he pulled the kick far left and sent the back-and-forth contest to overtime.

Memphis scored first, then UCF matched and scored a touchdown. The Knights sealed the 62-55 victory with an interception on second-and-goal in double overtime.

The teams combined 1,479 yards, including at least 471 passing and 232 rushing from each offense.

After defeating Auburn in the Peach Bowl, UCF capped its 13-0 season by claiming a national championship.

6. 2008 SEC: Florida 31, Alabama 20

Though the final score suggests it wasn't as close, only a late touchdown gave No. 4 Florida some breathing room against top-ranked, 12-0 Alabama in the 2008 SEC Championship Game.

Florida held a 17-10 lead in the third quarter, but Alabama moved ahead 20-17 on a Mark Ingram touchdown and Leigh Tiffin field goal. The 10-point underdogs entered the fourth quarter with a chance to seal a place in the BCS National Championship Game.

Following that go-ahead kick, however, the Gators marched down the field to score on a short run from Jeffery Demps. Then, the defense forced a punt. Tim Tebow propelled the offense down the field and hit Riley Cooper for a game-sealing touchdowns.

The victory over Alabama, combined with the ensuring win over Oklahoma, turned "The Promise" from Tebow into a legendary piece of college football history.

5. 2009 Big 12: Texas 13, Nebraska 12

While the 2017 AAC Championship Game is beloved for its offensive explosion, the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game is remembered for its incredible defense.

And, most notably, Ndamukong Suh.

The future All-Pro racked up 12 tackles with six for loss and 4.5 sacks, and Nebraska held Texas to just 202 yards. Unfortunately for the Huskers, though, Texas played about as well collectively and surrendered a measly 106 yards. The defensive struggle led to an epic and controversial finish.

In the closing seconds of regulation, Nebraska had a 12-10 edge. Texas reached field-goal position, but quarterback Colt McCoy nearly wasted the clock because of a far-too-patient rollout where he threw the ball away. Although the clock expired in real time, the incompletion hit the ground with one second on the clock.

Replay bailed out McCoy and the Longhorns, who celebrated as Hunter Lawrence's 46-yard kick split the uprights and sent them to the BCS National Championship Game.

Alabama ended up beating Texas 37-21, though McCoy's early shoulder injury stung the Horns.

4. 2015 Big Ten: Michigan State 16, Iowa 13

No. 5 Michigan State against No. 4 Iowa. Winner takes the Big Ten and advances to the College Football Playoff. The only possible way this championship game could've had higher stakes is if 11-1 Michigan State had also entered at 12-0 like Iowa.

It certainly wasn't a glamorous game. Through three quarters, Michigan State's three field goals led Iowa's two.

But after Michael Geiger broke a 6-6 tie and put the Spartans in front, Iowa suddenly found some offense. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, C.J. Beathard and Tevaun Smith connected for an 85-yard touchdown to give Iowa a 13-9 edge.

The teams traded punts, and MSU took possession with 9:31 left in regulation. What followed is one of the most painful, impressive, agonizing, spectacular drives in history.

Led by quarterback Connor Cook, the Spartans converted third downs of four, three, eight and one. Cook then moved the sticks on a 4th-and-2 to set up LJ Scott's touchdown on 3rd-and-goal when he carried three Iowa defenders across the plane.

The drive lasted 22 plays, covered 82 yards and burned everything but 27 seconds on the clock. Iowa's desperation play ended with a fumble, and MSU won 16-13.

Alabama blanked Michigan State in the CFP semifinals.

3. 2001 Big 12: Colorado 39, Texas 37

In a year remembered for Miami boasting one of the greatest teams in the sport's history, the Big 12 Championship Game had a major influence on a controversial end to the season.

Second-ranked Florida lost earlier in the day, so a victory over seventh-ranked Colorado would've put No. 3 Texas in position to play Miami in the BCS title game. And since the Horns had crushed Colorado 41-7 earlier in the regular season, they entered the conference title game as clear favorites.

However, the Buffs notched four takeaways in the opening half and turned them into 26 points. Early in the third quarter, Colorado enjoyed a 36-17 edge. But the Longhorns fought back with two field goals and a pick-six, trimming CU's lead to 36-30.

Colorado, though, answered with a seven-minute drive that ended with a game-sealing field goal.

Controversy followed the outcome.

Tennessee fell to LSU in the SEC title game, but Nebraska—which lost to Colorado 62-36 a week before the Big 12 title game—went to the national title over CU and Oregon. Miami smoked Nebraska 37-14 as Colorado lost to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

2. 2012 SEC: Alabama 32, Georgia 28

What if Chris Conley had dropped the ball?

Receivers are supposed to catch everything, so Conley's split-second decision to grab a deflected pass is totally justified. But what if Georgia had another play? That question will always hang over No. 3 Georgia's loss to No. 2 Alabama in the 2012 SEC title game when the winner would make the BCS championship.

It was a back-and-forth contest in Atlanta. Georgia scored first, Alabama went up 10-7, Georgia took a 21-10 lead on a Todd Gurley touchdown and blocked field goal returned for a score. Alabama regained the lead on the first snap of the fourth quarter as Eddie Lacy's short run handed the Tide a 25-21 edge.

Georgia cruised right down the field, and Gurley ran in his second touchdown to put the Dawgs in front 28-25.

With 3:15 to play, AJ McCarron and Amari Cooper linked up for a go-ahead 45-yard score. The teams traded punts as Alabama clung to a 32-28 lead, and Aaron Murray guided UGA to the 8-yard line with 15 seconds on the clock. Murray whipped a pass toward the right sideline, but Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley deflected it.

Conley, running an out-breaking route, turned to see the ball floating toward him and caught it. But the Dawgs had no timeouts remaining, and the final seconds painfully ticked away.

Alabama hammered Notre Dame 42-14 to win the national title.

1. 2018 SEC: Alabama 35, Georgia 28

While the game itself was memorable and had a College Football Playoff berth on the line, context only adds to the importance of the 2018 SEC Championship Game. In the prior season's national title game, Alabama benched Jalen Hurts at halftime and rode Tua Tagoavailoa to an amazing overtime win against Georgia.

Hurts redeemed himself at a perfect moment, replacing an injured Tagovailoa and accounting for two touchdowns to save the Tide's national title hopes.

Georgia took a 28-14 lead early in the third quarter. Jaylen Waddle caught a 51-yard score from Tagovailoa, but he soon exited with an ankle injury. Hurts stepped in and tossed a game-tying touchdown, then UGA's disastrous fake punt at midfield gifted Alabama some excellent field position.

Hurts scampered in for a 15-yard touchdown with 1:04 to play, and Alabama survived a Hail Mary as time expired.

Tagovailoa returned to propel the Tide past Oklahoma—incidentally, where Hurts would transfer in the offseason—before Alabama lost to Clemson in the national championship.