College Football 2011: The 10 Best Plays So Far This Season

The first three weeks of the 2011 college football campaign have come complete with all the pageantry, drama, gnashing of teeth and outstanding play that fans have come to expect and cherish.

Indeed, what other sport offers the diversity, the complexities, the coast-to-coast coverage and that burning passion that the collegiate gridiron scene offers?

The following slideshow sorts through the first 207 games of the 2011 season and pinpoints 10 of the best single plays we’ve paid witness to thus far.

Though we could easily identify 50 spectacular plays from this year’s action, these snippets have been subjectively awarded “best-of-the-best status. " Though you might say there is something missing, you can’t say that these on-field performances aren’t awe-inspiring.

So, my fellow football friend, my comrade of the gridiron, sit back and prepare to be suitably goose bumped and jacked up with this video montage that is guaranteed to get you juiced for another mouth-watering round of college football.

TCU WR Antoine Hicks' One-Handed Catch vs. Air Force

One of the best grabs thus far in the 2011 season, senior WR Antoine Hicks’ one-handed catch in the second quarter of the Week 2 game against Air Force came on a third and eight and kept a Horned Frog drive alive.

TCU went on to beat the Falcons 35-10.

Auburn’s Goal-Line Stand vs. Mississippi State

With just under three minutes left to go on the game clock, No. 16 Mississippi State was down 34-41 to Auburn when they took over the ball on their own 33-yard line.

After driving the length of the field, Bulldogs’ back Vick Ballard looks to dive and score with 19 seconds on the clock, but the play is ruled out of bounds and sets up first and goal with approximately 15 ticks on the game clock.

The whole shooting match comes down to a second-and-goal play from the two-yard line with 10 seconds remaining and zero timeouts. MSU QB Chris Relf keeps the ball and is hit twice just short of the end zone.

Auburn survives and wins, extending its winning streak to 17. Bulldog coach Dan Mullen is denied the opportunity to beat his first SEC West opponent outside of two wins over Ole Miss.

Ohio State WR Evan Spencer's One-Hand Grab vs. Akron

Another tremendous one-handed catch—this play involved two true freshmen in their first-ever college game as Ohio State QB Braxton Miller hurled the ball to WR Evan Spencer in the fourth quarter of the Buckeyes' blow-out win over Akron.

Spencer is a 6’1” 190 pound product of Vernon Hills, Illinois, and his acrobatic one-armed super catch is thrilling and also represents his only reception thus far this season.

Iowa State’s Triple-Overtime TD to Ice Iowa

In one of the more thrilling game-winning scores thus far in the 2011 campaign, Iowa State pushed in-state rival Iowa all the way through three overtimes before finally trumping the Hawkeyes' field goal with a game-winning touchdown.

The pitch from QB Steele Jantz to RB James White for a four-yard score marked the Cyclones’ first victory over Iowa since 2007 and their first 3-0 start since 2005.

This is what college football is all about.

Sooner Tom Wort’s Tip Drill vs. Florida State

Early in the second quarter of a much-anticipated Week 3 clash, Florida State had the ball inside Oklahoma’s 20-yard line early when sophomore LB Tom Wort tipped an E.J. Manuel screen pass up in the air and then caught it for a key Sooner interception.

It was Wort’s first collegiate pick and wound up being a critical element in the No. 1 Sooners’ 23-13 victory over the No. 5 Seminoles.

Rice Blocks Purdue’s FG Attempt to Make History

In what was less than a nationally-watched event, Rice’s 24-22 Week 2 upset of Purdue in Houston broke several long-standing losing streaks.

Purdue had a golden opportunity to preserve victory and protect history with a game-winning field goal opportunity at the Rice 15-yard line with 20 seconds left on the clock and zero timeouts. The 31-yard attempt, amid the audible “block that kick” chant from Rice fans, is ultimately blocked by senior LB Justin Allen, and the Owls score a thrilling yet unlikely victory.

The win marked Rice’s first win over Purdue since 1934, their first home win over a Big Ten opponent since 1990, their first win over a BCS team since 2001 and Conference USA’s first victory over a Big Ten foe since 2004.

Clemson’s Sammy Watkins Torches Auburn

If you like YAC (yards after the catch) then get ready to enjoy watching Clemson’s freshman sensation WR Sammy Watkins impersonate a bullet coming out of a gun in the Tigers' big win over Auburn in Week 3.

The score was all square at 21 apiece early in the third when Clemson tosser Tajh Boyd connected with Watkins on a 10-yard pass on third and six from the Tigers' own 30. Speedy Sammy went 65 yards to the house, accelerating like a Ferrari that had been let loose on a football field.

Clemson went on to win the game 38-24 and scored their first victory over Auburn since 1951.

UCLA WR Nelson Rosario’s Ridiculous Catch vs. Houston

The struggling Bruins ultimately dropped this game to the Cougars 34-28, but UCLA WR Nelson Rosario’s third-quarter catch is one for the ages.

Nelson, a 6’5” 219 pound senior from Oceanside, California, manages to come down with an 18-yard Richard Brehaut pass by virtue of pinning the ball to defender Zach McMillian’s back.

It’s really more of a defender sandwich hug than a catch, and you absolutely have to see it to believe it.

South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram Scores on a Fake Punt vs. Georgia

This fake punt came directly off a huge second-quarter stop by Georgia’s defense and literally took everyone off-guard, including the announcer who keeps talking about the Bulldog “D” until he realizes the Gamecock faux punt.

The snap comes directly to senior DE Melvin Ingram who makes a stunning dash to the end zone for a Gamecock touchdown. 

It’s hard to beat a 276-pound guy outrunning everyone to pay dirt…thrilling.

Ingram and South Carolina easily could have made this list twice via a play that came in the same game when freshman DE Jadeveon Clowney harassed QB Aaron Murray, causing him to fumble with only three minutes left on the clock. The loose ball was picked up by Ingram, who scampered into the end zone for a second score.

Though Georgia would score again before the game ended, Ingram’s second TD iced the Bulldogs 45-42.

Michigan’s Last-Second TD to Ice Notre Dame

Capping off perhaps the best two minutes of football in recent history, Michigan QB Denard Robinson’s 16-yard TD pass to WR Roy Roundtree with two ticks left on the clock sealed the deal in a thrilling 35-31 Wolverine win.

The drive started with Michigan down 31-28 with a mere 28 seconds left to go, but it only took Robinson and company three plays and 80 yards to send Notre Dame home with a loss and an 0-2 record.