LSU vs. Alabama: Where Will It Rank Among the Greatest Games of the Century?

The countdown to the mega-matchup between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 5 has already begun and some have already given it the mythical title of “Game of the Century.”

That’s a lot to live up to, considering we’ve seen quite a few memorable college football games since the turn of the millennium.

Will the SEC showdown really live up to the hype, and if so, where would it rank among college football’s best games of the 21st century?

10. Arkansas 50, LSU 48 (2007)

Even though LSU eventually found their way into the BCS national title game with two losses, at the time, this triple-overtime thriller seemed to put an end to their championship aspirations, as the Tigers fell in dramatic fashion on an intercepted two-point conversion attempt in the end zone.

Arkansas’ three-headed monster backfield of Darren McFadden, Peyton Hillis and Felix Jones put on a rushing clinic against LSU’s defense, racking up 380 rushing yards among the three of them (McFadden had 209 of those yards).

For a regular season game with such major national title implications, you couldn’t ask for much better, and it turned out to be just one more major upset in a crazy 2007 season that was filled with wild twists and turns almost every weekend.

9. Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32 (2007)

Michigan entered the season with a Top 5 ranking and as the type of team that many thought would contend for a national championship. However, that all came crashing down in shocking fashion when Corey Lynch blocked a potential game-winning field goal and surprised the entire college football universe.

Appalachian State went on to win the FCS national championship, while Michigan finished with a respectable 9-4 record.

The Wolverines have never been quite the same, though, and on that day they became the example of why you can never take any team in college football lightly.

8. Texas Tech 39, Texas 33 (2008)

After the Texas Longhorns rallied from a 19-0 deficit and swung the momentum in their favor with a late touchdown to put them up 33-32 with 1:26 left in the game, it looked like Texas Tech was going to come up just short in their bid to beat the No. 1 team in the nation.

That is, until Tech’s star receiver Michael Crabtree took a 28-yard sideline pass, shook a tackle and scored one of the most exciting touchdowns in college football history.

The 39-33 victory is the biggest win ever for the Red Raiders, and it provided one of the most memorable highlight plays of all time.

7. Florida 31, Alabama 20 (2008)

The 2008 SEC championship game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Florida managed to live up to expectations, and it turned out to be a game that propelled reigning Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow to superstardom.

After trailing 20-17 going into the fourth quarter, Tebow led the Gators on a comeback that resulted in a 31-20 victory and a berth in the national championship game.

Florida went on to beat Oklahoma in the big game, while Alabama was so distraught over the loss that they mailed in a no-show performance in a loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl.

6. Ohio State 42, Michigan 39 (2006)

Like the LSU-Alabama matchup, this one also held the “Game of the Century” tag.

As if a matchup between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan wasn’t big enough already, the passing of legendary Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler just a day before only heightened the emotion for the mega-showdown.

After tying the game at 7-7 midway through the first quarter, Ohio State never trailed again, as the Buckeyes absorbed Michigan’s blows and ultimately hung on for a 42-39 victory.

The win helped QB Troy Smith win the Heisman Trophy and it earned Ohio State a spot in the first ever BCS national championship game. However, the Buckeyes fell flat against Florida, falling 41-14, while Michigan got trounced by USC in the Rose Bowl 32-18.

The two teams’ postseason failures diminished the game a bit, as they were both subsequently viewed as overrated, but the contest itself was still loaded with exciting moments and a high amount of drama.

5. USC 34, Notre Dame 31 (2005)

In a game full of memorable plays, it was the epic “Bush Push” at the end of the Notre Dame-USC game that helped preserve the Trojans’ undefeated season and solidify the contest as a college football classic.

It could have been a defining moment of the Charlie Weis era, but luck just wasn’t on the side of the Irish that day.

4. Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42 (2007 Fiesta Bowl)

The ending to the Boise State-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl was so good that it made people forget how much of a snoozefest the first three quarters were, and it’s now remembered as one of college football’s classic games.

After seemingly throwing away a game they had led for 58 minutes with a stunning pick six, the Broncos decided to break out the gadget plays and have some fun.

After tying the game with an improbable hook-and-ladder play with 7 seconds to go, Boise State went into overtime and continued the theatrics by calling the old Statue of Liberty play on a go-ahead two-point conversion play to win the game.

The victory put Boise State on the college football map and helped elevate the program to national status, while it proved to be just another bitter bowl defeat for Big Game Bob’s Oklahoma Sooners.

3. Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2003 Fiesta Bowl)

Not many people gave Ohio State a chance to slow down the Miami machine, given that the Hurricanes were coming into the Fiesta Bowl with a 34-game win streak.

But the 13-point underdog Buckeyes didn’t seem to care.

Behind the running of freshman Maurice Clarett, and with a little help from referee Terry Porter, the kids from Columbus managed to shock the world out in the Arizona desert and end Miami’s miraculous run with a thrilling overtime victory.

2. LSU vs. Alabama (Nov. 5, 2011)

I’m usually pretty cynical about major media hype for big games, but even I think this game will live up to expectations and become an instant classic.

These are two of the best defenses in the history of college football, and the talent level on display on Nov. 5 will be quite remarkable.

The only problem is, this is still just a regular season game, and it’s a shame that we probably won’t get to see these two teams meet on the big stage down in New Orleans for a chance to take home the crystal football.

1.Texas 41, USC 38 (2006 Rose Bowl)

With the possible exception of the Pats-Giants Super Bowl, this is the best football game I’ve ever seen in my lifetime.

The immense buildup for this game created an unforgettable atmosphere on college football’s most historic stage, and you couldn’t ask for a better game.

USC and Texas were two of the best college football teams ever assembled—with NFL prospects all over both depth charts—but the story was really about the quarterback battle between two of the biggest stars in college football history: Matt Leinart and Vince Young.

Leinart may have had a Heisman on his résumé, but it was Young who stole the show with one of the most brilliant single-game performances we’ve ever seen.

The junior QB couldn’t be stopped or even contained that night, as he led the Longhorns to college football’s biggest prize in memorable come-from-behind fashion.