The 5 Worst Missed Field Goals in College Football This Season

There is little more that is anti-climatic than a made field goal, an event that has become somewhat of a symbol of "going through the motions."

A far cry away from that, though, is the missed field goal—not a blocked attempt or a muffed snap—a blue-moon occurrence that could have an entire audience celebrating like its Christmas Eve or speechless like someone just missed a field goal.

Well, it has happened on more than one occasion in the 2011 college football season. Let's take a look at five of the worst missed field goals this year.

Minnesota

In perhaps one of the quieter instances this season, Minnesota had the opportunity to knock off USC to start the season.

Though USC would finish the game with a 19-17 win, the Gophers had their chance.

In the final play of the first half, Minnesota kicker Chris Hawthorne left a 42-yard field goal well short when the score was 19-3. As luck would have it, had that attempt gone through, Minnesota could have been looking at a 20-19 win over a now very dangerous Trojans team.

Syracuse

Here is an anomaly for you, and perhaps the most infamous referee decision this season.

After Syracuse scored a touchdown to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, the Orangemen were credited with making the PAT—twice—when replay, in fact, clearly demonstrates a miss.

Indeed, it is one of the worst field goal misses of the college football season, but is it really a miss?

UTEP

Few would have heard about this miss, given that it featured two of college football's worst teams this season.

But in a 16-10 game that otherwise may have saved the Miners a few more ounces in sweat, Dakota Warren sent a 37-yard attempt high and wide right, just five minutes after making a 37-yard attempt.

Maybe the conditions had changed, but it meant little for UTEP, as it got the win regardless.

Oregon

In the latest tragedy of missed field goals, Oregon had its chance to send a 35-38 game into overtime with a 37-yard field goal.

Well, we all know what happened as Alejandro Maldonado sent his attempt wide left to send the Trojans celebrating with a huge, lifting Pac-12 victory.

This could eventually have huge BCS implications. As for the future, just make the chip shots to save face.

Boise State

In what could be the single play that keeps Boise State out of the BCS this season, Kyle Brotzman's missed field goal, from 39-yards out,  was an attempt that surely would have won the game as time expired.

With the score 36-35 in favor of TCU, the Broncos sent out their kicking unit with just five seconds remaining in the game. The snap was good, but the execution was not. Brotzman's kick flared wide right as the TCU defense celebrated a huge victory in the Mountain West.

Talk about a bad ending.