Through all of the off-the-field nonsense and drama it forces us to weather -- conference realignment and increasing rich-get-richer tendencies, debates over player compensation and recruiting calendars, recruiting itself, comical coach buyouts and increasingly silly coaching carousels, playoff expansion -- one thing remains certain: On the field, college football is still absolutely incredible, nonsense of the absolute best kind.
When two of your four best games of the season were among the last three games of the season, you know things finished on a pretty good note. The 2023 college football season gave us epic rivalry games, two classic College Football Playoff semifinals, a burst of excitement from Deion Sanders' Colorado and plenty of other classics. Yesterday, we walked through the No. 51-100 games of the season; today, let's work through the top 50.
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Top 50 | Top 5
100. Oct. 21: Oklahoma 31, UCF 29
It ended up being a warning sign. Oklahoma managed to move to 7-0 despite trailing on three occasions and needing two early Nic Anderson touchdowns and a late 2-point stop to finally finish off the visitors from Orlando, Florida. But the Sooners' wobbliness wasn't temporary -- they would lose three of their final six games.
99. Nov. 18: Kansas State 31, Kansas 27
K-State has now won 15 games in a row over Kansas, but the streak nearly ended in Lawrence in 2023. The Wildcats needed help from a blocked PAT return and a muffed punt to stay within striking distance, and after closing an 11-point deficit with a Will Howard touchdown run, they needed a tight, third-down Phillip Brooks catch to kill the clock at the end.
98. Sept. 9: Rice 43, Houston 41 (2OT)
Talk about a wild ride: Houston spotted Rice a 28-0 second-quarter lead, then charged back to tie the score at 28 in the closing seconds. Dana Holgorsen elected to play for OT instead of going for two points and the win, and it proved accidentally prescient in the second OT -- the Cougars missed a 2-point conversion -- and the Owls scored an exhausting upset.
97. Nov. 25: Utah State 44, New Mexico 41 (2OT)
In Danny Gonzales' final game as New Mexico coach, the Lobos had a chance to prevent the Aggies from reaching bowl eligibility. But after coming back from multiple double-digit deficits, Gonzales played for overtime instead of going for the win. In OT, the Lobos kicked a 19-yard field goal instead of going for the TD; USU's Levi Williams bobbled a snap but still scrambled for a 13-yard touchdown, and the team that went for the win got it.
96. Sept. 2: Minnesota 13, Nebraska 10
Since the start of the 2021 season, Nebraska is an unreal 3-18 in games decided by one score. As soon as Matt Rhule lifts that curse, he might have the Huskers in business, but he couldn't do it on the first Thursday night of the season. They turned the ball over on each of their last two possessions, and Dragan Kesich gave the Gophers a shocking win with a 47-yard field goal at the buzzer.
95. Sept. 2: Illinois 30, Toledo 28
An underrated cut from Week 1. Illinois got mowed over by Toledo early -- two Dequan Finn touchdown passes gave the Rockets a 19-7 cushion early in the third quarter -- but the Illini went on a 20-0 run over 10 minutes to yank the lead away. Toledo wasn't done, though: A short Finn touchdown made it 28-27 Rockets with 2:59 left, but after a long fourth-down pass from Luke Altmyer to Casey Washington, Caleb Griffin knocked in a 29-yarder with five seconds left. Illinois went to 1-0.
94. Oct. 7: Wyoming 24, Fresno State 19
War Memorial Stadium in Laramie housed a number of classics this year, but this one didn't really shape up to be one of them. Three Andrew Peasley touchdown passes gave Wyoming a 24-7 halftime lead, but Fresno State fought back with two Dylan Lynch field goals and an eight-yard touchdown catch for Mac Dalena. On the Bulldogs' way to the winning points, however, Cole Godbout picked off a Logan Fife pass, and the Pokes got the win.
93. Sept. 23: Northwestern 37, Minnesota 34 (OT)
Not much was expected of interim coach David Braun and Northwestern this year, but the Wildcats used a late charge to finish 8-5. They also used a late charge in this game; trailing 31-10, they scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including Ben Bryant's 11-yard strike to A.J. Henning with two seconds left, to send the game to overtime. After a Minnesota field goal, Bryant immediately found Charlie Mangieri for a 25-yard score and a stunning win.
92. Dec. 23: Northern Illinois 21, Arkansas State 19 (Camellia Bowl)
The early bowl season always provides some wild affairs, but while this one was certainly intriguing -- after trailing 21-7 in the first half, ASU inched back and nearly forced overtime until a late, failed 2-point conversion attempt -- this game's on here for one specific reason: KICKER TOUCHDOWN.
Northern Illinois fakes the field goal attempt as kicker Kanon Woodill is flicked the ball and goes 32 yards for a touchdown.
91. Oct. 14: Illinois 27, Maryland 24
90. Oct. 21: Wisconsin 25, Illinois 21
89. Nov. 4: Illinois 27, Minnesota 26
88. Nov. 11: Illinois 48, Indiana 45 (OT)
87. Nov. 25: Northwestern 45, Illinois 43
A 5-7 season is just about the definition of "forgettable," but Illinois' trip to five wins featured a whopping eight one-score finishes, including the last six games of the season. We're putting five of them here.
Against Maryland, the Illini watched a 24-14 second-half lead disappear but moved to 3-4 thanks to a 43-yard Caleb Griffin field goal at the buzzer. Against Wisconsin, Illinois looked great in easing to a 21-7 advantage but watched Wisconsin rip off 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, scoring the winning touchdown on a BIG GUY TOUCHDOWN.
The play you've all been waiting for. Nolan Rucci TUDDY. pic.twitter.com/obPS3o2Av3
β Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) October 21, 2023
Against Minnesota, Illinois watched another fourth-quarter lead disappear, but backup quarterback John Paddock subbed in for injured starter Luke Altmyer, immediately converted a fourth-and-11, then threw a 46-yard touchdown to Isaiah Williams for the win. A week later, Paddock threw for 507 yards and four scores, and after a game that saw runs of 27-9, 27-0 and 18-3, the Illini finally sealed the win with another Paddock-to-Isaiah Williams strike. Finally, after a rock-fight loss to Iowa, Illinois got into a track meet with Northwestern. Illinois lost another fourth-quarter lead but nearly erased an 11-point deficit with two Paddock-to-Casey Washington touchdowns. Washington scored from 80 yards out with just 55 seconds left, but a 2-point pass to Washington failed, and Illinois finished two points short of bowl eligibility.
86. Oct. 28: USC 50, Cal 49
85. Oct. 7: USC 43, Arizona 41 (3OT)
84. Sept. 30: USC 48, Colorado 41
When you have a Heisman winner at quarterback and a persistently disappointing defense, you are pretty much assured of two things: You will play in a lot of super fun track meets and you will be disappointed with your final record. The latter wasn't the concern of non-USC fans in 2023, however. The former was awfully entertaining, especially in the middle of the season. These three games all happened within a five-week span, and they featured 272 total points and 2,943 total yards (977 passing yards for Caleb Williams, 966 for opposing quarterbacks).
Colorado trailed 41-14 midway through the third quarter but finished the game on a 27-7 run; USC didn't seal the deal until an onside kick recovery.
The next week, Arizona began the game with a 17-0 run, then fell behind 28-20, then tied it with a Noah Fifita to Jacob Cowing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Both teams missed field goals late in regulation, then both teams scored twice in OT before USC won the exchange of 2-point conversions in the third OT.
Somehow the Cal game topped both of those. Runs of 17-7 (for USC), 21-0 (Cal), 12-0 (USC), 15-0 (Cal) and 21-0 (USC) set up a frantic finish. Fernando Mendoza's 13-yard pass to Jaivian Thomas got the Golden Bears within one point, but a Mendoza-to-Brian Hightower 2-point conversion attempt failed.
Javian Thomas scores to make it a 50-49 against USC, but Fernando Mendoza misses on the 2-point conversion and USC holds on to win.
83. Sept. 23: New Mexico 34, UMass 31 (OT)
What does your win probability chart look like when you blow a 14-point lead, give up a 65-yard touchdown pass (and a 2-point conversion) to tie the score with 45 seconds left, then go on to win in overtime anyway? This:
82. Sept. 16: UNLV 40, Vanderbilt 37
81. Sept. 16: North Texas 40, Louisiana Tech 37
Death, taxes, North Texas in track meets. Ten Mean Green games featured at least 63 total points, and six had at least 76. Against Tech, they led 30-14 to start the fourth quarter, and when Tech tied the score at 37 with 1:04 left, that turned out to be too much time. UNT drove 61 yards, and Noah Rauschenberg's fourth field goal of the day won the game.
Meanwhile, on the same day, with the same score, UNLV's Jose Pizano hit his fifth field goal after the Rebels had watched a 30-17 fourth-quarter lead disappear. Some freaky similarities here, though UNLV built momentum from this one in a way UNT couldn't manage, finishing with nine wins.
80. Sept. 30: Marshall 41, Old Dominion 35
Big plays! Big plays everywhere! ODU took a 21-3 lead thanks to touchdown runs of 66 and 70 yards, but Marshall capped a 28-0 run with an 85-yard Elijah Alston pick-six. ODU came right back with a 69-yard run from Kadarius Calloway, then got a 75-yarder from Calloway (he had 236 rushing yards) to stay within six in the fourth quarter. An interception and a turnover on downs, however, stopped the comeback bid.
79. Sept. 2: Fresno State 39, Purdue 35
A forgotten gem from Week 1. Purdue went up 28-17 when Tyrone Tracy Jr. returned the opening kick of the second half for a touchdown, but Fresno State charged back to take a 32-28 lead. Devin Mockobee's touchdown gave the lead back to the Boilermakers, but Fresno won it when Mikey Keene found Erik Brooks for a 22-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left and Levelle Bailey broke up a fourth-down pass.
78. Oct. 21: Texas 31, Houston 24
Texas' CFP journey could have easily veered off course here. The Longhorns bolted to a 21-0 early lead, but Quinn Ewers got hurt, and Houston tied the score at 24 in the fourth quarter. Even after CJ Baxter gave the Horns the lead again, Houston had a chance to tie or win until an iffy spot set up a fourth-and-1 from the Texas 10 and Donovan Smith's pass to Stephon Johnson fell incomplete.
77. Sept. 23: LSU 34, Arkansas 31
These teams were both 2-1 when Arkansas visited Baton Rouge. We didn't yet know that Jayden Daniels was on his way to the Heisman (and Arkansas was on its way to 4-8). All we knew at the time was that this game was wild. Arkansas led 13-3 early, but three Daniels touchdown passes keyed a 21-3 run and set up a back-and-forth fourth quarter. Arkansas twice tied the score late, but Damian Ramos' 20-yard field goal with five seconds left gave the Tigers the last laugh.
76. Sept. 16: Miami (Ohio) 31, Cincinnati 24 (OT)
Miami had to wait 18 years to beat rival Cincinnati, and it took overtime to finally get it done. Graham Nicholson's 20-yard field goal tied the score with 5:10 left, and when Cincinnati drove for a winning field goal at the end of regulation, Yahsyn McKee blocked it. And after a Joe Wilkins Jr. touchdown in overtime, McKee picked off an Emory Jones pass to seal the victory.
75. Oct. 21: Miami 28, Clemson 20 (2OT)
74. Sept. 23: Florida State 31, Clemson 24 (OT)
Returns have diminished a bit for Clemson over the past few seasons -- in the past three years, the Tigers have scored only one ACC title and no CFP bids -- but it's still a pretty big deal to beat them. And it took overtime for FSU and Miami to get the job done. Against the Seminoles, the Tigers were dealt tough blows from a 56-yard Kalen DeLoach fumble return for a touchdown and their own late-game conservatism (and a missed 29-yard field goal). A 24-yard Keon Coleman touchdown and a turnover on downs in overtime sealed an FSU win.
A month later, the Tigers let Miami off the hook, too. Playing without quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (and reeling from two straight losses), the Hurricanes overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit with an 11-yard Colbie Young score and a late Andres Borregales field goal. In the second overtime, Ajay Allen scored both six and two points, and Corey Flagg Jr. stuffed Klubnik in the open field on fourth-and-goal for a season-saving win.
73. Nov. 25: Syracuse 35, Wake Forest 31
Six days after firing head coach Dino Babers, Syracuse built an 11-point cushion, then hung on for dear life. The teams combined for four touchdowns in seven minutes early in the fourth quarter, and Wake Forest was driving for the potential winning score when Jason Simmons Jr. intercepted a Michael Kern pass at the Syracuse 1. One first down and a couple of kneel downs later, the Orange were bowl eligible.
72. Dec. 29: Clemson 38, Kentucky 35 (Gator Bowl)
After a 4-4 start, Clemson ended the year with five straight wins, the fifth of which required all sorts of fourth-quarter heroics. Phil Mafah ran for three of his four touchdowns in the final 15 minutes as Clemson turned a 21-10 deficit into a 27-21 advantage, lost the lead twice, then took it for good on Mafah's three-yard plunge with 17 seconds left.
71. Dec. 30: Wyoming 16, Toledo 15 (Arizona Bowl)
Craig Bohl's legendary career ended with a win. Trailing 15-6 heading into the fourth quarter -- thanks in part to Jacquez Stuart's 80-yard second-quarter touchdown -- Bohl's Cowboys got a short scoring run from Evan Svoboda with 8:37 left, then drove 87 yards over the last four minutes. John Hoyland knocked a 24-yard field goal through the uprights with one second left.
Small-school glory
I always save a portion of the list for the sport's lower levels, and with good reason: It's glorious. Here are the 20 best games of the season from FCS, Division II and Division III. I really struggled to keep this under about 40.
70. Dec. 16: Florida A&M 30, Howard 26 (Celebration Bowl)
For the first time in a while, the favorite won the Celebration Bowl, but it took a while. Howard scored twice in the first five minutes of the game and took a 16-10 lead into the fourth quarter. Then all hell broke loose. Two Jeremy Moussa-to-Kelvin Dean touchdowns gave FAMU its first lead, but Howard kicked a field goal, then took the lead back with a sudden Carson Hinton pick-six. Moussa regrouped and found Jah'Marae Sheread for a 38-yard score, and Isaiah Major's interception with 1:45 locked up a win and a 12-1 season for the Rattlers.
69. Sept. 2: St. John's 34, Trinity 31
In a big Week 1 battle in Div. III, in front of nearly 10,000 fans, Trinity took a 31-14 lead in the fourth quarter before St. John's charged back to score three times in the final nine minutes of regulation. Conor Murphy's 35-yard field goal gave the Johnnies an early OT lead, and a Cayden Saxon interception sealed a shocking comeback win.
68. Sept. 9: Grand Valley State 57, CSU Pueblo 49
It was a lovely season for Div. II's GVSU, but it almost began 0-2. In a wacky affair that featured three return scores (blocked field goal, kickoff, interception) and an early 21-0 lead for GVSU, CSU Pueblo tied the score on the final play of regulation. The ThunderWolves then scored on the first play of OT ... but GVSU scored on the second and the third. Cole Patritto broke up a fourth-and-3 pass on CSU Pueblo's second OT possession, and the Lakers survived.
67. Nov. 25: Grand Valley State 24, Pittsburg State 21
Because of a focus on regionality, these two top-five teams met in the second round of the Division II playoffs. They put on a show. GVSU trailed 21-14 with six minutes left, but the Lakers got a 31-yard field goal from Josh Gorball, an Ian Kennelly interception, a five-yard Avery Moore touchdown to take the lead and, on the final play, a Colton Hyble sack.
66. Dec. 2: Randolph-Macon 39, Johns Hopkins 36
This Division III quarterfinal pitted two unbeaten teams and went down to the final four seconds. In a game of cat and mouse, RMC led by scores of 21-9, 29-22 and 36-29, but Johns Hopkins came back to tie or take the lead each time. It was a game of "Who has the ball last?" and those honors went to the visitors. Kyle Ihle's 34-yard field goal sent the Yellow Jackets to the semis.
65. Dec. 2: Wartburg 31, UW-Whitewater 28
64. Dec. 9: North Central 34, Wartburg 27
Wartburg topped Randolph-Macon: The Knights played in classics in both the quarterfinals and semis. In the former, they spotted mighty Wisconsin-Whitewater a 21-3 lead just 18 minutes into the game but scored three touchdowns in 15 minutes to take the lead. Whitewater took it back midway through the fourth quarter, but Nile McLaughlin's seven-yard pass to Hunter Clasen with 54 seconds left made it 31-28 Wartburg, and Preston Rochford's interception sealed the deal.
A week later, the Knights nearly took down an even more powerful foe. Defending national champion North Central raced to a 26-7 lead, and it seemed the Cardinals were on their way to yet another blowout win. But McLaughlin threw a pair of touchdowns to make it 26-20, and Clasen's 11-yard scoring run gave Wartburg the lead with 12:17 left. Joe Sacco scored to flip the advantage back to the Cardinals, and it took two late stands -- one on fourth-and-1 at the NCC 5, another on fourth-and-3 from the NCC 21 -- to survive.
63. Oct. 7: UW-La Crosse 37, UW-Whitewater 34
62. Nov. 4: UW-La Crosse 31, UW-River Falls 28
Division III's UWL Eagles enjoyed their first unbeaten run through the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference since 1996, and it took a couple of wild finishes to get the job done. First, in front of 20,113 -- the largest on-campus crowd ever for a Division III game -- they blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead against Whitewater but were saved by a 51-yard Michael Stack field goal at the buzzer.
A month later against River Falls, they led 31-7 before UWRF charged back to force overtime ... almost. Zach Kehl blocked a 27-yarder at the buzzer, and the comeback efforts fell three points short.
Blocked! UWL 31, UWRF 28. F. #d3fb pic.twitter.com/pZDfze2b1t
β D3football.com (@d3football) November 4, 2023
61. Sept. 16: Susquehanna 38, Cortland 35
Before Cortland could start rolling toward its first Division III national title, the Red Dragons had to suffer some early heartbreak. Against 22nd-ranked Susquehanna, they led 35-21 with under five minutes to go, but the River Hawks scored twice in 2Β½ minutes, recovered a kick return fumble with 1:30 remaining and absolutely stole a win with a Christian Colasurdo field goal at the buzzer.
60. Oct. 28: Johns Hopkins 34, Muhlenberg 28
One of the most unique endings of the year. Having given up two late touchdowns to tie the game, JHU drove for the winning field goal, had it blocked ... and won the game all the same.
Will Leger wins the game for @JHU_Football in one of the most unbelievable endings I've witnessed - a blocked 31yd FG is picked up by him and run in from 20 yards out. Hopkins beats @DigInMules, 34-28. @D3FBHuddle #d3fb pic.twitter.com/eO6KVNaRVf
β Frank Rossi (@FrankRossi) October 28, 2023
59. Dec. 2: North Dakota State 35, Montana State 34 (OT)
It was a mammoth matchup in the FCS round of 16, and it lived up to its billing. In front of 17,247 at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, we got six touchdowns of at least 25 yards, and neither team led by more than seven points. TK Marshall's 29-yard run tied the game for NDSU with 2:33 left in regulation, and Cam Miller gave the Bison an early lead in OT. Scottre Humphrey scored immediately for MSU ... but we didn't get a second OT.
BLOCKED!! Bison Win!! pic.twitter.com/KKjLErmzZw
β NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) December 2, 2023
58. Nov. 25: Alma 24, Mount Union 20
Death, taxes, Mount Union reaching the D3 semifinals. It almost always happens, but it didn't in 2023 because the Alma Scots scored twice in the last five minutes to steal an incredible round-of-16 win. They scored on a 76-yard pass with 4:45 left, then drove the length of the field in just 79 seconds, scoring the go-ahead TD with only 10 seconds left.
57. Nov. 11: Central Arkansas 27, Eastern Kentucky 24
56. Oct. 7: Central Arkansas 38, SE Missouri State 33
Somehow, a Hail Mary win was only the second-best moment on UCA's purple-and-gray-striped field in 2023. The Bears indeed beat EKU with a last-second lob, and that was absolutely going to make the list.
Central Arkansas QB Will McElvain throws it deep on the final play and Jarrod Barnes reels it in after the ball is tipped for the winning touchdown.
A month earlier, however, they overcame a 30-6 fourth-quarter deficit against SEMO, and they did it the hard way: They had to score five touchdowns because of three missed 2-point conversions. But they did it! UCA led 19 seconds all game, but they were the right 19 seconds.
IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER#BearClawsUp x #FearTheStripes pic.twitter.com/GC2dIJ1tvO
β π¨ππ ππππ₯π¦ ππ’π’π§ππππ (@UCA_Football) October 8, 2023
55. Nov. 25: Harding 35, Central Missouri 34
Harding's first Division II title run almost didn't get off the ground. In one of the most delightful contrast-of-styles games of the season -- Harding rushed for 384 yards, while UCM threw for 425 -- the Bisons led 35-21 with under six minutes left, but Arkell Smith's 87-yard touchdown brought UCM within seven. Another Smith touchdown, with 19 seconds left, brought the Mules within one, but as was evidently the theme of the small-school season, a block made the difference. Gage Price got his hand in the way of the PAT, and Harding advanced.
The Bisons would beat GVSU by a single point the next week, too, before igniting and winning their last two playoff games by a combined 93-21.
54. Nov. 25: Cortland 25, Grove City 24
53. Dec. 15: Cortland 38, North Central 37
Like Harding, Cortland's ride to a first title almost ended early. Against another upstart, Grove City, the Red Dragons led 14-0 early but fell victim to a 24-3 run and found themselves trailing by seven with under two minutes left. Jaden AlfanoStJohn's short touchdown, plus a Zac Boyes-to-Omari Kendrick two-point pass, gave them a one-point lead. Grove City quickly drove into field goal range, but Caleb Kuchly's 37-yard sailed wide left.
Given second life, Cortland rolled through the next couple of rounds to earn a shot at the defending champs, mighty North Central, in the Stagg Bowl. And if they were cowed by the moment, they didn't show it. They stymied some early Cardinal scoring attempts, and the game was tied at 17-17 heading into the fourth quarter. Then came the offensive fireworks. Cortland scored three times on Zac Boyes touchdown passes, and each time North Central responded. DeAngelo Hardy's 60-yard catch and run brought the Cardinals to within one with 1:20 left, but the Red Dragons stuffed quarterback Luke Lehnen on a 2-point conversion attempt, recovered the ensuing onside kick and kneeled out a national title.
52. Dec. 8: Montana 35, Furman 28 (OT)
51. Dec. 16: Montana 31, North Dakota State 29 (2OT)
Montana couldn't quite secure its first national title in 22 years, falling at the last hurdle against a dominant South Dakota State. But the Grizzlies made the absolute most of their playoff journey, winning a pair of wild games at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on their way to the final.
First came their quarterfinal against Furman, which required both a magical Junior Bergen punt return and overtime heroics.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! π€―@bergen_junior with ANOTHER HOUSE CALL!#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/JfoRrewf4p
β Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) December 9, 2023
Furman scored late to force OT, but Clifton McDowell's 13-yard touchdown pass to Keelan White and a defensive stand allowed Montana to advance to the semis ... which required both a magical Junior Bergen punt return and overtime heroics.
π€― @bergen_junior DOES IT AGAIN!!#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/xoLDUyIzwi
β Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) December 16, 2023
NDSU scored late to force OT, then McDowell's 22-yard touchdown pass to Bergen forced a second. Montana's Eli Gillman scored, Bergen threw a 2-point pass to Keelan White, and NDSU couldn't match. A last-gasp 2-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, and the Grizzlies won again.
When two of your four best games of the season were among the last three games of the season, you know things finished on a pretty good note. The 2023 college football season gave us epic rivalry games, two classic College Football Playoff semifinals, a burst of excitement from Deion Sanders' Colorado and plenty of other classics. Yesterday, we walked through the No. 51-100 games of the season; today, let's work through the top 50.
50. Dec. 16: Jacksonville State 34, Louisiana 31 (OT) (New Orleans Bowl)
In 2022, JSU won nine games in its final FCS season. In 2023, the Gamecocks matched that win total at the FBS level thanks to an 8-4 regular season and this wild win in New Orleans. They more than doubled UL's yardage, but four turnovers (including three returned for TDs) meant they trailed heading into the final two minutes. But Perry Carter's 18-yard TD catch tied the game, and after going through a meditation routine on the sideline, Garrison Rippa nailed a 27-yard overtime field goal to give the Gamecocks the win.
49. Sept. 9: North Carolina 40, Appalachian State 34 (2OT)
For the second straight year, these in-state foes pulled off something epic. This game featured eight lead changes, and neither team led by more than seven points. UNC missed a field goal at the end of regulation but finally sealed the game with a Drake Maye touchdown run and a fourth-down stop in the second OT.
48. Sept. 9: Oregon 38, Texas Tech 30
Somehow, Texas Tech nearly overcame a minus-4 turnover differential to end Oregon's CFP hopes in early September. Nearly. A 20-3 run gave Tech a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, and after three lead changes and a go-ahead Camden Lewis field goal with 1:10 left, Jeffrey Bassa's 45-yard pick-six finally sealed a wild Ducks win in West Texas.
47. Sept. 30: Appalachian State 41, Louisiana-Monroe 40
46. Oct. 14: Texas State 21, Louisiana-Monroe 20
A promising early start to 2023 turned into a 2-10 collapse for ULM. These two heartbreakers might have been the impetus. Against App State, ULM led 40-38 in the fourth quarter and got two huge stops from its defense. But the Warhawks needed a third. Two Joey Aguilar-to-Kaedin Robinson passes set up Michael Hughes' 54-yard bomb of a game-winning kick at the buzzer.
Two weeks later in San Marcos, Ja'Terious Evans' 76-yard pick-six gave ULM a 20-9 lead with 8:57 left in the game. But TJ Finley and Joey Hobert connected for an 11-yard score to make it 20-15, then a 22-yarder with 41 seconds left to give TXST the lead and, eventually, the win.
45. Oct. 14: Air Force 34, Wyoming 27
The option attack is known as more of a front-running offense, but Air Force proved its comeback chops in this one. Down 14-0 early, the Falcons charged back to take a 27-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. Wyoming scored to tie the game, but Trey Taylor blocked the PAT, and after a long missed field goal from the Cowboys, John Lee Eldridge III gave Air Force the win with a 58-yard burst with 2:17 left.
John Lee Eldridge III takes the handoff and goes 58 yards for the go-ahead score.
44. Nov. 18: Washington 22, Oregon State 20
On a sloppy track in Corvallis, Washington needed all of 60 minutes to remain unbeaten. The Huskies carved out a 22-10 halftime lead, but OSU inched back with two lengthy scoring drives and advanced to midfield with two minutes left. But a fourth-down pass from DJ Uiagalelei to Jack Velling fell incomplete, and UW survived.
43. Nov. 4: Ole Miss 38, Texas A&M 35
"We seemed in command, let it get away, come back to get ahead and get a play at the end." That's a pretty accurate description from Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin. The Rebels watched a 28-14 lead turn into a 35-31 deficit in the second half, but Quinshon Judkins capped a 75-yard drive with a one-yard TD plunge, and Deantre Prince blocked a 47-yard field goal at the buzzer to seal the win.
42. Nov. 4: Arkansas 39, Florida 36 (OT)
Neither the Razorbacks nor the Gators lived up to their own expectations in 2023. The former suffered a six-game losing streak that doomed a 4-8 campaign, and the latter lost their last five games to plummet to 5-7. But they still pulled off an early-November thriller that featured five second-half lead changes, a clutch 49-yard field goal from Arkansas' Cam Little and, eventually, a game-winning overtime touchdown pass from KJ Jefferson to Tyrone Broden.
41. Nov. 18: Louisville 38, Miami 31
The battle for the Schnellenberger Trophy started off hot -- it was 14-14 after one quarter -- and went down to the wire. Jack Plummer and Kevin Coleman connected for a 58-yard touchdown to give Louisville the lead with 4:17 left, but before the Cardinals could clinch a spot in the ACC championship, they had to stop a Hail Mary attempt. They did. Barely.
Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo hauls in a batted Hail Mary, but is tackled just short of the goal line.
40. Oct. 7: Georgia Tech 23, Miami 20
39. Sept. 30: Georgia 27, Auburn 20
The Brock Bowers game. Georgia found itself down 10-0 in the first quarter against Hugh Freeze's upset-minded Tigers, and even when the Dawgs charged back, Alex McPherson's 42-yard field goal tied the game at 20-20 midway through the fourth quarter. But on his last of eight catches for 157 yards, Bowers charged through arm tackles and romped 40 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:52 left. Auburn couldn't get past midfield on its final drive.
38. Sept. 30: Utah State 34, UConn 33
After an 0-4 start, an angry UConn came out on a mission, building a 17-0 lead. Utah State charged back, going on a 24-0 run over 12 minutes and setting up a back-and-forth fourth quarter. Trailing 34-27, UConn got a 1-yard score from Jelani Stafford with 40 seconds left, and all the Huskies had to do was nail the PAT to force overtime. Ike Larsen had other ideas.
Ike Larsen finds a gap in UConn's offensive line and blocks the point after touchdown attempt to seal a 34-33 win for Utah State.
37. Oct. 28: Memphis 45, North Texas 42
This one looked as if it was going to be a laugher as Blake Watson scored on runs of 64 and 65 yards and Memphis took a 31-7 lead into the final minute of the first half. But Chandler Rogers threw four touchdown passes in 17 minutes, and North Texas took a shocking 42-38 lead with 47 seconds left. No worries! Memphis needed only 35 seconds to go and win the game all over again.
Joseph Scates snags the jump ball and give Memphis a 45-42 lead over North Texas.
36. Oct. 21: Utah 34, USC 32
Two losses to Utah wrecked USC's 2022 season, and it looked as if the Trojans had finally gotten their revenge after overcoming a 14-point deficit to take the lead on a Caleb Williams touchdown run with 1:46 left. But Bryson Barnes ripped off a wild 26-yard scramble with just a few seconds remaining...
OOOOHHHH MY π±π±π±
β FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 22, 2023
BARNES WITH A MASSIVE RUN FOR @Utah_Football π€ pic.twitter.com/DduaiyjC3T
...and Cole Becker nailed a 38-yard field goal at the buzzer to seal Utah's fourth straight win over the Trojans.
35. Nov. 11: North Carolina 47, Duke 45 (2OT)
Drake Maye's final UNC home game went into overdrive late, with three lead changes and a game-tying 43-yard field goal in the last six minutes of regulation. In the second OT, Maye charged into the end zone and completed a 2-point pass to John Copenhaver; that made the difference when, after a Jordan Moore touchdown, Duke couldn't convert its own 2-pointer.
34. Dec. 9: Army 17, Navy 11
In the customary battle of attrition, Army took a 10-0 lead into halftime, then stretched it to 17-3 with Kalib Fortner's 44-yard fumble return with 4:49 left. Easy win? Not in this rivalry! Navy suddenly transformed into an Air Raid team, winging the ball down the field for an easy touchdown, forcing a punt, then driving 72 yards in the final 100 seconds. Unfortunately, the Midshipmen needed a 73rd yard. Tai Lavatai was stuffed on fourth-and-goal, and, after conceding a safety on the final play, Army survived.
33. Nov. 18: Appalachian State 26, James Madison 23 (OT)
Unbeaten JMU hosted "GameDay" and nearly pulled off a miracle. Nearly. The Dukes erased a 12-point deficit, tying the game with a last-minute touchdown and 2-point conversion, but Kaedin Robinson's by-a-whisker touchdown in overtime -- he got the ball just across the goal line before fumbling -- allowed the Mountaineers to pull off the upset.
32. Sept. 2: Wyoming 35, Texas Tech 33 (2OT)
31. Sept. 23: Wyoming 22, Appalachian State 19
There are few things in college football more fun than drama in Laramie. September gave us plenty. First, Wyoming opened the season by spotting Texas Tech a 17-0 lead, then going on a 20-0 run. A late Red Raiders field goal forced overtime, but Andrew Peasley and John Michael Gyllenborg connected for a touchdown in the second OT, and Sam Scott's 2-point conversion triggered a field storming.
WALK IT OFF WYOMING. pic.twitter.com/jH4B2S3GzG
β CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 3, 2023
Three weeks later, the Cowboys one-upped themselves. App State took a 19-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Harrison Waylee's 75-yard run kept the Cowboys close, and Jakorey Hawkins' return of DeVonne Harris' blocked field goal gave Wyoming a stunning comeback win.
BLOCKED KICK RETURNED FOR A @wyo_football TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/DmyvRxDWeT
β CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 24, 2023
30. Jan. 1: LSU 35, Wisconsin 31 (ReliaQuest Bowl)
Even if you're a bowl proponent like I am, it's OK to admit it: This bowl season didn't give us as many wild classics as we're used to. Only three non-playoff bowls made the top 50 here, but that doesn't mean those three weren't awesome. LSU was without Heisman winner Jayden Daniels for this one, but after spotting Wisconsin leads of 14-0 and 28-14, the Tigers finished the game on a 21-3 run, getting three second-half touchdown passes from Garrett Nussmeier (two to Brian Thomas Jr.) and, after allowing the Badgers inside their 20 in the last minute, three straight sacks to seal the win.
29. Nov. 25: Iowa State 42, Kansas State 35
Nothing about this game made sense. K-State had 102 plays to ISU's 35, and the Cyclones didn't run a single play inside the KSU 30. Luckily, eight of their 35 snaps gained a combined 455 yards with six long touchdowns, and in the snowiest Farmageddon imaginable, ISU prevailed.
28. Oct. 14: Colorado State 31, Boise State 30
This shouldn't have been a game. BSU led 17-0 at halftime and 30-10 with just five minutes left. But CSU scored, recovered an onside kick, scored again, forced a three-and-out and got to the Broncos' 33 for the final play of the game. And what a play it was.
πTHAT'S A CATCH! pic.twitter.com/mIbjum8Wqm
β Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) October 15, 2023
27. Sept. 30: Notre Dame 21, Duke 14
"College GameDay" made its first ever trip to Durham (for football) and got a rock fight that eventually matched the hype. Duke, 4-0 at the time, started terribly, spotting Notre Dame a 13-0 lead over the game's first 35 minutes. But two short touchdowns gave the Blue Devils a 14-13 advantage, and with two minutes left, it looked as if it would hold up. It did not. Sam Hartman drove the Irish 95 yards, converted a fourth-and-16 with a 17-yard scramble, then handed to Audric Estime for a 30-yard bull-charge touchdown with 31 seconds left. To add injury to insult, Duke's Riley Leonard was injured on a failed last-gasp drive, and the Blue Devils would end up losing five of seven.
26. Nov. 4: Texas 33, Kansas State 30 (OT)
With quarterback Quinn Ewers injured, this was a pure survive-and-advance game for Texas. The Horns did exactly that ... eventually. They dominated the first 40 minutes in charging out to a 27-7 lead, but two UT turnovers and three K-State touchdowns in a three-minute span flipped things. Only a botched PAT and missed field goal allowed Texas to stay even and send the game to overtime. Once there, Bert Auburn gave Texas another lead, and the Longhorns' defense made a fourth-down stop to finally secure the win.
25. Dec. 18: Western Kentucky 38, Old Dominion 35 (OT) (Famous Toastery Bowl)
Somehow, through the opt-outs and the transfers and the coaching changes and everything that seems to have diminished it, bowl season sometimes creates something extremely pure. I'm going to gather whoever I can to go to some other town and try to beat a team that's trying to beat my own. That's basically what WKU and Tyson Helton did against ODU and Ricky Rahne. Eventually.
Without 3,300-yard passer Austin Reed and with only marginal contributions from star receiver Malachi Corley, WKU committed five turnovers and spotted the Monarchs a 28-0 lead. But Caden Veltkamp hopped off the bench to throw the first five touchdown passes of his career, including one with 19 seconds left in regulation, and after blocking their second field goal of the night, the Hilltoppers won with a 29-yarder from Lucas Carneiro in overtime.
24. Oct. 21: Virginia 31, North Carolina 27
23. Oct. 28: Georgia Tech 46, North Carolina 42
After reaching the AP top 10 with a 6-0 start, UNC suffered back-to-back upset losses. But hey, at least they were memorable! First, Virginia overcame a 10-point deficit with 20 minutes left, taking a shocking lead on Malik Washington's 14-yard catch-and-run. UNC had multiple opportunities to come back but turned the ball over on downs at the UVA 20, then suffered a game-clinching interception with 26 seconds left. The cathartic win was the Cavaliers' first in 31 tries against a top-10 team on the road.
The next week in Atlanta, UNC responded well to the loss. At first. The Heels took a 21-7 lead over Georgia Tech early in the second quarter and still led 35-24 heading into the fourth but once again crumpled late. Dontae Smith's 70-yard touchdown brought the Yellow Jackets within three points, and Haynes King's 5-yard touchdown pass to Brett Seither gave them the lead. And once again a late turnover -- this time a Tez Walker fumble -- sealed the deal. From 6-0, UNC finished just 8-5.
22. Oct. 28: Kansas 38, Oklahoma 33
21. Nov. 4: Oklahoma State 27, Oklahoma 24
Lance Leipold's epic KU turnaround landed its marquee win in late October. And thanks to a storm delay, it took a bit longer than expected. A game of early runs -- 14-0 Kansas, 21-0 OU, 12-0 Kansas -- turned into a back-and-forth affair late. The Jayhawks took the lead when a huge, 37-yard Jason Bean-to-Lawrence Arnold pass on fourth-and-6 set up a Devin Neal touchdown with 55 seconds left, but OU quickly drove into KU territory in response. Two Dillon Gabriel passes from the KU 23 fell incomplete, however, and it was time to rush the field.
The last Bedlam game for the foreseeable future wasn't the wildest game the rivalry has seen, but it was wild enough. It also decided a spot in the Big 12 Championship. Despite a 64-yard run from Gavin Sawchuk, OSU took a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter, but OU took its first lead of the game midway through the third. After a lengthy offensive drought that included a trio of turnovers on downs, OSU embarked on a 97-yard drive capped by a short Ollie Gordon touchdown with 7:59 remaining in the game. That gave the Cowboys a lead that just barely held up thanks to a controversial pass interference no-call and a late fourth-down stop. The Pokes own bragging rights.
20. Nov. 25: Oklahoma State 40, BYU 34 (2OT)
Despite the win over OU, OSU still needed to take care of BYU to clinch a conference title game spot. Desperate for a win to clinch bowl eligibility, BYU surged for a 24-6 halftime lead, but the Cougars couldn't contain Ollie Gordon in the second half. He scored three times to give the Cowboys a lead, but a blocked PAT with 53 seconds left kept BYU within three points, and Will Ferrin's 48-yard field goal at the buzzer forced OT. It just delayed the inevitable. Two more Gordon TDs and a Trey Rucker fumble recovery clinched the comeback win.
19. Sept. 30: Baylor 36, UCF 35
In the middle of a dire Baylor season, the Bears made one of the most unexpected and exciting comebacks of the season. Trailing 35-7 late in the third quarter, they got two offensive touchdowns, a 72-yard fumble return from Caden Jenkins and two Isaiah Hankins field goals to finish the game on a 29-0 run.
Meanwhile, in an eventually futile comeback attempt, UCF's Timmy McClain made one of the greatest 16-yard passes you'll ever see.
WOAH π±π€―
β FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 30, 2023
McClain is INSANE π€ @BUFootball pic.twitter.com/bDlSveU8fe
18. Sept. 23: Ohio State 17, Notre Dame 14
This one had everything but points. In a raucous South Bend, both teams blew scoring chances early on, and Ohio State led 10-0 after 40 minutes. Notre Dame scored TDs on drives of 7:39 and 6:28 to take the lead. But given one last chance to come back, OSU quarterback Kyle McCord created his finest moment in scarlet and gray. He completed passes on third-and-10, fourth-and-7 and eventually third-and-19 to get the Buckeyes to the 1-yard line, then handed to Chip Trayanum for the touchdown with one second left on the clock.
17. Nov. 25: Old Dominion 25, Georgia State 24
As frustrating as the bowl loss might have been, it took a miracle for ODU to bowl at all. Needing one more win for bowl eligibility, the Monarchs trailed GSU by 10 late in the fourth quarter when all hell broke loose.
ODU scored on a tackle-eligible pass to Chris Adams, but he was called for a facemask penalty while stiff-arming a defender, and the Monarchs settled for a field goal. GSU recovered a squib kick at its own 10, but after a high snap, ODU sacked Darren Grainger for a safety with 1:18 left. After the free kick, Grant Wilson hit Reymello Murphy for a 43-yard gain to the GSU 6, and on fourth-and-goal, on the final play of the game, Wilson scored from three yards out.
JUST. KEEP. SWINGING. π€#ReignOn | #DDT pic.twitter.com/iR5j9YL709
β ODU Football (@ODUFootball) November 26, 2023
16. Nov. 18: Missouri 33, Florida 31
15. Sept. 16: Missouri 30, Kansas State 27
Mizzou enjoyed its first top-10 finish in 10 years, but it took the "Thiccer Kicker" to pull it off. Harrison Mevis capped a pair of wild home wins with field goals, one much longer than the other. Late in the season, Mizzou struggled to put away a game Florida squad, trailing on three separate occasions in the second half. Max Brown, the Gators' backup quarterback, engineered a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives to erase a nine-point deficit, but Brady Cook completed an enormous fourth-and-17 pass to Luther Burden to set up Mevis' 30-yard game winner.
Harrison Mevis kicks a FG with five seconds remaining after QB Brady Cook throws for 326 yards and leads the game-winning drive in Missouri's 33-31 win over Florida.
Back in September, Mevis had a lot more work to do. Mizzou again overcame three deficits and again got a huge catch from Burden (a go-ahead touchdown with 8:24 left), but with the game tied at 27-27 and overtime looming, the Tigers got just close enough to give Mevis a shot at a 61-yarder. He nailed it.
FROM 61 YARDS FOR THE WIN π€―@MizzouFootball x πΊ @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/hxGdlKI5p4
β Southeastern Conference (@SEC) September 16, 2023
14. Nov. 25: Washington 24, Washington State 21
Washington enjoyed a blessed run to the national title game in 2023, as evidenced by the fact that four of the top 14 games on this list are Husky wins. In this one, UW was outgained by 75 yards by its Apple Cup rival, but seven trips into Huskies territory netted only three Wazzu scores, and given one last chance to avoid overtime, Washington got a beautiful 23-yard end around from Rome Odunze on fourth-and-1 and a 42-yard field goal from Grady Gross at the buzzer. The Huskies' unbeaten record remained intact.
13. Sept. 30: Ole Miss 55, LSU 49
Maybe the best popcorn flick of the season. Ole Miss took an early 21-7 lead, but LSU flipped the game with a 28-6 run and led by nine points with just five minutes remaining. Quarterback Jaxson Dart scored for Ole Miss, the Rebels forced a rare punt, and a Dart-to-Tre Harris touchdown made it 55-49 with 39 seconds left. That was almost too much time. Jayden Daniels immediately found Chris Hilton Jr. for a 42-yard gain and got a couple of shots at the end zone. But they fell incomplete, and the Rebs survived.
12. Dec. 2: Alabama 27, Georgia 24 (SEC championship)
That the last win of Nick Saban's career was an upset over former protege Kirby Smart feels pretty poetic in retrospect. But a week after their CFP hopes nearly fell apart at Auburn (we'll get to that one soon enough), Saban's Crimson Tide played their best game of the season in the biggest game of the season. After a poor start, Bama took control with a 17-0 run, then fended off some late Georgia parries. The Dawgs cut the lead to three points twice in the fourth quarter, but the Tide responded with a Roydell Williams touchdown the first time, then killed the last 2:52 of the clock with a pair of Jalen Milroe first downs.
11. Nov. 25: Michigan 30, Ohio State 24
After losing eight straight games to Ohio State, Michigan has now won three straight. This one was the least comfortable of the three. The Wolverines never trailed but could never shake the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor either. A Marvin Harrison Jr. touchdown pulled Ohio State to within 3 with just 8:05 left, and after Michigan killed seven minutes with a field goal drive, Kyle McCord completed passes to Harrison and Julian Fleming to move the ball inside the UM 40, but he short-armed another throw to Harrison, and Rod Moore picked it off with 25 seconds left. The Wolverines remained unbeaten.
10. Oct. 12: Houston 41, West Virginia 39
You always have to watch, just in case. Week 7 gave us three of the 10 best games of the season on three consecutive days. This one gave us an early kick return score and a late comeback for WVU; the Mountaineers scored twice in the final four minutes, and Hudson Clement's 50-yard catch-and-run (through appalling defense, if we're being honest) with 12 seconds left seemed to cap a surprising win. But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty got Houston within Hail Mary range, and...
9. Dec. 1: Washington 34, Oregon 31 (Pac-12 championship)
8. Oct. 14: Washington 36, Oregon 33
Dan Lanning fielded a brilliant Oregon team in 2023, one that went 12-0, with wins by an average score of 46-13, against teams not named Washington. But the Ducks played two tossups against the playoff-bound Huskies and came up with tails both times. In the first game, in front of 71,321 in a delirious Husky Stadium, Oregon scored twice in four minutes to turn an 11-point deficit into a 33-29 lead, but with a chance to close out the win, the Ducks failed on a fourth-and-3 -- they were 0-for-3 on fourth downs on the day -- and gave UW one last chance at a win. Michael Penix Jr. immediately hit Ja'Lynn Polk for 35 yards and Rome Odunze for an 18-yard touchdown and the lead, and Camden Lewis' 43-yard field goal attempt at the buzzer sailed wide right.
Seven weeks later in the Pac-12 championship in Vegas, the Ducks got a shot at revenge and almost immediately blew it. Playing its best game in weeks, Washington bolted to a 20-3 lead before Oregon responded with a 21-0 run to take the lead. But playing a close game against UW was like playing with fire in 2023. Riding workhorse back Dillon Johnson (152 yards and two touchdowns), Washington scored twice to go up 34-24. Oregon immediately responded with a 63-yard Bo Nix-to-Traeshon Holden touchdown with 2:14 left, but UW converted a third-and-4 (Penix to Jalen McMillan) and a third-and-9 (18-yard Johnson run), and the Ducks never got the ball back.
7. Sept. 2: Colorado 45, TCU 42
6. Sept. 16: Colorado 43, Colorado State 35 (2OT)
5. Oct. 13: Stanford 46, Colorado 43 (2OT)
College football has just about the shortest season of any sport, but it can feel like it lasts years. Decades, even. Remember eons ago in September, when Colorado ruled the world?
Deion Sanders engineered the most memorable 4-8 campaign of all time with a couple of wild early wins ... and a particularly wild loss, too. The season began with a headline-grabber. Against last season's title game runner-up, TCU, Sanders' Buffaloes overcame three second-half deficits thanks to 510 passing yards and four touchdowns from Shedeur Sanders and four different 100-yard efforts from CU receivers. Travis Hunter made his Colorado debut by catching 11 passes and making an acrobatic (and eventually game-saving) third-quarter interception. On a fourth-and-2 with 4:25 left, Sanders and Dylan Edwards connected for a 46-yard score, and after a late fourth-down stop, CU scored what felt like a mammoth upset.
After an easy home debut against Nebraska, CU welcomed rival Colorado State to town for a physical affair that featured six touchdowns of at least 24 yards, including an 80-yard Shilo Sanders pick-six and, after CU trailed by 11 with eight minutes left, a game-tying 45-yard touchdown catch from Jimmy Horn Jr. The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, but after a Shedeur Sanders-to-Michael Harrison touchdown, a Trevor Woods interception clinched a 3-0 start in Boulder.
Colorado's defense makes the game-sealing interception in double overtime and Colorado fans celebrate by rushing the field.
Things went south from there. CU suffered a blowout loss to Oregon and a tight loss to USC, and after one final win (over Arizona State), the collapse was set in motion when the Buffaloes couldn't make a 29-0 lead hold up. Stanford, in the middle of its own dire season, got touchdowns of 97, 60 and (in overtime) 30 yards from Elic Ayomanor. Throw in a game-tying 46-yard field goal from Joshua Karty at the buzzer and a second-OT interception from Alaka'i Gilman, and you had maybe the most stunning comeback win of the season.
4. Jan. 1: Washington 37, Texas 31 (Sugar Bowl)
3. Jan. 1: Michigan 27, Alabama 20 (OT, Rose Bowl)
For the second straight year, the College Football Playoff gave us two spectacular semifinals. And they unfolded in completely different ways. First, we got a Rose Bowl rock fight of sorts. Michigan outgained Alabama by 1.5 yards per play, but special teams miscues meant that the Wolverines led only 13-10 at halftime. Alabama scored the first 10 points of the second half, and a 52-yard Will Reichard field goal gave the Tide a 20-13 lead with 4:41 left. But facing their first must-score situation, the Wolverines responded beautifully. Blake Corum took a short fourth-and-2 pass 27 yards, J.J. McCarthy ran for 16, and Roman Wilson took a deflected pass to the Alabama 5, then scored a play later.
After one last Michigan special teams disaster -- Jake Thaw muffed a punt at his 6 and barely saved it from becoming a safety or a Bama touchdown -- the game went to overtime, where Corum rode his blockers for a burly 17-yard touchdown, and Michigan stuffed Jalen Milroe on fourth-and-goal to advance to the title game.
For most of the Sugar Bowl semifinal, it looked like Michigan would be playing Washington in the title game. Thanks in part to a career performance from Michael Penix Jr., the Huskies never trailed and took a 34-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. But Texas refused to go away. Adonai Mitchell caught a short touchdown pass -- his fifth touchdown in five career CFP games -- to make it 34-28, and while Washington responded with a field goal with 2:40 left, Texas quickly got a Bert Auburn field goal, then got the ball back with 45 seconds left after a Dillon Johnson injury stopped the clock. Quinn Ewers completed a 41-yard pass to Jordan Whittington and a 16-yarder to Jaydon Blue to get the Horns to the UW 12 with 15 seconds left. Were they going to steal this game at the last second? No. That was as far as they got. Elijah Jackson broke up a lob to Mitchell on the final play of the game, and UW advanced after all.
The Huskies' 10th straight win of 10 or fewer points would be their last. Michigan would pull away late in the CFP Championship to win its first national title since 1997.
2. Oct. 7: Oklahoma 34, Texas 30
The final Big 12 version of the Red River Rivalry was as incredible as any of the rivalry's other recent classics. In a back-and-forth affair, OU used a 17-3 run to take a 10-point third-quarter lead, only to watch Texas score 13 straight. The Horns took the lead on Bert Auburn's 47-yard field goal with 1:17 left, but Dillon Gabriel needed only five plays to bring the Sooners back. Passes of 11, 16 and 28 yards and a pass interference penalty set OU up at the Texas 6, and with 15 seconds left, Gabriel narrowly avoided a sack while somehow spotting Nic Anderson open in the corner of the end zone. Texas got into Hail Mary range, but Quinn Ewers' prayers weren't answered, and OU moved to 6-0.
After Texas takes the lead late, Dillon Gabriel comes up huge on the final drive, giving Oklahoma the Red River Rivalry win.
1. Nov. 25: Alabama 27, Auburn 24
In his 17 seasons at Alabama, Nick Saban only coached in a couple of genuinely memorable Iron Bowls in Tuscaloosa -- the famous Cam Newton comeback of 2010 (remembered nearly as much for the aftermath) and a 55-44 track meet in 2014.
His trips to Auburn, however, were almost always memorable. The Tide came back from 14 down to win and keep their national title hopes alive in 2009. They fell in legendary fashion in 2013. They lost in 2017 and needed some late-season help to sneak into the CFP. They lost again, via two pick-sixes and a late missed field goal, in 2019. They had to drive 97 yards with 95 seconds left to salvage a win and save their CFP hopes in 2021. But they saved their greatest escape for what ended up being Saban's last trip to the Plains.
Despite a recent blowout loss to New Mexico State and a completely one-dimensional offense -- 21 Auburn pass attempts netted just 63 yards -- Auburn got 178 rushing yards from Jarquez Hunter and Damari Alston, and an Alex McPherson field goal gave the Tigers a surprising 24-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. It looked like it might hold up, even after a muffed punt gave the Tide a bonus scoring chance late. After a faulty snap led to a huge loss, all Auburn had to do was stop a fourth-and-goal attempt from the 31 to secure a huge upset and knock Bama from the playoff running.
Yep, that's all they had to do.
Saban's dominance in Tuscaloosa was unprecedented. His inability to escape Iron Bowl road drama was one of his most endearing characteristics.