Greatest College FB Game Ever

[redlegsfan21]

Which college football game od you think is the greatest ever?

I personally like '82 Stanford-Cal but that might be because I play the trombone in marching band.

[ktss12]

I don't follow College Football much, but I always think of the 84 Orange Bowl, as the best College Game I ever saw.

Bernie Kosar, Turner Gill, Mike Rozier, Irving Fryar....even Stanley Shakespeare!!
Dean Steinkuhler running 20 yards for a TD on the fumbleruskie. I never saw that play before, and I haven't seen it since.
The game ended with Nebraska scoring a TD, and instead of kicking the extra point to tie, they went for 2 to win....and failed.

Great game, great plays, great names.

[brady_branch]

Last year's Rose Bowl (even though USC lost) has to be right up there.

[redlegsfan21]

Last year's Rose Bowl (even though USC lost) has to be right up there.
I really think this game was overrated. Sure it had No 1 and No 2 but it really wasn't as dramatic as I hoped. I believe last year's Hawaii Bowl was better (of course, it was very painful). There is '84 BC vs Miami. Also the '80 Holiday Bowl. The enjoyable but horribly refed '05 Alamo Bowl.

[brady_branch]

'84 BC-Miami is my personal favorite, mainly because BC (led by Doug Flutie) won.

[D.C.]

I really think this game was overrated. Sure it had No 1 and No 2 but it really wasn't as dramatic as I hoped.

Dramatic? Last years Oange Bowl was dramatic...not very well played but boy was it dramatic.

[brady_branch]

The Orange Bowl was the Penn State - FSU matchup, right? I love that game!

[RedSoxVT92]

Yeah, I got to go with BC vs Miami in 1984. That hail mary by Doug Flutie in the final seconds was incredible. What a game.

[redlegsfan21]

That Orange Bowl annoyed me because I stayed up so late and I had to go to school the next day. I must admit though, it was exciting watching that game, so many chances, so many blown.

[cbenson5]

How about Notre Dame and Michigan State in 1966.

[redlegsfan21]

How about Notre Dame and Michigan State in 1966.
Is a tie really that exciting. Anyways, I was reading about it and it seems that the ND coach Ara Parseghian was playing to tie, not to win, because he believed that a tie would secure a championship.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

1972 Auburn-Alabama Game. Powerful undefeated Alabama leads
Auburn 16-3 late in the fourth quarter. Bill Newton blocks a Greg
Gantt punt that Bill Langner scoops up and runs in for the score;
PAT good, 16-10. Very shortly Newton blocks second Gantt punt,
Langner scores, PAT good Auburn wins 17-16.:D

Punt, 'Bama Punt!:p

OswaldTheOsprey:cool:

[cbenson5]

1972 Auburn-Alabama Game. Powerful undefeated Alabama leads
Auburn 16-3 late in the fourth quarter. Bill Newton blocks a Greg
Gantt punt that Bill Langner scoops up and runs in for the score;
PAT good, 16-10. Very shortly Newton blocks second Gantt punt,
Langner scores, PAT good Auburn wins 17-16.:D

Punt, 'Bama Punt!:p

OswaldTheOsprey:cool:

I remember that one. Auburn bragged about that for ten years; until the next time they beat us. Roll Tide.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

I remember that one. Auburn bragged about that for ten years; until the next time they beat us. Roll Tide.

Some are still bragging now. War Eagle!;)

OswaldTheOsprey:D

[Wolverine]

Is a tie really that exciting. Anyways, I was reading about it and it seems that the ND coach Ara Parseghian was playing to tie, not to win, because he believed that a tie would secure a championship.

He played to win until the last series of downs when it was clear that he was playing for a tie.

Notre Dame went into the game without its starting QB and was playing at MSU, so a tie under those circumstances wasn't a bad showing. ND also had one game left on its schedule. Given another chance to impress the pollsters, ND proceeded to beat USC 51-0, in Los Angeles. After that there wasn't much doubt who'd be named Number 1.

Ara may not have played for a tie if it had been ND's last game, especially if MSU still had a game to play. MSU was not bowl eligible since they had played in the Rose Bowl the previous year (the Big 10 eventually changed that rule).

ESPN Classic occasionally shows the tape of this game. I believe it's the earliest one they have.

[soberdennis]

For some reason everybody has forgotten the "game of the century"
Thanksgiving 1971
Nebraska 35 Oklahoma 31
No. 1 against no. 2
If any game live up to its hype it did.
Other regular season games I'll never forget
Texas 15 Arkansas 14 1969- Roone Arledge asked Broyles and Royal to move their annual clash from October to December for tv purposes. When Michigan defeated Ohio State in November, Arledge looked like a genius. Game was great too.
Someone already mentioned ND-MSU 1966-Ara never did live down that tie.

My two favorite Bowl games are the 84 Orange Bowl and 73 Sugar Bowl.
Orange Bowl-Miami 31, Nebraska 30- Osborne definitely showed guts going for two.
Sugar bowl-Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23-another 1-2 that went down to the wire. But neither would have beaten OU that year if they were given the chance.

[soberdennis]

He played to win until the last series of downs when it was clear that he was playing for a tie.

Notre Dame went into the game without its starting QB and was playing at MSU, so a tie under those circumstances wasn't a bad showing. ND also had one game left on its schedule. Given another chance to impress the pollsters, ND proceeded to beat USC 51-0, in Los Angeles. After that there wasn't much doubt who'd be named Number 1.

Ara may not have played for a tie if it had been ND's last game, especially if MSU still had a game to play. MSU was not bowl eligible since they had played in the Rose Bowl the previous year (the Big 10 eventually changed that rule).

ESPN Classic occasionally shows the tape of this game. I believe it's the earliest one they have.
That was the stupidest rule I ever heard. I remember the Football News went on a crusade in 69 to allow OSU to go to the Rose Bowl. (Ironically a paper published in Detroit.) Of course they then went to Ann Arbor and it was a moot point.

[Wolverine]

The Big 10 began playing in the Rose Bowl on an annual basis in January 1947. I believe originally the prohibition extended for two years. By the mid-50s it was only for the following year. MSU was the first team to play twice in three years (1954 and 1956). Ohio State was first to play in back to back Rose Bowls (actually four in a row. 1973-76).

The no repeat rule definitely hurt Big 10 recruiting, as did the conference rule that only one team could go to a bowl. That was in force until the mid-70s.

The 1971 Nebraska-Oklahoma game probably was the game of the century. It was one of the few times that a game so billed actually lived up to its hype.

[brady_branch]

The Big 10 began playing in the Rose Bowl on an annual basis in January 1947. I believe originally the prohibition extended for two years. By the mid-50s it was only for the following year. MSU was the first team to play twice in three years (1954 and 1956). Ohio State was first to play in back to back Rose Bowls (actually four in a row. 1973-76).

The no repeat rule definitely hurt Big 10 recruiting, as did the conference rule that only one team could go to a bowl. That was in force until the mid-70s.

The 1971 Nebraska-Oklahoma game probably was the game of the century. It was one of the few times that a game so billed actually lived up to its hype.

I believe the first Rose Bowl was in 1900 or 1901 or maybe 1902, with Stanford playing Brown. A few years later, Michigan beat Stanford, who quit and decided to showcase chariot racing instead of football. Then in the 1920's the champion of the Big Ten and the Pacific Coast Conference would meet in Pasadena for an exhibition game. That's just what I remember, it could very well be wrong.

[soberdennis]

The Big 10 began playing in the Rose Bowl on an annual basis in January 1947. I believe originally the prohibition extended for two years. By the mid-50s it was only for the following year. MSU was the first team to play twice in three years (1954 and 1956). Ohio State was first to play in back to back Rose Bowls (actually four in a row. 1973-76).

The no repeat rule definitely hurt Big 10 recruiting, as did the conference rule that only one team could go to a bowl. That was in force until the mid-70s.

The 1971 Nebraska-Oklahoma game probably was the game of the century. It was one of the few times that a game so billed actually lived up to its hype.
Actually Minnesota went to consecutive Rose Bowls in the early 60's. But that was an exception,

[soberdennis]

I believe the first Rose Bowl was in 1900 or 1901 or maybe 1902, with Stanford playing Brown. A few years later, Michigan beat Stanford, who quit and decided to showcase chariot racing instead of football. Then in the 1920's the champion of the Big Ten and the Pacific Coast Conference would meet in Pasadena for an exhibition game. That's just what I remember, it could very well be wrong.
The first official Rose bowl game was 1903 with Michigan's Point a minute team destroying Stanford 49-0. The second one was 1916. With the exception of WW1, they have played every year, 1942 in Durham, NC.

[brady_branch]

Thought that was the first Big Ten-PCC game. The Rose Bowl started with Stanford-Brown.

[soberdennis]

Thought that was the first Big Ten-PCC game. The Rose Bowl started with Stanford-Brown.
No If you look it up my info is correct. The 1916 game was Washington State/Brown

[soberdennis]

Actually the year was 1902 according to Wikipedia. the rest is correct.
Before 02 and again until 16, they held chariot races instead. "Hurry up " Yost's point a minute Wolverines must have looked like Chariots to Stanford that day.
Interestingly, in Michigan's second Rose Bowl in 48, they beat USC 49-0, too. in their first two trips to Pasadena, they outscored their opponents 98-0. They didn't give up their first points until 51 with a 14-6 win over Cal.

[brady_branch]

I found my Big Ten history book, and you are correct. My mistake.

[Wolverine]

Here are all the Rose Bowl results and MVPs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Bowl_Game

I completely forgot about Minnesota's back-to-back appearances in 1961-62.
They played in the 1962 game only because Ohio State rejected the bid.

In a scenario that would defy logic today, the Ohio State faculty council stunned the nation by voting 28-25 to reject the Rose Bowl bid — largely because it disliked the institution’s growing reputation as a football school. Students began a riot on campus when the news was announced.

Scroll down to "1961" for more on this team, which finished 8-0-1:

http://www.centralohio.com/ohiostate/football/legacy/highlights/topteams.html

[soberdennis]

Here are all the Rose Bowl results and MVPs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Bowl_Game

I completely forgot about Minnesota's back-to-back appearances in 1961-62.
They played in the 1962 game only because Ohio State rejected the bid.

In a scenario that would defy logic today, the Ohio State faculty council stunned the nation by voting 28-25 to reject the Rose Bowl bid — largely because it disliked the institution’s growing reputation as a football school. Students began a riot on campus when the news was announced.

Scroll down to "1961" for more on this team, which finished 8-0-1:

http://www.centralohio.com/ohiostate/football/legacy/highlights/topteams.html
Thank you for the link. It is very insightful.
Does anyone know what happened to Bob Ferguson. We all know of Paul Warfield and Matt Snell.

[Wolverine]

Ferguson died in 2004 of complications due to diabetes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ferguson_(American_football)

[soberdennis]

Ferguson died in 2004 of complications due to diabetes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ferguson_(American_football)
Thank you. It took awhile to find anything using that link. But I found what I was looking for.
He played two years with Steelers and Vikings. But a head injury ended his career.
Needless to say his backfield mates had more luck in the pros.

[boomer]

Here are all the Rose Bowl results and MVPs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Bowl_Game

I completely forgot about Minnesota's back-to-back appearances in 1961-62.
They played in the 1962 game only because Ohio State rejected the bid.

In a scenario that would defy logic today, the Ohio State faculty council stunned the nation by voting 28-25 to reject the Rose Bowl bid — largely because it disliked the institution’s growing reputation as a football school. Students began a riot on campus when the news was announced.



Good info, hadn't heard of that...I'd bet Woody Hayes had to be put in a straight-jacket after hearing about it.:eek:

[Wolverine]

Good info, hadn't heard of that...I'd bet Woody Hayes had to be put in a straight-jacket after hearing about it.:eek:

Hayes felt the decision had a negative effect on OSU's recruiting. It probably did, though only marginally. In the five years prior to 1961 the Bucks were 31-12-3. In the five years after 1961 they were 29-15-1. They were 3-2 against Michigan in both periods.