Looking Back from 2010 -The Top 5 College Bowl Games

I've been watching college bowl games for a long time. A lot of the older ones have faded with the aromas of New Year's Day dinners past. It was the last of the holiday season with the coldest of winter ahead. Aunts and uncles and cousins would wrap themselves in winter coats and scarves. We would not see them again until spring. The games were the last chance at a warm memory to carry us through.

5) Oklahoma and Florida State -Orange Bowl 2000
The warmest memory was the 2000 National Championship in Miami. It doesn't make many lists, but it was my first national championship. I love defense and the Sooners and the Seminoles kept us tense. OU wasn't supposed to be there. It had been a long drought and Bob Stoops was only in his second year. Some of these Sooners had suffered the worst of the John Blake era and Florida State was in the middle of the Bobby Bowden reign.
When Quentin Griffin broke the only touchdown in a 6-0 game, Sooner Magic prevailed 13-2.

4) Ohio St 31 Miami 24 -Fiesta Bowl 2003
Miami got their national championship in 2001 and they were going for a repeat against Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl. They played into the first overtime and had the lead when they apparently broke up a Craig Krenzel pass. The celebration began and Miami fans flooded the field, but then a collective Buckeye prayer was answered and a late flag for pass interference gave them new life.
Ohio State grabbed destiny and stopped Miami in the second overtime. Miami has never been back.

3) Alabama and Notre Dame -Sugar Bowl 1973
Going way back to 1973, the Sugar Bowl was my beer commercial game. It was New Year's Eve and I had a date with a former Miss Illinois. We were at a party and Alabama and Notre Dame were going at each other.
The lead changed hands six times and with about four minutes left future Chicago Bear, Bob Thomas kicked the field goal to put Notre Dame ahead. But, wait a minute, honey. Alabama had Notre Dame backed up and Dave Casper jumped offside. It was third down on their own three. The Irish passed! Complete for 55 yards. I kicked over the potato chips, ND ran out the clock and I never saw Miss Illinois again,

2) Texas 41 and Southern Cal 38 - Rose Bowl 2006
It is tough for an Okie to root for Texas, but USC brought a greater arrogance to the Rose Bowl in 2006. Like Miami in 2000, they found a way to dispute a national championship. A great team on the field, but a greater one in their own minds they turned a Texas team into a sympathetic underdog.
Vince Young wasn't going to be denied, after pummeling each other like heavyweights, Young was eight yards away with one play to go and he went in untouched.
Arguably, this was the best sixty minutes of BCS football ever played. USC later was found to be in violation of NCAA rules and victories in 2004 and 2005 were vacated. So much for arrogance.

1) Boise State and Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl 2007
While it wasn't the best-played game, this was the most exciting . An upstart Boise team took it to a very average Oklahoma team that had managed to play with more heart than talent all year long. Adrian Peterson was rusty after an injury and Paul Thompson played like a quarterback-turned receiver-turned quarterback again.
An early surge by Boise was met be a comeback by the Sooners but Boise didn't fold. Boise pulled every trick in the book and rolled the dice on a two-point statue-of-liberty conversion in overtime.
It was a game that you proud to be witnessing. Both fan bases were drained of emotion. It was something special.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-0n8WvrGjc
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bowls/2003-01-04-the-call_x.htm
http://www.mmbolding.com/bowls/Sugar_1973.htm
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=260040030
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Fiesta_Bowl