THE BEST SELLERS’ LIST- Games of my Lifetime: Since 1981 several classic gridiron game took place on Saturday or January

By Thomas Sellers Jr.

I am usually tired, frustrated and in need of an emotional boost by late August.
The dog days of summer have taken their toll, school is back in session and the sports landscape has been dominated by golf, tennis and baseball. That’s the typical year.
But 2020 has been anything but typically. Currently the NHL and NBA are in a playoff push. The NFL is trying to map out a plan to stay virus free by Sept. 10.
And the normal August ends with the beginning of my beloved College Football. Once again 2020 said, “Throw the usual out the window. College Football as you know it won’t be the same during my calendar.”
Conferences began canceling games, then rescheduling and finally cutting out the entire season. In the South, the news of collegiate gridiron competition being canceled and possibly gone for 2020 was like saying hearing about the passing of loved one.
Full disclosure, I’m one of those people taking the news of no College Football pretty hard. I go somewhere private and release a few tears. Then in public I try to act all cool about it.
As a Tennessee Volunteers, Florida State Seminoles and Memphis Tigers fan, I will miss checking the box scores, tracking down highlights and viewing the game of the week. Then the big dogs like Alabama, Penn State, Clemson, Ohio State, USC and Oklahoma are just fun to root against.
Throughout my lifetime, some of the best sports moments ever took place on a Saturday or bowl game gridiron. To keep my sanity, I’m about to use this week’s Best Sellers’ List to countdown my top 10 college football game from 1981-2020. To be a great game, you need drama, high stakes, rivalry, heated competition and a good nickname for the game.
Here are my honorable mentions: No. 1 Colorado 10, No. 5 Notre Dame 9 (Orange Bowl, Jan. 1, 1991), No. 7 Texas Tech 39, No. 1 Texas 33 (Nov. 2, 2008), No. 17 Boston College 41, at No. 1 Notre Dame 39 (Nov. 20, 1993), No. 7 Michigan State 27, at No. 12 Michigan 23 (Oct. 17, 2015), Stanford 24, at No. 2 USC 23 (Oct. 6, 2007), No. 16 LSU 33, at Kentucky 30 (Nov. 9, 2002), No. 10 Boston College 47 at No. 12 Miami 45 (Nov. 23, 1984), No. 2 Penn State 14, No. 1 Miami 10 (Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 2, 1987), No. 4 Notre Dame 31, No. 1 Miami 30 (Oct. 15, 1988), No. 1 USC 34, at No. 9 Notre Dame 31 (Oct. 15, 2005), No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 (College Football Playoff National Championship, Tampa, Florida, Jan. 9, 2017), Maryland 42, at No. 6 Miami 40 (Nov. 10, 1984), No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 (College Football Playoff National Championship, Glendale, Arizona, Jan. 11, 2016), No. 1 Florida State 18, No. 2 Nebraska 16 (Orange Bowl, Jan. 1, 1994), No. 2 Notre Dame 31, No. 1 Florida State 24 (Nov. 13, 1993), and No. 1 Florida State 34, No. 2 Auburn 31 (2014 BCS National Championship Game Jan. 6, 2014).

10. No. 4 Florida 31, at No. 7 Florida State 31 (Nov. 26, 1994) and No. 13 Tennessee 35, at No. 5 Notre Dame 34 (Nov. 9, 1991)
    Coming in at a tie for No. 10 are my beloved Seminoles and Volunteers pulling off amazing comebacks. On these days my prayers were answered. I originally wanted to just put the “Miracle at South Bend” at No. 10. But the “Choke at Doak” is happy with a tie.
    Let’s first reflect on Florida State’s great rally at home against the hated rival Florida Gators. The Gators led the Seminoles 31-3 entering the fourth quarter. Then FSU signal caller Danny Kanell overcame his demons that day to threw for 232 yards and a TD in the fourth. My Noles finally tied the game at 31-31 when legendary FSU Head Coach Bobby Bowden decided to kick the extra point rather than go for 2 after Rock Preston’s 4-yard TD run with a minute and 45 seconds remaining. “It is a pretty dang good win … I mean tie,” was Bowden’s postgame Freudian slip.
    Three years earlier, my 10-year-old heart experienced its first near attack when my Vols trailed 31-7 in the first half. With Touchdown Jesus looking down over the boys in orange, Tennessee fought back to take a 35-34 advantage with 4:03 left. Vols quarterback Andy Kelly connected with Aaron Hayden for a touchdown pass. The Fighting Irish marched down the field to get in field goal range. The field goal attempt was no good and the Vols had pulled off the miracle comeback.
11. No. 4 Alabama 26,
    No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)
    College Football Playoff National Championship, Atlanta, Jan. 8, 2018
    This game is known as the “The Walk Off.” Most of America was upset two SEC teams were playing for the National Championship in the deep South. But by the end of the night, it was clear the two best teams in the United States were on the field.
    The Georgia Bulldogs were dominating the Crimson Tide jumping ahead 13-0. The Bulldogs forced Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts to the bench. Enter freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for Alabama. The legend of Tagovailoa began when he heaved a pass to his wide-open Devonta Smith for the game-winning score in overtime to give the Tide another championship.
12. No. 9 Boise State 43, No. 7 Oklahoma 42 (OT)
    Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1, 2007
    “A Game to Remember” didn’t get much build up. It was just another New Year’s Day bowl game with nothing on the line but pride. Casual college football fans knew little about the Boise State Broncos beside their blue home turf and they were happy to be in the Fiesta Bowl. The favored Oklahoma Sooners had the best running back in the nation with Adrian Peterson and was ranked in the top 10 most of the season. The Sooners were on their way to a 35-28 victory when Marcus Walker intercepted a pass for a 34-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
    The Broncos were not ready to give up. Boise State responded with a fourth-down 50-yard hook-and-ladder and missed the extra point.
    The Sooners were about to take the game 42-35 on Adrian Peterson’s 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime.
    Boise State had kicked the extra point to go to a second overtime after the 6-yard pass from wide out Vinny Perretta to tight end Derek Schouman. Then the Broncos’ iconic moment came. BSU Head Coach Chris Petersen called the Statue of Liberty. Ian Johnson took the ball from his quarterback and raced into the end zone for the 2-point winner.
13. No. 7 Colorado 27, at
    No. 4 Michigan 26
    Sept. 24, 1994
    Let’s take our first trip to the Big House in Ann Arbor for the “Miracle at Michigan. This battle of top 10 teams in 1994 came down to the host Michigan Wolverines leading 26-14 late in the game. The Colorado Buffaloes scored with 2:16 to play.
    The Wolverines were close to ending the game but a penalty gave Colorado a glimmer of hope. The Buffs got the ball back on their 15 yard line with 15 seconds to play. Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart threw to Michael Westbrook for 21 yards. Then Stewart spiked the ball with 6 seconds left.
    About 70 yards away from paydirt, Stewart threw the ball more than 70 yards in the air. Blake Anderson rose and tipped it to Westbrook. Westbrook leaped over Michigan safety Chuck Winters in the end zone to collect the hail mary and victory for Colorado.
14. No. 2 Ohio State 31,
    No. 1 Miami 24 (2OT)
    Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 3, 2003
    Suffering from pneumonia, my mom was trying to convince me to head to the hospital. I could hardly breath but I negotiated with her to allow me to stay to watch the BCS championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Miami Hurricanes. I made the right decision to risk my life. Miami was celebrating its 35th consecutive win and second straight national championship in the Arizona night. Then a whistle came to stop the Hurricanes from storming the field to celebrate. A pass interference call by field judge Terry Porter on Miami defensive back Glenn Sharpe in the first overtime meant that Ohio State got another chance to score.
    The Buckeyes took advantage of the second chance to send the game to a second overtime. Ohio State won the game in the second overtime when freshman tailback Maurice Clarett rushed for two touchdowns on the night. That trip to the end zone was the game-winner. The Buckeyes won the game known in some circles as “The Call.”
15. California 25,
    Stanford 20
    Nov. 20, 1982
    Marching bands are a big part of high school and college football. But they should never have a direct effect on the game. Let’s go back nearly 40 years to one of the most memorable ending to a college football game. Three lead changes in the fourth quarter made this game great already. But it reached iconic status when Stanford Cardinal senior quarterback John Elway led his team to the go-ahead score with 4 seconds remaining. Elway put his kicker Mark Harmon in position to kick a 35-yard field goal to make the score 20-19 in favor of Stanford. The Cal Bears seemed ready to be played off the field as losers. The Bears took the squib kick and then a few laterals occurred. While the ball transferred from Kevin Moen to Richard Rodgers to Dwight Garner back to Rodgers to Mariet Ford and back to Moen, the Stanford Band was on the field performing. Moen has to weaved through the marching band. “The band is on the field!” was the memorable play-by-play call. Moen trampled a Stanford trumpet player.
16. Appalachian State 34, at No. 5 Michigan 32
    Sept. 1, 2007
    Let’s go back to the Big House for “The Upset.” Most early September games are tune ups for the Power 5 Conference teams. The Michigan Wolverines of the Big 10 came into the early season match up with Division II Appalachian State ranked No. 5 in the nation. Michigan was going to exercise Division I dominance on the little Mountaineers.
    Las Vegas even didn’t set a line on this game because Michigan was so favored. But the Mountaineers, two-time defending FCS champions, had an ace up their sleeve with quarterback Armanti Edwards. Edwards kept App State close including the Mountaineers driving 69 yards for a Julian Rauch’s 24-yard field goal to retake the lead with 1:11 to play. The Wolverines responded with a long pass to set up a 37-yard field goal attempt with 6 seconds to play. To the rescue for Appalachian State was Corey Lynch. Lynch blocked the kick to send this game directly into historic upset status.
17. No. 1 Tennessee 28,
    No. 10 Arkansas 24
    Nov. 14, 1998
    “Hand of God” is what Tennessee Volunteers called the showdown of two SEC unbeatens from 1998. The Arkansas Razorbacks came into Neyland Stadium ready to spoil Tennessee’s magical season and keep their hopes alive for a BCS title game birth. This was the first season of the Bowl Championship Series system. The Razorbacks jumped ahead 21-3. The Vols rallied back to make the score 24-22 in favor of the Razorbacks. Arkansas got the ball back needing a couple of first downs to run out the clock. With 1:43 remaining, Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner’s “Hand of God” fumble gave the ball back to Tennessee. Stoerner faked a handoff and continued to head toward the turf. He placed the ball on the ground and removed his hand. Tennessee’s Billy Ratliff was Johnny on the spot and recovered the ball. Vols’ running back Travis Henry took it from there and scored the winning touchdown. The Vols would go on to win the first BCS National Championship.
18. No. 2 Texas 41,
    No. 1 USC 38
    Rose Bowl, Jan. 4, 2006
    The best championship game I ever watched took place in January 2006. The star of the game was Texas Longhorn quarterback Vince Young. Young and the Longhorns’ challenge that night in Pasadena was simple. Beat the USC Trojans and end their 34 consecutive victory streak. The Trojans with a win would have earned their third straight national championship.
    All month the media was reporting on USC being a dynasty and the greatest college football team ever. ESPN put the Trojans up against some of the best teams in College Football history throughout the lead up to the game. The names on the sideline for USC that night were legendary like Coach Pete Carroll, Heisman winner Reggie Bush, quarterback Matt Leinart and bruiser LenDale White. Texas came into the game motivated and punch the favored Trojans right in the mouth.
    Young threw for 267 yards and rushed for 200. His final run on the night put Texas ahead 41-38. Young ran for an 8-yard TD run on fourth down and 5 with 19 seconds remaining. That capped a two-touchdown comeback in the final 6:42.
19. No. 4 Auburn 34,
    No. 1 Alabama 28
    Nov. 30, 2013
    Two words for you Alabama fans out there… “Kick Six.” The Iron Bowl is the annual clash for the state Alabama between the Crimson Tide and rival Auburn Tigers. In 2013, in addition to bragging rights, a spot in the SEC Championship Game and potential birth in the final BCS title game were on the line. The Tigers had to come back to tie the Crimson Tide with 32 seconds remaining. Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban had to decide to try for a winning field goal. Tide back T.J. Yeldon had to step out of bounds at the Auburn 38 a split second before time expired. Alabama swapped placekickers and a freshman headed out to the field to break a 28-28 tie and send the Tide marching to Atlanta. The 57-yard field goal attempt fell short and into the waiting arms of Chris Davis in the back of the end zone. The rest is 109 memorable yards toward history. Alabama fans eyes were Crimson that night from non-stop tears.
    THOMAS SELLERS JR. is the editor of The Millington Star and both the sports editor and a weekly personal columnist for West 10 Media/Magic Valley Publishing. Contact him by phone at (901) 433-9138, by fax to (901) 529-7687 and by email to [email protected].