GREATEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL FINISHES
Nov. 20, 1982: California 25 ... Stanford 20
In the 1982 edition of the Big Game, Stanford was on its way to a hard-fought, comeback 20-19 win after Cardinal K Mark Harmon nailed a 35-yard field goal to seemingly beat its arch-rivals. After he hit the kick, Stanford went nuts running on the field and getting nailed with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Who cares? Stanford going to finish 6-5 and go to the Hall of Fame bowl by beating Cal. Led by their star QB John Elway in his final game; he threw for 330 yards capping a successful season. All Stanford had to do was kick it off from ots own 25 and the game would be over. What would follow would be the most amazing and bizarre finish in college football history. Harmon, not wanting to give up a big return, squibbed his kickoff into the hands of Kevin Moen. About to be tackled, he tossed the ball to Richard Rogers. Rodgers lateraled the ball to Dwight Garner. Garner was tackled but desperately got the ball away back to Rodgers. They were still around midfield. Rodgers then lateraled the ball to Mariet Ford. THE BALL WAS STILL ALIVE! Stanford couldnt bring them down! Unfolding in front of the college football world was the embodiment of moments played out on sandlots and playgrounds as long as kids have played football, rugby, and Smear the QB games. The band and the Stanford fans were on the field thinking the game was over butt Ford flung the ball wildly into the hands of Moen, the man who started it all, and he weaved and raced his way to the end zone dodging Stanford defenders and band members and crushing a trombone player. Did they really do it? After a huddle by officials for more than five minutes, they declared the impossible play a touchdown. Stanford missed out on a winning season, a bowl game, and a win over Cal.Nov. 23, 1984: Boston College 47 ... Miami 45
Down 45-41 and 48 yards away, Boston College QB Doug Flutie scrambled to his right to narrowly avert a sack, then he let it fly. There was no way he could throw it that far. He threw it from around his own 37-yard line which means the 59 QB would have to wing it 63+ yards after already throwing the ball 45 times and scrambling around all game long. Amazingly enough, WR Gerard Phelan had gotten behind a Miami secondary that didn't think Flutie could get it to the end zone. The ball came straight down over the mass of players untouched into Phelans arms.Nov. 9, 2002: LSU 33 ... Kentucky 30
In one of the most miraculous plays in college football history, LSU scored on a 75-yard Hail Mary heaved by Marcus Randall, tipped two times, and caught by Devery Henderson and taken in for the game winning touchdown.Oct. 15, 1988: Notre Dame 31 ... Miami 30
UM QB Steve Walsh threw an 11-yard TD pass on fourth down to pull within one point with :45 to play. Head coach Jimmy Johnson couldve kicked the extra point and gone on to win the national title. "We play to win," reasoned Johnson going for two. NDs Pat Terrell knocked down Walshs desperate try and the Irish had ended the Hurricanes 36-game winning streak as Notre Dame stadium erupted. Notre Dame went on to win the national championship. Miami finished second.Sept. 24, 1994: Colorado 27 ... Michigan 26
"Rocket Left". Kordell Stewart threw the ball 73 yards in the air with Michael Westbrook on the receiving end stunning the 106,000+ Michigan fans. To get there, Colorado started on its own 15 when Stewart hit Westbrook for a 21- yard pass just to get within range.Jan. 1, 1984: Miami 31 ... Nebraska 30
With Miami home Orange Bowl crowd going crazy, Nebraska had the ball on fourth down and the national championship to go. Husker QB Turner Gill calmly ran the option to the right, at the last possible nanosecond pitched the ball away to a streaking Jeff Smith who tore up the right sideline then dove into the end zone to pull the Huskers to within one. Without hesitation on the sideline, Tom Osborne decided to go for two. "This is for the national championship for Nebraska," proclaimed NBC announcer Don Criqui as Gill rolled out right and fired it incomplete trying to hit Smith at the goal line. He fired it outside to Smith when he had WR Irving Fryar open a few feet to Smith's left had he looked inside. On the ensuing onsides kick, Miami recovered and won the national title.Jan. 1, 1994: Florida State 18 ... Nebraska 16
After a celebration penalty following a late Scott Bentley FG resulted in the Huskers getting the ball near midfield with :14 to play, Tommie Frazier completed a pass over the middle and was tackled with one second to go. The clock read :00 and Bobby Bowden was given a Gatorade bath and was giving a post-game interview wearing a national champion hat as the fans poured onto the field. But no. The fates of the college football world wouldn't make it so easy to give Bowden his first national title. The officials put one second back on the clock. Nebraska PK Byron Bennett would get a final shot to break the hearts of Seminole fans. The Noles can't lose another national title on a kick can they? They didn't as Bennett badly hooked the 45- yard attempt and FSU finally won its first national title.Nov. 4, 2000: Northwestern 54 ... Michigan 51
In one of the greatest games of all-time, Northwestern RB Damien Anderson had a sure TD catch on 4th down with 1:38 to play for the win. He dropped it and Michigan got the ball back. Running out the clock, Michigan RB Anthony Thomas dropped the ball and the Wildcats recovered. NU QB Zac Kustok connected with Sam Simmons for an 11-yard TD pass with :20 to play to go up 54-51. Michigan got the ball back into field goal range but Hayden Epstein's 57-yard try never got started as the snap went through the hands of the holder.Jan. 3, 2003: Ohio State 31 ... Miami 24 2OT
There wasn't one play of this game that deserves to be among the most fantastic finishes, but this gets an honorary nod for the final two minutes and the overtimes being so sensational. Ken Dorsey's fourth and goal pass in the second overtime fell short, and Ohio State won the national title. In regulation, a punt return by Roscoe Parrish gave Miami great field position for Todd Sievers to hit a 40-yard field goal with :02 to play to put the game into overtime. The Canes scored on a seven-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow on its first OT possession. Following a broken up pass in the end zone by Glenn Sharpe that would've given Miami the national title, a controversial pass interference call was made leading to a Craig Krenzel one-yard TD run. Maurice Clarett scored on a five-yard touchdown run on its possession in the second overtime for what would be the winning points. For the game, Krenzel and Clarett each ran for two touchdowns.