CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: OrangeAfroMan on July 24, 2025, 01:58:37 PM
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Rank these games known as "Game of the Century"
'46 Army vs ND
'66 ND vs Michigan St
'69 Texas vs Arkansas
'71 Nebraska vs OU
'93 FSU vs ND
'05 Texas vs USC
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Rank them however you want - by hype, by quality of game, by fame, whatever.
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It pains me to say it, but I would put TX/USC at the top. A game that lived up to the hype, and in the Rose Bowl.
ND/FSU lived up to the hype, too, but it was a mid-season game. ND/MSU is infamous as much as famous, so I would move it towards the bottom of the list. I'm only barely aware of the other three.
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UT/USC for sure.
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Best game I've ever watched. A buddy of mine, an OSU fan, came over and we were going to drink some wine and watch the first half and call it a day.
At halftime, he said "I can't leave!", so we opened another bottle and watched the rest which was incredible.
I was at the Army-ND game, it really was boring.
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I don't recall Texas-USC earning that moniker, but if it did, then that's gotta be my #1.
Texas-Arkansas was definitely referred to as that at the time, I've seen it in numerous articles, but honestly having watched that game several times now over the years, it was a pretty bad game. Texas looked terrible until some late heroics won the game for them. I'm certainly not complaining, always glad to see the Horns win, especially over a big rival like the pigs were at the time, but it really wasn't a very good game.
The only other one of those I've ever seen was FSU-Notre Dame which I recall enjoying quite a bit. I was in college at the time and so was sort of in my sweet spot for enjoying college athletics.
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This is AI stuff:
The 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas and USC is often cited as the greatest college football game ever played. It was a thrilling national championship game featuring two undefeated teams with long winning streaks. The game was a back-and-forth affair with legendary performances from Vince Young and Reggie Bush, and Texas ultimately won in a dramatic finish.
Here's why this game is considered so great:
- Undefeated Teams:
Both Texas and USC entered the game with perfect records, boasting 2005 Heisman winner Reggie Bush (USC) and 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart (USC).
- High Stakes:
The game was for the national championship, with USC attempting to win their third consecutive title.
- Legendary Performances:
Vince Young delivered a legendary performance for Texas, throwing for 267 yards and running for 200 more, including the game-winning touchdown.
- Back-and-Forth Thriller:
The game was a back-and-forth contest with numerous lead changes and dramatic plays on both sides.
- Last-Second Finish:
The game culminated in a thrilling fourth-down touchdown run by Vince Young with less than 20 seconds left, securing the victory for Texas.
- Impactful Moments:
The game had several memorable moments, including a fourth-down stop by Texas that set up the winning drive and Reggie Bush's incredible plays.
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'46 Army vs ND
I was at the Army-ND game, it really was boring.
Wait a minute. How old are you? That was 79 years ago!
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'93 FSU vs ND
The only other one of those I've ever seen was FSU-Notre Dame which I recall enjoying quite a bit. I was in college at the time and so was sort of in my sweet spot for enjoying college athletics.
I'm a little younger than you. This was my freshman year at Ohio State and based on University of Texas Electrical Engineering 94, I'm assuming it was your senior year at Texas.
Anyway, I remember that one largely because of what it spawned. As a Notre Dame home game that game was on NBC but ESPN sent their college football show there anyway and the idea that became the travelling GameDay show began.
I was acutely interested in that game due to the rankings situation. Before I went to college I was an Ohio State fan but TBH I was more into pro football. As bad as the Browns have been, their best run of the past ~80 years coincided with the age at which I was first starting to follow such things and that also coincided with Ohio State's worst run of the past ~80 years. From 1985 when I was 10 through 1992 (my Senior Year in HS) the Browns:
- Went to the playoffs five straight seasons 1985-1989
- Won at least one playoff game three times (1986, 1987, 1989)
- Made it to the AFC Championship Game three times (1986, 1987, 1989)
That is as good as it has been for the Browns since their glory days pre-SuperBowl.
Meanwhile the Buckeyes weren't all that good. They had a great season and finished one play shy of a NC in 1979 but I was only four so I don't remember that. Then they entered the Earle "9-3" Bruce years and went 9-3 six straight years from 1980-1985 only breaking that cycle by playing an extra game and going 10-3 in 1986*. Then the transition from Bruce to Cooper was rough. They were barely over .500 in Earle Bruce's last year (only salvaging a >.500 record by upsetting Michigan in Ann Arbor AFTER Bruce had been fired). They were sub .500 in Cooper's first year (1988) and lost four games each year in Cooper's second through fourth years (1989-1992).
The above explains why I generally followed the Browns a lot more than the Buckeyes in that era.
Then my freshman year at Ohio State the Buckeyes were seriously in the NC hunt for the first time since before I started Kindergarten so 1993 was extra exciting for Ohio State fans since it had been so long and even more extra exciting for a freshman living it.
Ohio State's 1993 season:
Ohio State started ranked in the teens which is unsurprising since they hadn't done much in better than a decade but they jumped to the brink of the top-10 with a HUGE home win over #12 Washington in their second game then beat the living daylights out of Pittsburg (Mark May is still mad about it) and moved into the top-10. I was in Ohio Stadium for #3 Ohio State's win over #12 Penn State on October 30. Even after tying the Badgers in Madison the Buckeyes were still in the hunt at #5. Heading into that game I had it all figured out:
- #1 FSU beats #2 Notre Dame in South Bend but loses to #8 Florida
- #2 Notre Dame loses at home to FSU (see above)
- #3 Miami loses to #9 West Virginia
- #4 Nebraska loses their bowl game
- #5 Ohio State wins out and wins the NC.
So I watched the brand new travelling ESPN show and watched the ND/FSU game on NBC rooting for the Seminoles.
*Note for @betarhoalphadelta (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=19) because I know he'll point this out otherwise. I fully realize that losing exactly three games every year would be an enviable situation for the vast majority of College Football programs and that this is very much a #HelmetSchoolProblem. That said, if you look at what came before and what came after, this was a bad time for Ohio State.
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Wait a minute. How old are you? That was 79 years ago!
I believe the text color change is an indication that was sarcasm and he's clowning us for always calling him ancient. :57:
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Even after tying the Badgers in Madison the Buckeyes were still in the hunt at #5.
This was the game that taught me that no matter how good Wisconsin looks against a helmet team, they are always a couple of big plays away from disaster. The Badger D played so well the entire game, only to give up a four-play, 99-yard touchdown drive in the last five minutes that pretty much went universally through WR Joey Galloway. Then the Buckeyes blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt to preserve the tie. It wasn't a terrible result for the Badgers, but it was just soooo close to an incredible one.
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This was the game that taught me that no matter how good Wisconsin looks against a helmet team, they are always a couple of big plays away from disaster. The Badger D played so well the entire game, only to give up a four-play, 99-yard touchdown drive in the last five minutes that pretty much went universally through WR Joey Galloway. Then the Buckeyes blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt to preserve the tie. It wasn't a terrible result for the Badgers, but it was just soooo close to an incredible one.
It was also a weird year for both teams.
For one thing, do you know why Wisconsin didn't play Iowa that year? Then, since they weren't playing Iowa you'd think Minnesota would be the finale but the finale was a weird game against MSU in Tokyo.
Anyway, both the Buckeyes and Badgers lost a rivalry game to a team they should have beaten. Wisconsin lost 28-21 in Minneapolis to a Gophers squad that finished 4-7 while Ohio State lost 28-0 in Ann Arbor to a Wolverines squad that finished 8-4.
This was the first year of the Big11Ten and we had eight conference games. Ohio State missed Iowa (3-5) and Minnesota (3-5) while Wisconsin missed Iowa (3-5) and Penn State (6-2). Final Big11Ten Standings:
- 6-1-1 Wisconsin lost to MN, tied tOSU, won tiebreaker based on "longest loser rule" and went to the RB.
- 6-1-1 Ohio State lost to M, tied UW.
- 6-2 Penn State lost to tOSU and M
- 5-3 Indiana lost to UW, tOSU, PSU
- 5-3 Michigan lost to UW, IL, MSU
- 5-3 Illinois lost to UW, tOSU, PSU
- 4-4 Michigan State
- 3-5 Iowa
- 3-5 Minnesota
- 0-8 Northwestern
- 0-8 Purdue
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It was also a weird year for both teams.
For one thing, do you know why Wisconsin didn't play Iowa that year? Then, since they weren't playing Iowa you'd think Minnesota would be the finale but the finale was a weird game against MSU in Tokyo.
Anyway, both the Buckeyes and Badgers lost a rivalry game to a team they should have beaten. Wisconsin lost 28-21 in Minneapolis to a Gophers squad that finished 4-7 while Ohio State lost 28-0 in Ann Arbor to a Wolverines squad that finished 8-4.
Weird barely begins to describe it for the Badgers, who hadn't had a winning season since 1984 and hadn't won 8 games since 1962.
I was at that mess of a game in Minneapolis. Road tripped out for what we were sure was going to be a cakewalk--but Wisconsin hadn't really beaten anyone yet. Five picks, including a pick-6, and 602 futile yards of offense later, the Badgers slunk out of there. Rivalry games are a bitch. See Ohio State at Michigan, 1993. A week later the Badgers beat Michigan and the hope returned.
Don't know why we didn't play Iowa, although Iowa wasn't especially good that year (on the other hand, neither was Minnesota).
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Weird barely begins to describe it for the Badgers, who hadn't had a winning season since 1984 and hadn't won 8 games since 1962.
I was at that mess of a game in Minneapolis. Road tripped out for what we were sure was going to be a cakewalk--but Wisconsin hadn't really beaten anyone yet. Five picks, including a pick-6, and 602 futile yards of offense later, the Badgers slunk out of there. Rivalry games are a bitch. See Ohio State at Michigan, 1993. A week later the Badgers beat Michigan and the hope returned.
Don't know why we didn't play Iowa, although Iowa wasn't especially good that year (on the other hand, neither was Minnesota).
They were omitted at random, and UW also missed them when they were in the "Why is Wisconsin here?" division (created so Michigan and OSU could be in opposite divisions and play in the CCG ever year - like Miami and FSU).
After that bullshit, King Barry got them in the permanent spot - regardless of alignment.
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Don't know why we didn't play Iowa, although Iowa wasn't especially good that year (on the other hand, neither was Minnesota).
Iowa was atrocious. Their 3-5 record is misleading. Remember that they missed BOTH co-Champions. Their three wins came against the two teams that went winless (PU, NU) and, oddly enough, Minnesota. They did make a bowl at 6-5 but that was only because they had some MAJOR SoS help:
Their three OOC games were:
- A one point win at home over Tulsa (4-6-1)
- A road win by a FG over ISU (3-8)
- A home blowout of Northern Illinois (4-7).
All three of their OOC opponents finished below .500 as did the three Big11Ten teams that they beat so that year Iowa managed to go bowling and finish 6-6 despite their best win being over a team that finished 4-7. Unsurprisingly, they got smoked in the Alamo Bowl.
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Looking at the stats, '69 Texas' long pass vs Arkansas on their way to taking a late lead was one of the least-likely outcomes possible.
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Notre Dame considers their 1935 win over OSU to be the game of the century, so that automatically eliminates the three involving the Domers in the OP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvttF6YbVIs&pp=ygUab2hpbyBzdGF0ZSBub3RyZSBkYW1lIDE5MzU%3D
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Some additional "Game of the Century" suggestions:
1935 - first game given the name beforehand: OSU vs ND
ND won 18-13, coming back from 13-0. First time they ever played.
1986 - Miami vs Penn St - played in Fiesta Bowl, due to both being independents
1988 - Miami vs ND - 1 vs 4, propelled ND to their last NC
1962 - Rose Bowl, USC vs Wisconsin - first 1 vs 2 bowl game....USC won, but UW made a massive 4th quarter comeback
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'93 ND is a mystery to me.
11-1
Beat FSU
But they had no stars with big numbers.
Like the QB...McDougal. He didn't run the ball productively, he didn't pass much....7 TDs, 5 INTs.....he was just sort of there. They had a 1,000 yard rusher, but no other player had 600 yards rushing or receiving.
The team leader in receiving TDs was the FB, with 3.
Not a great defense.
Had 3 punters, none of which were good.
But they beat Michigan. Beat FSU. Beat A&M in the bowl.
Just weird.
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Looking at the stats, '69 Texas' long pass vs Arkansas on their way to taking a late lead was one of the least-likely outcomes possible.
Randy Peschel caught that pass. Obviously, a Texas legend.
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Rank these games known as "Game of the Century"
'46 Army vs ND
'66 ND vs Michigan St
'69 Texas vs Arkansas
'71 Nebraska vs OU
'93 FSU vs ND
'05 Texas vs USC
.
Rank them however you want - by hype, by quality of game, by fame, whatever.
there is only one
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there is only one
It wasn't even the "game of two years" since Texas-Arkansas preceded it.
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This is AI stuff:
The 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas and USC is often cited as the greatest college football game ever played. It was a thrilling national championship game featuring two undefeated teams with long winning streaks. The game was a back-and-forth affair with legendary performances from Vince Young and Reggie Bush, and Texas ultimately won in a dramatic finish.
apparently too young for the 84 Orange bowl - guts of going for a 2-point conversion - greatest offense in college football to that point - vs the Canes and Smellenburger on their home field
or the #1 vs #2 matchup in the 84 Orange bowl - Charlie Ward vs the Blackshirts - 17 point dogs - settled on a missed FG as time expires - Bobby's first Title
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Those are all great games, except Army-ND. Odd fact, UGA was undefeated that year and ranked behind both, who each had a tie.
Charlie Trippi, one of the great Dawgs in my book.
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Rank these games known as "Game of the Century"
'46 Army vs ND
'66 ND vs Michigan St
'69 Texas vs Arkansas
'71 Nebraska vs OU
'05 Texas vs USC
'07 Appalachian State vs. Michigan
FIFY
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2005 Texas vs USC is the best game ever to me. The 2004 Michigan vs Texas Rose Bowl was pretty awesome as well. Vince Young was SPECTACULAR in both of those games.
2006 Michigan at OSU was a #1 vs #2 ranked matchup the weekend Bo Schembechler passed and was a crazy game that came down to the end which Ohio State won by 3. If OSU doesn't get blown out in the BCS MNC game vs UF that one is probably higher on peoples list.
In terms of upsets, Michigan losing as a top 5 ranked team at home to FCS Appalachian State in 2007 has to be way up there if not #1.
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I remember this one recently getting the moniker. A 9-6 defensive slugfest.
(https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/game-of-century-lsu-alabama-where-are-they-now/)Remembering 2011 Game of the Century: LSU, Bama ...
(https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/game-of-century-lsu-alabama-where-are-they-now/)https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/game-of-century-lsu-alabama-where-are-they-now/
(https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/game-of-century-lsu-alabama-where-are-they-now/) (https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/game-of-century-lsu-alabama-where-are-they-now/)
(https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/game-of-century-lsu-alabama-where-are-they-now/)
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There's been like 20-some odd 1 vs 2 matchups, most of which were never given the GOTC moniker, either before or after.
Fearless is listing some great games, but (I assume) was no build-up or GOTC talk before the 84 OB, as it was assumed Nebraska would roll that Miami team of Johnny-come-latelies.
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I recall 1993 FSU vs ND given that build-up.
I'm curious about 1996 Florida vs FSU, as I was too "in it" to know the national interest accurately. Both 10-0, both smoking everyone on the schedule. Huge rivals in the last regular season game, like 06 UM-OSU. Was there any GOTC talk at all?
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I remember that game, and some of the hype, but I don't remember whether there was a GOTC moniker attached.
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2006 Michigan at OSU was a #1 vs #2 ranked matchup the weekend Bo Schembechler passed and was a crazy game that came down to the end which Ohio State won by 3. If OSU doesn't get blown out in the BCS MNC game vs UF that one is probably higher on peoples list.
Michigan would've also needed to avoid getting blown out by USC. Both of those teams got curb-stomped in their next outings, and both killed any lasting perception of GOTC their meeting could've had. Although I'd go a step further and say that both teams needed not only to avoid getting blown out, they needed to win. I think even much better losses by either would've pretty well erased GOTC talk.
But it was one of the most hyped up regular season matchups during real time that I ever recall.
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I dunno '94 Colarado vs Michigan was won at the last tick,ungratefull guests i tell ya
https://youtu.be/5Nt6HjqtJt8
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'93 ND is a mystery to me.
11-1
Beat FSU
But they had no stars with big numbers.
Like the QB...McDougal. He didn't run the ball productively, he didn't pass much....7 TDs, 5 INTs.....he was just sort of there. They had a 1,000 yard rusher, but no other player had 600 yards rushing or receiving.
The team leader in receiving TDs was the FB, with 3.
Not a great defense.
Had 3 punters, none of which were good.
But they beat Michigan. Beat FSU. Beat A&M in the bowl.
Just weird.
In retrospect I think the only weird part is their upset of FSU in the "Game of the Century" that kicked off the travelling Gameday.
Yes they beat Michigan but . . .
Michigan really wasn't all that good that year. They did beat Ohio State but this was during the Cooper years so that was just assumed. In addition to the loss to Notre Dame, the Wolverines also lost in East Lansing to a .500 MSU team, at home to Illinois, and in Madison to Wisconsin.
Yes they did beat A&M in the bowl but . . .
aTm wasn't all that good that year either. Their 10-2 record is a bit misleading. They got slaughtered by Oklahoma (44-14) and the dying SWC was hot garbage so their best win was either 6-5 Rice, 9-3 Louisville, or 5-5-1 Texas.
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There's been like 20-some odd 1 vs 2 matchups, most of which were never given the GOTC moniker, either before or after.
Fearless is listing some great games, but (I assume) was no build-up or GOTC talk before the 84 OB, as it was assumed Nebraska would roll that Miami team of Johnny-come-latelies.
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I recall 1993 FSU vs ND given that build-up.
I'm curious about 1996 Florida vs FSU, as I was too "in it" to know the national interest accurately. Both 10-0, both smoking everyone on the schedule. Huge rivals in the last regular season game, like 06 UM-OSU. Was there any GOTC talk at all?
I think there was. I would have been a LOT more interested in that one had tOSU not lost to Michigan the week prior, 11/18 poll:
- 10-0 Florida
- 10-0 Ohio State
- 9-0 Florida State
- 10-0 Arizona State
- 9-1 Nebraska (lost early to ASU)
- 9-1 Colorado (lost early at home to Michigan, revenge for the hail mary game a few years earlier)
- 9-2 Penn State (lost to tOSU and Iowa)
Then Ohio State lost to Michigan. That set up UF/FSU as a 1v2, the 11/25 poll was:
- 10-0 Florida
- 10-0 Florida State
- 11-0 Arizona State
- 9-1 Nebraska
- 9-1 Colorado
- 10-1 Ohio State
The regular season was complete for ASU and Ohio State who were already locked into facing each other in the Rose Bowl (first bowl game I ever attended).
#5 Colorado visited #4 Nebraska on Friday (11/29) and #1 Florida visited #2 Florida State on Saturday with the home teams winning both games (HFA matters). Thus the new poll and games remaining before the bowls as of December 2 was:
- 11-0 FSU: Regular season complete.
- 11-0 ASU: Regular season complete, facing #5 tOSU in Pasadena.
- 10-1 UNL: vs nr Texas in St. Louis in the brand new Big12 CG.
- 10-1 UF: vs #11 Bama in Atl in the SECCG.
- 10-1 tOSU: Regular season complete.
All other teams were eliminated because nobody was going to jump the tOSU/ASU winner from behind. Florida beat Bama in ATL but the Cornhuskers got upset by the Longhorns in St. Louis so the December 9 poll (heading into the bowls) was:
- 11-0 FSU: vs #3 UF in the Sugar Bowl.
- 11-0 ASU: vs #4 tOSU in the Rose Bowl.
- 11-1 UF: vs #1 FSU in the Sugar Bowl.
- 10-1 tOSU: vs #2 ASU in the Rose Bowl.
As an Ohio State fan I was hoping for a blowout of ASU in the Rose Bowl and a REALLY close UF win over FSU in a crappy looking game in the Sugar Bowl. All other teams were eliminated.
A couple things about that game:
For one thing the poll didn't come out until Monday back then and FSU didn't ascend to #2 until the poll AFTER Ohio State's loss to Michigan so that was only #1 vs #2 for five days. A lot of the other games on this list were anticipated as #1 v #2 for a month or more.
Another thing is that the Bowl Coalition went into effect in 1992 so by 1996 the idea of #1 vs #2 wasn't the rarity that it had been a decade earlier. The AP Poll started in 1936 and it took almost three decades for the top two teams to meet in a bowl. #1 vs #2 was a rarity before that. By 1996 it wasn't.
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Michigan would've also needed to avoid getting blown out by USC. Both of those teams got curb-stomped in their next outings, and both killed any lasting perception of GOTC their meeting could've had. Although I'd go a step further and say that both teams needed not only to avoid getting blown out, they needed to win. I think even much better losses by either would've pretty well erased GOTC talk.
But it was one of the most hyped up regular season matchups during real time that I ever recall.
I don't think what Michigan did really mattered to be honest. Ohio State was the victor of THE GAME and the #1 ranked team all-season and featured a record breaking Heisman Trophy winning QB.
Michigan-USC was a 3-3 tie game at half-time and USC didn't pull away until later in the game, it was a 1 score game early in the 4th QTR. Michigan ultimately still lost by 2 TD's- but the majority of the game it was a close game and Chad Henne still threw for 300+ yards.
What caused THE GAME to lose it's luster was Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith going like 4/20 passing and Ohio State getting blitzkrieged off the field by Florida. Ted Ginn returned the opening kick off for a TD and Florida proceeded to score like 34 straight points after that point and Ohio State was down 34-14 at half-time. Ohio State only managed 1 TD on offense vs Florida and the #1 offense all year with it's record breaking Heisman Trophy QB lost 41-14 and 7 of those points were the opening kick return. That's why that game lost it's luster a little bit. If Ohio State had beaten Florida and won the natty it really wouldn't have mattered what Michigan did and that game would've went down as maybe the GOAT regular season matchup.
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Nebraska at Oklahoma 1971 still lays claim to the most watched college game in history. Approx 80 million viewers. Nothing but a SB sniffs that level of viewers and that game was 50+ years ago.
That game had an obscene amount of talent. One penalty, and certainly some great moments not to mention the dubious tearaway jerseys.
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yup, there is only one game of the century
reasonable folks don't even debate this
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The best game I ever attended was 1971 Tech-UGA in Atlanta, back and forth, I was still thinking of attending Tech at the time.
Trailing Tech 24-21, Georgia got the ball at its own 35-yard line with 1:29 on the clock. In one of the most memorable drives I’ve ever seen, Andy led them downfield. He got the comeback started with a 22-yard scamper, but it was the four passes he completed on that drive that made the difference, especially a clutch fourth-down 18-yard throw to Greene that gave the Dogs a first down at the Tech 25 with 48 seconds remaining. Johnson completed a couple of passes to Lynn Hunnicutt to get the ball down to the 9, before he was sacked for a 4-yard loss. Then, after a controversial timeout (Tech claimed officials granted Georgia an extra one), Johnson hit Shirer, who ran out of bounds at the 1. Poulos went over the top to score with only 14 seconds left on the clock. Georgia won, 28-24. Johnson completed 9 of 19 passes for 107 yards and one TD, his first touchdown pass of the season. He also ran for 99 yards.