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100 Greatest Finishes: 1 to 5

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Pete Fiutak / CollegeFootballNews.com

 

 

A rundown of the best college football finishes of all time.

 

The basic criteria:

1. These are the greatest finishes, not the greatest games. With few exceptions, the finish means the final play, final drive or some other wild series of events to end a game. A good fourth quarter of a classic game doesn't necessarily count as a great finish.

 

2. The better, bigger and more significant the game, the more important the finish.

 

3. How memorable was it? It might not have been meaningful to determining a national champion, but it might have been one of the signature moments in college football history.

 

 

 

No. 5 Georgia 26 ... Florida 21

 

November 8, 1980

 

At the time: Georgia, led by freshman running back sensation Herschel Walker, was 8-0 and ranked second in the nation coming off a tough 13-10 win over George Rogers and South Carolina. Florida was coming into the Cocktail Party ranked 20th with a 6-1 record (only losing 24-7 to LSU).

 

The setup: Walker kicked things off with a bang by tearing off a 72-yard touchdown run on the Dawgs' first drive. A 13-yard touchdown pass from Buck Belue gave Georgia a 14-3 lead, but Florida was able to come back late in the first half on a nine-yard touchdown pass to Chris Collinsworth. It still looked like Georgia's day, getting up 20-10 on two field goals; but once again, Florida fought back by getting within two on a James Jones touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass to Tyrone Young.

 

The comeback seemed complete as Florida took a 21-20 lead on a 40-yard Brian Clark field goal late in the fourth quarter. Georgia's defense was able to keep the Gators from running out the clock, but there was only 1:35 to play with the offense starting on its eight.

 

The ending: Belue was having a horrible game. Walker was the Georgia offense, rushing for 238 yards, while the Bulldogs' quarterback had only managed 52 passing yards with two interceptions. A sack and an incompletion made it 3rd-and-10 with 93 yards to go and just over a minute to play. Belue had to get a first down and was looking for WR Lindsay Scott, who earlier in the year had been booted off the team and had to get over a broken foot. Belue rolled out around his own goal line and found Scott in the middle of the field for the first down. Two Gator defenders appeared to have a bead on the tackle; but they fell, allowing Scott to run free down the left sideline where he made his way for the improbable 93-yard touchdown. Florida's last gasp drive ended before it could start as Georgia's Mike Fisher made a game-sealing interception on the first play.

 

How they ended up: Florida had a hard time recovering, losing two of its final three games before beating Maryland 35-20 in the Tangerine Bowl to finish 8-4 and 19th in the UPI Poll. Georgia won its final three Games, ending with a 17-10 victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl and was national champion in both polls.

 

No. 4 USC 34 … Notre Dame 31

 

October 15, 2005

 

At the time: Notre Dame was in the middle of a resurgent season under new head coach Charlie Weis with a 4-1 record — winning on the road at Pitt, Michigan, Washington and Purdue and losing at home to Michigan State. No. 1 USC was the defending national champion coming into South Bend on a 27-game winning streak, including three straight wins over Notre Dame by a combined score of 130 to 37.

 

The setup: It was a dead even game from the start with neither team getting up by more than a touchdown. Down 28-24 with just under five minutes to play, Notre Dame marched 87 yards in eight plays with Brady Quinn completing four straight passes and Darius Walker running three times to get down to the five, leading to a Quinn touchdown run with less than two minutes to play for a 31-28 lead.

 

The ending: USC’s Reggie Bush took the ensuing kickoff to the Trojan 24. Following a sack of Matt Leinart, Bush caught a 12-yard pass to make it fourth and nine with 1:32 to play. Leinart sized up the defense, audibled out of the play call and threw, considering the circumstances, one of the most precise clutch passes in college football history — connecting with Dwayne Jarrett for a quick strike that went 61 yards down to the Irish 13. A few Bush runs later made it first and goal from Notre Dame's two; but time was quickly running out, and USC didn’t have any timeouts left. On first and goal, Leinart ran to the left, tried to dive into the end zone and got popped well short of the goal line. Fans and players rushed the field thinking the game was over, but few saw the ball go flying out of bounds on the hit to stop the clock , giving USC another life with seven seconds remaining. With USC coaches signaling to spike the ball to stop the clock, Leinart chose to try to sneak it in for what would be USC’s final play, no matter what the outcome. After twisting, turning and getting a little help from behind on what would be known as the Bush Push, Leinart got into the end zone for the game-winning score with three seconds to play. Notre Dame wasn’t able to do anything with the last gasp kickoff return.

 

How they ended up: USC would extend its winning streak to 34 games before losing the national championship to Texas 41-38 in one of the greatest games of all time. Notre Dame won its final five games to get into the BCS, where it lost to Ohio State 34-20. Had the Irish been able to hang on against USC, they likely would’ve ended up playing Texas in the Rose Bowl for the national championship.

 

 

No. 3 BYU 46 ... SMU 45

 

Holiday Bowl, December 19, 1980

 

At the time: BYU had one of the nation's most explosive offenses, led by QB Jim McMahon — who was averaging 47 points per game. Coming into the Holiday Bowl on an 11-game winning streak after losing the opener 25-21 to New Mexico, the Cougars were looking for their first ever bowl win. SMU, led by the running back tandem of Eric Dickerson and Craig James, was 8-3 with its young team.

 

The setup: SMU ran amok, getting out to a 29-7 lead and up 38-19 in the fourth quarter. After James scored SMUs fifth rushing touchdown to take a 45-25 lead with less than four minutes to play, McMahon led the Cougar offense to what seemed to be an oh-by-the-way touchdown on a 15-yard pass. The two-point conversion failed. BYU got the ball back at midfield after recovering the onside kick, and McMahon went back to work — marching the offense down to the one and finishing with a one-yard Scott Phillips touchdown run and a two-point conversion to get within six with less than two minutes to play. The onside kick didn't work, and SMU appeared ready to run out the clock — needing just one first down.

 

The ending: The Pony Express wasn't able to get the job done as Dickerson was stuffed on third down, forcing a Mustang punt. SMU punter Eric Kaifes couldn't get his kick off as BYU's Bill Schoepflin came in untouched for the block — putting the ball on the SMU 41 with 13 seconds left. McMahon's first two passes fell incomplete, but he had one final shot with just three seconds to play. McMahon dropped back and launched a high-arching pass that made its way down in between a mass of Mustang defenders and into the hands of tight end Clay Brown. SMU's Wes Hopkins also had the ball, but the catch goes to the receiver when two players have it at the same time. The official signaled touchdown BYU to tie it at 45. BYU kicker Kurt Gunther hit the game-winning extra point for the 46-45 win. Dickerson ran 23 carries for 110 yards and two TDs, while James carried it 23 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns. McMahon threw for 446 yards and four touchdowns.

 

How they ended up: SMU finished 8-4 and 20th in both polls. As painful as this loss was, it helped motivate SMU for the following year as they went 10-1 with only a 9-7 loss to Texas. BYU finished 12-1, ending up 11th in the UPI poll and 12th in the AP.

 

 

No. 2 Boston College 47 ... Miami 45

 

November 23, 1984

 

At the time: The game had been moved to the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend to highlight defending national champion Miami vs. the eventual Heisman trophy winner Doug Flutie. Bernie Kosar and the Canes were 8-3 coming off a 42-40 loss to Maryland in the biggest choke/comeback in college football history, blowing a 31-0 lead. Boston College was 7-2 with losses to West Virginia and Penn State.

 

The setup: The points were flying as Miami's Melvin Bratton scored four touchdowns, including a 52-yard run in the fourth quarter and a one-yard run for a 45-41 lead with :30 to play. Kosar also put up big numbers with a 447-yard passing day with two touchdown passes in what appeared to be the game to end Miami's regular season on a high note. Flutie wasn't to be denied with a touchdown run and two touchdown passes, including a nine-yard throw to Gerard Phelan. It was one of the most exciting games of all time with the Canes apparently coming out on top.

 

The ending: On his own 20, Flutie had one final drive, starting off with a pass to Troy Stradford, who was able to get out of bounds at the Miami 48. An incompletion left six seconds on the clock, and BC stuck with one last play. It was called 55 Flood Tip. Flutie scrambled to his right, narrowly averting a sack, and then let it fly. He let it go from around his own 37-yard line, meaning the 5-9 QB had to wing the ball 63-plus yards after already throwing it 45 times and scrambling around all game long. The Miami defensive backs didn't think Flutie could throw it to the end zone; so they didn't pay much attention to Phelan as he ran behind them. The ball came straight down over the mass of players untouched into Phelan's arms for the 47-45 Eagle win. The hard part was for Phelan to adjust to the ball, not hitting any one as he was waiting for it to be tipped. Phelan finished with 11 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns, while Flutie completed 34 of 46 passes for 476 yards, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, one miracle and one Heisman Trophy.

 

How they ended up: BC beat Holy Cross before getting past Houston 45-28 in the Cotton Bowl to finish 10-2 , fourth in the UPI poll and fifth in the AP. Miami ended the season with a 39-37 loss to UCLA in the Fiesta Bowl to finish 8-5 and 18th in the AP poll.

 

 

No. 1 California 25 ... Stanford 20

 

November 20, 1982

 

At the time: California was having a strong 6-4 year in head coach Joe Kapp's first season. Stanford and senior QB John Elway were 5-5 and needed to beat Cal to go to the Hall of Fame Bowl for the only bowl bid in the Elway era. It was an uneven season, but Stanford had beaten No. 1 Washington 43-31 for its fifth win to get in range for a postseason appearance.

 

The setup: Stanford was on its way to a hard-fought comeback 20-19 win after Cardinal kicker Mark Harmon hit a 35-yard field goal to seemingly put away its arch rival. Elway, who had thrown for 330 yards with two touchdown passes, led the offense on an epic drive for Harmon's kick with just a few seconds remaining. The Stanford sideline went nuts running on the field and was nailed with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Who cares? All Stanford had to do was kick it off, make the tackle, and the game would be over.

 

The ending: Harmon, not wanting to give up a big return, squabbled his kickoff into the hands of Cal's Kevin Moen. About to be tackled, Moen tossed the ball to Richard Rodgers. Rodgers lateraled the ball to Dwight Garner. Garner was tackled but desperately got the ball away And back to Rodgers. The Bears were still around midfield. Rodgers then lateraled the ball to Mariet Ford. Yes, the play was still alive. 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 Kill the Quarterback games. The band and the Stanford fans were on the field thinking the game was over, but Ford flung the ball wildly behind him into the hands of Moen, the man who started it all, who weaved and raced his way to the end zone by dodging Stanford defenders and band members before crushing a trombone player after a triumphant leap. Did they really do it? After a huddle by officials for more than five minutes, they declared the impossible play a touchdown for the 25-20 Bear win.

 

How they ended up: Pac 10 officials reviewed the game tape a few days later and saw two problems. First, the Bears should've been flagged for an illegal formation on the kickoff. Second, Cal only had nine men on the field with the other two players running on after the kick was rolling. Despite those facts, Stanford had players, and the band, on the field before the game ended and should've been flagged. Stanford finished 5-6, with Elway never getting to play in a bowl. Cal finished 7-4.

 

 

 

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