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Most Important College Football Game for Each Top 25 Team During 2016 Season

By Zach Bigalke

Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough (9) moves past Mississippi Rebels linebacker DeMarquis Gates (3) during the fourth quarter of the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarbrough (9) moves past Mississippi Rebels linebacker DeMarquis Gates (3) during the fourth quarter of the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 26, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Utah Utes defensive back Boobie Hobbs (1) attempts to tackle Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Kabion Ento (17) in the first half at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Utah Utes defensive back Boobie Hobbs (1) attempts to tackle Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Kabion Ento (17) in the first half at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Colorado Prevails 27-22 Over Utah to Take Pac-12 South (Nov. 26)

Entering the second half of the season, Colorado was 4-2 yet was still something of a riddle. Their four wins had come against Colorado State, FCS Idaho State, and the two Oregon schools, while they had lost road games at Michigan and USC. Then the Buffaloes went on a five-game winning streak in the second half to set up a shot at winning the Pac-12 South for the first time since moving from the Big 12 in 2011. First they had to beat the other neophyte to the league, or else the Trojans would end up in the conference championship against Washington.

Colorado couldn’t get anything going on its opening drives, fumbling away their first chance with the ball and then giving up the first points to Utah on a 55-yard punt return by Boobie Hobbs. The Utes missed a chance to extend the lead to 10 on their next possession when Alex Phillips missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. At that point the Buffaloes snapped out of their funk on offense, scoring on the next three drives to take a 13-7 lead into halftime. Utah would tie things up on a pair of 22-yard Phillips field goals in the third quarter, but a Sefo Liufau touchdown pass and a Kenneth Olugbode fumble return made the difference. The Utes scores with 1:34 remaining, but a failed two-point conversion ended the comeback bid.

Sefo Liufau finished with 329 combined passing and rushing yards and two scores as Colorado fended off Utah’s challenge and stayed ahead of the Trojans for the Pac-12 South title. While they fell to Washington and dropped from a New Year’s Six invite to the Alamo Bowl, Mike McIntyre’s team finished the job to remain among the ten best in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 despite the blowout loss to the Huskies.

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