College Football: 25 most unforgettable games of the 21st century
By Phil Poling
Before the 2019 NCAA season kicks off, let’s take a look back at the 25 most unforgettable college football games of the 21st century.
College football provides sports fans with some of the most unforgettable moments of their lives. Among people who live and breathe the sport, “where were you when (enter moment) happened?” is a common question. Can you place yourself when these memorable games occurred?
Plenty of things can make a college football game unforgettable, too. A throw. A catch. Maybe a kick? Often times, that one play can encapsulate an entire game, making the overall experience a memorable one – at least for one fanbase. So while this list is about unforgettable games, there’ll undoubtedly be plenty of you who’d like to forget some of these contests.
College football in the 21st century had a handful of dominant teams who’ll appear multiple times on our list. There were Pete Carroll’s USC Trojans, Jim Tressel’s Ohio State Buckeyes, Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators and Ohio State program, Nick Saban’s LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide, and more recently, Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers. But not every game was a blowout or even a win for that matter.
Not many games on this list are just from any old Saturday in the fall, though. We’ve included plenty where a conference championship or bowl game was on the line. A few regular-season moments are probably jumping to the front of your memory right now, but don’t worry – the obvious ones are included. We’ll jump-start this list with one actually, a game that finished with 119 points on the scoreboard.
No. 25: TCU at Baylor, Oct. 11, 2014
When the top two scoring teams in college football met on Oct. 11, 2014, both were at their very best – offensively, at least. The No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs (4-0) were averaging 46.5 points per game, while the No. 5 Baylor Bears (5-0) came in averaging 48.2 per contest. Everyone expected fireworks from these Big 12 foes; nobody left disappointed in their team’s efforts.
The game didn’t start with fireworks for Baylor, though, rather a couple of duds. After a 13-play drive by the Bears, they turned it over on downs in TCU territory. Eight plays later, Heisman-hopeful quarterback Trevone Boykin threw a touchdown and just like that it was 7-0, TCU.
Baylor fumbled on the ensuing drive, and TCU scored another touchdown. With a deficit of 14-0 and eight minutes remaining in the first quarter, Baylor looked to be in hot water in Waco. TCU forced successive three-and-outs before Baylor finally got on the board, but by the end of the first stanza, the score was 14-10, TCU. Each team posted 17 points in the second quarter, giving the Horned Frogs a 31-27 edge at the half.
Neither team could separate in the third quarter, as both offenses sputtered, resulting in three field goals and only two touchdowns combined. TCU still had the lead going into the final quarter, 44-37, but also possession of the ball.
They punched it into the endzone just 31 seconds into the fourth, giving the Horned Frogs a 14-point lead. Two drives later – and the score stuck at 51-37 – Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty threw a pick-six. Trailing by 21 with just under 12 minutes to go. Surely the game was over, right? Wrong.
Not even a full minute ran off the clock since the pick-six happened and Baylor was already back in the endzone.
A quick-strike attack like Baylor’s wasn’t going to give up, but they needed help from their defense and were able to get it. With a steady dose of running back Shock Linwood, the Bears stormed back from 21 down and tied the game at 58 with 4:42 remaining.
A turnover-on-downs gave Baylor the ball just shy of midfield with a minute left, and the victory was in the Bears’ sight. A mix of runs and passes moved the team to the 11-yard line, where Baylor kicker Chris Callahan drilled the game-winning 28-yard field goal. The comeback was completed.