College Football Rewind: Most important games from 2002 season

TEMPE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 3: Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes encourages safety Donnie Nickey #25 during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl against the University of Miami Hurricanes at Sun Devil Stadium on January 3, 2003 in Tempe, Arizona. Ohio State won the game 31-24 in double-overtime, winning the NCAA National Championship. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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SHREVEPORT, LA – DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Matt Jones #9 of the Arkansas Razorbacks throws the football during the Independence Bowl game against the Missouri Tigers in Independence Stadium on December 31, 2003 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Arkansas defeated Missouri 27-14. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

5. Arkansas 41, Boise State 14

Before Boise State became an annual BCS buster, the Broncos were still looking to get that key non-conference win and show the nation that the program was ready to take that next step and be a serious contender.

This was not that day.

Dan Hawkins and the Broncos ran into Matt Jones and the Arkansas Razorbacks and got their doors blown off. The Broncos turned the ball over seven times and Houston Nutt’s Razorbacks rushed the ball for over 200 yards en route to a blowout win.

It would be a few more years before Boise would pick up those big wins.

I picked this game as important because it was a missed opportunity for Boise State to get a win over a Power Five opponent and with a win, the Broncos would have finished undefeated and possibly crashed the BCS, despite the rules being different about Group of Five teams getting an automatic bid.

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