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College Football Rewind: Most important games from 2002 season

By Jackson Caudell

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)
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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BOULDER, CO – NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Seneca Wallace #15 of the Iowa State University Cyclones attempts to handoff the ball against the University of Colorado Buffalos during the game at Folsom Field on November 16, 2002 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado won 41-27. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO – NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Seneca Wallace #15 of the Iowa State University Cyclones attempts to handoff the ball against the University of Colorado Buffalos during the game at Folsom Field on November 16, 2002 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado won 41-27. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

2. Iowa State 36, Iowa 31

One theme so far from this series of important games has been that there is one game early in the season that is flying under the radar that has a lasting impact on the championship race, sometimes even between unranked teams.

This clash of rivals at Kinnick Stadium was that game for the 2002 season.

Neither of these teams were ranked heading into this contest, but it would be the only blemish on the Hawkeyes record for the rest of the season. Iowa rode a huge second quarter to get a 24-7 lead heading into the half, but then it all came crashing down. Iowa State would score 29 unanswered points and the game was already out of reach despite a late Iowa touchdown to bring the score closer and Seneca Wallace and the Cyclones would escape with the win.

Iowa quarterback Brad Banks would go on to have a great season and became a Heisman finalist and the Hawkeyes would finish the season 11-1 and claimed an Orange Bowl berth in the process. This game would keep them out of contention for even bigger prizes, however.

Iowa would probably makes the championship game with a win here, even though that is not a certainty with the Buckeyes also being undefeated, and who knows if they could have pulled an upset of the Hurricanes.

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