A Year in Review

This year in college football was a great one. It was exciting from start to finish and it is safe to say that every week brought new surprises and moments that had every fan on the edge of their seat. Here are my five top games of the 2013-2014 season.


5) Penn State: 43 Michigan: 40 October 12th

This game was a will go down as a great victory in Penn State history. With all the adversity the Nittany Lions faced throughout the past few years, it was good to see them have a statement win against a big time program.The game started out fast with both teams scoring left and right. Michigan, the favorite to win the game, suffered from early turnovers and over 100,000 Penn State fans making it hard to even hear the snap count. The lead was 21-10 Penn State at halftime, but Michigan had several quick, momentum swinging scores in the second half and led 34-27 with under a minute to go. Christian Hackenberg began to drive down the field and completed a hail mary to Allen Robinson on the one with less than thirty seconds left. Hackenberg then scored to send the game to overtime. In OT Penn State failed to score but blocked Michigan’s field goal attempt. In OT #2 the teams traded field goal. In OT #3 Penn State fumbled, but Brandon Gibbons missed a 37 yard kick that would've won the game. He redeemed himself in OT #4 with a field goal. Penn State then got the ball and rather than going for the tie on fourth-and-one Penn State went for it. Later on the drive, Bill Belton punched it in from two yards out to seal a miraculous win for Penn State. This game solidified how good Bill O'brien was as well as how good his depleted team could play when the stakes are high. Overall, it was a great game and a great way to start off the countdown. 

4) Clemson: 40 Ohio State: 35 January 3rd Orange Bowl

This game was an explosion of offense. The game showcased two great dual threat quarterbacks, Braxton Miller and Taj Boyd. The game was played just as expected with lots of scoring right from the beginning on long plays. Taj Boyd scored on a 48 yard run but Braxton came right back with a 33 yard touchdown run. Just before the half, with the Tigers up 14-9 Boyd rolled out and tried to float one into the end zone for six, but he was picked off of an amazing one handed catch which kept Clemson at bay at the time. Ohio State trailed 21-9 early in the third quarter but scored 20 unanswered points to go up 29-20 The two teams exchanged touchdowns after that and Ohio State held a 35-34 lead. Clemson then scored to make it 40-35 but it was up to the defense and they stepped up to the plate. They picked off a wounded Braxton Milller twice to secure an Orange Bowl victory. This back and forth contest showcased some future NFL talent. Sammy Watkins won the MVP with 17 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. While some other bowl games were very low scoring methodical game. This prime time showdown had a ton of speedy offenses and brutal defenses which pounded opposing backs all night. Everyone who viewed this game saw just how talented every player was and how poised each team was after watching the opposing team score time after time. This Orange Bowl will go down as one of the best.

3) Ohio State: 42 Michigan: 41 November 30th

This game has been a rivalry for many years, but this one was special. Ohio State had come into the game at 11-0 while Michigan had stumbled in at 7-4, but a big win at home would have changed the outlook of the whole season for the wolverines. Experts thought there was no way that Michigan could keep up with The Buckeyes high octane offense. Both teams came out firing to start and the teams kept up with each other through the first thirty minutes, as the score was tied 21-21 at half time.  The was a fight that broke out mid game which showed just how much the game meant to both teams which led to several ejections. In the third quarter, The Buckeyes scored 14 points which Michigan got right back in the fourth. Tied at 35-35 Ohio State jumped on the back of Carlos Hyde. He totaled 226 rushing yards throughout the whole game, but the most important yard was with under three minutes left, when he scored to give Ohio State a seven point lead. Michigan drove down the field once again and Devin Gardner (451 yards 4 TDs in the game) connected with Devin Funchess for a two yard score. Following the score, Brady Hoke elected to go for two points and the win rather than going to overtime. Devin Gardner was intercepted on the two point conversion which sealed Michigan's fate. Though the upset was not completed, the game was truly something special. The two rivals combined for 1029 offensive yards, 54 first downs, 12 touchdowns and 83 points. The number s were completely insane and the fact that this rivalry is so well documented made this game even more phenomenal.

2) Auburn: 34 Alabama: 28 November 30th Iron Bowl

This rivalry is always a good one, but when the teams are ranked #1 and #4 in the country, the game is just that much more important. There was a ton riding on this game, a possible Heisman trophy, a spot in the SEC Championship and a trip to the National Championship were all on the line. As one would suspect, this game was very well coached. The first quarter only amassed seven points (an Auburn 45 yard touchdown) as both defenses looked strong. As the second quarter began, Alabama began to kick it into second gear. they scored 21 unanswered points and controlled most of the clock. Tre Mason did score to make it 21-14 going into halftime, setting up a second half for the ages. The third quarter mirrored the first quarter as Auburn scored one touchdown which was the only score of the quarter.Nick Marshall did not pass often, but was effective when he did. He connected with C.J. Uzomah for a score that tied the game at 21 going into the fourth. AJ McCarron threw a 99 yard touchdown with Amari Cooper to give the Tide a lead. The score looked to be AJ McCarron's "heisman moment" and looked like it was going to clinch the Tide a victory. The Tigers got one last chance to score, but started their drive with a series of inside runs which confused many. Finally, Marshall pulled the ball back and threw to Sammie Coates who raced to the end zone to tie the game with 32 seconds left. Alabama got the ball and drove through Auurns prevent defense to the 40 yard line which set up a last-second, 57 yard field goal attempt. As the whole state of Alabama held its breath, cade Foster kicked the ball short of the upright which allowed  Chris Davis to catch the ball and return it from the back of the endzone. He sprinted past all of Alabama's players into the end zone as time expired. it was considered the most wild finish to a game ever and the fact that a national championship bid and bragging rights to a rivalry game only made the contest that much better.

1) Florida State: 34 Auburn: 31 January 6th BCS National Championship

Many would argue that this years Iron Bowl was a better game, but the fact that this was the National Championship makes it number one. this game pitted two potent offense and strong defenses against each other. Florida State was led by Heisman winner Jameis Winston and a relentless offensive attack. auburn was the king of the comeback with a great rushing attack from Tre Mason and Nick Marshall. The Seminoles were the favorite and Florida State did strike first with a field goal, but Auburn then scored 21 unanswered points and dominated The Seminoles in the process. Jameis was sacked often and was only 5/12 on his first 12 attempts. It looked to be a potential Auburn rout until Florida State scored right before the half to make it 21-10 at the half. Florida State rode their momentum into the second half. they scored 10 straight to cut the lead to one. Auburn than tacked on three more points to make it 24-20. with around four minutes left, many thought this would be Florida State's last chance to win, but the kickoff was returned 100 yards by Levonte Whitfield to give The Seminoles the lead. Auburn came storming back and returned to their usual self on offense and marched down the field. Tre Mason, Heisman finalist, punished the Seminoles defense the whole drive and finished with a 37 yard rumble into the end zone. He finished with 195 yards, the second most rushing yards in a BCS National Championship. Now it was time to see if Winston had one final drive left in him. The drive started with short completions that brought them close to midfield. Jameis Winston then completed a pass to Rashad Greene for four yards, but Greene broke a few tackles and raced inside Auburn territory. With under a minute to play Winston continued the drive in the red zone down to the 2 yard line. With just thirteen seconds left, Winston lobbed a ball to Kelvin Benjamin who hauled it in and gave The Florida State the final lead. The defense held on and Florida State won 34-31. This game was fantastic from start to finish and capped off what was a fantastic season. The showcase of talent was unreal and the game was no short of excellent.