Top Ten College Football Games of 2007

Now that we are in the downtime between regular season and bowl mania I thought it would be a good opportunity to look back on this crazy football season. In my eyes this was one of the mostunpredictable football seasons I have ever seen. While my Nittany Lions somehow seemed to be the only team who couldn't reach one of the top two spots in the polls this year, there were many story lines throughout the nation. With upset after upset, overtime after overtime, Heisman candidate after Heisman candidate, #1 after #1 and #2 after #2, there was never a shortage of conversation.

Feel free to debate this list as you please, as I am sure with the season the way it was there is a lot of room for suggestions and debates as to which game was most exciting or compelling.


10. Delaware 59, Navy 52 - While this game may not have had the magnitude of an SEC match up, this game was one of the more exciting games of the season. This game was not for the fans of a good defensive game though as the host Navy Midshipmen and visiting Delaware Blue Hens combined for 111 points and 1,087 yards of offense. Delaware struck first and Navy scored the next 14 points in the first quarter. In the second quarter the squads alternated touchdowns with Delaware scoring 21 points and the game was tied at 28 at halftime.

The second half was just about as crazy with both teams scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter, but thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco in the third quarter Delaware was able to pull out a hard fought, back and forth game and have the momentum at the end of the game to secure the upset victory on the road. It was the year of the upset after all. Delaware would continue their season, they may appear later on this list as well, and this Friday they will be playing Appalachian State for the national championship on the division 1AA level. A week after this game Navy would go on the road...

9. Navy 46, Notre Dame 44 (3OT) - Let us put aside all criticisms of the Notre Dame football program, its players and of course their coach. Notre Dame was in the thick of their worst season ever, we all know that. Navy was coming off a home upset to Delaware. All of that meant nothing on this day though as Navy snapped an unthinkable 43 game losing streak to the Fighting Irish. Just think about that; forty-three years! With all of that history and heavy metaphorical monkeys on the backs of the Midshipmen, this game had the nerve to go into triple overtime? You have to be kidding me! Of course, Notre Dame should have won this game, but thanks to a bonehead decision by Charlie Weis (see clip below), Navy was able to take the game into overtime.

The game went into a third overtime and Notre Dame was unable to convert for a touchdown on fourth down, sending Navy fans everywhere around the world in a frenzy that was long overdue. If Navy's loss to Delaware was a low point of the season, surely beating Notre Dame was the high point (although if you ask Navy fans they might still consider beating Army the true high point). Meanwhile, the Irish fans were left shakin', not stirred...


8. Trinity University 28, Millsaps 24 - You've seen it. If not, you're missing perhaps one of the best plays in college football history.
If you think this game makes this list just for this play, you are only half right. This game was legitimately a Top Ten worthy game. I try to take a lot of things into consideration. One of the reasons this game was great was because it had a lot riding on it as well. Two Top 25 teams battling it out for the SCAC lead scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter in hopes of increasing the odds of making the playoffs. You and I may not know much about these teams but this game makes the top ten list for sure.

7. Navy 74, North Texas 62 - Nope, it's not a basketball game folks. It is the highest scoring game on the top level of college football. Navy involved in three of the top ten games of the season already? You bet. Again, Navy doesn't like playing a game that defensive enthusiasts would enjoy, but that's ok. I enjoy watching a game like this when it is not for a championship or anything. This was just one in a hand full of high scoring football games that would make you think you were looking at a basketball score sheet.

6. Chadron State 76, Abilene Christian 74 (3OT) - To me, any playoff game that goes into overtime should be worthy of this list. This game is no exception. As my list counts down you may think that I hate defense. I promise you that is far from the truth, it just happens that offenses have been stealing the show so far. Take this game for example.

This Division 2 football game is now the highest scoring college football game in history, except for the Georgia Tech 222-0 ripping of Cumberland back in 1916 (before official NCAA records were kept). Playoff intensity is nice but what about a big come from behind victory? This is what that game was. Chadron trailed 35-14 at halftime, and 49-20 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Chadron State Eagles put together 36 points in the fourth quarter, including 17 in the final five minutes to force overtime, tied at 56-56. I can't imagine what that must have been like. Well I can, but I have never seen it. Chadron State quarterback Joe McLain somersaulted into the end-zone (see the above picture) to give Chadron their first lead of the game, and in doing so gave the Eagles the triple overtime victory, advancing them to the next round of the playoffs.


5. Oregon 24, USC 17 - Once upon a time USC was the unquestioned #1 team in the land. Then Stanford came along and squashed that idea, dropping USC to #9. While USC was being knocked off of the undefeated perch there were PAC 10 teams waiting to take the next step, and Oregon was the first to get a crack at it. The PAC-10 is more known for their offenses but defense was the key to this game as Oregon was able to force two interceptions on a USC backup quarterback and seal a victory that would launch Oregon to the newest sweethearts of pollsters. Dennis Dixon is a phenomenal athlete and he really is what made his team go. Dixon busted open a 76 yard run for a touchdown to compliment his steady passing attack. Oregon would climb to the coveted, yet dangerous, top two spot in the BCS rankings with the victory. Unfortunately for the Ducks, that was the high point of this season as an injury to Dixon would later remove him from the lineup, as well as the offensive juice to put together key drives.

Ironically, USC would recover from this loss and the Stanford loss to regain the PAC 10 title. Crazy!

4. Kentucky 43, LSU 37 (3OT) - Those of you who know me know that I am a Penn State fan. This does not mean I am a fan of the Big Ten. I have no problem saying that the SEC is the best conference in college football. How it took me this long to reach an SEC match up in the Top Ten list is mind boggling. The SEC was chock full of action this year but this may be one of the most memorable of the season. LSU entered the game as the number one team in the land. Kentucky was building their own momentum. Kentucky was actually coming off of a loss to Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks, but quarterback Andre' Woodson was beginning to receive his own national spotlight, as rival Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm was dropping off the radar. Kentucky pulled off yet another upset in the crazy 2007 season, this time dropping #1 LSU in triple overtime. LSU did all of their scoring in the 2nd and 3rd quarters (except overtime) while Kentucky was steady the entire game, scoring a touchdown in each of the first three quarters, and two field goals in the final quarter. In overtime each team exchanged scores but LSU was stopped on their final play, failing to tie the game.


LSU somehow would go on to clinch the SEC championship and be awarded a slot in the BCS championship game despite having two losses.

#3. Oklahoma 41, Missouri 31 - Before the Big 12 championship game, there was the regular season match up. Missouri was rolling along in their season and Oklahoma was fresh off of their impressive Red River Shootout victory over rival Texas the week before. Missouri was unable to hold on to a fourth quarter lead as Oklahoma put together 18 fourth quarter points to turn a deficit into a ten point victory that would propel Oklahoma back into the national title picture. A couple weeks earlier Oklahoma had lost to Colorado.

Many feel that Missouri would have won if their best running back played and some believe that Missouri handed Oklahoma the game, but in the end you have to do things on your own no matter what. Oklahoma did that at home and held on. The two teams would later have a rematch in the Big 12 championship game, a game in which Oklahoma never let the game get away form them as they clinched the Big 12 title and earned a chance at the national championship, but they instead will play in the Fiesta Bowl against West Virginia.

#2. Arkansas, LSU (3OT) - Hi. Remember LSU? They lost in triple overtime to Kentucky earlier in the season. Well to top that one off they decided to do it one more time, but this time add even more drama to the game.

Instead of just being the #1 team, this time they were the #1 team in a trophy rivalry game. Oh, and a loss could officially eliminate them from BCS national title contention. I know, looking back on that now it seems kind of silly.

Arkansas has a really good running back, one who I thought should have won the Heisman trophy but whatever, in Darren McFadden. This game brought out the best in him. McFadden rushed for 206 yards, three touchdowns, and threw for one touchdown for 24 yards. LSU responded well just about every time but once again could not pull through in the third overtime. After each team scored touchdowns in the first two overtimes, Arkansas scored in the third overtime and converted the required two point conversion. When LSU scored a touchdown, Matt Flynn's pass was intercepted to clinch the game for the Razorbacks and seemingly dismantle LSU's title hopes.

But LSU knew by this time that patience would be a virtue. Much like THE Ohio State I suppose.

And now the number one game of the 2007 season. It should be of little surprise to anyone by now I believe...

#1. Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32- Words can not describe what makes this game so great. Upset of the century? Surprisingly, a lot of people didn't quite feel that way. People were quick to criticize Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and the coaching philosophy. People were also quick to compliment Appalachian State by saying that this wasn't a regular 1-AA team. But the fact was Michigan came into the season as the overwhelming favorite to win the Big Ten and make a run at the BCS championship. Throw out the last two games of last year is what Michigan fans wanted to do; this was their year. Chad Henne was back along with Mike Hart and Mario Manningham. Seniors all over and revenge on their mind. Ohio State was home at the end of the season. Perhaps the Wolverines were looking past not only Appalachian State, but everybody on their schedule towards Ohio State. Appalachian State....really? Make no mistake about it, this was the upset of the year. We didn't know back then in early September what kind of season was about to unfold, but this was definitely the best way to get it all started.

What makes this the number one game of the year is this; everybody around the nation was into it. Scores were being announced all over the country and fans of all schools were cheering, except for the folks in Ann Arbor of course. Teams from the 1AA level had beaten 1A opponents before of course, but Michigan was #5 coming into the season. After the potential game winning field goal was blocked, Michigan fell out of the polls, while some voters clamored for the right to place Appalachian State in the AP Top 25. The game was monumental.

I remember being on the road and listening to the Penn State-Florida International game on the radio when Steve Jones informed me that Appalachian State was leading at halftime. Huh? Interesting, I thought. I knew Michigan would get their act together and put the game away in the second half. I still can not believe I was wrong.

The score makes the game look closer than it really was too as Appalachian State was all over Michigan all day. The spread attack and speed of Appalachian State was just too much for the bigger and slower Michigan defense.



Appalachian State will play for the national championship this Friday against Delaware. Has any team ever played two teams with essentially the same uniforms to begin and end their season? Or how about Michigan? Has any team ever lost to two national championship teams in the same season (Ohio State plays for the BCS championship against LSU)?

Well there you have it folks, my comprehensive, yet brief, Top Ten College Football Games of 2007. With some bowls coming up I do hope that we see some good games to ring in the new year. As we approach the Alamo Bowl I'll be sure to share my thoughts on Penn State's chances (heads up, I am feeling a victory for Joe Pa) and perhaps we will look at the big bowl games and the most intriguing match-ups (hello Fiesta Bowl). In the meantime please, once again, feel free to leave your comments on this list. Did I miss a game? Do you feel a game should ranked higher (or lower)? What was your favorite game of 2007? I look forward to reading your comments.