In the past decade, hundreds of bowl games have been played. Dozens of sponsors have come and gone. We’ve gotten to the point where there are two bowls not just sponsored by but named after pizza companies. But in the midst of this annual craziness, there have been some awesome, memorable moments. Those times that you get caught up in a game and completely stop what you’re doing. Those games that you get invested in and have to talk about with friends as soon as possible.
2009’s bowl season started with a bang today, as 11-point underdog Wyoming won the New Mexico Bowl in 2OT. And since it’s a blizzard here in NY and I’m stuck inside what better to do then make a list! So, I’ve sifted through the decade of bowl games, the good, bad and ugly, and, outside of something epic happening in the next week and a half, have decided my top 20 of the 2000s. Relive some fun bowl moments...here’s 20-11:
20. 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl- Auburn 23, Clemson 20 OT
Auburn unveiled a new spread attack and ended Clemson’s 2007 on a sour note. The explosive C.J. Spiller broke off an 83-yard TD run for Clemson. But the difference was Auburn quarterback Kodi Burns, who saw more playing time in the new offense, and ran in the game winner in overtime.
19. 2004 Liberty Bowl- Louisville 44, Boise State 40
This was the 2004 bowl season’s best non-BCS game matchup, with Boise State ranked 9th in the BCS and Louisville 10th. The high-powered offenses put points on the board but it was Louisville’s Stefan LeFors who led the way with two TDs through the air and one on the ground. Michael Bush controlled the 4th quarter with impressive runs and the Cardinals snapped Boise’s 22-game winning streak.
18. 2008 Capital One Bowl- Michigan 41, Florida 35
Lloyd Carr went out with a win in his last game as Michigan head coach and the Wolverines’ senior class got its first bowl victory. Percy Harvin, Tim Tebow and Andre Caldwell on the Gators side and Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Adrian Arrington for the Wolverines accounted for much of the over 900 yards of offense, striking back and forth. But Michigan overcame a four-point deficit with under 6 minutes in the game, holding Tebow to just four yards on the Gators’ final two possessions.
17. 2008 Alamo Bowl- Missouri 30, Northwestern 23 OT
Some called this the Journalism Bowl, for the schools' esteemed journalism programs. Of course, Ohio University would have to be involved for it to be a true journalism bowl but this game was fun to watch nonetheless. Jeremy Maclin returned a punt, LB Sean Witherspoon was sick (in the good way) and the Northwestern defense flustered Chase Daniel. But the key was special teams. Northwestern’s Amado Villarreal missed a third quarter extra point and Missouri’s Jeff Wolfert missed a 44-yard FG at the end of regulation. Either going through would have sealed the deal. Instead, Chase Daniel got another shot in overtime and finished his senior season with a TD to Maclin that would end up as the deciding score.
16. 2005 Sun Bowl- UCLA 50, Northwestern 38
Northwestern jumped out to a 22-0 lead but UCLA responded with 36 unanswered points in a wild one in El Paso. There was lots of scoring and offense, 1,037 yards combined, a Sun Bowl record. The weirdest and most memorable moments… UCLA’s Brandon Braezell returning not one but two onside kicks for TDs. Yes, two onside kick returns were the deciding scores. That is wacky even for the more than occasionally crazy world of college football.
15. 2003 Insight Bowl- Cal 52, Virginia Tech 49
In a football game played in a baseball stadium, this was anything but a pitcher’s duel. Played at the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the 2003 Insight Bowl featured the passing proficiency of Cal’s Aaron Rodgers and the playmaking of Virginia Tech’s DeAngelo Hall. A 4th quarter punt return by Hall tied the score at 49. But Rodgers had the ball in his hands at the end and led the Bears into position for a Tyler Fredrickson winning FG as the clock hit zero.
14. 2006 Sun Bowl- Oregon State 39, Missouri 38
It takes guts to go for two with the game on the line. Ask Tom Osborne or Chris Petersen. Mike Riley did just that and it paid off for Oregon State. After Matt Moore threw his 4th TD with 22 seconds left, Riley sent out the offense to go for the win. Yvenson Bernard ran it in through the middle and with the two-point conversion the Beavers were the victors.
13. 2000 Orange Bowl- Michigan 35, Alabama 34
I am a bit young to remember Shaun Alexander playing his last collegiate game but the 2000 Orange Bowl still deserves to be mentioned on this list. Tom Brady was at the helm for Michigan and led them back from down 14 twice. Alexander and Brady were the stars of the night. Each had three TDs. In overtime, Alabama had a chance to tie it and send it to a second extra period but kicker Ryan Pflugner flubbed the extra point wide right.
12. 2003 Hawaii Bowl- Hawaii 54, Houston 48 3 OT
Hawaii and Houston fought through three overtimes before a winner was decided...then they fought each other on the field after the game. Kevin Kolb threw for 332 yards, while Timmy Chang topped him with 475 passing. Kolb hit Vincent Marshall on an 81-yard TD strike to tie the game and send it to overtime. After three OT periods, the hometown Warriors finished off Houston. But this Hawaii Bowl is also remembered for the post-game extracurriculars, where words were exchanged and punches thrown.
11. 2001 GMAC Bowl- Marshall 64 East Carolina 61 2 OT
125 total points, 102 of those in regulation. That’s a bowl game record. Byron Leftwich’s 576 yards passing...also a bowl record. Defense may have been at a premium but drama certainly was not. After overcoming a 30-point halftime deficit, Leftwich drove the Herd down the field and connected with Darius Watts for a game-tying TD with seven seconds left. Marshall could have won with the extra point but Curtis Head missed his seventh of the season. So, both teams got a chance to score some more and Marshall prevailed with a TD in the second overtime.
The top 10 coming soon...
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