6 Memorable Moments in NCAA Football History 

By   2023-06-26  
6 Memorable Moments in NCAA Football History 

Clemson vs. South Carolina, Miami vs. Maryland, Ohio State vs. Notre and Michigan vs. Appalachian State are some of the best NCAA football moments. College football originated in America on 6th November 1869. 

The 141-year history of collegiate football has produced many great games and moments for sports fans to enjoy. Many other moments, such as Nebraska vs. Florida, Colorado vs. Missouri, and USC vs. Texas, are among the remaining best NCAA football moments of their time.

This article will discuss the 6 best NCAA football moments and what makes them so special. However, with so many great plays in college football history, what are the best NCAA football moments? How do you evaluate an unforgettable moment? Talent, accidents, mind-blowing plays, and many others. If you’re wondering where to watch these moments online, click here.

Nebraska vs. Florida

Let’s start with the best NCAA football moments. The first one is the Nebraska and Florida match.

In the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, Nebraska was leading by a score of 35-10 by halftime. Long before Boise State's last score gave them the victory, this game was crazy. Boise State was down 35-28 against Oklahoma when it faced fourth and 18 from its 50-yard line in just 18 seconds remaining. 

Drisan James received a pass from Jared Zabransky, who lateraled it to Jerard Rabb. Eventually, Rabb ran all across the field for the score to tie the match. Oklahoma scored first in overtime to take the lead 42-35, and Boise State answered with a touchdown from Derek Schouman. 

1996 Fiesta Bowl #1 Nebraska (11-0) vs. #2 Florida (12-0) - YouTube

source - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO3iR_6yw-Y&ab_channel=JohnQuinn

Colorado vs. Missouri

In 1990, Colorado's triumph over Missouri in the final play had consequences that went far beyond a simple victory.

With less than three minutes remaining, the undefeated  Buffaloes were down by a score of 31-27 to the strongly favored Missouri Tigers. With 40 seconds left, Colorado crossed the pitch and had the ball first-and-goal within the Tiger five.

The Buffs kicked the ball on the first down, and Colorado called a timeout following a missed attempt by Eric Bieniemy on the 2nd down. After this timeout, Colorado still had another second-down opportunity. However, Bieniemy once more missed the end zone because the officials had forgotten to flip the down marker.

Colorado won the game with a score of 33-31 after a 20-minute delay when the officials' team was told they had made an error regarding the down marker. This twist made this match one of the best NCAA football moments.

USC vs.Texas

This match is regarded as one of the best NCAA football moments. The Longhorns were on their back by Texas quarterback Vince Young, who also defeated USC, the reigning college football champion. 

Texas was behind 38-33, had just 26 seconds remaining, and faced a fourth and 5 from the nine-yard line when Young occurred. He scampered to his right, noticed a gap, and sprinted to the right, giving Texas a one-point lead. The Texas Longhorns were leading collegiate football with a national championship when the game's clock reached zero.

2013 - Iron Bowl

The No. 1 team in the entire country,  Alabama, entered the game thinking a win would put them in a position to win the final BCS Championship. However, Auburn had other plans. Right after a late rush,  TJ Yeldon, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban ran back and protested for an extra second added to the clock. 

The request was granted, and the team started to prepare for the win. They planned to make a 57-yard field goal. However, in the event of a short kick, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn placed punt returner Davis in the end zone.

2013 Iron Bowl: Auburn, Alabama radio broadcasters remember the 'Kick Six'source - https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/football/2018/11/22/iron-bowl-auburn-alabama-kick-six-chris-davis-rod-bramblett-eli-gold/2070946002/

As predicted, Davis successfully blocked and ran to the left sideline. This let him score a game-winning touchdown in very little time. Ultimately, the win led to Auburn reaching the BCS National Championship.

Tua Tagovailoa

This one is among the recent best NCAA football Moments. During the 2018 CFP National Championship, everyone witnessed Jalen Hurts's gameplay. Jalen knew he would succeed this time, unlike the previous year’s match, where he lost to Clemson.

However, the likely future Oklahoma quarterback underperformed in the first half of the match. Due to this, their head coach, Nick Saban, decided to get Tua Tagovailoa from the bench to the field. The game went into overtime in the second half because Tagovailoa inspired a comeback by Alabama.

After this embarrassing incident, Tagovailoa hit a long, wide-arched pass straight down to DeVonta Smith. Smith then ran into the end zone, sealing the 26-23 score victory. This was how they came back with a Championship Trophy. 

The 1984 - Hail Mary

Boston College's incredible victory in this game inspired their drive to the Cotton Bowl after two months. However, excellence at times needs a little bit of good luck. Doug Flutie, the quarterback for Boston College, will always be known for his incredible touchdown pass, known as the "Hail Flutie." How could such a match not be counted in the best NCAA football moments?

This Day In Sports Clips on Twitter: "November 23, 1984: RARE: The Flutie Hail  Mary. Not sure anyone has seen this so worth a watch.  https://t.co/U60LuXHpf6" / Twitter

Check the video clip here - https://twitter.com/TDISportsClips/status/1330969966691184640

The score was 45-41, and Flutie had some extra time. Miami left no chance to argue about Flutie’s capacity to throw the ball into the end zone straight through the wind as a quarterback. Nevertheless, Gerad Phelan won the game and took the victory along with the ball as he somehow got behind the defense.

FAQs

Which team is the best NCAA football team?

The Florida State Seminoles were a skilled squad in every area and had the best scoring record in college football history. They averaged 51.6 points per game while only allowing 12.1 points per game under the leadership of Jimbo Fisher and Jameis Winston Heisman. These players are famous trophy-winning quarterback players.

The most number of fans in a college football game is?

156,990 spectators set a record for the most people to watch a single NCAA football game. On September 10, 2016, in the Battle at Bristol, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech were up against each other. Tennessee won that game with a score of 45–24.

Which college football game has the most views?

The Fiesta Bowl match between the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes and the No. 2 Penn State Nittany Lions on January 2, 1987, had the maximum views. People witnessed these teams compete for the national championship. 

Which player is the most famous football legend in the game's history?

The best player in the game’s history is the world-famous football hero from Brazil. Pele won most of the World Cups as compared to other players. He was the center of attack for both the nation and the club. Another strength of his was scoring a maximum number of goals. 

Conclusion

The most memorable football matches have it all. Be it miracles, turnarounds, surprises, luck, sorrow, and disappointment. Some have occurred between the most potent rivals or on the largest platforms. As the match proceeds and tense situations arise, the players and audience's hearts pounce. To relish more of such best NCAA football moments, check out CFBBite for high-quality streams.