Top 10 College Football Games of the 1990s

With the college football season approaching, I figured it was time to do a series of the greatest college football games from each decade. Here is a list of the best college football games from the 1990s.

The Top Ten

  1. 1993 Game of the Century: #2 Notre Dame - 31, #1 Florida State - 24

    Dubbed the "Game of the Century," Notre Dame jumped out to a 24-7 lead over #1 Florida State and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Charlie Ward. FSU battled back to within 31-24 and had the ball inside the red zone with seconds to go, needing a touchdown and possibly a two-point conversion to win the game, but it was unsuccessful. The Notre Dame win bumped the Irish to #1 in the polls, but they lost that spot following an upset loss to Boston College the next week.

  2. 1995 Orange Bowl: #1 Nebraska - 24, #3 Miami - 17

    After seven straight bowl losses and more than 20 seasons without a national title, Tom Osborne and the Nebraska Cornhuskers finally broke the jinx and clinched the national championship at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Using a two-quarterback system with Orange Bowl MVP Tommie Frazier and Brook Berringer, the Cornhuskers overcame an early 10-point deficit to win 24-17, thanks to two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

  3. 1994: Florida State - 31, Florida - 31

    Florida arrived in Tallahassee looking to knock off the defending national champion Seminoles, and for three quarters, the Gators did just that, taking a 31-3 lead. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles pulled off the largest final-quarter comeback, scoring four touchdowns to tie the game. They were looking to seal the victory when time ran out, ending the contest in a 31-31 tie, as there was no overtime back then. Ironically, the two teams later met in the Sugar Bowl, and FSU won 23-17.

  4. 1992 SEC Championship: #2 Alabama - 28, #12 Florida - 21

    The inaugural SEC Championship was a classic, as both teams headed to Birmingham to meet. With the score tied at 21, Florida had the ball and looked to drive for the winning score, but Alabama's Antonio Langham intercepted a pass and returned it for a pick-six to secure the Crimson Tide a spot in the national title game.

  5. 1997: #1 Michigan - 20, #4 Ohio State - 14

    Ranked #1 in the nation, Michigan defeated #4 Ohio State 20-14 in Ann Arbor to clinch its spot in the national title game. The biggest play was a punt-return touchdown by Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, who also intercepted a pass and made a key 37-yard reception that led to Michigan's first touchdown of the game.

  6. 1997: #10 Florida - 32, #2 Florida State - 29

    Dubbed the "Greatest Game Ever Played in the Swamp," Florida overcame an early 11-point deficit to take a 25-20 lead midway through the third quarter. The Seminoles responded with nine unanswered points to go up by four with three minutes remaining. Three plays later, the Gators scored thanks to Fred Taylor, who capped off a four-touchdown performance with the game-winning touchdown.

  7. 1994 Orange Bowl: #1 Florida State - 18, #2 Nebraska - 16

    Despite being 17-point underdogs, Nebraska held tough against the Seminoles and overcame a 15-7 deficit to lead 16-15 with 1:16 left in the game. Charlie Ward guided FSU down the field, where it kicked a field goal to take a two-point lead, but the Cornhuskers set themselves up for a 45-yard field goal attempt. Unfortunately, the kick was shanked, and FSU escaped with the national title.

  8. 1998 Big 12 Championship: #10 Texas A&M - 36, #2 Kansas State - 33 (2 OT)

    After a decade of turning Kansas State from cellar dwellers into winners, head coach Bill Snyder hoped the 1998 season would reward his team with a chance to play for a national title. At 11-0, all that remained was for the Wildcats to beat Texas A&M in the Big XII title game. Through three quarters, Kansas State was in the driver's seat, up 27-12, but the Aggies rallied to tie the game and send it to overtime. After an exchange of field goals in the first overtime, KSU took a 33-30 lead in the second overtime before Texas A&M broke hearts by scoring the winning touchdown.

  9. 1997 Rose Bowl: #4 Ohio State - 21, #2 Arizona State - 17

    Led by Jake Plummer and Pat Tillman, the Sun Devils took a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter and were 1:40 away from a potential national championship. But Buckeyes backup quarterback Joe Germaine led Ohio State down the field and stole the win with a game-winning touchdown pass to David Boston, ending ASU's dream season in heartbreaking fashion.

  10. 1990: Colorado - 33, Missouri - 31

    Colorado caught a fortunate break when it scored the winning touchdown on a controversial fifth down. This win helped lead the Buffaloes to a national championship that season.

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