No other American sport elicits the passion from its players and fans like college football. When you flip the channel to a network television station on a fall Saturday afternoon, you can’t help but become engulfed in the emotion of the game – one play can change the complexion of an entire season. Through the years, we have been provided with numerous tear-jerking, awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping moments. Here are 10 of the most notable.

1. The Play
   A list featuring jaw-dropping college football plays wouldn’t have credibility if it didn’t place “The Play” in the No. 1 spot. Cal radio play-by-play man Joe Starkey’s cry of “Oh, the band is out on the field!” is etched into our memories and no one has better summed up the feelings of the viewer: “the most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heartrending, exciting, thrilling finish in the history of college football!”
2. Hail Flutie
   The ultimate underdog, 5-foot-9 Doug Flutie, cemented his Heisman status after he successfully floated a Hail Mary pass to receiver Gerard Phelan, securing a 47-45 win for Boston College over defending national champion Miami in the Orange Bowl. Often forgotten is the shootout that transpired between Flutie and Bernie Kosar of Miami, who passed for a school-record 447 yards.
3. Miracle in Michigan
   With just six seconds left in the game, Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart unleashed a 73-yard bomb that was tipped in front of the goal line by receiver Blake Anderson and caught by top receiver Michael Westbrook. The ensuing sprint down the field by Stewart and his teammates to celebrate in the endzone encapsulated the emotions of an entire fanbase, as the No. 7 Buffaloes defeated the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines 27-26.
4. The Flea Kicker
   Nebraska’s 1997 split national title wouldn’t have happened without the “Flea Kicker” play, in which Scott Frost’s pass was deflected in the endzone by a Missouri defender, kicked into the air by receiver Shevin Wiggins and caught just before it hit the ground by receiver Matt Davison as time expired. Missouri fans had to be cleared off of the field before the extra point was kicked to tie the game. The Huskers won in overtime 45-38.
5. Vince Young Scores
   As Vince Young took his long strides toward the endzone, the burnt orange half of the Rose Bowl turned to bedlam and the cardinal and gold half wilted in anguish. His game-winning and national championship-winning touchdown was a fitting end to a memorable game that featured two Heisman winners, the supposedly greatest team of all-time, an evaporated 12-point deficit and a fourth-and-two gamble that Trojans fans will never forget.
6. Bluegrass Miracle
   Before the end of regulation, Kentucky coach Guy Morriss had been doused in Gatorade, the Wildcats players were celebrating on the sideline and most of the student section of Commonwealth Stadium had gathered on the field. But the Tigers – like Boston College and Colorado before them – proved that “it ain’t over ’til it’s over.” Quarterback Marcus Randall’s Hail Mary attempt was tipped by receiver Michael Clayton into the hands of receiver Devery Henderson, who escaped a shoestring tackle and ran into the endzone in full celebrity mode. LSU won 33-30 after blowing a lead earlier in the game. The stunned reaction of the Kentucky students who prematurely stormed the field said it all.
7. Frazier’s Run
   So how many tackles can one man break? 1-2-8? Tommy Frazier broke about that many during the process of his 75-yard touchdown run against Florida in the ‘96 Fiesta Bowl. Even in the context of today’s college football, it’s hard to imagine an option quarterback wielding so much power, but that’s what defenders from Florida and the Big Eight had to endure during his remarkable career.
8. Statue of Liberty
   Boise State scored two for the little guy with its now famous Statue of Liberty play in the ‘07 Fiesta Bowl. The game featured two comebacks: Oklahoma scored 25 straight points to take a touchdown lead, and that was followed by a Boise State end of regulation hook-and-ladder play that sent the game into overtime. The Sooners scored a touchdown on their first possession, the Broncos responded with a touchdown of their own and then opted to go for two and the win. Not only was Ian Johnson the hero of the game, but as we all remember, he also received an enthusiastic “yes” response to his subsequent proposal to his girlfriend.
9. Miracle Bowl Hail Mary
   It was the culminating play in one of the most epic college football games of all-time. Jim McMahon’s Hail Mary pass from midfield propelled BYU to a hard-fought 46-45 victory in the Holiday Bowl, in which the Cougars were trailing 45-20. The comeback included a touchdown, an onside kick recovery, another touchdown, and a forced punt with 16 seconds remaining.
10. Prothro’s Catch
    On a scale of one to 10, this play earns a 10 for difficulty. Crimson Tide receiver Tyrone Prothro’s catch is regarded by many college football fans as the best catch ever. And although the game in which it occurred wasn’t quite as significant as the other games listed, the touchdown did help the Crimson Tide overcome a modest 11-point first-half deficit en route to a victory over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Delicious Digg This Facebook Reddit Stumble This