Ranking the Best College Football Comebacks Since 2000

Greg Wallace@gc_wallaceX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 5, 2017

Ranking the Best College Football Comebacks Since 2000

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    TCU had an unbelievable comeback in the 2016 Alamo Bowl.
    TCU had an unbelievable comeback in the 2016 Alamo Bowl.Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

    Comebacks are one of the most exciting, unpredictable parts of college football. You never know when they're going to happen. Your team—or a team you dislike—is cruising along with a huge, seemingly insurmountable lead. Then comes a touchdown. Maybe a fumble return for a score. Sometimes an onside kick. Whatever it is, suddenly the complexion of the game has completely changed.

    Twitter is going wild, directing people to the game as it unfolds. The crowd is buzzing. The momentum has shifted. That's what a great comeback is all about. We took a look at the top 10 comebacks in college football since 2000 and ranked them. Factors considered included the size of the comeback, the time remaining and the impact it had on the overall season. Agree or disagree? Check it out.

10. Kansas 52, Colorado 45

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    Kansas put together an amazing comeback against Colorado in 2010.
    Kansas put together an amazing comeback against Colorado in 2010.Associated Press

    The background

    Both Colorado and Kansas were stumbling through ultimately forgettable 2010 football campaigns when they met in mid-November. Neither team had a Big 12 Conference win, and both brought four-game losing streaks into a game that was far off the national football radar. Kansas was 2-6, while Colorado was 3-5. But those who attended in Lawrence, Kansas, will never forget what they saw in the fourth quarter.

         

    How it happened

    With just over 11 minutes remaining in the game, Colorado fans had to feel good. The Buffaloes led 45-17, and there was nothing suggesting Kansas was capable of a comeback. But the Jayhawks got rolling—and quickly. A James Sims 13-yard touchdown, followed by Jonathan Wilson's 38-yard touchdown reception, helped cut the lead to 45-31 with 9:26 remaining.

    Just over two minutes later, Tyler Patmon had a 28-yard scoop-and-score fumble return, and all of a sudden, we had a game at 45-38. Forty-three seconds later, Patmon struck again, intercepting a Colorado pass. Sims rumbled six yards to help tie the game at 45 with 4:30 remaining.

    Sims finished the comeback with a 28-yard touchdown run with 52 seconds left, completing the stunning rally for a 52-45 win. How surprising was this? Kansas scored a total of 24 points in its final three games after putting up 35 in 11 minutes.

        

    Why it's here

    Neither team was anything special; the Jayhawks built no momentum from this win and finished 3-9. But the sheer volume of points scored in this comeback makes it one of the best in recent history.

9. Michigan State 42, Baylor 41

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    Connor Cook engineered a memorable comeback to beat Baylor in the Cotton Bowl.
    Connor Cook engineered a memorable comeback to beat Baylor in the Cotton Bowl.Brandon Wade/Associated Press

    The background

    Both Michigan State and Baylor had excellent 2014 seasons. The Spartans finished the regular season 10-2, with the only losses coming to eventual national finalists Oregon and Ohio State. Meanwhile, Baylor finished 11-1, with its only loss coming to West Virginia, and the Bears felt they had a legit argument to make the College Football Playoff.

         

    How it happened

    The 2016 Cotton Bowl was a true back-and-forth affair. After a 14-14 first quarter, Baylor took control with 10 second-quarter points and outscored Michigan State 17-7 in the third quarter, taking a seemingly comfortable 41-21 lead into the fourth quarter.

    But Michigan State had won three consecutive bowl games after trailing at halftime, and this was about to be the Spartans' best comeback yet. With 12:09 left, Connor Cook found Josiah Price for an eight-yard touchdown. With 4:55 remaining, Jeremy Langford's touchdown run helped bring the Spartans within 41-35.

    With 1:15 to go, the Bears attempted a potential game-clinching field goal. But Michigan State blocked it, and RJ Williamson returned the ball to the Baylor 45. MSU drove inside the Baylor 15, and with 17 seconds left, Cook connected with Keith Mumphery for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Spartans made the ensuing extra point and secured a wild 42-41 win.

        

    Why it's here

    This was high-level football at its best. A pair of Top 10 teams battled it out for 60 full minutes, and even though Bryce Petty threw for 550 yards, he was on the wrong end of a wild comeback after Baylor melted down in the fourth quarter. It was a game to remember for Michigan State and Cotton Bowl historians.

8. Georgia 28, Purdue 25 (OT)

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    In the first game of the year 2000, Georgia never gave up against Purdue.
    In the first game of the year 2000, Georgia never gave up against Purdue.STEVE NESIUS/Associated Press

    The background

    As the new millennium began on Jan. 1, 2000, college football fans all across America were shaking off the cobwebs from their New Year's Eve celebrations and appreciating the fact that the Y2K "bug" was an overhyped news story and not a technical disaster.

    Their first game of 2000? The Outback Bowl, matching Georgia and Purdue. The Bulldogs entered on a skid, losing three of their final four games after starting 6-1. The Boilermakers were also 7-4 after starting the season 4-0, including a 4-4 mark in Big Ten play. In other words, both teams wanted to finish the season on a high.

         

    How it happened

    Purdue and quarterback Drew Brees looked like they were far more excited about being in Tampa, Florida. Five minutes into the second quarter, the Boilermakers led 25-0, and that included a missed extra point and a pair of missed two-point conversions. As it turned out, those would come back to haunt Purdue.

    A Terrance Edwards 74-yard touchdown run got Georgia on the board, and with the Boilers threatening again inside the Georgia 15, Brees was intercepted by Jamie Henderson, with the ensuing 49-yard return setting up a field goal that cut the lead to 15 points at halftime.

    A Quincy Carter touchdown run and two-point conversion cut the deficit to seven, and Purdue missed a pair of field goals. With 1:19 left, Carter completed the comeback with an eight-yard touchdown toss to Randy McMichael that—with the converted extra point—forced overtime.

    In OT, Purdue kicker Travis Dorsch missed a 43-yard field goal, his third miss of the day. Georgia's Hap Hines responded by nailing a 21-yard chip shot for the 28-25 win.

         

    Why it's here

    For the first game of the new football millennium, this was a treat despite matching average Big Ten and SEC teams. It didn't have much of an impact on the final rankings, but at the time, it was the largest comeback in college football bowl history.

7. Texas A&M 52, Duke 48

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    Johnny Manziel had a college finale to remember against Duke.
    Johnny Manziel had a college finale to remember against Duke.Jamie Martin/Associated Press

    The background

    On New Year's Eve 2013 in Atlanta, Duke and Texas A&M met for the first time ever. The Blue Devils had an excellent 10-3 season, winning the ACC Coastal Division before falling to Florida State in the ACC title game. Meanwhile, Texas A&M and electric quarterback Johnny Manziel went 8-4 after losing their final two games of the regular season.

        

    How it happened

    In what was expected to be the Heisman Trophy-winning Manziel's final college game, Duke jumped all over the Aggies. The Blue Devils looked far more interested, rolling to a 38-17 halftime lead. Manziel and the Aggies offense got going in the third. He hit Travis Labhart for a 19-yard touchdown with 9:55 left in the third quarter, and Tre Carson's 21-yard touchdown run with 5:05 left in the quarter helped cut the lead to 38-31.

    Manziel's three-yard touchdown run with 12:48 to go in the game helped get A&M within 41-38, but Anthony Boone and Duke hit right back with a 21-yard touchdown to David Reeves. But was Manziel done? Not quite. He found Derel Walker for a 44-yard touchdown, cutting the lead back to 48-45 with 5:44 to go.

    A&M's defense applied the final blow. Toney Hurd Jr. intercepted Boone and rumbled 55 yards for a touchdown, an the ensuring extra point gave A&M a 52-48 lead with 3:33 to go. It held up, and the Aggies completed a 21-point comeback win.

    Why it's here

    Manziel has run into his share of issues since leaving A&M, but his final collegiate game was one to savor. Big plays, late drama and a 382-yard, four-touchdown effort that also included 73 rushing yards. The Aggies will always have Atlanta as Johnny Football's excellent finale.

6. Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42

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    Jared Zabransky and Boise State had one of the best finishes ever in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.
    Jared Zabransky and Boise State had one of the best finishes ever in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.Associated Press

    The background

    The 2007 Fiesta Bowl matched a college football blue blood and a team seeking respect. Oklahoma finished the 2006 regular season 11-2, with losses to Oregon and Texas, but claimed the Big 12 title with a 21-7 title-game victory over Nebraska. That earned the Sooners a Fiesta Bowl bid against Boise State. The Broncos were 12-0 and had won the WAC title but hadn't defeated a ranked team all season. They'd have their first shot against the No. 10 Sooners.

          

    How it happened

    Unlike some games on this list, the Fiesta Bowl was a game of dueling comebacks. Boise State dominated the Sooners over the first two-plus quarters en route to a 28-10 lead. Marty Tadman's pick-six of quarterback Paul Thompson helped give the Broncos an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter.

    But OU fought back. Adrian Peterson's eight-yard touchdown run with 4:29 left in the third quarter helped bring the Sooners within 28-17, and Thompson's five-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Chaney and subsequent two-point conversion tied the game at 28 with 1:26 remaining.

    Then, the Sooners' D capitalized. Marcus Walker intercepted Jared Zabransky and raced 34 yards for a touchdown with 1:02 left, and Oklahoma had a shocking 35-28 edge.

    Boise State had the ball at midfield with 18 seconds left before breaking out an amazing trick play. The Broncos ran "Circus," a hook-and-lateral play that turned into a 50-yard touchdown, with Jerard Rabb taking a lateral 35 yards for the score with seven seconds left.

    In overtime, the Broncos trailed 42-35 and faced 4th-and-2 at the Sooner 5. Zabransky went left while the snap went to receiver Vinny Perretta, who threw to tight end Jared Schouman for a touchdown. Zabransky then used the Statue of Liberty play on the ensuing two-point conversion and handed off to running back Ian Johnson, who ran in untouched for a wild 43-42 win.

        

    Why it's here

    This is a little different than most comebacks on this list, as the team covering the most ground in the comeback didn't ultimately win. But Boise State faced serious adversity in the fourth quarter and didn't break, pulling off a handful of wild trick plays to win the game and earn national respect in one of the best games in recent memory.

5. Marshall 64, East Carolina 61

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    Byron Leftwich and Marshall had multiple games to remember in the GMAC Bowl.
    Byron Leftwich and Marshall had multiple games to remember in the GMAC Bowl.DAVE MARTIN/Associated Press

    The background

    Marshall entered the 2001 GMAC Bowl as one of the most intriguing mid-major teams in the nation. The Thundering Herd were 10-2 with a prolific offense led by quarterback Byron Leftwich, but they were recovering from having their 10-game win streak snapped in the MAC title game by Toledo (their only other loss came at then-No. 1 Florida in the season opener). Meanwhile, East Carolina was 6-5 and suffered losses to Louisville and Southern Miss to close the regular season.

         

    How it happened

    This game looked like a total mismatch early on. Marshall appeared to have a hangover from its MAC title game loss, as East Carolina rolled to a 38-8 halftime lead. But thanks to some opportunistic defense, Marshall got back in the game.

    A pair of interception returns for touchdowns keyed a 28-point third quarter by Marshall. Terence Tarpley's return of a David Garrard pass helped cut the lead to 12, and Leftwich's touchdown run and ensuing extra point made the score 41-36 in favor of ECU at the end of three quarters.

    With 50 seconds left, trailing 51-45, Leftwich put together one more furious drive. He found Darius Watts for an 11-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds remaining and could have won the game in regulation, but Curtis Head missed the extra point.

    No matter. In the second overtime, East Carolina held a 61-58 lead, but Leftwich ended the game with an eight-yard touchdown pass and gave Marshall its first (and only) lead of the game with a 64-61 win.

        

    Why it's here

    This was a low-profile bowl game, but it remains the highest-scoring bowl game in college football history. Leftwich threw for 576 yards, the best single-game passing yardage effort in a bowl game. While neither team made a major national impact, those who watched this game will never forget it.

4. Texas Tech 44, Minnesota 41

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    Texas Tech put together a wild comeback in the 2006 Insight Bowl and ended Glen Mason's Minnesota career.
    Texas Tech put together a wild comeback in the 2006 Insight Bowl and ended Glen Mason's Minnesota career.Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

    The background

    Minnesota entered the 2006 Insight Bowl on a high. The Gophers were 6-6 under veteran coach Glen Mason but won their final three games against Indiana, Michigan State and Iowa to gain postseason eligibility. Meanwhile, Texas Tech and coach Mike Leach were 7-5 after winning their regular-season finale 30-24 against Oklahoma State.

         

    How it happened

    Minnesota completely rolled the Red Raiders to begin the game. The Golden Gophers held Tech's Air Raid passing attack completely under wraps, built a 35-7 halftime lead and led 38-7 midway through the third quarter. But they couldn't keep Graham Harrell and the Raiders down forever. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Harrell connected with Robert Johnson for an eight-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 38-21 with the ensuing extra point.

    Rushing touchdowns by Harrell and Shannon Woods helped cut the lead to 38-35 with under two minutes to play, and one final, frantic drive ended with Alex Trlica's 52-yard field goal as regulation expired.

    Minnesota finally ended the 31-point run with a field goal in overtime, but Woods' three-yard touchdown run gave Tech its first and only lead of the game for a shocking 44-41 win.

        

    Why it's here

    The 2006 Insight Bowl was hard to find; it was televised by NFL Network and many fans probably tuned out after the Gophers went up 31 in the third quarter. But it was the biggest comeback in FBS bowl history, and Minnesota officials decided they'd seen enough. Two days later, they fired Mason.

3. Michigan State 41, Northwestern 38

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    Michigan State had one of the greatest comebacks in college history to stun Northwestern.
    Michigan State had one of the greatest comebacks in college history to stun Northwestern.M. SPENCER GREEN/Associated Press

    The background

    Midway through the 2006 season, both Michigan State and Northwestern were struggling. The Spartans were 3-4, riding a four-game losing streak, while the Wildcats were 2-5 and riding a four-game losing skid of their own. It wasn't the kind of game you'd expect history to emerge from, but sometimes it happens when you least expect it. That was the case on this October day in Evanston, Illinois.

         

    How it happened

    Northwestern fans had to feel pretty confident about breaking their losing streak early in the third quarter. The Wildcats completely controlled the first half and then some, taking a 38-3 lead with 9:54 to play in the third quarter. The Spartans finally got into the end zone with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jehuu Caulcrick and added another score before the end of the quarter.

    In the fourth quarter, Wildcat quarterback C.J. Bacher was intercepted in the MSU end zone, and Michigan State's Devin Thomas blocked a punt on Northwestern's next possession. The Spartans returned it for a touchdown, and after the extra point they had cut the lead to 38-24.

    Drew Stanton's 12-yard touchdown run made it a one-score game, and his nine-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Williams tied the game with 3:43 remaining. One play later, Travis Key intercepted Bacher again, returning the ball to the Northwestern 30. Michigan State ground the game out on the ground, and Brett Swenson's 28-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining gave the Spartans a shocking 41-38 win.

         

    Why it's here

    In the big picture, this was a rather meaningless Big Ten game between two teams that both finished 4-8 and missed postseason play entirely. But it was the biggest comeback in FBS history, and that can't be ignored overall.

2. TCU 47, Oregon 41 (3OT)

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    TCU had an unforgettable comeback to stun Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
    TCU had an unforgettable comeback to stun Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

    The background

    Both Oregon and TCU had solid 2015 seasons, but neither was happy about ending up in the Alamo Bowl. A year after making the first College Football Playoff national title game and falling to Ohio State, the Ducks finished the regular season 9-3 and didn't win the Pac-12 title. In 2014, a one-loss TCU team felt it had a legit shot at the College Football Playoff but was snubbed in favor of the eventual champion Buckeyes. In 2015, the Horned Frogs finished 10-2 but didn't win the Big 12.

         

    How it happened

    After senior quarterback Trevone Boykin was suspended for the game following a bowl-week altercation with police in a San Antonio bar, TCU came out completely flat. Quarterback Vernon Adams and Oregon rolled to a 31-0 halftime lead, with Aidan Schneider's 47-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the half providing the final tally.

    But surprise starter Bram Kohlhausen was determined to make something of his only college football start. His 26-yard touchdown pass to Jaelan Austin helped cut the lead to 31-10, and his two-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds left in the third quarter brought TCU closer.

    With 3:31 left, Aaron Green's two-yard touchdown run and subsequent two-point conversion cut the lead to 31-28. And with 19 seconds left, Jaden Oberkrom's 22-yard field goal tied the game at 31, stunning the Ducks.

    The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime and field goals in the second overtime, but Kohlhausen finished the game in triple overtime. His eight-yard touchdown run gave TCU its first lead of the game, and it held up for a wild 47-41 win.

        

    Why it's here

    The game tied the 2006 Insight Bowl for the biggest comeback in postseason history, and it was the beginning of the end for Mark Helfrich's tenure at Oregon. Two days later, he demoted defensive coordinator Don Pellum as part of a staff shake-up. It didn't matter. The Ducks slipped further in 2016, and Helfrich and his staff were fired at season's end.

1. Auburn 28, Alabama 27

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    Cam Newton had a comeback for the ages against Alabama in 2010.
    Cam Newton had a comeback for the ages against Alabama in 2010.Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

    The background

    Auburn entered the 2010 Iron Bowl with everything to gain and everything to lose. Led by do-everything quarterback Cam Newton, the Tigers were 11-0 and had already clinched the SEC West championship and a spot in a solid bowl game. But to keep their hopes of an unlikely national title alive, they had to go through the Iron Bowl at archrival Alabama. The Crimson Tide entered with a 20-game home win streak, but at 9-2, they had no hopes of national glory a year after winning the BCS National Championship under Nick Saban.

         

    How it happened

    Alabama came out white-hot. The Crimson Tide built a 21-point first-quarter lead, capped by Greg McElroy's 12-yard touchdown pass to Darius Hanks. The Tide had a 314-2 edge in total yards. Jeremy Shelley's 20-yard field goal with 8:01 left in the first half extended the lead to 24-0.

    But as many teams had learned throughout the 2010 season, you never count out Cam Newton. His 36-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake with 5:08 left in the second quarter got Auburn on the board.

    Fifty-six seconds into the second half, he found Terrell Zachery for a 70-yard touchdown pass, and the comeback was on.

    Newton's one-yard touchdown run with 4:25 left in the third quarter helped cut the lead to 24-21. Shelley's 32-yard field goal gave Alabama a 27-21 edge going into the fourth quarter, but Newton's seven-yard touchdown pass to Philip Lutzenkirchen—and the ensuing extra point—gave the Tigers the lead for good with 11:55 left. Auburn made it stand up for a wild 28-27 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

         

    Why it's here

    The Iron Bowl always matters in the state of Alabama, and this game was particularly meaningful. Alabama hoped to dash Auburn's run to a national title, and 15 minutes in, that looked like a fait accompli. But Newton wouldn't be denied, putting together a comeback for the ages on a huge, hostile stage. Without it, the Tigers don't make the BCS National Championship Game or pull out a wild win over Oregon to claim the national title. That makes this a special comeback.

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