Ranking the 10 best bowl games of all time

Seven of the bowl games in our top 10 involved teams that were playing for a national championship.But that tells you that the other three that nosed their way onto the list had to have a little something extra going for them. Take a look at their stories, and you will find rallies, crazy plays and moments that have the quality of myth. For more on the top 10 bowl games and more lists of the best of college football, check out Sports Illustrated College Football's Greatest, available on Amazon.com here: http://on.si.com/2hSBX3o

Ranking the 10 best bowl games of all time

No. 10: 1965 Orange Bowl: Texas 21, Alabama 17

AP

In a meeting of two'60s powers and the first night game in bowl history, Texas upset No. 1 Alabama, stopping Joe Namath inches short of the goal line on a fourth-down sneak.

No. 9: 2003 Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State 31, Miami 24

Bill Frakes

This BCS championship game featured two unbeatens, double overtime, 18 future NFL first-rounders and controversy and controversy—a late call for pass interference on fourth down in the first OT.

No. 8: 1987 Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 14, Miami 10

Fiesta Bowl/Collegiate Images

The camouflage-favoring, attitude-copping Canes came with half an NFL roster, including Heisman Trophy-winning QB Vinny Testaverde. But Testaverde had a terrible night, throwing five interceptions, the last of those to linebacker Pete Giftopoulos.

No. 7: 1980 Holiday Bowl: BYU 46, SMU 45

Lenny Ignelzi/AP

In one of the greatest comebacks in bowl history (SMU led by 20 with 4:07 remaining), BYU cashed in after recovering an onside kick and blocking an SMU punt, with Jim McMahon hitting Clay Brown on a 41-yard game-winning heave as time expired.

No. 6: 1979 Cotton Bowl: Notre Dame 35, Houston 34

University of Notre Dame/Collegiate Images/Getty Images

Suffering from the flu on an icy day, Fighting Irish QB Joe Montana credited chicken soup with healing him. In Time, Steve Wulf marveled at "an Italian leading the Irish to triumph thanks to a traditional Jewish remedy."

No. 5: 1979 Sugar Bowl: Alabama 14, Penn State 7

Walter Iooss Jr.

No. 2 Alabama held off No. 1 Penn State thanks to a fourth-quarter goal line stand. With fourth down and the Nittany Lions needing only one foot to reach the end zone, Crimson Tide linebacker Barry Krauss stopped Mike Guman's thrust over left tackle.

No. 4: 1973 Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23

Notre Dame/Collegiate Images/Getty Images

Notre Dame sealed the upset with a late-game, third-and-long, 36-yard pass from Tom Clements to sophomore tight end Robin Weber, who'd previously never caught a pass from Clements in practice or a game.

No. 3: 2007 Fiesta Bowl: Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42

Steve Grayson/WireImage

The game ended on Boise State's Statue of Liberty play on a two-point conversion in overtime, but the highlight may be the postgame proposal (accepted!) by Broncos back Ian Johnson to his cheerleader girlfriend.

No. 2: 1984 Orange Bowl: Miami 31, Nebraska 30

John Raoux/AP

In a game that would announce that the state of Florida was about to dominate the sport, Miami and freshman QB Bernie Kosar led 31–24 when Nebraska scored with 48 seconds to play. Rather than kick the PAT that would probably have locked up the national title, Cornhuskers coach Tom Osborne went for two and was stopped, giving Miami the victory.

No. 1: 2006 Rose Bowl: Texas 41, USC 38

Robert Beck

Vince Young sashayed into the end zone on a fourth-and-five with 19 seconds left to derail the USC dynasty in a breathtaking victory. Trojans fans are still haunted by Pete Carroll's ill-fated gamble on fourth-and-two, a LenDale White run up the gut, that set up the winning Texas drive.