Best Bowl Ever?

[LongJim]

Pete Fiutak Edited January 3, 2007 by LongJim

[UNTFan23]

I legimately can't put last year's Rose Bowl over this year's Fiesta Bowl. Why? Because Texas did what Texas was suppose to do with VY.

Boise State won with pure will and determination, plain and simple. Boise won that game with less talent and better play calling and preparation. No Heisman candidates, no first round draft pick potentials, no 60-million budgets.

[greenminer]

Tough call.

Last year's title game was a toe-to-toe battle of two giants that completely lived up to its billing. In terms of pure football, it was a game of titans that had a lot of great plays just like last night's Fiesta.

however, I think it can be argued that this game will be more important and have more repercussions in the long run because of the "David vs. Goliath" and anti-BCS implications. The plays were just as spectacular, but the stories behind it are far greater.

Two fantastic games in their own rights. Both great football battles, but last night was the playoff seed planted in the BCS garden.

-gm

Edited January 3, 2007 by greenminer

[UNTLifer]

It was the best bowl game I've ever seen, especially the last 5 minutes. The momentum shifts, Thompson's drive to tie the score, the OU interception with about a minute left to supposedly win the game, BSU's will on the following drive, the hook and lateral for a TD on 4th and 12, Peterson's TD run on the first play of OT, BSU putting the QB in motion and then the WR throwing the TD pass, going for 2 and calling a misdirection Statue of Libery, behind-the-back handoff to win the game. Best I've ever seen.

[Green Dozer]

Pete Fiutak

I agree w/ UNTFan23, TX and USC was what it was suppose to be. Vince Young had a great night and Reggie Bush didn't, that was a big difference. I thought on Monday, w/ what Bama offered Saban that there was no hope for the mid-majors and smaller programs to compete in the current BCS format. Thankfully, Boise kept the hopes alive for the future of not only our program, but for the other smaller programs that BCS schools stare down their noses at.

[CMJ]

I'd probably put the Ohio State Miami game ahead of it(which many people seem to have forgotten about despite it only being a few short years), but I'd rank the 2007 Fiesta Bowl ahead of the SC/Texas Rose Bowl.

[NT80]

Boise/OU was certainly the most entertaining Bowl. It also had a LOT of underlying importance for mid-major vs. big program.

[FirefightnRick]

Show me in any of those OTHER top 10 bowl games in which one team had more of an overwhelming advantage as OU did over Boise? We're talking one program with years and years and years of major powerhouse conference affiliation and funding($60 Million plus athletic budget) verses one that was playing 1-AA ball 12 years ago($17 Million athleitc budget).

It's not even close. Not even close.

Hands down this was the greatest bowl game, if not the greatest game ever played. Yesterday on two different radio stations I heard it being mentioned as better than the Cal-Stanford game, which were two equal level fielded conference teams.

Rick

[MeanGreenBuzz]

I have watched a lot of football in my 23 years. Hell I have watched a lot of sporting events of all kinds in my last 23 years and I have never been so excited and surprised by the outcome of any sporting event ever. I would challenge that this was not only the greatest Bowl game ever but one of the greatest sporting events ever. One thing I can say is that you will never, ever see anything like this in pro sports. Viva College Athletics!

Also, it seems like 60% of people reading his column agree that the Fiesta Bowl was the greatest bowl game, but the real test will be if you take this poll 10 years from now with the same teams listed.

[Green Guy Bass]

Just a few great Bowls that might be on the top of the list, but good ones Nonethless....

1979 Cotton- Montana and the Irish over Houston "Cicken Soup Game" erasing a 23 point defecit....

1998 Alamo- Drew Brees and Purdue coming back in the 4th quarter to beat Michale Bishop and K-State...

1994 Orange- Florida St. / Nebraska a premature gatorade bath for Bobby Bowden, a missed FG, a penalty then another missed FG...end of game chaos

1990 Notre Dame / Colorado- Rockets Run back that would have been the game winner if not for a phantom clipping call....(BS)....

1992 Peach Bowl- ECU / NC State- ECU's Jeff Blake leads a comeback in the 4th quarter for the Pirates who were trailing by 17 to win it....Missed Wolfpack FG sealed it for Pirates...

1997 Rose- Jake the Snskes finest hour as he does everything in his power to help his Sun Devils but falls short to Ohio State....

These are a few that stand out to me when I think of New Years day Classics....post more if you can think of any....

Oh yeah the 2002 N.O.B was pretty sweet too...Ah Memories!

Bass

[Varsity]

This year's Fiesta Bowl ranks in the top three, but the 2006 Rose Bowl was THE best bowl game of them all.

Speaking of great bowl games, growing up in the Houston area afforded me the opportunity to see three great Bluebonnet Bowl games:

1968: SMU-28 OU-27

1974: Houston-31 NC State-31

1975: Texas-38 Colorado-21

[Objective Aggie]

Certainly the best finish of ANY GAME ANY SPORT I have seen.

The first three quarters were not amazing though.

The best bowl games that come to mind:

??? Bowl: East Carolina vs Marshall (greatest individual performance by Leftwich)

Fiesta: BSU vs OU (certainly greatest finish)

Fiesta: OSU vs Miami (game that had it all)

Rose: Texas vs USC

Cotton: Houston vs Notre Dame

Insight: Tech / Minnesota, though you could see what was gonna happen somewhere around 38-14 and it was a matter of time

[FirefightnRick]

This year's Fiesta Bowl ranks in the top three, but the 2006 Rose Bowl was THE best bowl game of them all.

Speaking of great bowl games, growing up in the Houston area afforded me the opportunity to see three great Bluebonnet Bowl games:

1968: SMU-28 OU-27

1974: Houston-31 NC State-31

1975: Texas-38 Colorado-21

Texas outspends USC by a long shot. Like Ohio State, money is no object. To me that game was no surprise as I expected them to win as did most others.

Rick

Edited January 4, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[CMJ]

Texas outspends USC by a long shot. Like Ohio State, money is no object. To me that game was no surprise as I expected them to win as did most others.

Rick

Maybe in TX. Most people expected SC to win nationwide.

[D Trueblood]

I was in attendance at last years Rose Bowl and it was the most exciting sports event I've ever attened.

The Fiesta Bowl this year was a great game as well just because of the match up with the little guy. OU better watch out for the MEAN GREEN.

[the real grad88]

Show me in any of those OTHER top 10 bowl games in which one team had more of an overwhelming advantage as OU did over Boise? We're talking one program with years and years and years of major powerhouse conference affiliation and funding($60 Million plus athletic budget) verses one that was playing 1-AA ball 12 years ago($17 Million athleitc budget).

It's not even close. Not even close.

Hands down this was the greatest bowl game, if not the greatest game ever played. Yesterday on two different radio stations I heard it being mentioned as better than the Cal-Stanford game, which were two equal level fielded conference teams.

Rick

Amen to everything that FFR said. There isn't a close second. This was not a 60 million dollar budget against another 60 million dollar budget. This was truly David vs Goliath, and David just would not quit or be beaten. It was absolutely incredible...every minute of it. Boise State did something for all of the lower budget programs. They showed what can happen if you have great coaching and develop undeveloped talent. No doubt, they had some players that can play anywhere, but the greatness of it was all of the players who rose to the challenge and played absolutely to the best of their God-given abilities. That was great coaching that made that happen...great coaching and a lot of heart.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Amen to everything that FFR said. There isn't a close second. This was not a 60 million dollar budget against another 60 million dollar budget. This was truly David vs Goliath, and David just would not quit or be beaten. It was absolutely incredible...every minute of it. Boise State did something for all of the lower budget programs. They showed what can happen if you have great coaching and develop undeveloped talent. No doubt, they had some players that can play anywhere, but the greatness of it was all of the players who rose to the challenge and played absolutely to the best of their God-given abilities. That was great coaching that made that happen...great coaching and a lot of heart.

Amen to FFR and "the real grad88"...

...although Coach Boomer along with his trusty sidekick Jimmy Johnson (who Coach Boomer made sure everyone knew how his Sooner (than Later) teams used to dominate JJ"s' OSU Cowboys almost every year; anyway, Coach Boomer made it quite clear to us all, ie, the national TV audience that OU had not recruited one player on the Boise State U roster. I guess we (including Coach Boomer) now know maybe the Sooners should have recruited some of the Broncos after looking at the scoreboard's results.

Best Bowl Games I've Seen:

* BSU vs OU Fiesta Bowl (One heckuva' roller coaster of the emotional gamet sort of game with the right team winning in the end).

* Last year's UT vs USC Rose Bowl game for the NC lest we already forgot; the UT QB did have a pretty fair game.

* Texas (DKR) versus Notre Dame (Ara Parseghian) in a Cotton Bowl classic & the first time they played when UT (quartebacked by James Street) won the game. Very exciting game and UT won an NC from this game as I recall.......It was also the bowl that broke ND's "we will never play in any bowl" tradition, too.

Edited January 5, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[bigrobdsp]

both great games... the title game takes precident though.

[eeally]

1st 2002 New Orleans Bowl.

2nd 2006 New Orleans Bowl

3rd 2007 Fiesta Bowl

4th 1967 Salad Bowl....