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The Greatest College Football Games

The best College Football games, ranked by Game Score, with a clip where one exists.

Top 50 games by Game Score · MetroAreas workbook

Ranked by Game Score

The greatest games in college football history, ranked by Game Score, with the bowl, stage and rivalry of each.

How this is measured
Every postseason game earns a Game Score that blends how much was at stake (round and seeding), how good the two teams were (rating), and how close and consequential the game itself turned out to be. The result is a single number that lets a first-round upset and a Game 7 classic sit on the same ladder. Methodology.
Featured games
2006 Rose Bowl#1
CFB
Texas 41-38 USC
Vince Young runs in the title on fourth down.
Game video
2003 Fiesta Bowl#2
CFB
Ohio State 31-24 (2OT) Miami (FL)
A double-overtime upset ends the Hurricanes' reign.
Game video
1987 Fiesta Bowl#6
CFB
Penn State 14-10 Miami (FL)
A goal-line stand seals the national championship.
Game video
1
Rose Bowl
#2 Texas 41-38 #1 USC
Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, California
National TitleMajor Bowl
▶ Watch
2005 · Jan 4, 2006
2.00
Game Score
2
Fiesta Bowl
#2 Ohio State 31-24 #1 Miami (FL) (2OT)
Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
▶ Watch
2002 · Jan 3, 2003
1.92
Game Score
3
Orange Bowl
#2 Miami (FL) 20-14 #1 Oklahoma
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1987 · Jan 1, 1988
1.83
Game Score
4
BCS Championship Game
#1 Auburn 22-19 #2 Oregon
University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
2010 · Jan 10, 2011
1.83
Game Score
5
Sugar Bowl
#2 Alabama 34-13 #1 Miami (FL)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitleMajor Bowl
1992 · Jan 1, 1993
1.81
Game Score
6
Fiesta Bowl
#2 Penn State 14-10 #1 Miami (FL)
Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
▶ Watch
1986 · Jan 2, 1987
1.79
Game Score
7
College Football Championship Game
#2 Alabama 45-40 #1 Clemson
University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitlePlayoff
2015 · Jan 11, 2016
1.77
Game Score
8
BCS Championship Game
#1 Florida State 34-31 #2 Auburn
Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, California
National TitleMajor Bowl
2013 · Jan 6, 2014
1.76
Game Score
9
Sugar Bowl
#2 Alabama 14-7 #1 Penn State
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitleMajor Bowl
1978 · Jan 1, 1979
1.74
Game Score
10
BCS Championship Game
#1 Alabama 37-21 #2 Texas
Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, California
National TitleMajor Bowl
2009 · Jan 7, 2010
1.72
Game Score
11
Fiesta Bowl
#1 Tennessee 23-16 #2 Florida State
Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
1998 · Jan 4, 1999
1.71
Game Score
12
College Football Championship Game
#1 Michigan 34-13 #2 Washington
NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
National TitlePlayoff
2023 · Jan 8, 2024
1.71
Game Score
Show all 50 games
13
Rose Bowl
#1 Ohio State 27-16 #2 USC
Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, California
National TitleMajor Bowl
1968 · Jan 1, 1969
1.70
Game Score
14
Sugar Bowl
#2 Penn State 27-23 #1 Georgia
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitleMajor Bowl
1982 · Jan 1, 1983
1.70
Game Score
15
Orange Bowl
#1 Florida State 18-16 #2 Nebraska
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1993 · Jan 1, 1994
1.70
Game Score
16
Orange Bowl
#1 Oklahoma 20-6 #3 Maryland
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1955 · Jan 2, 1956
1.68
Game Score
17
Orange Bowl
#1 Nebraska 38-6 #2 Alabama
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1971 · Jan 1, 1972
1.67
Game Score
18
Sugar Bowl
#1 Florida State 46-29 #2 Virginia Tech
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitleMajor Bowl
1999 · Jan 4, 2000
1.67
Game Score
19
Rose Bowl
#1 USC 42-37 #2 Wisconsin
Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, California
National TitleMajor Bowl
1962 · Jan 1, 1963
1.66
Game Score
20
Sugar Bowl
#3 Notre Dame 24-23 #1 Alabama
Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitleMajor Bowl
1973 · Dec 31, 1973
1.65
Game Score
21
College Football Championship Game
#1 LSU 42-25 #3 Clemson
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitlePlayoff
2019 · Jan 13, 2020
1.64
Game Score
22
Fiesta Bowl
#1 Nebraska 62-24 #2 Florida
Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
1995 · Jan 2, 1996
1.62
Game Score
23
#1 Texas 15-14 #2 Arkansas
Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Conf Game
1969 · Dec 6, 1969
1.62
Game Score
24
College Football Championship Game
#2 Clemson 44-16 #1 Alabama
Levi's Stadium, San Francisco, California
National TitlePlayoff
2018 · Jan 7, 2019
1.60
Game Score
25
Orange Bowl
#1 USC 55-19 #2 Oklahoma
Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
2004 · Jan 4, 2005
1.60
Game Score
26
#1 Nebraska 35-31 #2 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Conf Game
1971 · Nov 25, 1971
1.60
Game Score
27
BCS Championship Game
#1 Florida 24-14 #2 Oklahoma
Dolphins Stadium, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
2008 · Jan 8, 2009
1.59
Game Score
28
College Football Championship Game
#3 Clemson 35-31 #1 Alabama
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
National TitlePlayoff
2016 · Jan 9, 2017
1.59
Game Score
29
#1 Army 32-13 #2 Navy
Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
National Title
1945 · Dec 1, 1945
1.56
Game Score
30
Big Ten Championship Game
#2 Indiana 13-10 #1 Ohio State
in Indianapolis, IN
Conf Title
2025 · Dec 6, 2025
1.54
Game Score
31
College Football Championship Game
#1 Alabama 52-24 #2 Ohio State
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida
National TitlePlayoff
2020 · Jan 11, 2021
1.54
Game Score
32
BCS Championship Game
#2 Alabama 21-0 #1 LSU
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
National TitleMajor Bowl
2011 · Jan 9, 2012
1.54
Game Score
33
#2 Miami (FL) 17-16 #1 Florida State
Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
1991 · Nov 16, 1991
1.53
Game Score
34
Fiesta Bowl
#1 Notre Dame 34-21 #3 West Virginia
Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
1988 · Jan 2, 1989
1.53
Game Score
35
BCS Championship Game
#2 Florida 41-14 #1 Ohio State
University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
National TitleMajor Bowl
2006 · Jan 8, 2007
1.53
Game Score
36
Orange Bowl
#1 Nebraska 24-17 #3 Miami (FL)
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1994 · Jan 1, 1995
1.53
Game Score
37
#1 Army 0-0 #2 Notre Dame
Yankee Stadium, New York, New York
1946 · Nov 9, 1946
1.52
Game Score
38
#1 Ohio State 42-39 #2 Michigan
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Conf Game
2006 · Nov 18, 2006
1.51
Game Score
39
Cotton Bowl
#1 Texas 28-6 #2 Navy
Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
National TitleMajor Bowl
1963 · Jan 1, 1964
1.51
Game Score
40
#2 Florida State 24-21 #1 Florida
Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
1996 · Nov 30, 1996
1.50
Game Score
41
Orange Bowl
#5 Miami (FL) 31-30 #1 Nebraska
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1983 · Jan 2, 1984
1.50
Game Score
42
#2 Notre Dame 31-24 #1 Florida State
Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
1993 · Nov 13, 1993
1.48
Game Score
43
#1 Notre Dame 10-10 #2 Michigan State
East Lansing Spartan Stadium, Lansing, Michigan
1966 · Nov 19, 1966
1.48
Game Score
44
Orange Bowl
#1 Oklahoma 13-2 #3 Florida State
Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
2000 · Jan 3, 2001
1.48
Game Score
45
Rose Bowl
#3 USC 17-16 #1 Ohio State
Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, California
Major Bowl
1979 · Jan 1, 1980
1.46
Game Score
46
#2 Oklahoma 17-7 #1 Nebraska
Lincoln Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
Conf Game
1987 · Nov 21, 1987
1.46
Game Score
47
BCS Championship Game
#2 Alabama 42-14 #1 Notre Dame
Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
2012 · Jan 7, 2013
1.45
Game Score
48
#1 Notre Dame 14-13 #2 Iowa Pre-Flight
Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
1943 · Nov 20, 1943
1.45
Game Score
49
Fiesta Bowl
#3 Clemson 29-23 #2 Ohio State
University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
Playoff
2019 · Dec 28, 2019
1.44
Game Score
50
Orange Bowl
#3 Oklahoma 25-10 #1 Penn State
Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
National TitleMajor Bowl
1985 · Jan 1, 1986
1.43
Game Score

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Where these numbers come from

Game Score and game data are maintained per league in the MetroAreas workbook and emitted to the sport's data files at build time. Scores are calibrated per sport, so a 3.6 in baseball is not a 3.6 in basketball. A cross-sport scale is a future build, not a claim this page makes.