The 20 best Orange Bowl games of all time

The score doesn't tell the tale of why this installment of the Orange Bowl made our list because it rates worthy for one of the great individual performances in the history of the storied game. Lee Roy Jordan's remarkable defensive performance in the Crimson Tide's shutout victory over Oklahoma is still legendary. Alabama's dominant defensive effort was led by the hard-hitting Jordan, who, according to the official statistics, was credited with 31 tackles, including 15 solos, and a forced fumble. That performance capped an All-American 1962 season for Jordan.

The final score didn't tell the true story of this College Football Playoff semifinal contest.  Highlighted by a pair of rushing touchdowns from Damien Harris, Alabama jumped out to a 28-0 lead and was never in any danger of blowing that advantage. The Crimson Tide rushed for 200 yards, Tua Tagovailoa threw for 318 yards with four touchdowns, and DaVonta Smith had six catches for 104 yards with a score. They also sacked Oklahoma star Kyler Murray three times.

Highlighting another exceptional individual performance, Georgia's Frank Sinkwich was a one-man gang. Georgia was playing in its first-ever bowl game, and Sinkwich threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score. When the dust settled, Sinkwich threw for 243 yards and ran for 139, adding up to an Orange Bowl record of 382 total yards. To this day, what Sinkwich, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1942, did in Miami remains one of the greatest Bowl performances ever.

For one half of football, it seemed like this one would go down to the wire. Oklahoma led 17-16 at halftime. However, the No. 1-ranked Tigers soon took over.  Wayne Gallman scored twice on the ground, and Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass. However, the play of Clemson's defense in the second half proved to be the difference. Twice, the Tigers intercepted Baker Mayfield in Clemson territory and stopped the Sooners on 4th-and-1. They also sacked Mayfield five times before reaching the national title game.

With Lou Holtz in charge, Arkansas was 10-1. However, the Razorbacks were ranked sixth, down three suspended starters, and up against 10-1, No. 2 Oklahoma. Plus, the Sooners were a hefty 18-point favorite. However, Arkansas backup running back Roland Sales moved into a starting role and ran for 205 of the team's 317 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. The Razorbacks built a 24-0 lead and never allowed the Sooners to threaten en route to pulling off the stunner.

Not the most exciting national championship final, but when it comes to upsets, this is among the biggest in college bowl history. Oklahoma was 12-0 and ranked No. 1 by both The Associated Press and BCS. However, 11-1 Florida State was a sizable 11.5-point favorite. But the Sooners defense shined bright, holding Florida State's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Chris Weinke in check. The Seminoles were just 1-for-15 on third down and recorded a mere 27 rushing yards, as the Sooners prevailed to win a national title in Bob Stoops' second year as coach.

Under the guidance of coach Jim Tatum, Maryland was 10-0 and had already been recognized as the national champion in the 1953 season by The Associated Press, United Press, and International News Service since no polls were taken after the bowl games. However, that proved a major reason for controversy after Oklahoma became the first team in 51 games to shut out the Terrapins. The Sooners delivered a stout defensive effort and scored the game's only touchdown on Larry Grigg's 1-yard run via the option in the third quarter.

Here, we highlight the first of back-to-back Orange Bowl meetings between Notre Dame and Colorado. The Buffaloes might have had a better team, among the program's consecutive Orange Bowl participants, during the 1989 season. With Darian Hagan running the option and a stout defense, Colorado entered the 1990 Orange Bowl with an 11-0 mark and ranked No. 1 in the country. Meanwhile, Notre Dame's only loss that season came to Miami, Fla., and it was ranked fourth. Yet, the Irish actually out-rushed Colorado 279-217 and also forced three turnovers while ending the Buffaloes' national title hopes.

The pregame hype was rather exhausting as two of the college game's biggest and boldest personalities. Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer went at it in this matchup of unbeatens. Defense ruled during a 7-7 first half, but the second half belonged to the Hurricanes. In addition to its defense remaining stout, Miami scored 13 straight points, highlighted by Michael Irvin's 23-yard touchdown pass from Steve Walsh. The Hurricanes held Oklahoma to just 255 total yards in recording the program's first unbeaten season and making Johnson a first-time national champion coach.

Alabama was 11-0, but that did not bother the Fighting Irish, whose impressive and stingy defense was the story of the game in what would be legendary coach Ara Parseghian's last hurrah in South Bend. Though Notre Dame managed just 204 total yards, it held the Crimson Tide to fewer than 300 and forced four turnovers. Notre Dame led 13-0, but Alabama fought back to get within two. In the final moments of the contest, Alabama drove down into Irish territory and needed only a field goal to go ahead. However, Tide quarterback Richard Todd was intercepted by Reggie Barnett to secure the Irish victory.

Miami proved to be the Orange Bowl nemesis of legendary Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, who lost to the Hurricanes twice in the game (more about that soon). The Cornhuskers entered the season's biggest game at 12-0 and ranked No. 1. However, the third-ranked Seminoles, who were 10-1, led 17-7 early in the third quarter. But Nebraska wasn't going to fold and scored the final 17 points. Featuring a two-point conversion scoring pass by ailing Tommie Frazier to tie things at 17-17 and Corey Schlesinger's second TD run for the lead with 2:46 left in the game, securing Osborne's first national title.  

A rematch of the 1980 Orange Bowl, in which the Sooners rolled to a 24-7 victory. Repeating the feat wasn't that easy this time around, however.  Like Oklahoma, Florida State took a seven-game winning streak into this meeting. The Seminoles led 7-3 after two quarters, but the game was tied 10-10 going into the fourth. Florida State went back ahead, 17-10, early in the final period when Bobby Butler recovered a poor snap of an Oklahoma punt attempt in the end zone. But the Sooners would not be denied, and quarterback J.C. Watts, who lost three fumbles in the game, connected with Steve Rhodes on an 11-yard TD pass to make it a one-point game with 1:33 remaining. With the Sooners opting to go for the lead, Watts hit Forrest Valora for a successful two-point conversion pass. FSU had one more shot, but Bill Capece's  ambitious 62-yard field goal attempt was short.

This was one of the wilder Orange Bowl finishes. 10-0 Penn State trailed John Riggins and 9-1 Kansas 14-7. The Jayhawks' punt was partially blocked with 1:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions got the ball at their own 49-yard line and quickly made their way deep into Kansas territory. Chuck Burkhart scored on a three-yard run off a bootleg to make it 14-13. Penn State decided to go for the lead — and win — with a two-point try. The initial attempt was thwarted, and Kansas fans rushed the field in celebration. However, the Jayhawks were flagged for having a 12th man on the field. Penn State got another shot, and Bob Campbell scampered around the left end and into the end zone for the winning conversion.

We love it when our bowl games are wild and unpredictable, especially if you don't have a rooting interest. Florida State had three losses and was a seven-point underdog to the two-loss Wolverines but led 17-3 after the first quarter and 26-6 at halftime. Then, Michigan got going. Mike McCray's third-quarter, 14-yard interception return for a touchdown got Michigan to within 20-15. But FSU opened the fourth with another TD to lead 27-15 before Michigan roared back with a pair of touchdowns and a two-point conversion in over three minutes to go up 30-27. The Seminoles answered when Deondre Francois hit Nyquan Murry for a 12-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass with 36 seconds remaining. The Wolverines blocked the ensuing extra point, and Josh Metellus returned the ball for two points, but they could not get over the hump.

Remember the aforementioned 1990 Orange Bowl between these two teams? Fast forward to the 1991 installment. Facing Notre Dame for the second straight season, Colorado was again the No. 1-ranked team in the country — this time, boasting a 10-1-1 record. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish had two losses, but the aura of the Fighting Irish was still a tough hurdle for some opponents to clear. In a battle of defenses, Notre Dame led 9-3 in the third quarter when the Buffaloes went ahead following Eric Bieniemy's one-yard run and the ensuing extra point. However, the game will forever be remembered for Raghib Ismail's 92-yard punt return for a touchdown, with 43 seconds remaining in the game, called back for a controversial clipping penalty, which essentially gave Colorado the victory and a share of the national title.

Oklahoma was ranked third in the nation, and Tennessee was No. 2. Both teams were 9-1, but the Sooners led 19-0 at halftime, highlighted by a touchdown pass and run from Bob Warmack. Tennessee made things interesting with two third-quarter touchdowns, including a 36-yard pick-six by Jimmy Glover. That said, Bo Stephenson's 23-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter for Oklahoma proved to be the difference. The Volunteers had one more chance with seven seconds remaining to go ahead, but Karl Kremser's field-goal attempt missed wide right.

This groundbreaking bowl game certainly lived up to the hype. It was the first Orange Bowl played at night and the first college football game televised in front of a primetime audience. Alabama was 10-0, ranked No. 1 in the country, and technically recognized as national champion at the end of the regular season. However, Joe Namath and Co. met their match. Fifth-ranked Texas jumped out to a 14-0 lead via a 79-yard touchdown run by Ernie Koy and Jim Hudson's 69-yard TD pass to George Sauer, then hung on for the upset victory. Despite the loss, Namath was named MVP after going 18-of-37 for 255 yards and two touchdowns.

Nebraska entered 11-0 but ranked second and a heavy underdog to the one-loss, No. 1 Seminoles. It was a defensive-dominated contest, with Nebraska leading 7-6 at halftime. Florida State led 15-7 after three quarters before Lawrence Phillips' touchdown run and Byron Bennett's 27-yard field goal put the Huskers ahead 16-15. The Seminoles, however, weren't done, and Scott Bentley sent them ahead with a 22-yard field goal as 21 seconds remained in regulation. Following a rather raucous closing seconds, Nebraska got one more shot, but Bennett's 45-yard field goal went wide left.

Tom Brady's final collegiate game was arguably his most memorable. Part of the Bowl Championship Series, this proved a harbinger of Brady's ability to lead a comeback on a big stage. Brady went 34-of-46 for a career-high 369 yards and four touchdowns and twice helped the Wolverines overcome a 14-point deficit. In overtime, he connected with Shawn Thompson for a 25-yard touchdown. Hayden Epstein converted the extra point for a 35-28 Michigan lead, but the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide answered on Antonio Carter's 21-yard scoring catch from Andrew Zow. However, Alabama's Ryan Pflunger missed the extra point, and the Wolverines prevailed. 

In one of the greatest upsets in college football history,  fifth-ranked Miami announced its presence as a perennial power, stunning No. 1-ranked, undefeated Nebraska to win the national championship — after results of other bowl games ended in the Hurricanes' favor. The game was filled with plenty of dramatics: Bernie Kosar throwing two touchdown passes for the Hurricanes and the infamous "fumblerooski," which resulted in a 19-yard touchdown run for Nebraska lineman Dean Steinkuhler. And, of course, Cornhuskers coach Tom Osborne decided to go for a two-point conversion instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game — and likely winning the national title if it ended that way — and failing with 48 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.