THE MAG.COM PRESENTS: ALL WORLD POWER RANKINGS

by Ted Bauer

THERE ARE A TON OF CHOICES FOR BEST FIESTA BOWL GAME EVER. WE'LL TAKE BOISE STATE/OKLAHOMA.

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Funny story by way of introduction: senior year of college, one of our roommates was dating one of our best friends. She was a Miami fan, and he lived in Arizona. He goes to the '03 Fiesta Bowl (OSU/Miami), which OSU of course won, and brings her back a t-shirt. "Here, I got you a Miami shirt!" He was completely oblivious to why this wasn't a good decision, and the shirt wound up in the trash almost immediately. We wish he bought us a t-shirt to commemorate that game, honestly. It was so epic, and yet: is it even the best Fiesta Bowl ever?

TOP 5
RANK (YESTERDAY)		WHAT	WHY
	1 (4)	BOISE STATE 43, OKLAHOMA 42 (2007)	We realize it wasn't a title game, whereas OSU vs. Miami was. Here's the thing, though: this might be the single-best college football game in the last five years, excepting Texas vs. USC in the '06 Rose Bowl. Who the heck calls a hook and ladder? Who calls a Statue of Liberty? This was like watching Chris Petersen play a video game in front of millions of people. Here's video.
	2 (6)	OHIO STATE 31, MIAMI 24 (2003)	Wikipedia says it all: "This is widely considered one of the greatest college football games ever." Truth. The contested call at the end might sour the contest for some, and Maurice Clarett's current situation once you re-watch this game is tangibly depressing, but overall it was a barnburner.
	3 (7)	PENN STATE 14, MIAMI 10 (1987)	This was the game that brought the Fiesta Bowl, which had been played since 1971, to national prominence, because it essentially was for the national title. PSU knocking off Miami was a pretty big upset too. Here's some video.
	4 (9)	OHIO STATE 28, PITTSBURGH 23 (1984)	Mike Tomczak led the Bucks on an impressive final drive spanning 89 yards to win this one.
	5 (11)	TENNESSEE 23, FLORIDA STATE 16 (1999)	This was Phil Fulmer's national title, achieved (oddly enough) without Peyton Manning. It was also Keith Jackson's first retirement game. A lot was going on here. Here's the opening to the game on ABC.

HONORABLE MENTION
RANK (YESTERDAY)		WHAT	WHY
	19 (180)	UTAH 35, PITTSBURGH 7 (2005)	This game was awful to watch, but two important things came from it: Urban Meyer got the keys to a major program and the Utes, who just waxed Alabama, got another big recruiting chip.
	138 (1,651)	NEBRASKA 62, FLORIDA 24 (1996)	This game was pretty awful too, but we're putting it on here because of Tommie Frazier's ridiculous run. So classic that Jim Nantz is on that call. "Oh, they don't have him yet?!?"

RISING AND FALLING
MOVEMENT		WHAT
		TONIGHT'S GAME (The Bucks better be ready.)
		OREGON STATE 41, NOTRE DAME 9 IN 2001 (Seriously - is this where the problems began?)

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