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Friday, December 13, 2002
2000 a season to remember
By Will Weiss
BCSfootball.com
The world was supposed to spontaneously combust Jan. 1, 2000, right? Obviously, that didn't happen, but the college football world was turned upside down, receiving a makeover that would make Cher proud.
|  | | Mike DuBose was fired after Alabama's 3-8 season. |
The millennial campaign was a season of surprises and whodathunkits. It featured the resurgence of Oklahoma, the ebb of the Tide, and a debate over No. 2 in the state of Florida, which hasn't been so sunshiney since the first Tuesday of November. If the polls and the BCS rankings weren't enough, the argument has now shifted to the veracity of the Heisman Trophy ballots. Another recount? Hasn't Florida been through enough?
While Miami, Florida State, the University of Florida and the "President" have grabbed most of the headlines, the 2000 coaching carousel has turned into more of a tilt-a-whirl, with 19 of 22 changes made to date. And we're not even in bowl season yet.
None of these scenarios could have taken place without the games. Every week it seemed there was a stunner. From UCLA's dismantling of then-No. 3 Alabama to the Big XII Championship Game, college football fans were treated to some exciting gridiron battles.
Here's a look at the five best games of the 2000 season.
5. Purdue 32, Michigan 31
October 7, 2000
Ross-Ade Stadium -- West Lafayette, Ind.
Billed as the "Battle of the Drews," the winner had the inside track on the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Michigan's Drew Henson was nearly flawless, leading the Wolverines to a 28-10 halftime advantage. That's when the Drew Brees intensified to an all-out windstorm as Purdue scored on its first two possessions in the second half to shave the lead to 28-23. Jeff Del Verne's 34-yard field goal with 11:55 left bumped the lead to eight, but Brees responded with a TD pass to John Standeford. The two-point conversion failed.
After missing the potential game-winning field goal at Penn State the week before, Travis Dorsch came on for a 34-yarder with 2:11 left to put Purdue on top, but hooked it left.
Purdue's defense held, and Brees led a masterful drive to put the Boilermakers in field goal range again. Dorsch got a second chance, from nearly the same spot on the left hashmark, and barely sneaked the 33-yarder through for the win.
4. Oregon 56, Arizona State 55 (2 OT)
October 28, 2000
Sun Devil Stadium -- Tempe, Ariz.
Sadly, not many people had the pleasure of watching one of the wildest games of the season in which the teams combined for 1,232 yards of offense, including 864 through the air.
With just 3:21 left, Oregon's Joey Harrington tossed his fifth touchdown pass to cut the lead to seven. Harrington had a chance to tie it less than two minutes later, but had his fourth-down pass from the 9-yard-line go incomplete. With just a little more than a minute to go, all was still not lost for the Ducks. Mike Williams fumbled on the Sun Devil 17, and Harrington followed with his school-record tying sixth touchdown pass to send the game into overtime tied 49-49.
Oregon never led in regulation, but had a chance to win the game in overtime. After intercepting the Sun Devils, Oregon missed a 42-yard field goal attempt, thereby sending the game into another round of overtime.
In the second OT, Allan Amundson plunged in from a yard out to give UO the lead. ASU came right back, as Jeff Krohn hit Richard Williams for a 21-yard score. With kicker Mike Barth lame, ASU head coach Bruce Snyder went for two instead of a tying extra point.
The Sun Devils lined up in extra-point formation, and faked. Krohn rolled right and had tight end Todd Heap open in the back of the end zone, but Heap couldn't hang on, and the Ducks waddled out of the desert with the win.
3. Northwestern 54, Michigan 51
November 4, 2000
Ryan Field -- Evanston, Ill.
Mrs. O'Leary's cow didn't start this Chicago fire, but Northwestern and Michigan put forth an Instant Classic one week after the shootout in Tempe. The Wildcats and Wolverines showcased their scary offenses throughout, but went nuts in the fourth quarter, with Michigan leading 45-36.
Zak Kustok's highlight-friendly 11-yard touchdown run brought NU to within two, and the 'Cats went ahead on Tim Long's 41-yard field goal. Michigan countered with Anthony Thomas, whose one-yard score put Michigan up, 51-46.
With less than two minutes to go, Northwestern drove inside the Michigan 10. On fourth down, a wide-open Damien Anderson dropped a sure touchdown that would have won it. He would get another chance, however. With Michigan looking to run out the clock, the A-Train fumbled at his own 30, and the Wildcats recovered. Kustok took advantage, zipping a pass to Sam Simmons in the end zone with 20 seconds remaining. Even after Northwestern converted the two-point conversion to take a 54-51 lead, the outcome was still in question.
Drew Henson marched the Wolverines within field goal range, sort of. A bad snap didn't allow Hayden Epstein to try his 57-yard game-tying attempt on the final play, and Northwestern stunned Michigan.
Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr summed it up best: "We just ran out of time."
2. Nebraska 27, Notre Dame 24 (OT)
September 9, 2000
Notre Dame Stadium -- South Bend, Ind.
Thirty thousand red-clad Nebraska fans in the Golden Dome. An inexperienced quarterback for the Irish got the start. No chance? Wrong.
|  | | This is the third year Toniu Fonoti has been blocking for Eric Crouch. |
It appeared as if Eric Crouch and Nebraska's option monster would throttle the Irish on their home turf.
But special teams are so named for a reason. Ask Julius Jones and Joey Getherall. After Dan Alexander gave the Huskers a two-touchdown lead, Jones sped the length of the field on the ensuing kickoff to cut the lead in half. Getherall's 83-yard punt return early in the fourth tied it at 21.
After both defenses held for the remainder of the fourth quarter, the game headed to overtime. Notre Dame had the initial offensive possession, and Nick Setta's 29-yard field goal gave ND its first lead of the game. Nebraska mustered only one yard on its first two plays, but on third-and-9 from the 24, Crouch took over, finding Tracey Wistrom for nine yards and a first down. Two plays later, Crouch rolled left, found open field and lunged into the end zone, shattering Notre Dame's hopes of an upset and maintaining Nebraska's hold of the No. 1 ranking.
1. Miami 27, Florida State 24
October 7, 2000
Orange Bowl -- Miami, Fla.
Wide Right III -- the game that started the quarrels in Florida. The two heavyweights went punch for punch. Chris Weinke's right arm made up the difference for FSU, but Matt Munyon's right foot determined the outcome.
For a while, it appeared Miami would run away with this one, leading 17-0 at halftime. FSU failed to capitalize four times from inside Miami's 26 yard-line -- twice on uncharacteristic interceptions from Weinke and twice on failed fourth-down attempts.
But the ageless wonder rallied the 'Noles, finding Anquan Boldin for two scores, eventually bringing FSU to within 20-17. Weinke's third TD pass went to Atrews Bell, a 29-yarder with 1:37 left.
But Ken Dorsey answered, driving his team 68 yards in less than 30 seconds. Dorsey shredded the Seminoles secondary, going 6-for-7, capped off by a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey to regain the lead.
Weinke did everything he could to extend Florida State's 17-game winning streak. Munyon's 50-yard attempt had plenty of leg, but sailed on him.
"Wouldn't you know it?" said Bobby Bowden. "He's been wide left all year, and then that happens."
For Miami head coach Butch Davis, it was his first-ever win over Florida State.
"It was one we really worked for and wasn't an accident," Davis said. "We worked for it and earned it."
Should both teams win their respective bowl games on Jan. 2 and 3, there will be even more of an outcry from Florida. Yikes.
Will Weiss is the assistant editor of BCSfootball.com.
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A look back at the blow-by-blow scoring from the Michigan-Northwestern shootout. (courtesy: ABCSports)