The 2006 college football season featured the usual array of weakling pounding, dire SEC games that end 9-6, noon Big Ten clunkers announced by Pam Ward, mindblowing officiating mishaps, and Paul Maguire. These are our crosses. But there were also sublime moments that made all the Arkansas quarterbacking worthwhile, and the Fanhouse has endeavored to list the ten best moments of last season.
Note the criteria "best" here: we're studiously ignoring refereeing fiascoes, instances of dire sportsmanship, and emu-haired recruits with the initials "JC" getting treated like some other guy with the initials "JC."
In reverse, tension-heightening order:
#10: Pucker Pucker Pucker. Michigan State QB Drew Stanton throws a horrible interception, giving the world Mike Valenti's epic rant and the associated benefits thereof.
#9: Decoud Decleats. Cal's Thomas Decoud turns in the most hellacious hit of the season, damn near killing both himself and UCLA's Korey Bosworth whilst opening up a lane for a Desean Jackson touchdown.
#8: WOOP WOOP WOOP. Brady Quinn, attempting to throw, fumbles straight up into the air. Lamarr Woodley rumbles in for a coup de grace touchdown, realigning early-season perceptions of both teams. Some joker sets it to "Yakety Sax."
#7: Red Shift. Darren "Humanity Advanced" McFadden bolts into the endzone against Auburn, announcing a realignment of the SEC West and his own Heisman bonafides.
#6: Run Run Run Run Impossible Touchdown. Troy Smith's illustrious career -- MNC game nonwithstanding -- has this at the very tippy top of its highlight reel. Flushed and seemingly panicked, Smith loads and fires downfield to a relatively well covered Brian Robiske, ending Penn State.
#5: Dawdle, Dawdle, Mr. Smith. The other end of Smith's year. Heisman in hand, Smith lingers far too long with the ball in his hand. Jarvis Moss forces a fumble and ends the MNC game before halftime.
#4: Jarvis Moss Is Tall. Jarvis Moss saves Florida's bacon against South Carolina. His hand reaches into the heavens, swats Ryan Succop's potential game-winner away, and keeps Florida in a national championship hunt they would eventually win.
#3: Tip, Pick, Chaos. Eric McNeil leaps, bats a John David Booty pass, and comes down with the deflection. UCLA beats USC and the Trojans fall out of the national championship picture.
#2: On Appeal, Ito Is Good. Rutgers' Jeremy Ito gives the Scarlet Knights the biggest win in program history, but not before scaring the pants off of everyone first.
#1: Hook and... Statue of... BOTH! Boise State wins the Fiesta Bowl on the back of two audacious trick plays -- plus a third not-quite-as-audacious one. Ian Johnson gets married. OU goes home befuddled. Chris Petersen is the next Bronco coach in line to get poached.
The Top Ten College Football Moments Of 2006
Feb 3, 2007 – 10:49 PM
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