25 best college football bowl games in history

9. Auburn vs. Florida State, 2014 BCS National Championship

Auburn’s miracle 2013 team fell just short of a national title thanks to a heroic effort by Heisman winner Jameis Winston and Florida State.

The No. 2 Tigers shocked the college football world with a 12-1 mark in the regular season, including back-to-back infamous victories over Georgia with the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare” and Alabama in the Kick Six game. First-year head coach Gus Malzahn brought a unique offense that averaged nearly 39.5 points per game, as running back Tre Mason and quarterback Nick Marshall combined for nearly 3,000 rushing yards.

Florida State cruised to a 13-0 record with no victory coming by fewer than 14 points. Winston became the second redshirt freshman to win the Heisman with 4,000 passing yards and 45 total touchdowns, while the Seminoles featured the top scoring defense in the nation on the other side of the ball.

Auburn stunned the Seminoles early in the game by building a 21-3 lead at the ten-minute mark of the second quarter. Florida State eventually clawed back, and took a 27-24 with 4:31 to go in the game on a kickoff return touchdown by Kermit Whitfield following an Auburn field goal.

The Tigers marched down the field in eight plays and went back on top with Tre Mason’s 37-yard touchdown run with just 1:19 remaining. Winston then led the Seminoles on one of the most legendary drives in college football history, capped by a two-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin 13 seconds before time ran out for the 34-31 win.

Florida State’s 18-point comeback in the final BCS Championship was the largest in the game’s history. Winston was named MVP with 237 yards and two touchdowns, and went on to be the top overall pick in the NFL draft in 2015.