25 best college football bowl games in history

17. Michigan vs. Alabama, 2000 Orange Bowl

Future NFL Hall of Famer Tom Brady was only the starter for two years at Michigan, but made the most of his final collegiate game in the 2000 Orange Bowl against Alabama.

The Wolverines won 10 games for the third straight year in 1999 and were ranked eighth heading into the postseason. After suffering consecutive losses in October to Michigan State and Illinois, the Wolverines earned a trip to a BCS bowl with five straight wins to close out the season, including a road upset of No. 6 Penn State.

Following a pair of rare poor seasons, No. 4 Alabama enjoyed easily the best year of the Mike DuBose era with a mark of 10-2. Star running back Shaun Alexander piled up over 1,700 total yards and 23 touchdowns en route to becoming a first-round pick the following spring.

The favored Crimson Tide went up 14-0 midway through the second half on a pair of Alexander touchdown runs. Michigan would battle back to tie the game two minutes after half, only to see Alabama regain a 14-point lead shortly after.

Two Michigan touchdowns near the end of the third evened the scoring, and the game became the first overtime BCS bowl when neither team could break through in the fourth. Brady hit Shawn Thompson on a touchdown pass to start overtime, with Alabama quarterback Andrew Zow responding two plays later.

However, Crimson Tide kicker Ryan Pflunger missed the ensuing extra point to seal a wild win for the Wolverines. Michigan would not win another BCS bowl under Lloyd Carr. while DuBose was dismissed the next season following a 3-8 campaign, ushering in a rare down period.