Ranking The All-Time BCS Games - The Worst

After 11 years of the BCS in its current form (or close to it), there have been some of the greatest games in the history of college football to go along with some stunning clunkers. Before the 2009 BCS kicks in, here's part one of the CFN ranking of all the BCS games with the worst of the 42.

The All-Time Ranking Of BCS Bowls

Part 1 - The Worst. No. 29 to No. 42

It's been 11 years since the Big Ten and Pac 10 relented and joined the bizarre exercise known as the BCS to form the system, for the most part we have now. Over the last decade-plus have been some of the greatest games in the history of college football, to go along with a slew of major clunkers. As the 2009 BCS season kicks in, here's part one of the CFN ranking of all 42 BCS bowl games from 1999 to 2008 beginning with the worst of the lot.

- Part Two: The Good BCS Bowls
- Part Three: The Classics

42. 2008 Sugar Bowl
No. 5 Georgia 41 ... No. 10 Hawaii 10
Georgia destroyed Hawaii with eight sacks and several other pressures while holding the high-octane Warrior attack to a mere 306 yards. Most of those came late. Hawaii turned it over six times leading to several easy scores, but Georgia had no problem moving the ball on its own with Knowshon Moreno running for scores from 17 and 11 yards out in the first quarter, Sean Bailey catching an 11-yard scoring pass in the second, and Marcus Howard recovering a fumble off a sack in the third. Brandon Coutu blasted field goals from 52 and 45 yards out for the Bulldogs on the way to a 31-3 lead before Hawaii finally got in the end zone on a Tyler Graunke touchdown pass to Ryan Grice-Mullen in the fourth. The two teams combined for 22 penalties for 190 yards.
Player of the Game: Georgia DE Marcus Howard made four tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, forced two tumbles, and recovered one for a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: Georgia - Passing: Matthew Stafford, 14-23, 175 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Thomas Brown, 19-73, 1 TD. Receiving: Mo Massaquoi, 5-54
Hawaii - Passing: Colt Brennan, 22-38, 169 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Kealoha Pilares, 7-26. Receiving: Jason Rivers, 10-105

41. 2005 Fiesta Bowl
No. 6 Utah 35 ... No. 21 Pittsburgh 7 
Utah, who was left out of the national title discussion despite going unbeaten, showed everyone how dominant it could be on both sides of the ball. QB Alex Smith threw for 328 yards and four touchdown passes, while Paris Warren ripped apart the Panthers for 15 catches for 199 yards and two scores, highlighted by a hook and lateral off a screen pass to Steve Savoy. Pittsburgh QB Tyler Palko time had problems with the Ute pass rush, while the Panther running game netted just 16 yards. Palko had one shining moment with a brilliant throw and an even better catch by Greg Lee for a 31-yard touchdown, but that was it for the attack.
Player of the game: Utah QB Alex Smith completed 29-of-37 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns and ran 14 times for 68 yards
Stat Leaders: Utah - Passing: Alex Smith, 29-37, 328 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Alex Smith, 14-68. Receiving: Paris Warren, 15-199, 2 TD
Pittsburgh - Passing: Tyler Palko, 22-40, 251 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Tim Murphy, 12-37. Receiving: Joe DelSardo, 9-109

40. 2001 Fiesta Bowl
No. 6 Oregon State 41 … No. 11 Notre Dame 9 
Oregon State shocked the Irish with 446 yards of total offense as Jonathan Smith hit Chad Johnson for a 74-yard score, T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a 23-yard touchdown, and Johnson for a four-yard touchdown on the way to a 41-3 lead after three quarters. The Beavers exploded with a 29-point third quarter to make the game a rout, and they also exploded with celebrations and other penalties getting flagged 18 times for 174 yards. Notre Dame didn’t get into the end zone until Tony Fisher ran for a one-yard score in the fourth.
Player of the game: Oregon State QB Jonathan Smith completed 18-of-24 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Notre Dame- Passing: Matt LoVecchio, 13-33, 138 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Julius Jones, 13-30. Receiving: David Givens, 4-23
Oregon State - Passing: Jonathan Smith, 18-24, 305 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Ken Simonton, 18-85, 1 TD. Receiving: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 6-74, 1 TD

39. 2005 Orange Bowl ... The National Championship
No. 1 USC 55 ... No. 2 Oklahoma 19 
Oklahoma marched down the field for an easy score and a 7-0 lead as Jason White connected with Travis Wilson for a five-yard touchdown pass. And then the floodgates opened up as Matt Leinart threw an Orange Bowl record five touchdown passes highlighted by brilliant diving catches from Dominique Byrd and Steve Smith, whose 33-yard grab made it 35-10 on the way to a 38-10 halftime lead. Smith caught three touchdown passes in the rout. OU turned it over five times and USC took advantage, on its 55-3 run before the Sooner garbage time points started to come. 
Player of the game: USC QB Matt Leinart completed 18-of-35 passes for 332 yards and five touchdown passes.  
Stat Leaders: OU - Passing: Jason White, 18-35, 244 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Adrian Peterson. 25-82. Receiving: Travis Wilson, 7-58, 2 TD
USC - Passing: Matt Leinart, 18-35, 342 yds, 5 TD
Rushing: LenDale White, 15-118, 2 TD. Receiving: Steve Smith, 7-113, 3 TD 

38. 2007 BCS Championship
No. 2 Florida 41 ... No. 1 Ohio State 14
Florida dominated Ohio State on both sides of the ball holding the Buckeye offense to eight first downs and 82 total yards of offense while amassing 370 yards and scoring 21 straight points in the first 15:04. Things started out on a high note for OSU as Ted Ginn Jr. took the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, but the Gators responded with a big kickoff return, helped by a penalty, and a seven-play, 46-yard drive finishing with a 14-yard Dallas Baker touchdown catch. Percy Harvin ran for a four-yard score, and DeShawn Wynn ran for a two-yard touchdown for the big lead, but the Buckeyes appeared to have some life after an 18-yard Antonio Pittman touchdown run. That would be it as Florida got two Chris Hetland field goals and took advantage of a sack and Troy Smith fumble to go five yards in the final minute of the first half finishing with a one-yard Andre Caldwell touchdown catch from Tim Tebow. Tebow closed out the scoring with a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Player of the game ... Florida DEs Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey. The two Gator ends combined to make six tackles, five sacks, and came up with several hurries. Moss forced a key Troy Smith fumble at the end of the first half deep in Buckeye territory, and Harvey recovered it.
Stat Leaders: Florida - Passing: Chris Leak, 35-36, 213 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: DeShawn Wynn, 19-69, 1 TD  Receiving: Percy Harvin, 9-60
Ohio State - Passing: Troy Smith, 4-14, 35 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Antonio Pittman, 10-62, 1 TD  Receiving: Anthony Gonzalez, 2-11
 
37. 2002 Orange Bowl
No. 5 Florida 56 ... No. 10 Maryland 23
Brock Berlin and Rex Grossman combined to throw for 442 yards and five touchdowns as the Gators amassed 659 total yards of total offense. Earnest Graham ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns, while Taylor Jacobs set a Orange Bowl record 10 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. Brock Berlin started the game and threw well completing 11-of-19 passes for 196 yards, but he threw two interceptions. Grossman, who was suspended for the first half, came in an helped lead the Gators to touchdowns on his first six possessions. Marc Riley ran for two fourth quarter scores for the Terps. 
Player of the Game: Jacobs might have set the Orange Bowl records, but Rex Grossman was the star completing 20-of-28 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Florida - Passing: Rex Grossman, 20-28, 248, 4 TD
Rushing: Earnest Graham, 16-149, 2 TD  Receiving: Taylor Jacobs, 10-170, 2 TD
Maryland - Passing: Shaun Hill, 23-39, 257 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Shaun Hill, 11-31  Receiving: Jafar Williams, 4-91, 1 TD

36. 2007 Sugar Bowl
No. 4 LSU 41 ... No. 11 Notre Dame 14
LSU rolled up 577 yards of total offense and scored 27 unanswered points on the way to a blowout. The Tigers got up 14-0 in the first quarter on a three-yard touchdown run from Keiland Williams and an 11-yard scoring grab from Dwayne Bowe, but Notre Dame got back in it with a perfectly thrown 24-yard pass to David Grimes and a ten-yard pitch to Jeff Samardzija. The Tigers answered by going 82 yards in five plays ending the first half with a five-yard JaMarcus Russell run, and the rout was on. After two long drives finished with Colt David field goals, the Tigers put it away on a 58-yard pass to Brandon LaFell. Williams scored on a 20-yard run to finish off the Irish. 
Player of the game ... LSU QB JaMarcus Russell completed 21-of-34 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns and an interception and ran for 16 yards and a score
Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: JaMarcus Russell, 21-34, 332 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Keiland Williams, 14-107, 2 TD  Receiving: Early Doucet, 8-115
Notre Dame - Passing: Brady Quinn, 15-35, 148 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Darius Walker, 22-128  Receiving: Jeff Samardzija, 8-59, 1 TD

35. 1999 Orange Bowl
No. 8 Florida 31 … No. 15 Syracuse 10 
Doug Johnson connected with Travis Taylor on touchdown passes from 51 and 26 yards out in the first quarter and the rout was on. Johnson suffered a broken leg, but the Gator offense kept on rolling with Jesse Palmer throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to Erron Kinney and running for a score. Syracuse only managed a 36-yard field goal in the first three quarters, but down 31-3, it finally got into the end zone on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb to Maurice Jackson with just over three minutes left. Florida outgained SU 441 to 321 and forced four turnovers.
Player of the game: Florida WR Travis Taylor caught seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Syracuse - Passing: Donovan McNabb, 14-30, 192 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Donovan McNabb, 20-72. Receiving: Kevin Johnson, 4-49
Florida - Passing: Doug Johnson, 12-17, 195 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Terry Jackson, 21-108. Receiving: Travis Taylor, 7-159, 2 TD

34. 2008 Rose Bowl
No. 7 USC 49 ... No. 13 Illinois 17
USC got up 21-0 in the first half on two Chauncey Washington scores and a 34-yard touchdown catch by Desmond Reed off a gadget play from Garrett Green, but Illinois made it interesting for a few moments. On the first drive of the third quarter, Rashard Mendenhall tore off a 79-yard touchdown run to pull the Illini within ten. And then came the game's drama as Mendenhall took a pass 55 yards into scoring range, but soon after Jacob Willis lost a fumble in the end zone, and after a mad battle, USC LB Brian Cushing recovered and things were never the same. On USC's ensuing drive, John David Booty threw a lateral to Joe McKnight, who took it off the turn and ran 65 yards leading to a Fred David two-yard touchdown catch to open up the floodgates. The Trojans scored 28 straight points on two Booty scoring passes, a six-yard McKnight run, and a three-yard Hershel Dennis scoring run. Illinois had one last interesting moment with a 56-yard touchdown catch from Arrelious Benn, but it was far too little, far too late.
Player of the Game: USC RB Joe McKnight ran ten times for 125 yards and a touchdown, caught six passes for 45 yards, and returned three punts for 36 yards.
Stat Leaders: Illinois - Passing: Isiah Williams, 21-35, 245 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Rashard Mendenhall, 17-155, 1 TD. Receiving: Arrelious Benn, 5-80, 1 TD
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 25-37, 255 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Joe McKnight, 10-127, 1 TD. Receiving: Fred Davis, 7-87, 1 TD

33. 2002 Rose Bowl ... The National Championship
No. 1 Miami 37 ... No. 2 Nebraska 14
In a dominating performance worthy of some of the greatest Hurricane teams of all-time, Miami pummeled Nebraska with the passing combination of Ken Dorsey to Andre Johnson, who hooked up seven times for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson kicked off the scoring by beating Keyuo Craver for a 49-yard TD strike in the first quarter. Clinton Portis ran for a beautiful 39-yard TD run to make it 14-0, then the Canes put it away when James Lewis intercepted a tipped pass and took it 42 yards for what turned out to be the game winning points. Nebraska scored on a 16-yard TD run by Judd Davies and a 71-yard punt return in the fourth quarter by DeJuan Groce. Eric Crouch ran for 114 yards.
Player of the Game:  Miami WR Andre Johnson caught seven passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns.  
Stat Leaders: Nebraska - Passing: Eric Crouch, 5-15, 62 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Eric Crouch, 22-114  Receiving: William Thomas, 3-36
Miami - Passing: Ken Dorsey, 22-35, 362 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Clinton Portis, 20-104, 1 TD  Receiving: Andre Johnson, 7-199, 2 TD

32. 2003 Rose Bowl
No. 7 Oklahoma 34 ... No. 6 Washington State 14
Oklahoma QB Nate Hybl threw two touchdown passes as the Sooners took a 27-0 lead into the middle of the fourth quarter. When the game was still in doubt, the Sooner defense was simply suffocating not allowing a score until Jason Gesser connected with Jerome Riley on a 37-yard touchdown pass with just over six minutes to play. OU RB Quentin Griffin ran for a 20-yard touchdown, and Antonio Perkins returned a punt for a touchdown. Sammy Moore returned a kickoff 89 yards for a Washington State score.  
Player of the game: Oklahoma RB Quentin Griffin ran 30 times for 144 yaards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: Washington State - Passing: Jason Gesser, 17-34, 239 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jermaine Green, 8-45  Receiving: Jerome Riley, 9-139, 1 TD
Oklahoma - Passing: Nate Hybl, 19-29, 240 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Quentin Griffin, 30-144, 1 TD  Receiving: Trent Smith, 5-38

31. 2002 Fiesta Bowl
No. 4 Oregon 38 ... No. 3 Colorado 16
Oregon dominated Colorado in every phase as Joey Harrington threw for 350 yards and four TDs while the Duck defense held the Buffs to 49 net yards rushing. After Colorado went up 7-0 on a one-yard Brandon Drumm TD run, Oregon reeled off 38 straight points getting a 79-yard TD pass to Samie Parker and a brilliant highlight reel 49-yard TD run from Maurice Morris. Oregon DB Steve Smith picked off five passes. Parker caught nine passes for 162 yards and a score. 
Player of the Game: Oregon QB Joey Harrington completed 28-of-42 for 350 yards and four touchdown passes
Stat Leaders: Oregon - Passing: Joey Harrington, 28-42, 350 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Maurice Morrie, 11-89, 1 TD  Receiving: Samie Parker, 9-162, 1 TD
Colorado - Passing: Craig Ochs, 13-20, 140 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Chris Brown, 9-30  Receiving: Daniel Graham, 10-89, 1 TD

30. 2008 BCS Championship
No. 2 LSU 38 ... No. 1 Ohio State 24
Ohio State jumped out to a 10-0 lead on a 65-yard Chris Wells touchdown run and a 25-yard Ryan Pretorius field goal, and then it was all LSU with 31 straight points helped by three Matt Flynn touchdown passes and a one-yard Jacob Hester plunge for a score. The Buckeyes had their chances, but got a field goal blocked by Ricky Jean-Francois, dropped a touchdown pass, got sacked by Ali Highsmith on a key fourth down, and lost momentum on a roughing the punter penalty, to go along with other missed opportunities. Even so, they pulled within 14 going into the fourth quarter on a five-yard Brian Robiskie touchdown catch, but LSU held on time and again before finally putting things well out of reach with a TE Richard Dickson's second touchdown catch of the game. OSU outgained LSU 353 yards to 326.
Player of the Game: LSU QB Matt Flynn completed 19-of-27 passes for 174 yards and four touchdowns win an interception
Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Matt Flynn, 19-27, 174 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jacob Hester, 21-86, 1 TD. Receiving: Early Doucet, 7-51, 1 TD
Ohio State - Passing: Todd Boeckman, 15-26, 208 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Chris Wells, 20-146, 1 TD. Receiving: Brian Hartline, 6-75, 1 TD

29. 2003 Orange Bowl
No. 4 USC 38 ... No. 5 Iowa 17
Iowa started the game off with a bang as C.J. Jones took the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Then Carson Palmer and the running game took over as the Trojans on a 38-3 run. Justin Fargas scored on touchdown runs of four and fifty yards, and Sultan McCullough and Sunny Byrd each ran for scores. Mike Williams added an 18-yard touchdown catch. Iowa's Nate Kaeding kicked a 35-yard field goal, but his field goal attempt at the end of the first half was blocked. Iowa scored a garbage time touchdown on an 18-yard touchdown pass with :34 to play.
Player of the game: USC QB Carson Palmer completed 21-of-31 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown.  
Stat Leaders: Iowa - Passing: Brad Banks, 15-36, 204 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Fred Russell, 9-45. Receiving: Dallas Clark, 4-97
USC - Passing: Carson Palmer, 21-31, 303 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Justin Fargas, 20-122, 2 TD. Receiving: Mike Williams, 6-99, 1 TD

- Part Two: The Good BCS Bowls
- Part Three: The Classics