Top Three Thrillers: The Top Three CFB Games This Year (So Far)
As we head into the final weeks of the College Football season, we have seen some of the greatest games in recent years. High-powered offenses, mash against star-studded defenses. Every weekend, it seems that there is a new top-dog. In the CFB top 25 rankings, there has been minimal consistency. This may be the most fluid rankings we have seen in recent years, from teams like Northern Illinois ranked within the top 25, or seeing Alabama out of a top 10 spot. Every week there is movement throughout the whole rankings; this is due to the craziest games. Crazy offensive powered games, overtime thrillers, and unmatched upsets have created this frenzy in the AP College Football rankings. Today, we look at the wildest games of the season (So far).
Georgia Tech Takes Down #10 Florida State
First we take a look at the international first game of the year in Ireland, where we saw Georgia Tech try to take on #10 Florida State, which should have been an easy driven game from Florida State, but that theory was quickly shot down.
In their opening drive, Florida State marched down the field with ease, and capped off their opening drive with a 28 yard run into the endzone by running back, Lawrance Toafili. Then in a total power move by FSU, they go for two on their first touchdown of the year and they secure the 2 point conversion as Brian Courtney ran it into the endzone. But it only took minutes for Georgia Tech to get back into the game, their first drive of the game they went for 79 yards on only 6 plays; where Zach Pyron ran it into the endzone for a touchdown. Instead of matching FSU’s two point conversion, they went for the extra-point and Aidan Birr kicked it through the upright to make it 8-7, Florida State in the 1st quarter.
In the 2nd quarter, Florida State wasn’t able to match the same offensive power that they showed on their first drive up the game. They settled for two field goals, with one of the most impressive CFB field goals we have seen in recent memory, where Ryan Fitzgerald hit a 59 yarder. On the other hand, Georgia Tech stayed consistent throughout the second half, they matched Florida State 14-14 after an 8 minute drive, where they marched down the field 75 yards; capped off by a touchdown from Jamal Haynes.
After a stagnant 3rd quarter, with major defensive displays from both teams, the game was headed to the fourth quarter all tied up. At this point, Florida State fans would have planned to be up by two touchdowns minimum, but this was not the case. Fans started to think, this may be an upset. Everyone started tuning in, including myself, to possibly watch a historic first game to a CFB season.
In the 4th quarter, action stayed with Georgia Tech as they marched down the field for 89 yards; where Jamal Haynes scored his second touchdown of the game. The very next drive for FSU, they take nearly 9 minutes off the clock off the board and manage to turn a 15 play drive into a touchdown where Roydell Williams ran it in for the touchdown. It came down to Georgia Tech with nearly 7 minutes left in the game, tied up 21-21, GT was looking to grab a lead. FSU and their fans were praying for a miraculous stop, in order for them to get back on offense and grab a lead. However, that was not the case GT and company marched down the field 49 yards, with seconds left on the clock, the game was put into GT’s kicker Aidan Birr’s hands. As the clock hit 00:00, Birr kicked it into the upright and nailed the 44 yarder to win the game for the Yellow Jackets.
Absolute pandemonium. The Yellow Jackets flooded the field and surrounded Birr after he hit the game winner. Fans of FSU left lifeless, after feeling disrespected from last season not making the CFB playoffs, and now losing to an unranked team to open up the 2024-2025 season. Especially considering, FSU was favored -10.5 for the game.
This game truly was the best way to start the CFB season (sorry FSU fans). The stage was set in Dublin, Ireland, an international game where a heavily favored team was set to face a vicious pack of underdogs. The excitement for this game was off the charts, great actions, and a true thriller. This easily cracks my best CFB games this year (So far) and probably most CFB fans, besides Florida State fans.
Alabama Takes Down Georgia; A Fire-Fueled Offensive Victory
We move forward to another banger of a game. Georgia marched into Bryant-Denny Stadium looking for revenge on Alabama who took them out of CFB playoff contention last year. We knew we were in for a good one with this game, two high-powered offenses matched with great coaching.
Alabama being Alabama, took an incredibly massive lead in the first quarter. They put up twenty-one points to Georgia’s zero points. Their first touchdown came off of the speedster Quarterback, Jalen Milroe. Followed up by Milroe throwing a fireball to Jam Miller for a 16 yard reception. The first quarter concluded with a Germie Bernard seven yard run.
In the second quarter we saw Georgia show some life after securing a touchdown from Trevor Etienne on a seven yard run. Alabama didn’t care though, they put up nine more points in the quarter, with once again a magnificent Milroe run (thirty-six yards to the house). Then we saw a complete miscue from Georgia where they allowed a safety. At the conclusion of the first half, Georgia was in utter shambles. Blowing coverages, minimal run defense, and even gave up a safety. Nothing was clicking for them.
Headed into the second half, Alabama was up thirty to seven. This was a seemingly blowout… until something happened Georgia turned on the jets.
At the end of the third quarter Georgia scored a touchdown to Arian Smith from Carson Beck. They went for a two-point conversion and succeeded from a pass from Beck to Lawson Luckie. Alabama followed up with a Graham Nicholoson twenty-eight yard field goal. At the end of the quarter, Georgia is slowly getting themselves back into the game and Alabama is cooling off.
Headed into the fourth quarter, Alabama looked like Georgia in the first half. Georgia opened up the fourth quarter with a Carson Beck touchdown to Luckie, they went for two and failed. Just minutes after Georgia scores another touchdown on a three yard run from Dillon Bell. After a couple more miscues from Alabama, Georgia scores yet again off of a crazy throw from Beck to Dillon Bell on a sixty-seven yarder into the house. After a failed two-point conversion, Georgia goes up thirty-four to thirty-three with two and a half minutes to play.
Just seconds after Georgia went up, the seventeen year old, Ryan Williams, catches a seventy-five yard pass from Milroe to take the lead. Just an unbelievable turn of events, Alabama looked lifeless then possible Hesiman winner, Jalen Milroe preserves through it and throws an absolute dot to the rookie, Ryan Williams. They go for two, and succeed. Alabama goes up forty-one to thirty-four with two minutes to play and Georgia fails to score again.
From wanting to tear my eyes out of their sockets, to being glued to my seat; this was easily one of the most exciting games in recent memory and definitely on my top three games this year. It was filled with boredom, dominance, and in the end became an instant thriller! All of the facets in this game were covered, and the reign over Georgia for Alabama continued as they pulled through with a victory.
Northern Illinois University Pulls Off The Upset Over Notre Dame
Let’s take a trip back down memory lane and head to the weekend of September seventh where we head to South Bend, Indiana, to watch an overpowered Notre Dame squad take on the gritty boys up in Northern Illinois. Or so we thought…
Notre Dame, the absurd favorites in this game, paid NIU over one million dollars for them to travel to Notre Dame and play them. In their eyes, it almost seemed as if they were paying for a win here as they were playing NIU. However, NIU had other plans… Let's take a look.
The first quarter we saw a very promising drive from Notre Dame, a typical drive for them some would say. They marched down the field and scored a touchdown on an eleven yard run by Riley Leonard. Although, in nearly three minutes NIU didn’t even need to march down the field. Ethan Hampton threw an eighty-three yard pass to Antario Brown as he took it to the house. Minutes later NIU followed up with a forty-two yard field goal by Kanon Woodill.
We head to the second quarter where both offenses seemed to fold. Not much action besides a Kanon Woodill twenty-one yarder to put NIU up thirteen to seven. Notre Dame wasn’t expecting NIU’s defense to hold versus their high-powered offense, but they did. The first half was completed and something needed to be changed, if Notre Dame had any plans of winning.
Notre Dame answered the call in the third quarter, about halfway through Jeremiyah Love took it to the house with a thirty-four yard rush. This gave Notre Dame their first lead since the beginning of the first quarter. But then again, both offenses went cold. Northern Illinois looked dead on offense, but their defense was still able to manage to hold off Notre Dame.
Headed into the fourth quarter, Notre Dame was up fourteen to thirteen. We were on the brink of an upset, hundreds of thousands of fans tuning in, thousands of fans watching live as they may see their team fall. “No way Notre Dame could lose this game”... well we were nearing that possibility. It all came down to NIU’s final drive. Their defense has held strongly and allowed for an opportunity for their offense to go on a winning drive. They marched down the field and were just able to get in range with mere seconds left on the clock for the player of the game, Kanon Woodill, to nail his third field goal of the game. Possibly the biggest field goal of his life where he nailed a thirty-five yarder to seal the deal and put the Huskies on top in the final seconds.
NIU came into South-Bend with a chip on their shoulder, facing one of the top teams in the country, and they walked out with a win and a million dollars. This win was NIU’s first win against a ranked team (Notre Dame No. 5) since 2015 where they beat No. Toledo. With this win NIU was ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in years, where they were ranked No. 25.
Looking Ahead
These three games have been absolute thrillers. As we near playoffs, and this new format for playoffs I am excited to watch the best teams compete as they all have their eyes set on the prize… The College Football National Championship. Expect many more thrillers as this season has been filled with them!
Author
Cameron Williams
DiSportsPhotoAgency
Senior Writer
