The 2015 college football season provided a plethora of memorable moments -- including three all-time epic walk-off game-winning plays.
So, happy holidays, sports fans. Here's a collection of the very best from this season ...
11. Gronk line up at QB, Gronk toss TD pass
Game: Kansas State 38, Iowa State 35
Date: Nov. 21
Location: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas
His moderately more famous brother Rob Gronkowski is a "Name the Play"staple. Glenn Gronkowski -- Rob's younger brother -- provided a "Name the Play"-worthy moment of his own in K-State's win over the Cyclones. The younger Gronk, who plays fullback, lined up deep behind the quarterback and threw a Tim Tebow-esque jump-pass touchdown to freshman fullback Winston Dimel.
10. Spartan effort from Burbridge
Game: Michigan State 55, Penn State 16
Date: Nov. 28
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
Michigan State clinched its spot in the Big Ten Championship Game by hammering Penn State, and Aaron Burbridge's highlight stole the show. Burbridge's incredible effort on a 29-yard touchdown play put Michigan State up 27-10 on Penn State. On the play, Burbridge was forced out of bounds by a Penn State defender, re-established himself in the field of play in time to collect a Connor Cook pass, took a hit, didn't fall down and pulled off a nifty double spin move en route to the end zone.
9. BYU wins opener on Hail Mary
Game: BYU 33, Nebraska 28
Date: Sept. 5
Location: Tom Osborne Field at Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
Nebraska's 29-game winning streak in season openers -- the longest such streak in major college football entering this season -- was halted in the most dramatic way possible ... a game-winning Hail Mary play in the final second by BYU.
The Cougars' backup quarterback Tanner Mangum -- in the game after an injury to starter Taysom Hill -- connected on a 42-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Mathews for a thrilling win. A week later, BYU pulled off another Hail Mary pass to prevail.
Could this season-opening thriller against Nebraska be BYU's most amazing finish since Jim McMahon's Hail Mary touchdown against SMU in the 1980 Holiday Bowl?
8. Fournette terrorizes the Tigers
Game: LSU 45, Auburn 21
Date: Sept. 19
Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.
LSU running back Leonard Fournette built a strong early season Heisman Trophy resume in a rout of Auburn in Baton Rouge.
On this particular play -- a 29-yard touchdown run -- Fournette tossed aside an Auburn defender over his shoulder and then side-stepped another player en route to the end zone. Fournette finished the game with 222 yards and three touchdowns rushing. While Fournette's Heisman campaign fizzled down the stretch, this moment stands out as a signature play of the 2015 season.
7. Fantastic Frogs
Game: TCU 55, Texas Tech 52
Date: Sept. 26
Location: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas
Down 52-48 and facing a fourth-and-goal situation at Texas Tech's 4-yard line, TCU won in absolutely amazing fashion. Horned Frogs QB Trevone Boykin zipped a pass to receiver Josh Doctson, but the ball bounced off his fingertips and into the arms of Aaron Glenn in the back of the end zone. TCU took a 55-52 lead with less than 30 seconds remaining.
That turned out to be the winning play, but not after Texas Tech very nearly pulled off a miracle. This game helped set the tone for what would be a score-a-minute experience in the Big 12 this season.
6. Razorbacks pull off shocker
Game: Arkansas 53, Ole Miss 52 OT
Date: Nov. 7
Location: Vaught–Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Miss.
Trailing 52-45 and facing a fourth-and-25 situation, Arkansas got a miracle to extend overtime and eventually claim victory. Hunter Henry caught a pass from quarterback Brandon Allen, but was well short of the first-down marker. Henry chucked a blind lateral, that bounced on the turf and into the arms of running back Alex Collins, who broke free from the Rebels' defense for a crazy conversion. Arkansas would score, and -- with Lady Luck on its side -- go for two for the win. Of course, that was an adventure, too. Allen was sacked on the two-point try, and Arkansas got another crack at it. Allen scored on a QB keeper and Arkansas had one of the wildest wins in its history.
5. Miracle on Techwood
Game: Georgia Tech 22, Florida State 16
Date: Oct. 24
Location: Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field, Atlanta, Ga.
A week after "Miracle in Michigan II", Georgia Tech got into the wild, insane finish action in its showdown with Florida State. With the score tied at 16, Georgia Tech blocked Roberto Aguayo's 56-yard potential game-winning kick, and then returned said blocked kick for the game-winning touchdown as time expired. It was Georgia Tech defensive back Lance Austin who picked up the loose ball and out-raced the Seminoles on his way to the end zone.
4. Oh my, Owusu!
Game: Stanford 56, UCLA 35
Date: Oct. 15
Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, Calif.
It was reminiscent of Tyrone Prothro's catch for Alabama a decade ago. Stanford wide receiver Francis Owusu made a magnificent catch with the football pinned against the back of UCLA's Jaleel Wadood for a 41-yard touchdown play. Adding more spice to this moment was that it came on a trick play in which quarterback Kevin Hogan lined up at wide receiver.
3. Rebels with a cause
Game: Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37
Date: Sept. 19
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
This was, well, unbelievable, and helped contribute to Alabama's only loss this season. After a bad snap, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly threw an ill-advised pass, which, after being tipped, bounced off of a defender's helmet and into the hands of Rebels receiver Quincy Adeboyejo, who ran for a 66-yard touchdown.
We will enjoy this play until the end of days.
2. The Return
Game: Miami (Fla.) 30, Duke 27
Date: Oct. 31
Location: Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, N.C.
Legendary college football moments must come with at least a sprinkle of controversy (i.e. "The Play"). This moment spawned a heaping helping of fuss. It was wild and weird when it went down, took a somewhat expected turn in the aftermath, and will be one of the most famous victories among many famous victories at "The U." It is certain that Miami's eight-lateral mayhem on Halloween night will be hotly debated among college football fans for as long as the game is played.
Of course, in hindsight it was determined the play should not have counted. The University of Miami's official athletic department Twitter account had the perfect response, however.
1. Miracle in Michigan II
Game: Michigan State 27, Michigan 23
Date: Oct. 17
Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich.
This saved the Spartans' season. Michigan led Michigan State, 23-21, with 10 seconds left in the game. With the victory seemingly in hand, Wolverines punter Blake O'Neill bobbled a low snap and, with his back to the line of scrimmage, attempted a kick. But he was hit and the ball popped right into the extended hands of Michigan State's Jalen Watts-Jackson, who broke a few tackles en route to the end zone. It was a most improbable way for the Spartans to remain undefeated and keep CFB Playoff hopes alive (spoiler alert: They made it!).
Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.
