Biggest Heartbreaks For Each PAC-12 Team Since 1992
The PAC-12. The Nation's "forgotten" conference (well, anywhere East of Texas). People don't pay attention mostly because the games are played late and people on the Eastern portion of the United States are in bed, celebrating the fact their teams won while preparing for NFL games. But seriously, the PAC-12 is at the very least entertaining (while I don't agree with the style of play like Arizona State or Oregon play, it is still fun to see those teams out there). And there is a lot of successes with all the teams out there. With it, came heartbreaks. I won't lie as I don't know ALL of the heartbreaking moments for each of the teams, especially early on, but it is what I can do the best so I apologize if you're a fan of one of these teams and go "nope, that's not it. This was more of a heartbreak." So sorry in advance.
ARIZONA: 24-20 loss to Cal, November 13, 1993: Arizona was a threat in the PAC-12 in the 90's under Dick Tomey and while we don't view them as a national powerhouse, they were in the thick of the top 25 year in and year out. However, 1993 was their best shot at a national championship. After a loss to UCLA a few weeks prior, any loss would really doom the Wildcats and heading into Berkeley, the Wildcats were hoping for a chance on a national level but also a Rose Bowl berth for the first time in the program's history. Arizona jumped off to a 20-0 lead on Cal at halftime, and the game looked to be all theirs. After 3 quarters it was 20-3 so things still seemed Arizona's way. And then the 4th quarter arrived. 21 points later, Arizona found themselves on the losing end losing late as the Wildcats fell to the Bears, thus taking them out of any consideration for the national championship or the Rose Bowl, something that still eludes Arizona to this day.
ARIZONA STATE: 1997 Rose Bowl vs. Ohio State: The Sun Devils had a dream season in 1996, going undefeated with quarterback Jake Plummer at the helm. They were ranked #2 and had a great shot at the national championship. All they needed to do was win the Rose Bowl against Ohio State. The game was close throughout and the Sun Devils had a lead. But with 19 seconds left, Joe Germaine of Ohio State found David Boston for the game-winning touchdown, ending Arizona State's chances of a national championship, their best shot to date.
Pat Tillman and Arizona was playing for a National Championship in 1996
CAL: 23 17 loss to #1 USC, October 9, 2004: This was a big game as both the Trojans and Golden Bears were undefeated at this time. USC started flexing their muscles with the likes of Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and Mike Williams, a deadly group. Cal was lead by a quarterback named Aaron Rodgers. The game was a back and forth battle with Rodgers putting up a show with 26 straight completions (23 in a row during the game plus 3 from the previous). Cal gave everything they got to USC and had the ball with goal-to-go late in the game. However, the Bears could not punch it in and knocked them out of the running for a national championship and really the Rose Bowl, which, similar to Arizona, they have not made it.
COLORADO: BCS SNUB, 2001: If you all remembered the Penn State/Ohio State Playoff issue, well, this was the first. In fact, you can make an argument they had a stronger position than Penn State. The Buffaloes slaughtered rival Nebraska in the final week of the regular season and won the then-Big 12 North over Nebraska. They beat Texas in the Big 12 Championship and were Rose Bowl bound. Instead, the BCS put Nebraska (11-1) over Colorado (10-2), which fans all over cried foul (though to be fair, Oregon probably should have gotten the nod in 2001 over both). But fans of Colorado were outraged and hurt by the BCS (thus giving people the wish of the BCS to be removed.........which wouldn't happen for another 12 years). It did lay the first seed of the BCS nonsense from it though. Unfortunately, Colorado failed to show why they should have faced Miami in the game, getting throttled by Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl 38-16.
Colorado destroyed Nebraska in 2001 and were ahead of them in the division, but it was Nebraska fighting for the National Championship.
OREGON: 2015 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: While the Auburn game was a close nail-biter, to me I think the Ducks fans had more hope of the 2014 squad. Oregon and the fans strongly believed they had the BEST team in the nation in 2014, even over the likes of Alabama and Florida State while beating a top defensive squad in Michigan State early on in the season with relative ease. Marcus Mariota showed why he was a Heisman guy throughout the year and avenged their lone loss to Arizona in the PAC-12 Championship for the right to play in the first playoff. They thumped Florida State 59-20 in the Rose Bowl and would face Ohio State, who "shocked" Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Duck fans thought they were getting the easier of the two equals. However, Oregon had no answer for the physical, punishing play the Buckeyes gave them on both sides of the ball and the game was a laugher. So I think the sting was not only did the Ducks lose the game, but they got manhandled in the process.
Elliott and Ohio State bullied the Ducks, thus ruining Oregon's probable best chance at the national championship.
OREGON STATE: 49-46 loss to Eastern Washington, August 31, 2013: Oregon State hasn't garnered a whole lot of success, though it hasn't been dismal, but the Beavers ended up being the 3rd team in college football history to be ranked and lose to a ranked FCS school. That said, many thought the Beavers were not that great of a team with the style of play and a shoddy defense. Well, the shoddy defense was all Vernon Adams needed. Eastern Washington put up 49 points and won by 3. The Beavers have really not been the same team since.
Eastern Washington outgunned Oregon State
STANFORD: Legends Trophy vs. Notre Dame, October 13, 2012: Notre Dame had a year where they escaped some close games, but this one ranked up there as the closest en route to the national championship game. Stanford, who played a physical defense (and really their calling card), bullied Notre Dame for 4 quarters, knocking Everett Golson out and putting in inconsistent Tommy Rees, but the game was tied at 13 at the end of regulation after Notre Dame tied it late with a FG. Notre Dame scored first on a TD and Stanford drove quickly, but stalled at the 1 yard line. Stanford went for it, and Stepfan Taylor reached over the end zone, breaking the plane, but the refs stopped it, saying forward progress stopped. Stanford lost, creating anger and Cardinal fans screaming foul (as did the rest of the nation). And perhaps, we may have seen a different national championship game that year.
Many think the whistle was blown too early with Taylor crossing the plane.
UCLA: 49-45 loss to Miami, December 1, 1998: The Bruins had some good teams in the 90's but their best shot at national dominance was 1998, going undefeated heading into the final week of the regular season. After the original game against Miami was postponed because of a hurricane, they moved it to the first of December. The Bruins held a 38-28 lead going into the 4th (38-21 at one point). But Miami outscored them 21-7 in the 4th and UCLA's dream of a national championship were dashed on the final play, going for a Hail Mary at the Miami 30 that fell short.
UCLA was so close for a national championship appearance in 1998, but a loss to Miami sent the dream packing.
USC: 2005 National Championship vs. Texas: Well, you could either make it this, or the day the Trojans got slammed with Reggie Bush's violations, which ultimately negated this. But at the time, we didn't really know. And we thought we were seeing the next best dynasty happen in college football with USC. Heck, they even were treated like a professional team, in part because Los Angeles didn't have a team in the NFL anymore in 2005. But USC dominated for two years, beating everybody they saw. Even ESPN jumped on the bandwagon, stating this was the greatest team in college football history. However, they went up against Vince Young and Texas. Young, who somewhat took it personally that Reggie Bush beat him for the Heisman played possessed the whole game. However, the Trojans had a 12 point lead with 6 minutes left, including a Heisman-like run by Bush that the broadcasters thought it was the final blow. Instead, the Longhorns drove and Vince Young ran it in for 17 yards with 4 minutes left and then LenDale White fumbled late, to which Young showed why he should have been a Heisman winner, completing key pass after key pass. With 19 seconds left and fourth and 5, Young was rushed up the middle, not giving him time to throw, scrambled, and ran it in for the game winning touchdown, giving Texas their elusive national championship under Mack Brown. Of course, many believed the loss marked the end of the USC dynasty with Bush & Leinart both leaving and then the probation that the Trojans would subsequently get.
Young's run ended the game, and the Trojan dynasty.
UTAH: Kaneshiro Doink, 1998: Sorry Utah fans, this is the one I probably had issues with. But after seeing the highlights, if I was a Utah fan, that would sting me too. The game was a back and forth tilt, but with BYU really being the better team and having a 26-17 lead late. After a Utah Kickoff-Return TD, the Cougars went 3 and out and gave the Utes a shot at winning the game. After driving the ball late, Ryan Kaneshiro, who was money late in games that year, missed one off the rights creating the "doink" sound, giving BYU a win and a conference championship on their hated rival's field.
This was a definite stinging loss for Utah.
WASHINGTON: 1993 Rose Bowl vs. Michigan: Antoher one that gave me fits finding. This was a re-match of the game the year before when Washington thumped Michigan for the National Championship. The Huskies were ranked #1 for a good bit of the year before imploding late in the season. The game was a back-and-forth tilt this time as Michigan went toe to toe with their PAC-12 counterparts. Late in the game, Elvis Grbac found Tony McGee for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.and give Michigan the win. Washington lost 3 of their final 4, and really sent them on a downward spiral in the football world after.
Washington's loss to Michigan pretty much ended the Huskies run in the early 90's.
WASHINGTON STATE: 1998 Rose Bowl vs. Michigan: Much like their in-state rival, Washington State's heartbreak came from the Wolverines. Ryan Leaf guided the Cougars to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 66 years, going 10-1 (after being 5-6 in 1996) and being ranked #8. They went up against the #1 Wolverines, who really looked unstoppable all season. The Cougars fought Michigan tooth and nail and gave them a tough game, far tougher than what anybody thought it would have been. Late in the game, Washington State drove to the Michigan 26 and tried to stop the clock by a spike, but the officials said Leaf spiked it as time ran out, giving Michigan the win, though Cougar fans scream there was a second left. But if it makes any comfort, it did ultimately give Michigan a "share" of the title with Nebraska instead of winning outright.
Washington State gave Michigan all they could handle.
So that's it for the PAC-12 heartbreakers. Well, hope you enjoyed it, even if you didn't necessarily agree with some of them. Hard being on the other side of the country sometimes.
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
