College Football Old School Game of the Week: Mizzou Wins Border War Shootout over Kansas

 

Missouri kicker Grant Ressel(95)kicks the game-winning field goal in the 2009 edition of the "Border War".

One of the longest and most-played rivalries in all of college football is the one between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Missouri Tigers also known as the "Border War".

Every year from 1907 through 2011, the two neighboring schools would play each other, most if not all the time, at the end of the regular season, often unbeknownst to the rest of the country as the two schools were not national powers.

The peak of the rivalry came in a three year span starting in 2007 when the two teams both ranked in the top 5, met at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City with a spot in the Big 12 conference championship game on the line as well as potential national championship implications.

Missouri would win that game 36-28 behind a 40-of-49 for 361 yards and three touchdown pass performance by Tigers quarterback Chase Daniel as Missouri would move to the #1 ranking in the AP poll for the first time since 1960 as the Tigers needed to beat Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game to earn a spot in the BCS national championship game(Missouri would lose 38-17 to Oklahoma).

One year later, the Jayhawks and Tigers would met once again at Arrowhead, thought this time there were no Big 12 or national title implications, as Kansas would prevail with a 40-37 win thanks to quarterback Todd Reesing's 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kerry Maier on a 4th & 7 with 27 seconds remaining.

The two teams would play each other for the third straight season at Arrowhead in the final game of the 2009 regular season as the 7-4 Tigers would face the 5-6 Jayhawks in the 103rd consecutive meeting between the two schools.

Missouri was led by head coach Gary Pinkel, who was in his ninth season as the Tigers' head coach, having led Mizzou to the school's only second and third 10-win seasons in the previous two seasons prior to 2009.

The 2009 season started out well with Missouri winning their first four games before losing four of their next five to drop to a 5-4 record until they defeated Kansas State and Iowa State to secure the Tigers' fifth straight winning season and sixth in the last seven years.

On the field, the Tigers were led by quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who had taken over for Daniel who left Missouri as its all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, and wide receiver Danario Alexander, who up to this point in the 2009 season had caught 92 passes for 1,311 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.

On the other side were the Jayhawks, who came into the Missouri game under a cloud of controversy as head coach Mark Mangino was being investigated by the school for allegations of verbal and physical abuse against some of his players during his tenure as the Kansas head coach which began in 2002.

The allegations overshadowed what had been the most successful run in Kansas football history as Mangino had complied a record of 50-47 while leading Kansas to four bowl games including a trip to the Orange Bowl following the 2007 regular season where the Jayhawks defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 24-21 to finish the season with a 12-1 record and #7 ranking, the most wins and highest ranking ever in a Kansas football season.

But with the investigation into his conduct as well as a six-game losing streak after starting the 2009 season with a 5-0 record, Mangino was on the hot seat as he prepared the Jayhawks to face the Tigers in another edition of the "Border War".

The Jayhawks got the ball to start the game as they would drive 18 yards in five plays before punting the ball to Missouri, who took over at their 20-yard-line as they would advance to the Kansas 34-yard-line until they punted the ball back to Kansas, who would begin its ensuing possession at their one-yard-line.

It looked like the Tigers were going to get the ball back in Kansas territory as Reesing threw two incomplete passes to force a 3rd & 10 situation when he completed a 17-yard pass to running back Jake Sharp to give the Jayhawks a 1st down at their 18-yard-line.

From there, Reesing would complete five straight passes, with three of those completions going to wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe for a total of 29 yards, including one for a seven-yard touchdown to give Kansas a 7-0 lead with 6:40 left in the first quarter.

Kansas wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe caught 14 passes for 242 yards and scored two touchdowns but also had two costly fumbles.

Missouri would respond with a seven-play, 51-yard drive with the big play being a 30-yard scramble by Gabbert, to help set up a 43-yard field goal by Grant Ressel to cut the Kansas lead to 7-3 with 3:52 to go in the first quarter.

Kansas would start their next drive at their 30-yard-line as back-to-back passes to Sharp totaled 39 yards to move Kansas to the Missouri 31-yard-line when a chop black penalty pushed the Jayhawks back 15 yards with a 1st & 25 situation at the Tigers' 46-yard-line.

Two plays later on 3rd & 18, Reesing would hit tight end Tim Biere for a 33-yard completion to give Kansas a 1st & goal at the Missouri one-yard-line when Reesing snuck it in for the touchdown to increase the Jayhawks' lead to 14-3 with 64 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

The Tigers seemed poised to cut into the Kansas lead on their ensuing possession as they drove 64 yards in 11 plays to the Jayhawks' 26-yard-line until Gabbert fumbled the football after he was tackled by Kansas defensive end Maxwell Onyegbule with linebacker Drew Dudley recovering the fumble to give the Jayhawks the ball at their 26-yard-line.

Following an exchange of punts, the Jayhawks had the ball at their 17-yard-line when Reesing completed an eight-yard pass to Briscoe, who would fumble the football which was recovered by Missouri defensive back Carl Gettis, whose 20-yard return gave the Tigers a 1st & goal at the Kansas five-yard-line.

It would take the Tigers three plays to get into the end zone as running back Derrick Washington punched it in for the one-yard touchdown to trim the Jayhawks' lead to 14-10 with 5:49 left in the second quarter.

The Jayhawks would move down the field on their ensuing possession on the right arm of Reesing who would complete six of seven passes for 68 yards on a drive that culminated with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Reesing to Maier to push the Kansas lead back to 11 points at 21-10 with 3:03 to go before halftime.

A 40-yard run by Gabbert on the Tigers' following drive would lead to a 28-yard field goal by Ressel to trim the Jayhawks' lead to 21-13 with 61 seconds to go in the first half as Missouri would get a chance to put more points on the board before halftime as Tigers cornerback Kip Edwards intercepted a Reesing pass to give the Missouri offense the ball at their 48-yard-line.

However, the Tigers would go three-and-out as the Jayhawks would take a knee to run out the clock on the first half with Kansas ahead 21-13.

Missouri would get the ball at their 35-yard-line to start the second half as Gabbert completed two passes to Alexander for 39 yards which was followed by two runs by Washington for 26 yards with the second run being a 14-yard touchdown to cut the Jayhawks' lead to 21-19 when the Tigers decided to go for two following the touchdown which was unsuccessful as Gabbert was tackled behind the line of scrimmage by Kansas safety Darnell Stuckey.

The Jayhawks would respond with a 13-play, 78-yard drive that was capped off with a two-yard touchdown pass from Reesing to Maier to increase the Kansas lead to 28-19 with 5:45 left in the third quarter.

Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing threw for a school record 498 yards and four touchdown passes on 37-of-55 passing.

It would only take the Tigers one minute and 45 seconds to get back into the end zone as wide receiver Jerrel Jackson would take an end around for a 37-yard touchdown to bring Missouri to within a field goal of taking the lead at 28-26.

On the Jayhawks' ensuing possession, Reesing would complete a 22-yard pass to Briscoe, who would end up fumbling the football for the second time in the game as Gettis, who recovered Briscoe's earlier fumble in the game, would make the recovery to give Missouri the ball back at their 27-yard-line.

After an incomplete pass and a five-yard run by Washington set up a 3rd & 5 situation, Gabbert would connect with Alexander for a 67-yard touchdown to give the Tigers their first lead of the game at 33-28 with 4:03 to go in the third quarter.

The Missouri defense would force the Jayhawks to punt on their next possession to give their offense the ball back at the Tigers' 13-yard-line where after a false start penalty pushed them back five yards to the eight-yard-line, Gabbert found Alexander again, this time for 59 yards to put the Tigers at the Kansas 33-yard-line.

From there, the Tigers would advance to the Jayhawks' 10-yard-line until  Onyegbule sacked Gabbert for a nine-yard loss to kill the Missouri drive and force the Tigers to settle for a 37-yard field goal by Ressel which increased Missouri's lead to 36-28 with 13:29 to go in the fourth quarter.

Kansas would get the ball back at their 28-yard-line as a holding penalty would lead to a 3rd & 12 situation when Reesing hit Briscoe for a 74-yard touchdown which was followed by Reesing hitting Maier on the ensuing two-point conversion to tie the game at 36 with 12:01 remaining in regulation.

The Kansas defense would force the Tigers to go three-and-out on their next drive but the offense would get the ball back at their one-yard-line after another coffin-corner punt by Missouri's Jake Harry IV.

However, the Jayhawks would drive down to the Tigers' five-yard-line thanks to completions of 26 yards to Briscoe and 42 yards to running back Reli Lewis until an intentional grounding penalty on Reesing on 3rd & goal would force Kansas to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Jacob Bransetter to give the Jayhawks a 39-36 lead with 5:10 left in regulation.

The Jayhawks would force another three-and-out but another excellent punt by Harry would pin the Kansas offense back at their three-yard-line with 2:59 left in the game and Missouri with only one timeout remaining.

But Reesing would throw two straight incomplete passes to help stop the clock and set up a 3rd & 10 situation when Missouri defensive ends Aldon Smith and Brian Coulter combined to sack Reesing in the end zone for a safety to cut the Jayhawks' lead to 39-38 with 2:45 to go as Missouri was set to get the ball back with a chance to drive for the game-winning field goal.

An 18-yard return by Gettis on the ensuing kickoff would give the Tigers' offense the ball at their 48-yard-line as a three-yard run by Gabbert followed by a nine-yard run by Washington gave Missouri a 1st down at the Kansas 40-yard-line.

After an incomplete pass on 1st down, Gabbert would complete an eight-yard pass to Alexander to set up a 3rd & 2 situation when Washington broke loose for a 27-yard run to put Missouri at the Kansas five-yard-line with a 1st & goal with 51 seconds to go.

Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander caught 15 passes for 233 yards in the game with 10 catches for 202 yards coming in the second half.

Gabbert would then take two knees to drain the remaining time on the clock to four seconds before Pinkel would send Ressel and the field goal unit in to win the game with a 27-yard field goal.

Ressel would easily make the kick as time expired to give Missouri the 41-39 victory to improve the Tigers' record to 8-4 while handing the Jayhawks their seventh straight loss to end the season with a 5-7 record.

The loss to Missouri would be the final game for Mangino as the Kansas head coach as he and the university agreed to a contract buyout which resulted in Mangino resigning from his position.

The Jayhawks would return to being a football doormat as they would win only 22 games through the 2010s and would not appear in a bowl game until 2022.

Missouri would go to play Navy in the Texas Bowl which the Tigers would lose 35-13 to finish the season with a 8-5 record and unranked in either the final AP or coaches poll.

As for the Missouri-Kansas rivalry, the two teams would play each other the following two seasons before the Tigers left the Big 12 conference for the SEC, which resulted in bringing an end to the rivalry after 105 straight years after playing each other.

The two programs agreed to a home-and-home in 2025 + 26 and then again in 2031 + 32 but there are currently no plays to resume the rivalry on an annual basis.

College Football Old School Game of the Week: USC Holds off Fresno State Thanks to Bush's Spectacular Performance

USC running back Reggie Bush would put together a performance for the ages in the Trojans' win over the Fresno State Bulldogs in 2005.

The USC Trojans of the early 2000s were the top program in all of college football as they won back-to-back national championships in 2003 + 2004 and produce three Heisman Trophy winners in span of four years starting with quarterback Carson Palmer in 2002 followed by quarterback Matt Leinart in 2004 and then running back Reggie Bush in 2005.

When it comes to the 2005 Heisman race, the college football world believed that Bush sewed up the award with his performance in the Trojans' penultimate game of the regular season where they would take on the Fresno State Bulldogs.

USC was ranked #1 with a 10-0 record having won their previous 32 games under head coach Pete Carroll who had the Trojans in the hunt for an unprecedented third straight national championship.

The 2005 season had some bumps in the road including a 38-28 win over Arizona State where the Trojans overcame a 21-3 halftime deficit to defeat the Sun Devils(To read about that game click on the link which is highlighted here:https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2022/09/college-football-old-school-game-of_28.html) and a 34-31 win over Notre Dame in one of the greatest games ever played.

In both victories, Bush would come up large as he ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the vicotry over Arizona State, then ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns to go along with pushing Leinart into the end zone on the Trojans' game-winning touchdown in the final seconds of the Notre Dame game.

Up to this point in the season, Bush had run for 1,104 yards and scored 13 touchdowns while catching 28 passes for 315 yards and returning kickoffs and occasionally punts.

The Trojans hoped for a big night from Bush as they prepared to host the #16 ranked Fresno State Bulldogs from the Western Athletic Conference who had upset on their minds.

The Bulldogs came into the USC game with a 8-1 record with their only loss being a 37-34 nailbiter to Oregon in the second game of the season.

The Bulldogs were led by head coach Pat Hill, who was in his ninth season at Fresno having led the Bulldogs to six bowl appearances as he had complied a 72-39 record during his time in the Valley.

If the 23-point underdog Bulldogs were going to pull off the giant upset in front of a crowd of nearly 90,000 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, they somehow would have to contain Bush.

 Bush would get his hands on the football as the game began as he returned the opening kickoff 28 yards to the USC 28-yard-line.

However, Bush would not touch the ball on the Trojans' first drive of the game as USC would travel 26 yards in seven plays before punting the ball to the Bulldogs who would take over at their 19-yard-line.

After an one-yard run by Wendell Mathis to start the drive, quarterback Paul Pinegar would complete four of six passes for 63 yards to help drive the Bulldogs to the USC 13-yard-line when Pinegar completed a 12-yard pass to tight end Devyn McDonald who had the football popped out of his hands after a hit by USC defensive back Josh Pinkard, only for wide receiver Jermaine Jamison catch the fumble in midair and dive into the end zone for the touchdown to give Fresno State a 7-0 lead.

Bush would make his presence felt on the Trojans' ensuing possession when he broke loose for a 65-yard run to give USC a 1st & goal at the Fresno State five-yard-line when Bush's partner in crime, running back Lendale White, ran it for the game-tying touchdown midway through the first quarter.

Following an exchange of punts, the Bulldogs took over at their 35-yard-line as three plays gained nine yards to set up a 4th & 1 where it appeared Fresno State would punt the ball back to the Trojans, only to run a fake as the ball was snapped to strong safety Josh Sherley, who would run for two yards to give Fresno State a fresh set of downs at their 46-yard line as the first quarter came to an end.

Eight plays later, the Bulldogs were back in the end zone as running back Roshon Vercher would punch it in for an one-yard touchdown to give Fresno State a 14-7 lead with 12:07 left in the second quarter.

Bush would return the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to the USC 34-yard-line as Reggie would catch a 12-yard pass from Leinart then ran for 12 yards that with a face mask penalty on Fresno State gave the Trojans a 1st & goal at the Bulldogs' nine-yard-line

But the Trojans could not get it into the end zone as they would settle for a 25-yard field goal by Mario Danelo to cut the Fresno State lead to 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Bulldogs would start their next possession at their 45-yard-line after a 42-yard return by Adam Jennings on the kickoff as Pinegar would complete all five of his passes for 52 yards on the eight-play, 55-yard drive that culminated with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Pinegar to wide receiver Joe Fernandez to extend the Fresno State lead to 21-10 with 4:08 left before halftime.

Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar would complete 27 of 45 passes for 317 yards and throw four touchdown passes but would also throw four interceptions.

Facing their largest deficit since their comeback win over Arizona State, the Trojans would begin their ensuing drive at their 11-yard-line with a 21-yard run by Bush, which was followed by Leinart completing five of his next six passes for 39 yards to help set up a 31-yard field goal by Danielo to trim the deficit to eight points at 21-13 as the first half came to a close.

The Bulldogs would get the ball to start the second half but would end up punting the ball back to the Trojans who would take over at the Fresno State 43-yard-line after a 16-yard return by Bush on the punt.

Following a seven-yard pass from Leinart to fullback Brandon Hancock, Bush would reel off a 35-yard run to put USC at the Fresno State one-yard-line where Leinart would sneak into the end zone to make it an one-point game at 21-20.

The Bulldogs would begin their next drive at their 14-yard-line as a holding penalty would push them back to their six-yard-line where on 3rd & 18, Pinegar would throw it deep only to have Trojans free safety Brandon Ting intercept the pass to give USC the ball at the Fresno State 45-yard-line.

On the very next snap, Bush would run untouched for a 45-yard touchdown to give USC a 27-21 lead with 10:03 to go in the third quarter.

Things would go from bad to worse for the Bulldogs on the first play of their ensuing possession as Pinegar would be picked off by USC strong safety Darnell Bing to give the Trojans the ball at the Fresno State 32-yard-line.

Five plays later, the Trojans were back in the end zone as Leinart completed a six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Smith to extend USC's lead to 34-21 following the Trojans' third touchdown in a span of three minutes and eight seconds.

After the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, the Bulldogs took over at their 35-yard-line as four straight runs by Mathis gained 34 yards to move Fresno State to the USC 31-yard-line as Pinegar would complete an 11-yard pass to running back Matt Rivera, which was followed by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Pinegar to wide receiver Paul Williams to cut the Trojans' lead to 34-28 with 5:39 left in the third quarter.

The Fresno State defense would then hold the Trojans to a three-and-out as the Bulldogs would get the ball back at the USC 30-yard-line after a 57-yard punt return by Jennings.

Three runs by Mathis for a total of 22 yards would put Fresno State at the USC eight-yard-line with a chance to regain the lead when Pinegar would throw his third interception of the quarter as free safety Scott Ware would pick off the pass at the goal line and run it back 30 yards to the Fresno State 30-yard-line where Leinart and the USC offense would take over.

A 13-yard pass to Bush followed by a pass interference penalty on Fresno State put the Trojans at the Bulldogs' 42-yard-line when Leinart was sacked for an eight-yard loss by Bulldogs defensive end Garrett McIntyre to set up 2nd & 18 from the 50-yard-line.

That is when Bush produced his Heisman moment as he took a handoff from Leinart and run to the left side untouched for 25 yards until he made a juke move at the 25-yard-line and cut back across the field as he would run it in for an amazing 50-yard touchdown which increased the Trojans' lead to 41-28 with 75 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs would drive to inside USC territory on their next possession before punting the ball back to the Trojans who would go three-and-out as a 15-yard return by Jennings on the ensuing punt plus a 15-yard personal foul put Fresno State at the USC 15-yard-line.

It would take the Bulldogs six plays to get into the end zone as Pinegar completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Fernandez to bring Fresno State back to within a touchdown at 41-35 with 9:59 left in the fourth quarter.

Bush would get his hands on the football again on the ensuing kickoff only to fumble the football when he was hit by Bulldogs cornerback Marcus McCauley as defensive back Jason Huss would recover the fumble to give Fresno State the ball at the USC 18-yard-line.

That is when Pinegar handed the ball off to Mathis, who ran untouched into the end zone for the 18-yard touchdown that with the extra point gave Fresno State a 42-41 lead with 9:47 left in the fourth quarter.

Bush would atone for his fumble on the Trojans' ensuing possession which began at their 11-yard-line as Bush would start the drive with two runs totaling 25 yards which was followed by a 43-yard reception to give USC a 1st down at the Fresno State 21-yard-line.

Four plays later, White would punch it in for a two-yard touchdown to give USC a 47-42 lead as the Trojans would go for two after the touchdown, which was unsuccessful as Leinart would throw an incomplete pass to keep the score where at 47-42 with 6:22 left in regulation.

Fresno State would begin its next drive at their 21-yard-line as two plays gained only one yard to set up 3rd & 9 when Pinegar lost the football after a sack by USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson as linebacker Brian Cushing would recover the fumble at the Bulldogs' 15-yard-line to give the Trojans an opportunity to put the game away with a touchdown.

After a seven-yard run by Bush on 1st down, the Fresno State defense would clamper down as they held to Bush to zero yards on his next two carries to force a 26-yard field goal by Danielo which extended the Trojans' lead to 50-42 with 3:06 left in regulation as the Bulldogs would have a chance to drive for a touchdown and convert on a two-point conversion that would tie the game.

Starting at their 28-yard-line, the Bulldogs came out throwing as Pinegar completed a  four-yard pass to Fernandez which was followed by two straight incompletions to set up a do-or-die 4th & 6 when Pinegar threw a screen pass to Rivera that would go for eight yards to give Fresno State a 1st down at their 40-yard-line.

Pinegar would then complete a five-yard pass to Fernandez which was followed by a 30-yard pass to Rivera to put Fresno State at the USC 25-yard-line when Pinegar throw a pass intended for Williams that would be intercepted by Bing at the goal line as the senior defensive back would run the interception back 40 yards to the Fresno State 40-yard-line with 1:20 left in the game.

As Fresno State had no timeouts, Leinart could take two knees to run out the clock as the Trojans would come away with the 50-42 victory, the 33rd straight win for USC as they improved their 2005 record to 11-0 on a night where Bush accounted for 513 yards as he carried the ball 23 times for 294 yards while catching three passes for 68 yards, returning a punt for 16 yards and seven kickoffs for 136 yards.

While the Bulldogs maintained their #16 ranking despite the loss, they never recovered from the heartbreaking loss as they would lose three final games of the season including a 34-21 loss to Tulsa in the Liberty Bowl to finish the season with a 8-5 record and unranked.

As for Bush and the Trojans, they would destroy crosstown rival UCLA 66-19 to clinch a spot in the BCS National Championship Game while Bush would go on to win the Heisman Trophy one week later.

The Trojans would face the Texas Longhorns in the Rose Bowl where their dreams of a third straight national title would be crushed by Heisman runner-up Vince Young's performance as he threw for 267 yards and ran for 200 yards and scored four touchdowns including the game-winner with 19 seconds left in the game to give Texas a 41-38 win for the Longhorns' first national title since 1970(To read about that game, click on the link which is highlighted here: https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2017/09/college-football-old-school-game-of_13.html).

Four years later, the Trojans would be forced to vacate all their wins from the 2005 season after a NCAA investigation found that Bush received improper benefits, including a limousine ride to the 2005 Heisman Trophy ceremony as Bush would also vacate the Heisman Trophy.

However, the NCAA's decision to allow players to make money on their name, image, and likeness or NIL, would lead to Bush being reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner in 2024.

Every Super Bowl Ranked(20 to 1)

Here now is Part 3 of my rankings of every Super Bowl with the 20 best Super Bowls of all time:

 20. XLIV=Saints-31 Colts-17

Down 10-6 as the second half began, Saints head coach Sean Payton made one of the biggest gambles in Super Bowl history as he decided to call for an onside kick on the opening kickoff of the second half.

The Saints recovered the onside kick which led to a touchdown giving them a 13-10 lead, then retaking the lead with 5:42 left in the fourth quarter when quarterback Drew Brees hit Jeremy Shockey for a two-yard touchdown and Lance Moore for the two-point conversion to put New Orleans ahead 24-17.

The Colts appeared on their way to the game-tying touchdown on their ensuing possession until cornerback Tracy Porter stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass and returned it 74 yards for the back-breaking touchdown to give the Saints their first ever world championship.

19. X=Steelers-21 Cowboys-17

The first nine Super Bowls were either blowouts or competitive but boring, but that was not the case with the 10th edition of the game.

The Steelers and the Cowboys played the most exciting Super Bowl up to that point as Pittsburgh, led by Lynn Swann’s four catches for 161 yards, scored 14 straight points in the 4th quarter, culminating with Swann’s 64-yard touchdown catch with over three minutes to play, which seemingly put the game away as Pittsburgh took a 21-10 lead.

But after quarterback Roger Staubach threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Percy Howard just 74 seconds after Swann’s touchdown cut the lead to 21-17, the Cowboys got the ball back at their own 39-yard-line with 1:22 left and a chance to win the game.

However, Staubach could not pull off another “Hail Mary” like he did earlier in the 1975 playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings, as his last pass from the Steelers’ 38-yard-line as time expired was intercepted by Pittsburgh defensive back Glen Edwards to clinch the Steelers’ second straight Super Bowl victory.

18. XLVI=Giants-21 Patriots-17

Four years after their classic encounter in Super Bowl XLII, the Giants and the Patriots met again in another great Super Bowl.

The Patriots held a 17-15 lead with 3:46 to go in the game when Giants quarterback Eli Manning connected with Mario Manningham on a 38-yard pass down the left sideline that helped led to Ahmad Bradshaw’s six-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds left, though he should to stay out of the end zone as the Patriots would have more time to come back and try to score the game-winning touchdown.

New England quarterback Tom Brady got the Patriots to their own 49-yard-line when he fired a Hail Mary pass as time expired, which fell incomplete, just beyond the outstretched arms of tight end Rob Gronkowski, giving the Giants their second Super Bowl title in five years.

17. XIV=Steelers-31 Rams-19

Perhaps the most underrated Super Bowl of all time as this game featured a record six lead changes, the last one coming with 12:04 left in the game when Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw connected with John Stallworth for a 73-yard touchdown pass to give Pittsburgh a 24-19 lead.

Bradshaw and Stallworth would connect again on another long pass, this one for 45 yards, which help led to Franco Harris’ 1-yard touchdown run with under two minutes to go that sealed the Steelers’ fourth Super Bowl title in six years.

16. XLVII=Ravens-34 49ers-31

For the first 31 ½ minutes, this Super Bowl looked like it was going to be of the worst ones in history as the Ravens held a 28-6 lead, until the lights went out in the Superdome, causing a 34-minute stoppage in play.

After the lights came back on, the game took off as the 49ers outscored the Ravens 23-6 and had a 1st-and-goal at the Baltimore seven-yard-line with 2:39 to go and a chance to score the game-winning touchdown.

But the Ravens held the 49ers out of the end zone, though San Francisco fans still feel that wide receiver Michael Crabtree was held on the quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s 4th down incompletion, allowing the Ravens(who gave the 49ers two points when punter Sam Koch ran out of bounds in the end zone to avoid a possible block punt) to give Baltimore the championship as head coach John Harbaugh defeated his brother Jim in the first Super Bowl where the head coaches were brothers.

15. III=Jets-16 Colts-7

The Jets pulled off the greatest upset in Super Bowl history and fulfilled quarterback Joe Namath’s

“Guarantee” of New York knocking off the 18-point favorite Baltimore Colts to give the AFL its first win in the Super Bowl.

The game itself was actually kinda of dull as the Jets controlled much of the game as they forced five turnovers and held a 16-0 lead early in the 4th quarter when Johnny Unitas, who had taken over for an ineffective Earl Morrall, tried to rally the Colts but could only lead his time to one touchdown as the Jets become the world champions.

14. XIII=Steelers-35 Cowboys-31

Three years after their memorable encounter in Super Bowl X, the Steelers and the Cowboys produced another Super Bowl classic.

The game featured a wild first half in which Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw broke the record for most touchdown passes thrown in a Super Bowl as he threw three, two of them to John Stallworth, which included one for 75 yards as Pittsburgh took a 21-14 lead into the halftime break.

The game was still 21-14 in favor of Pittsburgh when Dallas had a 3rd-and-3 at the Steelers’ 10-yard-line when Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach threw a perfect strike to a wide open Jackie Smith in the end zone, only to have Smith drop the sure touchdown, forcing Dallas to settle for a field goal.

The Steelers seemed to put the game away in the 4th quarter when they scored two touchdowns in 13 seconds to increase their lead to 35-17, only to have Staubach and the Cowboys rally for two touchdowns to cut the margin to 35-31 with 22 seconds left when Steelers running back Rocky Bleier recovered the Cowboys’ onside kick attempt, sealing Pittsburgh’s third Super Bowl title.

13. LVIII-Chiefs-25 49ers-22 (OT)

For the third time in five years, the Chiefs came back from a 10-point deficit to win the Super Bowl, this time prevailing in a rematch with the 49ers in the longest Super Bowl ever played.

The 49ers jumped out to a 10-0 second quarter lead until the Chiefs scored 13 unanswered points with quarterback Patrick Mahomes throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Vandes Scantling late in the third quarter.

The 49ers would retake the lead early in the fourth quarter when Brock Purdy threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings only to have the extra point blocked, allowing for the Chiefs to tie the game with a 24-yard field goal by Harrison Butker on Kansas City's ensuing possession.

The two teams would exchange field goals in the final two minutes of regulation to send the Super Bowl into overtime for only the second time in history.

The 49ers would get the ball first as they drove 66 yards in 12 plays to set up Jake Moody's 24-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 22-19 lead as Mahomes and the Chiefs would get the ball with a chance to win the game.

Mahomes would complete all eight of his passes on the drive for 42 yards while running 27 yards on two carries on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with the Chiefs quarterback throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman with three seconds left in the overtime period to give Kansas City its second straight Lombardi trophy and third in five years.

12. XXXVIII=Patriots-32 Panthers-29

This game was expected to be a defensive struggle until the final 3:05 of the first half when both teams combined for 24 points with the Patriots holding on to a 14-10 lead at halftime.

There was no more scoring until the second play of the 4th quarter when Patriots running back Antowain Smith scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to extend New England’s lead to 21-10.

That touchdown began a wild 4th quarter that saw a combined 37 points and 430 yards of total offense between the two teams, including the longest touchdown pass in Super Bowl history, an 85-yarder from Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme to Muhsin Muhammad.

But after Delhomme threw the game-tying touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl with 1:05 left in regulation, Panthers kicker John Kasay kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving Tom Brady and the Patriots the ball at their own 40-yard-line, where they drove to the Panthers’ 24-yard-line to set up Adam Vinatieri’s 41-yard field goal with five seconds left, which provided the winning margin and gave New England its second Super Bowl title in three years.

11. XXIII=49ers-20 Bengals-16

It seemed like no one was going to get into the end zone as the game was tied 6-6 with 50 seconds left in the third quarter when the Bengals’ Stanford Jennings returned a kickoff 93 yards for the game’s first touchdown, which was followed by the 49ers’ Jerry Rice, who caught 11 passes for 215 yards, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown reception just 91 seconds after Jennings’ touchdown to tie the game once again.

Then after Jim Breech kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 16-13 lead with 3:20 left in regulation, 49ers quarterback Joe Montana led his team on a 11-play, 92-yard drive which culminated with Montana hitting John Taylor for the game-winning touchdown, a 10-yard pass with 34 seconds left to give San Francisco its third Super Bowl title.

10. XXXVI=Patriots-20 Rams-17

Before they became the “Evil Empire” of the NFL, the New England Patriots were the loveable underdog who bucked Super Bowl tradition and chose to be introduced as a team when they entered their matchup with the two-touchdown favorite St.Louis Rams.

The Patriots converted three Ram turnovers into 17 points as they held a 17-3 lead as the 4th quarter began until St. Louis struck back with 14 unanswered points, the last coming on a 26-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kurt Warner to Ricky Proehl with 90 seconds left in regulation that with Jeff Wilkins’ extra point tied the game at 17.

Broadcaster John Madden suggested the Patriots run out the clock and play for overtime when they got the ball back at their own 17-yard-line with 1:21 to go, but New England drove down the field as they went 53 yards in eight plays to set up Adam Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots their first ever NFL championship.

9. LVII=Chiefs-38 Eagles-35

Things did not look good for the Chiefs as the first half came to an end as they trailed the  Eagles 24-14 after allowing 265 yards of total offense as Philadelphia held the ball for nearly 22 minutes.

Even worse, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes limped into the locker room after reaggravating a high ankle sprain.

Mahomes would play through the injury as he would complete 13 of 14 passes in the second half and throw two touchdown passes as the Chiefs came from behind to win the game on a 27-yard field goal by Harrison Butker with eight seconds to go which was set up by a key 26-yard scramble by Mahomes and a controversial holding call on Eagles cornerback James Bradbury on 3rd & 8 at the Philadelphia 15-yard-line.

8. LII=Eagles-41 Patriots-33

Super Bowl LII resembled an Arena football game as it set the record for most combined yards of total offense in any game in NFL history as the Eagles and Patriots combined for 1,151 yards of total offense and only one combined punt.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady broke his own Super Bowl record for most passing yards as well as most passing yards in a postseason as he threw for 505 yards on 28-of-48 passes and threw three touchdown passes.

But Brady lost this epic duel to Nick Foles, who had taken over the Eagles’ starting quarterback job with in the 14th game of the season after starter Carson Wentz was lost with a torn ACL, as the backup was named MVP as he completed 28 of 43 passes for 370 yards and threw three touchdowns, including what turned out to be the game-winner, a 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz with 2:21 left in the game.

Foles also became the first quarterback to catch a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl as he caught a one-yard touchdown pass from tight end Trey Burton on a 4th-and-goal with 34 seconds left in the first half.

However, the game was not decided until the final play when Brady’s Hail Mary attempt from midfield fell incomplete as time expired, giving the Eagles their first NFL championship in 57 years.

7. XXXII=Broncos-31 Packers-24

Broncos quarterback John Elway finally got his first Super Bowl title in his 15th NFL season and fourth Super Bowl appearance as Denver upset the defending Super Bowl champion Packers, thanks in large part to running back Terrell Davis’ 157 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries, despite missing most of the second quarter with a migraine headache.

But it was Elway who made the game’s most memorable play as he dove for a 1st down and did a 90-degree spin as he was hit while diving for the 1st down mark.

That play became known as “The Helicopter” and set up Davis’ second touchdown run of the game, who then scored the game-winning touchdown when Packers head coach Mike Holmgren instructed his defense to let the Broncos score with 1:45 left in regulation, to give his offense enough time to try and send the game into overtime.

The gamble did not pay off as quarterback Brett Favre drove the Packers to the Denver 31-yard-line until Green Bay turned it over on downs as Favre’s 4th down pass was knocked down by Broncos linebacker John Mobley, sealing Denver’s first Super Bowl title.

6. XXV=Giants-20 Bills-19

The Bills and the Giants provided fans across the country a needed distraction from “Operation Desert Storm” with one of the best Super Bowls ever.

The heavily-favored Bills held a 12-3 lead midway through the second quarter when the Giants put together a 14-play, 87-yard drive which ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Hostetler to Stephen Baker with 25 seconds left before halftime to cut the lead to 12-10, which was followed by a 14-play, 75-yard drive to start the second half which took 9:29 off the clock and culminated with one-yard touchdown run by Ottis Anderson to give New York a 17-12 lead.

The Bills retook the lead on the first play of the 4th quarter on a 31-yard touchdown run by Thurman Thomas, which the Giants responded with another long drive, this one for 74 yards on 13 plays which used up 7 ½ minutes and ended with a 21-yard field goal by Matt Bahr to give the Giants the lead once again.

With 2:16 to go in the game, the Bills took over at their own 10-yard-line and drove to the Giants’ 29-yard-line, giving kicker Scott Norwood a chance to win the game with a 47-yard field goal with eight seconds left.

While Norwood’s kick was long enough, it sailed wide right, giving the Lombardi Trophy to the Giants and handing the Bills the first of their four straight Super Bowl losses.

5. XLIX=Patriots-28 Seahawks-24

No team had even won a Super Bowl when trailing in the 4th quarter by 10 points, but Patriots quarterback Tom Brady went 13-of-15 for 124 yards and threw two touchdown passes, the last one a three-yarder to Julian Edelman with 2:06 to play, giving New England a 28-24 lead.

However, it looked like the Seahawks were on their way to their second straight Super Bowl title when Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson connected with Jermaine Kearse for a 33 yards on pass that slipped through the hands of Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler and onto the legs of Kearse, where he tipped it back to himself to make the catch and give Seattle a 1st-and-goal at the Patriots’ five-yard-line with 1:05 to play.

But after Marshawn Lynch picked up four yards on 1st down, Butler atoned for his mistake when he intercepted Wilson’s 2nd pass intended for Drew Lockette, securing New England’s fourth Super Bowl championship.

4. XXXIV=Rams-23 Titans-16

This game could have easily been a blowout as the Rams outgained the Titans 294-89 in the 1st half but had to settle for three field goals and a 9-0 halftime lead.

After the Rams finally got in the end zone when quarterback Kurt Warner hit Torry Holt for a nine-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to extend the lead to 16-0, the Titans took over the game as they outgained the Rams 173 to -4 and scored 16 unanswered points to tie the game with 2:12 to play in regulation on Al Del Greco’s 43-yard field goal.

But on the first play from scrimmage after Del Greco’s field goal, Warner hit Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown pass to put the Rams back in front 23-16 with 1:54 remaining.

However, this gave the Titans a chance to send the game into overtime as they drove from their own 12-yard-line to the Rams’ 10-yard-line when with six seconds to go, quarterback Steve McNair connected with Kevin Dyson on a slant pass, only to have Dyson be tackled by Rams linebacker Mike Jones, one yard short of the end zone as the clock run out, giving the Rams their first Super Bowl title.

3. XLIII=Steelers-27 Cardinals-23

Two of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history happened in this Super Bowl, both courtesy of the Steelers.

The first play happened with 18 seconds left in the first half as the Cardinals, who were trailing 10-7, were on the verge of taking the lead with the ball at the one-yard-line, when Steelers linebacker James Harrison intercepted Kurt Warner’s pass, and though dodged numerous tackles to run the pick all the way back for a 100-yard touchdown to increase the Steelers’ lead to 17-7 at halftime.

The Cardinals would come back to score 16 straight points, the last of which coming on Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard touchdown reception to give Arizona a 23-20 lead with 2:37 left in regulation.

The Steelers would get the ball back at their 22-yard-line, but were pushed back to their 12-yard-line after a holding penalty when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger began a drive that would lead the Steelers to the Cardinals’ six-yard-line, setting up the second classic play.

Roethlisberger threw a pass toward the right corner of the end zone where wide receiver Santonio Holmes extended his legs to make the catch before falling out of bounds for what would be the game-winning touchdown with 35 seconds left, giving the Steelers a record sixth Super Bowl championship.

2. LI=Patriots-34 Falcons-28(OT)

After Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to running back Tevin Coleman to give Atlanta a 28-3 lead with 8:31 left in the third quarter, it looked like Super Bowl LI was all but over.

But that is when Patriots quarterback Tom Brady caught fire as he completed 21 of 27 passes for 234 yards and threw two touchdown passes to help the lead Patriots back from 25 points down to force the first overtime in Super Bowl when after running back James White scored on a one-yard touchdown run, which was followed by a two-point conversion pass from Brady to Danny Amendola with 57 seconds left in regulation.

The Patriots won the overtime coin toss and drove 75 yards in eight plays, with Brady completing five of six passes for 50 yards on the drive which ended with a two-yard touchdown run by White to complete the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.

1. XLII=Giants-17 Patriots-14

When you have one of the greatest upsets of all time and probably the greatest play in Super Bowl history in the same game, then that game is the best Super Bowl of all time.

The Patriots were looking to become the first team since the 1972 Dolphins to go a season undefeated, but their high-powered offense, which had scored 589 points during the regular season, was held in check, thanks to the Giants’ ferocious pass rush as New England scored only one touchdown through the first three quarters, but held onto a 7-3 lead.

The Giants would take the lead with 11:05 left in the 4th quarter when quarterback Eli Manning found wide receiver David Tyree for a five-yard touchdown, but relinquished the lead with 2:42 to go when Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hit Randy Moss for a six-yard touchdown to put New England ahead 14-10.

The Giants began their ensuing possession at their own 17-yard-line and were at their own 44-yard-line where they faced a 3rd-and-5, when the greatest play in Super Bowl history happened.

Manning took the snap and looked like he was going to be sacked by three Patriot defenders, only to have Manning escape the rush and scramble to his right, where he fired a pass downfield for Tyree, who was able to make the catch with one hand pinned to his helmet and Patriots safety Rodney Harrison draped all over for a 32-yard gain and a 1st down at the New England 24-yard-line.

The play would become known as the “Helmet Catch” and would lead to Manning’s game-winning 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left, that gave the Giants the win and denied the Patriots a chance at immorality.

For Part 1 or 60-41 of the list, click on the link which is highlighted here: https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/every-super-bowl-ranked60-to-41.html

For Part 2 or 40-21 of the list, click on the link which is highlighted here: https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/every-super-bowl-ranked40-to-21.html

Every Super Bowl Ranked(40 to 21)

 

This is Part 2 of my rankings of every Super Bowl from worst to first, with games 40-21:

40. LIII=Patriots-13 Rams-3

One year after playing in the second highest scoring Super Bowl ever, the Patriots partake in the lowest scoring Super Bowl as New England and Los Angeles combine for 16 points and only one touchdown.

Despite the lack of fireworks, the game is tight throughout as Patriots running back Sony Michel's two-yard touchdown run breaks a 3-3 tie midway through the fourth quarter as the Rams drive to the New England 27-yard-line on their ensuing possession, only for it to end in an interception by Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore that New England converts into a field goal to put the game away.

39. XXII=Redskins-42 Broncos-10

It looked like this game was going to be a blowout as the Broncos jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the 1st quarter.

The game would be a blowout, but it would be the Redskins who would be blowing out the Broncos, thanks to their record 35-point 2nd quarter that saw quarterback Doug Williams, the first African-American quarterback to start a Super Bowl, complete nine of 11 passes for 228 yards and throw four touchdowns, two of those going to Ricky Sanders who caught four passes for 161 yards in the quarter while running back Timmy Smith ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on just five carries as the Redskins racked up 356 yards of offense in the 2nd quarter on only 18 plays.

Smith finished with a record 204 yards as he scored the only touchdown of the second half.

38. I=Packers-35 Chiefs-10

In the first game between a team from the American Football League(Chiefs) and the National Football League(Packers), the Packers held a tedious 14-10 lead at halftime as they were outgained 181-164 on offense, leading NFL director of player relations Buddy Young to be quotes in the press box as saying “Old age and heat are going to get the Packers in the second half” (The game was played in 72 degree Los Angeles).

However, the “old” Packers rose up when on the fourth play of the second half, Green Bay defensive back Willie Wood intercepted a pass from Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson and returning 50 yards to the Kansas City five-yard-line setting up a five-yard touchdown run by Elijah Pitts and beginning a run of 21 unanswered points as the Packers become winners of the very first Super Bowl.

37. 50=Broncos-24 Panthers-10

Despite gaining only 194 yards of total offense, the Broncos upset the one-loss Carolina Panthers, thanks to their defense which sacked quarterback Cam Newton seven times, tying a Super Bowl record, and forcing four turnovers, the last one a fumble on another Newton sack, that set up C.J. Anderson’s two-yard touchdown run with 3:08 remaining that along with Peyton Manning’s successful pass on the two-point conversion allowed for Manning to end his career with a 2nd Super Bowl title.

36. IX=Steelers-16 Vikings-6

Even though the “Steel Curtain” defense dominated the game as they allowed the fewest yards of total offense in a Super Bowl with 119 yards, permitted only nine 1st downs(another Super Bowl record), and not allowing an offensive touchdown(the Vikings got a touchdown after recovering a blocked punt) the Steelers could not put the Vikings away until 3:31 remaining in the game when quarterback Terry Bradshaw connected with tight end Larry Brown for a four-yard touchdown that would seal the first of four Super Bowl titles in six years for Pittsburgh.

35. VII=Dolphins-14 Redskins-7

The Miami Dolphins completed their undefeated season in the second lowest scoring Super Bowl of all time but included one of the most legendary plays in Super Bowl history when after having his 42-yard field goal attempt blocked, which if successful would have given Miami a 17-0 lead to complete a 17-0 season, Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian picked up the loose ball and tried to throw a pass, only to have the ball slip out of his hands and have Yepremian bounce the ball into the hands of the Redskins’ Mike Bass, who returned the fumble as it was ruled 49 yards for a touchdown to make it a 14-7 game with 2:07 to go in the game.

The Redskins would get one last chance to send the game into overtime but could not move the ball as the Dolphins completed their perfect season.

34. XXI=Giants-39 Broncos-20

For a while, it looked like the Broncos were going to pull off a major upset as they led 10-7 midway through the second quarter and had a 1st-and-goal.

But the Giants defense held Denver out of the end zone and after Rich Karlis missed a 23-yard field goal, the wheels began to fall off for the Broncos as the Giants would cut the lead to 10-9 on a safety before halftime and then score 30 2nd half points behind the right arm of quarterback Phil Simms, who would complete all 10 of his passes in the 2nd half on his way to a 22-of-25 for 268 yards and three touchdowns, to lead the Giants to their first NFL title in 30 years.

33. IV=Chiefs-23 Vikings-7

When the AFL’s New York Jets upset the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, some football experts thought it was a fluke and that the Vikings were to restore the NFL’s superiority over the AFL as they were nearly two-touchdown favorites over the Chiefs.

However, the Chiefs would prove the Jets’ win wasn’t a fluke as they would go to win the final game played as an AFL team as the AFL-NFL merger would go into effect the following season.

This Super Bowl is more memorable not for the play on the field, but for the fact that Chiefs head coach Hank Stram wearing a microphone during the game and putting phrases like “Just keep matriculating the ball down the field” and “65 Toss Power Trap” into the lexicons of NFL fans.

32. XXVIII=Cowboys-30 Bills-13

In their fourth straight Super Bowl appearance, the Bills went into the halftime break with a 13-6 lead and would get the ball to start the second half.

But on the second play of the half, Dallas defensive tackle Leon Lett atoned for his blunder the fumble that was recovered by defensive back James Washington, who returned it 46 yards for the game-tying touchdown.

From there, the Cowboys took over the game as they would score 17 more points with running back Emmitt Smith leading the way as he carried the ball 20 times for 91 yards and scored two touchdowns in the second half to lead Dallas to its second straight Super Bowl championship and hand Buffalo its fourth straight Super Bowl loss.

31. XLI=Colts-29 Bears-17

For fans of bad-weather football games, this was the game for you as it rained throughout the entire game, helping produce a combined eight turnovers between the two teams.

Still, this Super Bowl had perhaps the greatest start to any Super Bowl ever as Devin Hester returned the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown to give the Bears a 7-0 lead.

However, the Colts would take control as they would outgain Chicago 430-265 but it would take Kelvin Hayden’s 56-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter, to help secure the Colts’ first Super Bowl championship in 36 years.

30. XL=Steelers-21 Seahawks-10

This Super Bowl is most remembered for the controversial officiating which included the a Seattle touchdown being negated by a pass interference call on Seattle wide receiver Darrell Jackson, a one-yard touchdown run by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger though replays could not determine whether the ball crossed the plank, and a holding call on Seahawks tackle Sean Locklear that nullified a 18-yard pass that would have given Seattle at the Steelers’ one-yard-line with a 1st-and-goal.

But the game did feature two memorable plays in Super Bowl history; Steelers running back Willie Parker’s record-breaking 75-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second half and Pittsburgh wide receiver Antwaan Randle El’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward midway through the 4th quarter to help pave the way for the Steelers to win their first Super Bowl in 26 years.

The game was punctuated by veteran Steelers running back Jerome Bettis announcing his retirement after finally winning the Lombardi Trophy.

29. XXXIX=Patriots-24 Eagles-21

The Patriots won their third Super Bowl in four years, again by the margin of three points, as MVP Deion Branch led the way for New England with 11 catches for 133 yards while Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards, just seven weeks after breaking his right fibula.

28. XXX=Cowboys-27 Steelers-17

The third time was the charm for the Cowboys as they defeated the Steelers in a Super Bowl after two heartbreaking losses in the 1970s.

But the win did not come without any drama as the Steelers controlled the game in the second half as they outgained the Cowboys 201-61 on offense and used a surprise onside kick to set up Bam Morris’ one-yard touchdown run to bring Pittsburgh to within three points.

But two costly interceptions by Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell, both picked off by Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown, was the difference in the game as Brown’s two long returns set up Dallas’ two touchdowns in the second half, giving the Cowboys their third Super Bowl title in four years.

27. XVI=49ers-26 Bengals-21

The 49ers appeared to be in great shape as they jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead, which was then the largest halftime lead in Super Bowl history.

However, the Bengals would score a touchdown on the opening possession of the second half and then had a 1st-and-goal at the 49ers’ three-yard-line with a chance to trim the lead.

But the 49ers held the Bengals out of the end zone as they stopped Cincinnati running back Pete Johnson on 4th-and-goal from the one-yard-line.

Twice in the second half, the Bengals would pull to within a touchdown, but could never take the lead as the 49ers won the first of their four Super Bowl titles in the 1980s.

26. XXXI=Packers-35 Patriots-21

This was one of the more entertaining Super Bowls as both teams combined for a record 24 1st quarter points with Packers quarterback Brett Favre throwing a 54-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison, and Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe throwing two long pass completions to set up both of New England’s touchdowns in the 1st 15 minutes.

The fireworks would continue as Favre connected with Antonio Freeman on a 81-yard touchdown pass in the 2nd quarter and then Desmond Howard, returning a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown after the Patriots had pulled to within a touchdown when Curtis Martin ran in for a 18-yard touchdown.

After Howard’s touchdown return, the Packers sealed the game and their first Super Bowl title as defensive end Reggie White set a Super Bowl record by sacking Bledsoe three times, the most sacks in a Super Bowl.

25. XLV=Packers-31 Steelers-25

The Packers jumped out to a 21-3 lead, only to have the Steelers climb back with two straight touchdowns to bring them within four points at 21-17, when Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews knocked the ball out of the hands of Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Packers on the first play of the fourth quarter.

This lead to a eight-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings to extending the lead to 28-17

The Steelers fought back to cut the lead to three points and got a chance to drive for the game-winning touchdown but could not drive past their own 33-yard-line, allowing for the Packers to win their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history.

24. XVII=Redskins-27 Dolphins-17

If you look at the stat sheet, you would think that the Redskins would have won this game easily as they outgained the Dolphins 400-176 and held Miami to just nine 1st downs.

But a 76-yard touchdown pass from David Woodley to Jimmy Cefalo, a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Fulton Walker, and two second half interceptions of Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, gave Miami a 17-13 lead with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter when Washington running back John Riggins made his legendary 43-yard touchdown run on a 4th &1 to give the Redskins their first lead of the game, which they would never relinquished as they added another touchdown with under two minutes to go to clinch Washington’s first NFL championship in 40 years.

23. LVI=Rams-23 Bengals-20

The Los Angeles Rams got a Hollywood ending as they were able to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium with a magnificent drive in the final minutes of the game.

Trailing 20-16 with 6:13 to go in the 4th quarter, the Rams had the ball at their 21-yard-line when they put together a 15-play, 79-yard drive as quarterback Matthew Stafford completed seven of 11 passes for 57 yards on the drive with four of those completions going to eventual MVP Cooper Kupp including the go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:25 left in regulation.

The Bengals would drive to the Rams' 49-yard-line until LA defensive tackle Aaron Donald made two huge plays as he tackled running back Samaje Perine for no gain on 3rd & 1, then pressured quarterback Joe Burrow into an incomplete pass on 4th down to seal the win for the Rams.

22. V=Colts-16 Cowboys-13

This game become known as the “Blunder Bowl” for its poor quality of play as both teams combined for 11 turnovers(a Super Bowl record) and 14 penalties, but the come was close throughout and wasn’t decided until the final seconds when Colts linebacker Mike “Mad Dog” Curtis intercepted a pass from Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton, to set up Jim O'Brien's game-winning 32-yard field goal with five seconds left to give the Colts the world championship.

21. LIV=Chiefs-31 49ers-20

Down 20-10 with 8:32 left in the 4th quarter, the Chiefs catch fire and score 21 consecutive points to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads Kansas City to third straight postseason victory when trailing by 10 or more points as he completes eight of 12 passes for 118 yards and throws two touchdowns with the second one being a five-yarder to running back Damien Williams to give KC a 24-20 lead with 2:44 left in the game.

Then after forcing the 49ers to turn it over on downs, Williams runs for a 38-yard touchdown to ice the game and give head coach Andy Reid his first Super Bowl title in his 21st season as a NFL head coach.

For Part 1 or 60-41 of the list, click on the link which is highlighted here: https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/every-super-bowl-ranked60-to-41.html

For Part 3 or 20-1 of the list, click on the link which is highlighted here: https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/every-super-bowl-ranked20-to-1.html