Top 10 Games of 2007

After realizing that ESPN was going to be running a show titled 'Top 10 Games of 2007', I figured I would see if I could predict what they believe are the Top 10 Games of the past year. After lots of debate with myself, I finally wound the list down to the Top 10 games of 2007, even though there are 2 and a half weeks remaining this year, so without further ado here is my list.

Honorable Mention: Padraig Harrington/Sergio Garcia The Open Championship, Week 9 NFL New England Patriots/Indianapolis Colts Both Undefeated, Vancouver Canucks/Dallas Stars Game 1 First Round 4 OT, Kentucky Wildcats/LSU Tigers 3 OT, VCU Rams/Duke Blue Devils 1st Round NCAA Upset, Vanderbilt Commodores/Washington State Cougars 2nd Round NCAA 2 OT, Novak Djokovic/Radek Stepanek 2nd Round US Open 5 hour Match, Stanford Cardinal/USC Trojans Upset, New England Patriots/San Diego Chargers AFC Div Championship

NUMBER 10: November 23rd, Arkansas Razorbacks 50 LSU Tigers 48, 3 OT
With LSU looking towards a BCS National Championship, and Arkansas having to only play for pride, this game seemed like it would never end. LSU was coming off a 3 OT loss earlier this season to Kentucky, and had seemed to turn it around since and were on track for a National Championship visit.

The first half of the game was a non story, as LSU kicked 2 field goals in the 1st quarter and Arkansas scored a TD in the 2nd quarter for all the scoring. Then in the 2nd Half the scoring came and did not stop. The teams exchanged 3 TD's in the 2nd Half starting with Darren McFadden 's 73 yard run, and ending with Matt Flynn's 2 yard TD pass to Demetrius Byrd.

The game took a turn to crazy in the OT's as the teams were scoring at will into the 3rd OT where the teams by rule have to go for the 2 point conversion. Peyton Hillis scored four TDs, the last in the third overtime, and Felix Jones ran for the critical 2-point conversion for Arkansas to make it 50-42. Flynn came back to throw his 3rd TD of the game in the 3rd OT, and LSU had to go for the game tying 2 point conversion. Arkansas' Matterral Richardson intercepted Flynn's final pass of the game to clinch the upset victory of #1 LSU.

NUMBER 9: March 23rd, Ohio State 85 Tennessee 84, Sweet Sixteen
Ohio State, the 1 seed in the bracket, was able to hold off Tennessee, the 5 seed in an epic comeback that carried the Buckeyes to the elite eight and ultimatley NCAA Finals. Tennessee led 49-29 in the final minute of the first half before a three-point play from David Lighty in the final second before halftime.

The Buckeyes came out in the 2nd Half with a 16-5 run to cut the deficit as they tried to work their way back into the game. Ron Lewis fueled the comeback scoring 18 of his 25 points in the 2nd half, and Ohio State finally tied the game at 64. After exchanging baskets for a few minutes, David Lightly hit a 3 pointer to tie the game at 79 with 2:44 left, and Ohio State would never lose the lead after that.

With 6.5 seconds left, Mike Conley Jr. hit 1 of 2 free throws to take a 85-84 lead, leaving Tennessee one last chance to win the game. Ramar Smith grabbed the rebound from the missed free throw and went all the way to the rim with Conley defending him, and as time expired Greg Oden blocked a potential game winning shot to preserve the win.

NUMBER 8: January 16th, Oklahoma State 105 Texas 103, 3 OT
In the most exciting regular season college basketball game in years, Mario Boggan was able to get the best of Freshman star Kevin Durant. Boggan set career highs with 37 points and 20 rebounds and hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left in the third overtime to lift the Cowboys over the Longhorns. Oklahoma State had a 3 point lead going into the half, and throughout the 2nd Half neither team could take a large lead to run away with the game.

Oklahoma State scored the first five points of the third overtime but Texas tied the game at 100 on Connor Atchley's 3-pointer from the left corner. A.J. Abrams drove the lane, and Durant was able to grab his missed runner and put it back while getting fouled by David Monds, and he stepped to the line and made his free throw to give Texas a one point lead before Boggan's 3 to win the game.

NUMBER 7: July 8th, Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal, 7-6(9-7), 4-6, 7-6(7-3), 2-6, 6-2, Wimbledon Finals
In what was another record breaking year for Federer, he had to outlast Rafael Nadal in this classic match between the 2 highest ranked players in Men's Tennis. The first two sets were split by the two players. Federer won the first in a tie breaker where he won the set by 7-6,
which was 56 minutes long. The second went in favor of Rafael Nadal where he won the set by 4-6 in just 40 minutes.

The third set went to Roger Federer as he won 7-6 again in a tie breaker lasting 54 minutes. Similarly to the first two sets, the fourth set was won by Rafael Nadal with the score 2-6 which took only 37 minutes. Then it was the deciding set, which Federer won with the score of 6-2. Federer came through by winning the tiebreak in the first and third sets, and faced four break points before victory in the final set.

NUMBER 6: August 26th, Warner Robins, GA 3 Tokyo, Japan 2, 8 Innings, Little League World Series Finals
Although it was not a profesional event, it still was one of the most exciting games during the 2007 season. Leading 1-0, Japan added a run in the second inning after Masaya Ogino squeaked a bouncer up the middle that went off starter Keaton Allen with the bases loaded. Georgia reliever Kendall Scott than precedated to stike out 10 and allow one hit over five-plus innings to quiet Japan's bats after taking the early 2-0 lead.

Warner Robins was able to fight back on the biggest stage for Little League Baseball, and they tied the game with a little luck. Keaton Allen's check-swing double went all the way to the warning track in centerfield, and tied the game in the bottom of the second for Warner Robins.

The game was gridlocked for the next five and a half innings, as the game rolled along into extra innings, as Little League only plays 6 innings. After holding Tokyo in the top of the 8th, Georgia came up to bat looking to make something happen. Dalton Carriker hit a 2-1 pitch over the right-field wall from Japan's Junsho Kiuchi for the walk-off victory for Georgia.

NUMBER 5: September 1st, Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32
In what is now known as the biggest upset in College Football history, the Division 1-AA Appalachian State Mountaineers beat the number five ranked team in Division 1-A. Michigan started as they expected to, leading 14-7 after the 1st quarter with Mike Hart and Greg Matthews scoring TDs. Than the Mountaineers took over and scored 21 straight points before Michigan kicked a FG at the end of the half to cut the lead to 28-17.

After App. State's FG midway through the 3rd quarter, Mike Hart returned from a thigh injury during the game for the Wolverines, and scored a TD. After failing on the 2 point conversion, Michigan trailed 31-26 going into the 4th quarter. With 4:36 remaining in the game, Hart ran for 54 yards and a TD, but the 2 point conversion failed again, and the Wolverines took a 32-31 lead.

Michigan's Brandent Englemon intercepted the ensuing Mountaineers possession, and with 1:37 left, Michigan lined up for a FG, but it was blocked and Appalachian State gained possession. Throwing through the swiss cheese defense of Michigan, Armanti Edwards got the Mountaineers into position for a game winning FG, which they made with 26 seconds left to take a 34-32 lead. On the 2nd play for Michigan after the Appalachian State's FG, Mario Manningham caught a 46 yard pass to set up a 37 yard FG attempt. Just when it looked like Michigan would win the game, Appalachian State blocked the FG, and pulled off the upset.

NUMBER 4: May 31st, Cleveland Cavaliers 109 Detroit Pistons 107, 2OT, East Finals
Lebron James entered all out superstar status after leading the Cavs in double overtime, as they stunned the Pistons on their home court, which lead to an 0-2 comeback and a trip to the NBA Finals. In a close game throughout, Detroit held a 1 point lead at the half, until James took over the game like no one else in the NBA ever has.

Scoring a playoff career-high 48 points, to go along with 9 rebounds and 7 assists, James scored the Cavaliers' final 25 points of the game and 29 of the final 30. The Pistons blew a seven-point lead with 3:15 left in regulation during Lebron's run as the game headed into 2 OTs as, James shot an airball just before the shot clock expired with 6.6 seconds left in the first overtime that gave Detroit a chance to force another period.

The problem for Detroit was that Lebron was too hot to handle, and scored all 18 of the Cavs points in overtime, and the Cavs held on to win the game, and ultimately the series with their superstar leading the way.

NUMBER 3: January 21st, Indianapolis Colts 38 New England Patriots 34, AFC Championship Game
In a game that saw two offensive linemen score TDs, and three linemen all together scored TDs, Peyton Manning and the Colts were able to overcome an early deficit to beat the Patriots and go to the Super Bowl. The Colts were out of sync in the first half, as they fell behind with a lack of the defensive power that they showed in the first two playoff games they played. After Asante Samuel returned a Peyton Manning interception return for a TD, Indy found themselves down 21-3 with nine minutes remaining in the first half.

The Colts managed a FG before the 2nd half started and were down 21-6 beginning the half. The Colts then came out firing in the 2nd half and were able to tie the game before the Patriots knew it. Manning ran for a 1 yard TD, and Dan Klecko caught a TD from Manning for the second score. On the second TD, Marvin Harrison scored on a pass for the 2 point conversion, and tie the game at 21.

The teams exchanged TDs and FG's and with 13:24 left in the game, the score was 31-31 and the Patriots had the ball. After the drive stalled, Stephen Gostkoswki kicked a FG for New England, and with 2:17 left in the 4th Indy had the ball and was down 34-31. Manning took the ball and after 3 big plays to move the ball down the field, Joseph Addai scored on a 3 yard run to give the Colts their first lead of the game 38-34 with exactly 1:00 remaining. In what ended as the biggest comeback in conference championship history, Tom Brady threw an interception on his 4th play on his last drive to seal the win for the Colts.

NUMBER 2: October 1st, Colorado Rockies 9 San Diego Padres 8, 13 innings.
This game was played only because of the tie for the Wild Card between the two teams, and forced this 163rd game of the season for both teams. Colorado came into this game winning 13 of their last 14 just to get in this position. San Diego put Cy Young Jake Peavy on the mound to face the Rockies, but the Rockies did not care who they were going against. They scored 3 runs in the 1st 2 innings for a 3-0 lead early on. The Padres answered though with a grand slam from Adrian Gonzalez, and San Diego was able to take a 5-3 lead after the 3rd inning.

The Rockies, like always, were able to fight back and take a 6-5 lead after the 6th inning, even after an apparent home run by Garrett Atkins of the Rockies was ruled a ground-rule double and kept the difference at 1 run. Just when the Rockies thought they were ready to celebrate, LF Matt Holliday misplayed a Brian Giles liner in the Top of the 8th, and allowed the game tying run to score.

After four innings of no runs and little action, San Diego's Scott Hairston hit a 2 run homer off Jorge Julio to give the Padres an 8-6 lead with all-time Saves leader Trevor Hoffman waiting in the bullpen. This season though, was Colorado's, and they didn't care what pitcher or team they were facing. The first three batters of the bottom of the 13th got extra-base hits, the last being a triple by Matt Holliday to tie the game at 8. After an intentional walk to Todd Helton, fielding replacement Jamey Carroll hit a shallow flyball to Brian Giles in rightfield. Holliday chose to run on Giles, and on a very questionable call, slid headfirst past Michael Barrett for the win and to clinch the Rockies 2nd playoff appearance.

NUMBER 1: January 1st, Boise State 43 Oklahoma 42, OT, Fiesta Bowl
In what should be a no brainer, the game of the year was definitely this crazy game from the first day of the year. Skipping ahead to the 2nd half, Boise St. led OK 21-10 at halftime of what was going to become a classic. Marty Tadman scored on an interception return to give Boise St a 28-10 lead in what looked like an easy upset victory for the Broncos.

But Adrian Peterson and the Sooners had different thoughts on the game, and fought back immediatley with a TD run at the end of the 3rd quarter and a FG early in the 4th to cut the lead to 28-20. The remaining parts of the game are hard to describe through words, and by now most people have seen what happened, but here goes.

Sooner WR Quentin Chaney caught a tipped 5 yard TD pass from quarterback Paul Thompson with 1:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, and scored on the two point conversion on their third attempt, because of penalties, to tie the game up at 28. After the ensuing kickoff, on the next play from scrimmage, Boise State quarterback Jared Zabransky was intercepted by Marcus Walker, who returned it 34 yards for a touchdown, and OK came all the way back and then some to take the lead 35-28 with 1:02 left in the game.

On the ensuing drive the Broncos drove to the OU 42, but were stopped on 3 straight plays, and forced into a 4th and 18 with only 18 seconds remaining. Zabransky passed for 15 yards to Drisan James, and with five Oklahoma defenders going one way to prevent the long conversion, James quickly scooped the ball to Jerard Rabb going in the opposite direction, and turning a flawless "hook and lateral" to tie the game with 7 seconds left and forcing OT.

Boise State won the toss and elected to play defense, but they did very little playing of defense as OK's Peterson scored on the first play of OT, a 25 yard run. On Boise State's drive, the Broncos were down to 4th and 2 on the Sooners' 5 yard line when QB Zabransky ran in motion to his left while backup wide receiver Vinny Perretta, slotted as a running back, took the snap, rolled to his right, and threw a TD to TE Derek Schouman to bring Boise State within one point at 42-41.

Instead of kicking the extra-point to tie the game and send it into a second overtime, Broncos coach Chris Petersen chose to go for the two-point conversion to win the game, and ran "The Statue of Liberty" as Zabransky faked a quick pass directly to his right with his right hand, he quickly handed off the ball backhanded with his left hand to running back Ian Johnson, who ran it in for the miraculous 1 point win.

TO SEE THE ACTUAL LIST, AND TO SEE HOW CLOSE I WAS, CHECK ESPN CLASSIC WED. AT 7 PM OR ESPN THUR. AT 8 PM.