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5 college football moments to rival Spieth's Masters meltdown

Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Spieth's epic collapse on the back nine at the Masters Sunday was one of the sport's most shocking reversals.

The defending champion stood on the 10th tee with a five-stroke lead, and just two holes later, walked off the 12th green trailing by three. Spieth's hopes for a repeat win at Augusta National died in a watery grave - not once, but twice on the famed 12th hole.

How does Spieth's misadventure rank against these meltdowns from recent years in college football?

1. Oregon blows 31-point halftime lead in 2016 Alamo Bowl

TCU came out for the 2016 Alamo Bowl like team which didn't believe in its backup quarterback. After star pivot Trevone Boykin was arrested two days before the contest, Bram Kohlhausen earned the start, and the Horned Frogs responded with a dreadful first half. However, after Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. left the game with a concussion, it was all Frogs in the second half. Kohlhausen engineered scoring drives on every single possession in the second half and overtime periods. His final stat line was 351 yards passing and 45 yards rushing, including the winning 8-yard touchdown.

2. Auburn wins 2013 Iron Bowl on 109-yard missed field goal return

You can watch college football for the rest of time and there will never be a crazier ending than Chris Davis' 109-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown. Consider the following:

  • Auburn and Alabama hate each other as much as humanly possible.
  • The winner of this game essentially clinched a berth in the BCS title game.
  • Time actually ran out before the attempted kick, but Nick Saban challenged the call and got one second put back on the clock to attempt the field goal.
  • At 109 yards, there can't be a longer play on a football field.
  • Alabama won national championships in the year prior and the year following.

3. Kentucky douses coach with Gatorade shower, promptly gives up Hail Mary touchdown (2002)

OK, this is just downright hilarious. While Kentucky is a basketball powerhouse, it's certainly not held in high regard in football circles. That's what would have made a victory over perennial powerhouse LSU so sweet. Taylor Begley split the uprights with a 29-yard field goal with just 11 seconds to play, giving Kentucky a three-point lead. With 74 yards to go and just two seconds to play, Wildcat players felt confident enough to douse coach Guy Morriss with a Gatorade shower. This would end up being very embarrassing. Marcus Randall launched the ball to the Kentucky 25, and Devery Henderson caught the ball off a tip to score the winning points.

4. Michigan punting mishap leads to Michigan State walk-off win (2015)

Michigan needed to do one more thing to pull off a home win over local rival Michigan State: execute a proper punt. It didn't need a great punt, a good punt, or a mediocre punt. The Wolverines just needed to get the punt off. Unfortunately, Blake O'Neill fumbled the snap, and Jalen Watts-Jackson picked up the loose ball before rumbling in for a walk-off touchdown. The Spartans' hero would then promptly dislocate his hip during the mob celebration in the end zone. Seriously, that actually happened.

5. Miami executes eight-lateral sandlot play to perfection to beat Duke (2015)

Remember earlier when the Auburn kick return was called the craziest ending ever? That may have been premature. After Thomas Sirk scored the go-ahead touchdown for Duke with just six seconds left, the game seemed over, a big win for the Blue Devils complete. Then logic took a 45-second vacation and returned when Miami was dancing in the end zone. Eight laterals, some lucky bounces, and a couple big blocks later, Corn Elder wove his way over the goal line for the most improbable kick return of all time. Oh, and for good measure the ACC suspended the officials in this game for calling an illegal block and then picking up the flag.

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