The Arizona St. Sun Devils had a great season, and it was sparked early on by one of the most impressive non-conference wins that nearly wasn't a win. They beat the Wisconsin Badgers at home in Tempe and jump-started their run to the Pac-12 title game.
This win would be higher on the list and might be number one if it could actually qualify as a decisive win, or even a win. But does anyone remember how this one ended? In about 95 out of 100 scenarios, this probably ends with Wisconsin kicking the game-winning field goal and the trajectory of the season for the Badgers might be very different.
Instead, we got this, and it resulted in the most controversial finish of the 2013 regular season.
It's too bad, because it detracted from an impressive performance by Arizona State. But Wisconsin probably deserved to win this one a bit more, which is why it falls a few spots on this list.
Read more about the ending from Spencer Hall at SB Nation.
So what should have happened? Arizona State probably should have been penalized for delay of game for flopping on the dead ball after the referee signalled down. (Watch it again: the play IS blown dead.) The Sun Devil defender lays on the ball for a good seven or eight precious seconds, and by the time the umpire sorts things out it's too late. Wisconsin gets something like ten seconds on the clock to set up a spike, and then sets up with a few seconds left to attempt the winning kick.
For more on Sun Devils football, head on over to House of Sparky.
Sun Devil coach Todd Graham saw Stave's quick kneel down and is far from convinced that the Wisconsin quarterback should have been ruled down.
"The quarterback put the ball on the ground while he was still standing up, so that should have been a turnover," Graham said.
Jaxon Hood and Anthony Jones saw exactly what Graham saw and pounced on the football within moments of realizing Stave put the ball on the ground. In all likelihood, a referee blew his whistle when Stave's knee approached the ground. But the whistle was far from definitive and Arizona State's players were smart to react.
"He hadn't been tackled, so that should have been a turnover," Graham said. "That should have ended the game."