There are big college football games and then there are those that rise to the level of being called Game of the Century. To be one of those games, whats needed is a No. 1 and No. 2.The Associated Press poll has been ranking college football teams for 80 years, helping to set the agenda for the season and provide context for big games. A matchup of undefeated teams or rivals with winning records is appealing. Make it 1 vs 2 and now you have something special. Maybe even a Game of the Century.In 1966 Notre Dame and Michigan State played a Game of the Century that still holds up today. It produced a memorably unsatisfying result and led to a vote in the AP poll that is still debated.College football in the 1960s began with an AP championship by Minnesota, its last before fading away as a Midwestern power, and ended with a Texas title, the last by an all-white team. In between, coach Bear Bryants Alabama Crimson Tide was the most dominant team, winning three national titles. But the centerpiece was a 10-10 tie between the Fighting Irish and Spartans that put more focus than ever on before on who finished No. 1.There were nine 1 vs. 2 matchups before the Notre Dame-Michigan State game on Nov. 19, 1966.This was different. Television was now a part of the equation. The game was initially not scheduled to be televised nationally because of restrictions about how many times each school could be on a national broadcast. Pressure from fans on the West Coast and down South helped persuade ABC to air the game everywhere on tape delay.It was the final regular-season game for Michigan State and second-to-last for Notre Dame. With the last poll still being taken before the bowls were played, it was apparent the winner would be in line for a national championship.The buildup was unprecedented. There was too much emphasis on the game, said 89-year-old Roger Valdiserri, who was Notre Dames sports information director in 1966. We had press conferences every day. There was so much interest in that game.Michigan State received more than 600 requests for media credentials, Valdiserri said.That was unheard of at the time, he said.Playing with a banged up team and confident a tie would be enough to hold on to the No. 1 ranking going into the Southern California game the next week, Fighting Irish coach Ara Parseghian played it safe with the ball in his own end of the field and mostly ran out the last 70 seconds of the game.As Parseghian suspected, Notre Dame held the top spot in the poll, thumped USC 51-0 the next week and won the championship. Michigan State was second and unbeaten Alabama third.The result of the game and the vote led Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty to call for a major college football playoff -- in 1966!Crimson Tide fans understandably felt slighted by the vote and wondered if AP voters from outside the region held the contentious politics of Alabama Gov. George Wallace during the Civil Rights movement against the football team. Despite Alabamas success in the 1960s, the Tide was only voted No. 1 nine times, less than Texas (23), Southern California (19), Ohio State (17), Notre Dame (16) and Michigan State (13).BEST PROGRAMSAlabama appeared in 77.78 percent of all polls taken.Texas, 71.43 percent.Southern California, 64.29 percent.BEST RIVALRYTexas vs. Arkansas. While Southern Cal vs. UCLA was great, Frank Broyless Razorbacks and Darrell Royals Longhorns were at the top of the old Southwest Conference. Their famous 1969 game was a 1 vs. 2 matchup that effectively decided the national championship, with the help of President Richard Nixon.MAIN TAKEAWAYNotre Dame changed course and started participating in the postseason in 1968, the same season the AP decided for good that the final poll would be taken and national title awarded after the bowl games.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.orgWeston McKennie Jersey . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Daniel Lovitz Jersey . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/751j-eric-wynalda-jersey-usa.html . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019 . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Russell Canouse Jersey . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room.As they prepare to make their pitch to Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been making calls around the league looking to clear a massive amount of salary-cap space in a move rival executives believe is an effort to go after free agent Al Horford in addition to Durant, multiple sources told ESPN.Horford played for Thunder coach Billy Donovan at Florida, where they teamed up to win two national titles, and they remain close. The Thunder have an opening at power forward after trading Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic last week.Over the past several days, the Thunder have sought out teams with open salary-cap space to possibly absorb Enes Kanter and Kyle Singler, sources said. The Thunder have other methods of opening cap space, including waiving Anthony Morrow, whose contract isnt guaranteed until July 15.Numerous teams are believed to have interest in Horford, who is regarded as one of thhe top free agents on the market.dddddddddddd That includes the Atlanta Hawks, where Horford has played his entire nine-year career and made four All-Star teams.Horford averaged 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds and played all 82 games for the Hawks last season.After trading Jeff Teague last week, the Hawks have opened enough cap space to re-sign Horford and free-agent wing Kent Bazemore and potentially add another free agent. They have scheduled a meeting with Atlanta native Dwight Howard, ESPN reported Wednesday.In conversations with rival teams, the Thunder have indicated they will know which route they are taking early in July, sources said. Durant is scheduled to meet with five teams over the first three days of free agency after meeting with the Thunder on Thursday. ' ' '