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There are big college football games and then there are those that rise to the level of being called Game of the Century. Alex Avila Jersey . 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.org Robbie Ray Jersey . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Eduardo Escobar Diamondbacks Jersey . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-curt-schilling-jersey/ WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- When the season began, No. 17 Purdue knew it had two of the nations best big men in 6-foot-8 sophomore power forward Caleb Swanigan and 7-2 junior center Isaac Haas.What the Boilermakers did not kmow was what kind of production they would receive from their perimeter players. After this weeks Cancun Challenge, coach Matt Painter may have found the answer.Swanigan had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and freshman guard Carsen Edwards added 19 points, leading Purdue to a 79-68 victory over NJIT on Saturday.Swanigan was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field and 10 of 10 from the free throw line, and Edwards scored 15 second-half points to help Purdue (5-1) pull away from a 37-34 halftime lead.Swanigan was the MVP of this weeks Cancun Challenge, and Edwards scored a career-high 21 points in Wednesday nights victory over Auburn in the championship game.Were still turnover prone (16 on Saturday), and thats a problem, but we are doing some good things with our zone offense, especially when we are posting our big guys in those sets, which some teams dont do, said Painter, who got 25 points from guard Dakota Mathias in Tuesdays victory against Utah State in Cancun.I also like our focus at the start of second halves. We are able to mix and match lineups, and were still getting some of those nice second-half runs. Carsen was a big part of that today.Edwards helped Purdue maintain a double-digit lead throughout most of the second half.I am just kind of picking my spots, Edwards said. I am just playing off my teammates. I am playing the game and letting it come to me. I try not to lose confidence at all.Damon Lynn had 20 of his 33 points in the second half for NJIT (3-4), which also got 12 points from Chris Jenkins.Highlanders coach Brian Kennedy appreciated his teams effort.Obviously, Purdue is a Top 25 team with two of the best big men in the country, and those two guys arent going anywhere, Kennedy said. So, I told our guys from the beginning that we had to fight, fight and keep fighting, which is what NJIT basketball is all about. We may not get the top recruits in the country, but we are going to compette and fight as hard as we can. Taijuan Walker Diamondbacks Jersey. The momentum swung completely in Purdues favor with 9:12 remaining when Rob Ukawuba fouled Swanigan and also was whistled for a technical foul. Swanigan made four consecutive free throws for a 61-47 lead.I just grabbed the rebound, walked away and the guy called the foul, Swanigan said. (Ukawuba) started walking after me, and I just kept walking away. I was surprised they called a technical so quickly. Ill take it.BIG PICTURENJIT: With Lynn, the Highlanders have a proven scorer (22.5 points a game) and never backed down from a Purdue team that came in averaging 83 points and shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Beginning with Dec. 30, 2014, NJIT is 39-22.Purdue: The Boilermakers were sloppy with 10 first-half turnovers in their first game since winning the Cancun Challenge, but with Carsen Edwards, Mathias and Vince Edwards beginning to complement big men Swanigan and Haas, Purdue is assembling a really nice blend of interior and perimeter scoring options.POLL IMPLICATIONSHaving beaten Utah State, Auburn and NJIT by a collective 57 points this week in addition to capturing the Cancun Challenge championship by beating Auburn by 25, look for the Boilermakers to climb in the next poll.BIG NUMBERSThrough six games, Swanigan is averaging 18.8 points and 12 rebounds, having made 35 of 57 field goal attempts and 38 of 51 free throws.HIGH PRAISEPainter is impressed by the way NJITs Lynn plays the game, making 10 of 18 field goal attempts Saturday, including 8 of 13 from 3-point range.He is just such a tough cover, Painter said. He is a little different in the way he shoots it, but even if he is out there 25 to 27 feet from the basket, you cant give him a step or two.UP NEXTNJIT: The Highlanders will play host to St. Francis (Pa.) on Wednesday night.Purdue: The Boilermakers will travel to No. 10 Louisville on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. ' ' '