College Football: Day of the Underdog

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

It was unsettling enough just meeting those purple elephants on the way to the TV set. For millions of red-eyed U.S. football fans, what happened afterward in the New Year's Day bowl games was far harder on the nerves. In one incredible, irrational day, college football's longest winning streak was snapped, all but one of the remaining undefeated major teams were beaten,* three schools' dreams of winning the national championship were shattered, and the No. 4 team in the nation became the No. 1 team—by beating the No. 3 team.

On...

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