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. 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Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. GUELPH, Ont. -- Corey Chamblin heads into the bye week with peace of mind concerning his backup quarterback. With starter Darian Durant ailing, backup Drew Willy threw three first-half touchdown passes as the Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 32-20 on Saturday night to remain the CFLs only unbeaten team. Willy made just his second career CFL start and first this season with Durant (foot) unable to play. But the sophomore quarterback was 14-of-25 passing for 269 yards before an Alumni Stadium gathering of 13,002 that endured intermittent rain throughout the contest. But it was nowhere near the deluge that fell during Edmontons 30-20 win in Hamiltons home debut here July 7. "Darian felt like he could go and possibly do some things but not all the things," Chamblin said. "I said, If you dont think youre 100 per cent then you wont play 100 per cent. "But it was one of those things where I was excited to see what Drew Willy had and we found out we do have a good backup quarterback. The big thing was he managed the game. There were some mistakes there but he made less mistakes this year than he did last year and I see the growth process." Saskatchewan (5-0) is off until Aug. 9 when it visits Calgary. Willy, 26, said he didnt know he was starting until just prior to the opening kickoff and admitted to having butterflies in his stomach early on. "I guess youre going to get them but once you get the first throw or that first hit you get through that and just keep playing and go out there and try to be successful," he said. "You prepare all week for it but once youre told a switch goes off and you know youre going to be the guy. "I knew once I got the nod I had to be ready to go out there and perform at a high level. The guys around me did a great job, the defence did a great job. It was definitely an enjoyable experience." Willy had plenty of support. Running back Kory Sheets ran for 140 yards, his CFL-record fifth straight 100-yard game to start the season. Slotback Geroy Simon had five catches for 125 yards and a TD -- his first with Saskatchewan -- and the Riders defence registered seven sacks and five turnovers. Their most timely stop came early in the fourth when Hamilton quarterback Henry Burris was denied on third-and-goal from the Saskatchewan one-yard line to protect a 32-20 advantage. Then Willy marched Saskatchewan 62 yards on 11 plays, taking 6:01 off the clock before the Ticats regained possession at their 15-yard line with 3:39 remaining. "I thought on the initial surge I stuck the ball into the end zone," Burris said. "I guess the way things are set up they (officials) didnt have a clean view of it but I thought I stuck the ball out (to break the plane of the goal-line) and they started pushing me back . . . but it shouldnt even have come to that. "For us to get off to such a good start (10-0 first-quarter lead) and then go into a lull for the next three quarters, theres no excuse for it.dddddddddddd Were an offence that has more potential than that. Until we go out there and start executing the offence consistently, were going to have those type of lulls." Burris finished 26-of-41 passing for 395 yards and two touchdowns. Saskatchewan swept the home-and-home series with Hamilton (1-4) following Sundays 37-0 victory at Mosaic Stadium. The Riders improved to 8-2 in their last 10 road games versus the Ticats. The loss of Durant could have been huge for Saskatchewan. With him, the Riders led the league in scoring (37.8 points per game), total offensive yards (423) and rushing yards (168) and were third in passing (267). Durant also had a league-best 12 TD passes without an interception as Saskatchewan won its opening four games by an average of 21 points. He threw for 347 yards and four TDs on Sunday and was named the leagues offensive player of the week. But his injured right foot began to swell afterwards, prompting Durant to revert back to a walking boot. Durant originally hurt the foot in a July 11 road win over Toronto. He shed the boot and practised on a limited basis later in the week but was deemed a game-time decision. With Durant sidelined, Sheets stepped up. The CFLs rushing leader boosted his season total to 712 yards, breaking the league mark for most yards through five games to start a season of 646 yards set in 1975 by Calgarys Willie Burden. Sheets ran for 130 yards against Hamilton last week. "Whew, thats really good," Sheets said. "Getting the win is more important than getting 100 yards but running for more than 100 yards every game feels good because the offensive line loves doing it and I love doing it with them. "But excuse my words, Drew showed balls. He stayed in that pocked and threw the ball no matter who was coming. Were just as confident with Drew as we are with Darian." Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf scored Saskatchewans other touchdowns. Chris Milo kicked the converts and three field goals with the other points coming on a safety. Greg Ellingson and Lindsey Lamar had Hamiltons touchdowns. Luca Congi booted the converts and two field goals. NOTES -- Linebacker Brandon Isaac, making his Hamilton debut, had an early sack but left later in the first half with a groin injury . . . Simon extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to 175 with his first-half TD grab . . . Riders offensive co-ordinator George Cortez was Hamiltons head coach last season . . . A historic night for Burris. His 51-yard completion to Bakari Grant in the first moved him past former Ticats coach Ron Lancaster (3,384) into fifth in all-time regular-season completions. Burriss touchdown toss to Lamar was the 307th of his career, moving him past Matt Dunigan into fourth all-time. Burris is also on pace to surpass the 50,000-yard plateau this season and become only the fifth player to do so. ' ' '