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Agents and allegations. Meltdowns and beatdowns. From grazing coaches to trash-talking university presidents, this has been one odd season - and the BCS championship isn't even set yet.
So before something else crazy happens, let's look back at the 12 most memorable moments.
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1) SON OF A PREACHER MAN. Leading up to the Iron Bowl, Auburn's Cam Newton had been at the center of storm of allegations that his father was looking for something more than a field pass to send his son to Mississippi State. When the star quarterback took the field in Tuscaloosa to warm up, the songs ''Take the Money and Run'' by the Steve Miller Band and ''Son of a Preacher Man'' by Dusty Springfield were played over the loud speakers at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Newton and the Tigers had the last laugh when they came back to beat Alabama 28-27. A few days later, the NCAA ruled that while Newton's dad broke rules, the son didn't know about it, so he could play in the SEC championship game. The mischievous employee who played the songs was fired. And that pretty much sums up the justice system in big-time college athletics.
2) ONE-WAY WRIGLEY. The day before Northwestern and Illinois played the first college football game at Wrigley Field in 72 years, the Big Ten decided the outfield wall was too close to the east end zone and that - for the safety of the players - all offensive plays would be run toward the west end zone. The reaction from Wrigley officials was basically, ''Now you tell us?''
It was a bit of an embarrassment for everyone involved, but in the end, it brought more attention to two OK teams playing a relatively meaningless game. That one end zone was a busy place, too, as Illinois won 48-27. And a touchdown was even scored into the forbidden end zone, when Northwestern's Brian Peters took back an interception.
3) MILES GOES MAD AND DOOLEY FOLLOWS. LSU coach Les Miles has turned clock mismanagement into a form of performance art during his tenure with the Tigers. Against Tennessee, Miles and his staff staged another chaotic show.
With LSU down by four at the Volunteers 1, the Tigers started shuttling in new personnel as the final seconds ticked away. Tennessee coach Derek Dooley, mesmerized by the mayhem, followed suit. Alert center T-Bob Hebert snapped the ball before Jordan Jefferson was ready, just to get a play off. The ball floated past the quarterback and bodies piled on top of it. Tennessee wins! Or not. The Vols were penalized for too many men on the field, LSU got another play, scored and won the game. The only explanation: Les Miles is a Jedi.
4) AGENTS OF DESTRUCTION. A week before preseason practice starts for one of the most anticipated seasons in North Carolina history, news breaks that the school and NCAA were looking into whether star defensive tackle Marvin Austin received improper benefits from an agent during a road trip to Miami in the offseason. Eventually the scandal spread, and players from Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia came under scrutiny for having contact with agents.
There was much hand-ringing and outrage. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban even compared unscrupulous agents to pimps, unaware some might find that ironic coming from a coach who makes millions off unpaid college students. The scandal ruined North Carolina's season as dozens of its best players missed games. Did we mention Cam Newton is going to play in the SEC title game?
5) GEE WHIZ, GORDON. Ohio State president Gordon Gee jumped into the debate about whether teams such as Boise State and TCU deserve to play in the BCS title game with all the eloquence of your average talk radio caller. Gee said of teams in the SEC and Big Ten, ''We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor.'' Boise State president Bob Kustra fired back: ''If they're not playing the Little Sisters of the Poor, they're playing the Little Brothers,'' referring to some of the Buckeyes' weak nonconference opponents.
Next up on the show, we go to Jim in Steubenville.
6) BROTZMAN BOOTS IT. It looked as if Boise State had pulled off the play of the year with its perfect record on the line against Nevada. The Wolf Pack tied the game with 13 seconds left, but Kellen Moore hit a diving Titus Young with a bomb that put the Broncos in chip shot field-goal range. On came Kyle Brotzman, the school's career-scoring leader, to knock home a 26-yarder and keep Boise State's national title hopes alive. He missed. In overtime, he missed again from 29 yards out, and Nevada won 34-31.
Brotzman's misfortune brought out the best and worst of humanity. There were reports about callers leaving obnoxious and harassing telephone messages with a woman thought to be related to him. Dozens of Facebook pages emerged with ugly taunts. But thousands of supporters responded, starting ''Bronco Nation Loves Kyle Brotzman'' or ''We Still Love Kyle Brotzman'' pages.
7) BOBCATS VS. BUCKEYE. Brandon Hanning had a dream. He wanted to beat up Ohio State mascot Brutus Buckeye while wearing Ohio University's Rufus Bobcat costume. So the 19-year from Southeast Ohio tried out to be Rufus with that goal in mind, and in September he got the chance to make that dream come true.
First, Hanning sideswiped Brutus as he was leading the Buckeyes onto the field. Brutus recovered, but Hanning kept up the pursuit, climbed on Brutus' back, rode him to the ground and punched him twice in his oversized head with a big puffy paw. Surely, it was proud day in the Hanning household.
8) DUCK FEVER. Playing at a breakneck pace, Oregon became the highest-scoring team in the nation, averaging 50 points per game. The tempo left opponents breathless. To combat it, opposing defenders began to develop a mysterious ailment so severe they must stop play for medical attention on the field, but usually are fine when they get to the bench.
Oregon suspected that teams were faking injuries this season, but California became the first team to admit it. The Golden Bears suspended defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi for their final game of the season after he acknowledged instructing players to fake being hurt during Cal's 15-13 loss to Oregon.
9) BIELEMA'S CARD TRICK. With about six minutes left and Wisconsin up 25 on Minnesota, Badgers coach Bret Bielema called for a 2-point conversion. After the game, the Gophers' soon-to-be-fired coach Tim Brewster took exception, accusing Bielema of running up the score.
Bielema's explanation: The card coaches use to know it is mathematically prudent to go for two says when you're up 25 you should do it. Brewster wasn't buying it. In the coming weeks, Wisconsin scored 83 points against Indiana and 70 against Northwestern. In retrospect, Brewster and the Gophers got off easy.
10) BO GOES BALLISTIC. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is intense. He screams at officials and lays into his players. But in a 9-6 loss to Texas A&M, Pelini crossed the line.
He raged at officials so much that he drew a 15-yard penalty. He threw a fit on the sideline at Taylor Martinez, pointing a finger at his quarterback and poking him in the chest. True, the Huskers were flagged 16 times to two for the Aggies - a little going away present from the Big 12 officials? - but Pelini's antics earned him a public scolding from the university president.
11) GRAZE-Y LES. Les Miles makes the list twice because, well, how could he not? Right before his Tigers were about to run a crucial play against Alabama - a reverse on fourth-and-1 that worked like a charm and will go down as one of Miles' niftiest tricks yet - he pulled some grass out of the dirt and ate it.
Why? ''I have a little tradition that humbles me as a man, that lets me know that I'm a part of the field and part of the game,'' he said. ''You should have seen some games before this. I can tell you one thing: The grass in Tiger Stadium tastes best.''
12) MOUNTAIN WEST GETS WACKY. In June, Boise State announced that it was leaving the Western Athletic Conference to join the MWC. It was disappointing for the WAC, but not unexpected. But things got testy between the MWC and WAC in August when the MWC invited Fresno State and Nevada to join, which killed a deal the WAC was working on with BYU. The Cougars were set to go independent in football and play in the WAC in all other sports.
Hawaii could be next to jump from the WAC to the MWC. But while the MWC was raiding the WAC, it was also being picked apart. BYU left anyway, Utah is headed to the Pac-12 and now TCU is planning to go to the Big East. Karma can be a real pain.
