In college football history, a matchup between the top two ranked teams usually brings with it plenty of hyperbole about the significance of the game. In many cases, the hype can reach Game of the Century status. When the top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the second-ranked Michigan State Spartans met on November 19, 1966, the contest became an instant classic, in part because of the controversy that marked the conclusion of the game.
The two schools had met in 16 of the last 18 years but none of those previous matchups had the national championship hanging in the balance.