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Can't-miss pass plays of the 2015 college football season

The 2015 college football season has one game left to play: The College Football Playoff National Championship between Alabama and Clemson in Glendale, Ariz.

That gives us a chance to look back at the thrills that delighted college football fans this season.

This is awe-inspiring collection of the best pass plays from the 2015 season.

5. Craziness in the Cactus Bowl

Game: Cactus Bowl: West Virginia 43, Arizona State 42
Date: Jan. 2
Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, Ariz.

The first Cactus Bowl (formerly known as the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, which was formerly known as the Insight Bowl, which was formerly known as the Copper Bowl) fittingly featured the craziest play of the 2015 bowl season. If you stayed up late to watch this humdinger of a game, then you were treated to a play reminiscent of the Pittsburgh Steelers' infamous "Immaculate Reception" play from the 1972 playoffs.

Mountaineers quarterback Skyler Howard rifled a pass to receiver Shelton Gibson, who was hit by a Sun Devils defender, and the ball bounced out and to ASU's Salamo Fiso. Fiso couldn't grasp the ball but appeared to toss it right to WVU's Daikiel Shorts, who made a real nice diving catch. If you missed it (which is very likely), here's footage in the form of a Vine ...

4. Burbridge burns Penn State

Game: Michigan State 55, Penn State 16
Date: Nov. 28
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.

Michigan State clinched its spot in the Big Ten Championship Game by hammering Penn State, and Aaron Burbridge's highlight stole the show. Burbridge's incredible effort on a 29-yard touchdown play put Michigan State up 27-10 on Penn State. On the play, Burbridge was forced out of bounds by a Penn State defender, re-established himself in the field of play in time to collect a Connor Cook pass, took a hit, didn't fall down and pulled off a nifty double spin move en route to the end zone.


3. BYU wins opener on Hail Mary

Game: BYU 33, Nebraska 28
Date: Sept. 5
Location: Tom Osborne Field at Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.

How's this for starters? Nebraska's 29-game winning streak in season openers -- the longest such streak in major college football entering this season -- was halted in the most dramatic way possible ... a game-winning Hail Mary play in the final second by BYU.

The Cougars' backup quarterback, Tanner Mangum -- who was in the game after an injury to starter Taysom Hill -- connected on a 42-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Mathews for a thrilling win. Could this be BYU's most amazing finish since Jim McMahon's Hail Mary touchdown against SMU in the 1980 Holiday Bowl?

Funny thing is, a week later against Boise State, BYU pulled off another Hail Mary pass to prevail.


2. Oh my, Owusu!

Game: Stanford 56, UCLA 35
Date: Oct. 15
Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, Calif.

It was reminiscent of Tyrone Prothro's catch for Alabama a decade ago. Stanford wide receiver Francis Owusu made a magnificent catch with the football pinned against the back of UCLA's Jaleel Wadood for a 41-yard touchdown play. Adding more spice to this moment was that it came on a trick play in which quarterback Kevin Hogan lined up at wide receiver. Trick plays are fun.


1. Rebels with a cause

Game: Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37
Date: Sept. 19
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

This was, well, unbelievable. After a bad snap, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly threw an ill-advised pass, which, after being tipped, bounced off of an Alabama defender's helmet and into the hands of Rebels receiver Quincy Adeboyejo, who ran for a 66-yard touchdown. This helped Ole Miss deal Alabama its only loss of the season.

We will enjoy this play until the end of days.

Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.

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