Ron Kantowski relives the 15-year history of major college football’s postseason in Las Vegas, in all its iterations, and offers his rankings on …

Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 | 7:11 a.m.

It was born in Fresno, but moved to Las Vegas and changed its name.

I guess it wouldn't be the first time that happened.

The Las Vegas Bowl used to be the California Bowl. And the California Raisin Bowl. Two scoops later, in 1992, it was reorganized and renamed the Las Vegas Bowl. It also has been called the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl, the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl and the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl.

Hot funk, cool punk, even if it's old junk - and believe me, that North Carolina vs. San Diego State game in 1998 belonged in the back of Fred Sanford's truck - it's still the Las Vegas Bowl to me.

So here's rating the Las Vegas Bowls I have witnessed - that would be all of 'em - from worst to first.

No. 15: UNC 20, San Diego State 13, Dec. 19, 1998

Las Vegas Bowl VII was more like "Gone With the Wind II" as 50-mph gusts made passing impossible. Rhett Butler - er, Ronald Curry - was named MVP after rushing 10 times for 93 yards in the Tar Heels' win.

No. 14: Utah State 42, Ball State 33, Dec. 17, 1993

This was the Aggies' first bowl victory in 96 years of trying. Enough said. MVP Anthony Calvillo - who is still playing pro football in Canada - completed 25 of 39 passes for 386 yards.

No. 13: Oregon St. 55, New Mexico 14, Dec. 24, 2003

Local kid Steven Jackson looked like Gale Sayers in the mud against the 49ers. He scored five touchdowns for the Beavers in the most lopsided game in Las Vegas Bowl history.

No. 12: UNR 18, Ball State 15, Dec. 18, 1996

David Letterman is a Ball State alum. So perhaps it was fitting that a stupid human trick - an interception in the closing seconds - put what was supposed to be a high-scoring game out of its misery.

No. 11: Oregon 41, Air Force 13, Dec. 20, 1997

Ducks and cover. Easily. Oregon of the Pac-10 routs the 23rd-rated Falcons as wide receiver Pat Johnson hauls in touchdown catches of 69 and 78 yards.

No. 10: Utah 17, Fresno State 16, Dec. 18, 1999

Mike Anderson, the future Denver Bronco, rushed for 254 yards. He scored on a 76-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. The Utes outgained the Bulldogs 548 yards to 279. And yet Utah needed a late field goal to win.

No. 9: BYU 38, Oregon 8, Dec. 21, 2006

Ducks and don't cover. Oregon hits the field dressed like Screaming Yellow Zonkers but leaves Las Vegas with a blue streak on its metallic yellow uniforms.

No. 8: UNLV 52, Central Michigan 24, Dec. 15, 1994

UNLV? In a bowl game? Surely, you jest. The Rebels led the Chippewas of the not-so-big Mid-American Conference 52-10 before clearing the bench.

No. 7: Utah 10, USC 6, Dec. 25, 2001

The Utes hold Carson Palmer and the Trojans to 150 yards of total offense, including just one rushing yard. Fight off, USC.

No. 6: UCLA 27, New Mexico 13, Dec. 25, 2002

Not a very good game but it moves up the list because the Lobos sent out a woman - Katie Hnida - to try an extra point. But Katie's blockers should have barred the door as her history-making PAT was blocked.

No. 5: California 35, BYU 28, Dec. 22, 2005

The first sellout crowd in Las Vegas Bowl history watches Cal's Lynch mob run over the Cougars. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns as the Golden Bears held off the Cougars.

No. 4: UNLV 31, Arkansas 14, Dec. 21, 2000

UNLV? In another bowl game? Surely, you jest again. Quarterback Jason Thomas and the Rebels literally spit in the face of the Razorbacks for one of the biggest wins in school history.

No. 3: Wyoming 24, UCLA 21, Dec. 23, 2004

The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the final minutes to stun the Bruins. But most Wyoming fans missed the game-winning touchdown because they were still standing in line for beer. They're probably still there.

No. 2: Toledo 40, UNR 37, Dec. 14, 1995

This was the very first game that was eligible to go into overtime - and darned if it didn't. The Rockets and the Wolf Pack ran around the Sam Boyd carpet as if it were on fire before MVP Wasean Tait scored the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run.

No. 1: Bowling Green 35, UNR 34, Dec. 18, 1992

The Falcons of the MAC scored touchdowns on their first four possessions to take a 28-3 lead before the Wolf Pack of the Big West rallied behind quarterback Chris Vargas to go ahead 34-28. Bowling Green won it with 22 seconds to play on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Erik White to Dave Hankins to cap the most exciting game of the 1992 bowl season.

The very first Las Vegas Bowl is still the gold standard by which all Las Vegas Bowls are measured.

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