College football existed before the 2000's 
But even if we just do the 2000's there is no way in hell that Johnny Manziel would make my top 10 list. No way in hell.
It's also important to look at some of the non-Power FBS schools for great players. June Jones had some good ball players on his Hawaii teams, for example.
I personally like the 1980s-1990s era of college football the most (I wasn't alive in '80s and was too young to care in the '90's but highlight clips are always a youtube search away in today's era.)
Damn right it did, and this guy deserves to be in ANY conversation about greatest performances:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Grange
Go Illini!
Niceee.
I always liked the story of Nile Kinnick from Iowa. And his Heisman speech fits the "smoothing midwesterner" meme as well
"I would like, if I may, to make a comment which I think is appropriate at this time.
I thank God that I was born to the gridirons of the middle west and not to the battlefields of Europe. I can speak confidently and positively that the football players of this country would rather fight for the Heisman trophy than for the Croix de Guerre."
(For those who don't know who Nile Kinnick is:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_Kinnick)
And a bit later on I liked reading about and watching old highlights of guys like Sam Huff from West Virginia (He also has some great NFL fame).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_HuffAnd of course, Jim Brown and Ernie Davis are legends of Syracuse football.
