Best individual seasons of the last 20 years: No. 4 - Michael Crabtree in 2007

Over a two-week period, theScore's NCAAF editors will be taking a look at the best individual seasons across the college football landscape during the last 20 seasons, focusing specifically on players from the Power 5 conferences.

Each day we will be counting down the top 10 that college football has had to offer over the last two decades.

No. 4 - Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree's 2007 season

The 2007 football season is most remembered as the year Tom Brady and Randy Moss brought down numerous NFL records, but what Crabtree did that season in college was equally impressive.

Crabtree exploded onto the scene at Texas Tech and quickly shattered NCAA freshman records for receptions and touchdown catches. His receiving total in '07 remains the third highest in NCAA history. He was an easy pick for the Biletnikoff Award at the end of the year, becoming the first freshman to claim the honor.

He was voted a unanimous All-American in 2007, and despite winning the Biletnikoff Award for the second straight year in 2008, it's his freshman campaign that lives on in Texas Tech lore and college football infamy.

The stats

What made the season so special?

Nobody saw it coming. Crabtree played quarterback in high school and was lightly recruited out of the Dallas area. He wound up signing with Texas Tech and then, seemingly out of nowhere, became a megastar as a receiver.

Mike Leach, then-Texas Tech coach, was always known for running an entertaining, high-octane offense. But with Crabtree, the Red Raiders became appointment television. The phenom piled up 100 yards or more in 11 of his first 13 games and had at least eight receptions in every contest but one.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Astonishingly, Crabtree caught three touchdowns in five different games, and he went four straight weeks with a trio of scores.

The moments

In only the sixth week of the season, Crabtree broke the NCAA record for receiving touchdowns by a freshman, scoring his 15th of the year in a win over Iowa State. He added another seven to his total in the remaining seven games, and his mark of 22 receiving touchdowns still stands as the record.

Crabtree entered the history books again in his ninth game of the year - a tough loss to Colorado - by breaking the freshman record for the most receptions in a season. No freshman had ever caught 100 passes before, but Crabtree - who broke the record with is 99th reception - finished the campaign with 134.

Though 2007 was his better season statistically, Crabtree's most iconic moment as a Red Raider came the next year when he scored the game-winning touchdown against No. 1 Texas.

Top 10

• No. 10 - Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh
• No. 9 - Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel
• No. 8 - Auburn QB Cam Newton
• No. 7 - Arizona State DE Terrell Suggs
• No. 6 - USC RB Reggie Bush
• No. 5 - Clemson QB Deshaun Watson
• No. 3 - Texas RB Ricky Williams
• No. 2 - Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey
• No. 1 - Florida QB Tim Tebow