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Many believe that the favorites will always win a game. However, did you know there have been numerous upsets where top-ranked teams fall to the “little guys” or the underdogs? The great thing about college football is that players are consistently growing and improving. Watching shocking upsets like these makes a game fun for big fans and bettors.
Nothing beats a football memory than seeing your favorite team fall to the underdogs. This page covers the greatest upsets in college football history; continue reading to learn more about them!
Appalachian State vs. Michigan (2007)
Have you ever heard a stadium full of fans gasp simultaneously? If not, then you probably weren’t at The Big House, Michigan, when the biggest upset in college football history occurred, where over 100,000 fans gasped in shock, including NCAAF bettors who carefully looked at college football odds and placed their bets by doing meticulous research.
It seemed like a sure win, and in fact, the Wolverines just wanted a warm-up game; they wanted to go against an “easy” non-conference opponent. The team didn’t know that they would end up getting a blocked field goal towards the end of the game and a slap in the face given by this small school that no one on the bleachers knew about.
The Wolverines and their fans were shocked; they couldn’t believe what was happening in front of them. Nevertheless, this small and “easy” school won on its turf.
Harvard vs. Centre College (1921)
Harvard isn’t well-known for football nowadays, but back in 1921, it was pretty popular, and the Crimsons were great too! It’s why their matchup against Centre College made it look even more lopsided.
However, Centre College put up a solid defensive front, which left Harvard with a big zero. The Centre College team tried to score a touchdown in the third quarter but missed the extra point. Of course, it didn’t matter since, at the end of the 1921 game, it was a 6-0 in favor of Centre College.
Stanford vs. USC (2007)
Undoubtedly, fans around the world always remember the games that are expected to be blowouts but go the other way, and the 2007 match against Stanford vs. USC is an excellent example of this.
Back in 2007, USC was ranked Number 1, and they met with Standard in Los Angeles in a game where 40 points favored the Trojans. Sadly, Standord’s T.C. Ostrander, the starting quarterback that year, suffered a seizure one day after their game against Arizona State, and he was held out of this game with USC.
Instead of Ostrander, the coach decided to put Tavita Pritchard on the field, and they wouldn’t regret this decision. The team won with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tavita Pritchard to Mark Bradford and enabled Stanford a 24-23 win.
Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma (1957)
In 1957, the Oklahoma Sooners came to the field against Notre Dame with a 47-game winning streak. It’s been an incredible four years without losing any game.
However, this 1957 game put an end to that winning streak. Almost the entire game was a defensive battle, with neither Notre Dame nor Oklahoma willing to hand each other the win. Luckily, The Irish got a late turnover and won a 20-play scoring drive, putting a stop to the Oklahoma Sooners winning streak.
Kansas State vs. Oklahoma (2003)
In the 2003 preseason games, the Kansas State Wildcats and their head coach, Bill Synder, ranked seventh, and they ended the season with the 14th ranking that year. They were headed to the Big 12 Championship when they won 10 of their first 13 games.
It was in the Big 12 Championship when they were set to compete against Number 1 ranked Oklahoma. Many expected that Oklahoma would easily win. Sadly for Oklahoma, the game turned into an epic blowout when the Wildcats put a 35-7 beating against Oklahoma Sooners to claim the Wildcats’ Big 12 Championship.
Utah vs. Alabama (2008)
In 2008, Utah Utes claimed their spot in the BSC games, and it’s their second time doing so. It was the Sugar Bowl, and their opponent was the University of Alabama. Utah Utes completed their season as one of the only two unbeaten college football teams. The other team was Boise State.
Many people were talking about the game, and many had mixed feelings. The most common opinion was that many didn’t believe or thought Utah would stand a chance, not against the Crimson Tide, which is the fourth-ranked in the BCS polls. Undoubtedly, the underdog kept hearing that they wouldn’t win the game, and they were expected to lose.
Thankfully, Utah took that as fuel to prove everyone wrong with a shocking 21-0 lead in the first quarter, and the team never looked back. Utah Utes proved everyone wrong, knocking Crimson Tide off the table. It was a game that wasn’t even close from the start.
Final Thoughts
These teams, considered the underdog, prove that you should look at the other side of a coin, especially if you’re considering placing your bets. It doesn’t mean that a team is an underdog; it doesn’t mean they don’t have the chance to win. Take these upsets into account and use it as a waking call that the underdogs can turn a match around too.
