As you can tell by the topics I write about, I know a few sports very well. I love the sports of baseball and football and can watch them all the time. On the bottom of that list is college football. It is not that I do not like college football, it is that I have no rooting interest. I did not go to Ohio State, Penn State or even Northwestern. I went to University of Hartford. While I was there Jeff Bagwell played baseball and Vin Baker played basketball. We had a Top 5 team, Women’s Soccer. But, we did not even have a college football team, so the interest level for me was never there. But, when a big game is on, I like to watch just to see the game played in a different way. The game means everything to these guys and when they win, it is jubilation. When they lose, it is heartache.
This weekend, I watched the 2nd Overtime of the Jacksonville State vs. Ole Miss college football game. I stopped on the channel because I saw it was an overtime football game. As I was watching, I learned that Jacksonville State was a I-AA Football Championship Subdivision team from the Ohio Valley Conference and Ole Miss was from the SEC (which I did know). In the end, the small school from Alabama was celebrating on the field of a team in the celebrated SEC. “Without a doubt, it’s the worst loss of my career,” Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said.
I started looking into great college football upsets. There were many. So, for this week I will be giving you the Top 5 College Football Upsets Since 1990.
#5 – Boise State vs. Oklahoma, January 1, 2007
This was the game that put Boise State on the map. The small undefeated team from the Western Athletic Conference, that many felt did not deserve a BCS bid, was playing the Big 12 Champion Oklahoma Sooners. The game was led by Boise State most of the way until Oklahoma scored 25 straight points to take the lead 35-28, with 1:02 left. On a fourth and 18 with18 seconds left in the game, Boise State Quarterback Jared Zabransky threw a 15 yard pass to Drisan James who then executed the best hook and lateral play in college football history, lateralling to Jared Rabb who ran 35 yards for a touchdown. We have all tried this play in our own tackle football games. Boise State’s play, called “Circus” was executed to perfection and Boise State scored to tie the game. In overtime, Oklahoma scored a touchdown and kicked the extra point. As we all know, Boise State ran the Statue of Liberty play after scoring in overtime and completed the two-point conversion. Boise State got the victory, the respect they wanted and running back Ian Johnson got the girl he proposed to live on national television after the game.
#4 – Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia, December 1, 2007
West Virginia was ranked second in the BCS and AP and first in the Coaches Poll. Pitt was 4-7 and finishing out their season. This game was the regular season finale for West Virginia who assured themselves a shot at the National Title game with a victory. This game was also the 100th version of the “Backyard Brawl” between these two teams. As the spread was 28 points, no one expected Pitt to be in the game, or even have a chance to win.
As Moutaineers’ coach commented about the game, “It was just a nightmare”. The Moutaineers’ QB Pat White hurt a thumb and sat out most of the game. The Moutaineers’ kicker missed two field goals. Nothing went the way of West Virginia as they lost to Pittsburgh, 13-9, and they lost their chances at a National Championship. The year of 2007 was full of upsets (two more to follow this one) and with the loss of the Moutaineers’, LSU played in the championship game and won the National Title. It was also rumored that West Virginia recruits were at the game and were on the sideline cheering for Pittsburgh as the game ended.
#3 – Temple vs. Virginia Tech, October 17, 1998
On the day of the game, VT was 5-0 and a 35 point favorite. Temple had never won a game in the Big East, a record of 0-26. The last time that temple had defeated a ranked opponent was 11 years previous, defeating #16 Pittsburgh. Temple was starting 20 freshmen. VT was ranked 14th in the nation.
The first half went according to plan as Virginia Tech was up 17-0. The starting quarterback for Temple was their third-stringer named Devon Scott. In the second half, Scott threw touchdown passes of 67 and 80 yards and when Temple scored with 6:04 left, they had a 28-24 lead. Virginia Tech drove to the two yard line and was stopped for a three yard loss on fourth down, giving temple the unimaginable victory.
Instead of playing for any championships, Virginia tech fell fast in the rankings after that loss. They ended their season with a record of 8-4 and played in the Music City Bowl, beating Alabama 38 to 7 in Nashville. The eventual winner of the Big East, Syracuse played and lost in the BCS Orange Bowl to #7 Florida.
#2 Stanford vs. University of Southern California, October 6, 2007
Coming into this game, USA was ranked #2 by the AP and #1 in the Coaches Poll. Stanford had a lot of smart players on their team. USC was favored by 41 points and had a 35 game home winning streak. All signs pointed to an easy victory for the Trojans. In addition, the Stanford starting quarterback had suffered a seizure so the backup quarterback had to start, throwing only three passes in his college career before this game.
At the time of the game, Stanford had a defense allowing nearly 50 points per game. The Trojans roster included All-Americans and future players in the NFL. On paper, they did not need to play the game, but they did.
With 49 seconds left in the game, Stanford QB Tavita Bradford threw a 10-yard touchdown to Mark Bradford, giving the 41-point underdog a 24-23 lead and the eventual victory. USC had amassed 459 yards of total offense, while Stanford only had 235. However, USC had five turnovers and had an extra point blocked on their way to a defeat.
Leading up to the game, Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh kept saying that USC was the greatest college football team, ever. He later proved his own belief wrong with an unimaginable victory.
#1 Appalachian State vs. Michigan, September 1, 2007
Michigan went into the game as the #5 team in the country. Appalachian State was the two-time defending champions of Division I-AA football. The game was being played in Michigan in front of 110,000 people. Michigan was favored by 27 points.
However, as this Top 5 list has told you four times before this post, the little guy can win. With 26 seconds left in the game Appalachian State kicker Julian Rauch kicked a 24 yard field goal to give the Mountaineers a 34-32 lead. On the last play of the game, Corey Lynch blocked a 37 yard field goal to allow Goliath lose to David.
The fallout from this game was plenty. First, because of this game, Division I-AA teams (actually called FCS) can now be ranked in the Top 25. The game made the front page of The New York Times. Michigan immediately dropped out of the Top 25 rankings. Students at Appalachian State broke into their football field, tore down a goalpost and left it on the front lawn of the school chancellor, who did not seem to mind.
There it is. The Top 5 college football upsets of the past 20 years. I am sure you have a different Top 5. Let me know what yours are. In any case, have a great week and to those that are celebrating…Happy New Year.
