There’s a particular kind of electric shock that comes with an NFL playoff surprise. College football delivers that same jolt, often bigger. In a sport obsessed with tradition and pride, the truly seismic upsets don’t just surprise us for 60 minutes; they become part of the sport’s DNA.
When a top-ranked favorite strolls in looking unbeatable and walks out humbled, then the oddsmakers’ faces tell half the story. The stadium goes from confident buzz to stunned silence. Those are the games people remember.
Here are the biggest upsets in College Football history:
Appalachian State vs. Michigan (2007):
Appalachian State Shawn Clark
Oct 19, 2022; Boone, North Carolina, USA; Appalachian State Mountaineers head coach Shawn Clark talks on the headset during the second half against the Georgia State Panthers at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Consider the case of Appalachian State’s game against Michigan in 2007. Not even an FCS program could replace a top-five FBS team at Ann Arbor. Michigan had gone so far as to pay Appalachian State $400 000 to have a simple payday. Instead, it was 34 32, and the ending was anarchy. It was closed by Corey Lynch, blocking the final-second field goal of Michigan. “Believe it: a 34-32 upset win by now well-known Appalachian State,” Bleacher Report summed it up.
Stanford vs. USC (2007)
USC QB Caleb Williams Washington Commanders
Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams throws a pass against Stanford during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Then there’s Stanford’s 2007 surprise win against USC. Stanford was a 41-point underdog, and USC was ranked No. 2. The Coliseum was packed with fans who expected their team to dominate. What happened was anything but. Stanford eked out a 24–23 win, capped by Tavita Pritchard’s improbable, fourth-down, ten-yard strike to Mark Bradford with under a minute left. Turnovers and special teams played their part: five forced turnovers, a blocked extra point, and suddenly USC’s long home invincibility was gone. The loss ended a 35-game winning streak at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It also marked Jim Harbaugh’s first major win at Stanford.
Modern-Era Shockers and Improbable Wins
Hawaii UNLV football
UNLV quarterback Doug Brumfield is sacked during the game. Photo provided by Marco Garcia.
Upsets like these are more than flukes on a box score. Howard’s victory over UNLV, winning 43–40 in Las Vegas in 2017, stands as the modern-era ceiling for how improbable an outcome can be. James Madison’s upset of Virginia Tech in 2010 and Purdue’s victory over No. 2 Ohio State in 2018 each rewrite expectations. Curious things happen when belief meets opportunity.
Historic Streaks and Underdog Stories
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Nov 1, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman and his team after the game against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images
Sometimes it’s old streaks getting snapped. Notre Dame’s 7–0 win over Oklahoma in 1957 ended a 47-game Sooners streak that lives longer than the seasons they occur in. And then there are the underdog tales: teams with no scholarships or fewer resources clawing back late and winning on a last-minute kick.
What these games share is impact. They rearrange rankings overnight. That’s why upsets matter because they prove, time and again, that history can be rewritten in one afternoon.