College Sports

25 College Upsets That Rocked The Entire Sports World

Darren - September 22, 2021

College Sports

25 College Upsets That Rocked The Entire Sports World

Darren - September 22, 2021

6. Middle Tennessee vs. Michigan State (2017)

They call it March Madness for a reason. Middle Tennessee brought this to the next level against the Spartans in 2017. Michigan State was the second-favorites to win the entire tournament. But the Blue Raiders sent them home early in one of NCAA Basketball’s biggest upsets ever.

Tom Izzo was one of the most experienced coaches in the sport but he couldn’t save his team from humiliation. The No. 15 seeds won 90-81 and upset gamblers all across the world (via USA Today). However, they instilled joy in the hearts of every watching neutral because this is what fans love to see.

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5. Temple vs. Virgina Tech (1998)

It’s still crazy that Temple defeated Virginia Tech in this massive Big East upset. The Owls had one of the weakest rosters in the country but still managed to overcome the Hokies. There was no reason to believe that Virginia Tech would lose this game as they were riding a 5-0 unbeaten run.

Meanwhile, lowly Temple was down to their bare bones. After a spate of injuries, third-choice QB Davon Scott started (via Bleacher Report). However, the freshman had a day to remember as he inspired Temple to victory. The Owls claimed the title after putting Virginia Tech back in their place.

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4. UMBC vs. Virginia State (2018)

Everybody took it for granted that Virginia had this game in the bag. However, the Hoos proceeded to suffer a chaotic meltdown in front of the entire nation. UMBC rattled their foes and overcame the 20.5 favorites. Insanely, UMBC was the 168th ranked team in the U.S on KenPom (via SBNation).

They also suffered some embarrassing and crushing losses earlier in the season. But they rocked Virginia to become the first No.16 seed to beat a No.1 seed. This shouldn’t have happened because of the difference in scale between their programs. In the end, magic happened and the Retrievers won 75-54.

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3. Stanford vs. USC (2007)

Stanford put up a big performance against the Trojans to end USC’s 35-game home winning record. This shouldn’t have happened because Stanford hadn’t had a winning season in seven years. Meanwhile, they came into this game with a record of 1-3.

But they pulled off a miraculous 24-23 win against the 41-point favorites. USC ran into Stanford again in 2021 when they suffered a crushing 42-28 loss (via SB Sun). Stanford also came into this game on a losing run but crushed their powerhouse rivals. They’re the definition of a bogey team.

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2. Villanova vs. Georgtown (1985)

Villanova didn’t have a hope of beating Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown in 1985. The schools met for the third time that year in NCAA Final. Georgetown had already crushed their rivals twice earlier in the season. But Villanova was out for revenge in one of the most stunning NCAA upsets ever.

They fought hard against the Hoyas with a stunning 79% accuracy rating from the field (via Inquirer). This was crucial because Georgetown outshot the Wildcats 53 to 28. Meanwhile, Ewing played well but Villanova didn’t give in. In the end, they held out for a glorious and unlikely 66-64 victory.

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1. Appalachian State vs. Michigan (2007)

The game that Sports Illustrated called ‘the greatest upset of them all.’ They’re absolutely right because this was a wild game of football. The prestigious Michigan program paid Appalachian State $400,000 to play an opening day game. But nobody expected the FBS heavyweights to receive one of the biggest upsets ever.

That’s exactly what happened because the tiny North Carolina school came out strong. Quarterback Armanti Edwards had a career-defining game as the Mountaineers won 34-32. Remember, none of the Appalachian players would have even made the Michigan roster. What a stunning victory this was.

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