<--- PRE NEX --->

Wolverines vs. Mountaineers (2007) or Kentucky vs. Oklahoma (1951): which was a bigger upset?

11/6/15-Author: Tali
”Appalachian
(Images courtesy of Flickr user avinashkunnath.)


The Michigan Wolverines opened the 2007 season at home vs. the Appalachian State Mountaineers. The Wolverines were ranked #5 in the AP for FBS Schools and some were picking them to win the Big Ten.

At the time Appalachian State was in the CSD (formerly NCAA 1AA), but was ranked #1 in the division and was the two-time FCS Champion. The team was positioning itself to move up to the FBS Division.

Michigan was overwhelmingly favored. Teams like Michigan never lose to FCS schools and yet…

When the game was over Michigan had lost 34-32. While Michigan outgained the Mountaineers in overall yards and rushing yards, all the other stats were similar. Turnovers cost both teams. Ann Arbor was stunned.

The season wasn’t over for Michigan: they went on to finish 9-4 and a #18 in the AP. Appalachian State went on to finish 13-2 and win the FCS again. In 2014 the Mountaineers moved to the Sun Belt Conference and into the FBS division.

Let’s go to the videotape ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr3HDbDgcYY

”Coach
Coach Bear Bryant and player after beating #1 Oklahoma" (Images courtesy of www.herkentucky.com.)


In the 1951 Sugar Bowl Bear Bryan’s Kentucky #7 Wildcats (10-1) played Bud Wilkinson’s #1 Oklahoma Sooners (10-0). Kentucky represented the SEC and Oklahoma, the Big Seven.

Oklahoma was heavily favored. The Sooners were on a 31-game winning streak and had won the National Championship the previous year.

The Wildcats were decent and, even though they had never been a good football program, Bear Bryant had changed that in the five years he had been there. (Bear Bryant coached the Wildcats for eight years with a record of 60–23–6.) However, at the time, no one gave them a chance.

The game turned out differently from what everyone (except Bear and his players) expected. Kentucky won 13-7. Not only did they win, but they shut out the Sooners for three quarters while scoring 13 themselves in the first half.

It was a real stunner. (Maybe not so much in hindsight considering who Kentucky’s coach was.)

A quirk of the time: various polls had Oklahoma winning in the National Championship because quite a few of the polls came out before the bowl games.

Let’s go to the videotape ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_zeMCnlWY

So which one of these upsets is more impressive? Which one is a bigger upset?

Please comment via the button below.

<--- PRE 98 of 149 NEX --->

© 2017 itCoder.net LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy: College Football Faniacs.com does not implement cookies; College Football Faniacs.com does use Google Analytics for Display Advertising.