Greatest Sports Upset in History

[BatemanPatrickl]

If you had to pick one game, what game would you pick?

I am going with the 1966 upset of UTEP over Kentucky; even though I wasn't even close to being alive at that time, I think this may be the biggest upset of all time.

[Doc JS]

While the college basketball game had a lot of social signifance here in the USA this is
not even close....USA over USSR in Olympic hockey at Lake Placid in 1980.

[SBR_John]

I was going to toss in Lake Placid. I think that just has to be #1.

But the Jets over the Colts was big.

How about Stanford over consensus #1 USC as a 40.5 point dog???

[Doc JS]

I was going to toss in Lake Placid. I think that just has to be #1.

But the Jets over the Colts was big.

How about Stanford over consensus #1 USC as a 40.5 point dog???

John,
The Jets over the Colts was big because it was the driving force for the merger between the old AFL and NFL.

Stanford over USC was big because, as you pointed out, the 40.5 point spread.

But for my money they all pale in comparison to a bunch of college kids beating what was the best hockey team in the world at the time!

Doc JS

[BatemanPatrickl]

John,
The Jets over the Colts was big because it was the driving force for the merger between the old AFL and NFL.

Stanford over USC was big because, as you pointed out, the 40.5 point spread.

But for my money they all pale in comparison to a bunch of college kids beating what was the best hockey team in the world at the time!

Doc JS

I agree somewhat but the college kids all played organized hockey and if I am not mistaken their coach was well known.

Haskins had only a few years of coaching experience and his players beat a Kentucky who was a powerhouse at the time. Also, the players were under a lot of stress as well.

[hhsilver]

I don't know about the spread on UTEP - KY. But UTEP had to have been a very good team to even be in the tournament AND reach the final game.

I vote for Stanford, a 38 to 41, point dog .

[jjgold]

Villy over Georgetown way back in NCAA finals

[Tchocky]

What about Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson? Biggest upset numerically or biggest upset in the minds of the general public?
People don't always agree on what is or isn't an upset.

[bbyhill]

not the greatest upset but the greatest comeback the bills and the oilers in the 1992 afc wildcard. Bills had to go with Frank Reich the 2nd stringer qb down 35-3 and led them to a ot victory the oilers defensive coordinator was fired at the end of the game

[BatemanPatrickl]

Some good posts on here; Tyson getting knocked out was big as well.

[milwaukee mike]

bateman how can you pick a 6 1/2 point underdog as the biggest upset in history?
especially, as many have pointed out here, we just had stanford as a 39 point underdog win on saturday.

Largest NCAA upsets
Largest underdogs to win the NCAA championship since 1961, with point spread, date of game and final score:

9 1/2 - April 1, 1985, Villanova 66, Georgetown 64
9 1/2 - March 29, 1999, Connecticut 77, Duke 74
8 1/2 - April 4, 1983, North Carolina St. 54, Houston 52
8 1/2 - April 4, 1988, Kansas 83, Oklahoma 73
8 - March 25, 1961, Cincinnati 70, Ohio State 65, OT
7 - March 31, 1997, Arizona 84, Kentucky 79, OT
6 1/2 - March 19, 1966, Texas Western 72, Kentucky 65

[milwaukee mike]

i'm going with the horse named "upset" beating man o war as a 100-1 underdog in 1919.

[noyb]

instead of greatest sports upset in history, judging by what was posted in this topic the title of this thread should clearly be "Greatest Sports Upset in US History".

[milwaukee mike]

aren't all the great sports u.s. based?
unless you consider cricket, squash, and soccer to be major sports lol.

noyb, what is your greatest worldwide sports upset then?

[noyb]

noyb, what is your greatest worldwide sports upset then?

South-Korea making it to the semis of the WC Soccer in 2002 should definitely be in anyone's Top-10 of greatest sport upsets ever.

I have a feeling though most Americans know as little about this upset, as I know about UTEP (?) or USC (?).

[milwaukee mike]

winning a couple of controversial soccer games (spain was robbed in the quarterfinal game) at home?
and not even being the champ?

i wouldn't even include that in the top 100 sports upsets.
wikipedia and others don't even have south korea over spain as the biggest upset of the 2002 world cup!
(senegal/france)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upset

what do you have as #1?

[milwaukee mike]

you asked for opinions, and then get pissy when someone gives theirs?

i wasn't giving you a jab, just asking why that was such a big upset. texas western was ranked #3 at the time.

yes sir master bateman... sorry to post...
why do you need to tell me what to do 4 TIMES IN THE SAME POST? BOSSY AREN'T WE?...

[LT Profits]

1 - USA over USSR in Hockey

2 - Chaminade over then #1 Virginia in CBB

3 - Stanford over USC in CFB

[BatemanPatrickl]

you asked for opinions, and then get pissy when someone gives theirs?

i wasn't giving you a jab, just asking why that was such a big upset. texas western was ranked #3 at the time.

yes sir master bateman... sorry to post...
why do you need to tell me what to do 4 TIMES IN THE SAME POST? BOSSY AREN'T WE?...

Funny how this thread wasn't moved but my response was.

[BatemanPatrickl]

1 - USA over USSR in Hockey

2 - Chaminade over then #1 Virginia in CBB

3 - Stanford over USC in CFB

[Iwinyourmoney]

Why is everyone leaving out Mich vs Ap State?

[LT Profits]

Why is everyone leaving out Mich vs Ap State?

Because Stanford was bigger.

Appalachian State was "only" +30.5, and game was on opening week before anyone knew how overrated Michigan is.

USC was at least -38.5, they were an undefeated legitimate national title contender, and they had a 35-game home winning streak.

[louisvillekid]

9 1/2 - April 1, 1985, Villanova 66, Georgetown 64
9 1/2 - March 29, 1999, Connecticut 77, Duke 74
8 1/2 - April 4, 1983, North Carolina St. 54, Houston 52
8 1/2 - April 4, 1988, Kansas 83, Oklahoma 73
8 - March 25, 1961, Cincinnati 70, Ohio State 65, OT
7 - March 31, 1997, Arizona 84, Kentucky 79, OT
6 1/2 - March 19, 1966, Texas Western 72, Kentucky 65

Nova and coach Rollie, whatever happened to Pinckney?
UConn beat a Duke team that had nothing but a starting 5, they had no bench.
Jimmy V, the long prayer shot, with the tip at the buzzer, classic.
Kansas had their one man wrecking crew, Manning.
Cincy was a one man wrecking crew, Oscar Robertson.
Zona and the 2 guards who lit it up.
Tex Wes showing the slow hillbillys what college ball was about to become.

everyone is pointing out some good ones.

[milwaukee mike]

bateman why did your post get deleted?

i know i called it "pissy" but you have the same right to voice your opinion that the rest of us do.

we disagreed but so what? you said nothing personal and leaving it in is better than "freedom of speech just watch what you say"...

[bbyhill]

boise state 43 over 7oklahoma 42 in OT fiesta bowl

[Willie Bee]

If Kelly Leak had been a hair quicker, I'd say the Bears over the Yankees in the original Bad News Bears flick.

How about the Tampico Stogies over the Dothan Cardinals on a walk-off hit by pitch in Long Gone or the Cleveland Indians over the New York Yankees on a walk-off bunt in Major League?

There was also a lot of "action" on Pittsburgh in The Natural, but Roy Hobbs' dramatic home run gave the pennant to the underdog New York Knights instead.

Seriously, the three biggest upsets on the MLB field in my lifetime have to be the 1969 Mets, 1988 Dodgers and 1990 Reds.

[LT Profits]

Seriously, the three biggest upsets on the MLB field in my lifetime have to be the 1969 Mets, 1988 Dodgers and 1990 Reds.

What about the 1906 Chicago White Sox (The Hitless Wonders)? I TOLD you they would win!

[BatemanPatrickl]

Nova and coach Rollie, whatever happened to Pinckney?
UConn beat a Duke team that had nothing but a starting 5, they had no bench.
Jimmy V, the long prayer shot, with the tip at the buzzer, classic.
Kansas had their one man wrecking crew, Manning.
Cincy was a one man wrecking crew, Oscar Robertson.
Zona and the 2 guards who lit it up.
Tex Wes showing the slow hillbillys what college ball was about to become.

everyone is pointing out some good ones.

Ed Pinckney played for the Celtics...

[BatemanPatrickl]

If Kelly Leak had been a hair quicker, I'd say the Bears over the Yankees in the original Bad News Bears flick.

How about the Tampico Stogies over the Dothan Cardinals on a walk-off hit by pitch in Long Gone or the Cleveland Indians over the New York Yankees on a walk-off bunt in Major League?

There was also a lot of "action" on Pittsburgh in The Natural, but Roy Hobbs' dramatic home run gave the pennant to the underdog New York Knights instead.

Seriously, the three biggest upsets on the MLB field in my lifetime have to be the 1969 Mets, 1988 Dodgers and 1990 Reds.

Kirk Gibson pulled off the gimp

[Willie Bee]

What about the 1906 Chicago White Sox (The Hitless Wonders)? I TOLD you they would win!

How could I forget the 1906 ChiSox. Don't you still owe me money from the bet we made on that one, LT?

[pavyracer]

Greece winning the EURO 2004 in soccer. They were something like 50 to 1 dogs I think.

[BatemanPatrickl]

How about Russia beating the USA in basketball in the late 1970's???

The calls were bullshit but it was and is a win still.

[hhsilver]

Why is everyone leaving out Mich vs Ap State?

App St is 2 time defending 1AA champ and, as such, could probably beat far more than half of the 1A teams. I don't think the same could be said of Stanford, given their record last year and this year pre-USC. Now we know that Stanford is getting better and Mich, while still good, is not a #5 team.

At the time of the games, Stanford is a far bigger upset than App St.

App St was very newsworthy because they are a 1AA, but if you know football, you knew they were good.

The biggest pointspread upsets I remember, besides Stanford, are Syra +38 over Louisville this year , Temple , when they were terrible in the 90s (I think) at about +36 over a great VA Tech , and , if I remember, a very bad UTEP in the 80s or early 90s , at about +36 over Wash when Wash was a powerful top 10 type team.

My vote is Stanford as the biggest upset.

[LT Profits]

hhsilver,

We obviously agree that Stanford was the biggest FOOTBALL upset ever, but there are reasons I ranked in third it SPORTS upsets.

1 - When USA beat USSR in hockey, Team USA was a bunch of college kids and the USSR had just beaten some NHL teams in an exhibition tour. It was like a college team beating an NFL team.

2 - Chaminade was a mid-level Division II school when they beat Virginia, which was ranked #1 with Ralph Sampson. That is the equivalent of a team worse then Appalachian State beating LSU.

[Keith Richard]

The Bills defeating Dallas after leading the whole game last night. Oops, that's right they ended up losing the game.