5 biggest road upsets in modern FBS college football history

2. Stanford upsets USC, 24-23 (Oct. 6, 2007)

In the dynastic days of USC football that Lincoln Riley is trying to bring the Trojans back to, they came into almost every game favored heavily and with the expectations from everyone watching that they were going to roll. That was especially true as Stanford made the trip down to Los Angeles having to see their backup quarterback, Tavita Pritchard, starting his first game after T.C. Ostrander suffered a seizure earlier in the week.

USC was in control for much of the game and held a 23-14 lead in the fourth quarter. But the Cardinal then gave themselves a chance with a field goal before Pritchard had his big-time moment by finding Mark Bradford for a touchdown pass late that sealed the upset win.

At the time, the Trojans looked truly infallible, so for them to lose on their home field to a backup quarterback still turns head to this day.

1. Appalachian State upsets Michigan, 34-32 (Sept. 1, 2007)

Perhaps the most famous upset in college football history even now still needs some context. Considering that Appalachian State has moved to the FBS level since they took down Michigan and have also pulled off more upsets and crazy moments since, some people might not realize the apparent gap that separated the Mountaineers from the Wolverines coming into this game.

App State came into this game at the vaunted Big House with 100,000 screaming fans clad in maize and blue raining down upon them and, really, most just assumed they were cashing a check to get beat. Michigan might’ve assumed that too based on how things transpired.

The fact that the game with a spread north of 30 points was close made it an impressive enough performance from Appalachian State but Michigan seemed ready to pull out the win with a last-second field goal. Instead, the Mountaineers brought the house and blocked the field goal, running out the rest of the clock on the return and securing the greatest upset in college football history, bar none.

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