Biggest Upsets of the 2018 Season

[nddulac]

Based on the results of my computer, the top five upsets of 2018 were:

1. Akron 39, Northwestern 45 (September 15, 2018)
2. Maine 5, Central Michigan 17 (September 22, 2018)
3. Virginia Tech 35, Old Dominion 49 (September 22, 2018)
4. Western Kentucky 30, Louisiana Tech 15 (November 24, 2018)
5. Ohio State 20, Purdue 49 (October 20, 2018)

What do you think?

 

[nddulac]

5. Ohio State 20, Purdue 49 (October 20, 2018)

There are man reasons to remember this game, the completely unexpectedly lopsided score notwithstanding. Who can forget the story of Tyler Trent, who put this game on his bucket list?

Ohio State came into this game 7-0, with wins over Oregon State, Rutgers, Texas Christian, Tulane, Penn State, and Minnesota. Only Penn State and TCU could come within two scores of the Buckeyes. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers came into the game with a record of 3-3, having lost their first three games (Northwestern, Eastern Michigan, and Missouri), but having won three in a row (Boston College, Nebraska, and Illinois.) Purdue would absolutely humiliate the Buckeyes, beating them by four scores.

Purdue would go on to finish the season on a 2-4 run following the upset. With wins over Iowa and arch-rival Indiana, but suffering losses to Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Auburn in the Music City Bowl. Ohio State would run the table, with wins over Nebraska, Michigan State, Maryland (in an overtime nail-biter), Michigan, Northwester in the BigTen Championship Game, and Washington in the Rose Bowl.

 

[nddulac]

4. Western Kentucky 30, Louisiana Tech 15 (November 24, 2018)

Of the top five, this game came latest in the season, as it was the Hilltoppers de facto Bowl game, having entered the game just 2-9 (wins over Ball State and Texas-El Paso, losses to Wisconsin, Maine, Louisville, Marshall, Charlotte, Old Dominion, Florida international, Middle Tennessee, and Florida Atlantic.) On the other side of the field were the home Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, who entered the game 7-4 with wins over South Alabama, Southern, North Texas, Texas-San Antonio, Texas-El Paso, Florida Atlantic, and Rice. Losses to Louisiana State, Alabama-Birmingham, Mississippi State, and Southern Mississippi. The Bulldogs would also go on to beat Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl.

 

[nddulac]

3. Virginia Tech 35, Old Dominion 49 (September 22, 2018)

This game came early on and was a bit of a shocker at the time. Virginia Tech entered the game 2-0, with wins over Florida State, and William & Mary. (It’s tough playing both William AND Mary you know.) The Hokies also had an unplanned bye, having had to cancel their game against Eastern Carolina due to a hurricane. The Monarchs came into the game at 0-3, having lost to Liberty, Florida International, and Charlotte. So you would expect a rested, undefeated Virginia Tech to have no problems at all, right? Instead, ODU pulls off the home upset, beating the Techies by two scores.

Old Dominion would “build” on this win by losing their next three games, and five of their final eight (losses to East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, and Rice, and wins against Western Kentucky, North Texas, and the ever scrappy Virginia Military Academy.) Virginia Tech, conversely (or not so conversely) would win four of their remaining ten games (wins over Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, and Marshall, and losses to Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Pittsburgh, and Military Bowl foe Cincinnati.)

 

[nddulac]

2. Maine 5, Central Michigan 17 (September 22, 2018)

Beating an FCS opponent in Week 3 should be a big deal, right? Well it turned out to be for the Chippewas of Central Michigan, in a game that really defied logic, despite the FBS/FCS matchup. The win over the Black Bears would be the Chips’ only win of the season (losses to Kentucky, Kansas, Northern Illinois, Michigan state, Buffalo, Ball State, Western Michigan, Akron, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, and Toledo. The Black Bears would go 10-3 in their FCS Schedule, which was augmented by their 50-19 loss to the Eagles of Eastern Washington in the FCS playoffs.

 

[nddulac]

1. Akron 39, Northwestern 45 (September 15, 2018)

It is sometimes hard to tell how big an upset really is when it occurs so early in the season. After canceling their scheduled season opener against Nebraska, the Zip had beaten FCS Morgan State going into this game. Northwestern looked a bit shaky, having beaten Purdue, but having lost to Duke. After the game, Northwestern would go on to win all but two of their remaining regular season games (Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois, losses to Michigan and Notre Dame) before succumbing to Ohio State in the BigTen championship game, and finally beating Utah in the Holiday Bowl. Akron would win only twice more on the season (Kent State, and Central Michigan) while losing eight times (Iowa State, Miami (OH), Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Ohio, and (the rescheduled game against) South Carolina.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Old Dominion over Virginia Tech was a huge upset, but at the end of the day, Va Tech needed Virginia to shit the bed just to back into a low level bowl game.

Purdue just flat out beat the shit out of a playoff caliber team.

 

[iowajerms]

November 3rd - UTEP 34 at Rice 26

Who actually thought UTEP would beat a FBS team?

Right @Deep Creek?

 

[Red_Alert]

Northwestern beating Akron 45-39 was an upset?
(even though it didn't happen)

 

[nddulac]

Northwestern beating Akron 45-39 was an upset?
(even though it didn't happen)

That score is wrong. Probably backwards.

 

[Red_Alert]

Anyway... The answer is Purdue upsetting Ohio St soundly.

That kept the Buckeyes out of the CFP.

 

[Red_Alert]

That score is wrong. Probably backwards.

Nope. Not backwards.


How could it possibly be wrong? You did it three times.

 

[Deep Creek]

November 3rd - UTEP 34 at Rice 26

Who actually thought UTEP would beat a FBS team?

Right @Deep Creek?

It has damn sure been a rare occasion for us to beat ANY FBS team the past few years.

I was a big Sean Kugler fan but that experiment was a complete disaster. (Still think he is a stand up guy...just not head coaching material for a mid major like UTEP.)

 

[Blackshirts BLVD]

I picked Ohio St vs Purdue. The only other one that felt like an upset was Va Tech losing to Old Dominion... but we have seen Va Tech drop games like that in the past, James Madison.

I could have seen Purdue taking a close game, but that was a beat down and I didn't think that was going to happen, so that got my vote.

 

[ralphiewvu]

*Akron 39- NW 34

 

[steelerssb]

Purdue.

Not just because of the win but because they dominated.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

This thread has triggered my losing PTSD. Need to go calm down now.

 

[CowpokeU]

I'm pretty sure North Texas beating the ever loving brakes off of Arkansas belongs up there.

That punt return was a thing of brilliance.

 

[nddulac]

Nope. Not backwards.


How could it possibly be wrong? You did it three times.

The correct score was Akron 39, Northwestern 34. The reason the error is repeated is because I cut and pasted from the same source (a word document where I wrote everything before I posted.)

 

[Red_Alert]

The correct score was Akron 39, Northwestern 34. The reason the error is repeated is because I cut and pasted from the same source (a word document where I wrote everything before I posted.)

So not backwards. Unless 34 is 45 backwards.