The Year’s Most Shocking Gridiron Upsets: NFL and College Football’s Biggest Stunners

Everyone Loves a Good Upset: The Biggest Upsets in the NFL and College Football Seasons This Year

Cheering for the underdog is always exciting, and this season didn’t disappoint. This season saw some unforgettable upsets in both the NFL and college football. From double-digit underdogs to massive upsets, we’ve got you covered.

According to FOX Sports Research, the biggest upsets in each sport were:

NFL:

1. Cowboys (+10.5) at Commanders, Week 12 – The Cowboys took down the Commanders as 10.5-point underdogs, led by Cooper Rush’s 24-of-32 performance with 247 passing yards and two touchdowns.
2. Raiders (+9) at Ravens, Week 2 – The Raiders upset the Ravens as nine-point favorites, marking just the third win for underdogs of nine or more points in the 2024 season.
3. Patriots (+8) at Bengals, Week 1 – The Patriots, who finished the season with the worst record in the NFL, took down the Bengals as eight-point underdogs in the opening game of the season.
4. Broncos (+8) at Jets, Week 4 – The Broncos won by a point against the Jets, who finished the season 4-12, as eight-point underdogs.
5. Titans (+8) at Texans, Week 12 – The Titans, who finished the season with the worst record in the NFL, took down the Texans as eight-point underdogs.

College Football:

1. Northern Illinois (+28) at 5 Notre Dame, Week 2 – The Huskies upset the Irish as 28-point underdogs, marking the first win against an AP top five team in Northern Illinois’ history.
2. Liberty at Kennesaw State (+27), Week 9 – The Owls, in their first season at the FBS level, upset Liberty as 27-point favorites.
3. Vanderbilt (+23.5) at 1 Alabama, Week 6 – The Commodores pulled off a historic upset, taking down the top-ranked Crimson Tide as 23.5-point underdogs.
4. Georgia State (+23) at Texas State, Week 13 – The Panthers, who finished the season 3-9, upset the Bobcats as 23-point underdogs.
5. Stanford (+21) at 22 Louisville, Week 12 – The Cardinal, who finished the season 3-9, snapped a six-game losing streak with an upset win against the 22nd-ranked Cardinals as 21-point underdogs.