10 Most Unbelievable Upsets in Super Bowl History

According to the Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Patriots and Giants are fairly evenly matched heading into Super Bowl XLVI. The Pats opened up as three-point favorites. 

So given that figure, the Giants victory over New England back in Week 9, and the outcome of their Super Bowl XLII matchup back in 2008, should Eli Manning's crew emerge victorious, it won't be much of a stunner.

But throughout its 45 years of history, the Super Bowl has seen its share of incredible and unexpected upsets. 

Here's the 10 most memorable, with one author's note: The point spread created by Vegas is certainly a big factor in determining an upset. But not the only one. The makeup of rosters, team identity and final score also has to be factored in. 

No. 10: Super Bowl XLV

Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers

Point Spread: Steelers by 3

Final Score: Packers 31, Steelers 25

In hindsight, the point spread leading up to Super Bowl XLV was a bit hard to swallow; after all, the Packers won the game and went on to win the next 13 as well.

But at the time, the three points Pittsburgh was giving up was reasonable, and here's why.

Despite their great history, the bulk of that Packers roster—most notably Aaron Rodgers—was making its Super Bowl debut. The Steelers, led by Ben Roethlisberger, had already won two of the previous five Super Bowls. So Pittsburgh had a huge edge on that front.

And since the Steelers were reasonably well-preserved, having two home playoff games, while the Packers had three road playoff games and were basically in a do-or-die situation for two months, there had to be concern about burnout. 

Clearly, there wasn't any. 

No. 9: Super Bowl XV

Teams: Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Point Spread: Eagles by 3

Final Score: Raiders 27, Eagles 10

Back in 1980, no Wild Card team had ever reached the Super Bowl. Maybe that was the reason why the Raiders—although they had won the Super Bowl just four years earlier—were underdogs to an Eagles team that wasn't necessarily loaded with stars.

The fact that the Raiders were led by Jim Plunkett, who had not yet completely shed his "bust" label, was probably another. 

And along the same lines of burnout, the Raiders racked up quite a few miles on their postseason journey: from California to Houston, back to California then to Cleveland, then back to Oakland and on to San Diego, then back to Oakland and on to New Orleans. Since the Eagles had consecutive home games and didn't have to leave town for nearly a month (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19), the Eagles were considerably well rested. 

No. 8: Super Bowl XXXVII

Teams: Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Point Spread: Raiders by 4

Final Score: Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21

Heading into Super Bowl XXXVII, some people thought that the Jon Gruden trade gave the Raiders a tremendous edge: They knew him and his offense as well as anyone.

So the Raiders giving four points made sense on some level.

As it turned out, the opposite was true: Gruden knew the Raiders better than they knew themselves.

Still, a four-point underdog winning isn't necessarily "unbelievable." The way the game played out, however, with Rich Gannon and the wonderfully efficient offense turning the ball over five times (three of which led directly to defensive scores) in a 27-point triumph was pretty shocking.

No. 7: Super Bowl XVIII

Teams: Los Angeles Raiders vs. Washington Redskins

Point Spread: Redskins by 3

Final Score: Raiders 38, Redskins 9

Here's another case where the "unbelievable" element of this upset wasn't just about the Vegas odds: The final score, and what actually took place in the game, is a huge reason why this entry makes the list.

The 1983 Redskins were not only the defending Super Bowl champions, but they had a historical potent offense led by John Riggins and Joe Theismann.

Nevertheless, the Raiders absolutely hammered them, and Marcus Allen totally upstaged Riggins as Los Angeles held a team that averaged over 34 points per game that season to just nine. 

No. 6: Super Bowl IV

Teams: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings

Point Spread: Vikings by 12

Final Score: Chiefs 23, Vikings 7

This game often gets overlooked in light of the Super Bowl that directly preceded it. But in some ways, the last game in AFL history was just as significant as the Jets' famous upset of Baltimore in January 1969.

It proved that that Joe Namath guaranteed victory was no fluke and that the AFL—which would become fully integrated into the NFL the next season—was every bit their equal. 

And although everyone remembers Alan Paige, Jim Marshall and the Purple People Eaters, many forget that the 1969 Vikings, quarterbacked by Joe Kapp (not Fran Tarkenton), actually led the NFL in scoring, so for Hank Stram's defense to limit score just once was an incredible, stunning feat. 

No. 5: Super Bowl XXXII

Teams: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers

Point Spread: Packers by 11

Final Score: Broncos 31, Packers 24

Chalk that huge point spread to two things:

1) The AFC hadn't won a Super Bowl in their previous 13 tries.

2) John Elway and the Denver Broncos were responsible for three of those losses, each of which was a colossal embarrassment. 

Still, the Packers deserved to be huge favorites. They were defending Super Bowl champions and just the previous season, Denver went up to Lambeau Field and was walloped 41-6. 

But Elway finally earned his Super Bowl title because Denver was so effective at running the ball.

No one thought that their offensive line would be able to manhandle Reggie White, Santana Dotson and the enormous Gilbert Brown, but they did and Terrell Davis dominated a game that was supposed to be an epic quarterback showdown between Elway and three-time MVP Brett Favre. 

No. 4: Super Bowl XXV

Teams: Buffalo Bills vs. New York Giants

Point Spread: Bills by 7

Final Score: Giants 20, Bills 19

The Bills had just trounced the Los Angeles Raiders 51-3 in the AFC Championship Game, the largest championship game margin of victory in 50 years. 

Meanwhile, the Giants had only reached the Super Bowl by squeaking past the 49ers on a last-second field goal in a game that they didn't score a single touchdown.

But the Giants with their backup quarterback, backup running back and aging defense toppled the high-powered Bills K-Gun by dominating the clock (by a 2-to-1 ratio) and physically pounding the Bills receivers every time they touched the ball. 

It was the perfect game, something every underdog needs to pull off the upset in a Super Bowl. 

No. 3: Super Bowl XXXVI

Teams: New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams

Point Spread: Rams by 14

Final Score: Patriots 20, Rams 17

Yes, the New England Patriots were once the scrappy, no-name team that struggled to put together offense and barely escape games with a W.

So when they reached the Super Bowl by controversially defeating Oakland (via the Tuck Rule), then toppling Pittsburgh largely by way of Steelers special teams gaffes, there didn't seem to be much hope in upsetting the awesome Rams team that had just won a Super Bowl two years earlier.

They weren't going to outscore Kurt Warner's Greatest Show on Turf, so their only hope was a fantastic defensive effort. They got one from Bill Belichick's unit and pulled off the upset. 

But even beyond the point spread, the way they finished—their inexperienced quarterback leading the offense downfield in the final two minutes followed by a lengthy, last-second field goal—only made the victory more improbable. 

No. 2: Super Bowl XLII

Teams: New England Patriots vs. New York Giants

Point Spread: Patriots by 12

Final Score: Giants 17, Patriots 14

In just six, not-so-short years, the Patriots became the powerhouse incumbent Goliath and the Giants took their place as the puny, irrelevant David.

But because the Patriots were undefeated, in pursuit of the mythic 19-0 season, and owners of the most prolific, aerial circus in NFL history, while the Giants barely earned a playoff spot and squeaked through the NFC title game (largely because of a Brett Favre interception), the Giants seemed to be another minor hurdle for New England.

Low and behold, Tom Coughlin's defense relentlessly pressured Tom Brady and through three-and-a-half quarters held the Pats' amazing offense to just one touchdown.

Throw in Eli Manning's impossible completion to David Tyree, setting up the game-winning, last-minute touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress, and you have the most incredible upset in Super Bowl history......well, second most. 

No. 1: Super Bowl III

Teams: New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts

Point Spread: Colts by 18

Final Score: Jets 16, Colts 7

No matter how enormous the point spread in the forthcoming Super Bowls, from 2013 to 2500, it's hard to imagine another game being a more unbelievable upset.

I'd argue, that even if the horrific 2011 Colts were allowed to play the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI or the 2011 Rams were allowed to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and somehow won the game, it still wouldn't compare to what happened in January 1969 at the Orange Bowl. 

For almost a full decade, the AFL was relegated as a minor league compared to the NFL and that was largely proven in 1966 and 1967 by the Packers. So when the "other" dynasty of the 1960s NFL, the Baltimore Colts, reached Super Bowl III, it didn't seem to matter which sacrificial lamb the AFL trotted out there.

And then there was Joe Namath's guarantee. That only seemed to make the Jets look even a more laughable opponent: Their quarterback was clearly delusional.

You know what happened after that. The Jets controlled the clock, handcuffed the Colts' great offense and escaped with the most important victory in Super Bowl history.