Trevor Bayne Daytona 500: The 10 Most Surprising Upsets in Sports History

Trevor Bayne was a nobody when he woke up yesterday morning.

Today, he finds himself as a household name having won the 2011 Daytona 500.

Nobody, including Bayne, expected him to win the race on Sunday. Fans and media figured it would be a big name guy like Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch or Dale Earnhardt Jr.

However, it was the no-name Trevor Bayne that came away with the victory. 

Is Bayne's shocking win the best ever? Let's take a look and see where he ranks in the 10 most surprising upsets in sports history.  

10. No. 16 Upsets No. 1

Harvard was the No. 16 seed and they beat the No.1 Stanford Cardinal in 1998.

That isn't supposed to happen. I don't care if it's women's basketball—16 seeds do not beat the top overall seeds.

Stanford lost on their home court, 71-67. It was the first and only time a No. 16 seed beat a No. 1. And it probably won't ever happen again. Nobody thought they would win, but they did.  

9. Bayne's World

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Trevor Bayne, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 2011 in Daytona Beach, Florid

Trevor Bayne just turned 20 on Saturday. A day later, he won the biggest race in NASCAR, the Daytona 500. Bayne now holds the record for the youngest Daytona 500 winner ever.  

It was a race that saw a record 74 lead changes and 22 different leaders. There were also a record 16 cautions. It was a kind of race that no one expected, and a young kid came away with the victory. 

We don't know if Bayne is the next big thing in NASCAR or if he'll ever win a race again. We do know that Bayne made an improbable run and surprisingly won the 2011 Daytona 500. 

8. Nuggets Shock Sonics

The Sonics were the No.1 seed and the Nuggets were the No. 8 seed. It should be an easy series win for the Sonics, right? 

The Nuggets lost the first two games of a best-of-five series in 1994. So it's over, right?

Wrong.

Dikembe Mutombo and the Nuggets rallied back and won the next three games. They became the first No.8 seed to the beat a No.1.

7. Super Bowl III Guarantee

He guaranteed it and actually came through. 

The New York Jets only title came when Joe Namath guaranteed they would win it. Rex Ryan has tried that role but only Namath has the magic for it. 

The Jets were an 18-point underdog to the Baltimore Colts. When they won the game, 16-7, people were shocked Namath and company came through on the promise. 

6. Jimmy V's Wolfpack in 1983

College basketball is filled with phenomenal upsets. But none are quite as magical as North Carolina State's victory over Houston.

Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler made up the Phi Slamma Jamma Houston Cougars. They were favored to win the game, but a last-second dunk surprised everyone.

What ensued afterwards is forever in the hearts of all college hoops fans: Jim Valvano running hysterically around the court trying to find anyone to hug is a classic. 

5. Down Goes Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines were ranked fifth in the nation in 2007 and many believed that had a shot to win the title that year. All the had to do was find a way to beat Jim Tressel and Ohio State at the end of the year. 

Oh and of course beat the Mountaineers of Appalachian State in the season opener. Nobody saw this coming and the Mountaineers became the first Division I-AA team to beat a ranked Division I-A team.

4. Buster Douglas Knocks Out Mike Tyson

Buster Douglas had a lot of problems in his life. 

But for one night, he was the best of the best. All problems disappeared and Douglas was the king of the night. 

He shocked the world and knocked out Mike Tyson in the 10th round in 1990. Douglas was at 42-1 odds to win it all. 

3. Giants Deny Perfection

The 2007 New England Patriots were one game away from a perfect 19-0. They own the best record in football history at 18-0, but lost the one that matters most.

Nobody in their right mind picked the Giants to win that game. The Patriots were a better team and they dominated all year long. With all great upsets there has to be a little luck, and the Giants surely got that with David Tyree's crazy catch.

It saved the drive and ruined the Patriots' perfect season.  

2. Upset's Big Upset

Man O' War was a great horse. He won 20 of 21 races. The one loss was quite the upset. 

In the 1919 Sanford Memorial, Man O' War lost the only race of his legendary career to a horse named Upset. 

Upset faced a difficult task being 100-1 odds at winning it. But he lived up to his name on that fateful day. 

1. Miracle On Ice

Do you believe in miracles? 

The 1980's US Men's hockey team believed in themselves, and it carried them all the way to the title.

A team made up of amateurs and college kids defeated the mighty Soviet Union powerhouse. Nobody thought they could do it, but they pulled of the biggest upset of them all.