Sooners BCS Title Chances Dashed: 5 Biggest Upsets in BCS Era

The Sooners were the third favorites in the country after Alabama and LSU to reach the BCS National Championship. Landry Jones and this offense was simply unstoppable as there was no shot of them losing, right?

Wrong!

They came in averaging 45 points a game, which ranked sixth in the nation, and Ryan Broyles is one of the greatest receivers in the history of the BCS era, along with one of the most explosive offense in the current day country. 

Plus, their defense was licking its chops every game laying the lumber and the mighty Boomer Sooners were 30-point favorites against Texas Tech in Norman, where they have not lost in 39 games or in six years!

So, what are the five biggest upsets in the BCS era?

Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32| Sept. 1, 2007

Michigan came in as 41-point favorites and yet here they had a wet the bed moment against FCS opponent Appalachian State. 

The Wolverines were down early but had a chance to kick the game-winning field goal, trailing by two points. The kick was a chip-shot but was blocked and the kid from Boone, North Carolina pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the history of college football.

Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2OT)| Jan. 3, 2003

"Perhaps the greatest collection of future NFL talent ever assembled fell on what most Hurricanes fans consider a phantom pass interference call. The Buckeyes weren't complaining."

This game had the Hurricanes as nearly two touchdown favorites since they were after all one of the most (and still to this day perhaps) talented teams in the BCS era to never win a National Championship.

The future NFL players on this 'Canes team was endless and yet there was the Buckeyes who were able to contain Willis McGahee and the rest of the superstar loaded offense.

The defense was arguably the fastest in the BCS era and somehow, someway Maurice Clarett, Michael Jenkins, Craig Krenzel and company found a way to win in double overtime.  

Stanford 24, USC 23 | Oct. 6, 2007

Forget that the Trojans came in as 41-point favorites! 

USC was as dominant as any team in the nation through recent memory when they played this game and if it for not this loss the Trojans could have perhaps played in the BCS National Championship (instead of LSU or Ohio State) .

The year was 2007 and though the Trojans lost to Oregon later on in the season it was the miraculous loss to Stanford that will go down in history of one of the greatest games of all-time.

Pittsburgh 13, West Virginia 9 | Dec. 1, 2007

West Virginia were ranked second in the country and had they won a game against the lowly 4-7 Pitt Panthers, they would have more than likely played in the BCS National Championship. 

The Panthers were playing awful and had nothing to fight for other than knocking off the 10-1 Mountaineers in the Backyard Brawl.

Pat White and Steve Slaton could not be touched in the open field and they were four touchdown favorites! However, they sputtered all night long coughing up the ball on several occasions and the defense could not stop freshman LeSean McCoy.

The Panthers prevailed despite a valiant effort in the fourth quarter by West Virginia, who lost their quarterback Pat White in the game to injury.

Texas Tech 41, Oklahoma 38 | Oct. 22, 2011

The mighty Sooners came in as 30 point favorites (least by newspaper) though Tommy Tuberville repeatedly said his team was 'dogs by only 28 points.

Regardless, the Sooners offense stumbled the entire first half converting just 5-of-17 on third down. Landry Jones and the offense had solid numbers, but it was the defense and the play of Seth Doege that stunned the Sooner faithful. He ended up with 441 yards five total touchdowns.

The fact that OU had won 39 in a row (6 year span) at home in Norman and lost to a mediocre Texas Tech is beyond crazy!