The Biggest Comebacks in CFB History: Unbelievable Upsets & Incredible Rallies
Hello, college football fans! Today, we're diving into the biggest comeback in CFB history and other incredible rallies that will leave you on the edge of your seat. So, grab your popcorn and let's relive these unforgettable moments! Guys, explore more in Guides And Explainers and biggest comeback in cfb history.
The Mother of All Comebacks: 1984 Miami vs. ECU
Kicking off our list is the biggest comeback in CFB history that happened on November 23, 1984. The Miami Hurricanes were hosting the East Carolina Pirates, and things were looking grim for the home team. Miami found themselves down 31-0 in the second quarter. But, as any true college football fan knows, it's never over until the final whistle.
The Hurricanes didn't just mount a comeback; they staged an unbelievable rally. Miami scored 38 unanswered points, with Bernie Kosar throwing for 445 yards and four touchdowns. The 'Canes won the game 42-40 in overtime, leaving the Pirate faithful questioning what had just happened.
The Miracle in Michigan: 2011 Michigan vs. Northwestern
In 2011, the Michigan Wolverines were looking to avoid an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Northwestern Wildcats. With just over four minutes left in the game, Northwestern held a 27-15 lead. But, as the clock wound down, the Wolverines weren't ready to call it a day.
Quarterback Denard Robinson led Michigan on an incredible 80-yard drive, capping it off with a 1-yard touchdown run with just 11 seconds remaining. The Wolverines then attempted a two-point conversion, which Robinson completed to tie the game at 27. Northwestern couldn't muster a response in overtime, and Michigan won it 34-31 on a 28-yard field goal.
The Black Saturday Massacre: 1992 Penn State vs. Florida State
On November 7, 1992, the Penn State Nittany Lions traveled to Tallahassee to take on the Florida State Seminoles. The game was a one-sided affair in the first half, with Florida State leading 28-0 at the break. But, as the old saying goes, "it ain't over till it's over."
Penn State stormed back in the second half, scoring 34 unanswered points to take a 34-28 lead with just over two minutes left. Florida State, however, had other plans. The Seminoles scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to take a 36-34 lead with just 14 seconds remaining. But, Penn State wasn't done yet. The Nittany Lions scored a field goal as time expired to win the game 37-36, capping off one of the biggest comebacks in CFB history.
The Miracle at Michigan: 2003 Michigan vs. Iowa
In 2003, the Michigan Wolverines were looking to keep their national title hopes alive against the Iowa Hawkeyes. With just over eight minutes left in the game, Michigan found themselves down 34-17. But, as any college football fan knows, a 17-point deficit is nothing to sneeze at.
The Wolverines mounted an incredible rally, scoring 17 unanswered points to tie the game at 34 with just over a minute left. Iowa, however, had one last gasp. The Hawkeyes drove the ball down to the Michigan 2-yard line, setting up a game-winning field goal attempt. But, as fate would have it, the kick was blocked, and Michigan recovered the ball. The Wolverines then drove down the field and scored a touchdown with just six seconds left to win the game 38-34.
The Comeback of the Century: 2006 Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss
On October 21, 2006, the Vanderbilt Commodores were looking to avoid an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Ole Miss Rebels. With just over 12 minutes left in the game, Vanderbilt found themselves down 28-0. But, as any true college football fan knows, it's never over until the final whistle.
The Commodores mounted an unbelievable rally, scoring 35 unanswered points to take a 35-28 lead with just over two minutes left. Ole Miss, however, wasn't ready to go down without a fight. The Rebels scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to take a 36-35 lead with just 17 seconds remaining. But, Vanderbilt had one last trick up their sleeve. The Commodores scored a touchdown on a hail mary pass as time expired to win the game 41-36, capping off one of the biggest comebacks in CFB history.
The Never-Ending Story: 2016 Tennessee vs. Georgia
In 2016, the Tennessee Volunteers and Georgia Bulldogs were locked in a hard-fought battle in Athens. With just over 10 minutes left in the game, Georgia held a 31-23 lead. But, as any college football fan knows, a eight-point deficit is nothing to sneeze at.
Tennessee mounted an incredible rally, scoring 17 unanswered points to take a 40-31 lead with just over two minutes left. Georgia, however, wasn't ready to go down without a fight. The Bulldogs scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion to make it 40-39 with just 10 seconds remaining. But, Tennessee wasn't done yet. The Volunteers recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to win the game 40-39.
The Comeback Kid: 2017 Texas Tech vs. Kansas State
In 2017, the Texas Tech Red Raiders were looking to avoid an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Kansas State Wildcats. With just over 10 minutes left in the game, Texas Tech found themselves down 31-13. But, as any true college football fan knows, a 18-point deficit is nothing to sneeze at.
The Red Raiders mounted an unbelievable rally, scoring 24 unanswered points to take a 37-31 lead with just over a minute left. Kansas State, however, wasn't ready to go down without a fight. The Wildcats scored a touchdown to make it 37-36 with just 13 seconds remaining. But, Texas Tech had one last trick up their sleeve. The Red Raiders recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to win the game 37-36.
The Miracle on the Brazos: 2019 Baylor vs. TCU
On November 16, 2019, the Baylor Bears were looking to keep their undefeated season alive against the TCU Horned Frogs. With just over eight minutes left in the game, Baylor found themselves down 31-10. But, as any college football fan knows, a 21-point deficit is nothing to sneeze at.
The Bears mounted an incredible rally, scoring 20 unanswered points to tie the game at 31 with just over a minute left. TCU, however, wasn't ready to go down without a fight. The Horned Frogs drove the ball down to the Baylor 13-yard line, setting up a game-winning field goal attempt. But, as fate would have it, the kick was blocked, and Baylor recovered the ball. The Bears then drove down the field and scored a touchdown with just three seconds left to win the game 39-37.
The Biggest Comebacks in CFB History: Final Thoughts
There you have it, folks! The biggest comebacks in CFB history and other incredible rallies that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Whether it's a last-second touchdown or a hail mary pass, college football is full of unforgettable moments that remind us why we love the game.
So, the next time you're watching a game and your team is down by a few touchdowns, don't give up hope. You never know when a miracle comeback is just around the corner. Until next time, this is your friendly neighborhood college football fan signing off!