Greatest FCS Upsets Over FBS Schools

[ASUMountaineer]

To be fair, how do you define an "upset"? Is it winning when no one expects you to? or winning with lower talent? As a diehard Black & Gold football alum, I like to think App/Mich was more about us being a lot more talented and well coached than the Herbie, Maize & Blue, and national media bunch thought we were. I think Lou Holtz hit the nail on the head. He said, paraphrasing, what I saw today was NOT an upset. Appalachian State was the better team and we need to take notice.

GSU was not nearly as talented as UF, but, as good triple option teams tend to do, they just out-executed a poorly performing UF squad. So, maybe the GOSO poster has a point. Despite what you see on the SunBelt Board, I think a few GaSo fans have some sense. I played against and then coached with a GaSo football alum and he understands. Makes that '07 team look better in my eyes. Embrace it, we were BETTER than UM, not just a lucky shot. I'm not saying it is so, just letting that sink in as a possibility.

This is what I was trying to say but maybe I didn't say it clearly enough. I thought it wasn't as much of an upset as ours was over UF because App was good that year and won an NC. Definitely the UM game garnered more attention, it was an upset, but yall were better than Michigan, end of story. We were beat up, playing a SEC team with a freshman QB with most of our running backs injured or out entirely. I thought it was a bigger UPSET for us because of this. Florida still had a monster defense. Of course it wasn't nearly as publicized or polarizing as yours by any means because yours was a game 1 win shocking an FBS institution. However it came to bear later that yall were probably actually the better team. I gave yall props but if I'm not welcome, I could just say App sucks and leave, however I was trying to have a civil discussion.

That's fair. Based on that criteria, yup GS was a bigger upset.

[bigdaddyg]

To be fair, how do you define an "upset"? Is it winning when no one expects you to? or winning with lower talent? As a diehard Black & Gold football alum, I like to think App/Mich was more about us being a lot more talented and well coached than the Herbie, Maize & Blue, and national media bunch thought we were. I think Lou Holtz hit the nail on the head. He said, paraphrasing, what I saw today was NOT an upset. Appalachian State was the better team and we need to take notice.

GSU was not nearly as talented as UF, but, as good triple option teams tend to do, they just out-executed a poorly performing UF squad. So, maybe the GOSO poster has a point. Despite what you see on the SunBelt Board, I think a few GaSo fans have some sense. I played against and then coached with a GaSo football alum and he understands. Makes that '07 team look better in my eyes. Embrace it, we were BETTER than UM, not just a lucky shot. I'm not saying it is so, just letting that sink in as a possibility.

This is what I was trying to say but maybe I didn't say it clearly enough. I thought it wasn't as much of an upset as ours was over UF because App was good that year and won an NC. Definitely the UM game garnered more attention, it was an upset, but yall were better than Michigan, end of story. We were beat up, playing a SEC team with a freshman QB with most of our running backs injured or out entirely. I thought it was a bigger UPSET for us because of this. Florida still had a monster defense. Of course it wasn't nearly as publicized or polarizing as yours by any means because yours was a game 1 win shocking an FBS institution. However it came to bear later that yall were probably actually the better team. I gave yall props but if I'm not welcome, I could just say App sucks and leave, however I was trying to have a civil discussion.

Both fair points but you do understand that upset is an objective term. GS kicked a team that was down and ready for the season to be over and APP beat a team that had National Title aspirations. Even though some of the shine came off the win the next week when Oregon demolished Michigan; Michigan did finish the season with a winning record. I haven't done the research but how many FBS teams that lost to an FCS team finished the year .500 or better?

Shine definitely rubbed off after week 2 but came back once Michigan beat Florida on New Year's Day. If they had tanked like this season the impact of the win would have diminshed. That App team was loaded and I have no doubt that they could have beated several BCS level programs. There were probably a few conferences that could have contended for. Still have the framed SI cover on my office wall. Won a coke from a Michigan alum co-worker. Would not even give me 2 touchdowns!

[ASUPATCH]

The argument started and ended on the same day, September 1st 2007.

[Rick0714]

Old Fart, if all GaSo fans were as polite and sensible, we would have a more Montana-like rivalry instead of where it is now. Hate is a strong word, but lets just say extreme, uncomfortable despising. For me, I welcome the commentary. App has it fair share of blow hards as well ... never me though, no way.