ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
August 31.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Colorado State19 | #7 Colorado14 | On the road · INVESCO FIELD |
| 2013 | Washington38 | #19 Boise St.6 | At home |
| 2002 | Notre Dame22 | #21 Maryland0 | On the road · Giants Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ |
| 2013 | Eastern Wash.49 | #25 Oregon St.46 | On the road |
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #1 Georgia Bulldogs34 | #14 Clemson Tigers3 | Neutral site · Mercedes-Benz Stadium · Atlanta, GA |
| 1998 | #2 Florida State23 | #14 Texas A&M14 | At home |
| 2013 | #8 Clemson38 | #5 Georgia35 | At home |
| 2025 | #10 Miami Hurricanes27 | #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish24 | At home · Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, FL |
| 2024 | #7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish23 | #20 Texas A&M Aggies13 | On the road · Kyle Field · College Station, TX |
| 2019 | #16 Auburn27 | #11 Oregon21 | At home · AT&T Stadium · Arlington, Texas |
| 2002 | #13 Michigan31 | #11 Washington29 | At home |
| 2013 | #12 LSU37 | #20 TCU27 | Neutral site |
| 2012 | #13 Michigan State Spartans17 | #24 Boise State Broncos13 | At home |
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | #13 Michigan31 | #11 Washington29 | 2 pts |
| 2013 | #8 Clemson38 | #5 Georgia35 | 3 pts |
| 2025 | #10 Miami Hurricanes27 | #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish24 | 3 pts |
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Colorado State19 | #7 Colorado14 | 5 pts |
| 2013 | #8 Clemson38 | #5 Georgia35 | 3 pts |
| 2025 | #10 Miami Hurricanes27 | #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish24 | 3 pts |
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
Never count them out
Largest deficits erased. Verified against quarter scores; available from 2000. Each result shows how its deficit was measured.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Trailed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | The Citadel Bulldogs22 | Charleston Southern Buccaneers21 | Trailed by 18 · in game |
| 2019 | Boise St.36 | Florida St.31 | Trailed by 18 · in game |
| 2019 | Tennessee Tech59 | Samford58 | Trailed by 16 · at a quarter |
| 2013 | Charleston So.32 | The Citadel29 | Trailed by 16 · in game |
| 2019 | #16 Auburn27 | #11 Oregon21 | Trailed by 15 · in game |
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tennessee Tech59 | Samford58 | 117 total pts |
| 2024 | Texas Tech Red Raiders52 | Abilene Christian Wildcats51 | 103 total pts |
| 2024 | Boise State Broncos56 | Georgia Southern Eagles45 | 101 total pts |
| 2024 | #21 Arizona Wildcats61 | New Mexico Lobos39 | 100 total pts |
| 2024 | Washington State Cougars70 | Portland State Vikings30 | 100 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · August 31IRON
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | #17 Michigan59 | Central Mich.9 | 112,618 fans |
| 2019 | #7 Michigan40 | Middle Tennessee21 | 110,811 fans |
| 2024 | #9 Michigan Wolverines30 | Fresno State Bulldogs10 | 110,665 fans |
| 2024 | #7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish23 | #20 Texas A&M Aggies13 | 107,315 fans |
| 2019 | #15 Penn State79 | Idaho7 | 104,527 fans |