ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
September 12.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first. Showing 14 of 18.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Wisconsin21 | #1 Michigan14 | At home |
| 1998 | NC State24 | #2 Florida State7 | At home |
| 1981 | Georgia Tech24 | #2 Alabama21 | On the road |
| 2009 | Houston Cougars45 | #5 Oklahoma State Cowboys35 | On the road · BoonePickens Stadium |
| 2026 | Oklahoma State39 | #6 Oregon31 | At home · Boone Pickens Stadium · Stillwater, OK |
| 1981 | Iowa10 | #7 Nebraska7 | At home |
| 1998 | Michigan State45 | #10 Notre Dame23 | At home |
| 2026 | Michigan17 | #11 Oklahoma10 | At home · Michigan Stadium · Ann Arbor, MI |
| 1998 | BYU26 | #14 Arizona State6 | At home |
| 1992 | Purdue41 | #17 California14 | At home |
| 1970 | Georgia Tech23 | #17 South Carolina20 | At home |
| 2015 | Toledo16 | #18 Arkansas12 | On the road |
| 2009 | Michigan Wolverines38 | #18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish34 | At home |
| 1992 | LSU24 | #18 Mississippi State3 | At home |
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first. Showing 10 of 17.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | #4 Texas24 | #1 Ohio State23 | At home · DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium · Austin, TX |
| 1991 | #2 Miami40 | #10 Houston10 | At home |
| 1987 | #2 Nebraska42 | #3 UCLA33 | At home |
| 2009 | #3 USC Trojans18 | #8 Ohio State Buckeyes15 | On the road |
| 1970 | #3 USC42 | #16 Alabama21 | On the road |
| 1970 | #10 Stanford34 | #4 Arkansas28 | On the road |
| 2015 | #5 Michigan State31 | #7 Oregon28 | At home |
| 1992 | #5 Florida State24 | #15 Clemson20 | On the road |
| 1998 | #6 UCLA49 | #23 Texas31 | At home |
| 1987 | #16 Notre Dame26 | #9 Michigan7 | On the road |
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | #4 Texas24 | #1 Ohio State23 | 1 pt |
| 2015 | #14 LSU21 | #25 Mississippi State19 | 2 pts |
| 2009 | #3 USC Trojans18 | #8 Ohio State Buckeyes15 | 3 pts |
| 2015 | #5 Michigan State31 | #7 Oregon28 | 3 pts |
| 2008 | #19 South Florida Bulls37 | #13 Kansas Jayhawks34 | 3 pts |
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | #2 Miami40 | #10 Houston10 | 30 pts |
| 1998 | Michigan State45 | #10 Notre Dame23 | 22 pts |
| 1987 | #16 Notre Dame26 | #9 Michigan7 | 19 pts |
| 1998 | NC State24 | #2 Florida State7 | 17 pts |
| 2009 | Houston Cougars45 | #5 Oklahoma State Cowboys35 | 10 pts |
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | #4 Texas24 | #1 Ohio State23 | Trailed by 20 · in game |
| 2020 | Tulane27 | South Alabama24 | Trailed by 18 · in game |
| 2015 | #19 Oklahoma31 | #23 Tennessee24 | Trailed by 17 · in game |
| 2008 | #19 South Florida Bulls37 | #13 Kansas Jayhawks34 | Trailed by 17 · in game |
| 2026 | Alcorn State53 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff51 | Trailed by 14 · in game |
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Bethune-Cookman Wildcats56 | Grambling State Tigers53 | 109 total pts |
| 2026 | Alcorn State53 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff51 | 104 total pts |
| 2020 | UTSA51 | Texas St.48 | 99 total pts |
| 2015 | #4 Baylor66 | Lamar31 | 97 total pts |
| 2024 | South Alabama Jaguars87 | Northwestern State Demons10 | 97 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · September 12IRON
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan17 | #11 Oklahoma10 | 111,240 fans |
| 2026 | #10 Texas A&M48 | Arizona State20 | 107,523 fans |
| 2009 | #7 Penn State Nittany Lions28 | Syracuse Orange7 | 106,387 fans |
| 2026 | #4 Texas24 | #1 Ohio State23 | 105,044 fans |
| 2026 | #8 LSU45 | Louisiana Tech14 | 102,321 fans |