ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
September 21.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first. Showing 14 of 27.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Baylor20 | #3 USC13 | On the road |
| 1974 | Wisconsin21 | #4 Nebraska20 | At home |
| 1973 | Miami20 | #6 Texas15 | At home |
| 1974 | Texas A&M21 | #7 LSU14 | On the road |
| 1974 | Navy7 | #8 Penn State6 | On the road |
| 1968 | Iowa21 | #8 Oregon State20 | At home |
| 1974 | Oklahoma State26 | #10 Arkansas7 | On the road |
| 1963 | Air Force10 | #10 Washington7 | At home |
| 1974 | Iowa21 | #12 UCLA10 | At home |
| 2024 | BYU Cougars38 | #13 Kansas State Wildcats9 | At home · LaVell Edwards · Provo, Utah |
| 1974 | Florida17 | #14 Maryland10 | At home |
| 2019 | Pittsburgh35 | #15 UCF34 | At home · Heinz Field · Pittsburgh, PA |
| 1991 | Tulsa35 | #15 Texas A&M34 | At home |
| 2019 | UCLA67 | #19 Washington State63 | On the road · Martin Stadium · Pullman, Wash. |
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first. Showing 10 of 22.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #17 Arizona State19 | #1 Nebraska0 | At home |
| 1996 | #4 Florida35 | #2 Tennessee29 | On the road |
| 1968 | #2 USC29 | #16 Minnesota20 | On the road |
| 2019 | #3 Georgia23 | #7 Notre Dame17 | At home · Sanford Stadium · Athens, Ga. |
| 1968 | #3 Notre Dame45 | #5 Oklahoma21 | At home |
| 2002 | #10 Florida30 | #4 Tennessee13 | On the road |
| 1991 | #4 Washington36 | #9 Nebraska21 | On the road |
| 2013 | #5 Stanford42 | #23 Arizona St.28 | At home |
| 1991 | #18 Syracuse38 | #5 Florida21 | At home |
| 2024 | #6 Tennessee Volunteers25 | #15 Oklahoma Sooners15 | On the road · Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium · Norman, Oklahoma |
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | #20 LSU13 | #13 Texas A&M12 | 1 pt |
| 1991 | #6 Tennessee26 | #23 Mississippi State24 | 2 pts |
| 1996 | #9 Notre Dame27 | #6 Texas24 | 3 pts |
| 2024 | #18 Michigan Wolverines27 | #11 USC Trojans24 | 3 pts |
| 2024 | #12 Utah Utes22 | #14 Oklahoma State Cowboys19 | 3 pts |
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | #3 Notre Dame45 | #5 Oklahoma21 | 24 pts |
| 1996 | #17 Arizona State19 | #1 Nebraska0 | 19 pts |
| 1974 | Oklahoma State26 | #10 Arkansas7 | 19 pts |
| 1991 | #18 Syracuse38 | #5 Florida21 | 17 pts |
| 2002 | #10 Florida30 | #4 Tennessee13 | 17 pts |
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | UCLA67 | #19 Washington State63 | Trailed by 32 · in game |
| 2024 | Clark Atlanta Panthers38 | Bethune-Cookman Wildcats37 | Trailed by 24 · in game |
| 2013 | NIU43 | Eastern Ill.39 | Trailed by 20 · in game |
| 2013 | Lehigh29 | Princeton28 | Trailed by 19 · in game |
| 2024 | Montana Grizzlies46 | Western Carolina Catamounts35 | Trailed by 17 · in game |
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | UCLA67 | #19 Washington State63 | 130 total pts |
| 2024 | James Madison Dukes70 | North Carolina Tar Heels50 | 120 total pts |
| 2013 | Old Dominion59 | The Citadel58 | 117 total pts |
| 2013 | Pittsburgh58 | Duke55 | 113 total pts |
| 2013 | Sacred Heart78 | Chowan35 | 113 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · September 21IRON
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #18 Michigan Wolverines27 | #11 USC Trojans24 | 110,702 fans |
| 2024 | #10 Penn State Nittany Lions56 | Kent State Golden Flashes0 | 109,526 fans |
| 2002 | #15 Penn State49 | Louisiana Tech17 | 103,987 fans |
| 2024 | #3 Ohio State Buckeyes49 | Marshall Thundering Herd14 | 103,871 fans |
| 2013 | #4 Ohio St.76 | Florida A&M0 | 103,595 fans |