ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
October 20.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first. Showing 14 of 23.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Purdue49 | #2 Ohio State20 | At home · Ross-Ade · West Lafayette, Ind. |
| 1990 | Alabama9 | #3 Tennessee6 | On the road |
| 1951 | Arkansas16 | #4 Texas14 | At home |
| 1956 | Penn State7 | #5 Ohio State6 | On the road |
| 2007 | Vanderbilt Commodores17 | #6 South Carolina Gamecocks6 | On the road · Williams-Brice Stad. · Columbia, SC |
| 1984 | Houston29 | #6 SMU20 | On the road |
| 1951 | TCU20 | #6 Texas A&M14 | At home |
| 2007 | UCLA Bruins30 | #12 California Golden Bears21 | At home · The Rose Bowl · Pasadena, CA |
| 1951 | Kentucky35 | #12 Villanova13 | At home |
| 1945 | LSU32 | #12 Georgia0 | On the road |
| 2021 | App State30 | #14 Coastal Carolina27 | At home · Kidd Brewer · Boone, North Carolina |
| 1990 | Arizona35 | #15 USC26 | On the road |
| 1951 | Rice28 | #15 SMU7 | On the road |
| 2001 | North Carolina38 | #16 Clemson3 | On the road · Memorial Stadium · Clemson, SC |
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first. Showing 10 of 35.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | #1 Alabama27 | #18 Tennessee17 | At home |
| 1962 | #1 Texas7 | #7 Arkansas3 | At home |
| 1951 | #11 USC21 | #1 California14 | On the road |
| 2012 | #2 Florida Gators44 | #7 South Carolina Gamecocks11 | At home |
| 1990 | #6 Notre Dame29 | #2 Miami20 | At home |
| 1979 | #10 Arkansas17 | #2 Texas14 | At home |
| 1973 | #2 Alabama42 | #10 Tennessee21 | At home |
| 2018 | #3 Clemson Tigers41 | #16 NC State Wolfpack7 | At home · Memorial Stadium · Clemson, SC |
| 1973 | #3 Oklahoma34 | #16 Colorado7 | At home |
| 2012 | #4 Kansas State Wildcats55 | #13 West Virginia Mountaineers14 | On the road |
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | #14 Texas A&M7 | #4 TCU6 | 1 pt |
| 1984 | #20 West Virginia21 | #4 Boston College20 | 1 pt |
| 1990 | #22 Iowa24 | #10 Michigan23 | 1 pt |
| 1973 | #11 Nebraska10 | #18 Kansas9 | 1 pt |
| 1990 | #8 Illinois15 | #24 Michigan State13 | 2 pts |
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | #2 Florida Gators44 | #7 South Carolina Gamecocks11 | 33 pts |
| 2018 | Purdue49 | #2 Ohio State20 | 29 pts |
| 1945 | #9 Purdue35 | #4 Ohio State13 | 22 pts |
| 1973 | #2 Alabama42 | #10 Tennessee21 | 21 pts |
| 1979 | #4 USC42 | #9 Notre Dame23 | 19 pts |
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Princeton Tigers39 | Harvard Crimson34 | Trailed by 24 · in game |
| 2012 | Drake Bulldogs34 | Marist Red Foxes27 | Trailed by 24 · in game |
| 2012 | Louisiana Monroe Warhawks43 | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers42 | Trailed by 21 · in game |
| 2007 | Presbyterian College Blue Hose41 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers34 | Trailed by 21 · at a quarter |
| 2012 | Troy Trojans38 | Florida Intl Golden Panthers37 | Trailed by 16 · in game |
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | #17 Texas Tech Red Raiders56 | #23 TCU Horned Frogs53 | 109 total pts |
| 2012 | #25 Texas Longhorns56 | Baylor Bears50 | 106 total pts |
| 2018 | Mercer59 | Western Carolina46 | 105 total pts |
| 2018 | Missouri65 | Memphis33 | 98 total pts |
| 2012 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs70 | Idaho Vandals28 | 98 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · October 20IRON
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | #1 Ohio State Buckeyes24 | Michigan State Spartans17 | 105,287 fans |
| 2001 | #21 Ohio State27 | San Diego State12 | 102,432 fans |
| 2018 | #5 LSU19 | #22 Mississippi State3 | 101,340 fans |
| 2018 | #1 Alabama58 | Tennessee21 | 97,087 fans |
| 2007 | #4 LSU Tigers30 | #17 Auburn Tigers24 | 92,630 fans |