ON THIS DAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
December 25.
Different years. Same date. Games worth remembering.
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
Unranked. Unforgettable.
Unranked wins over ranked teams. Best rank beaten first.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | North Carolina26 | #8 Texas10 | Neutral site · Sun Bowl |
| 1994 | Boston College12 | #11 Kansas State7 | Neutral site |
| 1991 | Georgia Tech18 | #17 Stanford17 | Neutral site |
| 1998 | Colorado51 | #21 Oregon43 | Neutral site |
| 1992 | Kansas23 | #25 BYU20 | Neutral site |
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
When the ranked collide
Ranked matchups, highest-ranked team first.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | #8 Penn State42 | #15 Arizona State30 | Neutral site |
| 1982 | #9 Washington21 | #16 Maryland20 | Neutral site |
| 1986 | #13 Alabama28 | #12 Washington6 | Neutral site |
| 1988 | #18 Washington State24 | #14 Houston22 | Neutral site |
| 1993 | #17 Colorado41 | #25 Fresno State30 | Neutral site |
| 1997 | #21 Washington51 | #25 Michigan State23 | Neutral site |
| 1989 | #22 Michigan State33 | #25 Hawai'i13 | Neutral site · Honolulu, HI |
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
Down to the wire
Ranked teams. Three points or fewer between them.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | #9 Washington21 | #16 Maryland20 | 1 pt |
| 1988 | #18 Washington State24 | #14 Houston22 | 2 pts |
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
Top ten. Taken down.
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | North Carolina26 | #8 Texas10 | 16 pts |
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
Never count them out
Largest deficits erased. Verified against quarter scores; available from 2000. Each result shows how its deficit was measured.
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
Points on points
The highest combined scores on this date.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Hawai'i54 | Houston48 | 102 total pts |
| 1998 | Colorado51 | #21 Oregon43 | 94 total pts |
| 1950 | Denver76 | Hawaii All-Stars6 | 82 total pts |
| 1995 | #11 Kansas51 | UCLA30 | 81 total pts |
| 1996 | Navy42 | California38 | 80 total pts |
ON THIS DAY · December 25IRON
You had to be there
The biggest crowds, by announced attendance.
| Season | Winner / tied | Opponent | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | #22 Michigan State33 | #25 Hawai'i13 | 50,000 fans |
| 2002 | Tulane36 | Hawai'i28 | 35,513 fans |
| 1982 | North Carolina26 | #8 Texas10 | 31,359 fans |
| 2003 | Hawai'i54 | Houston48 | 29,005 fans |
| 2021 | Georgia St.51 | Ball St.20 | 4,200 fans |