Ohio State Vs. Notre Dame Odds: 5 Biggest College Football Championship Game Upsets

The odds for the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish have Marcus Freeman’s team pegged as a Notre Dame Fighting Irish +10.5 (-115) on FanDuel underdog in the national championship matchup. Only two teams in the BCS and College Football Playoff eras overcame a touchdown spread to win the title, and the Fighting Irish look to join that famed group of underdogs. Let’s look at the biggest title-game upsets since 1998.
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Biggest College Football National Championship Game Upsets
The games below are from 1998 to today, encompassing the BCS and College Football Playoff eras. Years note the season of which the national championship capped.
5. LSU (+7) vs. Oklahoma, 2003

Going into the postseason, this Oklahoma team – led by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Jason White – was considered to be one of the best college football teams of all time in the making. The Sooners never surrendered their No. 1 AP Poll ranking but were blown out in the Big 12 Championship game by Kansas State, 35-7. K-State (+14) deserves a spot on a different list, but this game cemented Bill Snyder as an all-time coach.
Despite the conference championship upset, oddsmakers lined Oklahoma a -6.5 favorite, -7 at some books by closing. The Sooners ranked first in scoring offense (48.3 points per game) and defense (13.1 points allowed per game). They notched statement wins over Texas (65-13) and Texas A&M (77-0!).
In front of a home crowd at the Louisiana Super Dome in New Orleans, LSU shocked Oklahoma, 21-14. Marcus Spears secured the win with a 20-yard pick-six. OU would be held to just 154 total yards. The Tigers would split a national championship with USC in a highly-controversial decision.
4. Florida (+7.5) vs. Ohio State, 2006

The mid-2000s were undoubtedly a time for substantial championship upsets. Florida entered its 2007 National Championship game against Heisman-winning QB Troy Smith and Ohio State as 7.5-point underdogs. This was pre-Tim Tebow, who did enter the game and rush for a touchdown to cap a 41-14 rout of the Buckeyes.
After Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, it appeared Ohio State would roll to its second title in five years. However, Florida would tack on the following three scoring plays and hold Ohio State scoreless in the second half.
Tebow’s impact in this game was minimal, yet his legacy began that night. The following season, he won the Heisman Trophy and, in 2009, won another National Championship. Though the Buckeyes returned to the title game in 2008, they lost again to LSU.
3. Texas (+7.5) vs. USC, 2005

After a 12-0 USC team opened at -6 against Texas, bettors took their chance. The Trojans closed at -7.5 (or -7, depending on the book), having played in just two one-score games and blowing out Oklahoma, 55-19, in the prior year’s title game. USC didn’t move off their No. 1 AP Poll ranking leading into this game.
Of course, the legend of Vince Young peaked in this Rose Bowl, widely considered the best college football game of all time. On 4th & 5, Young found the corner of the end zone to put Texas up, 39-38. The rest is history.
The moment was so iconic that it’s almost lost to history that Texas pulled off one of the biggest championship game upsets.
2. Oklahoma (+10) vs. Florida State, 2000

Long before his days as Tennessee head coach, Josh Heupel led Oklahoma to a National Championship at quarterback. Bobby Bowden led Florida State to the third-ranked scoring offense (42.4 points per game) and second-ranked scoring defense (10.2 points allowed per game) thanks, in part, to a prolific passing game behind QB Chris Weinke. Six players went for 300+ receiving yards, led by Snoop Minnis (1,340 yards). NFL veteran Anquan Boldin was the third target on this team.
But this night, Oklahoma’s sixth-ranked defense completely shut down the ‘Noles. Florida State would not score a single point on its own volition. With under a minute left, OU punter Jeff Ferguson took an intentional safety, up 13-0 in a heady move.
In a game fans expected to be high-scoring in both directions was one of the lowest-scoring title games in modern college football, finishing with a 13-2 final. It was the most prominent national championship upset, as Oklahoma was spotted 10 points on the closing spread.
1. Ohio State (+11.5) vs. Miami, 2002

This Miami Hurricanes team is perhaps the most talented roster of all time. Thirty-two players from this roster were drafted into the NFL, including Hall-of-Famer Andre Johnson and several NFL stars like Willis McGahee, Antrel Rolle, Sean Taylor, and Jonathan Vilma. Frank Gore and Vince Wilfork hadn’t yet cracked the starting lineup. Though a half-step down from the 2001 Miami Hurricanes roster, this team was expected to roll.
But Ohio State had other plans. In a wild double-overtime game–that included a highly controversial pass interference call in a critical moment–the Buckeyes prevailed, 31-24. Running back Maurice Clarett and quarterback Craig Krenzel each rushed for a pair of scores, Clarett’s second being the game-winner.
Besides being the largest championship game upset in the BCS era, this result marked an epoch in college football. Miami’s dynasty collapsed in response to allegations of “improper aid” to players and would not return to national dominance to this day.
Conversely, the Buckeyes rose to national prominence after snapping their 32-year title drought and have returned to the national championship five times since then.