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Power 5 conferences have all adopted league championship games. In fact after the Big 12 reinstituted its title game last year and the Sun Belt Conference added one this season, every one of the 10 conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision has a showdown to settle league honors.
And those title games have seen some pretty big upsets over the years.
This topic comes in handy this week. As of Wednesday night, defending Big Ten winner Ohio State was a 14-point favorite over Northwestern, according to vegasinsider.com info, in Saturday night’s championship game in Indianapolis. The Buckeyes are not only chasing consecutive league crowns but also a place in the College Football Playoff.
On that front, the odds say sixth-ranked OSU is unlikely to get the help it needs to reach the CFP semifinals.
Top-ranked Alabama is a 13.5-point favorite over No. 4 Georgia in the SEC, but that isn’t even OSU’s biggest problem. In fact Alabama could do the Buckeyes a favor by routing Georgia and knocking the Bulldogs out of consideration. A Georgia win would ruin everybody’s day outside the SEC because Alabama would be extremely likely to stay in the CFP’s top four, giving the SEC two playoff teams just like last year.
Pittsburgh is a prohibitive 27.5-point underdog against No. 2 Clemson in the ACC title game, so no Buckeyes fan should count on any help there.
Where the Scarlet and Gray could most use some help is in the Big 12. Oklahoma is ranked fifth in the CFP standings, a spot ahead of Ohio State. The Sooners are favored by 8 points to beat Texas, With No. 3 Notre Dame already locked in, the Sooners are in position to move up into the fourth and final CFP semifinal spot with a Georgia loss.
If OSU can take any comfort from history, it is this: Shocking results in the Big 12 Championship Game are nothing new.
That brings us to this list of the 10 most stunning Power 5 title game results, in order of point spread according to vegasinsider.com data. The Big 12 has more entries on this list than any other league with four. Every Power 5 conference is on this list at least once except for the Pac-12. Stanford won 38-14 in 2013 when Arizona State entered as a 3-point favorite at home. That’s not enough of a point spread to make this list, nor is Ohio State’s win over Wisconsin in the 2014 B1G title game when OSU was a 4-point underdog.
10. Alabama 32, Florida 13, SEC, 2009 (Spread: UF -5)
The Gators were the defending national champions behind Tim Tebow. But in the title game in Atlanta, the Crimson Tide put on a show, launching their current era of dominance under coach Nick Saban.
9. Michigan St. 34, Ohio St. 24, B1G, 2013 (OSU -5.5)
OSU was riding a 24-game winning streak, coinciding with Urban Meyer’s reign as coach. But the Spartans, led by former Buckeyes assistant Mark Dantonio, pulled off the stunner in Indianapolis.
8. LSU 31, Tennessee 20, SEC, 2001 (Tennessee -7)
In Atlanta, Tigers quarterback Matt Mauck came off the bench to help LSU, which trailed 17-16 entering the fourth quarter. The Vols were denied a chance to play in the BCS national title game.
7. Alabama 34, Florida 7, SEC, 1999 (Florida -7)
The Crimson Tide outscored the Gators 19-0 in the fourth quarter in Atlanta to break open a close game. Both teams entered with identical 9-2 records but UF was fourth in the BCS rankings; Bama was No. 7.
6. Clemson 38, Virginia Tech 10, ACC, 2011 (Tech -7)
Back then, Clemson did not own the ACC yet. But Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd passed for three touchdowns and ran for one to help beat the fifth-ranked Hokies in Charlotte.
5. Colorado 39, Texas 37, Big 12, 2001 (Texas -9)
Our first Big 12 entry, but far from the last. The Longhorns were ranked third and playing in Irving, Texas. But the Buffaloes, who lost to Texas 41-7 in the regular season, pulled off the upset.
4. Florida St. 27, Va. Tech 22, ACC, 2005 (Tech -14)
Atlanta was the site of the second letdown for the folks in Blacksburg on this list. In the inaugural ACC title game, the Seminoles entered with four losses but left with a surprising BCS bowl berth.
3. Kansas St. 35, Oklahoma 7, Big 12, 2003 (Okla. -14)
The Wildcats played close to home in Kansas City, Mo., but even then they were not supposed to have a chance. The Sooners entered unbeaten and No. 1 but allowed 35 straight points after leading 7-0.
2. Texas A&M 36, KSU 33, Big 12, 1998 (KSU -17)
KSU coach Bill Snyder knew the frustration Oklahoma felt in 2003 because he felt it five years earlier. In 1998 the Aggies won in double OT in St. Louis, denying the Wildcats a possible national title shot.
1. Texas 37, Nebraska 27, Big 12, 1996 (Neb. -20.5)
The inaugural Big 12 Championship Game in St. Louis gave us the biggest Power 5 title game upset so far. Texas memorably converted a late fourth down to topple the two-time defending national champs.
Longtime newspaper veteran Jim Tomlin is a writer and editor for saturdaytradition.com and saturdaydownsouth.com.