Stanford or App. State? Which upset is bigger?

Stanford beating USC last night is obviously a monumental upset, but I was a little surprised at how many of the TV people were already saying it was bigger than App. State beating Michigan.

Is a Pac-10 team beating another Pac-10 team (No. 1, mind you) really a bigger upset than a I-AA team beating the No. 5 team in the nation?

Weigh in.

 

No. No. A thousand times no.

 

No.

 

I might actually go with Stanford, because coming into today, it had been outscored 141-51 in Pac-10 play. Factor in USC's dominance this decade (far better than Michigan's) and the fact that the Trojans had won 35 straight at the Coliseum since Stanford won there on 2001, and I tend to lean that way.

App State I knew was a good team, one that's won a national title on some level before. And they were only 26.5-point underdogs.

Stanford? I simply thought it was atrocious ... that is until tonight, when it entered as 39-point underdogs. I might feel different when I wake up tomorrow, but this is how I feel about it now.

p.s. Versus will replay this game at 4 p.m. Monday, for those of us who passed on it today, thinking there would be no reason to watch it when we came home from work. And yes, my DVR is set.

 

The quality of programs must account for something. There is a difference between beating App State and Prairie View A&M, between beating USC and Temple. It's why some unbeatens are legit (LSU) while others are not (UConn).

I would rather look at the programs themselves, not the classification at which they play.

 

Stanford's still a Pac-10 team, and they'd probably beat most lower level I-A teams (esp. with the current coach).

I-AA teams are not on the same level as I-A teams, of any sort. Trust me, Oz. Montana (currently the top I-AA team) might hang with Stanford for a half, but that's about it.

 

stanford was 40-point underdogs. anyone recall the line on the other game?

 

There was no line. Vegas doesn't do lines on games involving teams from different divisions.

 

solid post. you took me off the fence.

 

hmmm. didn't know that. i guess i should start gambling more.

 

I go with App. State.

They had the stones to drop the hammer in the Big House.

 

Michigan scraped to get past Northwestern, then struggled again today to beat Eastern Michigan, which played Michigan tougher in The Big House than it did Pitt, Vandy and Ball State. Michigan's resume still isn't that great right now.

And then there's the culture of programs. Winning breeds a great atmosphere. App State had the stones to win at Michigan because it's been winning games for years, like clockwork. They've won big games before, including back-to-back I-AA national championships. Just not on that size stage. But they had the talent and moxie to win that game. Some of us that day, before the game, even predicted that App State would hang tough for a while. We knew that App State was an experienced, talented team. They just exceeded all our expectations.

And then there's Stanford, outscored 141-51 in Pac-10 play this season. Sophomore quarterback making his first career start (1 for 3 for 10 yards in three career appearances), because the guy in front of him on the depth chart had a seizure last week. Injuries all over the place. First-year coach. Losing atmosphere. And it's only been six years since anyone beat USC -- THE most dominant team this decade -- at home. There is absolutely nothing that would give anyone the hint that the Cardinal might pull an upset today. None.

And that's why the Stanford upset is so much more stunning to me. It came from nowhere.