December 30 in college football
Every December 30 in Iron's archive: the ranked teams that lost to unranked ones, the ranked matchups, and the games worth retelling. Every result links to its game card.
- 124games on file
- 15unranked wins over ranked teams
- 30ranked vs ranked meetings
- 1922–2025seasons covered
Unranked over ranked on December 30
The 15 such results, best rank beaten first; the top 14 are listed.
| Season | Winner | Ranked loser | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Washington Huskies 19 | #8 Nebraska Cornhuskers 7 | At home |
| 1982 | Florida State 31 | #10 West Virginia 12 | Neutral site |
| 2013 | Texas Tech 37 | #14 Arizona St. 23 | Neutral site |
| 2006 | Georgia Bulldogs 31 | #14 Virginia Tech Hokies 24 | On the road |
| 2025 | TCU Horned Frogs 30 | #16 USC Trojans 27 | Neutral site · Alamodome · San Antonio, TX |
| 1994 | Tennessee 45 | #17 Virginia Tech 23 | Neutral site |
| 2022 | Pittsburgh Panthers 37 | #18 UCLA Bruins 35 | Neutral site · Sun Bowl · El Paso, TX |
| 1994 | Texas 35 | #19 North Carolina 31 | Neutral site |
| 1968 | LSU 31 | #19 Florida State 27 | Neutral site |
| 2017 | Iowa State 21 | #20 Memphis 20 | On the road · Liberty Bowl · Memphis, Tenn. |
| 2002 | Minnesota 29 | #22 Arkansas 14 | Neutral site |
| 2022 | Maryland Terrapins 16 | #23 NC State Wolfpack 12 | Neutral site · Bank of America Stadium · Charlotte, NC |
| 2014 | Notre Dame 31 | #23 LSU 28 | Neutral site |
| 1995 | North Carolina 20 | #24 Arkansas 10 | Neutral site |
Ranked vs ranked on December 30
30 meetings in all; the ten with the highest-ranked team are listed.
| Season | Winner | Loser | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #23 Texas Tech Red Raiders 45 | #4 California Golden Bears 31 | On the road · Qualcomn Stadium |
| 2023 | #6 Georgia Bulldogs 63 | #5 Florida State Seminoles 3 | Neutral site · Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, FL |
| 1998 | #5 Arizona 23 | #14 Nebraska 20 | Neutral site |
| 2022 | #6 Tennessee Volunteers 31 | #7 Clemson Tigers 14 | Neutral site · Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, FL |
| 2020 | #6 Oklahoma 55 | #7 Florida 20 | Neutral site · AT&T Stadium · Arlington, Texas |
| 2017 | #6 Wisconsin 34 | #10 Miami (Fla.) 24 | On the road · Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, Fla. |
| 2016 | #11 Florida State 33 | #6 Michigan 32 | At home · Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, Fla. |
| 2003 | #15 Washington State 28 | #6 Texas 20 | On the road · Qualcomm Stadium |
| 1974 | #6 Auburn 27 | #11 Texas 3 | Neutral site · Gator Bowl · Jacksonville, FL |
| 1972 | #6 Auburn 24 | #13 Colorado 3 | Neutral site |
One-score finishes between ranked teams
Decided by three points or fewer.
| Season | Winner | Loser | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | #11 Florida State 33 | #6 Michigan 32 | 1 pt |
| 1998 | #5 Arizona 23 | #14 Nebraska 20 | 3 pts |
| 1989 | #23 Pittsburgh 31 | #16 Texas A&M 28 | 3 pts |
Top-10 teams routed
The widest losses by a team ranked in the top ten.
| Season | Winner | Ranked loser | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #6 Georgia Bulldogs 63 | #5 Florida State Seminoles 3 | 60 pts |
| 2005 | #10 LSU Tigers 40 | #9 Miami Hurricanes 3 | 37 pts |
| 2020 | #6 Oklahoma 55 | #7 Florida 20 | 35 pts |
| 1982 | Florida State 31 | #10 West Virginia 12 | 19 pts |
| 2022 | #6 Tennessee Volunteers 31 | #7 Clemson Tigers 14 | 17 pts |
Biggest comebacks
Deficit the winner erased. Measured from in-game margins where play data exists, cross-checked against quarter scores; a row prints only when the quarter lines corroborate it, so this list starts in 2000.
| Season | Winner | Loser | Trailed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | #17 UCLA Bruins 50 | Northwestern Wildcats 38 | 22 ptsin game |
| 2005 | Missouri Tigers 38 | South Carolina Gamecocks 31 | 21 ptsin game |
| 2016 | Air Force 45 | South Alabama 21 | 18 ptsin game |
| 2006 | Georgia Bulldogs 31 | #14 Virginia Tech Hokies 24 | 18 ptsin game |
| 2022 | #21 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 45 | #19 South Carolina Gamecocks 38 | 14 ptsin game |
Highest-scoring games
Combined points, both teams.
| Season | Winner | Loser | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Purdue 48 | Tennessee 45 | 93 pts |
| 2005 | #17 UCLA Bruins 50 | Northwestern Wildcats 38 | 88 pts |
| 2009 | Idaho Vandals 43 | Bowling Green Falcons 42 | 85 pts |
| 1999 | Illinois 63 | Virginia 21 | 84 pts |
| 2000 | #9 Nebraska 66 | #18 Northwestern 17 | 83 pts |
Biggest crowds
Announced attendance.
| Season | Winner | Loser | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #11 Ole Miss Rebels 38 | #10 Penn State Nittany Lions 25 | 71,230 |
| 2021 | Purdue 48 | Tennessee 45 | 69,489 |
| 2016 | #21 Tennessee 38 | Nebraska 24 | 68,496 |
| 2016 | #11 Florida State 33 | #6 Michigan 32 | 67,432 |
| 2022 | #21 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 45 | #19 South Carolina Gamecocks 38 | 67,383 |