Upsets like Army losing to Notre Dame and when Centre College beat Harvard in 1921. The latter is akin to Nazareth Community College from Olathe, KS beating USC.
Appalachian State has consistently performed well against the big boys. And though it’s been years since the last victory over Wake Forest, they’ve shown they can do it. Jerry Moore has shown that he can get his team ready to be in a position to win any game. In 2005, ASU lost to Kansas, 6-0. Later that season, they were down by 14 at LSU going into the 4th quarter. Those are two schools from the upper echelon conferences of college football. But there is something else to consider, ASU is the only team in the Carolinas to win any football championship, let alone two consecutively.

Yeah, it might be division I-AA, but that doesn’t mean much to this proud Alumnus or any other Alumni I’d be willing to wager. Taking the trip up to Ann Arbor with the longest winning streak in all of Division I, at 14 games, everyone thought the streak would have to start over. Well, not everyone. Those Mountaineers who suited up knew they had a chance. They knew they could win it. And as Corey Lynch was tackled and the clock read :00, they had won it.

So let’s call it what it is, an upset. Is it big? Yes, it effectively ruined the national title hopes of one team in week one. A team that had three seniors turn their backs on the riches of the NFL to compete for Big Blue. Is it the greatest upset ever? No.

To imply it was the greatest upset ever is demeaning to the Mountaineers. It should be to the fans as well. It was an upset. It is the biggest upset in Appalachian State history. But Appalachian State is a very good team, the best I-AA team for the last two years and counting. And yes, several people picked Michigan to win it all this year. People can still say App is very good, great even. And Michigan might still end up winning the big 10.

But this game is something closer to Northwestern beating Ohio State. More along the lines of Colorado shocking Texas or Oklahoma, Arizona State pulling off a win against USC, or even Elon beating Furman. Things that would all be a shock but further prove the adage that any given day any team can win. To call this the greatest upset ever on top of being insulting wouldn’t be factually accurate.

ASU is a team that could surprise more than a few people in the I-A world of pigskin. Would they beat Duke if in the ACC? I think so. In the SEC, can the Mountaineers be competitive with the likes of Mississippi State? Maybe. Put them in Conference USA and see what happens.

Maybe the rest of the world is surprised by Appalachian State. Maybe winning back-to-back championships isn’t enough to have people pronounce the name correctly. But suddenly doing something, which despite the state of denial in both peninsulas, was never impossible, gains us some notoriety. The campus can go crazy, alumni can beat their chests with pride, but let’s not forget that Appalachian is a good team, and Michigan isn’t a national championship contender.

Taking nothing away from the Mountaineers, because I’m still proud of my team, my school, what was my home and will always be like one in my heart, but this wasn’t the biggest upset ever. It was a good, well-prepared team beating a team that wasn’t up to par. It was a big win, an incredible victory on the opponent’s field. Something most will remember well into old age. It was Appalachian State making history and telling the world that not only can the little fellas hang with the bog boys, they can beat them too.