Sometimes, college football teams are just flat-out unbeatable. In some instances, those teams match up against other top-tier teams for must-see events. Typically, these are top-10 matchups and they absolutely live up to the hype.
However, sometimes, one team is so much better than the other that the final result looks far more lopsided than anyone would have imagined. Let’s look at those results in a fun, irresponsible exercise.
Biggest Beatdowns In Top-10 Matchup History
Now, looking up the top-10 results from all time is not an easy exercise to do. It should be said that we perhaps missed one in our list below. If we did, please feel free to message me a top-10 beatdown that deserves to be on this list (Cam Mellor).
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Before we get to the list, the only top-10 matchup to don the 2024 season calendar happened when No. 3 Texas traveled to No. 10 Michigan. The Longhorns dominated the action through and through, but had their work cut out for them in terms of cracking this list.
Here’s what we could find in terms of the most lopsided scores in top-10 matchup history.
1) Texas 70, Colorado 3 (2005 Big 12 Championship Game)
Teams: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 9 Colorado
Texas, led by Vince Young, demolished Colorado by 67 points to win the Big 12 Championship. This blowout helped Texas secure its place in the BCS National Championship Game.
Score Differential: 67 points
2) Notre Dame 51, USC 0 (1966)
Teams: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 USC
Notre Dame crushed USC in this rivalry game, winning by 51 points. This victory helped Notre Dame secure the national championship in 1966.
Score Differential: 51 points
3) Nebraska 66, Northwestern 17 (2000 Alamo Bowl)
Teams: No. 9 Nebraska vs. No. 6 Northwestern
Nebraska crushed Northwestern by 49 points in the 2000 Alamo Bowl, with a dominant performance in all phases of the game.
Score Differential: 49 points
4) Nebraska 52, Colorado 7 (1992)
Teams: No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 8 Colorado
Nebraska made a statement with a massive 45-point win against Colorado in a battle of top-10 teams, dominating all facets of the game.
Score Differential: 45 points
5) Miami 46, Texas 3 (1991 Cotton Bowl)
Teams: No. 4 Miami vs. No. 3 Texas
Miami dominated Texas in the 1991 Cotton Bowl with a 35-point blowout, led by their aggressive defense and passing attack.
Score Differential: 43 points
5) Florida 56, LSU 13 (1996)
Teams: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 10 LSU
Context: Florida’s legendary 1996 team, led by coach Steve Spurrier and QB Danny Wuerffel, laid waste to LSU in this top-10 matchup with a 43-point beatdown.
Score Differential: 43 points
7) Nebraska 62, Florida 24 (1996 Fiesta Bowl)
Teams: No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 2 Florida
This was the 1996 national championship game, and Nebraska completely dismantled Florida’s high-powered offense. The Cornhuskers’ 38-point margin of victory is one of the largest ever in a matchup of top-2 teams, if not the largest.
Score Differential: 38 points
8) Nebraska 76, Kansas 39 (2007)
Teams: No. 9 Kansas vs. No. 7 Nebraska
Kansas’s massive victory margin of 52 points against Nebraska came in a rare season when the Jayhawks were nationally relevant.
Score Differential: 37 points
8) Florida State 51, Clemson 14 (2013)
Teams: No. 5 Florida State vs. No. 3 Clemson
Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles crushed Clemson at Death Valley in this 38-point victory, on their way to an undefeated season and a national championship.
Score Differential: 37 points
10) USC 55, Oklahoma 19 (2005 Orange Bowl)
Teams: No. 1 USC vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
The 2005 BCS National Championship game was expected to be a clash of powerhouses, but USC crushed Oklahoma by 36 points, with quarterback Matt Leinart throwing five touchdown passes.
Score Differential: 36 points
10) USC 50, Arkansas 14 (2006)
Teams: No. 3 USC vs. No. 6 Arkansas
USC delivered a 35-point defeat to Arkansas in the season opener, setting the tone for a strong Trojans season.
Score Differential: 36 points
11) Nebraska 38, Alabama 6 (1972 Orange Bowl)
Teams: No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 2 Alabama
Nebraska demolished Alabama to win the national championship with a 38-point victory margin. This capped one of the most dominant seasons in college football history for Nebraska.
Score Differential: 32 points
12) Alabama 41, Michigan 14 (2012 BCS National Championship Game)
Teams: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 Notre Dame
Notre Dame came into this game undefeated but was completely outclassed by Alabama. The Crimson Tide controlled every aspect of the game, leading to a 28-point blowout in what was expected to be a close national championship matchup.
Score Differential: 27 points
Other Blowouts Between Top-Ranked Teams in College Football History
Alabama 59, Texas A&M 0 (2014)
Teams: No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 21 Texas A&M
Although A&M wasn’t top 10 by the time this game was played, Alabama’s complete annihilation of an opponent that had previously been highly ranked is notable. This game stands out as one of the worst losses for a highly ranked SEC team.
Score Differential: 59 points
Oklahoma 65, Texas 13 (2003 Red River Showdown)
Teams: No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 Texas
While Texas was ranked just outside the top 10 by the time the game was played, Oklahoma’s 52-point victory in this rivalry game is one of the most lopsided in Red River Showdown history.
Score Differential: 52 points
Oklahoma 55, Texas 17 (2011 Red River Showdown)
Teams: No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 Texas
While Texas wasn’t quite in the top 10, this game featured two historically great programs. Oklahoma dominated from start to finish in one of the biggest Red River Rivalry blowouts.
Score Differential: 48 points
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