By Keith D. King
his past weekend, Historically Black College Howard University pulled off the biggest upset in College Football history. The Bison defeated the UNLV Rebels 43-40. Coming into the game, Howard was a 45 point underdog. Like most major football programs, UNLV was looking to pay a non-division I team to come into their stadium and run up the score. But Howard clearly had other ideas. The Bison were paid $600,000 to come play on the road in the blistering Las Vegas desert. A $100 bet in favor of Howard would have won you at least $50,000. One person won as much as $71,000 for his bet.
According to ESPN, prior to the game there had been 253 games between opponents in which one faced a point spread that was 40 or higher, all 253 favorites went on to win those games.
Howard’s Quarterback, Caylin Newton led the Bison with 330 all-purpose yards, rushing for 190 yards, and throwing for 130 and 3 touchdowns including the go-ahead 4 yard touchdown run that would put the Bison in the lead for good with 7:34 left to play. Caylin just so happens to be younger brother to Carolina Panthers All-Pro Quarterback and former MVP Cam Newton. The win was a surprise to most of the Nation, but even before the game, Newton knew what the possibilities could be for his team
“I mean, coming to Howard, It’s not a football school, but it will be.” said the Freshman.
The Bison came out from the start with confidence taking an early 21-9 lead, but eventually found themselves down 33-21. Rather than fold under pressure, they fought their way back to take a 43-33 lead in route to scrapping their way to the biggest victory in the program’s history.
Coincidentally, the Bison pulled off the upset almost 10 years to the day that the 33-point underdogs Appalachian State Yosefs pulled off an upset against the Michigan Wolverines while also playing on the road.
