1. U.S. hockey team over Soviet Union at 1980 Olympics (50.6%)
There was no way a bunch of American college kids could beat the best team in the world, right? Turns out there was, leading Al Michaels to utter the famous call, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”
2. Giants over Patriots in Super Bowl XLII (17.0%)
The Patriots were one game away from perfection. The Giants kept them there, as Eli Manning led New York to the winning drive in the fourth quarter.
3. Red Sox over Yankees in the 2004 ALCS (7.2%)
Down in the series 3-0 and trailing in the ninth inning against Mariano Rivera, Boston looked only a few minutes away from another October heartbreak. Instead, it became an October for the ages, as the Red Sox rallied to win the game and eventually take four straight to knock off the Yankees.
4. Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson for heavyweight title in 1990 (6.5%)
Tyson was at the height of his game when he faced the unknown heavyweight. But Douglas became an overnight sensation by knocking out Tyson in the 10th round.
5. Jets over Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III (6.1%)
Despite being an overwhelming underdog, Joe Namath guaranteed the Jets would beat the Colts. Then he and his teammates backed it up, cementing Namath and the guarantee forever in sports lore.
6. Appalachian State over Michigan in football in 2007 (4.8%)
It looked to be one of those early-season tuneup games for the powerful Wolverines. Appalachian State had a different plan, blocking a last-second Michigan field goal to preserve the victory.
7. Texas Western over Kentucky for the 1966 NCAA men’s basketball title (2.6%)
Coach Don Haskins’ Texas Western team made history before the opening tip by starting five African-American players for the first time in an NCAA championship game. Then they made it complete by beating coach Adolph Rupp’s Kentucky powerhouse.
8. Villanova over Georgetown for the 1985 NCAA men’s basketball title (2.1%)
Two years after the North Carolina State miracle, another giant was toppled. This time, it was Patrick Ewing and Georgetown, as Villanova registered the improbable upset.
9. Chaminade over Ralph Sampson and No. 1 Virginia in 1983 (1.7%)
When news came over the wires in the early-morning hours that Chaminade, an 800-student NAIA school, defeated Virginia in Hawaii, several editors called to verify the information. “Which Virginia did they beat?” asked one editor, thinking there was no way it was Sampson’s Virginia team.
10. N.C. State over Houston for the 1983 NCAA men’s title (1.2%)
“Phi Slamma Jamma” Houston, with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, was a big favorite against North Carolina State, which had 10 regular-season defeats. But coach Jim Valvano’s crew slowed down the Cougars and then won on Lorenzo Charles’ dunk at the buzzer.
11. Knicks over the Lakers in the 1970 NBA Finals (0.2%)
The Lakers had greats of the greats in Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The Knicks, meanwhile, were supposed to be without Willis Reed for Game 7. But after making a dramatic entrance shortly before tipoff, the center hit his first two shots, inspiring New York to the title.
