Super Bowl III AFL NY Jets beat the NFL Baltimore Colts 16-7 on 1/12/69 in the Orange Bowl. The Colts were 15-1 going into the game and were 28 point favorites. Two weeks before, they had destroyed the only team they lost to during the regular season, the Cleveland Browns, in the NFL Championship Game something like 34-0.
Weird game, Colts had a lot of turnovers and their starting QB and NFL MVP that year, Earl Morrall, had a very off day and was pulled from the game in the second half for some guy named Unitas. ;o)
The Jets were very underrated and actually had a great team with players like Joe Namath, Matt Snell, Don Maynard, etc. but the Colts offense just didn't show up that day. They had lots of scoring opportunities, but blew all but one.
There is a very famous play toward the end of the first half that epitomizes how the game went for the Colts. A flea flicker, Morrall to Tom Matte back to Morrall, and the primary receiver (Jimmy Orr) was wide open but Morrall didn't see him and threw an interception. Shula yanked him soon after that. Some theorize Morrall lost sight of Orr because the Colt marching band was standing behind the end zone at the open end of the OB and Morrall didn't see Orr against the backdrop of Colt blue. The NFL Films version shows Orr running down the sideline all by himself, waving his arms frantically near the end zone, but Earl just didn't see him.
The rival leagues merged the following season. A few years later Earl Morrall went on to lead the Dolphins (under Shula again) to their undefeated season. They blew up the OB last year. The Colts moved to Indy in 1983 and the Browns moved to Baltimore around 1997. Cats and dogs together, etc. ;o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb9uS7OKECU
Okay, guys who are the announcers?
Other noteworthy upsets. Clay over Liston in Miami Beach 1964. Liston quit after six rounds. The next day, Cassius Clay becomes Cassius X. A year later, Liston probably took a dive in their rematch in Lewiston, Maine. He was dead five years later of a heroin OD.
Foreman's annihilation of Frazier in Jamaica in 1973. And Clay/Ali's rope a dope job on Foreman in 1975. Leon Spinks Beating Ali in 1978. Ken Norton beating Ali in 1973. Foreman knocking out Michael Moorer in 1994. Max Schmeling knocking out Joe Louis Barrow in their first fight in 1936. All major upsets. Max lived to be 99 and just died in the last few years.
The Miami Hurricanes beating the Rozier led #1 ranked Cornhuskers in the OB in 1984 31-30. Nebraska averaged about 550 yards of total offense and 52 points per game that year. They beat Minnesota 81-13. At least they didn't run up the score.
The Mets beating the Orioles in the 1969 series. The Orioles had four twenty game winners that year and seemed unbeatable.
I think the beat down Safin gave Pete in the 2000 Open Final was a pretty big upset. As was old man Bobby Riggs beating number one ranked Margaret Smith Court in 1972 on Mother's Day no less.