Football Geography's Andrew McKillop gives us our college football history lesson of the day, taking a look at Division I-A programs that have defeated the #1 team in the Associated Press poll. Boston College is one of 45 programs to have achieved this feat, having defeated a #1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish team in South Bend, 41-39, in 1993.
Bless you, David Gordon.
The Eagles are one of just five ACC programs to have knocked off the AP #1, joining Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Miami. Soon to be ACC program Syracuse also lays claim to a victory over the top team in the AP Poll with a 17-9 win over Nebraska in 1984. Maryland's last win over the AP #1 was way back in 1955 (7-0 win over #1 UCLA).
Four other ACC programs have earned wins over the AP #2 but have never toppled the top team. All of these wins game against then-conference opponents -- N.C. State (1998 vs. Florida State), Virginia (1995 vs. Florida State 33-28), Virginia Tech (2003 vs. Miami) and Pittsburgh (2007 at West Virginia).
The highest program Clemson has knocked off is third ranked Florida State in 2003, winning 26-10. The best wins for Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest all came against the AP #4, though only as recently as 1960 for Duke (16-10 vs. Navy) and 1946 for Wake Forest (19-6 vs. Tennessee).
Could the Eagles get another crack at the AP #1 this season when they travel to Tallahassee to take on the Florida St. Seminoles?