Biggest comeback in ISU fb history?

[ojoe2317]

Somebody asked this question in another thread, and now I can't find it . . . SIAP

Is 24 points the biggest comeback in ISU football history? I started checking the box scores on the internet (pretty amazing how few wins we have at all when the opp scores 24 or more points), and came across the 2007 Colorado game - won after a 21-0 1st quarter deficit.

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Iowa State Cyclones - Box Score - November 10, 2007 - ESPN

The espn writeup says: " . . . Iowa State matched its biggest comeback since a 1989 win over Missouri by scoring 31-second half points to erase Colorado's 21-0 halftime lead."

A google search gave me a bunch of general comeback victory information, none of it ISU specific. Anyone verify this?

 

[acoustimac]

Last big comeback I remember was the Seneca Wallace led win over Iowa in 2002. ISU was down 24-7 at the half. Loved the game today, but still hold that one near and dear because (a) its Iowa, and (b) Iowa went 11-2 that year losing to USC in the Orange Bowl.

 

[ojoe2317]

Okay, so I'm a big stats geek when bored/avoiding work . . .

I went through all of the historical records, and looked at all of the wins when the opponent scored more than 24 points. Only 9 games qualify. I'm betting the 1980s games aren't bigger comebacks, because of the 1989 Missouri game historical marking point. I'm having trouble finding box scores for games that are this old to verify that this is, in fact, the biggest comeback in ISU fb history. I'd bet yes at this point, but I want to be sure. Here are the games I am looking at:

1963 Oklahoma State 33-28
1971 Kansas 40-24
1971 SDSU 48-31
1973 BYU 26-24
1976 Nebraska 37-28
1983 Missouri 38-35
1983 Kansas State 49-27
1987 UNI 39-38
1987 Kansas 42-28

 

[Psyclone Brian]

The way I understood it was...
we tied the largest "4th quarter comeback deficit" in ISU football history.

 

[acoustimac]

Okay, so I'm a big stats geek when bored/avoiding work . . .

I went through all of the historical records, and looked at all of the wins when the opponent scored more than 24 points. Only 9 games qualify. I'm betting the 1980s games aren't bigger comebacks, because of the 1989 Missouri game historical marking point. I'm having trouble finding box scores for games that are this old to verify that this is, in fact, the biggest comeback in ISU fb history. I'd bet yes at this point, but I want to be sure. Here are the games I am looking at:

1963 Oklahoma State 33-28
1971 Kansas 40-24
1971 SDSU 48-31
1973 BYU 26-24
1976 Nebraska 37-28
1983 Missouri 38-35
1983 Kansas State 49-27
1987 UNI 39-38
1987 Kansas 42-28

Did you forget the 2002 Iowa game or not include it since I already mentioned it?

 

[ojoe2317]

Did you forget the 2002 Iowa game or not include it since I already mentioned it?

I included games from before 1989 since we already have documentation of a 21 point comeback against Missouri that year. The 2002 Iowa game (although clearly on the list of greatest comebacks in ISU FB history!) was only a 17 point deficit.

 

[theshadow]

Twitter is helpful.

Cyclone Football ‏@CycloneFB13h
Down 31-7, ISU comes back to win at West Virginia, 52-44 in 3 OT. The 24-point comeback win is believed to be the largest in school history.

 

[dualthreat]

We were down pretty big @Kansas state in 2004. 28-9? But that was in the 4th quarter too iirc.

 

[A-town Cy]

That 4th quarter felt like 2004 @ K-State when we went from down 23-9 to up 37-23 in the final 11 minutes.

Edit: dualthreat u beat me to it, i had to google the year

 

[dualthreat]

That 4th quarter felt like 2004 @ K-State when we went from down 23-9 to up 37-23 in the final 11 minutes.

Edit: dualthreat u beat me to it, i had to google the year

Not only 23-9, Kansas state had out scored us 252-29 in the previous 17 quarters of the series.

 

[Rural]

That's why it's such a crazy game at times.

We absolutely gave away 14 points.

We also ended up scoring 52 when we spent the whole first quarter with the 3 and out machine cranking in high gear.

 

[ISUFan22]

That's why it's such a crazy game at times.

We absolutely gave away 14 points.

We also ended up scoring 52 when we spent the whole first quarter with the 3 and out machine cranking in high gear.

And it's not like we ran it up in OT. Just 14 points from 3OT.

24 points in 4th quarter and a defense setting up the offense will rack up the points.

 

[MeanDean]

Twitter is helpful.

Cyclone Football ‏@CycloneFB13h
Down 31-7, ISU comes back to win at West Virginia, 52-44 in 3 OT. The 24-point comeback win is believed to be the largest in school history.

Not to belittle your contribution. In fact, I'm interested to see it. But when they say, "believed to be" that means they don't really know

 

[cyclonefan1983]

Last big comeback I remember was the Seneca Wallace led win over Iowa in 2002. ISU was down 24-7 at the half. Loved the game today, but still hold that one near and dear because (a) its Iowa, and (b) Iowa went 11-2 that year losing to USC in the Orange Bowl.

In speaking of 24-7, that was the score at one point in the 2nd half against Oklahoma State in 2011 and ISU came back and won!!

 

[theshadow]

Not to belittle your contribution. In fact, I'm interested to see it. But when they say, "believed to be" that means they don't really know

That's the best way to say it when records prior to WWII are incomplete.

 

[ojoe2317]

That's the best way to say it when records prior to WWII are incomplete.

Assuming the game-by-game scores are correct, and I didn't miss anything going through them, there aren't any games prior to 1963 where ISU won and the opponent scored more than 24 points.

Is there reason to believe the records prior to WWII are missing entire games and final scores? Serious question.

 

[chuckd4735]

Not only 23-9, Kansas state had out scored us 252-29 in the previous 17 quarters of the series.

Didnt ISU score like 21 points in the last 4 mins of the KSU game in 2004?

 

[Cyclonetrombone]

That's the best way to say it when records prior to WWII are incomplete.

The earlier methodology for figuring this out was accurate. If an opponent didnt score at least 24 points and if we did not beat an opponent who scored at least 24 points there is no way there could be 24 point come back. Prior to WWII this did not happen in any game so no need to examine any of those games.

Iowa State Historical Data

 

[Cyclonetrombone]

Assuming the game-by-game scores are correct, and I didn't miss anything going through them, there aren't any games prior to 1963 where ISU won and the opponent scored more than 24 points.

Is there reason to believe the records prior to WWII are missing entire games and final scores? Serious question.

No reason... these are all the scores claimed by the athletic department and any sports publication I know of, so any other game is off the books and a scrimmage. The lack of records is more likely in reference to the lack of stats and quarterly box scores, which as you pointed out, is irrelevant.

 

[ojoe2317]

No reason... these are all the scores claimed by the athletic department and any sports publication I know of, so any other game is off the books and a scrimmage. The lack of records is more likely in reference to the lack of stats and quarterly box scores, which as you pointed out, is irrelevant.

Okay, thanks.

Box scores from the 1960s and 1970s have to exist somewhere, right?