The United States vanquished Thailand, 13-0, in its opening game of the Women’s World Cup in France on Tuesday. The total demolition got us thinking about other classic mismatches that turned into debacles on the scoreboard.
Houston 100, Tulsa 6
The University of Houston had an 18-point lead over Tulsa in the Astrodome on Nov. 23, 1968. While it seemed like an easy victory for the Cougars, it became history when they scored 76 more points for an 100-6 victory at the Astrodome. Dr. Phil McGraw was a linebacker for Tulsa while Larry Gatlin caught a pass for Houston, which had Wade Phillips playing on defense.
Georgia Tech 222, Cumberland 0
The mother of all blowouts was ignited by a 22-0 baseball loss the year before by Georgia Tech to Cumberland. Yellow Jackets coach John Heisman got revenge as Georgia Tech scored 32 TDs and had 978 rushing yards. Cumberland totaled minus-42 rushing yards.
Oklahoma 77, Texas A&M 0
Oklahoma scored touchdowns on 10 of its first 11 possessions on Nov. 8, 2003, before Bob Stoops had the Sooners take their foot off the gas pedal.
USC 55, Oklahoma 19
What goes around….USC pummeled Oklahoma in a game that saw Heisman winners Matt Leinart and Jason White duel. Leinart won big time, throwing five TD passes in the Orange Bowl. However, in the long run, the victory was vacated due to Reggie Bush’s eligibility issues.
Portland State 105, Delaware State 0
Neil Lomax, pictured playing for the Cardinals, threw eight TD passes in the first half on Nov. 8, 1980, as Portland State enjoyed the most lopsided victory in FCS history.
Houston 95, SMU 21
Houston came up short of matching its 1968 point total against Tulsa in a romp over SMU, which was trying to revive its program after the death penalty. The Mustangs used to pummel their foes, so the Cougars were not about to let up. They had 1,021 yards of total offense and 14 scoring drives. Andre Ware and David Klingler, both of whom would go on to be first-round picks in the NFL, combined for 771 passing yards and 10 touchdown passes.
Notre Dame 58, Miami 7
Miami pounded Notre Dame on Nov. 30, 1985, as Vinny Testaverde passed for 356 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, This was the Irish’s worst loss in 41 years and was Coach Gerry Faust’s final game.
Texas 70, Colorado 3
Vince Young accounted for four touchdowns as Texas dismantled Coloroado in the Big 12 championship game in 2005.
Jaguars 62, Dolphins 7
Jimmy Johnson learned what it was like to be on the short side of a rout in 2000, albeit this one was in the NFL. His Dolphins were completely pasted by Mark Brunell and the Jaguars. This was the largest postseason point differential since the merger and saw Dan Marino pulled in the third quarter.
Super Bowl XLVIII: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8
It started bad and got worse for the Broncos. Peyton Manning saw the first snap go by him for a safety. Seattle pounced from there en route to 43-8 victory in the Super Bowl.
Bills 51, Raiders 3
Jim Kelly was 17-for-23 for 300 yards and two touchdown passes as the Bills destroyed the Raiders and coach Art Shell in the AFC Championship on Jan. 20, 1991.
Bears 73, Redskins 0
The all-time laugher in the NFL, regular season or postseason. Washington had beaten Chicago, 7-3, weeks earlier. However, the “7” and “3” would become 73 as the Bears destroyed their foes. Washington quarterback Sammy Baugh appeared to connect with Charlie Malone for a 35-yard touchdown pass, but Malone dropped the ball. Asked later if the outcome would’ve been different had Malone not dropped that first-quarter pass, Baugh said, “Sure, it would’ve been 73-7.”
Giants 62, Eagles 10: Nov. 26, 1972
The New York Giants destroyed the Philadelphia Eagles as both quarterbacks, Norm Snead and Randy Johnson, threw multiple TD passes. The Giants led 31-10 before doubling their score and holding Philly scoreless for the rest of the game.
Basketball: USA 116, Angola 48
The Dream Team was at its finest — worst — on July 26, 1992. Team USA went on a 47-1 run — with Angola’s only point coming on a free throw after a technical foul was called on Charles Barkley — after the game was tied at 7.
Lincoln 201, Ohio State Marion 78
The scoreboard read “Lincoln 01, Marion 78” because it wasn’t designed to handle 200 points. The 123-point margin by Lincoln is the largest in NCAA history.
UConn women 140, St. Francis 52 (2018)
The Huskies defeated St. Francis (Pa.) 140-52 in the 2018 second round of the NCAA Tournament. This was only one in a series of blowouts that UConn women have enjoyed through the dynasty years.
Bulls 96, Jazz 54
Michael Jordan and the Bulls demoralized Utah on June 7, 1998. The 42-point margin was the largest in a Finals game, and the Jazz scored the fewest points in postseason history.
NBA First Round, Game 4: Denver Nuggets 121, New Orleans Hornets 63
How about a 58-point loss at home? That’s what happened to Chris Paul and the Hornets in 2009. New Orleans scored 24 second-half points.
Hockey: Red Wings 15, Rangers 0
Detroit scored 15 times on 58 shots. The Red Wings’ eight third-period goals were one shy of the Rangers’ shot total for the game.
Slovakia 82, Bulgaria 0
This Olympic pre-qualifying blowout was the largest for a senior IIHF event. On Sept. 7, 2008, Slovakia fired 139 shots, averaging a goal every 44 seconds. The Bulgarians didn’t get a shot on goal.
Rugby: Australia 58, New Zealand 0
New Zealand actually beat another country, Hong Kong, twice by 19-0 scores but was no match for Australia in 2007.
World Cup Soccer Qualifying: Australia 31, American Samoa 0
Eric Bolte-USA TODAY SportsThanks to passport problems, American Samoa could bring only one actual member of its senior national team to Australia in 2001. Australia got a record 13 goals from Archie Thompson.
MLB: Indians 22, Yankees 0
The Yankees would just as soon forget 2004. They lost this game to the Indians, 22-0 on Aug. 31 of that year. More than a month later, they became the first team in MLB history to blow a 3-0 series lead, losing to Boston in seven games in the ALCS.
Texas Rangers 30, Baltimore Orioles 3
The Orioles surged to a 3-0 lead through three innings, only to allow runs galore, including 10 in the eighth and six in the ninth. Wes Littleton pitched the final three innings for the most “save.”
ALDS, Game 4: Boston Red Sox 23, Cleveland Indians 7
Bartolo Colon started on three days’ rest for the first time in his career on Oct. 10, 1999. The Red Sox erupted and chased Colon in the second inning and kept on hitting to record the biggest blowout and score the most runs in postseason history.
NHL: Division Semis, Game 2: Edmonton Oilers 13, Los Angeles Kings 3
The Edmonton Oilers set an NHL-playoff record with 13 goals, and their winning margin was just one off the playoff record set in 1944 when Montreal beat Toronto 11-0 in the early days of the Original Six. Wayne Gretzky had seven points on April 9, 1987.
World Cup Soccer Semifinals: Germany 7, Brazil 1
Brazilians allowed four goals in six minutes gave Germany a 5-0 lead 29 minutes into the match in 2014. In 102 previous World Cup matches, Brazil had never trailed by more than three goals.
Tiger Woods win 2000 U.S. Open
Golfers are back at Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open this week. It recalls the 2000 event when Tiger Woods shot 12-under and won by 15 strokes.
Secretariat romps in Belmont
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Thirty-one lengths. Secretariat’s victory in the 1973 Belmont is one of the most breathtaking performances in sports.
Steffi Graf 6-0, 6-0 over Natasha Zvereva
Steffi Graf was on poing on June 4, 1988, winning the Grand Slam final in 32 minutes. It is the only Open Era Slam final shutout.
