March isn’t the only time of year when massive college basketball upsets can occur.
On Wednesday, 3-9 Eastern Illinois defeated 8-3 Iowa 92-83. By several measures, it was one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history.
The Hawkeyes currently sit 37th in the nation out of 363 teams ranked by KenPom; the Panthers rank 349th.
Iowa’s total student enrollment sits at 20,155, while EIU’s is 4,082 — leading to a massive discrepancy in how much money flies around each of these programs, per the U.S. Department of Education.
- The Iowa men’s basketball team brought in $6.9M in 2020 revenue; Eastern Illinois’ did $1.3M.
- Iowa’s operating expenses were $1.2M that year; Eastern Illinois’ were just over $436,000.
On the sports betting front, the upset was at least just as jarring.
At Caesars Sportsbook, the Hawkeyes closed as 31.5-point favorites — and Caesars did not even offer a moneyline on the contest due to the massive gap.
Per ESPN, underdogs of 30 points or more were 0-558 straight up over the last 30 seasons. The Panthers made it 1-558.
![ESPN Bet broadcasts inside the PGA Tour Studios building in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on March 14, 2025. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]](https://frontofficesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/USATSI_25668497_168416386_lowres-scaled-e1762454726629.jpg?quality=100&w=1024)
