the best team never wins…
Last Saturday, Vanderbilt pulled off the upset of the year so far by defeating No. 1 Alabama by a score of 40-35. Despite being significant underdogs, Vanderbilt's grit and resilience helped them secure their first-ever victory over a top-ranked opponent despite Alabama closing the gap several times.
How did Vanderbilt find a way to sleigh Goliath? How do upsets like this happen?
Because the best team NEVER WINS. It’s always the team that PLAYS THE BEST.
The in-season Blueprint is a messaging menu of situations teams will face in a typical season. What would you say to your team the week following a painful loss? How about rivalry week, a mid-season checkup, or the toughest scenario—the only one we're discussing here—when your team is a 30-point underdog?
Being the underdog isn’t easy, but it’s one of the most inspiring positions to be in. The world loves a comeback story, a team or individual that defies all odds to claim victory. But how do you pull the upset when everything seems stacked against you?
Does your team believe in miracles?
They should because the best team never wins; it's always the team that PLAYS THE BEST!
1. Believe It Can Happen. The first step is to believe that winning is truly possible. Mentality is everything in sports, business, or any competition. If you’ve already decided you can’t win, you won’t. But when you shift your mindset to “Why not us?” you create the space for possibility. Underdogs have one advantage: nothing to lose. That freedom allows for boldness.
Just telling them isn’t enough, though. You must show them examples of major upsets in the past like Appalachian State going on the road and defeating Michigan 34-32 in what Sports Illustrated called the 'All-time Upset.' Also, Buster Douglas, who was a 42-1 underdog when he knocked out Mike Tyson. And, what many considered the greatest upset of all time: the 'Miracle on Ice' when the U.S. Olympic hockey team of college all-stars defeated the Soviet Red Army squad, considered the greatest hockey team ever assembled.
2. Trust Your Training In moments of pressure, it’s easy to second-guess yourself, but this is where your preparation pays off. Trust the countless hours of hard work, drills, and practice that got you here. Your training has equipped you with the necessary skills; now, it’s about execution. Focus on what you’ve practiced and stay disciplined.
Remind your team, ‘Our best is good enough because we’ve got a great plan, we’ve had an excellent week of prep and we are about to shock the world!’
3. The Power of One Game Series. All the stats, rankings, and predictions are meaningless in a one-game scenario. The beauty of sports is its unpredictability; in a single game, momentum can shift instantly. Underdogs have a unique advantage: you only need to be better for one day, one moment. A bounce here, a clutch play there, and you can tip the scales in your favor.
If you spend just 5-10 minutes a day on mental performance training, your athletes will think differently. They will play with confidence against any opponent, feeling like they belong even as the underdog, and won't let the ‘outside noise’ define them.
In a one-game series, the odds don't matter, only your team's mindset does. Because the best team never wins…
