Term in competitive sports
Margin of victory is the numerical difference between the winning and losing participants in a sporting event. A narrow margin of victory typically indicates a closely contested, evenly matched game, whereas a substantial margin of victory signifies a decisive win by one team.[1]
The most one-sided playoff outcome (pre-Super Bowl era) in NFL/AFL history remains the 73-point margin between the Chicago Bears (73) and the Washington Redskins (0) on December 8, 1940. Despite both teams boasting matching 9-3 records, the Bears managed to secure touchdowns in every quarter, notching three in the first, four in the third, and added three more in the fourth. Touchdown runs of at least 40 yards came from three different players: Bill Osmanski, Joe Maniaci, and Harry Clarke. The third quarter saw three distinct Chicago defenders intercepting passes and returning them for touchdowns.[2][3]
The biggest Super Bowl blowout was Super Bowl XXIV between the San Francisco 49ers (55) and the Denver Broncos (10) on January 28, 1990. Entering this game as 12-point favorites, the 49ers, who had triumphed over the Cincinnati Bengals in the previous year's Super Bowl, were aiming for another victory. In resounding fashion, Joe Montana guided the 49ers to dominate over John Elway's Broncos. The Broncos trailed 27–3 at halftime, and Elway's two interceptions on the first two possessions of the second half dashed any hopes of a comeback. Montana delivered a special performance, completing 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards, 5 touchdowns, and no interceptions, earning him MVP honors.[4][5]
On October 7, 1916, Georgia Tech achieved a record-breaking victory by defeating Cumberland University with a score of 222–0, marking the most lopsided game in the history of college football.[7][8]
In 1997, Florida clinched the SEC title to secure a rematch against the top-ranked Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl . In a decisive victory, the Gators triumphed with a score of 52–20, claiming their first national championship in the ninety-year history of the program.[9]
Baseball
Major League Baseball
The Rangers claim the record for the most dominating regular-season game in MLB history in terms of run differential, overpowering the Orioles with a 27-run margin of victory. Ironically, Baltimore held a three-run lead after the third inning.
Basketball
National Basketball Association
On December 2, 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 152–79, winning by an NBA-record 73 points.[10] The Grizzlies' bench outscored the entire Thunder team, accumulating a total of 93 points. Setting a historic precedent, the team secured its victory by a margin of at least 70 points, breaking a record that had stood for 31 years. Additionally, this achievement easily topped the franchise's previous record for the highest point total in a single game. Before the 73-point blowout occurred, the greatest margin of victory in the league was 68 points, a record established during a 1991 game between the Cavaliers (148) and the Heat (80).
Surpassing the previous record for the largest halftime lead in an NBA game, the Dallas Mavericks outscored the Los Angeles Clippers 77–27 in the 1st half on December 27, 2020[11] The historic achievement of a 50-point halftime lead outpaced the 47-point margin set by the Golden State Warriors against the Sacramento Kings in November 1991.[12][13]
The largest margin of scoring in a quarter occurred on February 4, 1987, when the Kings (4) trailed the Lakers (40) by 36 at the end of the first quarter in an eventual 128–98 loss.[14][15]
The largest home loss in NBA History happened on May 1, 2021, as the Indiana Pacers (152) beat the Oklahoma City Thunder (95) by a record 57 points.[16][17]
On October 18, 2017, the Portland Trail Blazers sailed to a commanding 124–76 triumph over the Phoenix Suns, achieving the largest margin of scoring for a season-opening game in league history.[18][19]
The highest regular-season point differential (+12.28) in NBA History was the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1971–72 season.[20][21] This team also had the most double-digit wins (50) in a season.[22]
The lowest regular-season point differential (-15.2) in NBA History was the Dallas Mavericks in the 1992–93 season.[23]
In the first eight games of the 2023–24 season, the Lakers have established themselves as the poorest first-quarter performers in NBA history. Their first-quarter point differential of minus-74 stands as the most unfavorable figure any team has recorded through the initial eight games.[24]
