Even the Best Can Be Defeated: What Yesterday's College Football Upsets Can Teach Us About the Bar Exam

College football fans were stunned last night as several top-ranked teams faced unexpected and crushing defeats at the hands of unranked opponents. In one of the most shocking upsets, Vanderbilt, a team with no previous wins against a No. 1-ranked opponent, took down mighty Alabama with a final score of 40-35. Arkansas fought hard to topple No. 4 Tennessee, delivering a 19-14 upset that no one saw coming. And over in Minneapolis, my law school alma mater, the University of Minnesota, pulled off a thrilling 24-17 victory against No. 11 USC, marking one of the most significant wins in the program’s history.

Ski-U-Mah! Row the boat! Go Gophers!

What do these defeats have in common?

They remind us of an essential lesson—past success, no matter how dominant, doesn’t guarantee future victories. The most successful teams (and students) can stumble when they let their guard down. That’s why these games serve as a perfect analogy for law students, particularly those who have experienced success in law school but are now facing their next challenge: the bar exam.

Imagine being a law student who has thrived for three years—aced exams, earned internships, secured that perfect job offer before graduation—feeling as though nothing can stop you. You might feel undefeated, just like Alabama and Tennessee felt going into their games last night. Even previous one-loss USC was still highly ranked and riding high, only to be taken down by a team many expected them to beat. The lesson here? No matter how successful you’ve been, there’s always the possibility of an unexpected setback.

The bar exam is your new opponent, and like Vanderbilt, Minnesota, or Arkansas, it can come out of nowhere to humble even the best-prepared students. You may have been "undefeated" in law school—meaning you’ve succeeded academically and feel confident in your skills—but it’s crucial to understand that the bar exam is a completely different game. It doesn’t matter how successful you were before—if you underestimate the bar exam, it can surprise you, just like those teams were shocked by their opponents last night.

What happened to Alabama, USC, and Tennessee last night happens to law students every July and February. Many law graduates coast through their bar prep or rely on their law school knowledge, assuming it will carry them through. But like in football, past performance is not always indicative of future results. The bar exam is the final test of your legal education—a comprehensive, difficult challenge that demands your full attention and respect.

Just as those football teams needed to prepare for every opponent on their schedule, you must treat each bar exam subject, multiple-choice question, essay prompt, and performance test with focus and determination. Don’t assume that because you were successful in law school, the bar exam will be easy. You wouldn’t expect Alabama to win every game just because they’re Alabama, and you shouldn’t expect to pass the bar just because you were a great law student.

At the end of the day, whether you’re an undefeated team or a successful law student, the message is the same: never underestimate your next challenge. The bar exam isn’t just another final. It’s a completely different game, with different stakes, and it requires more preparation than anything you’ve faced before. The top football teams fell because they assumed they were unbeatable. Don’t make the same mistake.

Stay disciplined, stay prepared, and give every part of your bar prep the attention it deserves. If you do, you’ll walk into that exam like Minnesota did last night—ready for whatever comes your way, and prepared to come out on top.

More Highlights: Arkansas Defeats No. 4 Tennessee