Some trends, like pet rocks, make no sense. However, underdogs are increasingly doing something quite clever this season. Big underdog and score early? Why not onside kick after a score? UCLA and Syracuse have done so and scored after successful recoveries. Down go Penn State and Clemson, respectively, after big momentum fueled starts by big underdogs.
Tulsa also executed a successful onside kick against favored Navy. This tactic makes so much sense on many levels. An underdog rates to have their defense on the field a good amount of time, so why not try to steal a possession that will result in a fresher D in the fourth quarter? For an underdog, attempting to maintain momentum can be paramount to pulling off an upset.
Success breeds imitators. Expect this tactic to be more common among the dogs.