paycheck game
n.—Gloss: in American college football, a sporting competition between a strong, favored team and a lower-caliber team (usually from another conference), for which the favored team pays the underdog a substantial fee. Note: Also called a bodybag game or a cupcake game. «Youngstown St. was scheduled before the upset so even if the Buckeyes had second thoughts it was too late. This is a win is a win is a win of a game that is regularly referred to as a “paycheck game.” YSU picked up their big paycheck, got pounded 38-6 and left town bloodied but richer.» —“Ohio State Charlatans” by Keltic Gator Orange and Blue Hue Oct. 18, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Marley in Indianapolis, Indiana, is arguing with her friends over whether the word scrappy is positive or negative. The answer depends on context. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Is “Scrappy” a Positive or Negative Word?” Hello...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski has an artful quiz about, well, art. For example, remove two letters from the end of this painting’s title, and now the couple in it has been replaced by a pale young man outside a farmhouse sporting a black T-shirt...
With all the upsets in college football this year — most notably (and of most relevance here) Appalachian State’s upset of Michigan, we may need to invent another term. Some ideas: Cupcake’s revenge, vampire cupcake, heavily armed bodybag, garnished paycheck, and my personal favorite, vorpal bunny. (It’s a Monty Python reference.)