Can Alyson Hannigan achieve the biggest ‘Dancing with the Stars’ upset since Bobby Bones?

And all she wanted to do was make it to Taylor Swift night. That was a key ambition for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “How I Met  Your Mother” actress Alyson Hannigan on “Dancing with the Stars.” But not only did she do that, she’s on her way to the finals to compete for the Mirror Ball Trophy. She’s an underdog in the competition, but everybody loves an underdog.

Hannigan got off to a rough start. She seemed lost during her season premiere salsa and ended up near the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 13 out of 30 from the judges. That might have been it for her right there, but enough viewers at home voted to keep her in the competition, so she got a chance at redemption.

Despite having no dance experience prior to “DWTS,” she gradually improved throughout the season, achieving a breakthrough on “Music Video Night” with a demanding quickstep that the judges considered her best dance of the season up to that point. But even as the competition narrowed down to its most elite contestants, Hannigan stayed put, with celebrities above her and below her on the leaderboard going home week after week.

On the night of “Semi-Finals” it seemed like she was preparing herself for elimination. Her poignant waltz near the end of the night was another season’s best moment for her, and she thanked her pro partner Sasha Farber just in case it would be her last dance on the show. But when the results were announced Hannigan was the first to find out she had advanced safely through to the finale. In fact, all five semifinalists advanced to the finals, for the first time in “DWTS” history.

But can Hannigan actually win the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy? Of the final five, she’s the lowest-scoring celebrity, but judges’ scores are only half the battle. You also need fan support, and it’s clear from her results up to this point that she has one of the strongest fan bases in the competition. Also, her marked improvement throughout the season — she’s lightyears beyond that shaky salsa from week one — gives her an extra strong rooting factor.

You don’t need to be the best technical dancer to win the show. Bobby Bones also went into the finals in season 27 at a great disadvantage when it came to the scores, but he won the competition in a shocking upset. Then in season 30 Iman Shumpert prevailed even though other celebrities outscored him. Hannigan could be next.

Be sure to make your predictions so that the contestants can see how they’re faring in our racetrack odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before the next episode airs every Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+. You’ll compete to win a spot on our leaderboard and eternal bragging rights. See our contest rules and sound off with other fans in our reality TV forum. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.