Previous Rankings: 130-121 120-111 110-101 100-91
90.)
This was a rough year for Willie Taggart and the Seminoles. The first year coach was embarrassed in his first game against Virginia Tech, then nearly lost to Samford (FCS) in his home opener. They barely beat Louisville, but barely lost to Miami. Clemson, Notre Dame, NCST, and Florida beat them by a combined 118-72. Instead of actual criticism, the season was marred by fans making racists threats and comments about Taggart. Here's to a better 2019 in all facets.
Best Win: Boston College
Worst Loss: Virginia Tech
2017 Finish: 55
89.)
Tennessee (5-7, 80.4 WP, 47.3 LP)The Volunteers had a shot to right their ship and finish with a winning record and get back to a bowl game after missing out in 2017. Then Missouri beat them by 33 and in a must win for both schools, rival Vanderbilt clobbered the Vols to end their season. First year coach Jeremy Pruitt's bunch did have some bright spots with wins over ranked Kentucky and Auburn.
Best Win: Kentucky
Worst Loss: Vanderbilt
2017 Finish: 102
88.)
Indiana (5-7, 76.4 WP, 47 LP)A tough task for at least three quarters, the Hoosiers seemed to just hang around in games they should not have, before too many mistakes derailed their chances to win. They rolled out to a 4-1 start that included a win over Virginia. but Big Ten played wrapped up at 2-7. They also had a shot in the last game against a rival, but it would be Purdue who survived to win the Old Oaken Bucket and keep their season alive. In fact, the last four seasons have been determined by this rivalry with Purdue winning the last two.
Best Win: Virginia
Worst Loss: Minnesota
2017 Finish: 96
87.)
This is was a tough season for Maryland in a number of ways. It started with the death of Jordan McNair and the suspension of head coach D.J. Durkin. The Terrapins went out and got an emotional win over Texas. There were good and bad moments on the field, but off the field, the board of regents were busy botching their investigation into McNair's death. They reinstated Durkin for one day before University President Wallace Loh fired Durkin after public outcry and player protests.
Maryland would lose their final four games, including heart breaking losses to Indiana and especially Ohio State. The Terps will turn to star recruiter and Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who has been in and out of Maryland the past 20 years including 2015 where he served as the interim head coach. Between his interim time at Maryland and his two and half years at New Mexico, Locksley is just 3-31 as a head coach.
Best Win: Texas
Worst Loss: Indiana
2017 Finish: 99
86.)
Two one-point losses best defined Arizona this season, close, but not enough. The worst was a 20-0 fourth quarter put up by Arizona State to end Arizona's season. They also had two head scratching losses to BYU and Houston to open the season. They did however, practically end Oregon's chances of making a New Year's Six Bowl with a 44-15 beatdown.
Best Win: Oregon
Worst Loss: UCLA
2017 Finish: 64
85.)
Texas Tech (5-7, 72.2 WP, 53.4 LP)The Red Raiders did their best Colorado impression by getting to five wins and then collapsing to five straight losses. Texas Tech went from ranked team and playing Texas and Oklahoma tough to getting crushed by Kansas State and Baylor to end their season. It also cost Kliff Kingsbury his job after years of mediocrity.
Kingsbury is off to USC to be the Trojans offensive coordinator while Matt Wells comes over from Utah State, where he went 44-34, to lead the Red Raiders.
Best Win: Oklahoma State
Worst Loss: Kansas State
2017 Finish: 80
84.)
USC (5-7, 65.4 WP, 52.3 LP)After leading the Trojans to three straight bowl appearances, Clay Helton suddenly became on the hot seat. Of course that's what happens when you lose five of your last six to miss out on that bowl berth. The last three were particularly hard as they lost by one to Cal, then lost surprisingly to UCLA before falling just short against Notre Dame. Some think the hiring of Kingsbury from Texas Tech is dangerous for Helton, because he could be the new coach if things don't start well in 2019.
Best Win: Washington State
Worst Loss: UCLA
2017 Finish: 11
83.)
The Commodores were just one of three teams to make a bowl game, but finish with a losing record. To even get to a bowl, Vanderbilt had to win three of their last four including an overtime win over Ole Miss and a thrashing of rival Tennessee. The Commodores played in one of the more exciting bowl games as they lost a shootout to Baylor in the Alamo Bowl 45-38. The next step for Vandy will be to get out of their lower tier SEC locale. They have finished 6-7, 5-7, and 6-7 in the last three years.
Best Win: Tennessee
Worst Loss: South Carolina
2017 Finish: 86
82.)
Virginia Tech (6-7, 58 WP, 57.1 LP)Unlike Vanderbilt, a 6-7 finish at Virginia Tech is not something to be celebrated. Things started downhill when the No. 13 Hokies were throttled by Old Dominion. They lost five of six before shocking Virginia in overtime and winning against Marshall in a make-up game that allowed them to become bowl eligible. They lost a tough game to Cincinnati with the Bearcats scoring the go ahead touchdown with 1:32 and Ryan Willis throwing an interception to lose the Military Bowl 35-31. The 6-7 finish meant that Va Tech had a losing record for the first time since 1992.
Best Win: Virginia
Worst Loss: Old Dominion
2017 Finish: 34
81.)
What a roller coaster season for the Purdue Boilermakers. First they lost a thriller in their opener to Northwestern and then suffered a last second upset at the hands of Eastern Michigan. Then came October 20, when the Boilermakers stunned the nation and essentially ended Ohio State's playoff hopes. They followed that a few weeks later by allowing 41 points to Minnesota before they won a must win game against rival Indiana in a winner go bowling scenario. They probably wish the Hoosiers had taken their place after Auburn dropped a record 56 first half points in a 63-14 rout. The good news is that Jeff Brohm is staying put...for now.
Best Win: Ohio State
Worst Loss: Eastern Michigan
2017 Finish: 56
