There's a lot of Best of the Decade lists floating around their and it gave me an idea. First, I was interested in retroactively updating the Pool's Polls of the past 20 years. This gave me a look at who dominated the 2000's and compared that to their trend in this current decade. Last decade the Top Ten teams were Texas, Boise State, Oklahoma, Ohio State, LSU, Virginia Tech, Georgia, USC, Florida, and Miami (FL). Only four of those teams would find themselves in the Top Ten for this decade with the Longhorns falling from the top spot to No. 57. Here's a quick look at the biggest changes between decades:
Largest Ascent (Growth from average ranking in previous decade):
Western Kentucky (+62.2)
San Diego State (+57)
Stanford (+54.1)
Baylor (+53.9)
Duke (+42.1)
Utah State (+40.4)
Temple (+40)
Mississippi State (+39.6)
Alabama (+36.6)
Washington (+32.7)
Biggest Decline (Drop from average ranking in previous decade):
Oregon State (-54)
Kansas (-50)
Texas (-50)
Boston College (-46)
Texas Tech (-40)
UConn (-40)
Tennessee (-39)
Purdue (-38)
Hawai'i (-37)
New Mexico (-37)
Here's a complete look at the 131 teams and how they fared from 2010-19:
131.)
UMass (Average Rank: 116.6, Previous Decade: N/A)The Minutemen made the jump from the FCS to FBS and had a brief stay in the MAC before becoming an independent. They've played games at the home of arguably the greatest NFL team of the new millenium (New England) and haven't played a particularly difficult schedule. All that and there's not a lot of success to show for it, but the good news is that they can only go up from here.
130.)Kansas (AR: 116.2, PD: 65.8)
In 2007 the Jayhawks went 12-1 and from 2014-19 they've totaled 12 wins.
129.)New Mexico State (AR: 110, PD: 91.2)
They watched the WAC dissolve, only to be kicked out of the Sun Belt. They did however, go to a bowl game in 2017, their first since 1960.
128.)UNLV (AR: 105.4, PD: 86.9)
The Rebels have found luck in Fremont Cannon series with Nevada, but not much elsewhere. Tony Sanchez started the decade as a high school coach, but won't get a chance to lead UNLV in 2020 after he was fired in his fifth season.
127.)Charlotte (AR:103.2, PD: N/A)
Like UMass, the 49ers were new to the FBS this decade and made their first ever bowl game under the guidance of Will Healy in his debut this season.
126.)New Mexico (AR: 102.4, PD: 65.5)
Rocky Long built a stable program in the 2000's, but the beginning of the decade began with two-one win seasons and Mike Locksley punching an assistant coach. The decade ends with Bob Davie resigning amid health issues and an incident where he was suspended for physically assaulting players.
125.)UTEP (AR:101.9, PD: 75.5)
The Miners have fallen off the cliff in the last three seasons amassing just two wins. Long gone are the glory days of Mike Price and Jordan Palmer.
124.)Texas State (AR: 101.6, PD: N/A)
Added to the Sun Belt during the crazy conference realignment phase, the Bobcats haven't had much success. They've even been bowl eligible twice and left out both years.
123.)Coastal Carolina (AR: 101, PD: N/A)
Jamey Chadwell is the Grover Cleveland of coaches. He was the coach in 2017, filling in for the ailing Joe Moglia, who returned to coach in 2018, before Chadwell took over again in 2019. They joined the FBS in 2016 and their field is also teal, so there's that.
122.)Idaho (AR: 99.3, PD: 98.9)
Always a bottom tier FBS school, the Vandals found themselves spending money on games in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Georgia, after the WAC dissolved and they joined the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt kicked them out and then it was announced by the school that they were dropping down to FCS in 2018. They made a bowl game in 2016 and quarterback Matt Linehan said, “We belong in FBS, period. That’s what I believe, that’s what everyone believes… We know we can compete, we belong here. No matter what anyone thinks, even our tone-deaf president. Maybe he doesn’t think we belong here, but I think we belong here.”
121.)UConn (AR:98.8, PD: 59.)
The Huskies had a strong transition into the FBS, but have recently found themselves in a rut since the Big East evaporated and the AAC was born. They'll make the move to an independent in 2020.
120.)
The Zips had one MAC East title and two bowl appearances (their first win in 2015), which marks their most successful decade. However, in 2019 they hold the longest active losing streak at 17 games including an 0-12 finish.
119.)Georgia State (AR: 96.7, PD: N/A)
The Panthers have had feast or famine seasons as they have never had back-to-back winning seasons since joining the FBS in 2013. This season marks their third trip to a bowl game, which means 2020 could be a year to forget.
118.)Eastern Michigan (AR: 96.4, PD: 102.2)
The 2000's ended with a winless season witnessed by my very own eyes and it continued well into the mid-2010's. Then a miracle happened. Chris Creighton got his guys to buy in on a new culture despite failed attempts to knock down a concrete wall. The new look "Factory" and training facilities courtesy of former Eagle, T.J. Lang, have all been key to making three bowl games in the last four years. Previously, EMU had only made one bowl when they were known as the Hurons in 1987. That's still the last time they captured a victory in the postseason.
117.)South Alabama (AR: 95.8, PD: N/A)
Since joining the FBS in 2013 the Jaguars have had two bowl appearances which is actually fantastic for a school that just added football in 2009. Next on their to do list is a Sun Belt Championship and a bowl win, but both will have to wait until 2020.
116.) Tulane (AR: 95.2, PD: 92.8)
The Green Wave tripled their bowl appearances from the previous decade, but those were the only three winning seasons for Tulane. They've also had three different coaches in the past ten years.
115.)Kent State (AR: 94.8, PD: 88.9)
Prior to 2012, the Golden Flashes hadn't been to a bowl game since 1972. That changed when Kent State won the MAC East and nearly won the MAC overall, but they suffered a double overtime loss to Northern Illinois. Sean Lewis also guided Kent to a bowl appearance this year in just his second season.
114.)Purdue (AR: 93.8, PD: 56.2)
One of the biggest drop-offs in the past ten years, the Boilermakers have used three different coaches and none of them have been able to match the success of Joe Tiller from 1997-2008. Danny Hope went 22-27, Darrell Hazell turned that magical Kent State season into a 9-33 tenure at Purdue, while Jeff Brohm currently sits at 17-21.
113.)San Jose State (AR: 92.3, PD: 81.5)
The Spartans appeared in two bowl games during the decade and won both. In fact they've won four straight bowl games and haven't lost since the 1987 California Bowl...to EMU.
112.)Colorado (AR: 92.3, PD: 66.2)
The Buffaloes could have easily improved their stock had they not lost seven straight to end the 2018 campaign and then drop six of seven at one point this season. Mel Tucker is the fourth coach Colorado used in the 2010's and they have one bowl appearance to show for it.
111.)Oregon State (AR:92.2, PD: 38)
Once a key player in the PAC-12, the Beavers have been shut out of the conversation this decade. They haven't been to a bowl since 2012 and 2013, but were closer than they've been with a 5-7 campaign this year.
110.)
The Fighting Illini have used four coaches to get to four bowl games and the last three have mustered just 14 Big Ten wins since 2012. Lovie Smith did manage to lead Illinois to a bowl game this season despite a loss to...EMU.
109.)ULM (AR: 90.4, PD: 91)
The Warhawks have had just one winning season in school history and that came in 2012 when they also went to their only bowl game. That year began with a stunning victory over No.8 Arkansas and an 8-5 finish. They've also completed two 6-6 campaigns without any invitations.
108.) Rice (AR: 89.6, PD: 78)
David Baliff racked up the third most wins in school history from 2007-2017 and took the Owls to four bowl games including three straight starting in 2012. However, Rice has just nine wins over the last four seasons.
107.)FAU (AR: 85.9, PD: 75)
The Owls are one of the newer programs in football having started in 2001 under former Miami coach Howard Schnellenberger. He remained in charge through the 2011 season before giving way to Carl Pelini, who lasted less than two years. He was replaced by Charlie Partridge who struggled for three years before being let go and then Lane Kiffin took over.
Kiffin found great success in Boca Raton as he guided FAU to two Conference USA Championships in three seasons before accepting the same position at Ole Miss. Florida journeyman Willie Taggart will coach his third Florida school starting in 2020 after stints at USF and Florida State.
106.)Miami (AR: 85.7, DP: 61.7)
The Redhawks had some of their greatest moments in the previous decade under the guidance of Ben Roethlisberger, but times were much harder this decade. Miami won two MAC Championships in their only two appearances in the decade including a 26-21 victory over CMU in 2019. Chuck Martin has been the main man in Oxford since 2014 and is 30-44 in that time. His greatest coaching job came in 2016 when the Redhawks began the season 0-6 before winning their next six games to become bowl eligible before losing in their bowl game.
105.)Indiana (AR: 85.6, PD: 90.6)
The Hoosiers made back-to-back bowls for the first time since 1990-91 when they did so in 2015-16. However, head coach Kevin Wilson and the AD had a difference in philosophical practices and he also was accused of abusing players which led to his exit. Then came Tom Allen who took a few years, but then he picked up Indiana's first 8-win season and winning Big Ten season since 1993.
104.)Maryland (AR:85.4, PD: 50.1)
The Terrapins transitions to the Big Ten has been brutal in football. Their best conference record is 4-4 which came in their inaugural season in 2014. Maryland was also struck by tragedy when offensive lineman Jordan McNair died after collapsing from a hard summer practice. Head coach D.J. Durkin was suspended, reinstated for one day, then fired. In one of the more emotional scenes in the past ten years, Maryland lined up with just ten players to begin the season in honor of McNair.
From there they went on to stun No. 23 Texas in front of the home crowd and then beat the Longhorns again in 2019. They also had a blowout win over No. 23 Syracuse in 2019, but finished with losing records in both seasons.
103.)Rutgers (AR: 84.8, PD: 66.1)
Speaking of Big Ten struggles, Rutgers hasn't had a winning conference record since they also joined in 2014. They rank higher than the Terps because of what they did under Greg Schiano and Kyle Flood. Between the two they went 40-36 with four straight bowl appearances, but under Chris Ash the Scarlet Knights fell to 13-47 since 2016 which led to Ash being fired midway through this season. Rutgers have turned to their most successful coach in Schiano, who returns as the head coach in 2020.
102.)Old Dominion (AR: 82.4, PD: N/A)
The Monarchs joined the FBS and Conference USA in 2014 under the guidance of Bobby Wilder. Wilder coached Old Dominion from 2007-2019 and led them to a 41-42 record before being let go after a 1-11 season. The Monarchs did earn their first bowl victory with a Bahamas Bowl win over EMU in 2016. Former Penn State offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne takes over in 2020.
101.)UTSA (AR: 82.4, PD: N/A)
The Roadrunners made their debut in 2011 under the guidance of Larry Coker and they officially joined the FBS in 2012. After four seasons Coker was replaced by Frank Wilson who took UTSA to their first bowl game in 2016. Three disappointing seasons led to his firing and he was replaced by Jeff Traylor. Traylor is known in the state of Texas as the former coach at Gilmer High School where he won three titles in five trips from 2000-14.
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