Final Rankings 65-51: Eastern Michigan Finishes with the Same Record as Penn State and Tennessee

Success is subjective because some on this list would be disappointed with a 7-6 record but others, like the trio of MACtion that starts this list, are excited to get their brand out in a bowl game. So here's the list of those who just barely finished above the .500 mark.

65.

Toledo (7-6, 101.4 WP, 72.8 LP)

Last Year's Rank: 41

Preseason Rank: 49

Prediction: 8-4

The Rockets had a wild and unpredictable season that saw them put Notre Dame on the ropes, but then get blown out by Colorado State the next week. They went just 2-3 against their MAC West counterparts but became bowl eligible thanks to three straight games against MAC East bottom feeders to earn a trip to the Bahamas Bowl. Although they got a sweet trip, the Rockets seemed to be in an island daze in the first half which put them on the short end of a 31-24 loss to Middle Tennessee State.

64. Eastern Michigan (7-6, 95.9 WP, 76.8 LP)

LYR: 91

PR: 110

Prediction: 5-7

It was another season of nerve-racking EMU football as the Eagles were all over the place. They picked up big conference wins against Western Michigan, Miami, and Toledo (all bowl-bound teams), but then got beat at home by a slumping Ohio that featured a dual-threat quarterback. So you can imagine my dismay when EMU drew Liberty in the Lending Tree Bowl. Malik Willis isn't just any dual-threat QB, he's the top-rated headed into the NFL Draft, and he used those skills to carve up the Eagles 56-20. To make matters worse for Chris Creighton, after the bowl game, both quarterbacks (Ben Bryant and Preston Hutchinson) entered the transfer portal.

63. Miami-OH (7-6, 93.1 WP, 61.2 LP)

LYR: 42

PR: 68

Prediction: 6-6

The Redhawks had one of the best defenses in the MAC, but it was a shootout with Kent State that cost them their shot at the MAC crown. The Golden Flashes won a 48-47 overtime thriller to steal the spot in Detroit. The Frisco Football Classic looked like a bad match-up as North Texas had just snapped UTSA's win streak by dropping 45 on the Roadrunners. Instead, the defense came to play and held the Mean Green to their third-lowest point total on the season to win 27-14.

62. Tennessee (7-6, 90.7 WP, 26.5 LP)

LYR: 82

PR: 71

Prediction: 9-3

The Volunteers seem to be trending in the right direction and really should be a smidge higher on this list, but they were perhaps the biggest victims of bad refereeing in a bowl game. It was really a shame because the Music City Bowl was one of the more entertaining bowls this season as Purdue and Tennessee traded four touchdowns in less than five minutes during the fourth quarter to send it to overtime. In OT, the Volunteers elected to go for it on fourth and goal from the 1-yard line and it looked like the gamble paid off. It appeared that Jaylen Wright was on top of a defender and stretched the ball out over the goal line, but he was ruled down and the whistle was blown prematurely, making it ineligible to be reviewed. Purdue kicked a chip-shot field goal to win it 48-45.

61. Maryland (7-6, 90.7 WP, 20.7 LP)

LYR: 83

PR: 80

Prediction: 4-8

The Terrapins had a big opening month going 4-0 before snapping back to reality with losses to Ohio State and Iowa that saw a 117-31 point differential. Still, they kept working their way to six wins in a winner take all game against Rutgers. That victory earned them a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl where they lit up the scoreboard and the Virginia Tech defense 54-10.

60.

Tulsa (7-6, 89 WP, 81.8 LP)

LYR: 36

PR: 50

Prediction: 7-5

It was a weird first month for Tulsa as they lost to UC Davis (FCS), nearly upset Oklahoma State, and briefly held their own against Ohio State. At one point they were sitting at 1-4 but managed to put together a three-game win streak at the end of the season that was capped by a thriller over SMU to become bowl eligible. Despite allowing the opening kickoff to be returned for a touchdown, the Golden Hurricane demolished Old Dominion to win the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

59. South Carolina (7-6, 86.3 WP, 38.8 LP)

LYR: 101

PR: 98

Prediction: 5-7

The Gamecocks were all over the place winning against Florida, nearly losing to Vanderbilt, and then got shut out in their rivalry game against Clemson. Still, they got a chance to battle a fellow Carolina when they faced their counterparts to the North in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Despite not having an established quarterback all season, the Gamecocks threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-15 passing en route to a 38-21 victory.

58. Washington State (7-6, 84.6 WP, 45.7 LP)

LYR: 109

PR: 93

Prediction: 4-8

It would be hard to find a weirder season for a team than what happened in Pullman. After a 4-3 start to the season, Nick Rolovich was fired, not for his team's start, but because of his vaccination status. He had attempted to get an exemption, but it was denied by the university and he was ultimately fired. Still, they pummelled Washington in Apple Cup and finished the regular season with seven wins and a date with Miami (FL) in the Sun Bowl. Except that's not what happened; instead, the Hurricanes canceled because of COVID and would end up with a new opponent from the MAC after their opponent canceled in the Arizona Bowl. In a Power 5-Group of 5 matchup, the Cougars were punched in the mouth early by Central Michigan, who became the first team to shut Wazzu out at the half since the Huskies did it in 2017. Though they finally scored in the second half, the Chippewa's held on for the upset, 24-21. Jack Dickert will take over for the Cougars in 2022.

57. Texas Tech (7-6, 84.4 WP, 36.8 LP)

LYR: 80

PR: 78

Prediction: 6-6

Another coach that didn't make it through the season was Matt Wells. The Red Raiders saw enough as they struggled through the Big 12 season and lost four of their final five contests. That made their performance in the Liberty Bowl against their former ball coach, Mike Leach, all the more impressive. The Red Raiders found the end zone early and often and limited the high octane Leach offense to just seven points in a 34-7 rout. Joey McGuire, a former High School coaching legend in the state of Texas and Baylor assistant coach, will be the new head ball coach in 2022.

56. Iowa State (7-6, 81.1 WP, 37.2 LP)

LYR: 20

PR: 10

Prediction: 9-3

Disappointment fell across Ames, Iowa, in 2021 as the Cyclones struggled in conference play including a loss to the aforementioned Texas Tech squad. They had hopes of a Big 12 title and a New Year's Bowl, but instead, the Cheez-It Bowl came calling with an equally bummed-out opponent, Clemson. The Tigers and Cyclones slogged their way to a listless 20-13 contest with Iowa State having a chance to tie it late before a costly fumble handed the Tigers a win.

55.

Wyoming (7-6, 78.3 WP, 69 LP)

LYR: 93

PR: 91

Prediction: 7-5

The Cowboys started 4-0 before losing their next four. They patched together wins, including a blowout of Utah State before getting blown out by Hawai'i in the season finale. Still, they earned a trip to Boise in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to face off against the MAC East Champs, Kent State. The Cowboys mashed their way to a 52-38 victory and Hicksville native Garrett Crall picked up 1.5 sacks in his final college game. Coach Craig Bohl got doused in french fries, but then had to post an ad online for a quarterback when all of his entered the transfer portal.

54. Oregon State (7-6, 71.1 WP, 70 LP)

LYR: 106

PR: 90

Prediction: 4-8

After all the struggles, former Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith has his alma mater back on the winning side. The Beavers made their first bowl appearance since 2013 after wins over Utah and USC. The LA Bowl, however, did not go the way they planned, as Utah State stymied the Beavers' offense and continued the Mountain West's success over the PAC-12, in a 24-13 win.

53. Penn State (7-6, 66 WP, 31.2 LP)

LYR: 73

PR: 44

Prediction: 8-4

The Nittany Lions were 5-0 and ready to win their sixth straight when Sean Clifford went down with an injury against Iowa. That moment altered the two teams' trajectories as the Hawkeyes rallied to win and eventually played in the Big Ten Championship, while Penn State dropped five of their final seven contests. They stumbled into an Outback Bowl appearance against Arkansas which they easily lost 24-10. After two rough seasons, James Franklin might feel the heat in 2022.

52. Mississippi State (7-6, 61.7 WP, 36.2 LP)

LYR: 87

PR: 65

Prediction: 6-6

The Bulldogs have no desire to go back to Memphis anytime soon. Earlier this season they lost a wild game to the Tigers and then ended their year with a blowout loss to Texas Tech on the same field in the Liberty Bowl. They did pick up wins over three ranked opponents in Texas A&M, NCST, and Kentucky.

51. ECU (7-5, 94 WP, 42.2 LP)

LYR: 97

PR: 102

Prediction: 4-8

The Pirates finished the year on a strong note winning four of their final games, and the lone loss came against Cincinnati. Unfortunately, that's where the season would end as the Military Bowl was cancelled, but the Pirates did have their first winning season since 2014.