While 82 teams plan on for bowl season, the other 51 teams sit sulking in the what-ifs and what went wrong in the 2023 season. Among those 51 are the uncoveted 34 spots that land teams in the bottom portion of the ranking and the dredges of the Pool Poll Conference Power Index. All of these teams failed in some way, shape, or form, but in the end, all of them finished with more losses than wins. Here's a look at the who's who of the worst of the worst. As always the wins against average (WAA) means the average rank of the opponent they defeated and LAA is the average of the teams they lost to.
133. Kent State (1-11, 135 WAA, 70.1 LAA)
Preseason Rank:117
Prediction: 2-10
Best Player: Andrew Glass (K)- 16/17 FG, 15/17 XP, led the team in scoring
Last Bowl Appearance: 2021
Season Recap: 135 is in fact the worst possible WAA a team can have. That means the Flashes' only victory came against an FCS opponent (Central Connecticut State) that was not ranked in the FCS Top 25 at the time the teams played. Kenni Burns nearly picked up his first win against an FBS school, but Akron rallied to steal the Wagon Wheel, 31-27. They also blew a lead late to Northern Illinois late in the finale, 37-27. The offense was dreadful as they scored 6 points or less during five different games. The good news for Burns is that it can't get any worse and that it was somehow less embarrassing than what happened to former head coach Sean Lewis, who had to watch Colorado choke on their hype while he served as offensive coordinator.
132. Akron (2-10, 132.5, 84.8)
PR: 128
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: CJ Nunnally IV (DL)- 65 tackles (35 solo), 7 sacks*, Forced Fumble, 2 pass deflections (*team leader)
LBA: 2017
Season Recap: The Zips were this year's MAC school bit by the one-score game. It started with a three-point loss to Temple, and then they barely beat Morgan State (FCS) by three. Then a missed field goal at the end of regulation cost them a chance to upset Indiana in a four-overtime loss. They lost another overtime thriller to Buffalo but also lost their QB D.J. Irons to a season-ending ACL injury. This led to Joe Moorhead using a two-QB system and couldn't ever truly get the right combo to put wins together. They did rally to defeat Kent State, but lost another overtime game, this time in double overtime to Eastern Michigan. Finally, they held a 14-3 lead over Ohio in their final game but the Bobcats dropped 22 unanswered points to hand the Zips their tenth and final loss.
131. Vanderbilt (2-10, 128, 48.2)
PR: 74
Prediction: 5-7
Best Player: A.J. Swann (QB), 107-196, 1,457 yards, 12 TD, 7 INT
LBA: 2018
Season Recap: Yep, I had Vanderbilt winning five games, but how was I supposed to know that UNLV was going to win the regular season Mountain West crown. The Commodores started with a close game against Hawaii and then an offensive high-point over Alabama A&M (FCS). Then it was 10 straight losses. That UNLV loss by three was the only one of their losses that wasn't by 16 points or more. Vanderbilt was never competitive in the SEC and it was a painful season that didn't end soon enough.
130. ECU (2-10, 110.5, 70.1)
PR: 75
Prediction: 5-7
Best Player: Julius Wood, DB (87 tackles*, 41 solo, 2 interceptions) *5th most in AAC
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The 5-7 prediction would not have been so far off had the Pirates won any of their close contests. ECU dropped four games by seven points or less and three of those were by three points or less, including a three-point loss to AAC jewel Tulane. The defense stepped their game up towards the end of the season as they held opponents to 13 points or less in four of their final six games. The only problem is that they scored three of those four. The culmination of these problems came in their season finale when they dropped a heartbreaking 29-27 contest to Tulsa. Just 27 more points and this team would have gone bowling instead of sitting on the couch in North Carolina.
129. Louisiana Monroe (2-10, 108.5, 71.5)
PR:118
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: Tyrone Howell WR (49 catches, 590 yards, 7 TD)
LBA: 2012
Season Recap: The Warhawks were looking good after their first two games with wins over Army and Lamar (FCS). Then came a cash grab loss to Texas A&M before two one-point losses to Appalachian State and Texas State. Those close defeats led to a spiral of six consecutive losses by 10 points or more to bring the losing streak to 10 games at the end of the season. Terry Bowden couldn't survive his disastrous tenure as he went 10-26 in three seasons.
128. Nevada (2-10, 95.5, 63.2)
PR:129
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Emany Johnson DB (100 tackles, 72 solo, 3 Int*, 1 forced fumble) *2nd in MWC
LBA: 2021
Season Recap: The Wolfpack were expected to be lit up by USC in their season opener, but the 33-6 beatdown at home by Idaho (FCS) was a sign of things to come. Nevada lost their first six games before winning a 6-0 nailbiter against San Diego State. They followed that win with another more impressive 34-24 victory against New Mexico. All they needed was four-straight wins and they could become bowl-eligible. Instead, they lost those four games by a combined score of 150-64. Ken Wilson was just 4-20 in his first two seasons and is the second coach on this list to get the axe.
127. Louisiana Tech (3-9, 128.3, 79.8)
PR: 119
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Smoke Harris WR (83 catches, 796 yards*, 4 TD) 5th most in CUSA
LBA: 2019
Season Recap: The Bulldogs came out swinging with a conference victory over FIU in Week 0, but then were steamrolled by SMU. They recovered with a big win over Northwestern St (FCS) but had a close loss to North Texas and were competitive against Nebraska. They earned a win over UTEP before the wheels completely fell off. At first, it was close, with three straight losses by 8 points or less. Their final three games were far worse with La Tech getting outscored 154-74. The Sonny Cumbie era is off to a rough start at 6-18 through two seasons. He'll need to show improvement if he wants to stick around the bayou long-term.
126. Sam Houston State (3-9, 119.3, 67.4)
PR: 133
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: Trevor Williams-LB (135 tackles*, 85 solo, 1.5 sacks. FF, 2 INT) *2nd in CUSA
LBA: N/A
Season Recap: The Bearkats defense was ready to make the jump from the FCS to the FBS, but the offense took a little while to get going. They were only able to muster 20 points in their first three games. Then four of their next five games were decided by seven points or less. Finally, they broke into the win column against Kennesaw State (FCS) and then two of their last three to finish the season.
125. Charlotte (3-9, 119.3, 67)
PR: 127
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: Demetrius Knight II-LB (96 tackles*, 44 solo, 1.5 sacks, 3 INT, TD) *2nd in AAC
LBA: 2019
Season Recap: The 49ers transition to the AAC from CUSA was a rough one. They won a guaranteed game against SCST (FCS) and then lost five straight by double figures. They earned their first conference game against fellow cellar-dweller ECU. An overtime win over Tulsa was followed by an overtime loss to Memphis. Charlotte closed out their first season under the no-sleeves-required Biff Poggi with two blowout losses.
124. Temple (3-9, 117.7, 75.6)
PR: 123
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: E.J. Warner-QB (256-445, 3,076 yards, 23 TD, 12 INT)
LBA: 2019
Season Recap: The Owls rolled out to a 2-1 start with wins over Akron and Norfolk State (FCS) but their venture into AAC play. Temple was drubbed in five straight losses in which they were defeated by 15 points or more. Finally, they snapped the streak with a victory over Navy but dropped their final three to stumble into the offseason. The Stan Drayton era needs to pick up some steam because, in two years, he sits at 6-18.
123. UTEP (3-9, 117, 84.3)
PR: 107
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Kelly Akharaiyi-WR (48 catches, 1,033 yards, 7 TD)
LBA: 2021
Season Recap: The Miners actually had plenty to be excited about in 2023. Akharaiyi was one of three receivers to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in the conference. Deion Hawkins ran for over 800 yards and the Miners had three players in the top 5 for sacks in the conference. In fact, Tyrice Knight led all CUSA tacklers with 140 and was third in the nation. All these positives still couldn't result in wins for UTEP. Their wins came against fellow Bottom 30 members FIU and Sam Houston State, as well as Incarnate Word (FCS). This disappointment led to the firing of Dana Dimel, who had just one bowl appearance in six seasons and a 20-49 record.
122. UMass (3-9, 114.7, 71.3)
PR: 132
Prediction: 2-10
Best Player: Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams-RB (236 carries, 1,157 yards, 12 TD)
LBA: 1972
Season Recap: The Minutemen picked up what turned out to be a quality win when they knocked off CUSA championship contender New Mexico State in Week 0. They should've picked up a second win three weeks later when they blew a late lead on the road in Ypsilanti. UMass followed that game with a tough overtime loss to New Mexico. After three blowout losses, the Minutemen earned a much-needed bye. That time off helped them earn a victory over Army and Merrimack (FCS). They were unable to notch a victory in their final two games but did finish a game over my prediction, so they got that going for them.
121. UConn (3-9, 106, 56.3)
PR: 89
Prediction: 5-7
Best Player: Jackson Mitchell-LB (113 tackles*, 56 solo, sack, INT, FF) *Led all Independents
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: I thought the Huskies may have figured some things out but then they rolled out to a 0-5 start. They finally notched a win over bowl-bound Rice but dropped their next four to fall towards the bottom of the rankings. Fortunately, they had Sacred Heart (FCS) and UMass on their schedule to finish the year, resulting in back-to-back wins to close out the season. Life as an Independent has been rough for Jim Mora who said, fans better dish out the NIL money or else they are going to get stomped for years to come.
120. Southern Miss (3-9, 105.3, 67.1)
PR: 88
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Frank Gore Jr.-RB (231 carries, 1,131 yards, 13 total touchdowns)
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The Golden Eagles opened with a much-needed win over Alcorn State (FCS) and then dropped seven straight. Luckily, both Lousiana Sun Belt schools were feeling generous and lost in back-to-back weeks to Southern Miss. They had bad luck in their final two weeks with Mississippi State and Troy using them as punching bags. Running back Frank Gore Jr. had another season wasted and is likely headed for the NFL draft in 2024. In his four seasons at Southern Miss, Gore has amassed 5,000 total yards, including 8 passing touchdowns, 4 receiving touchdowns, and 26 rushing scores.
119. Buffalo (3-9, 103.7, 63.3)
PR:85
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Devin Grant-S (5 INT*, FF, 79 tackles, 55 solo, 2 TD)
LBA:2022
Season Recap: The Bulls looked like they were going to have a repeat of the 2022 season when they lost their first three, including a loss to an FCS school, but then pulled it together to finish with a seven-win season. This time, the Bulls lost four straight but went 3-1 in their first four MAC contests. Buffalo was 3-5 heading into their bye week but that couldn't prepare them enough for the four-straight double-digit losses that capped their season. The biggest reason for their decline was the poor play by quarterback Cole Snyder, who finished the season with 1 TD and 2 INT over the course of those final four games.
118. Indiana (3-9, 100, 46.3)
PR: 92
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Aaron Casey-LB (109 tackles*, 78 solo, 6.5 sacks*, 3 FF) *Top 5 in Big Ten
LBA: 2020
Season Recap: Tom Allen's tenure in Bloomington was winding down back in September when they needed a miracle to survive an upset by Akron in four overtimes. That win, paired with a victory over Indiana State (FCS), were the only two heading into November. IU was able to edge past Wisconsin to get at least one Big Ten win, but close losses to Michigan State and Illinois were nails being driven into the coffin of Allen's time. The final nail came in the battle of the Old Oaken Bucket with the winner taking the prize bucket and the loser finishing with the worst record in the Big Ten. Purdue rallied past the Hoosiers and that was the final nail for Allen, who went 33-49 in eight seasons. Indiana didn't wait long to fill the vacancy as they hired James Madison head coach Curt Cignetti.
117. Baylor (3-9, 92.3, 61.3)
PR:50
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Blake Shapen-QB (184-298, 2,188 yards, 13 TD, 3 INT, 4 rush TD)
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The Bears were punched in the mouth early with a shocking loss to Texas State at home. They looked like they managed to salvage their bowl eligibility with three wins in their next five games over LIU (FCS), UCF, and Cincinnati. Unfortunately for Dave Aranda's crew, they dropped their final five games including a one-point loss to Houston in overtime and a three-point loss in the finale to West Virginia. It will be interesting to see how Baylor adjusts with Oklahoma and Texas leaving and the arrival of the Pac-12 newcomers joining the Big 12. The same can be said for the next team on the list.
116. Cincinnati (3-9, 80, 59.5)
PR: 46
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Corey Kiner-RB (192 carries, 1,047 yards, 5 TD)
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The Scott Satterfield era began with a token win over EKU (FCS) and a win in a reignited rivalry with Pitt. That had UC fans excited for the 2023 season until rival Miami, rolled into town and picked up a win for MACtion in overtime. That loss spiraled the Bearcats into seven-straight defeats before they finally knocked off former AAC member Houston. They couldn't finish on a high note as they dropped their last two games by a combined score of 91-37.
115. Stanford (3-9, 78.3, 45.7)
PR: 102
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Elic Ayomanor-WR (62 catches, 1,013 yards, 6 TD)
LBA: 2018
Season Recap: The Troy Taylor era began with a win over Hawaii but then they were clubbed by USC and stunned by Sacramento State (FCS), Taylor's former stomping grounds. They suffered another close loss to Arizona and then were dismantled by Oregon. A bye week allowed them to be rested for the second half of their game against the Colorado hype train, where they rallied from 29-0 to win in double overtime. It took two more losses before they eeked out a win over Washington State. That would be their last moment of happiness as Oregon State, Cal, and Notre Dame dropped 145 points on the Cardinal to send them home on a three-game skid. Stanford will now head East where they when become members of the ACC in 2024.
114. Arizona State (3-9, 75.7, 32)
PR:99
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Cameron Skattebo-RB (164 carries, 783 yards, 10 total TD)
LBA: 2021
Season Recap: The start to the Kenny Dillingham era was almost a disaster as they barely beat Southern Utah (FCS) and then had six straight losses. Like Stanford, they used Washington State as a building block for success and two games later, they shocked UCLA to get their third win. Unfortunately, they were lambasted 108-36 by Oregon and Arizona to close out the season. Arizona State will now prepare for their rebranding as a Big 12 team in 2024.
113. Pitt (3-9, 66.7, 53)
PR: 34
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: M.J. Devonshire-DB (4 INT, TD, 10 PD, 32 tackles)
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The Pitt Panthers had a strange 2023. It started with a win over Wofford (FCS) and then four straight losses heading into their bye week. That break gave them time to draw up the perfect scheme to upset Louisville. Then it was back to four more losses before they broke the streak with a win over Boston College. An 11-point loss to Duke completed the season and handed Pitt their first losing season since 2017.
112. Virginia (3-9, 61, 53.1)
PR:100
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: Malik Washington-WR (110 catches, 1,426 yards*, 9 TD) *3rd in the nation
LBA: 2019
Season Recap: The ending to the 2022 season was one of devastation and heartbreak for the Virginia Cavaliers. After a senseless shooting claimed the lives of three players, UVA canceled their final two games of the season. After a tough loss to Tennessee in Week 1, the Cavaliers had their first home game in 10 months and were just seconds away from an emotional win, but James Madison scored to win 36-35. After five games the Cavs were searching for a win when William & Mary (FCS) came calling. Though closer than it should have been, Virginia got a much-needed win which gave them the confidence to go and upset North Carolina two weeks later. They almost picked up another big win but couldn't pull past Miami in overtime. In their second to last week, Virginia was able to get that elusive third win when they beat Duke.
111. FIU (4-8, 121, 83.8)
PR: 120
Prediction: 2-10
Best Player: Kris Mitchell-WR (64 catches, 1,118 yards*, 7 TD) *Most in CUSA
LBA: 2019
Season Recap: The Golden Panthers got off to a fast start in 2023, winning three of their first four games. Then three-straight losses put them at 3-4, but a win in overtime over Sam Houston State helped push them closer to bowl eligibility. Instead, they were blown out by at least 13 points in their final four games to finish near the bottom in a pretty rough CUSA. Head coach Mike MacIntyre is just 8-16 in his first two seasons.
110. Tulsa (4-8, 111.5, 64.4)
PR: 104
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: Anthony Watkins-RB (197 carries, 889 yards*, 4 TD) *3rd in CUSA
LBA: 2021
Season Recap: Kendarin Ray led all CUSA tacklers with 131, Jaise Oliver was tied for first in interceptions (4), and Ben Kopenski was second in sacks (8.5) While the Tulsa defense was one the better groups in CUSA, they were no match in the early going for road trips to Washington and Oklahoma. After those brutal trips, they put together wins against NIU and Temple to get to 3-2. Then the wheels fell off with six straight losses, four of them by seven points or fewer, including a two-point loss to Tulane. They finally shook their close-game demons with a late score to upend ECU 29-27 to end the season on a winning note.
109. Middle Tennessee State (4-8, 108.8, 63.8)
PR: 76
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Nicholas Vattiato-QB (286-428, 3,092 yards*, 23 TD, 13 INT, 397 yards rushing, 2 TD) *2nd most in CUSA
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: It's the end of an era in Murfreesboro. For the first time since 2005, the Blue Raiders will be looking for a new head coach after they fired their most successful coach in school history. Rick Stockstill won a conference championship while MTST was in the Sun Belt and CUSA and took the Raiders to 10 bowl appearances (4-6). He finished with an overall record of 113-111.
It was going to be tough for him to get back to a bowl game as they were sacrificed in back-to-back games to Alabama and Missouri. They got their first win over Murray State but then dropped their next three. A win over Louisiana Tech gave them the confidence to play well against Liberty. A late turnover doomed the Raiders as they lost back-to-back games to the CUSA championship game participants. They were able to salvage the season somewhat with wins over UTEP and FIU but a disappointing loss to Sam Houston State closed their season on a sour note. Three interceptions and a missed field goal were the final nails in the Stockstill era and Middle Tennessee State will have a lot of decisions to make when it comes to who will be the voice in the locker room from this day on.
108. Arkansas (4-8, 102, 43.9)
PR: 39
Prediction: 7-5
Best Player: KJ Jefferson-QB (190-296, 2,107 yards, 19 TD, 8 INT, 447 yards rushing, 2 TD)
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: There has to be one team in each conference that just doesn't get the bounces they need. In the SEC, that team was Arkansas. After two wins over mediocre competition, the Razorbacks lost their next six games, five of them coming by seven points or less to teams like LSU and Alabama. They finally got a bounce when they won in overtime against Florida to snap the streak. Instead of close games, Arkansas decided to get blown out of the water in their last two conference games by a combined score of 97-24. They did manage to stuff a win over FIU in between those two blowouts.
107. Ball State (4-8, 101.5, 55.6)
PR: 115
Prediction: 3-9
Best Player: Marquez Cooper-RB (227 carries, 1,043 yards*, 4TD) *3rd in MAC
LBA:2021
Season Recap: Like Middle Tennessee State, it was hard to get going with two paycheck games to start the season at Kentucky and Georgia. A visit from Indiana State (FCS) was the only bright spot in their first seven games. Needing to win out to become bowl-eligible, the Cardinals nearly did just that. They came out and beat Central Michigan, but fell just three points shy of Bowling Green. That didn't deter Ball State who went out and knocked off Northern Illinois and Kent State. In their final game, their defense, led by Sidney Houston (8 sacks), held Miami to just 17 points and nearly pulled off the upset in their 17-15 loss. Neu may be on the hot seat as his only winning season came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He took the Cardinals to a bowl in 2021, but they finished 6-7.
106. Michigan State (4-8, 101.5, 27.5)
PR: 64
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Nathan Carter-RB (186 carries, 792 yards, 4 TD)
LBA: 2021
Season Recap: Mel Tucker began the year under investigation for an off-the-field incident, and the results of that investigation led to his termination. Tucker has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit since he will not receive the $79 million that he would have been guaranteed had his firing not been for cause. MSU's AD had stated that he was considering firing Tucker before the season.
The Spartans opened the season 2-0 under Tucker with wins over Central Michigan and Richmond (FCS). Before their game against Washington, the university announced that it had suspended Tucker without pay. They lost that game 41-7. Losses to Maryland and Iowa followed and then the Spartans officially fired Tucker.
After their bye came three more losses, including a 49-0 beatdown by Michigan. They finally erased the bagel in the win column of Big Ten play when they upended Nebraska. Two games later they defeated Indiana for their fourth win. Sandwiching that game were two blowout losses to OSU and Penn State by a combined score of 80-3.
The Spartans will turn to former Oregon State quarterback and head coach, Jonathan Smith. Smith is set to make over $52 million over seven years.
PR: 126
Prediction: 2-10
Best Player: Jacory Croskey-Merritt-WR (189 catches, 1,190 yards, 18 total TD)
LBA: 2016
Season Recap: Danny Gonzales' tenure at New Mexico ended in an 11-32 and ended with a devastating double overtime loss to Utah State. The Lobos actually began the season 2-2 with wins over Tennessee Tech (FCS) and UMass. Despite back-to-back losses, the Lobos didn't roll over and doubled up Hawaii 42-21. At 3-4, New Mexico was in the thick of things, but four losses in their final five games sent Gonzales packing. The Lobos did alter the Mountain West landscape with their upset victory over Fresno State which allowed Boise State to sneak into and eventually win the Mountain West Championship.
104. UAB (4-8, 98, 78.5)
PR: 77
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: Jacob Zeno-QB (279-379, 3,126, 20 TD, 9 INT, 4 rush TD)
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The season got off to an ugly start for first-year head coach Trent Dilfer. The former Super Bowl-winning QB notched a win in his first game over NCA&T (FCS) but then came four straight losses. The last of those losses to Tulane featured a sideline meltdown by Dilfer that had him reevaluating his choices. That reflection led to a 56-35 win over USF to give Dilfer his first conference win. Then came back-to-back blowouts by Memphis and UTSA before they racked up the points to outlast FAU. Surprisingly, they were blown out of the water by Navy but recovered to beat Temple. In their final game, there were no defenses required as North Texas edged past the Blazers 45-42.
103. Western Michigan (4-8, 97.5, 57.8)
PR: 105
Prediction: 4-8
Best Player: Jalen Buckley-RB (189 carries, 1,003 yards, 10 TD)
LBA: 2021
Season Recap: Western Michigan fell into an early 2-6 slump with their lone MAC win coming against Ball State. That all changed when some hardware was put on the line. The Broncos absolutely manhandled Eastern to win the first leg of the Michigan MAC Trophy and finished the job two weeks later. This time they stunned Central to claim the trophy and win the Victory Cannon for the second-straight season. Western was just two wins away from bowl eligibility, but an equally desperate NIU blanked the men from Kalamazoo. Bowling Green made it a two-game skid to end the season with a blowout victory. Side note, Kenneth Womack led all MAC receivers with 691 yards receiving, and now I know how Tanner Knue made second-team All-MAC.
102. FAU (4-8, 96.8, 83.9)
PR: 94
Prediction: 6-6
Best Player: LaJohntay Wester-WR (108 catches, 1,168 yards*, 8 TD) *Led AAC
LBA: 2020
Season Recap: The Tom Herman era began with a thud after a win over Monmouth (FCS) earned his first win. That was followed by three straight losses to Ohio, Clemson, and Illinois heading into their bye week. A well-rested Owls team rattled off three wins in their next four games with the victories coming against Charlotte, USF, and Tulsa. They just needed two wins in their final four to become bowl-eligible. Instead, they dropped all four by a combined 37 points. Can Herman find redemption like Lane Kiffin, or will he be like Willie Taggart's disappointing tenure?
101. Wake Forest (4-8, 94.5, 60.3)
PR: 42
Prediction: 7-5
Best Player: Jasheen Davis-DL (49 tackles, 26 solo, 7.5 sacks, FF, 2 FR)
LBA:2022
Season Recap: Losing a quarterback to another school is tough, but watching the school he went to not only beat you but then make a tribute video for him was the tipping point for head coach Dave Clawson. "Like, you only dated him for a couple months. It can't be love," Clawson stated about former QB Sam Hartman. "We're the ones that love him. We had five years with him. You rented him for a season."
Things actually started great for the Demon Deacons as they won their first three including a win over an SEC team (ok it was Vanderbilt). Then pesky Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech tacked on losses to go with Clemson. A win over Pitt temporarily stopped the bleeding, but without a decent QB, Wake Forest dropped their last five games, including their 45-7 loss to boyfriend-stealer, Notre Dame.
100. San Diego State (4-8, 84.5, 72.9)
PR:72
Prediction: 7-5
Best Player: Cedarious Barfield-S (54 tackles, FF, 4 INT*) *Tied for 1st in MWC
LBA: 2022
Season Recap: The Brady Hoke era is over in San Diego State in just four seasons. Hoke finished with a 40-32 record, but drama about conference realignment and poor performance expedited his exit. Early on, the Aztecs were trying to swoon the Pac-12, a move that would've been a disaster had they succeeded. That would be especially true since the final two members of the Pac-12 will be playing a Mountain West schedule in 2024.
SDST opened with wins over Ohio and Idaho State (FCS) before being dumped back to reality with four ugly losses to UCLA, Oregon State, Boise State, and Air Force. Everyone's favorite, Hawaii, helped them get back in the win column, but a 6-0 loss to bottom-feeder Nevada led to Hoke's announcement. Trying to send coach out a winner proved difficult with a double-overtime loss to Utah State, a three-point loss to Colorado State, and then a loss to San Jose State, it looked dire for a win. Fresno State needed to win to stay alive in the Mountain West race but San Diego State needed to win for Hoke, which proved to be a much bigger motivator. The Aztecs handed the Bulldogs their second-straight bad loss to a bottom-tier MWC school.
The school announced that it had selected Colorado offensive coordinator and former Kent State head coach, Sean Lewis, to take over the program. Based on his two previous stops, Aztec players might want to start conditioning now, because in 2024 they are going to be playing faster than they ever have.
