There look to be plenty of teams not living up to their preseason hype this year, including my very own Tennessee Vols. Clemson, Auburn, Wisconsin, and Arizona State are all having seasons to forget.
This made me think.
Which teams of the past decade (BCS era) were the most overrated? I determined a ranking based on a team’s preseason AP rank and their finishing record, as well as eye-opening failures throughout the season.
To my disliking, SEC teams made quite an appearance on this list.
10. 2001 Notre Dame Preseason Rank: 17; Final Record: 5-6
Coming into the 2001 season, Notre Dame was the winner of seven of their last eight and had a top 20 ranking. They left with a 5-6 record and sent Bob Davie packing. They averaged 11 points in six losses. Good job, pollsters.
Colossal Failure
9. 1999 UCLA Preseason Rank: 16; Final Record: 4-7
Following back-to-back 10-2 seasons, UCLA came crashing down in 1999. They were outscored by 81 points, won zero road games, and got shutout by a 4-7 California team.
Elephantine Failure
8. 2002 Nebraska Preseason Rank: 10; Final Record: 7-7
After a fine 11-2 campaign in 2001, Nebraska reeked it up in 2002. They peaked in August, as their best win was against a six-loss Arizona State team in the first game of the year. They finished outside the top 25 for the first time in 34 years.
Stupendous Failure
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