25 Fan Bases That Deserve Better from Their College Football Program in 2012

The 2011 college football season was a bit of a let-down for many fans, but for some fan bases the year was especially disheartening.

In every FBS conference there were examples of disappointing performances and sub-par shenanigans.

Several teams that started the year with hope, or at least a glimmer of hope, found themselves in the conference cellar and the dog house.

The following is a list of those culprits.

Under-performing, under-achieving, frustrating and at times infuriating football teams that made their fan bases turn away in shame and disgust.

These aforementioned fan bases deserve better—much, much better.

Duke

Duke University is not known as a "football school" and we get that.

However, just because you excel in basketball, it doesn't give you the right to simply sweep the football program and its loyal fan base under the rug.

In 2011 Duke had another very disappointing year. They went 1-7 in the ACC and 2-9 over all.

This included an opening day loss to the Richmond Spiders, who went 3-8 over all and 0-8 in the CAA.

You don't know what the CAA stands for?

Join the club. 

Syracuse

Syracuse started off 2011 well enough. They beat Wake Forest on opening day 36-29 in overtime.

They went on to win four of their next six games with their only loses coming to USC and a double-overtime heart breaker to Rutgers 19-16. Then, the wheels fell off.

The Orange went on to lose five straight games to finish the season and each one was a Big East contest.

They finished the year 5-7 overall and 1-6 in the Big East, a conference the school has decided to part ways with.

Hey Syracuse, before you jump over to the ACC, you might want to improve.

Illinois

Illinois won a bowl game; surely they didn't have a bad season, right?

Well, not if the bowl they were in matched them with UCLA. They could have renamed the bowl the "Someone Has to Win Bowl".

Both teams were very disappointing in 2011, but Illinois had a monumental collapse mid-season.

They started the year off 6-0, but dropped six straight after that. It was a painful thing to watch and Illinois fans deserve better.

They will have a new coach in 2012 and hopefully he is able to deliver what the fan base desires. 

UCLA

UCLA fans deserve better than the 88th-ranked scoring offense.

We will see if  new head coach Jim Mora can improve on those numbers come 2012.

In the 2011 season UCLA appeared in a Pac-12 Championship Game and a bowl game. In most places, that is good enough.

However, most fans know how it all came down, so as impressive as that all sounds—it wasn't. 

Look for fans to be expecting much more next season. And expect them to get it. 

Arizona State

Arizona State had the tale of two seasons in 2011.

The first half of the year had the Sun Devils go 6-2 with key wins over USC and No. 21 Missouri.

The last half of the season was a different story. ASU lost five straight including a bowl game they probably shouldn't have been playing in.

It will be interesting to see what happens in 2012.

They have a new coach, but their quarterback left for the NFL Draft.

Arizona

The Pac-12 is full of teams not living up to their potential.

Arizona is no exception.

In 2011 the Wildcats went 4-8 and 2-7 in the Pac-12.They opened with a win over Northern Arizona, but then lost five in a row.

Of course, three of those losses were to ranked teams and the fourth was to USC. The only one of those losses that doesn't make sense is the 37-27 beat down they took from the hapless Oregon State Beavers.

The fans will once again be excited to see what a new coach will do. The 2012 season brings new hopes for the Wildcat fan base.

Texas Tech

Someone in Red Raider land should learn the Heimlich Maneuver. Seriously, with the choking that went on in 2011, it would have been the responsible thing to do.

Here this might help:

What you want to do if someone is choking is come in from behind and wrap your arms around the victims waist.

Then, make a fist and place the thumb side of the fist against the victims upper abdomen. It should be above the belly button but below the ribs.

Grasp your fist with your other hand and press into the upper abdomen with a sudden upward thrust.

Be careful not to squeeze the ribs and make sure the force of the thrust is in your hands.

Then, repeat as needed until choking stops.

Look for Texas Tech to make sure all players and coaches are trained and certified by the 2012 season. 

After starting the 2011 season 5-2, they lost five straight to finish the season. That included a 66-6 beating by Oklahoma State in mid November. 

Tennessee

Tennessee fans deserve more from their legendary program. They also deserve better than orange pants.

It will be interesting to see if their coach Derek Dooley can win a few more games in 2012.

If he doesn't win at least nine or maybe even ten games, you can expect that orange pants will no longer be a problem. 

They open the year in the Georgia Dome against NC State, then come back home to face Georgia State, Florida, and Akron.

They should be or at least could be 3-1 or at worst 2-2 by the time they visit the Georgia Bulldogs in late September. That game will be the pivot.

With Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina, Troy, Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky still on the schedule after that, the Volunteers may make a run for a bowl game.

Fans will be anxious and so will coach Dooley. 

Fresno State

Fresno State fans deserve better than they have gotten the last couple of years. However, the problem probably wasn't Pat Hill.

In 2011 the Bulldogs had a very disappointing season, but so many of their games were close.

Injuries, fatigue, and just bad luck came into play as the season moved on.

Fresno fans are probably eager for a brand new start, and they deserve one. However, they might find out that Pat Hill was doing more with that program than anyone could.

While the fans deserve better in 2012, don't be so sure they will get it. 

Washington State

The year started with three wins and just one loss. Then, they lost seven of their last eight games.

Needless to say, it was a huge disappointment to fans.

However, the school seems to be listening. They hired high profile head coach Mike Leach and he should bring some excitement to Pullman. 

2012 should bring better things for the program and the fan base.

Idaho

The Idaho Vandals went 8-5 in 2009 and won an exciting bowl game against Bowling Green. In 2010 they didn't do quite as well, going 6-7 and missing the postseason.

Most people, including Vandal fans, thought they would improve and be back in a bowl game in 2011.

The only bowl they appeared in was one that needs flushing.

Wins over North Dakota and San Jose saved the Vandals from complete embarrassment. However, that 56-3 pounding they took from Nevada the last week of the season will not be easy to forget.

Head coach Rob Akey had better have something up his sleeve for 2012. If he doesn't his sleeves might be different colors come 2013.

UNLV

2011 brought a lot of hope for Rebel football fans. However, it proved to be more of the same.

The only conference win came over Colorado State and the only other win was over Hawaii.

They finished 113th in points for and 118th in points against. Well, at least they are consistent on both sides of the ball.

They will need to be much improved in 2012 if they want their fans to even show up to watch. 

Colorado

They did beat in-state rival Colorado State, then Arizona and Utah in the last game of the season, but those would be the only bright spots on the schedule.

In 2012 Colorado will be looking to do better and their fans will be expecting it.

Firing Dan Hawkins was supposed to be the answer. It hasn't been. Embree went 3-10 in his first year as head coach.

They gave coach Hawkins five seasons, but best guess is Embree won't get that long if he doesn't improve.

Colorado fans will be impatient in 2012, but who can blame them?

Colorado State

Not sure what's in the air in Colorado, but here is another team from the mile-high kingdom.

Colorado State had another disappointing year. They went 3-9 on the year with a 1-6 Mountain West record.

It has to be getting old for Rams fans to have each season bring hope only to watch it fall apart.

Jim McElwain was hired in December to turn the program around.

McElwain is a Fresno State guy and should bring some much needed toughness to the Rams program.

Fans are no doubt excited to see what will happen in 2012. 

Oregon State

Oregon State could not have started the year worse.

The opening day loss to Sacramento State had to be crushing. The fans probably won't live that one down for quite a while.

However, what followed was a season of very forgettable moments.

The Beavers finished 3-9 overall with all three of those wins in conference. They had flashes of greatness, but nothing that could sustain them.

With several key players coming back in 2012 the fans, the players and the coaches are looking forward to the start of a new season.

No word yet if they will have a Sacramento State re-match. 

UAB

The only good thing that happened to UAB and its fans this season, was when it ended. Actually, they did beat then No.20 Southern Miss in a strange game.

But, that victory was one of only three on the year.

Still, the Blazers finished the year winning two of the last three and almost pulled off the win against FAU in the very last contest.

Let's hope it is enough momentum to help them have a better 2012. 

Tulane

The Tulane Green Wave was more like a emerald puddle in 2011.

The team went 1-7 in Conference USA and 2-11 overall.

The only wins Tulane had on the year included one against Southeastern Louisiana on opening day. A team that went 1-6 in the Southland Conference.

Then, they beat UAB in Week 3 to go 2-1.

After that it was nine straight losses.

The fans and the players can't be happy with that performance.

Let's hope 2012 brings the Green Wave surfing back to victory. 

Maryland

Fear the Turtle? Maybe the uniforms, but that is about it.

With a 2-10 record in 2011, many Terrapin fans are frustrated.

Will 2012 be any better? Well, it can't be much worse.

They can start by never, ever, ever, wearing those black, yellow, red, and white uniforms ever again. 

But, they will need to improve every area of their game in 2012 to give the fans what they want to see—some wins.

Miami is probably still wondering how they lost to Maryland on opening day. 

Kansas

What a crazy 2011 for the Jayhawks.

The team started off 2-0 on the year. Of course, those victories were over McNeese State and Northern Illinois, but it wasn't a bad start.

Then...the rest of the season happened.

A 66-24 thrashing at the hands of Georgia Tech in Week 3 brought the Jayhawks crashing back to earth.

That drubbing was followed up by a loss to Texas Tech and then another beating, this time from Oklahoma State, 70-28.

Oklahoma beat them 47-17, Kansas State destroyed them 59-21 and Texas blanked them 43-0.

Then for two weeks in a row once again Kansas played decent ball. They lost 13-10 to Iowa State and the biggest head-scratcher, a 31-30 overtime loss to then No. 25 Baylor. 

Overall it was a 2-10 season and 0-9 in the Big 12.

The fans are deserving of more and it looks like the school is listening.They have hired Charlie Weis as the new head coach. 

Memphis

Walking in Memphis? More like sleepwalking.

The Memphis Tigers found themselves with a dismal 2-10 record on the season and 1-7 in Conference USA.

The fans were not happy, nor should they have been.

The sting of the season was lessened a bit when it was announced in an ESPN.com report back in December that Justin Fuente, the co-offensive coordinator at TCU, was hired as the teams new head coach.

Fuente has not been a head coach, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

The fan base of the Tigers deserves better. Let's hope they get it.

Indiana

People, we got trouble, right here in Hoosier city! With a capitol "T" and that rhymes with "Z" and that stands for sleep. Because, that is what the football team did through the entire 2011 season. 

We've surely got trouble! For the school, the team, and the fan base. 

Oh, there was that electric and amazing 38-21 win over South Carolina State out of the mighty MEAC.

However, that was the only win on the schedule.

Such a great school. Such great tradition and fans. Such a great conference. How does a school allow its team to play like the Hoosiers do?

Let's hope 2012 brings new success for the Hoosiers.

New Mexico

New Mexico has been the whipping boy of the Mountain West for some time now.

The 2011 season was no exception. The Lobos went 1-11 on the year, with their only win coming against UNLV.

The fans of New Mexico have to be extremely frustrated.

However, 2012 does look a bit better. Former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie will be the Lobos coach starting next season.

This brings a good amount of hope and excitement to a team that has had little to be excited about in recent years.

Akron

Akron is one of those "mid-major" programs that most people simply forget about.

However, they do have a fan base and people who do care if they win or lose.

In 2011 they won one game. They beat the Virginia Military Institute 36-13.

They finished the year ranked 116th in points against, 103rd in passing yards, 100th in rushing yards, 118th in points scored and last place in the MAC going 0-8.

Akron fans may not be a huge conglomerate of obsessed, foaming-at-the-mouth football fans, but they are fans nonetheless—and they deserve better.

In 2012 it looks like they may just get better.

The school made a great first move recently when they hired Terry Bowden as the new head coach. He is going to bring excitement, fun, hope, and a southern flavor to a Zips team in desperate need of some shaking up.

Ole Miss

Ole Miss has one of the best fan bases in all of college football and they deserve so much better.

Yes, they will have a new coach in 2012, but if he doesn't have success early and often, those loyal fans could be quickly frustrated—yet again.

In 2011 the Rebels had two wins.

One win was over an FCS school and the other was over a struggling Fresno State team.

They finished a horrible 2-10 and 0-8 in the SEC.

Let's hope that 2012 brings a renewed confidence and enthusiasm. However, unlike 2011 let's hope that those dreams of a good season don't go crashing down in the flames of discouragement. 

Penn State

What a horrible and difficult year for the Penn State faithful.

With everything going on surrounding the legal issues and media whirlwind at Penn State, the fan base has been left in the wake of a path of monumental destruction.

It will take years to build up the reputation of the once highly esteemed institution. Let's hope the school handles it all properly and professionally.

It almost seems trivial to mention football with such serious matters involved.

However, let's hope going forward with all the delicate matters and difficult issues the school will not forget its fan base.

In 2012 Penn State owes it to its fans to make sure they communicate at every level. They owe it to their fans to listen more than they speak.