The Most Tight-Knit Teams in College Football
When a team is divided, reaching the pinnacle of success is a tall task. When the roster is a tight-knit group, championships are possible.
Whether due to off-field togetherness or an ability to overcome adversity—and typically combined with on-field accomplishments—a collection of programs have stood out in 2015.
To be clear, exclusion is neither an indictment nor a criticism of a team's collective character or anything of the sort. Each one holds some kind of commendable bond.
Nevertheless, the following teams have regularly displayed a close association for a wide variety of reasons.
Baylor Bears
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Every Thursday night during the season, the Baylor offensive linemen participate in a night of position-specific bonding. According to John Werner of the Waco Tribune, the big blockers head to a local restaurant.
"You can see people's eyes get big when the first person comes in, and they keep getting bigger as more guys come in," left tackle Spencer Drango said. "It's pretty funny."
That camaraderie has paid off in a massive way this year as the Bears offense ranks first nationally in yards and points per game as well as 30-plus-yard gains.
Had star quarterback Seth Russell not sustained a scary season-ending neck fracture, Baylor could've made a run at the national championship.
BYU Cougars
2 of 8Emotions run high in sports, and watching a teammate's career potentially end just as the road began must be a crushing feeling.
Such was the case in BYU's 2015 season opener, when the team found out electric quarterback Taysom Hill would be sidelined for the year because of a broken foot.
From Hill to head coach Bronco Mendenhall to wide receiver Mitch Mathews, the Cougars locker room was an emotional mess—in a comforting way.
BYU's response included a pair of thrilling victories over Nebraska and Boise State as well as a stretch of five consecutive victories. The team is headed to a bowl for the 11th straight season.
Houston Cougars
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Houston is the last remaining undefeated team from the Group of Five, and the road to 10-0 hasn't been without a major, unexpected issue.
A home outing against an upstart Memphis squad posed the biggest possible stumbling block for the Cougars, and the offense lost dual-threat quarterback Greg Ward Jr. to an ankle injury late in the second quarter. Memphis eventually built a 34-14 advantage in the fourth quarter.
But then, guided by backup gunslinger Kyle Postma, Houston ripped off 21 unanswered points during the final 13 minutes to earn a 35-34 victory. That doesn't happen without a complete team effort.
Houston is just three wins away from demanding a place in the College Football Playoff discussion and—at worst—sealing a place in a New Year's Six Bowl.
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Missouri Tigers
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Between the white lines, Missouri hasn't assembled a tremendous season, considering the team is just 5-5 on the year. Off the field, however, a portion of the Tigers helped break a perceived white line.
According to Marc Tracy and Ashley Southall of the New York Times, more than 30 football players supported a student staging a hunger strike in hopes of bringing attention to racial issues at Mizzou. When the players did that, they sparked change.
"Students at the University of Missouri have been demonstrating for weeks for the ouster of the university president, protesting the school's handling of racial tensions. But their movement received a boost over the weekend when dozens of black football players issued a blunt ultimatum: Resign or they won't play.
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The Times notes the players "received the backing of their coaches and many of their white teammates."
If that's not a tight-knit team, what is?
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Since fall camp, the Fighting Irish have lost their No. 1 quarterback, first- and second-string running backs, starting tight end, two defensive linemen and two defensive backs.
Despite being one of the most depleted rosters in the Football Bowl Subdivision, though, Notre Dame remains a favorite to reach the four-team championship tournament.
The Irish are 9-1 and holding strong near the top of the CFP poll. DeShone Kizer, C.J. Prosise and Will Fuller are among the nation's most productive QB-RB-WR trios, while the defense has allowed just 21.5 points per game.
Notre Dame has once again proved "next man up" is a workable theory.
Ohio State Buckeyes
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Ohio State has a bit of tight-knit history. The program also properly utilized "next man up," going through three quarterbacks in 2014 en route to a national title.
Plus, certain units of the Buckeyes have nicknames. Call the Ohio State defenders "Silver Bullets," the wide receivers "Zone 6" and the offensive line "The Slobs."
While the monikers may seem silly, each player is part of a larger, identifiable group. If one man slips up, that's a reflection on the entire unit. If they all succeed, the group thrives.
And in turn, so do the Buckeyes, who are triumphs over Michigan State, Michigan and (likely) Iowa away from a shot at a second consecutive FBS championship.
Oklahoma Sooners
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Following a 40-6 beatdown at the hands of Clemson in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl, the Sooners recognized a problem. Per Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World, linebacker Eric Striker said: "There was a culture that needed to be change. We felt like if we started there, then we could do everything we needed to get done on the field, as far as discipline, and maturing off the field. We wanted to change the culture."
Behind the renewed leadership, Oklahoma is 9-1 and vying for a Big 12 title. Although the loss was a particularly bad one, the Sooners have beaten three ranked teams and can topple two more to state their case for a College Football Playoff berth.
Additionally, the on-field relationship between starting quarterback Baker Mayfield and backup Trevor Knight is fascinating. Last season, Knight was the No. 1 guy when healthy. This year, he's Mayfield's biggest cheerleader.
Oklahoma appears to be united at every spot, and the team is thriving because of it.
Service Academies
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While it's easy to find amazing stories at each service academy, Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds provided the most recent one.
During an upset win over Memphis, nearly 500 of Reynolds' family members and friends were in the stands. Navy held an 18-point lead, and Reynolds needed one more touchdown to set the NCAA record for career rushing touchdowns.
Gene Wang of the Washington Post writes offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper even called a quarterback sneak. But Reynolds saw Memphis loaded the middle and audibled to an outside run, placing personal glory aside to help someone else.
At Army, Navy and Air Force, the men will eventually wear a uniform that shows they are literally willing to die for one another, even if he's wearing different colors.
The service academies hold a bond larger than football, and it's one for which we should all be thankful for every day.
Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
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