Storied College Football Programs That Will Struggle in 2018
Several recognizable college football teams are expected to contend for the 2018 national title, but a handful of established programs won't even be close to the discussion.
The glory days are gone. And in some cases, those memorable moments were a long, long time ago.
There is no specifically accepted definition of a "storied program". For our purposes, we've focused on former national champions, teams that rank in the top-30 of all-time victories and also considered schools with many conference titles.
And, what constitutes a struggle? This means programs that will strain to compete for a league championship, end the season outside of the Top 25 or fail to attain bowl eligibility.
The hope of a brighter future lingers, but 2018 won't be the year fortunes change for these well-known schools.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
1 of 7
Most recent glory days: In addition to being 29th in all-time victories, Minnesota touts seven national championships. But the program hasn't reached double-digit wins in a season since 2003.
What's wrong: Last season, the Gophers ranked 123rd in total offense. An anemic passing game demands most of the blame, and the quarterback position loses its experience anyway. Conor Rhoda used up his eligibility, and Demry Croft transferred. Expecting a turnaround in 2018 with a first-year starter is unwise.
Reason to hope: The opening stretch includes New Mexico State, Fresno State and Miami (Ohio). Two of those should be two wins. The Gophers must travel to Ohio State but get Maryland and Indiana in crossover action, and they head to Illinois and host Purdue and Northwestern. The path to six wins, while unlikely, is plausible if a quarterback emerges.
Arkansas Razorbacks
2 of 7
Most recent glory days: Arkansas' lone national title claim happened in 1964, but the school has the 22nd-most victories in FBS history. Since 2010-11, the Razorbacks have totaled 33 wins and reached just three bowl games.
What's wrong: The defense's efficiency has been miserable lately. Arkansas allowed 6.45 yards per snap and ranking 116th nationally actually marked an improvement on 2016, when the unit ceded 6.75 yards per play and finished 123rd out of 128 teams.
Reason to hope: Bret Bielema's slow-paced, ground-heavy offense is gone. Chad Morris will bring his rapid tempo to Fayetteville, and he turned SMU into a bowl qualifier within three years. Arkansas' nonconference slate of Eastern Illinois, Colorado State, North Texas and Tulsa in 2018 will be useful in chasing a bowl bid.
Pitt Panthers
3 of 7
Most recent glory days: Pitt is ranked 20th overall with 717 all-time victories, and only six programs have claimed more national titles. However, the Panthers haven't stood atop the college football world since 1976 and last held a top-10 AP ranking in 2009.
What's wrong: As respected a coach as Pat Narduzzi is, Pitt still hasn't finished a year ranked higher than 76th in yards per play allowed. His teams have pulled a couple of significant upsets—but so far, that has merely doubled as their ceiling, too.
Reason to hope: Previous performances in key matchups have showed the Panthers' top-end ability, so the coaching staff has proof of their potential. Plus, Kenny Pickett—who started in the upset of Miami in 2017—will be the full-time starter next season, and the defense returns a healthy portion of its production.
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Tennessee Volunteers
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Most recent glory days: From 1989 to 2007, Tennessee regularly finished with 8-11 wins while peaking at 13 in a championship-winning 1998 campaign. That stretched helped the program ascend to No. 10 on the all-time wins chart. But in the last seven years, the Vols have failed to appear in a postseason game four times.
What's wrong: A little bit of everything. Butch Jones' teams often struggled to finish games, collapsing late or failing to muster a final drive. Over the last two seasons, the defense surrendered 500-plus yards in nine games. And last year, the offense was flat-out dreadful, ending the year at No. 125 overall.
Reason to hope: The absence of elite player development ruined Jones' tenure, but Jeremy Pruitt has been an assistant under Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher and Mark Richt. If that experience provides a much-needed jolt to the roster while quarterback Jarrett Guarantano improves, the Vols won't be dreadful in 2018. Progress?
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
5 of 7
Most recent glory days: Currently 18th in all-time wins, Georgia Tech earned the 1990 national championship and played in the Orange Bowl during the 2009 and 2014 seasons. However, two of the last three years have not included a bowl bid.
What's wrong: Since 2015, the Jackets have mustered a 3-8 mark against opponents that ended the season ranked. Falling short in the biggest games has capped their success. Looking ahead, the defense must replace seven of the top-12 tacklers during a season that includes crossover games with Clemson and Louisville, as well as Virginia Tech, Miami and Georgia.
Reason to hope: Georgia Tech brings back leading rushers TaQuon Marshall and KirVonte Benson, along with several complementary pieces for the triple-option attack. Experience on the offensive side of the ball could help the Jackets atone for the transition on defense. The schedule just doesn't do Tech any favors.
UCLA Bruins
6 of 7
Most recent glory days: UCLA is only 58th on the FBS victories list and has claimed a single national title, yet the Bruins have won 17 conference championships. But the upcoming season marks exactly 20 years since UCLA last triumphed in the league.
What's wrong: Between a horrid run offense and porous defense—with a small dose of bad injury luck sprinkled in—the Bruins have consistently toiled to compete in adverse situations. In 2016 and 2017, they trudged to a combined 1-12 record on the road and 0-8 against teams that finished in the AP Top 25. And next season's schedule (at Oklahoma, Washington, at Oregon, USC, Stanford) is brutal.
Reason to hope: Chip Kelly turned Oregon into a respected national brand, and there's little reason he can't accomplish the same at UCLA. After two years of a poor running game, the Bruins may finally see balance in their offense.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Most recent glory days: Nebraska, which is fifth in all-time victories, secured three national titles in a four-year stretch during the 1990s. The Cornhuskers reached the BCS championship in 2001, but that squad is the last team to finish a season ranked in the AP Top 10.
What's wrong: Mike Riley's tenure came to an inglorious halt after a year during which Nebraska allowed 30-plus points eight times—and 50-plus in four games. In his three seasons, the Huskers mustered a 1-10 mark against AP Top 25 finishers. Heading into 2018, when they'll face Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State with a first-year starter, that's a hugely problematic trend.
Reason to hope: Scott Frost took over a UCF program that went 0-12 in 2015 and guided the Knights to a perfect 13-0 campaign last year. Nebraska should rebound soon thanks to his excellence in coaching offense. Even barely reaching a bowl in 2018 would be progress for Frost's alma mater.
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