College Football Rankings: 10 Elite Programs That Have Taken a Dive and Why
If you listen closely you can hear some schools' fanbases screaming, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?!"
This year, there has been a changing of the guard, so to say, at the top of the college landscape. Gone are the days of the dominant school that was playing for a national title every year. Gone are the days of the one program that cleaned up the five star recruits.
Now, there is a lot of parity in college football. There are teams now that have chances that, 10 to 15 years ago, they would never have had. There were no Boise States, TCUs or Utahs at the beginning of the millennium.
For every peak, there is a valley. Click through these 10 slides to find out which schools are coming down from the peak and residing in the valley.
USC (Pac-10)
1 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 2-3 conference, 5-3 overall.
2009 record (final): 5-4 conference, 9-4 overall.
This year can be summed up by two words: NCAA sanctions. Well, one person who got caught actually sums up why USC is on the downturn this year. That person is 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush.
His involvement with an agent was discovered by a Yahoo! Sports writer before the season began. This led to the NCAA coming down on the school, forcing them to vacate wins, scholarships and bowl games for the next couple of years.
Penn State (Big Ten)
2 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 2-2 conference, 5-3 overall
2009 record (final): 6-2 conference, 10-2 overall
This has happened no more than six years ago for Penn State. In 2004, Penn State won just two games in the Big Ten and just four overall, and it seemed as if Joe Pa had lost his coaching ways. But in the following year, 2005, he led Penn State to a 7-1 conference record, 11-1 overall and a Rose Bowl game.
So, Penn State fans, you have been here before with Joe Pa, come back off the ledge, you will be fine.
Miami (ACC)
3 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 3-2 conference, 5-3 overall
2009 record (final): 5-3 conference, 9-3 overall
The U has not had the success that it once had when they played in the Big East conference. Since the move to the ACC in 2002, they have not made it back to a BCS bowl game; their last was the 2002 BCS Championship game.
Under current coach Randy Shannon, they have struggled. Under his watch, the Canes have won around seven to nine games each year, but have yet to make it to an ACC championship game. Every year, it seems as if they have a very talented team, but come up short in the end.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Clemson (ACC)
4 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 2-3 conference, 4-4 overall
2009 record (final): 6-2 conference, 9-5 overall
Clemson, last year, had one of the best running backs in the country in C.J. Spiller. He would be very hard to replace on any team. But, at Clemson, where they recruit well, they should have not had this problem. By comparison, in-state rival South Carolina is relying on a true freshman, Marcus Lattimore.
To go from playing in the ACC championship game one year to struggling to make a bowl game in the next is very disappointing.
Texas (Big 12)
5 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 2-3 conference, 4-4 overall
2009 record (final): 8-0 conference, 13-1 overall.
Three letters describe what in the hell the Longhorn fan base is thinking, "W.T.F."
Last year, this team was being led by two-time Heisman Trophy finalist Colt McCoy. This year, they're being led by a kid who was thrown into the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama when Colt went down with an injury.
The 2010 Texas Longhorns cannot get away without a running game much like the 09 Longhorns could. This year, the defense is not as dominant as last year, and this year, if one thing can go wrong, it will.
This will be the first year that head coach Mack Brown does not win at least nine games. It may be the first year that this Longhorns team does not even make a bowl game.
WTF indeed.
Notre Dame (Independent)
6 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): no conference record, 4-5 overall.
2009 record (final): no conference record, 6-6 record.
Yes, Notre Dame has not had a competitive team since the BCS teams of 2007 and 2008. Since 2008, the team has been on a steady decline. This year, it seems as if they may not eclipse the six-win mark. Their upcoming schedule looks as such:
Nov. 13: vs. No. 5 Utah
Nov. 20: vs. Army (at Yankee Stadium)
Nov. 27: vs. USC
They need to win two of those three games to escape having a losing record. Not the way that new head coach, and the man that was expected to turn around this struggling football program, Brian Kelly wanted to start.
Florida (SEC)
7 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 3-3 conference, 5-3 overall
2009 record (final): 8-0 conference, 13-1 overall
Florida, much like Texas, lost their starting quarterback from the previous four years at the end of the '09 season. And Florida, much like Texas, has struggled this year with their replacement.
This Florida team still has a chance, though, to salvage the season when they host South Carolina in two weeks. A win against the Gamecocks puts them at the head of the SEC East division. With the speed and talent that Florida has, they just may have a chance to mask the horrendous play at the quarterback position and make it back to a BCS game.
Michigan (Big Ten)
8 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 1-3 conference, 5-3 overall.
2009 record (final): 1-7 conference, 5-7 overall.
All has not been well for Michigan since Rich Rod took over for legendary head coach Lloyd Carr. Since Rich has taken over, the university has been accused of working their players out too much, not having an offense, not having a defense and making 110 thousand people want to rip their hair out of their bodies on Saturdays.
Okay, that last one may have been made up.
But since he has taken over, Michigan has yet to be at a bowl game, win more than five games and, most importantly, beat Ohio State.
Georgia Tech (ACC)
9 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 3-2 conference, 5-3 overall
2009 record (final): 7-1 conference, 11-3 overall
From winning the ACC conference last year and a Orange Bowl berth to struggling to make a bowl game this year. Yes, they are 5-3 overall and have a winning record in the ACC. However, when they went to play Kansas earlier in the year and lost, it killed any chance of them having the same dominance they had last year.
It is amazing to see the gap between their passing and rushing game. Passing, they rank 119th out of 120 teams, whereas their rushing game ranks first out of 120 teams.
Tech still has to play Virginia Tech this week, Miami (FL) and Georgia. They still could go from 11-3 last year to 6-6 this year.
Cincinnati (Big East)
10 of 10
2010 record (as of Week 10): 1-2 conference, 3-5 overall
2009 record (final): 7-0 conference, 12-1 overall
This program went from two straight BCS bowl games in 2008 and 2009 to complete obscurity this year. Other programs like Florida and Texas did lose their quarterback, but those two programs did not lose the head of the team in their head coach and their starting quarterback.
This Cincinnati team lost head coach Brian Kelly before the Sugar Bowl against Florida. The team was said to be left in good hands with their new head coach, who had served on Kelly's coaching staff.
But as you can tell, this team is nowhere near the talent level or competitive nature created when Kelly was the head coach.
Thanks for clicking through the slide show! Which teams did I miss out on? If you want more of my ranting or sports thoughts please follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tjmcaloon. See yeinz later!
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
