College Football 2011: Eight Historical Powerhouses That Are Losing Relevance

For most observers and fans of the game, it's never a fun thing to watch a proud college football program bite the dust. 

Yes, it's part of the cyclical nature of college football for teams to rebuild every few years, but the best, most tradition-rich programs are supposed to stay at or near the top all the time. 

College football as a whole is better when programs like Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Nebraska and Oklahoma are thriving. 

Here are some teams that are sliding, some slowly—others not-so-slowly—into irrelevance. 

Georgia Bulldogs

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ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Aaron Murray #11 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Georgia has never been on the same level nationally as the programs mentioned in the first slide, but the Bulldogs' program is easily one of the proudest programs in the SEC. 

The 'Dawgs owned the '80s, struggled in the '90s, and returned to championship level play under head coach Mark Richt from 2001-2008. The last couple of seasons, however, Georgia has begun to stumble. 

Going 8-5 in 2009 before finishing 6-7 in 2010 is a bad sign, and Richt is certainly feeling the heat.

Michigan Wolverines

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ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 12: New University of Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke speaks during his introductory press confrence at the Junge Family Champions Center on January 12, 2011 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

When Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez after the '07 season, there were few who didn't expect a fairly quick turnaround for the Wolverines. Instead, Rodriguez basically blew up the foundation in Ann Arbor, and consecutive losing seasons followed.

Enter Brady Hoke.

The former Michigan assistant took over after Rodriguez took his third Michigan team to its first bowl game under his leadership.

The path back to national prominence will be bumpy, but Hoke will do his best to bring Michigan back from the brink. 

Miami Hurricanes

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MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 9: Jacory Harris #12 of the Miami Hurricanes hrows the ball against the Florida State Seminoles on October 9, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

With the talent that Miami had last season, there was no excuse for the program not winning the ACC for the first time since joining the conference in 2008.

As a result, head coach Randy Shannon is now former head coach Randy Shannon. The new guy, Al Golden, took Temple to a bowl game. So we know he has "miracle worker" somewhere on his resume. 

Miami may never be the Miami that we watched dominate the '80s, some of the '90s and early 2000s, but getting back to respectability should be the goal. 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Brian Kelly and quarterback Tommy Rees #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish talk during the final clock killing possession in the fourth quarter against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November

Call me Captain Obvious if you must, but Notre Dame is arguably the proudest program in the country. So, why has it been over 20 years since it played like it? 

Sure, the Irish have had some decent teams since their last national title in 1988, but the team has done nothing to live up to its proud tradition since that season. 

Second-year head coach Brian Kelly hopes to turn that around soon. But if he doesn't, Notre Dame will be looking at hiring its sixth coach in less than 20 years.  

USC Trojans

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Lane Kiffin of the USC Trojans watches warmups for the game with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Imag

So much has happened in recent years at USC.

After owning the 2000s, the Trojans had to pay the piper for illegal payments to one of its best players of that era—Reggie Bush.

Now, after being slammed by the NCAA for the actions of a rogue agent, head coach Lane Kiffin is facing potential sanctions for the dirty deeds committed under his leadership in his lone season at Tennessee.

USC is staring complete irrelevance right in the face. It might be time to cut their losses with the most overrated head coach in recent college football history (15-11 in two seasons as a college head coach). 

Tennessee Volunteers

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COLUMBIA, SC - OCTOBER 30: Head coach Derek Dooley of the Tennessee Volunteers watches on against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Im

Speaking of Lane Kiffin's former team, the Tennessee Vols are mired in mediocrity—in part, thanks to Lane Kiffin. Phillip Fulmer took them there, Lane Kiffin's abrupt departure kept them there and Derek Dooley hopes to bring them out of there. 

It has been a numbers game for the Vols since Kiffin blew in, blew up and blew out. The program began to erode under Fulmer in the early 2000s, however. 

Head coach Derek Dooley is rebuilding Tennessee's talent level slowly but surely. 

UCLA Bruins

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TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Rick Neuheisel of the UCLA Bruins watches from the sidelines during the college football game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on November 26, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated th

After three Rose Bowl appearances in the '80s and two in the '90s, UCLA just hopes to be bowl eligible these days. And even when the Bruins have made bowls in recent years, it has been the Eagle Bank, Las Vegas and Emerald Bowls—not exactly something to brag about. 

Rick Neuheisel faces a make-or-break season in 2011. His fourth year on the job must be an improvement on his 15-22 mark through the first three seasons, or UCLA will hire another coach which could even further delay the program's return to the Rose Bowl. 

Penn State Nittany Lions

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 1: Coach Joe Paterno of the Penn State Nittany Lions directs play of quarterback Matt McGloin #11 against the Florida Gators January 1, 2010 in the 25th Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschm

JoePa isn't going anywhere. Coincidentally, neither is Penn State. 

Sure, the Nittany Lions have been to three consecutive New Year's Day bowls, including a Rose Bowl, but winning championships are a thing of the past in State College. 

A program like Penn State is supposed to be winning the Big Ten. It is supposed to be a perennial BCS contender. But after only two BCS bowl appearances in nearly 15 years, Penn State should officially be considered a program on the decline.