College Football 2011: 15 Schools From Major Conferences That Don't Belong

Some teams just don't belong.

Their futility is absolutely mind-boggling, and their penchant for losing games is legendary.

From fumbles to penalties, losses to stupid decisions, these teams seem to have a corner on the market of ineptitude.

The first five members of this list are from non-automatic qualifying schools, while the last 10 are the worst representatives of the BCS conferences, ever.

If you enjoy lists full of ineffectiveness, inefficiency and years of less than successful play, keep it here.

15. San Jose State Spartans

San Jose State, absolutely atrocious.

Their only victory last season was against FCS team Southern Utah by five points.

The Spartans have only two winning seasons since 2000 and serve as BCS conference wipping boys every year during the non-conference schedule.

14. Idaho Vandals

Any team that wears their logo on their butts instantly loses all credibility and should be under NCAA sanctions for at least three years.

Seriously though, when the Vandals play, it's just ugly.

While they have enjoyed more success than usual in recent years, that is still no excuse to make fans suffer through this kind of punishment.

13. Memphis Tigers

Hey, a shout out to all those affected by the flooding in the Memphis area, and our thoughts and prayers are with you.

The Tigers' football team is less than a model of consistency and how to win in C-USA, emerging victorious from only 18 contests over the last five years.

Or, roughly 3.6 per season.

On the plus side, they have some of the nicest helmets in college football.

12. Akron Zips

I get it, the kangaroo can be vicious, but why not name your mascot "Boomer"? This represents dominant male kangaroos that can get pretty unruly.

What does "zips" have to do with a kangaroo?

Why not just go with the "wombats" and be done with it?

Sure, shortening the name from "zippers" to "zips" may have been a good move, but why the kangaroo? Extremely nebulous and random.

And if you answer with "because they are fast, agile and athletic, just like our football team," you lose 10 points.

The Zips haven't had a winning season since 2005 and have won only four games in the last two seasons combined.

11. New Mexico Lobos

We are not quite sure why New Mexico even has a football team, as they have taken the word "futility" and given it new meaning.

The Lobos are the annual punching bag of the Mountain West, and it will be interesting to see what newcomer Boise State does to them.

It won't be pretty.

10. Indiana Hoosiers

Ahh, the Hoosiers.

Indiana has won only one conference game each of it's last three seasons.

Their wins have been posted against the likes of Arkansas State, Western Kentucky and Towson.

Since 1990, they have only hit the eight-win plateau once, and that was back in 1993.

And even at their best, they are horribly outmatched in bowl games, as evidenced by the combined 94-55 scores in their last two bowl games.

Yep. They lost both.

9. Virginia Cavaliers

If you want to find the standard for collegiate athletic mediocrity, look no further than the Virginia Cavaliers.

While they posted a nine-win season as recently as 2002, the Cavaliers are terribly consistent when it comes to failing miserably.

While other teams enjoy periods of great success followed by a few down years, Virginia manages to maintain a mediocre team, nearly every season.

We salute you, Cavaliers, for your consistent less than good quality of play.

8. Northwestern Wildcats

Two years of moderate success does not make up for several years of awfulness.

While the Wildcats are currently headed in the right direction, they have been the Big Ten's whipping boy for several years.

Among Big Ten fans, losing the the Wildcats has been a badge of intense disgrace in recent years.

Pat Fitzgerald is so close to getting these guys away from lists like this, but they are just not quite there yet.

7. Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks have enjoyed moderate success here and there, but take away the Todd Reesing, Mark Mangino Orange Bowl, and you find yourself staring into the awful abyss of pathetic football.

In the last 30 years, the Jayhawks have appeared in only seven bowl games, four of them between 2003 and 2008.

Please spare us all the atrocity of watching these guys any more.

6. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Other than the worst concept of a mascot in the entire country, the Demon Deacons have a ton goin' for them.

Just kidding.

The Dekes have appeared in a BCS game, so that's good, but other than that, there isn't a whole lot positive to make mention of.

They have won the ACC twice, once in 2007, once in 1970.

At least the mascot is unique.

5. Baylor Bears

This is a tough one.

But let's be real here.

The Bears have lost three of their last four bowl game appearances, not coming out on top since the 1992 Sun Bowl.

They hold a losing record in every one of their "rivalries."

They have never even sniffed a Big 12 crown.

Oh, but they did share the title of the Southwest conference back in 1994 with a 7-5 record.

It seems almost blasphemous to put them on this list, but the evidence is too compelling.

4. Iowa State Cyclones

Yeah that's a yearbook picture.

The members of the team were too ashamed to admit their participation, so they grabbed some random guy to do it.

Ok, it's not that bad, but it's pretty close.

In the last 30 years, the Cyclones have enjoyed only six winning seasons.

There were those times back in 1911 and 1912 when they won the conference, but things have been pretty bad since then.

For the record, they did go 3-3 in their 2000s bowl games, but their last bowl appearance before last decade?

3. Duke Blue Devils

Duke was ACC conference champ back in 1989—excuse me—they were co-champs, and their last bowl game was in 1995.

They have not won a bowl game since 1961, before many of us were even around.

While they enjoyed many successes in their early history, anything predating WWI should not be considered relevant.

Hence, we say to the Blue Devils: Stick to basketball.

And maybe lacrosse.

2. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Here's to you, Rutgers, nearly topping this infamous list with your pathetic excuse for a football team.

Four out of the last five years have been pretty good to you.

The 20 years or so before that, not so much.

On the bright side, three of last season's four victories came against Norfolk State, Army and Florida International.

Good work guys.

1. Vanderbilt Commodores

There is something not quite right about a mascot wearing that hat coupled with a football jersey.

He looks almost as lost as the football team.

It's pretty bad when your most memorable player is Jay Cutler.

Since 1990, the Commodores have enjoyed only one winning season.

Somebody has to be the worst in the conference, I'm just wondering who elected you guys.

Ironic that the best conference in football also has the worst team, is it not?