College Football's Forgotten Teams
· news
The Bowl Season’s Forgotten Souls
The college football landscape often focuses on powerhouses and Cinderella stories, but beneath the surface are programs struggling to find their footing. Six teams have yet to participate in a bowl game since 2020: Akron, Charlotte, Louisiana-Monroe, Massachusetts, Stanford, and Temple.
Akron has shown signs of improvement under Joe Moorhead’s leadership, with its best performance since 2017 coming last season. A strong non-conference schedule this year may finally break the bowl drought for the MAC program, which faces stiff competition from perennial powerhouses like Toledo and Northern Illinois.
Charlotte’s struggles in Tim Albin’s first season were largely due to the number of transfers he inherited. As Albin enters his second year at the helm, fans will be looking for tangible signs of progress after a promising but ultimately disappointing debut.
Louisiana-Monroe’s woes are well-documented. The Warhawks have lost 15 consecutive games in November since 2022, with an alarming trend of tanking after strong starts to the season. A non-conference slate that includes matchups against Southeast Louisiana and FAU may provide a gentle learning curve for Bryant Vincent’s team.
Massachusetts’ situation is dire. The Minutemen have compiled a staggering record of 26-134 since transitioning to the FBS, including a 24-game losing streak against FBS opponents. Their move back to the MAC this year offers a glimmer of hope, but it remains to be seen if they can break their decade-long bowl drought.
Stanford’s recent slide is equally concerning. The once-proud Cardinal have gone 24-54 since their last bowl appearance in 2018, with no more than four wins in any season during that span. Tavita Pritchard’s return to Palo Alto as head coach may be the spark needed to revive the program.
Temple’s struggles under K.C. Keeler have been well-documented. The Owls’ lack of consistency and inability to find winning ways has become an annual occurrence. With a new season on the horizon, fans will be eagerly awaiting signs that their team is on the cusp of turning things around.
The stories of these six programs serve as a poignant reminder that even in a sport dominated by powerhouses and flashy upsets, there are still schools struggling to find their place at the table. As we head into another season of college football, it’s essential to keep a watchful eye on these teams – not just for the sake of bowl season relevance but also as a gauge of their long-term prospects.
The road to becoming a perennial power is rarely linear, and it often involves setbacks and disappointments along the way. While some programs may never reach the same heights they once did, others will continue to push forward, determined to break through the barrier that separates them from bowl season relevance. For now, these six teams remain an intriguing mix of perseverance and potential – a reminder that in college football, even the most forgotten souls can still dream big.
Reader Views
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
While the Bowl Season's Forgotten Souls highlights the plight of six programs struggling to find their footing, it glosses over the deeper issue: the NCAA's increasingly uneven landscape is creating an environment where middle-tier teams are being pushed to the periphery. The article's focus on individual team woes obscures a more profound concern – as conferences consolidate power and resources, the mid-majors are becoming mere spectator teams in their own divisions.
- EKEditor K. Wells · editor
The Bowl Season's Forgotten Souls often gets lost in the glamour of conference championship games and New Year's Six bowls. But what about programs like Akron and Massachusetts that have gone years without sniffing a bowl spot? It's not just about winning games; it's also about building depth, recruiting talent, and creating a winning culture. The article does an excellent job highlighting the struggles of these teams, but we need to take a closer look at how they're utilizing their resources - coaching staff, athletic budget, and alumni support - to turn things around.
- CSCorrespondent S. Tan · field correspondent
The bowl season's usual suspects get plenty of attention, but what about the programs that are perpetually stuck in neutral? While the article does a good job highlighting the challenges facing these teams, I think it glosses over the elephant in the room: conference realignment. The MAC and C-USA have been hemorrhaging members in recent years, leaving their remaining teams to compete against powerhouses with seemingly endless resources. How can these programs possibly expect to break through when they're stuck in a perpetual uphill battle?