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25. ULM |
4-8 |
The Warhawks ended the season with a 21-16 defeat to rivals Louisiana. It’s been five consecutive losses to end the season for a team that has been trailing 4-3 for half the season, and now reports suggest offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez will be leaving to take the job at Jacksonville State. RichRod finally got the job in Alabama. (Last week: 25) |
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24. Navy |
3-8 |
Navy is the only team in The Bottom 25 that hasn’t finished the season yet, but luckily I didn’t have to figure out how to handle that as it wasn’t in the Bottom 25 Playoff. Honestly, I hope I never do because I’m not a great problem solver. Either way, the Navy finished the season 38-14 vs. 9 Temple and will finish the season against Army in two weeks. (15) |
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23. Colorado State |
3-9 |
Steve Addazio didn’t care about his team’s 52-10 loss to Nevada, he was sent off before halftime. I’m sure some Rams fans hope the elimination is permanent, as the Rams ended the season with six straight losses. (Not rated) |
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22. Louisiana Technology |
3-9 |
The Bulldogs ended the season with a 35-31 defeat to Rice, leaving them last in the C-USA West. They will return with a new coach next season, as Skip Holtz and the school have “agreed” to part ways. (24) |
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21. Northwest |
3-9 |
Not only did I get to watch my Illini beat Northwestern 47-14 on Saturday, but the defeat was so bad that Northwestern had to stay in The Bottom 25 to finish the season. This is like a dream come true for me. As for the Northwest, I wouldn’t feel too bad. If recent history is any indication, a 3-9 season finish means the Wildcats will win 10 games next year. (NR) |
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20. Ohio |
3-9 |
The Bobcats finished the season with a 21-10 defeat to Bowling Green, which wasn’t enough to get the Bobcats into the Bottom 25 Playoff, but it was enough to knock the Falcons out of The Bottom 25 altogether. This was the first time since 2015, the Falcons didn’t finish a season in The Bottom 25. So Ohio made vicarious history. (23) |
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19. Rice |
4-8 |
Rice’s 35-31 win over 22 Louisiana Tech could have knocked them out of The Bottom 25 Playoffs, as they finished 13th last week and could be out with a loss. For some reason, I don’t think the Owls will mind too much. (13) |
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18. Georgia Southern |
3-9 |
The Eagles ended their season with a 27-3 loss at the Appalachian State. The 3-9 record is the second worst they’ve achieved since moving up to the FBS level, following their 2-10 campaign in 2017. (20) |
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17. Tulane |
2-10 |
Green Wave almost ended the season with consecutive wins but was briefly led by Memphis with a score of 33-28. However, while Wave finished strong (their last three losses were all one-point efforts), the 2-10 record was their worst finish since 2012, and that’s two games. worse than any of the seasons they had under Willie Fritz. The previous worst was 4-8 in Fritz’s first season in 2016. (18) |
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16. Miss South |
3-9 |
Two weeks ago, Miss South was 1-9 down and was a strong candidate for a playoff spot even when the whole world assumed there were only four. Now, after a 37-17 win over FIU #3, the Golden Eagles won’t even make it to the open playoffs, and it’s all thanks to the greatest QB in Miss South history: that’s right, Frank Gore Jr. . (9) w |
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15. Dukes |
3-9 |
A 47-10 defeat to Miami to end the season 3-9 and finish 15th in The Bottom 25 is not how David Cutcliffe wanted his time at Durham to end, but it is where the Blues ended. Never forget, however, that David Cutcliffe had Duke – the monstrous Duke – hanged with Johnny Football and Texas A&M during the Peach Bowl in 2013. (19) |
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14. South Florida |
2-10 |
I think the Bulls diverged a bit as October turned into November, but they lost their grip a bit at the end. They ended the season with a five-game losing streak following a 17-13 loss to rivals UCF. I hope it’s not the last time those two play in the near future, but who knows what will happen when UCF leaves the Big 12. (16) |
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13. UNLV |
2-10 |
OK, so I know I’ll be expanding this field for a while, but even if I’m higher on UNLV than the rest of the world when the Rebels start 0-8, I didn’t even think they would ever get out of the playoff zone. After losing to the Air Force 48-14 to end the year, they landed just outside it. (17) |
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12. Indiana |
2-10 |
The Hoosiers were crushed 44-7 by rivals Purdue on Saturday, and it was enough to push them down two places and into the playoffs. A complete change from a team that was once one of the darlings of the 2020 season (14) |
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11. Vanderbilt |
2-10 |
Listen, there’s not much to like about finishing the season 2-10, but the Vanderbilt we saw in the first half of the season was a lot different than we saw in the second half. Even when the win isn’t there, they look a lot more competitive in their losses. I don’t expect them to stay in the playoffs for long. (11) |
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10. New Mexico |
3-9 |
Every week, the 14-3 win over Wyoming looks worse and worse, as Lobos ends the season with a 35-10 defeat to champions Utah State. Lobos will fight for Bottom 25 supremacy based on the momentum of nine losses in 10 games. (twelfth) |
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9. Temples |
3-9 |
Honestly, Temple looked more alive than I expected in the 38-14 loss to the 24th Navy, but the Owls never had a chance. They now head to the Playoff Bottom 25, but they will do so without coach Rod Carey, who was fired Monday. (ten) |
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8. Arizona |
1-11 |
The Wildcats played well for a month but ran out of energy in the late stages. After a 44-18 loss to Washington State last week, rivals Arizona State eliminated them with ease, winning 38-15. They had a tough match against 9 Temple in the first round. (8) |
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7. State of Arkansas |
2-10 |
Butch Jones had hoped for more wins in his first season at Arkansas State, but he will have to settle for 2-10 after a narrow 24-22 loss to Texas State. Red Wolves get New Mexico’s 10th place in the first round of the playoffs. (7) |
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6. Kansas |
2-10 |
This is a Kansas team that looks aggressive towards the end of the season and could quickly make it to the knockout stages. After beating Texas 57-56, the Jayhawks lost to TCU 31-28 and played West Virginia with a 34-28 loss. Now they’re facing a very hot looking Vanderbilt team in my favorite first-round game of the year. (6) |
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5. State of New Mexico |
2-10 |
New Mexico State ended the regular season with a 44-27 win over No. 1 UMass in last week’s Final Game of the 25th Century, and they had to say goodbye to the first round in the playoffs! If only someone told them! Now the Aggies will get the number 12 Indiana. (3) |
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4. Akron |
2-10 |
Akron finished the season with a 49-14 defeat to Toledo, and it was enough to make it into New Mexico State and into The Bottom Four. I have not received word on whether new coach Joe Moorhead will lead the team in their playoffs. (5) |
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3. FIU |
1-11 |
The Panthers ended the regular season with a 37-17 loss to Miss South and looked like a no-brainer candidate for the Bottom 25 title. While UMass and UConn were stronger throughout the season, the Panthers played. at the same level in recent weeks. It would be a hell of a fight. (4) |
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2. UConn |
1-11 |
After beating Yale 20-15 a month ago, the Huskies worried people would think they had turned a corner. They did not. After a 45-17 loss to Houston on Saturday, the Huskies lost their last four games by 182-64 on aggregate. They do not allow less than 44 points or score more than 17 in any of those four games. This team is ready. (2) |
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1. UMass |
1-11 |
Can someone stop that rogue UMass in 2021? Some around Boston may have exuded confidence after the 44-27 loss to New Mexico State, but we can’t forget the team that beat UConn 27-13 earlier this season. Will the Minutemen go ahead and win another game in the bottom 25 Qualifiers, or will they end up as champions? (first) |
