Biggest Disappointment This Year?

[Alex]

Who has been the most disappointing team so far this season? And I'm leaving Penn State off because even though they disappointed me they have apparently met the expectations of everyone besides Penn State fans who think the sky is falling.

Iowa (6-4, 2-4)- Many expected the Hawkeyes to compete with Ohio State for the Big Ten title this year and many had them as a darkhorse national title contender. Instead, Drew Tate's senior season has been nothing more than another disappointing season for Iowa as they will likely be in the Alamo Bowl or the Champs Sports Bowl. Not good news for Iowa as 2007 is definitely a rebuilding year as they lose Tate and standout tight end Scott Chandler.

Florida State (5-4, 3-4)- Last year was bad by Florida State standards even though they won the ACC and went to the Orange Bowl. What does that make this year? After being a pre-season favorite to win the ACC, the Seminoles are in dead last in the ACC Atlantic behind the likes of N.C. State and Wake Forst (Wake Forest!). Suddenly the same criticism that fell on JoePa following Penn State's disasterous 2000 and 2001 seasons is being laid on Bobby Bowden. Scary thing for FSU is they might not finish the regular season better than 6-6 with Wake Forest and Florida left on the schedule. Even Western Michigan isn't a sure victory.

Miami (5-4, 2-3)- The Hurricanes have been as disappointing as their upstate rivals. After beginning the season as the ACC favorite along with the 'Noles, the Hurricanes have fallen mightily and no longer look like the dominating Miami teams from earlier this decade. They lost to Louisville by 24 and nearly lost to Houston and Duke. Their season has also been marred by ugliness of their brawl with Florida International and now tragedy with the death of Bryan Pata. Larry Coker was firmly on the hot seat before the season started and it now seems only a matter of time until he is fired.

Georgia (6-4, 3-4)- After a 5-0 start and Top 10 ranking the Bulldogs have come completely unglued. It seemed to start with the near loss to Colorado at home and then the next week another close against Ole Miss on the road. Then came the meltdown against Tennessee that seemed to complete the implosion. Georgia has lost four of their last five including unthinkable losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky and a near loss to Mississippi State. With Auburn and Georgia Tech left on the schedule, the Dawgs are staring a 6-6 season right in the face. Very scary how closely this team resembles the '05 Tennessee team.

Texas Tech (6-4, 3-3)- After starting the season hoping to repeat their 2005 Cotto Bowl season, the Red Raiders vaunted offense has been great some games and pitiful the others. While they've hung 31 on Texas and Texas A&M and 55 on Baylor, they've also managed only 3 points against TCU and 6 against Colorado. While the Red Raiders haven't completely collapsed with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State left on the schedule, it probably won't live up to pre-season expectations with a 6-6 or 7-5 finish and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl- at best.

Arizona State (5-4, 2-4)- The Sun Devils, much like Texas Tech, were expecting to ride a potent offense to a good season and contend for the conference title. Instead it has been nothing but disappointment for Arizona State. Rudy Carpenter, who controversily replaced Sam Keller before the season, hasn't lived up to expectations and the Sun Devils have been crushed by the better Pac-10 competition. Dirk Koetter is now firmly on the hot seat and bowl eligibility is no guarantee with Washington State, UCLA and a trip to Arizona left on the schedule.

Fresno State (1-7, 1-4)- Rebuilding year or has Pat Hill's program taken a step back? It was hard to see this coming even though the Bulldogs have struggled since nearly knocking off USC last November. The Bulldogs have played some good teams very tight (1 point loss to Washington and 7 point loss to Oregon) but have also been crushed in most of their other games. Suddenly Pat Hill's name isn't coming up in coaching rumors at bigger programs.

Clemson (7-3, 3-3)- The Tigers started off very strong at 7-1, only a one-point OT loss to Boston College, and seemed to be the frontrunners in the ACC after hammering Georgia Tech. It finally looked Clemson would live up to expectations and find themselves in a BCS game. Not. Clemson has dropped two in a row to Virginia Tech and Maryland and said goodbye to any chance at winning the ACC. Now their best hope is to win out and hope things fall their way and end up in the Gator Bowl or Peach Bowl. Once again a Tommy Bowden coached team fails to live up to expectations.

Michigan State (4-6, 1-5)- There is just no explanation for some things. Michigan State's annual collapse is one of them. The Spartans were 3-0 and had Notre Dame on the ropes at home. Everyone was ready to pencil them into the Top 20. Then the collapse came. They blew a big lead to the Irish and have gone 1-6 since then including losses to Illinois and Indiana. Michigan State blew any chance they had at a bowl game by losing to Purdue at home last week. With Minnesota and Penn State left, they'll need a miracle. But after engineering the biggest comeback in 1-A history against Northwestern, they've probably used up their annual miracle victory. This was a team that was maybe one play away from being a Big Ten title contender right now. That's how fragile the confidence of the team is. Now with John L. Smith out, maybe his successor will finally be able to stop the Spartans' impeccable annual collapse.

[doublee]

Iowa is definitely a big disappointment. Like you say almost everyone had them just a notch below OSU in the Big Ten and Drew Tate was supposed to be a legit Heisman contender.

UGA just goes to show how valuable a seasoned veteran QB is these days on the college level. The days of three yards and a cloud of dust football are coming to a close on the college level and if you can't at least throw the ball efficiently to keep defenses off guard you are going to have problems winning.

I'd say Miami is as well. This was going to be Kyle Wright's breakout season and some considered them a National Title contender.

I don't know that I'd put FSU up there. Maybe in the media's eyes they are a big disappointment but the 'Noles have been slipping towards medicority for the past three or four years now. The media just has not warmed up to the idea that this program is in decline right now. FSU is having a disappointing season given the conference is down this year but I don't know that they rank up there with the biggest disappointments in the grand scheme of things.

As for the rest of the teams isn't this pretty much how things have gone for those programs the past few years? Tommy Bowden's teams always have a stretch where his kids don't seem to know if they are coming or going and end up losing a game or two that they shouldn't. MSU has been a disaster in the making for a couple of years now and always seem to be hovering around the .500 mark. Texas Tech and ASU always seem to be schools with a lot of hype in the preseason but only ever manage to win seven or eight games.

[buckeyefan78]

Some of these teams can still pull a few upsets but that still won't be enough...especially for the squads like Miami and FSU.

Sure Iowa has been disappointing but 2 of their 4 losses are to OSU and UM (20-0). They've basically been upset twice...at Indiana and home against Northwestern. Tate's battled injuries all year but his college career is officially a bust IMO. He's thrown 2 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in Iowa's four losses. Upsetting Wisconsin this Saturday would only go so far for the Hawkeyes.

Miami's season is in complete disarray...on and off the field. Remember when Herbstreit picked them to win the national championship? Ouch! Kirby Freeman will start at QB for the Canes this Saturday against Maryland. I think there is a real chance Miami doesn't even go bowling this year.

FSU...you said it. I think there is a chance they don't go bowling either. I'm looking forward to that WMU game. I think we can take 'em.

Georgia has been a complete flop. Even their wins have been horrible. Injuries and the constant QB shuffle did 'em in. Considering Richt had won 52 games in his first five seasons this is definitely a surprise.

ASU and Texas Tech...I don't know. They are mid-tier teams (unlike Miami, FSU, and Georgia) and generally rely on offense so it's no wonder they've had a down year.

Clemson...they always flop. Same with MSU but at least they've gone ahead and fired their coach...the only team to have done so on this list I believe.

Fresno State...yep. It was just a year ago some had 'em in the top ten but they've really fallen. Even TCU has done well at 6-2 (the other "little team" that is consistently good).

Id have to pick Miami out of all these teams. The way things are going for them this year will definitely be one to forget.

Other disappointments: Akron (5-4), Colorado (1-9), and NC State (3-6)

[doublee]

Meh, I don't know that NC State is much of a disappointment to be honest. They barely got themselve bowl eligible last year as it was and most of the local media were wondering whether they would be a bowl eligible team this year with the amount of talent lost on defense from last year's squad and no real proven consistency at QB. The consensus was that would probably be a five or six win team and if things broke their way they might end up with seven or eight wins. Now, if they don't turn things around and end the year with 3-9 then I would put them in the big disappointment category.

If anyone else in the ACC is a big disappointment it is UNC. This team is an utter disaster and will be lucky if it wins three games this year. The QB play has been abysmal and the defense is just horrid.

[Alex]

I forgot about Colorado. Definite disappointment. Everyone knew it would be a tough year, as it usually is at most schools under a new head coach, but I don't think anyone thought it would be "Lose-to-Montana-State-Bad."

[doublee]

Yeah, really. I bet Hawkins is wishing he stayed at Boise right about now. :lol:

[buckeyefan78]

I see your point doublee but NC State does have a few quality wins and has shown they can compete late in the season only to lose.

Beat App State (I-AA) by 13 at home.

Lost to Akron at home (and the Zips are one of my disappointments).

Lost by 20 at Southern Miss. (non BCS school).

Beat Boston College (7-2)

Beat FSU (5-4..down...but still "decent" when you take the name off 'em).

Lost by 2 vs Wake (which looks better and better each week at 8-1)

Lost by 6 at Maryland (7-2)

Lost by 8 at Virginia (26-6 in last 32 home games)

Lost by 8 to G Tech (7-2)

Iowa hasn't beaten anyone except Purdue (6-4). ASU's best win is at Washington (4-6).

[eric]

I would say Iowa, most of the "experts" said it would be between the Bucks and the Hawkeyes for the Big 10, Michigan State should have done better with Stanton in charge, but we knew all along they had ZERO defense. Georgia is a huge disappointment not so much that they aren't challenging for a SEC title, but that they lost to KU and Vandy and should have lost to Colorado.

[Dublin Mike]

Georgia has been a complete flop. Even their wins have been horrible. Injuries and the constant QB shuffle did 'em in. Considering Richt had won 52 games in his first five seasons this is definitely a surprise.

Richt is a good head coach, but he needs to relinquish the play calling duties.. As far as the QB shuffle, you know how I feel about that. And why, when you are running the ball down your opponents throats, succesfully, (again, Lumpkin had 73 yds on 9 carries in the 1st quarter last week) Do you start airing it out? With a freshman QB no less? I was all for Stafford starting, but the kid doesn't need to be throwing the ball 30+ times a game, especially when his WRs hands are coated with butter.

Dammit, I hate going off on these tangents, but I figured at the worst, UGA would have 4 losses, but they are gonna have 6, and probably lose the bowl game to boot. Gah.

Fresno State being this bad is pretty shocking. Wonder if Pat Hill is wishing he would have taken one of those big time coaching gigs.

The ACC as a whole. The conference looks nothing like the power it was supposed to be when Miami, VT, and BC joined. It was supposed to be the best conference, now it's the worst of the BCS.

[The Pirate Bob]

I personally have to go with ASU. This is the 10 year cycle we have come to accept and expect out here. If you aren't aware of it, every 10 years like clockwork the Sun Devils make a run at the National Championship and finish in the top 5 in the country. Examples being: '75 - 2nd, '86 - 4th, '96 - 4th. Their team's and fans expectations was that this was the year again and they haven't even been competitive with any top team.

Something wierd happened the week before the season began with the QB situation and it seems to have totally changed the complexion of the team. Oh well, maybe I will still be alive come 2017.


I was trying to think of another college team that seems to do what ASU does and can't think of a one. Anyone know of another team that pops into the top 5 once every ten years and then disappears for another decade? Most teams that are that good seem to stick around for a few years in a row before sinking again. But not my Sun Devils. They are 1 year wonders every decade.

[doublee]

The ACC as a whole. The conference looks nothing like the power it was supposed to be when Miami, VT, and BC joined. It was supposed to be the best conference, now it's the worst of the BCS.

I don't know that it is necessarily the worst of the BCS conferences. It just appears that way because they don't have anyone in contention for BCS Championship game. Only the SEC has as many teams in the BCS standings as the ACC, only the Big 12 and SEC currently have more bowl eligible teams than the ACC does, and no conference has more 7+ win teams than the ACC. The Big East and Big Ten only have 3 teams apiece in the standings so while they are better at the top the overall depth of those conferences is nothing special.

The ACC is definitely down this year simply because Miami, FSU, and Va Tech the teams that were in the Top 15 at the beginning of the year have sucked it up this year. If Wake Forest had been ranked at the beginning of the year they'd probably be in the Top 10 by now, but since they were not and did not have any significant wins to speak of until knocking off BC it has taken them two months for anyone to notice that they are 8-1 right now.

[HibachiDG]

Big Ten football.

[Alex]

Florida State continues to further fall apart, losing 30-0 to Wake Forest at home. Ouch. Better hope this team doesn't sleep on Western Michigan next week. Even though Central gave them a pretty good beatdown on Friday, the Broncos have a shot. They did beat Virginia on the road earlier this season.

So anyone think Florida State gets "Toledo-ed" by Western Michigan? They need this one to reach a bowl game.

[doublee]

The first time in Bowden's career he has been skunked at home. Wake just flat out dominated them last night. The place emptied out at half time and probably was not even half full for the second half. I am not sure how both Bobby and Jeff Bowden survive after this season.

I don't know I doubt WMU wins that one. Western Michigan barely beat UVA earlier in the season and the numbers suggest those two were fairly even. Western Michigan just took advantage of UVA's mistakes to win the game and FSU just hammered UVA a couple of weeks ago. My guess is that FSU's talent is far too superior to lose that game.

Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that both Miami and FSU would be in danger of not making a bowl game this year?

[Alex]

I never thought I would see PSU lose to Toledo either. Even at age 11 I knew bad things would follow after that one. It's not always about the superior talent, some times it just comes down to coaching, especially when that talent is living up to its hype.

Western Michigan would love nothing more than to give the 'Noles another good kick in the groin while they're down. FSU clearly has the advantage in terms of talent but that team has been flat for weeks now. If the Broncos come out flying and FSU sleep walks through, it honestly wouldn't surprise me to see them win.

[doublee]

Put it this way then. If Bowden can't get his guys up for this game then he may as well just save everyone the trouble and re-sign after that game. If Bowden is still worth his salt as a coach then this is going to be these kids' longest week of practice and he will have them ready to roll some heads next week.