College football is full of tradition, pageantry, and powerhouse programs that seem invincible—until they aren’t. Some schools dominated for decades, hoisting trophies and striking fear into their rivals, only to tumble into mediocrity (or worse).
Whether it’s bad coaching hires, scandal, or just plain bad luck, these programs went from kings of the gridiron to mere peasants. Let’s take a look at 10 once-mighty programs that have fallen from glory.
10. West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia was never a true blue-blood, but in the Pat White/Steve Slaton era, they were one of the most electrifying teams in the country. Since moving to the Big 12, though, they’ve been stuck in mediocrity. The Mountaineers haven’t won a conference title since 2011, and the days of contending for a national championship seem like ancient history.
9. Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado was once a legitimate powerhouse, winning a national title in 1990 and being a major player in the Big 12. Then came years of irrelevance. Deion Sanders has certainly brought excitement back to Boulder, but it’s clear that hype alone isn’t enough to restore past glory.
8. Virginia Tech Hokies
Frank Beamer turned Virginia Tech into a national contender, with dominant defenses and special teams wizardry. But ever since Beamer retired in 2015, the Hokies have been in a steady decline. The intimidating atmosphere of Lane Stadium is still there, but the football team? Not so much.
7. Michigan State Spartans
For a minute there, Michigan State looked like a team that could go toe-to-toe with the big boys. Mark Dantonio built a program that won Big Ten titles and even made the Playoff in 2015. Then, things unraveled. Dantonio left, Mel Tucker got a $95 million contract (then got fired), and now the Spartans are just another team in the Big Ten hoping not to get embarrassed.
6. Florida State Seminoles
Bobby Bowden built FSU into a powerhouse, and Jimbo Fisher kept the party going with a national title in 2013. But once Jimbo dipped for Texas A&M, the Noles collapsed faster than a Jenga tower. The Willie Taggart era was a disaster, and while Mike Norvell is rebuilding, FSU isn’t scaring anyone like they used to.
5. USC Trojans
USC once ruled college football like an L.A. empire—Heisman winners, dominant teams, and Pete Carroll’s juggernaut of the early 2000s. Then came NCAA sanctions, Lane Kiffin getting fired at the airport, and a decade of letdowns. Lincoln Riley was supposed to fix things, but after getting exposed in 2023, it seems like USC is still searching for that old-school dominance.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee was a monster in the ‘90s, winning the first-ever BCS National Championship in 1998 under Phillip Fulmer. Then, everything fell apart. A long stretch of coaching disasters (Lane Kiffin’s one-year ghosting, the Derek Dooley years, Butch Jones’s… whatever that was) left the Vols stuck in football purgatory. While they showed signs of life in 2022, the consistency just isn’t there yet.
3. Texas A&M Aggies
A&M has all the resources in the world—top recruiting classes, a rabid fan base, and an absurd amount of money (thanks, oil money!). But somehow, they always manage to underachieve. The Aggies’ last national title came in 1939, and despite throwing $75 million at Jimbo Fisher (and then paying him even more to go away), they still can’t break into the true elite ranks.
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2. Miami Hurricanes
The U used to be the baddest team in college football—swagger, dominance, and championships (five between 1983 and 2001). Now? They’re more famous for bringing “The U is back” hype every offseason… only to finish 7-5. The did win the ACC in 2023, but haven’t really been able to back it up.
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1. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Remember when Nebraska was a football factory, crushing teams with an unstoppable option attack? Those were the good ol’ days. The Cornhuskers won five national titles between 1970 and 1997, but since then, they’ve been about as intimidating as a wet paper bag. After leaving the Big 12 for the Big Ten, they’ve become a perennial mid-tier team, cycling through coaches faster than they cycle through corn harvests.
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