It wasn’t all that long ago that Connecticut participated in a BCS bowl (2010 Orange). Sure they may have snuck in representing the worst of the AQ conference but they were generally having successful seasons with solid 8-5 record under their former coach.
The Cincinnati Bearcats are a very good program trying to find their place amongst a realigned college football world.
When coach Kevin Sumlin left Houston for Texas A&M and was replaced by offensive coordinator Tony Levine there was great hope for a Cougars program to continue to enjoy its recent success. If last year is any indicator the run may be over as the Cougars stumbled in their final season in Conference USA.
To say that Tim Beckman’s first-year as head coach of the Illinois football program was a disappointment is a massive understatement. It was a disaster!
The 2012 season was a massive improvement from 2011 for the Indiana Hoosiers. Kevin Wilson’s team piled up the points last year, and they were able to come out on top in four games. While this team certainly still has lots of room to grow, they are definitely on the right path.
After the massive 11-2 season in 2011, the Michigan Wolverines 8-5 season in 2012 had to be seen as a disappointment. Still, it’s obvious that Brady Hoke has this program continuing on the right path.
Isn’t it about time that Pat Fitzgerald starts getting recognized as one of the best coaches in the country? Northwestern isn’t an easy job to get top notch recruits, so Fitzgerald had to start off winning games with far less talent than almost any other team in the Big Ten.
Jerry Kill has done an amazing job with this Minnesota Golden Gophers program. Someone looking on from the outside may not be terribly impressed by a 6-7 record last year, but those who have followed this team know just how much progress the Golden Gophers have made since Kill took over as the head coach.
Second-year head coach Rich Rodriguez is coming off a season that saw him go 8-5 with the Arizona Wildcats. That campaign was the first time he had put together a winning record in a season debut, as well as the first time his team went to a bowl game in a debut.
The Oregon Ducks have taken the NCAA by storm over the past few seasons, and 2013 should prove to be no exception. The fast-paced, up-tempo offense has been too much for most Pac-12 teams to handle, and even though head coach Chip Kelly has departed for the NFL, Mark Helfrich should be ready to carry forward the winning ways of the past.
The Michigan State Spartans were so close to having a big season in 2012, but their inability to come up with big plays in crunch time cost them in many games. Five of their six losses came by a grand total of 13 points.
It’s tough to figure out the Iowa Hawkeyes. Kirk Ferentz was seen as one of college football’s top coaches a few years ago when the Hawkeyes were shocking the Big Ten and playing like one of the nation’s top teams.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers went 10-4 last season, but it’s hard to consider their season much of a success thanks to the way it ended. Nebraska was absolutely embarrassed 70-31 by Wisconsin in the Big 10 Conference Championship Game.
The Oregon State Beavers shocked the world with their performance for much of the 2012 season. Because of a weather-influenced delay against Nicholls St., Mike Riley’s crew opened up the year against the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers.
Texas Tech is still trying to get back to the success levels that they reached under Mike Leach. Tommy Tubberville is a proven coach who has the respect of the players, but the defense needs to get better. Texas Tech finished dead last in the nation in rushing defense last year. New defensive coordinator Art Kaufman’s job is to fix that problem.
Iowa State hasn’t had a ton of success over the past decade, but Paul Rhoads is doing his best to change that. The Cyclones shocked the entire college football world when they beat then-unbeaten Oklahoma State last November.
