5 College Football Programs on the Decline

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Nov 15, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Christian Holmes (44) sits on the bench after losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide 25-20 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

College football teams rise every year, which means there must other schools on the decline. Today, we examine five programs headed in the wrong direction.

What goes up must come down. Or something like that.

As we mentioned when discussing “5 College Football Programs on the Rise,” one of the best things about college football is the annual rise and fall of programs across the country. Because roughly 25% of a school’s roster changes each year and coaching moves are more frequent now than ever, some schools overcome a humble program history and emerge as powerhouses while more prestigious football factories stumble and vice versa.

Plenty of major powers have fallen on hard times like Alabama pre-Nick Saban, Michigan under Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke and Notre Dame off-and-on for most of the last two decades. Others get a taste of success such as a series of bowl games and even a ten-win season or two but they can’t sustain that level of success indefinitely (West Virginia under Rich Rod comes to mind, as does Tennessee since Phil Fulmer).

And while we see schools on the rise that means there must be college football programs on the decline. Today, we examine five of those that appear to be headed in the wrong direction.

Most of the schools listed here follow at least three of the following criteria: