The college football rankings you don’t want to be No. 1. It’s the powerless rankings entering Week 6 and we’ve got a Red River Showdown of sorrow.
There are currently 11 winless, lousy teams in FBS right now. There is only room for five, however. Any team that wants to make this exclusive list has to be abysmal. This list is one that lives in infamy.
This week almost the entire Big 12 had an opportunity to make this list. Texas Tech continues their slide, losing to Kansas State as starting quarterback Anthony Bowman was injured. Baylor had a lackluster offensive performance against a scrappy West Virginia team.
In the ACC, Pitt’s defense, which had been dominant so far this season, decided to stay on the bus against North Carolina State. Duke played like, well, Duke against Virginia Tech as they snatched defeat from the hands of victory. Even in victory, Florida State was down 21-7 against Jacksonville State.
In the SEC, Missouri struggled to score again this week vs. Tennessee. Texas A&M was outclassed and overwhelmed against Alabama while the Mississippi State Bulldogs lost to Arkansas.
There were some awful performances this week in college football; these teams were the worst.
5. Oklahoma
Not all of Oklahoma is struggling. First-year starter and redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler is having a good season though he’s looked inexperienced at times. Despite throwing 10 touchdown passes and completed 73 percent of his passes this season, Rattler has four interceptions the last two weeks.
How are the Sooners winless in the Big 12? First, the running game is terrible. The Sooners are committed to running the football; they just don’t run the football well averaging a meager 3.6 yards per carry and 122.6 yards per game — nearly 120 fewer yards than last season. The defense has been an even bigger disappointment. Maybe Rattler would have fewer turnovers if the Sooners could run the football.
The Sooners have had double-digit leads in their last two games this season. Big plays did the Sooners in against Iowa State; both missed tackles and busted coverages erased a 21-point lead against Kansas State. In other words, the same old Oklahoma defense. They are in the Big 12, so anything can happen.
4. Texas Longhorns
Every great team has their kryptonite. John Cooper could not beat Michigan despite having better teams most seasons. In basketball, it took Michael Jordan’s Bulls years to get past Isaiah Thomas‘ Pistons. Superman had Lex Luthor, and the Texas Longhorns have the TCU Horned Frogs. Since joining the Big 12 in 2012, the Frogs are 7-2 against their in-state rivals.
Sam Ehlinger was inefficient, completing less than 50 percent of his passes and threw an interception. The Longhorns defense could not stop TCU quarterback Max Duggan who threw for 231 yards and ran for 79 more with two touchdowns. Texas had an opportunity to score late, but running back Keaontay Ingram fumbled on the 1-yard line late in the game.
The last two weeks have proven a straightforward thing; different year, same Texas Longhorns. They had to rally to beat an average Texas Tech squad last week and lost to a good but not excellent TCU squad. This week the Longhorns clash with the Sooners in the annual Red River Showdown. Both teams come in, licking their wounds and seeking redemption.
3. Duke Blue Devils
There is one bright spot for the Blue Devils; the defense has been game. After being overwhelmed by Notre Dame and Boston Collge, the Blue Devils have shown signs of life the last two weeks. The problem is the Blue Devils give the ball to the other team too often.
Duke scored first against Virginia, but you are not going to win many games with seven turnovers. The offensive line did a poor job of blocking for the run or the pass. The Blue Devils ran for 56 yards, and Virginia sacked Chase Brice five times. Against Virginia Tech, the Duke could not stop the running game giving up 208 yards to Khalil Herbert. When a team cannot finish, a team does not win many games.
2. Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt can be summed up very simply; they have scored 19 points in two games. In college football, you either have to win shootouts by outscoring your opponents or eat clock and play physical defense. So far this season, Vandy can do neither.
Their 17-12 loss to Texas A&M, the game was more of a case of the Aggies not wanting to show their hand (which did not help the Aggies) than Vanderbilt being stellar defensively. Even if Vandy were stellar defensively, the Commodores only rushed for 2.8 yards per carry and scored one offensive touchdown.
It was even worse against LSU. The Tigers overwhelmed and overmatched the Commodores from start to finish. That is going to be the story of the season for the Commodores.
1. Kansas Jayhawks
Fortunately for the Commodores, the Jayhawks are still playing football in Lawrence. Last season, Kansas teased the football world by upsetting Boston College on the road and taking the Longhorns to the limit last season. This season, the Jayhawks are back to their losing ways.
The anemic Jayhawks offense is averaging less than 300 yards per game and surrendering 421 yards. Offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon has struggled to get Kansas’ best offensive player, running back Pooka Williams, fully involved in the offense. The Jayhawks defense is as strong as a wet paper bag. The Jayhawks have not been competitive in any game this season. By the looks of the schedule, that will continue to be the case, even in The Big 12.
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