Which college football programs have the longest bowl droughts?

We're entering a critical part of the college football season now, folks. There's just a month remaining in the regular season which means most teams have either reached the six-win eligibility threshold to go to a bowl game or they have 3-4 more opportunities to do so.

There are 44 FBS teams bowl-eligible after Week 10 and many more are on the verge with five wins. Some of those programs will be looking to end long-standing absences from bowl games.

What are the longest active bowl droughts in the FBS?

According to research, there are 12 FBS teams with what is considered a bowl drought. That's roughly defined as having not appeared in a bowl game for at least five years. Below you'll find those programs listed from longest to shortest drought.

As of this writing, there are three teams on this list that are guaranteed to break their bowl droughts this season. Navy (6-2), Colorado State (6-3) and, most notably, Vanderbilt (6-3) will all be receiving invitations to play in their first bowl games in at least five seasons.

Additionally, Louisiana-Monroe (5-3) and Nebraska (5-4) are just one win away from breaking their droughts as well. The Warhawks have four games remaining while the Cornhuskers have three to try and earn one more victory.

Fun fact: Nebraska's eight-year bowl absence is the longest among all Power Four conference teams, according to The Athletic. It would be a shame to see them extend it after starting the 2024 season 5-1.

But by the end of this season, this list could be cut nearly in half. That's clearly a testament to the parity of college football and how much postseason turnover there really is.

Granted, most bowl games have become watered down in corporate sponsorships and lack the quality of play the College Football Playoff brings as well as some other high-profile bowls reserved for the power conferences.