There are some amazing college football teams out there who produce an insane number of wins, NFL players, and hall of famers. But what about those teams at the bottom of the barrel? We decided to create a ranking of the 15 worst Division I FBS college football teams of all time (based on teams with the lowest win percentage). Here they are, ranked.
15. Northwestern Wildcats

- Overall percentage: .448
Coached by Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern finished 10-3 last season, ranking them 16th out of 130 teams. But overall, their percentage is one of the lowest in the league, giving them this No. 15 spot. The school holds eight conference championships but has a bowl record of just 4-10, or .231%. They’ve produced several All-Americans along with 15 college football hall of famers, but the wins just aren’t there.
Next: This school has a constant wave of losses.
14. Tulane Green Wave

- Overall percentage: .446
The Tulane Green Wave football team has four solo conference championships under its belt. But the team has changed conferences several times through the years. They’ve played 11 official bowl games and have a bowl game record of 4-7. The team is currently coached by Willie Fritz and went 5-7 last season — they finished 84th out 130 teams. But while they finished closer to the middle of the pack last season, they’re still one of the worst teams overall, putting them at No. 14 on this list.
Next: This Big 10 team can barely find 10 wins.
13. Iowa State Cyclones

- Overall percentage: .444
The Iowa State Cyclones, part of the Big 10 conference, has an overall record that’s definitely nothing to brag about. Iowa State hasn’t won a conference championship since 1912, when coach Clyde Williams won back-to-back conferences. The team won their only divisional championship in 2004. The cyclones have appeared in 13 bowl games and have produced three college football hall of famers, most recently Troy Davis, who is considered one of the greatest running backs of all time. But the team still can’t win many games.
Next: This team was once coached by John Heisman.
12. Rice Owls

- Overall percentage: .420
In 105 seasons, the Rice Owls have produced just eight conference championships and an overall percentage well below .500. They’ve alaso produced quite a few college football hall of famers, including coach John Heisman, whom the Heisman Trophy is named after. (Heisman also coached several other schools). But the team’s overall record is low. They finished 1-11 overall last season, with a 1-7 record in the conference. This ranked them 125th out of 130 teams last season — even lower than they are on this list.
Next: This school has few notable players and a less notable record.
11. Indiana Hoosiers

- Overall percentage: .415
Tom Allen coached the Indiana Hoosiers to a 5-7 record (2-7 in the conference) during the 2017 season. But overall, the team has been far below average. They’ve won two conference championships (one was shared) and have appeared in eight bowls, with an overall bowl record of 3-8. The school’s most notable player is likely Anthony Thompson, a former NFL running back whose number was retired by the Hoosiers.
Next: This team actually has produced several All-Americans and NFL players, but few wins.
10. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

- Overall percentage: .407
Wake Forest had a winning record in 2017, finishing 8-5 overall (4-4 in the conference) under head coach Dave Clawson. The team has taken two conference championships in its 111 seasons and has appeared in 12 bowls with an 8-4 record. Those stats don’t sound terrible, but the team has been hard pressed for wins through the years. They’ve produced several All-Americans and NFL players, but can’t seem to produce too many wins.
Next: This team is fairly new, but they’re not very good.
9. University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers

- Overall percentage: .401
We want to cut the UAB Blazers a break since they’re one of the newest teams on this list, having played just over 20 seasons in their current D-1 status. But they still have a pretty awful record, producing only 94 wins in 234 games. The team has appeared in two bowls and lost both. But they finished last season 8-5 (with a 6-2 conference record) under coach Bill Clark, so there’s a chance they’re on the up and up.
Next: This team went 0-12 during the 2017 season.
8. University of Texas at El Paso Miners

- Overall percentage: .381
The UTEP Miners had a rough 2017 season — really rough. The team went 0-12 (0-8 in the conference), and former coach Sean Kugler resigned after an 0-5 start. They finished dead last in the rankings last season — 130th. The team has won just two conference championships in its 81 seasons, and they’ve made 14 bowl appearances with a record of 5-9. The team hired Dana Dimel to start off the 2018 season and hopefully turn around a historically terrible team.
Next: This team only has one conference championship.
7. University of Nevada at Las Vegas Rebels

- Overall percentage: .379
The UNLV Rebels finished out their 2017 season with a 5-7 record (4-4 in the conference), which isn’t as terrible as some teams on this list but could definitely be better. The team has won one conference championship over its 41 seasons in the league. The Rebels have appeared in four bowl games and have a 3-1 record. They’ve sent several people on to the NFL, but the team has never quite gained the speed to become a notable football program.
Next: This team has never been ranked in an AP poll.
6. Buffalo Bulls

- Overall percentage: .362
The Buffalo Bulls don’t shine on the football field. The team has won just two conference championships and has made two bowl appearances, where they lost both times. They’ve also never been ranked in an AP poll. The team finished their 2017 season 6-6 (4-4 in the conference) under head coach Lance Leipold, and they’ve produced several NFL players over the years. However, it hasn’t been enough to get solid recruits to the program, and the team continues to be ranked as one of the all-time worst.
Next: Since this school changed its name, its football program has tanked.
5. Lousiana-Monroe Warhawks

- Overall percentage: .360
The Warhawks have nearly one win for every two losses overall. The team has won one conference championship (while known as the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks) and lost its only bowl appearance. The team finished 4-8 in 2017 under coach Matt Viator and had a conference record of 4-4. Under their former name, Northeast Louisiana University, the team won the Division I-AA National Championship in 1987, but they haven’t had a season like that since.
Next: This team has had a hard time during its 85 seasons.
4. New Mexico State Aggies

- Overall percentage: .356
The Aggies finished 7-6 overall (4-4 in the conference) in the 2017 season under head coach Dug Martin, but the team hasn’t been able to develop a program that can stand well on its own two feet. The program falls far below .500 overall, and they’ve only won four conference championships in 85 seasons. Plus, they’ve won three out of four bowl games (and tied the fourth). However, the Aggies have struggled season after season, putting them at No. 4 on this list.
Next: This is the youngest team on the list, but one of the worst.
3. Florida International Golden Panthers

- Overall percentage: .339
Florida International is one of the youngest teams on this list with only 15 seasons under its belt. But the team has struggled for just about all of them. They won a shared conference in 2010, and they’ve appeared in three bowls with a 1-2 record. The team actually had a decent season in 2017, finishing 8-5 overall and 5-3 in the conference. And while that isn’t good enough to turn the program around, it does shed some hope on the struggling Golden Panthers.
Next: This team has long been known as one of the worst in the league.
2. Kent State Golden Flashes

- Overall percentage: .327
The Kent State Golden Flashes have long been one of the worst football teams ever. They managed to win one conference championship but have lost both of their only two bowl appearances. Under head coach Paul Haynes, the team went 2-10 (1-7 in the conference) last season. However, despite having a subpar football record, nearly 40 alumni have gone on to play in the NFL.
Next: This is the overall worst team of all time.
1. Eastern Michigan Eagles

- Overall percentage: .308
In the 44 seasons that Eastern Michigan has been in Division I-A (or FBS) football, they’ve had a pretty rough time building a decent record. They’ve had one conference championship (in 1987, under coach Jim Harkema), and appeared in two bowls; their bowl record is 1-1. They went 5-7 under head coach Chris Creighton in the 2017 season. Creighton has an overall record of 15-34 in the five seasons he’s been head coach. But this team has the lowest winning percentage of any of the 130 FBS teams, making it No. 1 on this list.
FAQs
What college football team has the worst record of all time? ›
Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern has an all-time record of 489-632-44, which is one of the worst in the history of college football. In fact, they have the most losses in college football history, one ahead of Indiana, who may pass them in 2012. The Wildcats first started playing football in 1876.
- Miami (1986) (Photo: CBS Sports)
- USC (2005) (Photo: Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos, Getty) ...
- Florida State (2014) (Photo: USA TODAY Sports) ...
- Auburn (2010) (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty) ...
- Florida (1996) ...
- Notre Dame (1993) ...
- Oklahoma (2017) ...
- Ohio State (2002) ...
Princeton may have the most losses in this category, but on this date we saw them defeat Columbia to set a new NCAA record of 35 straight losses. And the Columbia fans celebrated!
What is the longest losing streak in college football history? ›The Northwestern Wildcats 34-game losing streak is the longest in Division I (FBS) football history. During the team's winless 1981 season, the Wildcats were outscored 505-82 – an average of 40 points per game.
Who has the worst fan base in college football? ›A recent ranking of the worst fan bases in college football went viral on social media. The Barstool Sports podcast, Unnecessary Roughness, ranked the 10 most "annoying" fan bases in all of college football heading into the 2022 season. Ohio State comes in at No. 1.
Who has the best college football record ever? ›In the U.S., the Tide is rolling through the country, as Alabama is the most popular college football team in the country – at least in terms of internet searches. Alabama was the most searched-for college football team over the last five years, according to Google trends data shared with USA TODAY.
What is the hateful eight in college football? ›With no additional movement coming at the top, the Big 12 suddenly has expansion leverage over Group of Five conferences. That means the eight remaining schools, nicknamed "The Hateful Eight", just might stay together after all.
Can the best college football team beat the worst NFL football team? ›Absolutely ridiculous. Not only would the NFL team win, but they would win by 30 to 40 points. They might win by 50 to 60 points. They would most likely have a shutout and would probably come close to 600 yards of total offense.
Which school has most Heisman winners? ›- USC Trojans: 6. ...
- Alabama Crimson Tide: 4. ...
- Auburn Tigers: 3. ...
- Army Black Knights: 3. ...
- Florida Gators: 3. ...
- Florida State Seminoles: 3. ...
- Michigan Wolverines: 3. ...
- Nebraska Cornhuskers: 3.
Who is the winningest football team of all-time? ›
Michigan is the winningest program in the history of college football.
Who has the most tackles for loss in college? ›Player | Loss | School |
---|---|---|
Sammy Brown* | 30 | Houston |
Aaron Donald* | 29 | Pitt |
Shawn Crable* | 29 | Michigan |
Wallace Gilberry* | 27 | Alabama |
The Browns broke the record of 19 straight home losses by the 1906 Boston Americans, whose home losing streak coincided with their overall losing streak of 20 games in a row. The 1913 Yankees and 1996 Tigers both lost 17 in a row at home, and the 1926 Red Sox have the fifth-worst streak at home with 16 straight losses.
How many games has U of A lost in a row? ›5, 2019. That gave the Wildcats a four-game win streak and a 4-1 record. Arizona has lost 12 consecutive games, the longest skid in program history.
How long was Columbia football losing streak? ›The Streak
Between 1983 and 1988, the team did not have a win in 47 games and lost 44 games in a row, which was the record for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision until Prairie View A&M broke the record en route to 80 consecutive losses from 1989 to 1998.
...
- Maryland. 72 of 125. ...
- Cincinnati. 73 of 125. ...
- Arizona State. 74 of 125. ...
- NC State. 75 of 125. ...
- Illinois. 76 of 125. ...
- Arizona. 77 of 125. ...
- Louisville. 78 of 125. ...
- Kentucky. 79 of 125.
Notre Dame's nine championships in the poll era are the second-most out of all teams. You can thank coach Frank Leahy for four of those, but Leahy also won two titles as a player for the Fighting Irish under another famous coach — Knute Rockne.
Who has the oldest college football program? ›Rutgers: 150 years (All college football fans know that Rutgers hosted in-state rival Princeton on November 6, 1869, making them “The Birthplace of College Football”.
Has there ever been 100 points scored in a college football game? ›On October 25, 1884, Yale defeated Dartmouth 113–0, becoming the first team to score 100 points in a game.
Who is the winningest coach in NCAA history? ›In overall career wins, the all-time leader is John Gagliardi with 489 wins, mostly at the NCAA Division III level. Gagliardi began his head coaching career at Carroll in Helena, Montana in 1949 and moved in 1953 to Saint John's in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he served until retiring after the 2012 season.
What college has the best fans? ›
The biggest fanbase in college football resides in Columbus, Ohio. Altimore estimates that Ohio State has 11.26 million fans in all. The Buckeyes are the only team with an eight-figure fanbase in his findings. Notre Dame ranks second with over 8 million fans.
What state watches the most football? ›- Tiger Stadium. Louisiana State University. Capacity: 92,542. ...
- Bryant–Denny Stadium. Alabama. Capacity: 101,821. ...
- Ohio Stadium. Ohio State University. ...
- Neyland Stadium. Tennessee. ...
- Michigan Stadium. Michigan. ...
- Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas. ...
- Beaver Stadium. Penn State. ...
- Rose Bowl. UCLA.
Its membership at its dissolution consisted of the University of Nebraska, Iowa State University, the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, the University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University.
What were the original Big 8 schools? ›Comprising four former SWC schools—Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech—and the entire former Big Eight—Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State—the Big 12 at its inception was a powerhouse.
Who were the original Big 12 teams? ›Big 12 Conference, originally Big 6 Conference, American collegiate athletic organization, composed of the Universities of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, as well as Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Baylor, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, and West Virginia universities.
Has a college team ever beat an NFL team? ›The last All-Star win came in 1963, when a college team coached by legendary quarterback Otto Graham beat Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, 20–17.
Did an NFL team ever play a college team? ›College teams were integrated well before the NFL re-integrated in 1946. In 42 games, the all-stars won nine and tied twice. Sammy Baugh guided the 1937 college team to its first win, 6-0 over the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay also lost in 1963, a game Vince Lombardi called his most embarrassing loss.
How many players are in college football? ›NCAA Participants | Approximate # Draft Eligible | # Draft Picks |
---|---|---|
73,712 | 16,380 | 254 |
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
The best quarterback in college football history is none other than Johnny Football, the electrifying Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M who just finished his second and final season in College Station.
Has anyone won 2 Heismans? ›
In the 86 years the Heisman has been given out, only one player has ever won the award more than once. Former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin won the award in both 1974 and 1975, becoming the first, and to date, only player to take home the Heisman twice.
What college has the most NFL players? ›– Notre Dame has produced more NFL players than any other college, with 495 athletes going on to play in the NFL. – Notre Dame, USC, and Ohio State are the schools with the most NFL players in history and the only colleges who have produced 400+ NFL players.
What QB has the best winning percentage? ›Tom Brady holds the record for the most regular season wins with 245. Otto Graham holds the record for the highest winning percentage with a minimum of 50 starts at . 814 (57–13–1).
Who has the most consecutive 10 win seasons in college football? ›The record for consecutive 10-win seasons is 14, set by Florida State (1987-2000). Alabama is the only other program with an active streak of at least 10 straight 10-win seasons.
Who has thrown the most interceptions in college football history? ›- 1) Martin Bayless, Bowling Green State.
- 2) Tony Thurman, Boston College.
- 3) Tracy Saul, Texas Tech.
- 4) Lamont Thompson, Washington State.
Brian Westbrook holds the NCAA all-division record for career all-purpose yards, while Christian McCaffrey holds the single-season record.
Is Notre Dame football overrated? ›Notre Dame was ranked ninth to start the 2019 season but finished 12th. Hardly an argument to make for Notre Dame being overrated in the manner in which Finebaum meant it, but from a technical standpoint they were overrated.
What is the most unpopular baseball team? ›- New York Yankees - 6766.
- Los Angeles Dodgers - 5618.
- Houston Astros - 4865.
- Philadelphia Phillies - 3891.
- Chicago Cubs - 3059.
- Boston Red Sox - 2764.
- San Francisco Giants - 2486.
An extremely competitive or socially awkward person should not attend this school as it is a very social school that involves everyone. One who does not care about their school work. People who should not attend this school are people who hate snow/cold.
Why did Notre Dame drop in rankings? ›
Notre Dame began the season ranked fifth in the preseason poll but fell to eighth after a season-opening loss to Ohio State. Notre Dame was the eighth also receiving votes team, which puts them essentially in the No. 33 spot in the latest coaches rankings.
Why is Notre Dame football so famous? ›With eleven football championships acknowledged by the NCAA, over 900 all-time wins, seven Heisman Trophy winners, famous head coaches, a 73% winning percentage and the most consensus All-Americans of any school, Notre Dame football is one of the most storied programs both on the gridiron and college athletics in ...
What is the most loved baseball team? ›#1 New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a part of the American League East division in the MLB. The Yankees were initially known as the Baltimore Orioles.
Rank | Fanpage | Total Likes (today) |
---|---|---|
1 Tweet | New York Yankees | 8,521,118 ( 742) |
2 Tweet | Boston Red Sox | 5,251,235 ( 554) |
3 Tweet | Chicago Cubs | 3,434,349 ( 8) |
4 Tweet | Los Angeles Dodgers | 3,409,460 ( 171) |
Major League Baseball (MLB) is one of the biggest sporting leagues in the United States and its most valuable team, the New York Yankees, are also the most-followed MLB team on Facebook with more than 8.52 million followers as of August 2022.