Who had the most bad losses over the last five years? Which college football teams came up with the most clunkers in each conference?
Contact @PeteFiutak
They’re the season-cripplers.
The bad losses can ruin a campaign, crush momentum, and kill a team hoping to come up with a win against someone it’s probably supposed to beat.
So what’s a Bad Loss?
In the CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, a Bad Loss is counted as a loss to an FCS team or to a team that finishes with three wins or fewer. An extra 0.5 penalty is added on to a Bad Loss at home – those really hurt.
You do NOT want to be ranked high on this.
Again, these are losses to FCS teams or teams that finished with three wins or fewer. It’s a BAD thing to be high on the list – the lower the score, the better.
By conference, which teams came up with the most clunkers over the last five years?
American Athletic East
1 UConn
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T7
T2 East Carolina
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
T2 Temple
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
4 UCF
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T31
T5 Cincinnati
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T51
T5 USF
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
American Athletic West
1 Tulsa
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
2 SMU
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T31
3 Tulane
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
T4 Houston
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
T4 Memphis
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
6 Navy
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
ACC Atlantic
1 Boston College
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
2 NC State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T3 Florida State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T3 Syracuse
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Clemson
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Louisville
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Wake Forest
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
ACC Coastal
T1 Pitt
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
T1 Virginia
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
3 North Carolina
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T51
T4 Duke
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
T4 Georgia Tech
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T4 Miami
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
7 Virginia Tech
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
Big Ten East
1 Rutgers
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 6.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T22
2 Michigan State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T3 Indiana
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Maryland
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Michigan
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Ohio State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Penn State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Big Ten West
1 Illinois
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
T2 Iowa
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
T2 Northwestern
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
4 Nebraska
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T5 Minnesota
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Purdue
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Wisconsin
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
NEXT: Big 12, Conference USA, Independents Bad Losses
Big 12
1 Kansas
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 7
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T7
2 Texas
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T51
T3 Baylor
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
T3 Iowa State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T27
T5 TCU
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T5 Texas Tech
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T7 Kansas State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T7 Oklahoma
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T7 Oklahoma State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T7 West Virginia
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Conference USA East
1 Charlotte
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 6
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T12
T2 Old Dominion
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T12
T2 Western Kentucky
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T24
4 FIU
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T24
5 Middle Tennessee
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
6 Florida Atlantic
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
7 Marshall
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Conference USA West
1 UTEP
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 12.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T1
2 Rice
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
3 North Texas
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T27
4 UAB
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T51
5 Louisiana Tech
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
6 UTSA
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T51
7 Southern Miss
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Independents
1 UMass
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 11.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T1
2 Army
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T3
3 New Mexico State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
4 Liberty
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
5 Notre Dame
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
6 BYU
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
NEXT: MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 Bad Losses
MAC East
1 Miami Univ.
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T10
T2 Akron
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T31
T2 Buffalo
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
T4 Bowling Green
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
T4 Kent State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
6 Ohio
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
MAC West
1 Central Michigan
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T5
2 Eastern Michigan
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T12
3 Northern Illinois
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
4 Ball State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T27
5 Toledo
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
6 Western Michigan
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
Mountain West Mountain
1 Wyoming
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
2 Colorado State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
T3 Air Force
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T3 New Mexico
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T5 Boise State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Utah State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Mountain West West
1 UNLV
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 8
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T5
2 San Jose State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 7
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T7
3 Nevada
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T22
4 Hawaii
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T15
T5 Fresno State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 San Diego State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Pac-12 North
1 Washington State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
2 California
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
T3 Oregon
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Oregon State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Stanford
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T3 Washington
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Pac-12 South
1 Colorado
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
T2 Arizona
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T2 Arizona State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T2 USC
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T5 UCLA
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T5 Utah
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
NEXT: SEC, Sun Belt Bad Losses
SEC East
1 South Carolina
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
T2 Missouri
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T2 Vanderbilt
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T4 Florida
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T4 Georgia
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T4 Kentucky
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T4 Tennessee
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
SEC West
1 Arkansas
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 1
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
T2 Alabama
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T2 Auburn
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T2 LSU
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T2 Mississippi State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T2 Ole Miss
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
T2 Texas A&M
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T91
Sun Belt East
1 Georgia State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 7
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T3
2 Coastal Carolina
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T27
3 Georgia Southern
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T31
T4 Appalachian State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
T4 Troy
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 0
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T56
Sun Belt West
1 Texas State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 6.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T10
2 Louisiana
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 4.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T24
3 Arkansas State
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3.5
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T44
4 ULM
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 3
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T35
5 South Alabama
5-Year Conference Bad Loss Score: 2
2019 National Ranking (2018 season): T68
