The “So Close, yet So Far” Teams: Basically the SEC itself and BIG12 Teams that didn’t make the playoffs
So this explanation is quite obvious. Most of the SEC and BIG 12 teams that played this year either were in one of two categories: Make the playoffs, or die before Week 7. Teams like Mississippi State, Utah, Oklahoma State, Kentucky…basically all the bottomfeeders were just left to rot out. As for everyone else, teams like BYU and Colorado, as well as LSU and Alabama, All the other teams had amazing shots to make the playoffs either through prestige or just winning the conference. The result? Arizona State is the one to represent the BIG 12, and the trio of Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee hailing from the SEC. Stemming from results like Alabama getting merked by Oklahoma, Kansas directly eliminating, or hurting chances of other BIG 12 teams to make it to the playoffs, and practically around the other seven BIG 12 teams actually still have contention to be in the championship by Rivalry Week! Then the playoffs came around…and there were little to no results for both conferences. Tennessee and Georgia got bounced the moment the kickoff happened, and Arizona State choked against Texas in the Peach Bowl, just for the Longhorns to be dismantled by Ohio State. All these teams had chances to get to the playoffs and to go so far, yet in the end, it came crashing to a halt.
The “One Time Wonder” Teams: Boston College, Michigan, Oklahoma,
These teams all had that one marquee victory on prime-time television…and then faded to obscurity right afterward. Boston College getting a huge upset against #10 0-1 Florida State in Week One on Monday Night Football. Then there was Michigan falling off from the heights of their championship run just to prove they own the state of Ohio once again. Then Oklahoma, having a terrible start in the SEC, only beating Mississippi State as their only win against a conference opponent…just to beat former #11 Alabama. Then they were forgotten about right afterward. Simply put, unless you happen to be a fan of any of those teams(Bless your heart if you are), you didn’t pay any attention to them until those sweet upsets.
The “Sisyphus” Teams: Penn State, South Carolina, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin
The story of Sisyphus has Sisyphus punished by rolling a boulder up a never-ending hill, for all of eternity. Basically doomed to this endless cycle forever. That’s the case with these teams, forced to repeat the same cycle over, and over, and over again. Penn State choking in huge games, and South Carolina looking to be a playoff contender just to shut things off at the end. Then the weird four-way rivalry between the four teams who are quite literally stuck in being mid for a long time. Sure some teams like Iowa could make a run, but let’s be honest: Do you actually expect them too? Same for Minnesota and Wisconsin, two teams that are stuck in a never-ending cycle of mediocrity, and Nebraska with them always losing in a one-score affair. At least some of them came up with bowl wins.
The “Coaching Carousel” Teams: North Carolina, UCF, West Virginia and Purdue
These teams have banked on getting new coaches for their programs, some a bit more interesting than others. UCF welcomed the return of Scott Frost and his escape from Nebraska. Barry Odom hailing from UNLV, trying to resurrect another dead program in Purdue. Being able to return home once again, as Rich Rodriguez finally comes back to his home after taking a vacation in Jax State. And the biggest one of them all…Bill Belichick. The Dark Emperor of the NFL decides to pick up a new hobby in coaching the Tar Heels of North Carolina. Either these coaches will unlock the full potential of these broken teams and lead them to success…or crash and fail miserably.
