Analyst Lists 5 Biggest Preseason Top-10 College Football Flops of the 21st Century
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 11
Analyst Lists 5 Biggest Preseason Top-10 College Football Flops of the 21st Century
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 11
Summary
Five teams made the list of the century’s biggest preseason top-10 letdowns, with the piece framed by renewed debate over 2026 rankings and Joel Klatt’s latest stock-watch views on contenders such as USC and Alabama.
Penn State’s 2025 collapse stands out as the freshest example: a team billed as a title threat lost six straight after a 3-0 start, and James Franklin was fired during the season.
Florida State’s 2024 nosedive was even harsher by record, falling from a top-10 preseason ranking to 2-10 after a 13-win 2023 season, with Mike Norvell’s portal-driven roster taking the blame.
Texas A&M’s 2022 team opened No. 6 after a historic recruiting haul but missed a bowl game, while 2012 USC fell from preseason No. 1 to unranked after losing five of its last six.
Oregon State’s 2001 drop to 5-6 rounds out the list, underscoring the article’s broader point that preseason hype often masks roster flaws and can quickly turn into a season-defining burden.