25 worst college football teams in 2019

You'll be seeing several teams from the MAC on this list, and the Zips start us off. Tom Arth takes over in Akron in a rebuilding situation. Only three defensive starters return, and there is a lack of depth overall. Arth's first job will be to get consistency out of quarterback Kato Nelson as well as the rushing attack. The Zips were the second-worst team in the country at converting third downs last year, so there's a lot of work to be done in Akron and it won't be pretty this season. 

Injuries have been a problem in Muncie for the last two seasons. Let's put a positive spin on those six total wins by saying that the Cardinals should be deep with experience since so many guys have had to fill in. Of course they'll have to replace quarterback Riley Neal and back James Gilbert who both transferred — though at least replacement Drew Plitt got some run when Neal was out. If Ball State can finally dodge the injury bug then the team could surprise. I just have to see it before I believe it, though. Most likely this will be the year head coach Mike Neu can finally try to develop his team and set up for success down the road.

The Mike Jenks era is thankfully over. After going 9-27 over the last three years, Jenks was fired, and Scot Loeffler was brought on to turn Bowling Green around. Loeffler's claim to fame was coaching Tom Brady and Tim Tebow, though he's not been able to elevate the offenses he has worked on since. He will be tasked with switching the Falcons offense to a more run-heavy scheme. They are more big than skilled on offense, and the defense is putrid. This is a complete rebuild, so success will be a relative term here. 

After four straight bowl appearances, the Chippewas crashed to a 1-11 mark last year. Former Florida head coach Jim McElwain's first job will be to create some form of offense from a squad that could muster only 15 ppg. There are a lot of interesting...and different...options at quarterback, so there might be a learning curve as CMU tries to figure out the direction of its offense. The defense will be overhauled but should still be a solid group. McElwain will use this season to figure out what he has, implement his system and install a winning culture, even if the team doesn't do much winning this year. 

The 49ers have been around for only six years and haven't fared well at all during their four years as an FBS program, going 12-36 since joining Conference USA. Brad Lambert, the only coach the Niners have ever known, was let go after last season and replaced with Will Healy, who turned around Austin Peay. Benny LeMay is a fine running back and Alex Highsmith leads an impressive front seven, but there are holes in the offensive line and questions about their quarterback. They will need to win close, low-scoring games. 

The Chanticleers are entering their third season of FBS play and their first under head coach Jamey Chadwell. (Well, Chadwell was the interim head coach in 2017 when Joe Moglia went on a medical leave.) Chadwell will take over an offense that is losing its quarterback, running back and top receiver. His offenses tend to favor the run, so look for the Chants to lean on their backs while they figure out the QB situation. That, and the fact that the defense is so bad means ball control will be key to pulling out wins. This is almost a complete rebuild situation since Coastal Carolina saw several players transfer out of the program with the coaching change. 

After three straight 7-6 seasons and four straight trips to a bowl, the Rams cratered last year win a 3-9 mark. What happened? Well, they struggled with a youth movement and couldn't put it together for a successful season. This year quarterback Collin Hill returns, but his top two receivers (Preston Williams, Bisi Johnson) are gone as well as much of his offensive line. The running game was appalling, and there really isn't any reason to believe it will get better in 2019. Like most teams on this list, the defense let them down and there isn't a cavalry coming to save the day. Colorado State could fly in either direction: be a trendy sleeper pick or more likely stuck in this quicksand for another year. I think it is the latter.

Mike Houston comes in to try to patch up an offense that really struggled to put points on the board. The team needs to identify its quarterback (Holton Ahlers should get the first crack at it) and find someone who can carry the rushing load. (Ahlers was the Pirates' leading rusher last year.) The defense has some promise, but the secondary is replacing three starters. The unit struggled to create turnovers and to stop offenses on third downs last season. ECU has a favorable schedule, so it could see a better looking season than most on this list. It is clearly a clean slate for Houston to turn this program around to the difference maker it used to be. 

Georgia State has had a tough time since making the jump to FBS play. The program has gone 19-54 since joining the Sun Belt and has had just one winning season (2017). Last year's defense stunk, finishing last in the conference, and much of that unit will be back this season. It recorded just 13 sacks last year and forced only 10 turnovers — both marks that need to get drastically better if the Panthers plan on rebounding from a 2-10 season.

Les Miles takes over in Lawrence where both he and the program hope to resurrect their reputations. Kansas has been in a decade-long funk where it has gone 18-90 over the last nine years and 6-42 in the four years under David Beaty. Les Miles has won a championship but was unceremoniously ousted at LSU in 2016. The offense will be built around back Pooka Williams, but there isn't much else there. The defense is bad and that's lethal in the high-octane Big 12. Miles will make his mark, but this won't be a quick turnaround. 

Kent State will need to hope for a major improvement in quarterback Woody Barrett's game. He is a sleek runner, but his passing ability can be...well...frustrating. His accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, and the offensive line doesn't help matters; it was one of the worst in the nation at allowing tackles for loss. The defense was the MAC's worst last year and while most of the guys are back in 2019, that doesn't really give confidence that it will get much better. 

Liberty actually showed well in its first FBS season, going 6-6. Of course, five of those victories came against FCS programs or schools that also appear on this list. That same kind of schedule applies here, as Liberty has winnable games against Hampton, New Mexico, Maine, UMass and two games against New Mexico State. The defense isn't good and while the Flames return a lot of experience, they don't return a lot of depth. It goes without saying that embattled former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze will be a major story for Liberty. He should get this program on the right track even if it underwhelms this year. 

Bob Davie's Lobos have gone 3-9 in each of the two seasons following back-to-back bowl trips. The defense is a disaster, allowing 473 yards per game last season and having to replace nearly all its top performers (there's a brand new secondary, for example). On offense a lot is placed on sophomore quarterback Tevaka Tuioti, who looked good when he could stay on the field. He took a lot of hits last year, and his availability could be a weekly question. If he continues to miss time, then New Mexico's season could collapse quickly. 

Yeah, it's a tough time for college football in the state of New Mexico. The buzz around the program's first bowl game in 57 years died down a bit with a 3-9 campaign last year. Negating that 2017 season, the Aggies have gone 26-96 since 2008. Eight starters return on an offense that wasn't great but showed signs of life under quarterback Josh Adkins. The Aggies will need the thunder and lightning duo of Christian Gibson and Jason Huntley to move the chains. The defense needs retooled after it was bulldozed on the ground a year ago. There's a lot of improvement that needs to happen if New Mexico State is going back to a bowl this year. 

Old Dominion gained a lot of publicity last season when it upset Virginia Tech. That was part of a 4-8 season, though, and this Monarchs team doesn't have many returning starters. The old adage is that winning football starts up front, and ODU has two of the worst lines in Conference USA. In fact, other than the secondary, there really isn't much to get excited about. Longtime head coach Bobby Wilder could see his tenure winding down, and you better believe Virginia Tech will be ready for Old Dominion when the Monarchs travel to Blacksburg. 

The Owls have gone 6-31 over the last three seasons and have won only three games in the last two years. There is some promise at the skill positions with receivers Austin Trammell, Bradley Rozner and Aaron Cephus (although Cephus has been suspended ) and running back Juma Otoviano. The offensive line was hit with transfers, and the quarterback position is in a state of flux. The defense has some nice pieces (linebacker Blaze Alldredge has a great name and some great game) but gave up a Conference USA-worst 36 points per game last year. The Owls have a challenging schedule this year with the most winnable games (UTEP, UTSA) on the road.  

The Scarlet Knights just aren't that good — especially not "Big Ten good." The offense has been horrible, and quarterback Artur Sitkowski needs to be more efficient (last in the nation in pass efficiency) and cut down on his mistakes (an FBS-leading 18 interceptions). Rutgers would love to be able to rely on the run game with Raheem Blackshear and Isaih Pacheco, but that's hard to do when your defense can't stop anyone. Chris Ash has gone 7-29 in his three seasons at Rutgers and has lost 24 of 27 conference games with some epic beatdowns peppered in along the way. The pressure is on to show some sort of progress.

Mike MacIntyre took over a downtrodden program and turned it into an 11-win bowl team in 2012. Since he left for Colorado, the Spartans have reverted back to the sad state they were in before he arrived. Brett Brennan has resided over a 3-22 program over the last two seasons and is under pressure to show any sign of this thing getting turned around. One positive has been that San Jose State isn't losing by 30 points per game anymore. Yay!  Josh Love looked good when he was healthy, but he has virtually no run game (the worst per-carry average in the FBS last year) to help him out. The defense was the Mountain West's worst, so expect the tough times to continue. The schedule includes some winnable games against New Mexico and UNLV but the team also gets Arkansas, Army, Boise State and Fresno State. Should be another long year.

South Alabama's offense returns just six starters from a squad that averaged just 355 yards per game last season. The season is pinned on new quarterback Cephus Johnson, as the power spread offense needs the QB to pace it and make quick reads. The defense also needs to replace more than half the starters from a unit that gave up 39 points per game. The Jaguars were undisciplined (led the nation in penalty yards) and gave up huge pass plays. There's a lot of work to do. 

The Roadrunners offense is dreadful. Last season, UTSA averaged 14.2 points per game, and the hope is QB Frank Harris' return from injury will make some sort of improvement behind an experienced, albeit struggling, offensive line. There is some promise along the defensive line, but this team will need to be the 1985 Chicago Bears if it wants to win a game or two. One thing going for UTSA is that its schedule is littered with other teams on this list. Then again, those teams are also looking at the Roadrunners as a possible, rare win.

The Everett Withers era is mercifully over. After going 7-29 in his three years, Withers has been replaced with Jake Spavital, a quarterback guru of sorts who should provide a jolt into a sluggish offense that was one of the worst in the nation. The first thing to do is to figure out who Spavital's quarterback will be and then find ways to help him succeed. The defense isn't that bad (better than most on this list) and brings back most of its top tacklers, including both starting safeties and both starting cornerbacks. While this isn't the most talented team you'll find, there is a nice foundation for a new head coach to build upon. 

UConn will be playing its final season in the AAC before its football team will go off to be an independent. On the field, the Huskies do have some spark with running back Kevin Mensah but will need to replace their receiving corps after their top four guys have moved on. UConn's main issue, though, is its absolutely ugly defense, which set the single-season FBS record for most points and most yards allowed by giving up more than 50 points and 617 yards per game. It will take more than a final year in the American to turn that around.

Walt Bell is coming into a Minutemen program that went 4-8 last year and lost elite receiver Andy Isabella to the NFL. The cupboard is a bit bare, but this will be viewed as a season where Bell and his coaching staff will install their culture and lean on his recruits to try to build for the future. Bell is a charismatic guy, so he should be able to take on the lumps of a poor defense that lost five of its best performers and an offense that loses its leading passer, rusher and receiver. This will be a young team that will go through some major growing pains this season as Bell attempts to mold the program into what he wants. This should be an ugly year.

One of the most interesting coaching stories is UNLV's Tony Sanchez. A high school coaching legend in Las Vegas, Sanchez has had difficulty trying to convert that success to the Rebels. It could happen this year, as quarterback Armani Rogers and lead back Charles Williams return to work behind a big offensive line. Rogers looked capable last season before a toe injury sidelined him, causing the offense to sink. The defense also has a great linebacking unit but will need to shore up a depleted secondary that wasn't very good to begin with. Sanchez has been showing a slow build that got derailed by injuries last year, so this could be one of the more pleasant surprises in the Mountain West — or it could be another step in that slow build that sees UNLV toil yet again at the bottom of the league. 

UTEP has been a disaster over the last two seasons, posting a 1-11 season the year after going 0-12. The Miners haven't had a winning season since 2014, and they've lost at least eight games in five of the last seven years. Dana Dimel finally got the Miners a win last year, but the offense is abysmal (17.7 ppg in 2018) and is breaking in a new quarterback after Kai Locksley ran into some off-field problems. The defense wasn't good either and returns just five starters. The Miners may win only their season opener against Houston Baptist this year, and that's iffy.