The debates about whether Southeastern Conference rivals Alabama and Georgia deserve to be ranked No. 1 or perhaps Ohio State should be topping the national polls could go on for quite some time. However, there is a universe far away from the national championship-contending programs.
There are six winless Football Bowl Subdivision teams and a few others who would be searching for win No. 1 if not for a game against a Football Championship Subdivision program.
BetUS is taking a look at the Dirty Dozen, the 12 teams at the bottom of the FBS food chain. There will even be a matchup this week matching two of those squads when Hawaii faces New Mexico State. The college betting lines list host New Mexico State as a five-point favorite.
12. Temple Owls
The good news is that Temple does have a win. However, it came against an FCS team in Lafayette. The season began with a 30-0 loss at Duke, a team predicted to finish near the bottom of the ACC.
The Owls did give Rutgers a good game the last time out before falling 16-14 despite not allowing an offensive touchdown.
Some of the interest to those who bet online: Temple has covered each of its last two games.
11. Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo was a quarter away from its first win as the Bulls led host Coastal Carolina 19-17 at the end of three quarters on Saturday. That lead lasted all of 45 seconds before Coastal Carolina returned a fumble 21 yards for a touchdown.
Dating back to the 2021 season, Buffalo has lost its last seven games. As far as this season, the Bulldogs are 1-1-1 against the college football odds.
10. Georgia State Panthers
Georgia State could be much better than its current 0-3 record. After a tough opening game against South Carolina, the Panthers threw a scare into North Carolina before falling 35-28 and they then lost a heartbreaker to Charlotte 42-41.
Receiver Jamari Thrash already has 19 catches and 336 receiving yards.
9. Navy Midshipmen
The Midshipmen have scored just 20 points in losses to Memphis and Delaware. It could get worse before it gets better with the next four games coming against teams with 2-1 records.
It is a little unusual seeing the Navy all the way down at No. 44 in the national rushing offense statistics.
8. Hawaii Rainbows
Hawaii did beat FCS Duquesne 24-14 but has been outscored against FBS foes 168-37 in the early stages of former Hawaii great Timmy Chang’s first season at the helm of his alma mater.
The record-setting Chang has some work to do in getting the Hawaii passing game going. The Rainbows are one of three FBS teams yet to throw a touchdown pass while Hawaii has thrown six interceptions.
7. UMass Minutemen
UMass grabs the spot ahead or behind UConn, depending on whether you fall into the glass being half-empty or half-full category based on a 14-point win over the Huskies in 2021.
Don Brown returns for a second stint in Amherst and he has a lot of work to do after UMass was outscored 97-20 against Tulane and Toledo.
6. UConn Huskies
After a promising showing against reigning Mountain West champion Utah State and a win over FCS foe Central Connecticut State, the Huskies have lost to Syracuse and Michigan by a combined score of 107-14. Next up is a trip to 12th-ranked North Carolina State.
The good news is that with running back Nathan Carter and linebacker Jackson Mitchell, who is the leading tackler in the country, there is some talent for Jim Mora Jr. to work with, but just not enough to compete against the schedule the Huskies put together.
UConn is one of several teams at +50000 in the odds to win the national title according to the college football predictions.
5. New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State might want to stop scheduling games against Big Ten teams regardless of the money they receive for doing just that.
The Aggies have been outscored 104-7 in losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin. They have failed to cover in six of their last eight contests.
4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
In two games against FBS competition, Georgia Tech has been outscored 83-10. The competition level has been top-notch with losses to nationally ranked Clemson and Ole Miss. Still, being outgained 925-451yards in those two games is pretty sad.
This is another team that needed to face a team from a lower division (Western Carolina) to find their way into the win column.
3. Colorado State Rams
Colorado State has been outscored 123-33 this season. The defense hasn’t been great, but there are 50 teams who allowed more yards per contest against FBS foes than the Rams. The offense is averaging a paltry 238 yards per game.
It hasn’t helped that the Rams have 109 yards on 104 rushing attempts. They are ranked last among FBS teams in rushing yards per game and yards per carry.
2. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Things went off the rails right away with a three-point loss to Northwestern, which was expected to be among the worst teams in the Big Ten. When the team headed overseas to Dublin, those were not the memories the Huskers were looking to bring back home.
After rolling past FCS power North Dakota, the Scott Frost era at Nebraska ended with a 45-42 loss at home to Georgia Southern.
The coaching change did little to alter Nebraska’s fortunes as Oklahoma outscored Nebraska 35-0 in the second and third quarters en route to a 49-14 win.
Against FBS competition, only Akron is allowing more yards per game than the 583.3 being given up by the Huskers. Nebraska has made a move at defensive coordinator, moving special teams coordinator Bill Busch into that role.
Special Teams Coordinator Bill Busch has been promoted to the position of Defensive Coordinator.@Coach_BuschGBR /// #GBR pic.twitter.com/NXFFDovvD4
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) September 18, 2022
Anthony Grant is ninth nationally with an average of 116 rushing yards per game.
1. Colorado Buffaloes
The Buffaloes have scored the fewest points while giving up the most points in the Pac-12 and that is not a great combination.
Colorado would probably beat some of the teams on this list. However, the only team from a Power-5 conference yet to win a game deserves to be slotted in as team No. 131 among 131 FBS teams.
Colorado has undefeated UCLA coming to Boulder on Saturday so getting that elusive first win in 2022 will not be easy.
