As we move closer to the conclusion of another college football season, it’s time to acknowledge a team that doesn’t receive much attention beyond the Mountain Time Zone. Despite other prominent disappointments this year—from Florida State to Southern California—it’s essential not to overlook the remarkable decline of Utah this season.

Over the past decade, Utah has been one of the most reliable programs in the western United States. From 2014 to 2023, they were ranked in the Top 25 six times, enjoyed no losing seasons, and made consecutive Rose Bowl appearances in 2021 and 2022.

The Utes were expected to maintain this success with their transition to the Big 12, where they were the favorites to clinch the conference title. An impressive 4-0 start this season propelled them into the top-10 rankings.

However, things quickly took a turn for the worse. Following a disappointing string of losses, including a 49-24 defeat to Colorado on Saturday, Utah has now lost six games in a row, jeopardizing their bowl game eligibility—something that has occurred only three times in Kyle Whittingham’s 19-season tenure as head coach.

Saturday’s outcome was shocking; it marked only the third loss to Colorado since the annual rivalry was revived in 2011, highlighting a troubling talent gap. Utah ended the game with a mere 272 offensive yards and committed four turnovers, quashing any chances of an upset.

This disappointing performance came right after a pivotal game for Utah, where they squandered a 21-10 halftime lead against rival Brigham Young, ultimately losing 22-21. A controversial defensive holding call late in the game allowed BYU to convert a crucial play, leading to a game-winning 44-yard field goal.

In an unexpected move, Mark Harlan, Utah’s athletic director, expressed his frustration in a press conference, claiming the game was “stolen from us,” and added, “We were excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight I am not.”

While we don’t usually dictate how others should allocate their funds, the $40,000 fine imposed on Harlan might be viewed as a poor investment. The holding call was likely justified, and it’s quite a hefty sum for a team currently struggling at 1-6 in the Big 12 and irrelevant in the broader context of the College Football Playoff. Even if one argues the officiating affected the outcome, it doesn’t alter the fact that this season has been a disaster, especially with offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig resigning in October.

One major reason cited for Utah’s struggles, particularly on offense, has been the absence of quarterback Cameron Rising, who has been sidelined since Week 2 due to a hand injury and has only played one game since.

However, here’s the issue: Rising has been in college since 2018, and a mix of injuries along with an extra COVID year has extended his eligibility well beyond the norm. At 25 years old, relying on a player who should have graduated long ago is not a sign of a well-constructed program.

While Rising could have masked some team issues had he remained fit, even he would not be able to shoulder such a significant burden. Privately, Utah has struggled mightily as a football team, and their entire athletic department appears to have mishandled the situation overall.

This explains why the Utes are currently at the top of the Misery Index, which tracks fan bases feeling the most discontent.

Four More Teams in Misery

LSU: The rationale behind Brian Kelly’s move from Notre Dame to LSU three years ago was based on his belief that Notre Dame was unlikely to capture a national championship in today’s college football landscape. “I loved my time at Notre Dame,” Kelly remarked in 2022, “but we were on different paths, and that’s okay.” Essentially, he felt that after reaching the College Football Playoff but facing significant defeats, he had reached his limit with Notre Dame and wanted to seek opportunities at a place without some of the rigorous academic standards that Notre Dame upholds, especially in this era of heightened professionalism in college sports. Plus, LSU is a prestigious job where the last three coaches won national titles, including Ed Orgeron.

It’s hard to fail at LSU. Yet here we find ourselves.

In his third year, Kelly’s record stands at 6-4 after a 27-16 loss to Florida. This year has been undeniably disappointing. Meanwhile, Notre Dame seems poised to make a playoff appearance under coach Marcus Freeman, raising questions about whether Kelly’s departure was truly warranted.

It appears that LSU and head coach Brian Kelly are tied together long after the excitement of their initial partnership, and the team’s recent downturn over the last three games, displaying little resilience, indicates that the issues run deeper than just game strategies. The pressing question is whether Kelly still has the support of his players, an issue that will determine if LSU can return to being competitive or if they will be burdened by the costly decision of hiring a coach whose effectiveness diminishes by the week.

Kansas State: This season, there has been a growing belief among college football fans that Kansas State was truly the top team in the Big 12. This narrative persisted despite evidence to the contrary, including a significant 29-point defeat to BYU and a poor performance last week against a Houston squad that now stands at 4-6. Nevertheless, supporters of Kansas State insisted that the Wildcats would somehow secure a spot in the Big 12 championship game and ultimately qualify for the College Football Playoff (CFP), as they were meant to. Unfortunately, that won’t happen.

It’s puzzling how this unrealistic narrative took such a strong hold among knowledgeable individuals, but thankfully, there’s no longer a need to pretend that Kansas State is anything more than another unthreatening team in the Big 12. A reality check arrived in the form of a 24-14 defeat on their home turf to Arizona State, effectively shutting down their chances of reaching the Big 12 title game. In isolation, Kansas State could feel optimistic about finishing with a 9-3 record. However, in the new landscape of a 12-team playoff, disappointment will linger due to the team’s failure to capitalize on what was perceived to be a promising opportunity.

Nebraska: This week marked the initial appearance of new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen on the sidelines for Nebraska. The former head coach at West Virginia and Houston, he now bears a striking resemblance to the late, beloved Jimmy Buffett. However, Nebraska football is far from a carefree paradise right now. Holgorsen was expected to bring a much-needed shift in attitude, yet the team fell to Southern California 28-20, marking their fourth loss in a row and jeopardizing their chances for a bowl game. If the Huskers cannot triumph over either Wisconsin or Iowa, they will face an astounding eighth consecutive year without postseason play after starting the season with a solid 5-1 record. Tensions are rising around head coach Matt Rhule, and the urgency to make a change in the coaching staff speaks volumes. As the season progresses, the familiar pattern unfolds for Nebraska, where Rhule finds himself with a 2-9 record in closely contested games, echoing Scott Frost’s previous 5-22 mark which ignited the ire of fans. The margins between victory and defeat remain razor-thin, but each loss impacts the team’s standing the same way. In Nebraska, it’s akin to trying to reason with the unpredictable nature of hurricane season.

Charlotte: Recently, several schools, including Charlotte, have adopted a strategy of making unconventional coaching hires, hoping to strike gold. Biff Poggi fits this trend perfectly. His life story is complex, having pursued dual careers as a football coach and a hedge fund manager. Despite attaining significant wealth, he continued coaching high school football for nearly thirty years, before teaming up with Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and eventually landing the head coach position at Charlotte at 63, despite having limited college coaching experience.

Poggi’s outspoken persona on social media is divisive, but that might be excusable if he were achieving success. Unfortunately, he is not. With a record of 6-16 as a head coach, after a tough 59-24 defeat against South Florida, he was asked how he would rate his season.

“Terrible,” he admitted. “It begins and ends with me, and how the organization looks is because of my choices. So, all the blame falls squarely on my shoulders, and games like this don’t end well when you’re 3-6. I know the situation well and I’d say my performance has been lacking.”

We value Poggi’s candidness here at the Misery Index and believe he articulated the team’s struggles perfectly.

Miserable but not in the worst way

Missouri: Just last week, an ecstatic coach Eli Drinkwitz celebrated a thrilling win over Oklahoma, asserting that it kept the Tigers in the race for a playoff spot. “That’s right, I said it – playoff hunt,” he confidently stated to the SEC Network while addressing the camera. Drinkwitz, keen to become this generation’s version of Steve Spurrier, albeit with far less charm and humor, might have felt justified had the Tigers managed to secure another nail-biter against South Carolina. However, for teams like Missouri, reality eventually sets in. The Tigers were never genuinely in contention for the playoffs, merely a symptom of Drinkwitz’s longing for attention, and thanks to South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, the narrative no longer requires any mental gymnastics. After Missouri’s Brady Cook launched a 37-yard touchdown on fourth-and-5 to seize the lead with just 1:10 left, Sellers led South Carolina on a swift 70-yard drive, scoring the decisive touchdown with merely 15 seconds remaining for a 34-30 win. This was a crushing loss for Missouri, particularly since they had benefitted from several close victories against teams like Oklahoma, Auburn, and Vanderbilt; it appears they ultimately got what was coming to them.

Pittsburgh: With victory almost within grasp on Saturday—especially a significant win over Clemson—all the Panthers needed to do was replicate their earlier performance. But despite limiting Clemson to just eight net rushing yards and dominating at the line, Pitt allowed quarterback Cade Klubnik to slip away on the final drive, resulting in a 50-yard touchdown run with only 1:16 left on the clock. Clemson’s 24-20 win keeps them in contention for the ACC title, while despite a strong showing from Pitt’s defense, one fateful play against the quarterback put them at a disadvantage. But the greater disappointment for Pitt fans lies in their season trajectory, which began with aspirations for the CFP but has devolved into mediocrity. Following a 7-0 start, the Panthers have succumbed to three consecutive losses, including a disheartening home defeat to Virginia last week.

Arkansas: When Razorback fans become disenchanted with a coach, they don’t adhere to conventional methods. They meticulously gather phone records for any minor scandal (as seen with Houston Nutt), take offense over attending a Friday night high school football game for personal reasons (like Chad Morris), and now, they are even funding billboards along highways near Fayetteville that read: “Thank you for 5 great years Sam. A change is needed in order to compete in the SEC.” It’s a challenging role to occupy as head coach at Arkansas, and Sam Pittman is acutely aware of these challenges, despite the fact that the Hogs are likely to secure.

The Razorbacks are aiming for bowl eligibility for the fourth time in Coach Pittman’s five seasons when they face Louisiana Tech next week. Yes, there have been disappointing moments — like that 20-10 loss to Texas where Arkansas struggled, managing just 231 yards of offense and committing two turnovers. But is the intense criticism directed at Pittman a bit excessive? It’s not as if the team has completely collapsed. However, Arkansas fans are observing traditional underdogs in the SEC, such as South Carolina and Ole Miss, making strides. Even Missouri had a strong season last year, leading fans to question, “Why can’t we achieve similar success?”

Tennessee: We shouldn’t overreact to just one game, especially since the Vols still have a solid opportunity for a playoff spot. But if Georgia’s coach Kirby Smart has such a firm grip on Tennessee, he might as well consider moving into the governor’s mansion in Nashville for a laugh. Georgia has won eight consecutive matchups against Tennessee, with a staggering combined score of 303-104 in those games. This continued domination was evident again in Georgia’s 31-17 victory in Athens, which enhances their playoff chances and keeps them in the hunt for the SEC championship. While Tennessee has recently improved against their other historical rival, Alabama, the rivalry with Georgia remains as one-sided as a bug hit by a windshield.