College Football's Bottom 25 poll, 2023 Final


                                                                              (Dix Stadium, home of Kent State University Football)


We have a new un-champion!!! Kent State tops this year's poll, a fitting choice as they are the only FBS team to finish 2023 with only a single win. And they are from a fitting conference, as well, as the MAC had 5 teams out of twelve that finished in the poll or in the DHM, with two of the top 4 ranked teams, as Akron finished at #4. And all of the DHM teams had a 4-8 record equal to the last 4 teams within the actual poll. 

Stayed tuned next week as we take a look at the Capitol None Fictional B25 Bowl Week and update which 25ers have fired coaches and are seeking a way out of the poll with a new coach hire for next year.


1) Kent State (1-11) The Golden Bashed finish 2023 as the only FBS team with only a single win after losing their finale at home to NIU, 37-27. The one positive was a win in game 3 over Central Connecticut of the FCS. Final tally: 176 points scored, 415 points against (-239 dif.), 0-8 in conference play.

2) UL Monroe (2-10) The Marhawks started 2-0 in 2023 and then proceeded to lose 10 straight games, finishing up with a 52-21 loss at Louisiana. Final tally: 208 points scored, 419 points against (-211 dif.), 0-8 in conference.

3) Nevada (2-10) The Wolfcack picked up two mid-season wins after being our early season #1. This week’s 42-6 loss to Wyoming finishes 2023 with 4 straight losses. Final tally: 208 points scores, 408 points against (-200 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

4) Akron (2-10) The Zips took a 25-14 loss to Ohio on Friday to finish the season. Beating Kent State by 4 points in game 9 is the only thing between them and #1. Final tally: 195 points scored, 336 points against (-141 dif.), 1-7 in conference.

5) Vanderbilt (2-10) A typical season for the Commode–doors as they started with 2 non-conference wins (they are an SEC team, after all!) followed by 10 straight losses, the final one being by a final score of 48-24 at Tennessee.  Final tally: 274 points scored, 434 points against (-160 dif.), 0-8 in conference.

6) East Carolina (2-10) The Pyrites finish out 2023 with an AAC Bummer Bowl home loss to Tulsa, 29-27. It is typical of the season as ECU’s 10 losses were by an average of 12 points, including two 3-point losses and that final 2-point loss.  Final tally: 208 points scored, 269 points against (-61 dif.),1-7 in conference.

7) Temple (3-9) The Fowls finish 2023 with a 45-21 home loss to Memphis. Final tally: 253 points scored, 428 points against (-175 dif.), 1-7 in conference.

8) Massachusetts (3-9) The Minute-men finish up 2023 with a 31-18 home loss in the Independent Northeastern Supremacy Bummer Bowl against Connecticut. Final tally: 278 points scored, 454 points against (-176 dif.), no conference record.

9) Buffalo (3-9) Four losses started 2023 for the Lulls and four losses in a row close it out after a 24-11 home loss to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. Final tally: 251 points scored, 329 points against (-78 dif.), 3-5 in conference.

10) Southern Mississippi (3-9) The Golden Favres finish 2023 with a 35-17 home loss to Troy. Final tally: 278 points scored, 429 points against (-151 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

11) Charlotte (3-9) Biff Poggi’s squad finishes as 3-9ers as their finale was a 48-14 clunker at the University of South (really West) Florida. Final tally: 210 points scored, 343 points against (-133 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

12) Stanford (3-9) The Marginal finish a forgettable 2023 season by losing the Legends Trophy game to Our Lady, 56-23. Final tally: 247 points scored, 452 points against (-205 dif.), 2-7 in conference

13) Indiana (3-9) The Loosiers lost the Old Oaken Bucket, 35-31 at Purdue and followed that up on Sunday morning by firing head coach Tom Allen. Final tally: 266 points scored, 359 points against (-93 dif.), 1-8 in conference.

14) Pittsburgh (3-9) The Panters had hoped that Duke might gack it up two weeks in a row to lesser conference opponents, but that was not to be in Pittsburgh's 30-19 finale loss. Final tally: 242 points scored, 328 points against (-86 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

15) Cincinnati (3-9) The Merecats found their first season in the Big 12 not to their liking after ending 2023 with a 49-16 home loss to Kansas. Final tally: 289 points scored, 360 points against (-71 dif.), 1-8 in conference.

16) Baylor (3-9) The CareBears finished 2023 just above Cincinnati in the Big 12 basement after their season ending 34-31 home loss to West Virginia. Final tally: 277 points scored, 400 points against (-123 dif.), 2-7 in conference.

17) UTEP (3-9) The Minors finish 2023 with a 42-28 home loss to Liberty. Final tally: 239 points scored, 342 points against (-103 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

18) Arizona State (3-9) The Stunned Devils of Roger Clyne Alma Mater State lost the Territorial Cup game against nationally ranked Arizona, 59-23. Final tally: 213 points scored, 382 points against (-169 dif.), 2-7 in conference.

19) Virginia (3-9) The Cabriolets got hokied by Virginia Tech at home in the Commonwealth Cup rivalry game, 55-17. Final tally: 279 points scored, 405 points against (-126 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

20) Louisiana Tech (3-9) Season over. Final tally: 311 points scored, 401 points against (-90 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

21) Sam Houston (3-9) The Bearkats won 3 of their last 4 games after being #1 for most of the early polls. Middle Tennessee State was the victim last week, 23-20 in the finale that was followed by an ugly on-field brawl. Final tally: 240 points scored, 314 points against (-74 dif.), 2-6 in conference.

22) Connecticut (3-9) The Huskies finished with 2 straight wins, the last being a Northeastern Bummer Bowl victory at Massachusetts, 31-18. Final tally: 229 points scored, 358 points against (-129 dif.), no conference record.

23) Florida International (4-8) Welcome to the poll to the other Panters this week for the first time this season. At one point, FIU was 3-1. But 7 losses in their last 8 games, with the only win being against Sam Houston (who was winless at that point), lands them in the poll after a 41-28 home loss to Western Kentucky to end the season. Final tally: 241 points scored, 382 points against (-141 dif.), 1-7 in conference.

24) Florida Atlantic (4-8) The Jowls, like their southeast Florida brethren, FIU, join the poll for the first time this season in the final week after a 24-21 loss at Rice finished up 2023. Final tally: 285 points scored, 306 points against (-21 dif.), 3-5 in conference.

25) tie Middle Tennessee State (4-8) The Blue Faiders are back despite winning two of their last 3 games, largely on the fact that their 3 FBS wins (Louisiana Tech, FIU and UTEP) were against competition with a combined 10-26 record and against three fellow 25ers. Their season ending 23-20 road loss to another 25er, Sam Houston, basically sealed their fate. Final tally: 291 points scored, 337 points against (-46 dif.), 3-5 in conference.

25) tie Colorado (4-8) Don’t believe the hype. The Beefalos started out 3-0 and got to 4-2, but their conference killed them as they lost their last 6 games, one of which was against fellow 25ers Stanford. Their only conference win was by 3 over another 25er, Arizona State. Last week brought Coach Prime’s first season in in Boulder to a close with a 23-17 loss at Utah. Final tally: 338 points scored, 418 points against (-80 dif.), 1-8 in conference.

DISHONORABLE MENTION:  

UAB (4-8), Wake Forest (4-8), Houston (4-8), Michigan State (4-8), Ball State (4-8), Western Michigan (4-8), New Mexico (4-8), Arkansas (4-8), Purdue (4-8), San Diego State (4-8), Tulsa (4-8)

Dropped Out

Hawai'i, North Texas 

 

CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION

AAC – 4 (+2 DHM)

ACC – 2 (+1 DHM)

Big12 – 2 (+1 DHM)

BIG 10 (12, 14, whatever) – 1 (+ 2 DHM)

CUSA – 5 (out of 9 teams!)

Ind. – 2

MAC – 3 (+2 DHM)

Mountain West – 1 (+2 DHM)

PAC 12 (soon to be none) – 3

SEC – 1 (+1 DHM)

Sun Belt - 2 

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