The Sports Thinkers' "Original" College Football Bottom 25 Poll "Capital None" Fictional Bowl Week and Coaching Carousel


The Farm Bureau Meet in The Middle Bowl stadium, undisclosed location


Last year's B25 poll saw slightly more than half of its membership, 13 teams, rise out of the poll for 2025, although perhaps not with as much verve as 2023's class had in transitioning out in 2024. That 2023 final poll had two teams, Indiana and Arizona State, that made the twelve-team college football playoff in 2024.

The 2024 entrants that missed out this year are a more mixed bag, with eight of the 13 teams only amassing a 5-7 or 4-8 record in 2025. However, the other 5 schools, Southern Mississippi, Kennesaw State, San Diego State, Wake Forest and Florida International are all playing in actual bowls this season!

And, as always, enjoy the games, even when they aren't real!


THE (FICTIONAL) BOWLS


2025’s Lower Alabama Pest Control Association Palmetto Bug Bowl features the #9 Oregon State Greavers of the PAC2 taking on the #23 Wyoming Cowtoys.  The winner of this contest gets to pick playing in the PAC2 or the Mountain West next year, while the loser gets the conference that wasn't picked.

The Flagstaff Turkey Ranchers Council Pine Tree Bowl will be changing its name to the Unofficial Rocky Mountain Showdown, as the #17 Colorado Beefaloes host #7, their big rivals, the Colorado State Lambs to renew their rivalry in Arizona for the first time since September 2024. Florida Atlantic and Florida International both failed to make the B25 and thus were unavailable to create the Faux Shula Bowl showdown that Flagstaff hosted the last two years.

B25 #11, the Boston College Beagles and the #21 Maryland Terrible-pins are this year's traditionally Northeastern foes that annually vie for The Vinnie Barbazza Memorial Brooklyn Bowl trophy.

The Greater Murfreesboro John Deere Dealer's Lawn Bowl again features a local school, the #20 Middle Tennessee State Blue Faiders, playing as the visitors against hosts Arkansas, with the Dazerbacks coming in ranked at B25 #10.

The Wisconsin Badgers just eeked out of the B25 at the end and thus will not participate in The Wisconsin State Fair Fried Cheese Curd Bowl. The B25 #8 Purdue Shotandabeers play this bowl again this year, this time as the visitors against hosts Northern Illinois, as the Fusskies come in at #18 in the final poll and are making their WSFFCCB debut.

The Peachtree City Golf Cart Bowl usually features a rematch, but Kennesaw State can’t make the party as they are heading to a REAL bowl this year.  B25 #6, the UTEP Minors DO return this year for the 3rd straight year, this time as the home team hosting the #15 UCLA ‘Ruins.

The Circle K Convenience Bowl is back again at Terre Haute’s famed Diet RC Cola Dome. This year’s game features #19, the Nevada Wolfcack taking on the #12 San Jose State  Paul Blart-ans. Both teams will play as the Visitors, causing much confusion in the stands and among the referee crew.

The Farm Bureau Meet in The Middle Bowl always features an East versus West matchup. The western entrant is the #24 New Mexico State (What’s an?) Aggies hosting the eastern squad, the #13 Virginia Tech Jokies. The game will take place in parts unknown near the geographical center of the contiguous United States. Those who can find it are welcome to attend free of charge and hopefully they will leave their vehicle lights on so the field will be lit. Free battery packs will be available for patrons at the end of the game.

The Desert Southwest Arid Bowl, played yearly at Deming Community College's famous Jose Snedeker Memorial Stadium will be a matchup of in state non-rivals, pitting B25 #22, the Tulsa Golden Bore-icane against #4, the Oklahoma State Cowtoys.

The Tupelo Elvis Bowl is the battle to claim the famed Golden Sideburn Trophy.  The Sam Houston Fearkats, #5 in the poll hosts #16, the Syracuse Puce. Who will grab the mic and take that Hip Shakin’, Rump Rattlin’ trophy?

The Delaware Professional Fisherman's Fund Quahog Bowl returns with a matchup of two  coastal adjacent teams, the #3 Georgia State Panters as the visitors against the host squad, the #14 Louisiana- Monroe Marhawks. For the first time in 5 years, Stanford will not be taking part in this game. Instead, fans will get a plain ol’ Sun Belt Conference Bummer Bowl.

The Chick-Fil-A O’ Beef O’ Brady’s Tilted Kilt Restaurant Battle Bowl returns to its now permanent home inside the Mall of America for a third year in a row, appeasing the Metropolitan Stadium ghosts. This year’s matchup is between the two teams tied for B25 #25, the Ball State Marginals and the Stanford Marginal, will be for the coveted Grilled Buffalo Cheesesteak Salad Cup Trophy and the championship of Marginality! And hey, why not, let's throw in the early lead in the National League Central Division again for a third year in a row, for no other reason than tradition. Also, honorary status as a DHMer will be bestowed upon the winner of this cracking battle.

Last year’s new bowl, created due to all of the ties in the final poll in 2024, will be on hiatus for a year. Hopefully, the RaboBank Bandit Bowl, played in Los Banos, California at the Central California Community College Campus Stadium (aka, the Quintuple C), will return next year to award the D.B. Cooper Cup and the $1 million in stolen prize money. However, don’t forget that to accept the prize means that the entire team must go on the lam and play the next two seasons in the CFL.

Last, but certainly never least, is the Dr. Scholl’s Unchampionship Relegation Bowl, the second Black Sheep Cousin of All Bowl Games, featuring relegation to the FCS for the loser each year. Hosting this year is the #2 Charlotte 24.5ers who will be taking on number 1, the Massachusetts Minute-men.


COACHING CAROUSEL

Arkansas - Fired Head Coach Sam Pittman after a 2-3 start. Bobby Petrino went 0-7 as the interim coach before Ryan Silverfield, former head man at Memphis was hired as the new Head Coach for 2026.

Colorado State - The Rams parted ways with Jay Norvell after a 2-5 start and interim coach Tyson Summers was let go after an 0-5 record to close out 2025. Jim Mora (aka the Resurrector) was hired away from UConn to fill the opening.

Oklahoma State - Mike Gundy was let go after a 1-2 start, as was interim HC Doug Meacham after his 0-9 stint. Former North Texas head coach Eric Morris, who helped the Mean Green break the longest active streak of never being ranked (66 years) was hired to take over the Cowboys.

Oregon State - Trent Bray started 0-7 and was let go. Interim coach Robb Akey was also dismissed despite a much more positive 2-3 end to the 2025 season. Former Alabama Asst. Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator and WR coach JaMarcus Shephard was hired to take over in 2026.

Stanford - Troy Taylor was fired before the start of the season for an investigation into alleged bullying of athletic department staff. Frank Reich went 4-8 as the interim head coach and has moved to a position of senior advisor to the program while Tavita Pritchard, former Washington Commanders QB coach to take over for 2026.

Virginia Tech - After an 0-3 start, Brent Pry was relieved of his duties and Philip Montgomery went 3-6 as the interim HC. Former Penn State Head coach James Franklin has been hired as the replacement for 2026.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kirk Cousins vs. Michael Penix, Jr. Is it time for the Falcons to make a change?

Image
While I will be making a statistical comparison within this post, I am starting off by writing what I am "feeling" as an Atlanta Falcons fan. I am feeling two contradictory things. First, I feel that with the offensive talent Atlanta has, they should have a much better record than 3-6. Conversely, I am also feeling that outside of Bijan Robinson and Drake London, maybe Atlanta's offensive talent isn't really living up to the hype. Kyle Pitts has certainly been a disappointment since the start of his sophomore season and Michael Penix has shown flashes but maybe isn't necessarily ready to be the full-time starter.  And the Falcons still have an opportunity THIS season, even at 3-6. With a remaining game against Carolina, two against New Orleans, one at the New York Jets and one at Phoenix, that is 5 very winnable games out of the remaining 8. Flip one of the remaining three (against the Seahawks, Rams and Bucs, two of the games at home) and the Falcons could potent...
Read more

Re-doing the Baseball Hall of Fame: Some of these things are not like the others....

Image
    There are two ways to get elected to be enshrined (such a haughty word) into the Baseball Hall of Fame. First is the most well-known, the elections of recently retired players by the Base Ball Writers Association of America, aka the BBWAA. The bylaws of BBWAA election to the Hall are as follows: Eligible Candidates  – Candidates to be eligible must meet the following requirements: A. A baseball player must have been active as a player in the major leagues at some time during a period beginning fifteen (15) years before and ending five (5) years prior to election. B. Player must have played in each of ten (10) major league championship seasons, some part of which must have been within the period described in 3(A). C. Player shall have ceased to be an active player in the major leagues at least five (5) calendar years preceding the election but may be otherwise connected with baseball. D. In case of the death of an active player or a player who has been retired for less...
Read more

College Football's Bottom 25 2025, Week 6

Image
  Husky Stadium, home of the Northern Illinois Huskies Welcome back again to another year of college football's Original Bottom 25 poll! In the new paradigm of NIL, the transfer portal and the seemingly never-ending post-graduate football careers in the NCAA, the ability to rebuild a program on the fly has never been greater. That said, however, almost every season finds many of the same teams occupying the bottom of the college football landscape. So, before we start this year's first poll, let's take a look back at the final poll of 2024.  1)  Kent State  (0-12),  2)  Southern Mississippi  (1-11),  3)  Purdue  (1-11),  4)  Massachusetts  (2-10),  5)  Kennesaw State  (2-10),  6)  Florida State  (2-10),  7)  Mississippi State (2   -10)  8)  Nevada  (3-10),  9)  Ball State  (3-9),  10)  Tulsa  (3-9),  11)  Georgia   Sta...
Read more