College Football’s Top Twenty Biggest Disappointments

This year has seen some real surprises. But these twenty (in no particular order) are college football’s biggest disappointments. This is all about not meeting expectations- if a team had low expectations, then they didn’t make the list.

Clemson

We expected them to win the ACC, and instead, they just couldn’t win. It’s a sad state of affairs in South Carolina.

Arizona State

What happened? Sure Rudy Carpenter was dinged up, but the Sun Devils were expected to contend for the Pac-10, and instead, are now contending for a bowl-less season at a dismal 4-6, with a loss to UNLV starting the six-game free fall.

Auburn

The D is overrated, and Tuberville throwing his OC under the bus before one complete season was the low point for the Tiggers. You just knew it was going to be a bad season when TT said the 3-2 game against Mississippi State was a great defensive battle. Heads up Tommy, Ole Miss beat them 45-0.

Florida State

As usual, the Noles failed to live up to Garnet and Gold expectations. And as usual, Bowden will probably not retire because of Joe Pa’s solid season pushing him ahead in the race to the greatest number of wins by a college coach. Dadgummit, Bobby, you ain’t gonna catch him now.

Iowa

Sure they upset the Nits, but that’s it. The rest of the season, the Hawkeyes spent more time with legal counsel than in the training room. 8-4 is nothing to sneeze at, but losses to Northwestern and Illinois are. And before you start jumping on Northwestern’s bandwagon, remind yourself that FIVE of the Wildcats’ nine wins were over Syracuse, Southern Illinois, Duke, Ohio (Bobcats) and Michigan.

Wisconsin

Well, the perennial Capitol One Bowl delegate finally missed the boat after a truly dismal season. Anytime you have to stage a rally in the 4th quarter to beat Cal Poly in OT, your season stinks. Sure 7-5 isn’t bad, but the Badgers’ wins are over Akron, Marshall, Fresno State, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Cal-Poly. ‘Nuff said.

Georgia

They’ve had a good season but….getting blown out twice is not impressive. Great, or even very good teams, don’t get blown out (Texas Tech being the exception to the rule). They may lose every now and then, but get blown out? NO. Barely beating Kentucky and Auburn means Georgia Tech will probably upset the Dawgs. 

Notre Dame

They’ve improved this year? When you go from No. 115 in rushing offense to No. 92, and the coach says he’s going to “pound it” this year, that’s not real improvement. Then again, pretty much everything about Notre Dame hasn’t improved – except for the schedule’s “softness”  – and next year’s is as soft and cushy as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

Tennessee

Ok, we knew there was going to be a bit of a fall off, but this bad? The good news is that the Vols are getting a bright, offensive genius as their next coach. Kiff will bring back FUN to Vols football- he’s a younger version of Norm Chow.

ESPN

Dr. Lou has made serious gaffes and Herbstreit “scooped’ everyone by saying Les Miles was going to Michigan.  Then there’s this dilly  (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) of Lee Corso on the radio talking about Charlie Weis:

“The entire Catholic Church doesn’t have enough money to pay him off at .5 million for another seven years or whatever it is. So forget about it. The guy is going to be the football coach and they’re just going to have to live with what they’ve got.”   Umm Lee, did you temporarily lose your mind? The Catholic Church is so big they even have their own country (sort of) called Vatican City. If I’m not mistaken, ND prints their own money. Good grief.

The NCAA

Three years and counting, still no word on Bush-gate. By the time they get around to charging USC with something, California will have dropped off into the ocean after the Big One.

Fresno State

Wow, from a pre-season BCS-buster favorite to a team that that lost to Hawai’i (in OT), Louisiana Tech and Nevada, the Bulldogs went from snarling to gumming in three months.

LSU

It’s not the vaunted D we are disappointed in, it’s the fundamentals. Like tackling. And discipline. They show sparks of greatness, but that usually is followed up with long bouts of mediocrity. The bright spot? Frosh QB Jordan Jefferson, a rangy, athletic Randall Cunningham-like clone who has fast wheels and great moves. If he just could lose the whining face antics…

USC

Sure their loss to the Beavs was a loss to a ranked team, but for the first time in a long time, the Trojans can’t control their own destiny. Losing the “Little Games” has been a curse for the last two years, and next up for the Trojans? The Fighting Irish. Lose that one, and the Stanford upset will be forever forgotten.

Kansas

They lost a few good players (two good OT’s and CB Talib) from last year’s Cinderella team, but the schedule got a whole lot harder this year and the Jayhawks were exposed, big time.

South Florida

What happened to the Bulls? Beating Florida International 17-9 early in the season was a huge red flag.  Tanking three in a row to Louisville, Cincy and Rutgers, was the final nail in their 2-4 conference-record coffin. Except for West Virginia next week, of course.

Missouri

Were you like I, ready to pencil in Mizzou as the team to beat in the Big 12? Sure Oklahoma and Texas always are the cream of the crop, but  honestly, didn’t you expect a little more from Mizzou? They have no prayer of beating the Big 12 South champ, and lots of fans will be rooting for them for selfish reasons, but they will be disappointed. Again. And out of a BCS Bowl. Again.

Michigan

It’s the manner in which they lost all of those games that is so disturbing. Michigan never tanks games. Their new nickname should be the Shermans, no offense to Unioto High in Chillicothe, Ohio, who are called the Shermans.

The Pac-10

It was an ugly year, and even though there are three teams ranked, one of them will drop this weekend. Losing to the Mountain West Conference over one weekend was bad enough, but having really only one team represent the conference the last seven years is pretty sad. Oregon State can break that streak, but the Pac needs to step it up.

The ACC

The ACC has permeated college football with a noxious odor that won’t go away. Honestly, does their champ really deserve a BCS Bowl bid over a team like Texas Tech? If we had a playoff system, we’re pretty sure none of these teams would make it past the first round.

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Illinois Football 2008: The Big Orange Waste

For the second time in my life, Illinois, fresh off a BCS Bowl, has pushed itself right back into the mediocrity pit.

In 2002, the Illini posted a 5-7 record after going to the Sugar Bowl the prior year.  This season, Illinois finished with a similar 5-7 whimper after their performances against Ohio State and Northwestern.  One can’t help but wonder about the connection.

Step forward, fall back.

Oh, but this season was supposed to be different.  Linebacker Brit Miller told us so: “We don’t want to be that class that’s remembered for a 6-6 year.”(1)  Well, congrats, Brit, you won’t be.

This year was supposed to be it, the year Illinois as a program would finally sustain long-term Big Ten success, to nose their big orange nose back in with the top of the conference.

Junior quarterback Juice Williams was finally coming into his own and started – gasp – Heisman buzz after overshadowing Chase Daniel in the opener.  Martez Wilson, 5-star recruit, was supposed to light up the Big Ten as a sophomore.  Will Davis?  Leader on one of the best defensive lines in the country.  Safeties, offensive linemen, running backs?  More than enough talent to replace what departed, they told us.

A funny thing happened on the way back to Pasadena.

With a Swiss-cheese defense and a running game that intimidated nobody, Illinois beat only four Division I teams, only three from the Big Ten, and only one that will go bowling this year, a close-cut win over rivals Iowa at home.

They lost to Western Michigan.

They lost to a Wisconsin team that had lost four straight and beat Cal-Poly by one point.  In overtime.

They gift-wrapped a game to Minnesota at home.

Even with the blessing of Michigan’s worst team since Bo Schembechler arrived in Ann Arbor, Illinois finished 5-7.  They’re the first Big Ten Rose Bowl squad not to go bowling the next year in decades.

Martez Wilson?  Big Ten doesn’t know he exists.  Juice Williams?  Interception-crazy and inconsistent in his leadership.  The lines?  Let’s just say no one’s going to be writing about them next preseason, and don’t even get me started on the pass defense.

Aside from Miller, WR Arrellious Benn, S Donsay Hardeman, and perhaps CB Vontae Davis, no one impressed with any kind of consistency.  The running-back-by-committee approach couldn’t hold a candle to one Rashard Mendenhall.  The coaches, likewise, lost many admirers with another season of questionable decisions and fundamental gaffes.

This was supposed to be the year that Ron Zook’s superior recruiting was supposed to shine, with seniors who’ve known no other coach and his first renowned class entering their third years.  It wasn’t just with the top-ranked studs like Wilson, either, but also with the lower-ranked players Zook brought in, heralded as diamonds in the rough.

Instead, it appears we might have some dull, Ron Turner-style duds.

No one in 2002 wanted to chase Turner from the program.  Everyone said that he deserved a chance and his superior coaching skills would turn the ship right back towards the top of the Big Ten.  Instead, we sank to the bottom.

I don’t think that will happen with Zook, but there’s certainly little sign that the program is anywhere near where we thought.

In the end, Illinois fans must come to terms with the fact that last season’s team was a 7-5 team who went 9-3 while this year’s team was a 7-5 team that went 5-7. Unfortunately, that puts a downward trend on recruiting; and indeed, today, highly-sought-after LB Hiawatha Bell announced he would attend North Carolina instead of Illinois.

The Fighting Illini still have plenty of top recruits lined up for next year.  They’re currently 5th by most evaluations among Big Ten schools for ‘09 recruiting, and many expect them to move ahead of the crumbling Michigan program.  Guys like DE Craig Drummond and QB Nathan Scheelhaase look to be promising prospects for the future, and younger players like DT Corey Liuget, WRs AJ Jenkins and Fred Sykes, and RB Jason Ford have already made a positive impact on the field.

But for now, we as fans have no choice but to declare the season an absolute waste of everything.  Momentum?  Gone.  The claim to be an on-the-rise program?  Vanished.  Returning All-Big-10 players on defense?  Good-bye.  Legitimate Rose hopes?  Not for a few years now.  First Illinois team to go bowling in back-to-back years since Makovic?  Here’s looking at you, 2010.

Perhaps it was just a bad year to wear orange.  Tennessee, Syracuse, Clemson, and not even Texas are where they want to be right now.  Perhaps there were off-the-field issues that haven’t come to light, struggles between coaches and players, or emotional cancers in the locker room.  Perhaps the filming of The Journey distracted the team from their task on the field.

I just feel it was a wasted season, to be on the threshold of turning the corner, complete with a beautifully renovated stadium and a self- proclaimed “Illini Renaissance” only to run and hide from even the desperate Motor City Bowl Committee.

Step forward, fall back.

Illinois football.

It’ll be a long offseason.

(1) Daniel Johnson “Illini Senior Linebacker Brit Miller Talks Rantoul, the Big Ten, and Belly Flops.”  Daily Illini.  7/29/2008. 

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Final Big Ten injury report: Week 13

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Courtesy of collegeinjuryreport.com and some of my own research.

ILLINOIS (at Northwestern)

• QB Eddie McGee, toe, probable
• LB Martez Wilson, out, suspension
• DT Josh Brent, knee, questionable
• RB Mikel LeShoure, jaw, questionable
• FB Rahkeem Smith, suspension, questionable
• S Garrett Edwards, shoulder, questionable
• OT Ryan Palmer, foot, questionable
• CB Miami Thomas, knee, out (season)
• DT Sirod Williams, knee, out (season)

INDIANA (at Purdue)

• RB Zach Davis-Walker, thumb, questionable
• S Jerimy Finch, ankle, questionable
• RB Bryan Payton, ankle, questionable
• CB Richard Council, knee, questionable
• LB Will Patterson, knee, questionable
• CB Richard Council, knee, doubtful
• OL Andrew McDonald, undisclosed, questionable
• S Nick Polk, knee, out (season)
• TE Brian Zematis, ankle, out (season)
• S Austin Thomas, knee, out (season)
• OL Dennis Zeigler, knee, out (season)
• CB Chris Phillips, knee, out (season)

IOWA (at Minnesota)

• OG Andy Kuempel, muscle pull, doubtful
• OL Wes Aeschliman, hip, out (season)
• S Harold Dalton, suspension, out
• TE Tony Moeaki, leg, questionable
• OL James Ferentz, suspension, out

MICHIGAN (at Ohio State)

• WR Zion Babb, dismissal, out (season)
• RB Sam McGuffie, shoulder/personal, questionable
• OT Stephen Schilling, knee, questionable
• RB Carlos Brown, foot, questionable
• WR Junior Hemingway, mononucleosis, out
• QB Steven Threet, shoulder, doubtful,
• LB Kevin Leach, ankle, questionable
• T Mark Huyge, ankle, out
• WR Terence Robinson, knee, doubtful
• S Brandon Smith, appendix, out (season)
• G Cory Zirbel, knee, out (season)

MICHIGAN STATE (at Penn State)

• WR Keshawn Martin, undisclosed, questionable
• CB Chris L. Rucker, leg, questionable
• WR Mark Dell, knee, questionable
• S Roderick Jenrette, personal, out (season)

MINNESOTA (vs. Iowa)

• WR Eric Decker, ankle, probable
• S Kyle Theret, leg, probable
• LB Lee Campbell, questionable, hamstring
• RB Duane Bennett, knee, out (season)

NORTHWESTERN (vs. Illinois)

• DT Corbin Bryant, knee, out (season)
• LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
• QB Mike Kafka, concussion, probable
• DE Vince Browne, knee, out
• RB Omar Conteh, knee, out (season)
• TE/FB Drake Dunsmore, knee, out (season)
• DE Rejaie Johnson, shoulder, out (season)
• RB Tyrell Sutton, wrist, out
• CB Justan Vaughn, shoulder, out (season)

OHIO STATE (vs. Michigan)

• WR Ray Small, suspension, questionable
• CB Jermale Hines, leg, doubtful
• OL Ben Person, leg, out
• OL Connor Smith, undisclosed, questionable
• DE Curtis Terry, undisclosed, out (season)
• OL Mike Adams, ankle, out (season)
• OL J.B. Shugarts, shoulder, out (season)
• DE Lawrence Wilson, knee, out (season)
• CB Andre Amos, knee, out (season)

PENN STATE (vs. Michigan State)

• DE Josh Gaines, ankle, questionable
• OL Ako Poti, knee, out (season)
• DT Devon Still, ankle, out (season)
• RB Brent Carter, knee, out (season)
• OL Doug Klopacz, knee, out (season)
• DE Jerome Hayes, knee, out (season)

PURDUE (vs. Indiana)

• TE Kyle Adams, knee, doubtful
• LB Jason Werner, back, out
• OL Justin Pierce, groin, questionable
• OT Sean Sester, knee, probable
• G Eric Hedstrom, knee, probable
• QB Joey Elliott, shoulder, out (season)
• T Garrett Miller, knee, out (season)
• RB Jaycen Taylor, knee, out (season)

WISCONSIN (vs. Cal-Poly)

• T Eric Vanden Heuvel, foot, probable
• WR Kyle Jefferson, concussion, out
• TE Lance Kendricks, leg, out (season)
• WR Maurice Moore, leg, doubtful
• TE Travis Beckum, leg, out (season)
• DE Brendan Kelly, thumb, out (season)
• CB Aaron Henry, knee, out (season)
• DE Kirk DeCremer, back, out (season)

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Big Ten bowl picture: Week 13

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Here’s a quick reminder of where Big Ten teams stand in the bowl mix heading into the final weekend of the regular season. If you want two Big Ten teams in BCS bowls, you might want to purchase an Arizona shirt or learn the lines to “Bear Down, Arizona.”

Big Ten bowl tie-ins (in order of selection): Rose/BCS, Capital One, Outback, Alamo, Champs Sports, Insight, Motor City

BOWL ELIGIBLE

No. 8 Penn State (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) — It’s pretty simple for the Nittany Lions. Beat Michigan State and go to the Rose Bowl for the first time since Jan. 1, 1995. Lose to the Spartans, and it’s probably the Capital One Bowl. Penn State acknowledged after the Iowa loss that its national title hopes were essentially gone, but Saturday provides a great opportunity to finish strong.

No. 10 Ohio State (9-2, 6-1) — The Buckeyes will be scoreboard watching more than any other Big Ten team, provided they can handle archrival Michigan. A win against the Wolverines combined with a Penn State loss sends Ohio State to Pasadena for the first time since 1997. Even if Penn State wins, Ohio State has a chance for a BCS at-large berth but likely would need Oregon State to drop one of its last two games, clearing the way for USC to reach the Rose Bowl. Should Ohio State lose, it will fall to the Capital One or Outback bowl. 

No. 15 Michigan State (9-2, 6-1) — Perhaps the most interesting bowl scenario calls for a Michigan State upset of Penn State and an Ohio State win against Michigan. The Buckeyes would go to the Rose Bowl because of the head-to-head edge, but Michigan State could be in the mix for a BCS at-large berth if Oregon State stumbles down the stretch. In this case, it might come down to Michigan State against a second non-BCS team (Boise State, BYU) for the final at-large spot. A Spartans loss in State College puts them in the Capital One or Outback bowl.

Northwestern (8-3, 4-3) — The best-case scenario for Northwestern would be a win Saturday against Illinois, an Iowa loss to Minnesota and two Big Ten teams reaching BCS bowls. At 9-3, the Wildcats would get serious consideration for the Outback Bowl. If Iowa wins, the Hawkeyes likely will jump Northwestern on the bowl pecking order. Northwestern’s most realistic options remain Alamo, Champs Sports or Insight.

Iowa (7-4, 4-3) — The Hawkeyes should root against Oregon State just as hard as Ohio State. If two Big Ten teams reach BCS bowls and Iowa wins its regular-season finale at Minnesota, it would be in excellent shape for the Outback Bowl. It’s amazing to think about, given where Iowa was only weeks ago. But the Hawkeyes travel well and will be in the mix for the Alamo Bowl and the Champs Sports Bowl no matter what happens Saturday.

Minnesota (7-4, 3-4) — A win Saturday is imperative for the Gophers to improve their postseason options. Four consecutive losses to close the season doesn’t look good to bowl representatives, and Minnesota doesn’t travel as well as some of its primary competitors. If the Gophers beat Iowa, they’ll be in the mix for the Alamo, Champs Sports and Insight. A loss could send Minnesota to the Motor City Bowl.

Wisconsin (6-5, 3-5) — Athletic director Barry Alvarez has a bowl destination in mind, but Wisconsin would be well served to take care of Cal-Poly, a dangerous FCS opponent. Despite a poor Big Ten record, a 7-5 overall mark probably gets Wisconsin to the Insight Bowl. The Badgers travel well and boast a sizable alumni base. A loss Saturday probably puts Wisconsin in the Motor City Bowl.

SINK OR SWIM

Illinois (5-6, 3-4) — The Illini need a win at Northwestern to avoid becoming the first Big Ten team to avoid the postseason a year after reaching the Rose Bowl since … Illinois in 1984. Even if Illinois wins, it likely needs two Big Ten teams to reach BCS bowl games in order to make the postseason. Head-to-head losses against Wisconsin and Minnesota hurt, but if things go right, Illinois could make the Motor City Bowl or perhaps the Insight.

FUHGEDDABOUDIT

Michigan (3-8, 2-5) — As defensive tackle Terrance Taylor told me this week, Saturday will serve as Michigan’s bowl game. A huge upset of Ohio State would momentarily take the sting off a miserable season. Michigan won’t be going bowling for the first time since 1974.

Purdue (3-8, 1-6) — The Tiller Bowl takes place Saturday against Indiana (ESPN2, noon ET), as Joe Tiller coaches his final game at Purdue before heading into retirement. Purdue will miss the postseason for just the second time during Tiller’s 12-year tenure.

Indiana (3-8, 1-6) — Another bowl appearance was on the Hoosiers’ radar entering the season, but a rash of injuries combined with inconsistent defensive play leave them at the bottom of the league. This will be a critical offseason for Indiana, which can’t afford to lose any more momentum.

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Alvarez working on Badgers’ bowl destination

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Wisconsin entered the season ranked No. 13 in the AP preseason poll and had come off four consecutive January bowl appearances, so it seemed unlikely the Badgers would be fighting for their postseason lives. 

The Badgers are 6-5 heading into their regular-season finale against Cal-Poly. Despite a disappointing October and some bumps along the way, Wisconsin has won three of its last four and remains in good shape for a bowl. 

“We’ll be someplace,” athletic director Barry Alvarez told me this week. “I don’t want to talk about which one specifically, but we’re working with one in particular right now.”

I projected the Badgers for the Champs Sports Bowl, though the feeling among at least one Wisconsin blogger is that the team wouldn’t go to a Florida bowl for the fifth consecutive season. Perhaps Alvarez is targeting the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., which chooses sixth in the Big Ten bowl order (behind Rose/BCS, Capital One, Outback, Alamo and Champs Sports) and was brought up in a recent Wisconsin State Journal story.

Despite the economic downturn, which could hinder bowl attendance, Alvarez is optimistic Wisconsin will travel well.

“We will have a good following, we always do,” Alvarez said. “Reality says this economy is going to keep some people from traveling. So naturally, we’re going to lose some people. But you hope the bowl is someplace where we have a good fan base or someplace where snowbirds, who are originally from Wisconsin are, so it’s a little closer trip for them. 

“But I anticipate that our people will follow well.”

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Big Ten bowl picture: Week 9

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

The Big Ten season enters its final stretch, and every Saturday from here on out has bearing on the bowl picture. Here’s a look at where teams stand heading into Week 9.

We’ll try to make this a Friday or Saturday feature the rest of the season.

Bowl tie-ins: 7 (Rose/BCS, Capital One, Outback, Alamo, Champs Sports, Insight, Motor City)

BOWL ELIGIBLE

Penn State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) – The third-ranked Nittany Lions have national championship aspirations. A 4-0 finish gets them to the Rose Bowl, at the very least. A worst-case scenario would be the Capital One or Outback.

Ohio State (7-1, 4-0) – A win against Penn State puts the Buckeyes in position for an unprecedented third consecutive outright Big Ten title. A 4-0 finish gets Ohio State to the Rose Bowl, barring a wave of losses by other top 10 teams. Another loss or two puts the Buckeyes in the Capital One or Outback.

Michigan State (6-2, 3-1) – Despite last week’s clunker, the Spartans have all but locked up a second consecutive bowl spot. A 3-1 finish likely gets them to a Jan. 1 bowl game. An extended slide could push them back to the Alamo.

Minnesota (6-1, 2-1) – The Gophers are already bowl eligible a year after going 1-11, and they can solidify a postseason berth by beating Purdue on Saturday. With a manageable closing stretch (at Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, at Wisconsin, Iowa), Minnesota could make a run for a Jan. 1 bowl but most likely will end up in the Alamo, Champs Sports or Insight.

Northwestern (6-1, 2-1) – After getting shut out of the bowl mix with six wins last year, the Wildcats can secure a spot by taking of business against Indiana. Things get a little tougher after Saturday (at Minnesota, Ohio State, at Michigan, Illinois), but Northwestern should have a solid record. Likely destinations are Alamo, Champs Sports and Insight.

ON THE CUSP

Iowa (5-3, 2-2) – It sure feels like the Hawkeyes are bowl eligible after the last two weeks. They have a tough stretch coming off a bye (at Illinois, Penn State), but they should finish with seven or maybe eight wins. Star running back Shonn Greene and a fan base that travels well should help Iowa’s bid for a bowl.

Illinois (4-3, 2-2) – Bowl representatives have to be drooling over Illinois’ big-play offense, but can the Illini get to seven wins? Saturday’s trip to Wisconsin is huge for a team stocked with talent but plagued by inconsistency. Illinois should beat Western Michigan, but its other games come against teams with winning records (Iowa, Ohio State, Northwestern).

SINK OR SWIM

Wisconsin (3-4, 0-4) – Around 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 27, Wisconsin was a top 10 team with a 19-0 halftime lead at Michigan. Now the Badgers are scrambling just to get bowl eligible. Unreal. The final stretch isn’t too daunting (at Indiana, Minnesota, Cal-Poly), but Wisconsin needs to win at least one of the next two (Illinois, at Michigan State).

FUHGEDDABOUDIT

Michigan (2-5, 1-2) – Seven wins equals bowl security, and the Wolverines would have to win out to get there. Only one of Michigan’s five remaining opponents has a losing record (Purdue), and it appears as though the Wolverines will miss a bowl for the first time since 1974.

Purdue (2-5, 0-3) – Joe Tiller has missed a bowl game only once in his 11 previous seasons at Purdue, but the retiring coach likely will stay home for the holidays this year. Purdue can win its remaining home games (Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana), but road trips to Michigan State and Iowa won’t be easy.

Indiana (2-5, 0-4) – The dreams of back-to-back bowl appearances have all but been extinguished in Bloomington. Injuries and repeated mistakes have led to a five-game losing streak. Indiana’s only wins have come against Western Kentucky and Murray State. That’s hardly bowl material, even in this day and age.

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