Five College Football Programs With Letdown Potential in 2013
Yesterday we looked at five teams that might bounce back after disappointing 2012 seasons. Here are five teams that might have a letdown in 2013 after strong years.
Kansas State: The Wildcats were a very good team in 2012. As Oregon showed, they were not a great one. The Wildcats were very fortunate with turnovers last year, recovering 21/32 fumbles. This turned at least one game for them against Oklahoma. They lose 14 starters, most notably quarterback Collin Klein. They return just one starter on defense. In a conference that features six of the Top 22 offenses vs. FBS last year, that’s a scary thought.
Texas A&M: We put nothing past Johnny Football. That said, this team may be ranked in the top five heading into the season. That’s a little strong. The Aggies had a loaded, veteran team last year. This one returns just 10 starters and four on defense. A&M loses not only numbers but talent. With Luke Joeckel and Damontre Moore, they are losing two potential top five draft picks. There’s a new offensive coordinator. One might also expect Arkansas, Auburn and Missouri to put up more of a fight than last season. Kevin Sumlin has reinvigorated this program, though a second-year slump during a rebuilding year would not be unsurprising.
Louisville: A huge bowl win will cloud over doubts. The Cardinals did beat Florida, but they were very lucky to win 11 games. They recovered 69 percent of fumbles in 2012. That could have drastically affected a season where they went 6-1 in one-score games (many of them against putrid teams). Most measures not dictated by opinion placed Louisville outside the Top 35. Teddy Bridgewater is awesome. There are plenty of reasons to think a young Louisville team makes progress. The progress, though, will come from their true 2012 baseline, not from their final AP ranking. Expecting them to be a legit Top 10 team may be a little much.
Florida State: The Seminoles have a track record of underperforming, and they shed significant depth and quality of talent heading into 2013. FSU loses 12 starters from last year, and brings back one of their starting front seven on defense. They lose experience and playmaking ability at quarterback with E.J. Manuel’s departure. They also have coordinator changes on both sides of the ball. Florida State still may be the ACC’s most talented team, but that has been true most of the past decade when they have disappointed.
Florida: The Gators lose a ton of depth and talent with just 11 starters coming back. Departures include Matt Elam, Shariff Floyd and Jelani Jenkins and Mike GIllislee and Jordan Reed on offense. It still looks like the Gators could struggle in the passing game. Their defense might not shut teams down the way it did in 2012. Their last six FBS games (at LSU, at Missouri, Georgia, Vanderbilt, at South Carolina, Florida State) could be very unforgiving.
[Photo via USA Today Sports]

- Roundup: Alex Trebek Rapping on Jeopardy, Obama’s Prom Photos & Saved by the Bell’s Graduation 20 Years Ago
- John Tortorella And a Ref Dropped F-Bombs On Live TV During the Rangers-Bruins Game [Video]
- LeBron James and Paul George’s Epic Game 1 Battle Looks Even Cooler in Slow Motion [Video]
- Manchester City Players Were Super Excited To Catch Passes From Eli Manning [Video]
- Miami Heat Remix of Pitbull’s “Feel This Moment?” Dále!

- KC Resident on Roundup: Alex Trebek Rapping on Jeopardy, Obama's Prom Photos & Saved by the Bell's Graduation 20 Years Ago
- JaiAlai on Roundup: Alex Trebek Rapping on Jeopardy, Obama's Prom Photos & Saved by the Bell's Graduation 20 Years Ago
- scripty on Roundup: Alex Trebek Rapping on Jeopardy, Obama's Prom Photos & Saved by the Bell's Graduation 20 Years Ago
- cracker jack on Roundup: Alex Trebek Rapping on Jeopardy, Obama's Prom Photos & Saved by the Bell's Graduation 20 Years Ago
- Mantis Toboggan on Roundup: Alex Trebek Rapping on Jeopardy, Obama's Prom Photos & Saved by the Bell's Graduation 20 Years Ago
35 Responses to “Five College Football Programs With Letdown Potential in 2013”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.







January 25th, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Notre Dame should be all five of these spots.
January 25th, 2013 at 3:59 PM
Also a hearty laugh at Florida State for managing to be a letdown candidate on the back of being the second most disappointing team in college football.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:00 PM
Oklahoma
January 25th, 2013 at 4:01 PM
Could see ATM’s record putting them outside the top five in the rankings(losses to Bammer, at LSU) but still think they’ll be one of the five best teams
January 25th, 2013 at 4:02 PM
honestly, I don’t know how much of a fight any of these three will put up. I think they should be better, but I don’t think aTm loses to any of these 3 teams.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:08 PM
how in the hell isn’t notre dame on this list? was getting their shit pushed in the NT game enough?
January 25th, 2013 at 4:09 PM
Louisville will have another good season. They won’t have to face syracuse next year so that’s a loss avoided. Big East will be a total joke. Worse than it ever was.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:10 PM
Not sure I understand this? Because of Te’o? They might be better next year than they were this year. Returning their entire offense (minus RB which they have two amazing options for starter next year) and most of their D. Ohio State needs to be on this list, they actually play real football teams next year.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:11 PM
They were a bit of a sham this yr. Smoked a weak OU, squeaked by an awful SC, lucked out v Stan and Pitt, barely beat BYU
January 25th, 2013 at 4:12 PM
USC
January 25th, 2013 at 4:13 PM
Louisville are included on here for their record being flattering to them, clearly not a better example of that then ND.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:13 PM
Not sure how Oregon wasn’t on the list
January 25th, 2013 at 4:15 PM
Ha! Letdown? Who is expecting anything? Aside from Pat “Wool Pulled Over His Eyes” Haden
January 25th, 2013 at 4:15 PM
In Wittek we trust!
January 25th, 2013 at 4:20 PM
I assure you Marqise Lee is not a member of that “we”. Need a breakout year from Agholor
What Pendergast does will be critical too
/ms yawns
January 25th, 2013 at 4:21 PM
Which of the following would you consider a “real football team”: Buffalo, SD State, Florida A&M (wow) Northwestern, Iowa. Those are the teams they didn’t play last year replacing Miami (OH), UCF, UAB, Nebraska, and Purdue
January 25th, 2013 at 4:23 PM
They could be better and go 9-3 just due to the odds of not pulling every close game out again and having tougher road games
January 25th, 2013 at 4:25 PM
funny what a horrible choke job against NCSU can do to a season.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:26 PM
Damn, I forgot overnight who did the previous post and was pestering Hernia about this one earlier. Sorry, Hernia.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Louisville could be a worse team next year, and still go undefeated.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:27 PM
I had Ohio State on this list because of their attrition up front on defense, looked at their schedule and took them off. Dropped MSU and Nebraska off their B1G schedule. Non-conf is pathetic. Mich and WIsconsin look like only games that will even be competitive.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:28 PM
Also, how can LSU not be on the list? Losing 11 players, including 8 underclassmen, to the NFL. Plus they still have no QB (at least not until L’il Rape proves himself on a regular basis). Plus they’re still game-coached by The Hat.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:29 PM
That 5 star attrition? Young but immensely talented. Fuck Louisville, I hope Strong bolts.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:29 PM
Much like a DC that works under Saban, I’m not too concerned about any OC that works with Sumlin.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:32 PM
Northwestern possibly
January 25th, 2013 at 4:33 PM
Mich and WIsconsin look like only games that will even be competitive.
No Purdue this year?
January 25th, 2013 at 4:34 PM
Purdue is treacherous.
January 25th, 2013 at 4:46 PM
that isn’t really any different scenario than what LSU has been in since The Hat has been there though.
January 25th, 2013 at 5:19 PM
The sheer number of losses is new, and what makes it worse is the number of underclassmen. Usually LSU has someone waiting to step in when players depart, but those are the players departing this time.
January 25th, 2013 at 5:21 PM
It wasn’t a great year, but 12-2 and an Orange Bowl victory wouldn’t disappoint many other teams.
January 25th, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Didn’t think it was a bad year for FSU. Lost to a better Florida team and slipped up once
January 25th, 2013 at 7:40 PM
Michigan fits better here than in yesterday’s post
January 25th, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Jimbo is losing assistants like crazy. He can’t coach those kids up, and he’s about to send the son of the o line coach out there as QB. This team should be bad, but you won’t know it based on the conference they are in. Duffy doesn’t mention that they’ve lost other coaches, too. Something smells there.
January 25th, 2013 at 7:46 PM
If aTm struggled against Ole Miss (and they did), I don’t see any reason to think they’ll just roll over Arkansas and Auburn now that both are competently coached. aTm had a very good game against Bama, but also lost to Florida and LSU. Everyone knows them a little better, they may have played over their heads a bit, and I think some of their opponents will be improved, too.
January 26th, 2013 at 8:02 AM
Not anymore. John Shoop is the new OC.
/run, run, pass, punt