Texas A&M (5-7)
What a disaster. I don’t even know if I can categorize Texas A&M as disappointing because, year after year, they’re a fool’s gold team. Once again, Jimbo Fisher brought in a big-time recruiting class and hype built around the Aggies. Then, they went and played horrendous against teams like Appalachian State, UMass, and Auburn. What’s even more bizarre about Texas A&M is that they’re also capable of brilliance too, as evidenced by a win over LSU to close the year. I can’t figure them out, and I just know that they’re not going bowling this year.
BYU (7-5)
While a lot of teams would hang their hat on a 7-5 season, I thought BYU was going to be a powerhouse team this year. With Jaren Hall at the helm, I surely thought they’d win over seven games if he could perform at an elite level. What BYU did was beat the teams that they should beat and lose to teams that were slightly better. The game that really made me think that the Cougars’ season was a flop came against Liberty. After going up 14-0, BYU allowed 41 unanswered points in a deflating loss.
Miami FL (5-7)
All I can do is sit here and laugh maniacally. I have a deep hatred for The U and wish for nothing more than their demise, and this season we saw it. Mario Cristobal left a good situation at Oregon and, well, sometimes the grass isn’t always greener. Somehow, the ‘Canes lost to an abysmal Texas A&M team. They also posted a 3-5 ACC record to go with a non-conference loss to Middle Tennessee. If you’re a U fan, it might be time to jump ship because things aren’t looking up in Coral Gables.
Boston College (3-9)
It all started in Week One. I took Boston College to cover against Rutgers and, not only did they not cover, but they lost outright. With Phil Jurkovec back under center and a player like Zay Flowers out wide, I thought that they’d surely be an ACC contender. WRONG. Their only wins were against Maine, Louisville, and NC State. The rest of the games were lost by an average margin of 19.3 points.
Oklahoma (6-6)
The Brent Venables hire was never a good one. He’s a defensive-minded coach in a conference where defense is nonexistent. They were very up and down this season, beating a team like Oklahoma State, but then getting blown out by the upper-echelon teams like TCU, Texas, and Kansas State. The Sooners lost their six games by an average of 14.3 points. Dillon Gabriel was banged up to be sure, but it’s weird seeing Oklahoma in the middle of the pack of the Big 12.
Arkansas (6-6)
I was SO HIGH on the Razorbacks this season, and seeing them just barely be bowl eligible stinks. They had many highs and lows in the season, like opening the year 3-0 with wins over Cincinnati and South Carolina. After that 3-0 start, they went on a 2-5 skid. Capping the regular season off with a loss to Mizzou encapsulated their issues this whole season. Despite the disappointment of the overall record, I did have fun watching KJ Jefferson throw for over 2,300 yards and rush for over 500 yards.
Baylor (6-6)
Of all the teams on the list, this one is the most upsetting to me. Baylor was a shot of adrenaline to the heart in 2021. They were so fun to watch. Coming into 2022, I felt like they could seize control of the Big 12, but Dave Aranda’s squad laid an egg. The Bears started the year 3-1, but ran into a few wood chipper teams like Oklahoma State and West Virginia, which killed their morale. A 4-5 record in the Big 12 put them in the middle of the pack, not where I thought they’d end up at all this season.