Saturday Blitz
Fansided

College football: These 10 surprising teams were once the nation’s AP No. 1

By John Scimeca

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23: Perris Jones #2 of the Virginia Cavaliers scores a touchdown as Alijah Clark #10 of the Syracuse Orange tackles him during the third quarter at JMA Wireless Dome on September 23, 2022 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23: Perris Jones #2 of the Virginia Cavaliers scores a touchdown as Alijah Clark #10 of the Syracuse Orange tackles him during the third quarter at JMA Wireless Dome on September 23, 2022 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
EL PASO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins looks to pass against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 30, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
EL PASO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins looks to pass against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 30, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

4. Virginia 

The 1990 Cavaliers football team reached a 7-0 record and had been ranked as the country’s No. 1 team for two straight weeks. The good times, however, quickly came to end as No. 1 Virginia lost to No. 16 Georgia Tech 41-38 at home.

The Cavaliers would finish the season by losing four of their five final contests — including a 38-13 loss to in-state rival Virginia Tech, which was then an Independent.

Virginia hasn’t done much lately on the gridiron, compiling only two winning seasons in the past dozen years. The Cavaliers’ 64-97 record against conference opponents in the past two decades ranks third-to-last out of the ACC’s current teams, ahead of only Duke and Syracuse. After two straight .500 years, Virginia finished 2022 with a 3-7 record and two canceled games at the end of the regular season.

3. UCLA

The Bruins spent two weeks of the 1988 season as the AP poll’s No. 1 team after beginning the season with a 7-0 record and wins against Nebraska and Washington. A 34-30 loss to Washington State ended the Bruins’ national title hopes, as did a later loss to then-No. 2 USC.

In a five-year stretch between 2016 and 2020, UCLA failed to record a single winning season. UCLA has since cobbled together 8-4 and 9-4 records in the past two seasons with uber-talented quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Although the Bruins have some optimism (probably?) about heading to the Big Ten with USC under head coach Chip Kelly, they’re not anywhere near national contender status. Not yet, at least.

Home/College Football News