The college football season is not over yet, with the playoff semifinals looming, but for most of the country, the 2024 campaign is already in the books. Some teams shattered expectations with surprising success, while others fell drastically short, leaving fans and programs reeling from a season of unmet promises. By the midway point of the season, it was evident that this was shaping up to be a disastrous campaign for some teams that projected to be in the mix for conference titles, as their early struggles spiraled into full-blown disappointment.
For others, the back half of the season saw a complete collapse, with once-promising starts unraveling as they failed to close out games and capitalize on early momentum. Shocking losses and missed opportunities defined their seasons, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
So, which college football teams were the most disappointing this season?
Below is a closer look at the 12 most disappointing college football teams — three from each power conference — during the 2024 season:
Utah Utes
Utah expected to waltz into the Big 12 and immediately compete for a conference title as the preseason pick to finish atop the expanded league. However, that could not have been further from reality as the Utes stumbled to match their worst record (5-7) in two decades under Kyle Whittingham. Veteran quarterback Cam Rising could not stay healthy, and the play from his replacements was uneven and underwhelming at best. Whittingham will be back for another year in 2025 at the helm in Salt Lake City, hoping for a much more positive outcome as Utah adapts to the Big 12.
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State was in the thick of the Big 12 title race heading into the final month of the regular season, but three losses in the last four games — including a stunner at Houston — resulted in the Wildcats falling short of what was expected to be a standout campaign in 2024. Head coach Chris Klieman was emotional after a loss to Arizona State in Week 12, expressing how difficult recent weeks had been for him while dealing with personal challenges unrelated to football. Kansas State finished 9-5 overall after a comeback win in the Rate Bowl. The future remains bright in Manhattan, as star quarterback Avery Johnson is poised to make a significant leap in Year 2 as a starter.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oof. Where to start with Oklahoma State? Ending the 2024 season on a nine-game losing streak was something the Pokes could not have envisioned even in their worst nightmares. But that is what happened, forcing Mike Gundy to completely overhaul his coaching staff for 2025. Oklahoma State closed a disastrous season with a 3-9 record — matching its worst in 30 years — and had its bowl streak of 18 years snapped as well. At one point in December, it seemed like the Cowboys were ready to move on from Gundy, but the two sides eventually agreed to a restructured contract.
NC State Wolfpack
NC State entered the 2024 season as a popular dark-horse pick to contend in the ACC and potentially reach the College Football Playoff with the returning experience it had coming off a nine-win record the year before. The upset scare against FCS opponent Western Carolina in the opener, followed by a 51-10 beating at the hands of Tennessee, set the tone for the rest of the campaign. Transfer quarterback Grayson McCall appeared in just four games before announcing his retirement from football due to a history of head injuries. A crushing loss to rival East Carolina in the Military Bowl was just another painful chapter in a disappointing season for the Wolfpack (6-7) and head coach Dave Doeren.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech was in a similar spot to NC State with a high ceiling in 2024 if everything came together just right. Unfortunately, it did not for the Hokies, who returned nearly every starter from last season. Experience does not always translate to success. Momentum from last season did not quite carry over, and five one-possession losses were too much for Virginia Tech to overcome with a 6-7 record. The Hokies are now 16-21 overall in three seasons under head coach Brent Pry.
Ole Miss Rebels
Sure, Ole Miss ultimately finished with 10 wins for the third time in the past four seasons under Lane Kiffin, but this was supposed to be a College Football Playoff-or-bust year for the Rebels. Despite Kiffin insisting that Ole Miss should have been in the 12-team field, three losses — including an unforgivable 20-17 defeat at home to Kentucky, which won just four games in 2024 — dashed those hopes. The Rebels invested heavily in NIL money for transfer portal acquisitions to elevate the talent on the roster and compete with SEC elites, but were unable to make it pay off.
Nebraska Huskers
Nebraska should be relieved to have ended its streak of losing seasons, but expectations were much higher than finishing just above .500 in 2024. The Huskers entered the season with hopes of a major leap, bolstered by a favorable schedule and the highly anticipated arrival of five-star savior quarterback Dylan Raiola. However, Nebraska faltered in the latter half of the season, losing five of their final six regular-season games. Matt Rhule has a proven track record, having guided both Baylor and Temple to double-digit wins by Year 3, but after this latest setback, the pressure is on for a strong showing in 2025.
Texas A&M Aggies
The jury was still out on Texas A&M coming into the 2024 season, but when the Aggies reached a 7-1 record in late October, buzz of a potential SEC Championship Game appearance and run to the College Football Playoff was palpable. That ultimately led to a disappointing finish as Texas A&M lost four of its final five games, including a loss to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl. It seemed like Mike Elko had the Aggies primed for their first double-digit win season since 2012, but a late-season collapse and inability to close out games left the lofty expectations unfulfilled.
USC Trojans
USC continues to regress under head coach Lincoln Riley, and the 2024 campaign was another disappointing setback in his short tenure. The Trojans were riding high after their season-opener win against then-No. 13 LSU in Las Vegas. Unfortunately that would turn out to be the high point of the season for USC, which needed to overcome a 17-point deficit in the Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M just to finish above .500. The transfer portal departures are significant for the Trojans, putting them on the short list of losers from this recent winter window.
Auburn Tigers
The decision for Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze to not take a transfer quarterback last cycle significantly limited the ceiling in 2024. The Tigers (5-7) won just two SEC games this season — which happened to be their only victories against power conference opponents as well. Inconsistency from the quarterback position was detrimental to Auburn and its hopes of taking a step forward this season. The Tigers finished tied for 120th nationally in turnover margin (minus-6), throwing 13 interceptions as a team.
Florida State Seminoles
No team in major college football suffered a greater downfall than Florida State in 2024. After being left out of the College Football Playoff as an undefeated ACC champion the year before, the Seminoles had revenge on their mind despite an overhauled roster. However, Florida State collapsed, posting a dismal 2-10 record for its worst winning percentage in 50 years. The Seminoles had one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the entire FBS, averaging just 15.4 points per game. They failed to score more than 21 points against all 11 FBS opponents.
Michigan Wolverines
Michigan closed the 2024 season on a high note, defeating rival Ohio State for the fourth consecutive time and pulling off a stunning victory over Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, carrying significant momentum into 2025. However, the overall campaign for the reigning national champions fell short of expectations. The Wolverines finished 8-5, tying their highest loss total in a decade. While the defense delivered standout performances at times, the one-dimensional nature of the offense, hindered by an ineffective passing game, ultimately limited the potential and left fans yearning for more from head coach Sherrone Moore.