As the 2024 regular season nears its end almost all of the conversation surrounds the 12-team College Football Playoff. Multiple Power Four programs are making a push toward the postseason and await each precious rankings release with bated breath.
Then there's the opposite end of the spectrum. The teams that have already been eliminated from even bowl contention, with nothing but pride to play for and one more game to look forward to in Week 14.
Then there's Purdue, which is so far below every other power conference program -- and a good majority of the FBS -- that it deserves its own category. The Boilermakers are one of the worst teams that the Big Ten has seen this side of 2010.
They rank near the bottom, or at the very bottom, of the Big Ten in most major statistical categories:
- Total offense: 320.4 yards per game (16th in Big Ten)
- Scoring offense: 17.2 points per game (17th)
- Passing yards: 195.7 ypg (15th)
- Total defense: 440.9 ypg (18th)
- Scoring defense: 37.5 ppg (18th)
- Rushing defense: 197 ypg (18th)
Those defensive numbers are especially appalling when you remember that Purdue coach Ryan Walters was a DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR before taking his current job. The Boilermakers axed offensive coordinator Graham Harrell just four games into his second season. Somehow, that didn't fix anything. It's almost like Purdue's issues are more deeply rooted than a singular scapegoated coordinator.
There's not a ton of hope that the Boilermakers are going to avoid their first 11-loss season since 2013. They close the year against an Indiana team that -- much to Purdue's chagrin -- is enjoying arguably its best season in program history under first-year coach Curt Cignetti.
Cignetti has the Hoosiers well-situated in most major top 10s and on the brink of the College Football Playoff. Purdue has been outscored 195-17 in its four games against top-10 teams this year.
Purdue has been an excellent addition to the Bottom 25 this year and, without spoiling too much, the Boilermakers are setting a new bar in futility for a Power Four team.
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Bottom 25 rankings
The illustrious Tom Fornelli created the formula that we still use to generate the Bottom 25, but he has since passed on his writing duties. To be clear, the rankings are based on a series of calculations, but the quips are entirely man-made.
| Team | Rank | Record | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25. Central Michigan | 4-7 | Looks like Jim McElwain's trying to go out on a high note. The Chippewas upset Western Michigan in Week 13 and they'll have a chance to do the same against Northern Illinois as a 12.5-point underdog on sports betting apps. That would would pull them out of the Bottom 25 for this year, at least. (Last week: 20) | |
| 24. Oklahoma State | 3-8 | Turns out a bye week is the only thing that can keep the Pokes out of the Bottom 25. Oklahoma State's defense surrendered 343 total yards and seven touchdowns in a 56-49 loss to Texas Tech. Mike Gundy has never lost eight games as a head coach, which means he's never lost nine games as a head coach. He's also never gone winless in conference play while leading the Cowboys. That's what's on the line Saturday against a resurgent Colorado team. (NR) | |
| 23. UAB | 3-8 | Beating Rice 40-14 doesn't make Trent Dilfer the right coach for UAB. It just means the Blazers are ever so slightly better off in a ranking of college football's worst teams. Gold star. (17) | |
| 22. Nevada | 3-9 | Nevada tried its best to get past a scorching-hot Air Force team but eventually fell 22-19. That means 3-10 is still on the table, since the Wolf Pack decided to cheat off of Hawaii this year and play 13 games. (23) | |
| 21. Georgia State | 3-8 | Georgia State was listless after its early season upset of Vanderbilt. There's still fight in the Panthers yet, though. They snapped their seven-game losing streak by downing preseason Group of Five darling Texas State in Week 13. A good way to build momentum towards the season finale against Coastal Carolina. (13) | |
| 20. Air Force | 4-7 | Don't look now, but Air Force is on a heater. The Falcons have now won three games in a row, including a pair of nice wins against Fresno State and Oregon State, to salvage a season that looked like it was destined to "go down in flame," to steal a phrase from the USAF's official song. (18) | |
| 19. Troy | 3-8 | You had to come back down to earth at some point, Troy. Louisiana crushed the Trojans' two-game winning streak in Week 13 and brought Troy back into the Bottom 25 fold. Luckily Gerad Parker's squad closes the year in the Bottom 25 Game of the Week against Southern Miss. (NR) | |
| 18. San Diego State | 3-8 | If I had a nickel for every time San Diego State lost 41-20 this season, I'd have two nickels. That isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice -- and in consecutive weeks, to boot. Air Force probably won't be able to score 41 on the Falcons in Saturday's key Bottom 25 clash, but there's a good chance San Diego State struggles to score at all. (24) | |
| 17. Stanford | 3-8 | The Cardinal's high from the Louisville upset didn't last long. They lost the Stanford Axe to Cal in Week 13, extending their streak without a win in "The Big Game" to four straight years. (22) | |
| 16. Mississippi State | 2-9 | I maintain that Mississippi State hasn't looked that bad in its first year under Jeff Lebby, considering the situation he inherited. The Bulldogs end the year in a great spot: they get to enjoy an Egg Bowl showdown against an Ole Miss program that has made it a habit of losing to teams it really shouldn't lose to. (21) | |
| 15. Akron | 3-8 | A win against Kent State resonates, folks. The Zips downed the Golden Flashes 38-17 in Week 13's clash of Bottom 25 titans and used that to drag themselves out of the Bottom 10 for the first time all year. Great stuff, Akron. (9) | |
| 14. Florida State | 2-9 | A win against Charleston Southern also resonates, apparently. Maybe it's because Florida State finally broke the 30-point mark this season, or returned to the win column for the first time since Sept. 21. Hang the banner. (8) | |
| 13. Temple | 3-8 | How bad are things for Temple? There's been some not-insignificant external buzz about the university shuttering the football program. That would be terrible, even if the Owls are a far cry from the days of Al Golden, Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins. (16) | |
| 12. FAU | 2-9 | Even at its lowest, Temple still beat Florida Atlantic in classic case of Owl-on-Owl violence. But even FAU isn't the worst Owl this year. If you're a longtime Bottom 25 reader, you know that there's one Strigiformes-themed team that's had it worse. (15) | |
| 11. New Mexico State | 3-8 | New Mexico State improved to 2-1 in Bottom 25 games with a win against Middle Tennessee in Week 13. The Aggies have some momentum entering their season finale, which also happens to be the Bottom 25 Game of the Week of the Year against UTEP. (5) | |
| 10. Tulsa | 3-8 | It truly is a special week for the Bottom 25. How appropriate to end the year on a high note. Tulsa hosts FAU in the Bottom 25 I'm Running Out of Ways to Refer to these Games Game. You get the gist: it's a special clash between two lowly ranked Bottom 25 teams. (14) | |
| 9. Middle Tennessee | 3-8 | A 15-point loss to New Mexico State puts Middle Tennessee right back in the Bottom 10. The Blue Raiders do close the year with a winnable game against FIU. (12) | |
| 8. Ball State | 3-8 | Ball State has developed a penchant for heart-breaking losses this year. Entering Week 13, four of the Cardinals' conference pitfalls came by six points or fewer. Then Bowling Green won by 25. At least it wasn't a soul-crushing disappointment. (10) | |
| 7. Wyoming | 2-9 | Wyoming came so close to pulling off one of the most stunning upsets of the year in Week 13, falling just four points short of demolishing Boise State's season. The Cowboys close the year against a formerly ranked Washington State team that's in a bit of a spiral as of late. (7) | |
| 6. UTEP | 2-9 | UTEP held Tennessee scoreless in the first quarter. The Miners did allow 56 points over the next three quarters, but you've got to take the wins where you can get them. There's potential for an actual win Saturday against New Mexico State. (11) | |
| 5. UMass | 2-9 | Speaking of moral victories, UMass went back and forth with Georgia for a majority of the first half before things snowballed out of control over the last 30 minutes. The Minutemen play powerhouse UConn in their regular season finale. (6) | |
| 4. Kennesaw State | 2-9 | Kennesaw State has had a perfectly respectful debut season in the FBS. The Owls have stolen a couple wins against conference opponents Liberty and FIU while giving the likes of Sam Houston and UTEP all they can handle. (3) | |
| 3. Purdue | 1-10 | Purdue rushed for minus-4 yards, as a team, in Week 13 against Michigan State and still lost by just seven points. Purdue has gone through some dark, dark years, but it has been a long time since things were quite this bad. At least the Boilermakers are breaking new ground as a Power Four conference team in the illustrious Bottom Three. (4) | |
| 2. Southern Miss | 1-10 | Southern Miss has been outscored 130-20 in its last three game. Not exactly an inspiring close to a tremendously terrible season. (3) | |
| 1. Kent State | 0-11 | I've mentioned it constantly over the past few weeks and I will mention it again: Kent State is closing in on a completely defeated 0-12 season. Perfection, in its purest form. Please never change, Flashes. We love you just the way you are. (1) |