Two other SEC programs make the top ten as well.
In fact, when I look over these other teams in the top ten, I'll celebrate their rankings as well! (This has nothing to do with feeling generous.)
.........
There are currently 125 college football programs playing at the FBS level, and less than one quarter have ever won either an AP or Coachesā national championship since 1939. Still, that doesnāt mean that the rest of the fan bases out there are tortured ā most arenāt in power conferences, donāt recruit at a high level or donāt have national title expectations year after year. No, to truly be considered a tortured fan base, there has to be hope ā hope that this is the year that your favorite team is going to turn the corner.
Weāve put together a list of the ten most tortured fan bases in college football. Some programs are on here due to consistent ineptitude, while others make the list due to numerous heartbreaking defeats or scenarios. Either way, fans of these programs are always left feeling just a littleā¦dissatisfied.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
To be fair, yes, Georgia has won a championship in most Bulldogs fansā lifetimes ā back in 1980. But for arguably the most passionate fan base in all of college football, winning a title 35 years ago isnāt exactly satisfying. UGA fans have had to watch numerous other SEC teams ā Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Florida ā win BCS titles over the 16-year era. And while Georgia reached and won a number of BCS bowl games, the Bulldogs never found a way to get to the BCS National Championship Game, despite seemingly being in the mix every year.
UGA seems to frequently lose a game, sometimes non-conference, early in the season and be forced to play catch-up all year. Dawgs fans will tell you that player suspensions havenāt helped the cause in Athens.
The most heartbreaking moment for Dawgs fans has to be the 2012 SEC title game, during which they came up just a few yards short of having a chance to play for it all against Notre Dame. Georgia is simply college footballās coulda-woulda-shoulda team. Maybe thatāll change in the near future, but for now, theyāre the most tortured fan base in the sport.
#2 Okie State
#3 West Virginia
#4 Oregon
#5 Wisconsin
#6 Cincy (OK, laugh a little because it's Tubs.)
#7 Va Tech
#8 South Carolina
South Carolina, which has been coached by Steve Spurrier since 2005, is currently experiencing its best stretch in program history. But the Gamecocks still havenāt won the SEC (a conference theyāve played in since 1992), they never once played in a BCS bowl game during the entire era, and, despite winning the last five contests between the two, they still trail their biggest rival (Clemson) in the all-time series, 65-42-4. Yet, they have one of the biggest stadiums in the country and one of the most passionate fan bases in the sport.
South Carolina did not win a bowl game until 1995 ā the Gamecocks lost their first eight contests. Theyāve also never even played in the Orange Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, or the Rose Bowl ā now considered the four major bowls. The last time they won their conference was back in 1969, when they still played in the ACC.
If it werenāt for Spurrier, these guys might still be one of the more mediocre programs in college football.
#9 Arkansas
There is no doubt that Arkansas fans currently feel tortured. The Razorbacks, who were able to steal away Bret Bielema from Wisconsin ahead of last season, won zero SEC games in 2013 and finished with an overall mark of 3-9. But the frustration runs much further back than just one year.
Arkansas actually has an impressive overall record (682-464-40) and even claims the 1964 national title, but since moving over to the SEC from the Southwest Conference, the Razorbacks have been overshadowed by a number of their conference mates. Since 1992, Arkansas has produced a winning record in the league just seven times, and not once has it won a conference title.
Plus, thereās the whole Bobby Petrino scandal in 2012. Just as the Razorbacks were putting together a good product on the field (double-digit wins two years in a row), they had to completely start over.
Also, John L. Smith. Yeah, itās been a rough few decades for Arkansas fans.
#10 NC State
College Football's Most Tortured Fanbases.
In fact, when I look over these other teams in the top ten, I'll celebrate their rankings as well! (This has nothing to do with feeling generous.)
.........
There are currently 125 college football programs playing at the FBS level, and less than one quarter have ever won either an AP or Coachesā national championship since 1939. Still, that doesnāt mean that the rest of the fan bases out there are tortured ā most arenāt in power conferences, donāt recruit at a high level or donāt have national title expectations year after year. No, to truly be considered a tortured fan base, there has to be hope ā hope that this is the year that your favorite team is going to turn the corner.
Weāve put together a list of the ten most tortured fan bases in college football. Some programs are on here due to consistent ineptitude, while others make the list due to numerous heartbreaking defeats or scenarios. Either way, fans of these programs are always left feeling just a littleā¦dissatisfied.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
To be fair, yes, Georgia has won a championship in most Bulldogs fansā lifetimes ā back in 1980. But for arguably the most passionate fan base in all of college football, winning a title 35 years ago isnāt exactly satisfying. UGA fans have had to watch numerous other SEC teams ā Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Florida ā win BCS titles over the 16-year era. And while Georgia reached and won a number of BCS bowl games, the Bulldogs never found a way to get to the BCS National Championship Game, despite seemingly being in the mix every year.
UGA seems to frequently lose a game, sometimes non-conference, early in the season and be forced to play catch-up all year. Dawgs fans will tell you that player suspensions havenāt helped the cause in Athens.
The most heartbreaking moment for Dawgs fans has to be the 2012 SEC title game, during which they came up just a few yards short of having a chance to play for it all against Notre Dame. Georgia is simply college footballās coulda-woulda-shoulda team. Maybe thatāll change in the near future, but for now, theyāre the most tortured fan base in the sport.
#2 Okie State
#3 West Virginia
#4 Oregon
#5 Wisconsin
#6 Cincy (OK, laugh a little because it's Tubs.)
#7 Va Tech
#8 South Carolina
South Carolina, which has been coached by Steve Spurrier since 2005, is currently experiencing its best stretch in program history. But the Gamecocks still havenāt won the SEC (a conference theyāve played in since 1992), they never once played in a BCS bowl game during the entire era, and, despite winning the last five contests between the two, they still trail their biggest rival (Clemson) in the all-time series, 65-42-4. Yet, they have one of the biggest stadiums in the country and one of the most passionate fan bases in the sport.
South Carolina did not win a bowl game until 1995 ā the Gamecocks lost their first eight contests. Theyāve also never even played in the Orange Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, or the Rose Bowl ā now considered the four major bowls. The last time they won their conference was back in 1969, when they still played in the ACC.
If it werenāt for Spurrier, these guys might still be one of the more mediocre programs in college football.
#9 Arkansas
There is no doubt that Arkansas fans currently feel tortured. The Razorbacks, who were able to steal away Bret Bielema from Wisconsin ahead of last season, won zero SEC games in 2013 and finished with an overall mark of 3-9. But the frustration runs much further back than just one year.
Arkansas actually has an impressive overall record (682-464-40) and even claims the 1964 national title, but since moving over to the SEC from the Southwest Conference, the Razorbacks have been overshadowed by a number of their conference mates. Since 1992, Arkansas has produced a winning record in the league just seven times, and not once has it won a conference title.
Plus, thereās the whole Bobby Petrino scandal in 2012. Just as the Razorbacks were putting together a good product on the field (double-digit wins two years in a row), they had to completely start over.
Also, John L. Smith. Yeah, itās been a rough few decades for Arkansas fans.
#10 NC State
College Football's Most Tortured Fanbases.
