Baseball in the 1920s. The NFL in the 1960s. The NBA during his Airness.
Golden ages, all of them, for those sports. You are living that time right now in college football. A case can be made: This decade has been the most entertaining, controversial, innovative and, well, greatest in the sport's history.
Offense is up across the board. The BCS makes us pull our hair out. Notre Dame is up, then down. Since 2000, LSU and Florida both had twice as many titles this decade than all the previous decades combined. The most significant play of the decade might be the old hook-and-ladder pulled by a former Episcopalian nursing school.
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| Hal Mumme won 11 games in four seasons at New Mexico State. (US Presswire) |
That's No. 1 to No. 120, best to worst, in reverse order. We'll highlight one program in each file. We have our opinions. We're sure you'll have yours. Don't be afraid to weigh in.
We start with Nos. 111-120.
120. New Mexico State: As many coaches as conferences (three each) since 2000. The Aggies have posted only four winning seasons since 1967. Tony Samuel, who coached two of those seasons, was fired after 2004. And the program isn't exactly digging out of the muck. New Mexico State has won 11 games since a winless season in 2005. Hal Mumme tried his luck in Las Cruces after leaving I-AA Southeastern Louisiana in 2005. His Aggies teams put up a bunch of yards but won only 11 games in four seasons. What lands this program in last place is the upside. There isn't much of one. New Mexico State is clearly over its head in the WAC. This was a curious place for UCLA defensive coordinator Dewayne Walker to land. He could have done better for his first head coaching job. Coaches don't leave Las Cruces and get better jobs -- their careers die there.
119. Western Kentucky: Division I-A's newest member was the 2002 I-AA national champ. Unlike No. 120, the commitment is there to grow the program. Its 511 victories would rank 26th all-time in I-A.
118. Idaho: The program produced one of the best football book's of all-time (Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer's Instant Replay). Unfortunately, the actual football is at an all-time low. Entering its 14th season in I-A, the Vandals haven't had a winning season since 1999.
117. SMU: Still feeling the effects of the death penalty more than two decades later. The Mustangs are coming off consecutive 1-11 seasons.
116. Florida International: Where is the money going? The Panthers took a $700,000 check to play at Iowa last year but can't afford a marching band or cheerleaders?
115. Army: One of the biggest mysteries of the universe is why Navy and Air Force can win, but Army can't. Rich Ellerson becomes the fifth coach since 2003.
114. Temple: Kicked to the curb by the Big East, the Owls are showing signs of life. After a dreadful decade, one dreamer has picked them to win the MAC East.
113. Duke: So far, the Blue Devils have posted the worst record in I-A this decade (14-90). In David Cutcliffe's second season there is reason for hope.
112. Eastern Michigan: Misery loves company. Only nine miles separate Eastern Michigan and Michigan and their 3-9 records in 2008.
111. Utah State: Ute Magic? Utah defensive coordinator Gary Anderson becomes the Aggies' fifth coach since 1997.
