Biggest Swings in a University’s Athletic Reputation

[Dgilbertson]

I like the inclusion of PSU wrestling. Are there any other major sports top teams from schools that used to be nothings?

Obviously Iowa State football will be on this list soon.

 

[BCClone]

In my head I was wondering if SMU fit any of this bill. But I looked, and they were a pretty poor program before the few years leading up to the death penalty.

I never really was aware of anything in the SWC before Big 12, so I just assumed all those Texas schools were strong, and particularly SMU given what they did to get there, but their day in the sun was pretty short lived prior to their recent resurgence.

They were getting hand slapped somewhat, and there was a lot of turmoil in the program right before they got the death penalty

 

[MugNight]

In my head I was wondering if SMU fit any of this bill. But I looked, and they were a pretty poor program before the few years leading up to the death penalty.

I never really was aware of anything in the SWC before Big 12, so I just assumed all those Texas schools were strong, and particularly SMU given what they did to get there, but their day in the sun was pretty short lived prior to their recent resurgence.

I did some searching. I only knew about the Pony Express with Dickerson and James.

They claim 2 national titles:
- 1981: they were on probation and finished 5th. One organization crowned them as one of 5 Co-Champs
- 1982: they beat a 7-3 team in the Cotton Bowl and one organization crowned them as co-champs with Penn State (the last year that group handed out titles)

Seems weak to me. Some of the Nattys handed out in the 80’s are bizarre, like 1984 BYU who only beat one ranked team (#3 Pitt who finished 3-7-1).

 

[syclonefan]

Ped State.... Wrestling kings now.... nothing at all before Cael.

Football team got off easy after the horrors that occurred. They should have gotten the death penalty for at least 1 season.

Penn State was a pretty good wrestling school before Cael got there. Obviously not on par with big 3 historically good programs but they were more than nothing.

 

[SeventhSon]

Before there was UConn and Tennessee, Old Dominion was a women's basketball powerhouse in the '80s.

 

[beentherebefore]

What is the old saying, you want to be the guy that follows the guy, that follows the legend in the coaching world. The guy at Alabama has big shoes to fill and is not off to a great start with 4 losses in his first season. Hell, Saban would not lose that many games in 5 years of coaching there.

Probably, or he realized that the team was due for the kind of fall-off that occurred; thus, his retirement.

 

[MugNight]

Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech football was a scrappy team playing for BCS Bowls in the early 00’s

 

[Nolaeer]

There are a couple in football that stand out: Miami and Nebraska. Miami hasn't even won an ACC title since it came over from the BE, whereas in the BE they were maybe the most feared team in all of football, with multiple national titles.

Huskers have just fallen off a cliff since they went to the BIG, enough so, that I bet the BIG regrets that invite.

 

[HFCS]

Army and Minnesota were blue bloods of football at one point.

Nebraska football is my #1 vote.

They just had their dream season of the decade and won 4 less games than Iowa State. If Nebraska is still a marquee brand, ISU is Rolex.

Their basketball program is historically dead last objectively among major conference teams. A Cyclone may finally get them out of last though.

 

[AllInForISU]

St John’s, DePaul, and Georgetown were consistent contenders in basketball for a long time.

Now? Nothing.

 

[NoCreativity]

St John’s, DePaul, and Georgetown were consistent contenders in basketball for a long time.

Now? Nothing.

Alot of those old Big East schools like Syracuse, Louisville and Villanova have really fallen off lately. It was the premier conference in the sport until some of those teams left for the ACC.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Probably, or he realized that the team was due for the kind of fall-off that occurred; thus, his retirement.

Alabama had a lot of players jump into the portal after he left. Guy was in his 70's and I am sure he was getting burnt out on NIL and the rest of modern football. He has made it known in the past that he did not like players being allowed to come and go like they now have. But the guy was still recruiting at a very high rate, and they would have been very good this season with him at the helm.

 

[beentherebefore]

Alabama had a lot of players jump into the portal after he left. Guy was in his 70's and I am sure he was getting burnt out on NIL and the rest of modern football. He has made it known in the past that he did not like players being allowed to come and go like they now have. But the guy was still recruiting at a very high rate, and they would have been very good this season with him at the helm.

OK. Makes sense. It does seem that a coach has to buy in to the NIL world and be able to build a culture (CMC comes to mind here) in order to succeed in this new environment. The new 'Bama coach was darn successful in the past.

 

[cyputz]

Iowa State Men’s Gymnastics

 

[ISUTex]

Bball

Georgetown
Georgia Tech
UNLV
Indiana
Oklahoma State
Maryland
UMASS
St John's
Minnesota


Football

Nebraska
Colorado
UCLA
Georgia Tech
Michigan State

 

[aeroclone]

Indiana and UCLA dropped for basketball.

For improving basketball brand, how about Duke under coach K and then UConn.

 

[Bader]

Duke was pretty much a MBB nobody until coach K.

I mean, Duke wasn't Dook, but they'd been to 4 final 4s before 1980

 

[mj4cy]

UCLA basketball really suffered after Wooden left.
Alabama football suffered after The Bear left.
So it is hard to follow legends like that.

Ben Howland made 3 final fours in a row and one of them the national champion runner up. However than ran him out of town for struggling to get past the first weekend in the next years after the last final four.

 

[RezClone]

Iowa State Baseball

Still better than Iowa, tho!

 

[RezClone]

1)Does Miami Football qualify?

I know maybe not the best timing after the PopTarts win, but at least we get to claim a hand in it!

They are racking up some serious not-so-good streaks here if you look into it.

2)Let's throw Kansas State in there, too. Sucks to suck!

3)What about Boston College? They are reliably on the short list of forgettable jobs for both sports. Idk how good they ever were, but they had Doug Flutie and Matt Ryan

(Reaching since most of the obvious examples have been said already)