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Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Which 10 FBS Teams From The 2020s Have The Highest Winning Percentage?
College Football Which 10 FBS Teams From The 2020s Have The Highest Winning Percentage? Published Aug. 17, 2025 3:57 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link We're halfway through the 2020s, and with the second half of the decade in college football beginning soon, now is a good time to do some reflection. The 2020s have ushered in a new era in the sport, with name, image and likeness (NIL) coming into play, while the transfer portal has become more prevalent. The College Football Playoff also expanded for the first time since its inception, increasing from four to 12 teams in 2024. With all these changes in recent years, which organizations have been the best at navigating these new waters? Here are the 10 programs with the best winning percentage in the 2020s (2020 season through the 2024 season). 10 FBS Teams With The Highest Winning Percentage In The 2020s 10 Ole Miss: 44-18 (71%) Lane Kiffin has had a strong first five seasons at Ole Miss. (Photo by) Head coach Lane Kiffin helped elevate Ole Miss in his first few years in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels have been in the SEC title hunt more often than not through his first five seasons at the helm. They've finished the season ranked in the top 15 three times but haven't yet made the CFP. ADVERTISEMENT Kalani Sitake's BYU squad has been consistent. (Photo by) The Cougars have been a sneaky successful program this decade, winning at least 10 games in three of the past five seasons. They arguably had their best year in quite some time in 2024, going 11-2 but missing out on a chance to play in the Big 12 Championship Game because of a tiebreaker. Jamey Chadwell's had a strong first two seasons as Liberty's head coach. (Photo by) With Hugh Freeze and Jamey Chadwell both serving as Liberty's head coach through the first half of the decade, the Flames have arguably been the best non-power conference school since 2020. They went 26-10 with Freeze from 2020-22, going 10-1 in 2020. But they had their best season under Chadwell, going 13-1 in 2023. Their lone loss that year came to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. Clemson has been the class of the ACC for most of the 2020s. (Photo by) Considering that there were questions not too long ago about whether the game had passed head coach Dabo Swinney by, some might be surprised to see Clemson on this list. Remember, though, Trevor Lawrence was still at quarterback in 2020, helping the Tigers go 10-2. They've won at least nine games in every season since then as well, making the CFP for the first time since 2020 this past season. Dan Lanning has helped Oregon become a title contender. (Photo) Oregon has had three coaching changes since 2017, so the fact that it's on this list is pretty impressive. Mario Cristobal helped elevate the Ducks late in the 2010s before leaving for Miami (Fla.) after a 10-3 season in 2021. Dan Lanning has arguably lifted Oregon even higher, winning at least 10 games in each of his first three seasons as head coach. That includes last season, when Oregon went 13-0 before losing in the quarterfinals of the CFP. Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame reached the national championship game in 2024. (Photo) Brian Kelly brought stability back to South Bend, Indiana over his long tenure as Notre Dame's head coach, and Marcus Freeman has helped sustain it. The Fighting Irish have gone 33-9 in Freeman's first three seasons as head coach, reaching the national championship game for the first time since 2012 last season. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan won the national championship in 2023. (Photo by) At the start of the decade, Michigan was in the dumps. The Wolverines went 2-4 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, nearly costing then-head coach Jim Harbaugh his job. The following season, however, Michigan began a three-year stretch where it made the CFP each season, culminating with a national championship victory in 2023. That stretch was so strong that even an 8-5 season in 2024 couldn't knock the Wolverines out of the top five from this list. Nick Saban was responsible for most of Alabama's success so far this decade. (Photo by) Alabama was the top dog in college football in the 2010s, winning four national championships that decade and becoming a perennial contender under then-head coach Nick Saban. It looked like the Crimson Tide would remain college football's premier program at the turn of the decade as well, winning the national championship in 2020. It hasn't won a national title since, but it has still remained a perennial national championship contender. Ryan Day finally won a national championship in 2024. (Photo by) Head coach Ryan Day finally got over the hump and won a national championship in 2024 after coming so close to breaking through a few times prior to that. Before going 14-2 in 2024, Ohio State went 11-2 in each of the three previous seasons. The Buckeyes also went 7-1 in 2020, losing in the national championship game that year. Kirby Smart has helped Georgia win two national championships this decade. (Photo by) Kirby Smart's Bulldogs have been the definition of success in college football through the first five years of the decade. Georgia's the only program to win multiple national championships, going 15-0 in 2022 after a 14-1 title-winning season in 2021. It's won at least 11 games in two of the years that it didn't win the title, too. Additionally, Georgia hasn't lost a game at home this decade. Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football What did you think of this story? share
New York Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
2025 Conference USA betting odds, preview, picks: Why UTEP is a CFP sleeper
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. Everything pointed to a runaway season for Liberty in 2024. The Flames were coming off a 13-1 campaign, they had Kaidon Salter returning after a monster year under center and head coach Jamey Chadwell was entering his second year. Liberty was a clear favorite to win Conference USA and there was a lot of buzz about the Flames representing the Group of 5 in the College Football Playoff. Not so fast. Liberty finished 8-4 overall, and just 5-3 in C-USA. It was a reminder to assume nothing in this sport, especially in the Group of 5. 2025 Conference USA odds Team Odds Liberty +120 Western Kentucky +350 Louisiana Tech +800 Jacksonville State +850 Sam Houston State 10/1 FIU 14/1 UTEP 14/1 Middle Tennessee 18/1 New Mexico State 25/1 Kennesaw State 33/1 Odds via bet365 (Delaware and Missouri State are ineligible to win the conference). The Favorite Despite their down year and the transfer of Salter to Colorado, Liberty is once again the runaway favorite in Conference USA, perhaps the weakest in the Group of 5. It may seem odd to install the Flames as such a short favorite, but the reality is that this program can outspend the rest of the teams in the conference by a wide margin. The Flames may be breaking in a new quarterback — Ethan Vasko, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, is the projected starter — but he will have plenty of experience in front of — and around — him. Liberty Flames head coach Jamey Chadwell. Getty Images It's also likely that Vasko and the offense won't be asked to be prolific because Liberty's defense projects to be one of the best in the Group of 5. With a terrific coach, plenty of money and a lot of talent and experience throughout the roster, Liberty remains a step above the rest of C-USA. We could have said the same thing last year, though. Dark horses Western Kentucky is the second favorite behind Liberty, and that seems a bit crazy considering the amount of turnover in Bowling Green. The Hilltoppers saw 80 total transfers (in and out) take place over the offseason, and they'll have new coordinators on both sides of the ball. Tyson Helton has been steady as she goes for WKU, but he'll need to work some serious magic for this team to win eight-plus games for the fifth year running. There will also be upheaval at Jacksonville State (Rich Rodriguez has departed for West Virginia) and Sam Houston State (K.C. Keeler left for Temple, and defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity took a bunch of his players to North Texas), making them unappealing at their short prices to provide a challenge for Liberty. The case for Louisiana Tech is that there's not much of a difference between the Bulldogs and the teams priced above them, but it's been pretty dire under Sonny Cumbie, and the odds are not enticing enough to bet on a turnaround just because the rest of the conference is wanting. Long shots The path to success for the also-rans in C-USA is that the rest of the conference won't put up that much resistance. That's the starting point, at least. For a team like Middle Tennessee State, it may be enough if Derek Mason gets things moving in Year 2. But considering how things went in his first year in Murfreesboro, it's more of a hope than a sound bet. Middle Tennessee State coach Derek Mason. Getty Images Then there's FIU, which is just hoping Willie Simmons can lead them out of no man's land in his debut season with the Panthers. Kennesaw State returns plenty of its roster, but that may not be a good thing considering how it played in 2024. There is one team, however, that does stand out as a good bet in this range. Betting on College Football? Best bet to win Conference USA UTEP to win Conference USA (14/1, bet365) | UTEP to make the CFB Playoff (300/1, DraftKings) We'll start with UTEP, who profile as a potential bounce-back candidate after a poor but also quite unlucky 3-9 campaign in Scotty Walden's first year in El Paso. Walden tried to accelerate the turnaround by getting aggressive in the transfer portal, notably adding former five-star recruit and USC quarterback Malachi Nelson to his ranks. Nelson immediately becomes one of the most interesting players in the Group of 5. His ceiling is as high as anybody's at this level, but he's not come close to hitting it while at USC and Boise State. If Nelson can click with his new offensive coordinator Mark Cala, the Miners could turn this conference on its head. I think the Miners are absolutely worth a bet to win C-USA at 14/1 odds, and I'd also consider a very small sprinkle on them to make the Playoff at 300/1. Picks up! Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Liberty Flames and coach Jamey Chadwell eager to bounce back in Conference USA
FILE - Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell reacts to a call during the first half of the NCAA Fiesta Bowl college football game against Oregon, Jan. 1, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) MY flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liberty Flames and coach Jamey Chadwell eager to bounce back in Conference USA
The Liberty Flames find themselves in a familiar position favored to win the Conference USA title with added motivation of bouncing back from a disappointing 2024. Coach Jamey Chadwell and his Flames were favored a year ago only to miss the title game. They also finished on a two-game skid capped by a loss in the Bahamas Bowl. 'Maybe a bad taste in the mouth about how we finished thinking that we could've had a better season than we had last year, and I think the guys returning knew that and they knew why we didn't and they're focused on making sure we don't beat ourselves moving forward,' Chadwell said. Liberty had a game canceled by Hurricane Helene in September, then stumbled to a 5-3 mark in league play and 8-4 overall. It was a big drop from 2023 when Liberty went undefeated in winning the C-USA championship and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl in Chadwell's first season. Now Chadwell is managing the transfer portal that saw quarterback Kaidon Salter go to Colorado. Ethan Vasko is among 13 portal additions, and the quarterback threw for 2,110 yards and 14 touchdowns last season at Coastal Carolina. Vasko also ran for 447 yards and five more scores. Chadwell said the challenge now in Conference USA is knowing which teams got 'plucked' through the portal and who's actually back. He sees his fellow coaches now having to build teams each season rather than programs. 'We lost a bunch of guys just like everybody else, but I do think we have a good nucleus,' Chadwell said. 'I think we have a chance to have a really, really good year if we can stay together and stay connected.' Liberty also will be relying on Vaughn Blue and JuJu Gray to keep an offense clicking after ranking fourth nationally last season averaging 250.7 yards rushing per game. Western Kentucky also is a heavy favorite after the Hilltoppers lost in the title game last December. Defending C-USA champ Jacksonville State will try to defend its league title with a first-year head coach. Louisiana Tech is expected to bounce back after a 5-8 season as well. Transfer portal help Western Kentucky went back to the portal for a quarterback with Maverick McIvor transferring from Abilene Christian. McIvor threw for 3,847 yards and 30 touchdowns with seven interceptions. McIvor should be comfortable with offensive coordinator Rick Bowie, brought along for the same job. Other portal additions include running back George Hart III and a pair of wide receivers in K.D. Hutchinson and Noah Meyers. Newcomer coach Jacksonville State has Charles Kelly in his first season as a first-time head coach replacing Rich Rodriguez, who went to West Virginia. Kelly was hired away from Auburn where he had been co-defensive coordinator to return to where he started his coaching career at Jacksonville State in 1994. The Gamecocks hope to ease Kelly's transition with the addition of running back Cam Cook, who transferred from TCU after scoring nine TDs in 2024. Tony Franklin's back The offensive coordinator is back at Louisiana Tech where he was coordinator between 2010 and 2012. He's also had a stint in the same role at Middle Tennessee for six seasons before retiring in January 2021. Louisiana Tech already has quarterback Evan Bullock returning after throwing for 2,104 yards with 14 TDs and only three interceptions. The last time Franklin was the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator, Louisiana Tech led FBS scoring 51.5 points and piling up 577.9 yards per game. Waiting for bowl options Delaware and Missouri State are in the second year transitioning from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision. That means they're not eligible for bowl games. But if the record is worthy, they each could become eligible if not enough FBS teams are available to fill the slots. Notable matchups The season starts Aug. 23 when Sam Houston visits Western Kentucky. C-USA has packed its schedule with some heavyweight games starting with Kennesaw State visiting Wake Forest on Aug. 29 and Missouri State at Southern California on Aug. 30. Sept. 6 is a big day for C-USA with FIU at Penn State, Kennesaw State at Indiana, Delaware going to Colorado, Middle Tennessee playing at Wisconsin and Louisiana Tech visiting LSU. UTEP goes to Texas on Sept. 13, and Western Kentucky visits LSU on Nov. 22 before the season finale at Jacksonville State. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Liberty Flames and coach Jamey Chadwell eager to bounce back in Conference USA
The Liberty Flames find themselves in a familiar position favored to win the Conference USA title with added motivation of bouncing back from a disappointing 2024. Coach Jamey Chadwell and his Flames were favored a year ago only to miss the title game. They also finished on a two-game skid capped by a loss in the Bahamas Bowl .
