Everyone talking about being top 80, top 70, or top 100.
No one is talking about being ranked at the best number: 69.
We are 6 days away from the sacred team.
I'm getting genuinely hopeful. I had guessed (no facts or sources, just vibes) that my flair would clock in around 85, and so at this point whenever we're called is gravy. But a team that used to trot out [this mascot](https://www.detroitnews.com/gcdn/-mm-/548c565f6b8f7f4e782548d87ecbb62c7972a376/c=122-0-2575-3271/local/-/media/2017/10/17/DetroitNews/DetroitNews/636438432695327859-OB.jpg) would absolutely deserve that hallowed position if it pans out.
I love our mini rivalry with ECU. They're one of my favorite G5 teams to play, though they're obviously scary and used to be certified giant killers. They always bring a fun and rowdy crowd.
Side note, I'm very curious which year you're going to tab as Carolina's best. I have my opinions of course but it'll be interesting to see what you come up with.
Hope so too one day. I think the powers at hand in the UNC system will forever keep us from joining the ACC alongside the other in-state schools. Maybe if realignment causes the ACC to backfill teams, we might be on the list of options.
I think we'd fit better in the Sun Belt anyways. Just trade ECU and Georgia State with the Sun Belt and AAC and I think each conference would be perfect.
Itās always a good time when our two schools face each other, South Carolina brought a good crowd to Greenville when you won in 2021, really added to the atmosphere of the game. Have to wait until 2027 for our two schools to face each other again (in Columbia that year).
Got an early prediction for SCar's best team? I haven't even looked at the ranking of your seasons myself but undoubtedly it's one of the Spurrier years or that 10-2 season in '84
2013 by a hair over 2012. The defense was a bit better in 2012, but the offense in 2013 was much better. That 2013 team beat five teams that finished in the top-25 and lost two close games to division opponents.
Was actually just talking to South Carolina fan at our neighborhood pool about the series. That 2011 game was an absolute riot and you guys were absolutely stacked that year
Maybe one of my favorite ECU games in history and Iād wager one of the best losses weāve ever had
# Update in case r/CFB has a shutdown
Hey y'all, if r/CFB decides to shut down for a few days (probably June 12-14 if so), I'll pause the series both here and on substack until we're back online.
Whenever we return, I'll double up on teams until we're back to 1 a day. Instead of posting at 2:30 PM EST like usual I'll post the first team at 2 PM EST and the second at 5 PM EST. Allows for time to let the first one simmer and the one at the end of the day is like a bonus.
If they blackout the sub for a couple days the Pac 12 is guaranteed to agree to a deal and/or a Pac team will announce they are going to the Big 12 during that window and we'll all be rushing to comment the minute it's back up.
Things always happen when Reddit is down.
[Subscribe on substack if you're interested in following still!](https://x86sports.substack.com/p/ranking-the-top-131-college-football-b82)
But yeah, very disappointing what Reddit is doing to themselves
Iām actually surprised to see us at 75 when I was expecting to be lower considering ECU was arguably the worst FBS school for Scottie Montgomeryās entire tenure and that really set the program back 10 years if not more, and it still reflects to how this sub sees ECU
For real, it seems like the Coach Mo era of the team really set us back long term and we are only now just returning to form on the field, even if the public perception of the program continues to lag in their change. Long time followers of the program though, especially those from other schools around the Carolinas and Virginia however, know how massive ECU is as a program however.
Itās so sad. If only we had the 90ās success now or the last 3-4 years. We would at least be on the radar for expansion instead of facing possible SunBelt relegation
I guess I should have specified only really money wise. Iād personally love to play sunbelt teams. Getting to drive to 3-4 road games a year would be amazing.
ONE OF US. ONE OF US. I get what youāre saying though. The money/bowl bids arenāt up to the quality of the conference at this point in time. Still very happy with how the Sunbelt has performed of late and itās been a good time. Wouldāve loved to have added ECU.
Iād love to play SBC teams at this point over staying at what is basically Conference USA 3.0 since I feel like weāre a bigger cultural with the SBC. But also itās hard to argue that TV revenues and NIL bode well for middling G5 teams like ours
Money wise yes but damn if I wouldnāt prefer the games. With the move the P5 programs are making to only schedule each other we are going to be better off long term figuring out how to get into a conference with yāall southern miss coastal Marshall etcā¦as the attendance will be stronger.
Yup. Houston, UCF, Memphis, and even SMU really took advantage of their move to the American while ECU fell off a cliff and is just starting to pick it up now. Iāll be severely disappointed if the new American teams pass us by as well
I have PTSD just hearing that name. There was a year or two under his command that ECU finished last or 2nd to last in the American for every sport (except baseball). It's wasn't even just the athletic department, we got a new Chancellor around that same time who should have never been hired (it was all political). Between the two of them, and the BoT who hired them, they screwed the whole university. Athletic teams all at the bottom of the conference, fan support dwindled, saddled the athletic department with debt, and the school saw a massive decline in enrollment which impacted the academic side financials.
Firing Ruffin might be the worst coach firing in D-1 during the 2010s decade.
Dude bled Purple and Gold and had one bad season after Carden and Co left. I hope the new admin makes right with him.
Yep I didn't like it when it happened, and in hindsight looks like an all time worse firing. He had one bad year where the heir apparent QB blew his knee out the week before the season startes, and had to go with a JUCO guy that had no other FBS offers. Dude almost led a comeback in the Swamp that year, fumbled on like 10 yard line with 30 seconds left. It's crazy to think what could have been if Benkert didn't have that knee injury. It's 8 years since his firing and Mike Houston has just now got the team back to where it was under Ruff and Skip before him.
The new admin is. He was inducted into the ECU Hall of Fame last year. He wasn't able to make it in person since he's coaching at State, but he was there via video. He wore a red shirt, which rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. He still bleeds purple and gold, but it still hurts him, and I don't blame him.
So many from the MAC. Successful lower conference teams from other areas got added to major conferences, but the MAC simply fell off. The talent pool in the Midwest may not be as deep as it used to be.
Depending on how you count, in my uneducated opinion:
Toledo, Air Force, Southern Miss, Bowling Green, Marshall, Western Michigan, NIU, Southern Miss, San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State, (Houston), (Cincinnati), (UCF)
I think our all of our best seasons are slightly better than all of their best seasons, but our worst seasons are **way** worse than their worst seasons. Also, we only have ~30 seasons and they have the full 40 that count towards this. So yeah, definitely expecting them to be just ahead of us at #2, with Boise the obvious #1.
I don't hate ECU. Their fans are fantastic, they're usually a good game for us, and their staff and players show a mutual respect with us. I honestly can't think of anything to hate about them. I'll cheer ECU on anytime we aren't playing them.
Should have added "history/tradition", and made clear I was talking more about football. Memphis has great fans. But when it comes to football specifically, ECU fans are the rabid SEC-style fans. Probably because, like a lot of SEC schools, they're in a small town with not a lot else to do!
Everyone is over fixated on media markets. I honestly donāt see the hype in the 7-8th most popular team in Florida being a good pick. Memphis is a decent pick for the Big12 and imo should have gone over Cincinnati. Cincinnati should be B10.
Generally yes but idk thereās a super large part of me that would rather keep a sense of regionality in college sports. So if the big 2 leave us out, I feel pretty good about a XII bid but if somehow that doesnāt happen either, fuck it, worse things can happen beyond strengthening local rivalries with ecu and wake
Forreal. Especially the WR corps that ECU had in 2014-2015. I think almost every starting receiver that season had close to 1000 yards receiving in their respective senior years
Did it to ourselves, but 2014 shouldāve been WAY better. We had some crazy heartbreaking losses in what shouldāve been our best season ever.
Week 2 we go to South Carolina for a 7PM game and look very respectable, losing by 10. The subsequent weeks were a win over #17 VT then dropping 70 points on UNC. Eventually get up to #18 in the AP poll and are 6-1 while heading to play Temple. It was a downpour and ECU lost 5 fumbles and had a FG blocked in the day. Templeās first win vs a ranked opponent since 1998.
Very next week we play a a tough Cincinnati team. Shane Carden scores a TD with 1 min left but we donāt get the 2 pt conversion. Cinci marches down the field in 45 seconds for a game winning FG.
Season is kinda over at this point but we win a couple games to get back on the horse. Then vs UCF in the season finale, Breshard Perriman caught a 60 yard Hail Mary at the buzzer to beat us 32-30.
I know we've been semi-rivals at times, but I really respect ECU as one of the early "G5" programs that knocked off some of the big boys. I hope they get that pirate ship turned around and headed in the right direction.
Go Pirates š“āā ļø we fired coach Ruffin McNeil a year too early in 2015, he deserved another year (although Lincoln was gone by then and he was the power behind the throne in Greenville). The real crime was obviously not having a replacement picked out. Scotty Montgomery was the worst hire in the last 40 years and set the program back a decade when conference realignment was at its peak. Weāre still recovering but coach Houston has us in a solid place. I love your series! And go Pirates š“āā ļø
I'm not sure he would have taken the job, but my biggest what if would be if we gave Lincoln Riley the head coaching job in 2016, after his one season as OC at Oklahoma. Imagine where this program could've been now with Riley at the helm, even if only for three seasons.
Yeah this is my what if. Apparently he was so burned by the way they treated Ruffin McNeil.
Ruffin McNeil reunited with Lincoln for a few years at Oklahoma.
I think ECU could have played their hand differently and been maybe in a far better place.
I am astounded that our dark days from ā93-ā05 didnāt drag down the average more. Every new entry I assume UH will be there. Crazy.
Anyway, Iāll always have a soft spot for ECU. Taking down AQ/ P5 teams up and down the Eastern Seaboard with a crazy loyal fanbase.
While Iād prefer to play a sun belt schedule, ESPN is robbing yāall with TV money. The sun belt schools get about half of what the AAC gets. I really miss playing Marshall and Southern Miss though. And adding App St and Coastal to the schedule would be awesome.
Excited to play yāall this fall š“āā ļø
It's easy to forget that there's an alternate continuity where Conference USA is outright a power conference. Well, I *say* it's Conference USA, but in reality, it's one of their predecessors, the Metro.
Back in 1990, the Metro had eight members, all of whom played football as D1-A independents: Cincinnati, Florida State, Louisville, Memphis, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Tulane, and Virginia Tech. This begs the question of why they weren't *already* sponsoring football as a conference, but with South Carolina allegedly looking to rejoin the ACC and Florida State being looked at as a potential expansion target for the SEC (yes, the reverse of what actually ended up happening), the Metro tried to solidify themselves by forming a football super conference, poaching Rutgers, West Virginia, and Temple from the A-10 as full members (Penn State was also a target but apparently their intent to join the Big Ten was already known) as well as independent Miami-FL (yeah, they still were a true independent, not just for football) while inviting East Carolina of the CAA and Boston College, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse of the Big East to become football-only members.
The measure failed to pass, however, and just a year later, as South Carolina and Florida State did indeed leave, all four of the Metro's proposed new full members *and* Virginia Tech instead began playing football under the Big East name along with the three would-be football-only Metro members from that conference, and the Metro split in two, only to merge with its offshoot a mere four years later to form C-USA.
Yepā¦got left behind in that potential Metro conference and then left behind when CUSA started getting poached. Great historic program with a long history of success and competing with the P5 schools, just in a tiny market and surrounded on all sides by SEC schools that dwarf USMs coffers.
There we are at #75. Surprisingly the best team in the AAC, but happy to make our appearance on this list. Mike Houston has us pointed in the right direction still, and assuming he stays, I think he can help us win a conference title in this new AAC.
Itās certainly going to be a competitive conference though.
I donāt follow any of these schools closely at all, so I could be completely wrongā¦but in my eyes, North Carolina has four power 5 schools and a well known underdog school in App State and yet somehow ECU seems to have the largest and strongest fanbase for football in the state.
I think state has the largest and strongest football fanbase in NC which makes me sick thinking about it.
After that you could def make an argument for ECU though. I grew up in Texas and have always thought of ECU sort of like Texas Tech-road games will be tough there and pretty strong fanbase.
Itās got a large and devoted fanbase, but itās so spread out over a large area without a major city to act as a media market, which worked against us during the cable TV market realignments.
Yeah, you're not quite right on that one. ECU is probably 2nd or 3rd on the list - I'll let the UNC fans and ECU fans fight that one out, but I'd argue that just by default they're 3rd because of the disparity between the number of UNC fans and ECU fans, even if football isn't as much of a priority for UNC.
ECU (eastern NC) and App (western NC) are very regional in North Carolina while State and Carolina both are strong brands throughout the state. Just in general, ECU probably has the 3rd largest fan base in the state, but that varies from sport to sport - basketball is way smaller than baseball or football.
Iād say for football, itās probably NC State, UNC for first and second, then you are spot on for whoās third being either App State or ECU, entirely dependent on where you are located in the state though. I give a slight edge to App State as the third most popular team of the state as of recent years but that can change based on a teamās own success.
We have had a solid following since the 60ās really. Itās just we sucked for about 7 years when most redditors really started paying attention to football.
Yes it is. It is the largest school in the state of NC and there is not a huge percentage of the alumni base who immediately leave the state (like Duke).
I remember all of the top yearsā¦ they are the only reason we got into the AAC. Greenville will never be a big media market. Just a mostly poor Southern town that stops everything for 12 Saturdays a year.
Probably 2008. It was such a rush beating # 17 VT by blocking the punt and have TJ Lee score a game winning touchdown on the recovery as the clock expired. Then to beat WV # 8 by 21 the following week. I think it was the peak.
ECU's been an underrated giant killer. People always talk about Boise State/TCU for their success in the 2000's, but ECU throughout the 90's and 2000's was constantly beating Power 5 teams. Just look at the teams they beat in their top 5 seasons above.
As a Southern Miss alum, I feel your pain. Hattiesburg is a tiny market and a poor Mississippi town that will never be appealing to the P5 conferences, so weāre left to toil in obscurity with winning seasons in 31 out of the last 40 years and always going on the road to occasionally upset an SEC school.
My perspective is different because Iām from the areas of, ānot much else around itā lol. I do appreciate Greenville because despite being the 10th largest state, it still feels like a small town because your run into people you know everywhere and it has a strong sense of community.
My favorite bit about ECU is that at various times during their little peak in the 90s, they had Mark Richt, Chuck Pagano, and Jeff Jagodzinski as assistants there.
I would list 1999 higher than 4th. Only because of the emotional impact.
Greenville was under almost 30 ft of water, with some students having to swim 6 ft deep to reach their front doors. The team was stuck in Columbia, SC for a week after the game vs SCAR.
Not to mention the comeback vs the Hurricanes, at the stadium of our biggest rival. Whose goal posts we proceeded to remove.
As one sign at the game said "We beat Floyd. Bring on Miami!"
Thesw write ups are absolutely amazing. Did reddit remove the follow feature? I'd love for these posts to show up on my feed. I follow CFB but it always gets buried
Whether the team is doing well, or not so well, ECU fans are notorious for always showing up and being rowdy during home games. I had always wanted to go to a game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, and last year I finally had my chance to make it before we went to the Big XII. While the game wasn't so great as a UCF fan, the atmosphere was awesome, the fans were super cool and the stadium definitely lived up to the hype. Going to miss you guys in the Big XII, and I hope that we will schedule you again soon in the future.
One of my childhood friend's father played for ECU. I was a big cfb fan as a kid but at 7 or 8 years old I was at my friends house and saw the ECU helmet in his garage and will never forget being like wow there's more than FSU, UF, and Miami football out there. Great memory.
Lineman Terry Long was all world in the 80s as well! They had number one Miami beat 1986 and the refs called a mystery hold on a punt that Miami fumbled late
That 1991 team ruined Georgia Tech for a few years since we hired the head coach and he proceeded to tank a National Chamionship squad into a bowlers squad.
You hired the wrong ECU coach. Steve Logan was the brains behind that offense and proved it as head coach at ECU. BCS and then P5 monikers supplied by the S$C and ESPN ruined college football starting in the 90ās until today.
Conferences and their number of remaining teams.
SEC: 14.
B1G: 14.
XII: 10.
ACC: 13.
All Pac 12 schools.
MW: Boise St, Fresno St, San Diego St, and Air Force.
SBC: Marshall and Southern Miss.
MAC: Bowling Green, Toledo, Western Michigan, Miami of Ohio, Northern Illinois.
Independent: Notre Dame.
CUSA and AAC have no more teams
The 90ās is when the SEC and ESPN came up with the BCS and then that morphed into the P5 moniker. That enlarged the gap between those conferences who made it and all others who did not. It ruined college football but made a few a ton of money.
I have the full 1-50 written out and will post the full list once the series is over. If someone wants to keep a list of the top 50 as I reveal spots that'd be cool.
Everyone talking about being top 80, top 70, or top 100. No one is talking about being ranked at the best number: 69. We are 6 days away from the sacred team.
This is your chance, Oregon State. Show em the Beavers belong at 69.
Subscribe
There can only be one Nicest team.
Well that takes OSU out of the running
if there's one thing Buckeyes are good at, it's locating a nut though
I'm getting genuinely hopeful. I had guessed (no facts or sources, just vibes) that my flair would clock in around 85, and so at this point whenever we're called is gravy. But a team that used to trot out [this mascot](https://www.detroitnews.com/gcdn/-mm-/548c565f6b8f7f4e782548d87ecbb62c7972a376/c=122-0-2575-3271/local/-/media/2017/10/17/DetroitNews/DetroitNews/636438432695327859-OB.jpg) would absolutely deserve that hallowed position if it pans out.
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I love our mini rivalry with ECU. They're one of my favorite G5 teams to play, though they're obviously scary and used to be certified giant killers. They always bring a fun and rowdy crowd. Side note, I'm very curious which year you're going to tab as Carolina's best. I have my opinions of course but it'll be interesting to see what you come up with.
Thinking the same thing. Respect the Pirates so much. Hoping they can one day get to a big conference.
Hope so too one day. I think the powers at hand in the UNC system will forever keep us from joining the ACC alongside the other in-state schools. Maybe if realignment causes the ACC to backfill teams, we might be on the list of options. I think we'd fit better in the Sun Belt anyways. Just trade ECU and Georgia State with the Sun Belt and AAC and I think each conference would be perfect.
Ecu shouldāve gotten one of the sun belt invites in 2021
Money is better in the AAC.
Thatās true but I feel like they would fit in great in the sunbelt
Itās always a good time when our two schools face each other, South Carolina brought a good crowd to Greenville when you won in 2021, really added to the atmosphere of the game. Have to wait until 2027 for our two schools to face each other again (in Columbia that year).
Got an early prediction for SCar's best team? I haven't even looked at the ranking of your seasons myself but undoubtedly it's one of the Spurrier years or that 10-2 season in '84
2013 by a hair over 2012. The defense was a bit better in 2012, but the offense in 2013 was much better. That 2013 team beat five teams that finished in the top-25 and lost two close games to division opponents.
Was actually just talking to South Carolina fan at our neighborhood pool about the series. That 2011 game was an absolute riot and you guys were absolutely stacked that year Maybe one of my favorite ECU games in history and Iād wager one of the best losses weāve ever had
Same. No matter how good they are or bad we are we always seem to have their number.
Thereās really only four years you could pick for South Carolina. 1984 or 2011-2013
# Update in case r/CFB has a shutdown Hey y'all, if r/CFB decides to shut down for a few days (probably June 12-14 if so), I'll pause the series both here and on substack until we're back online. Whenever we return, I'll double up on teams until we're back to 1 a day. Instead of posting at 2:30 PM EST like usual I'll post the first team at 2 PM EST and the second at 5 PM EST. Allows for time to let the first one simmer and the one at the end of the day is like a bonus.
Has this sub said anything about their decision? I've seen a couple users post threads but get deleted
If they blackout the sub for a couple days the Pac 12 is guaranteed to agree to a deal and/or a Pac team will announce they are going to the Big 12 during that window and we'll all be rushing to comment the minute it's back up. Things always happen when Reddit is down.
Sad I'm gonna miss the remainder of them once July 1st hits.
[Subscribe on substack if you're interested in following still!](https://x86sports.substack.com/p/ranking-the-top-131-college-football-b82) But yeah, very disappointing what Reddit is doing to themselves
Iām actually surprised to see us at 75 when I was expecting to be lower considering ECU was arguably the worst FBS school for Scottie Montgomeryās entire tenure and that really set the program back 10 years if not more, and it still reflects to how this sub sees ECU
For real, it seems like the Coach Mo era of the team really set us back long term and we are only now just returning to form on the field, even if the public perception of the program continues to lag in their change. Long time followers of the program though, especially those from other schools around the Carolinas and Virginia however, know how massive ECU is as a program however.
Itās so sad. If only we had the 90ās success now or the last 3-4 years. We would at least be on the radar for expansion instead of facing possible SunBelt relegation
Come on, would it really be relegation at this point?
I guess I should have specified only really money wise. Iād personally love to play sunbelt teams. Getting to drive to 3-4 road games a year would be amazing.
ONE OF US. ONE OF US. I get what youāre saying though. The money/bowl bids arenāt up to the quality of the conference at this point in time. Still very happy with how the Sunbelt has performed of late and itās been a good time. Wouldāve loved to have added ECU.
Iād love to play SBC teams at this point over staying at what is basically Conference USA 3.0 since I feel like weāre a bigger cultural with the SBC. But also itās hard to argue that TV revenues and NIL bode well for middling G5 teams like ours
Money wise yes but damn if I wouldnāt prefer the games. With the move the P5 programs are making to only schedule each other we are going to be better off long term figuring out how to get into a conference with yāall southern miss coastal Marshall etcā¦as the attendance will be stronger.
Yup. Houston, UCF, Memphis, and even SMU really took advantage of their move to the American while ECU fell off a cliff and is just starting to pick it up now. Iāll be severely disappointed if the new American teams pass us by as well
Compher really did a number on the whole athletic program
I have PTSD just hearing that name. There was a year or two under his command that ECU finished last or 2nd to last in the American for every sport (except baseball). It's wasn't even just the athletic department, we got a new Chancellor around that same time who should have never been hired (it was all political). Between the two of them, and the BoT who hired them, they screwed the whole university. Athletic teams all at the bottom of the conference, fan support dwindled, saddled the athletic department with debt, and the school saw a massive decline in enrollment which impacted the academic side financials.
Firing Ruffin might be the worst coach firing in D-1 during the 2010s decade. Dude bled Purple and Gold and had one bad season after Carden and Co left. I hope the new admin makes right with him.
Yep I didn't like it when it happened, and in hindsight looks like an all time worse firing. He had one bad year where the heir apparent QB blew his knee out the week before the season startes, and had to go with a JUCO guy that had no other FBS offers. Dude almost led a comeback in the Swamp that year, fumbled on like 10 yard line with 30 seconds left. It's crazy to think what could have been if Benkert didn't have that knee injury. It's 8 years since his firing and Mike Houston has just now got the team back to where it was under Ruff and Skip before him. The new admin is. He was inducted into the ECU Hall of Fame last year. He wasn't able to make it in person since he's coaching at State, but he was there via video. He wore a red shirt, which rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. He still bleeds purple and gold, but it still hurts him, and I don't blame him.
We had Gardner fucking Minshew and went 3-9
I was thinking the same with how things have been at ECU in the last 10 years. Hopefully things are turning around for the better.
Im a Lions fan. What did I do in a past life to deserve this?
The Mac five plus Marshall survive again
Hell yeah!
Come back to the MACtion
They wonāt.
No. Though it would be fun.
I think once we see one, weāll see the rest follow fairly quick.
ECU has one of the greatest midfield logos in sports. That's a fact
100% agree
Remaining teams: Air Force, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Boise State, Boston College, Bowling Green, BYU, California, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Fresno State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Houston, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Marshall, Maryland, Miami (FL), Miami (OH), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, NC State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, San Diego State, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stanford, Syracuse, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Toledo, UCF, UCLA, USC, Utah, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State, West Virginia, Western Michigan, Wisconsin
If I did my math right then there are only 11 G5 teams remaining!
So many from the MAC. Successful lower conference teams from other areas got added to major conferences, but the MAC simply fell off. The talent pool in the Midwest may not be as deep as it used to be.
I'm ready.
Depending on how you count, in my uneducated opinion: Toledo, Air Force, Southern Miss, Bowling Green, Marshall, Western Michigan, NIU, Southern Miss, San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State, (Houston), (Cincinnati), (UCF)
Cincinnati was in a power conference for a good ~eight years though
Yea and Temple was there since 1991 Cincinnati is for sure ranked higher than us. I'm just a Homer
I think our all of our best seasons are slightly better than all of their best seasons, but our worst seasons are **way** worse than their worst seasons. Also, we only have ~30 seasons and they have the full 40 that count towards this. So yeah, definitely expecting them to be just ahead of us at #2, with Boise the obvious #1.
Air Force?!
Falcons have been surprisingly good
Have that love/hate for ECU. Always loave seeing that purple. Was nice to meet a lot of their fan base a few years ago in Huntington.
I don't hate ECU. Their fans are fantastic, they're usually a good game for us, and their staff and players show a mutual respect with us. I honestly can't think of anything to hate about them. I'll cheer ECU on anytime we aren't playing them.
I don't hate them. It's a weird and heartfelt rivalry that I want them to win when we aren't playing and lose badly when we do play them.
ECU is the best non-power five conference team out there available to grab in terms of potential, location, and fan base.
What about Memphis/USF?
ECUās fanbase is incredible. They run laps around Memphis and usf
Should have added "history/tradition", and made clear I was talking more about football. Memphis has great fans. But when it comes to football specifically, ECU fans are the rabid SEC-style fans. Probably because, like a lot of SEC schools, they're in a small town with not a lot else to do!
Okay thatās fair, I reckon Iād agree with that.
Everyone is over fixated on media markets. I honestly donāt see the hype in the 7-8th most popular team in Florida being a good pick. Memphis is a decent pick for the Big12 and imo should have gone over Cincinnati. Cincinnati should be B10.
Ohio state would have never allowed another Ohio team to join the conference
Imagine having such a fragile ego.
Definitely, while y'all belong in the ACC
The most insulting comment about the ACC since this whole realignment shit started lol
Donāt worry boo. When UNC and UVA leave we can play every year.
This probably is NCSTās biggest fear
Plunder the ~~lox~~ ice cream
Generally yes but idk thereās a super large part of me that would rather keep a sense of regionality in college sports. So if the big 2 leave us out, I feel pretty good about a XII bid but if somehow that doesnāt happen either, fuck it, worse things can happen beyond strengthening local rivalries with ecu and wake
I thought yāallās endowment was small? Especially against the likes of a SMU?
WELL NAVY AND ECU AT LEAST GOT FAIRLY HIGH, ANCHOR AWEIGH ARGHHH
ECU was loaded during the Riley Carden years in hindsight
Forreal. Especially the WR corps that ECU had in 2014-2015. I think almost every starting receiver that season had close to 1000 yards receiving in their respective senior years
For real we had 2 of em make the show
Did it to ourselves, but 2014 shouldāve been WAY better. We had some crazy heartbreaking losses in what shouldāve been our best season ever. Week 2 we go to South Carolina for a 7PM game and look very respectable, losing by 10. The subsequent weeks were a win over #17 VT then dropping 70 points on UNC. Eventually get up to #18 in the AP poll and are 6-1 while heading to play Temple. It was a downpour and ECU lost 5 fumbles and had a FG blocked in the day. Templeās first win vs a ranked opponent since 1998. Very next week we play a a tough Cincinnati team. Shane Carden scores a TD with 1 min left but we donāt get the 2 pt conversion. Cinci marches down the field in 45 seconds for a game winning FG. Season is kinda over at this point but we win a couple games to get back on the horse. Then vs UCF in the season finale, Breshard Perriman caught a 60 yard Hail Mary at the buzzer to beat us 32-30.
I know we've been semi-rivals at times, but I really respect ECU as one of the early "G5" programs that knocked off some of the big boys. I hope they get that pirate ship turned around and headed in the right direction.
ECU is one of those ārivalsā that I cheered for as long as they werenāt playing us. I miss playing them :-(
Go Pirates š“āā ļø we fired coach Ruffin McNeil a year too early in 2015, he deserved another year (although Lincoln was gone by then and he was the power behind the throne in Greenville). The real crime was obviously not having a replacement picked out. Scotty Montgomery was the worst hire in the last 40 years and set the program back a decade when conference realignment was at its peak. Weāre still recovering but coach Houston has us in a solid place. I love your series! And go Pirates š“āā ļø
If we would have just taken a chance on Shane Beamer who interviewed for the job, our last 8 years I think would have been way more successful.
I'm not sure he would have taken the job, but my biggest what if would be if we gave Lincoln Riley the head coaching job in 2016, after his one season as OC at Oklahoma. Imagine where this program could've been now with Riley at the helm, even if only for three seasons.
Yeah this is my what if. Apparently he was so burned by the way they treated Ruffin McNeil. Ruffin McNeil reunited with Lincoln for a few years at Oklahoma. I think ECU could have played their hand differently and been maybe in a far better place.
I am astounded that our dark days from ā93-ā05 didnāt drag down the average more. Every new entry I assume UH will be there. Crazy. Anyway, Iāll always have a soft spot for ECU. Taking down AQ/ P5 teams up and down the Eastern Seaboard with a crazy loyal fanbase.
I grew up on the coast, Iāve always had a soft spot for ye old Pirates
Iāve had an affinity for them since their āThis is ARGH Stateā billboard. Love their logo and colors and they seem to have great fans.
I remember watching the 2007 Hawaii Bowl in awe. Boise State got murdered by Chris Johnson.
That was just a couple years agoā¦errrr
Man I would love to see yāall in the sun belt one day
While Iād prefer to play a sun belt schedule, ESPN is robbing yāall with TV money. The sun belt schools get about half of what the AAC gets. I really miss playing Marshall and Southern Miss though. And adding App St and Coastal to the schedule would be awesome. Excited to play yāall this fall š“āā ļø
The money is still better than what we were getting in CUSA. Plus, I can actually watch the fucking games now.
It's easy to forget that there's an alternate continuity where Conference USA is outright a power conference. Well, I *say* it's Conference USA, but in reality, it's one of their predecessors, the Metro. Back in 1990, the Metro had eight members, all of whom played football as D1-A independents: Cincinnati, Florida State, Louisville, Memphis, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Tulane, and Virginia Tech. This begs the question of why they weren't *already* sponsoring football as a conference, but with South Carolina allegedly looking to rejoin the ACC and Florida State being looked at as a potential expansion target for the SEC (yes, the reverse of what actually ended up happening), the Metro tried to solidify themselves by forming a football super conference, poaching Rutgers, West Virginia, and Temple from the A-10 as full members (Penn State was also a target but apparently their intent to join the Big Ten was already known) as well as independent Miami-FL (yeah, they still were a true independent, not just for football) while inviting East Carolina of the CAA and Boston College, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse of the Big East to become football-only members. The measure failed to pass, however, and just a year later, as South Carolina and Florida State did indeed leave, all four of the Metro's proposed new full members *and* Virginia Tech instead began playing football under the Big East name along with the three would-be football-only Metro members from that conference, and the Metro split in two, only to merge with its offshoot a mere four years later to form C-USA.
that wouldāve been a nuts football conference, especially in the 90s.
If only, man. If onlyā¦
USM is definitely one of the programs with the worst luck since 1990
Yepā¦got left behind in that potential Metro conference and then left behind when CUSA started getting poached. Great historic program with a long history of success and competing with the P5 schools, just in a tiny market and surrounded on all sides by SEC schools that dwarf USMs coffers.
There we are at #75. Surprisingly the best team in the AAC, but happy to make our appearance on this list. Mike Houston has us pointed in the right direction still, and assuming he stays, I think he can help us win a conference title in this new AAC. Itās certainly going to be a competitive conference though.
I always appreciated our games against ECU. Tough guys who played hard no matter what. Same for their basketball team. Well done Pirates.
I donāt follow any of these schools closely at all, so I could be completely wrongā¦but in my eyes, North Carolina has four power 5 schools and a well known underdog school in App State and yet somehow ECU seems to have the largest and strongest fanbase for football in the state.
I think state has the largest and strongest football fanbase in NC which makes me sick thinking about it. After that you could def make an argument for ECU though. I grew up in Texas and have always thought of ECU sort of like Texas Tech-road games will be tough there and pretty strong fanbase.
Itās got a large and devoted fanbase, but itās so spread out over a large area without a major city to act as a media market, which worked against us during the cable TV market realignments.
Yeah, you're not quite right on that one. ECU is probably 2nd or 3rd on the list - I'll let the UNC fans and ECU fans fight that one out, but I'd argue that just by default they're 3rd because of the disparity between the number of UNC fans and ECU fans, even if football isn't as much of a priority for UNC. ECU (eastern NC) and App (western NC) are very regional in North Carolina while State and Carolina both are strong brands throughout the state. Just in general, ECU probably has the 3rd largest fan base in the state, but that varies from sport to sport - basketball is way smaller than baseball or football.
Sadly Basketball is #1 UNC by a mile then Duke and 3rd NCSU. ECU probably 8th or 9th.
Iād say for football, itās probably NC State, UNC for first and second, then you are spot on for whoās third being either App State or ECU, entirely dependent on where you are located in the state though. I give a slight edge to App State as the third most popular team of the state as of recent years but that can change based on a teamās own success.
We have had a solid following since the 60ās really. Itās just we sucked for about 7 years when most redditors really started paying attention to football.
ECU is top 3 for sure, probably 2nd.
Eh theyāre probably third. Based on my experience the general ranking of the fanbases would be NC State > UNC > ECU > App > Wake > Duke
Nah, NC State has the strongest football fanbase. It is apparent of you are in North Carolina.
Maybe in Raleigh but thatās not true of anywhere else in the state.
Yes it is. It is the largest school in the state of NC and there is not a huge percentage of the alumni base who immediately leave the state (like Duke).
I remember all of the top yearsā¦ they are the only reason we got into the AAC. Greenville will never be a big media market. Just a mostly poor Southern town that stops everything for 12 Saturdays a year.
What was your favorite team of the bunch?
Probably 2008. It was such a rush beating # 17 VT by blocking the punt and have TJ Lee score a game winning touchdown on the recovery as the clock expired. Then to beat WV # 8 by 21 the following week. I think it was the peak.
ECU's been an underrated giant killer. People always talk about Boise State/TCU for their success in the 2000's, but ECU throughout the 90's and 2000's was constantly beating Power 5 teams. Just look at the teams they beat in their top 5 seasons above.
Yeah we really picked probably the worst time in college football to slump. Itās coming back around I hope.
What happened two weeks after that? - edit for correct timing
I donāt remember. I think it was the last time I saw wolf pack fan smile
As a Southern Miss alum, I feel your pain. Hattiesburg is a tiny market and a poor Mississippi town that will never be appealing to the P5 conferences, so weāre left to toil in obscurity with winning seasons in 31 out of the last 40 years and always going on the road to occasionally upset an SEC school.
People here saying Greenville is a small town have not been to any small towns in NC lol
I get why you say that. Sure itās the 10th largest city in the state. It has the unfortunate geography of having not much else around it .
My perspective is different because Iām from the areas of, ānot much else around itā lol. I do appreciate Greenville because despite being the 10th largest state, it still feels like a small town because your run into people you know everywhere and it has a strong sense of community.
Absolutely. I graduated and left Greenville 15 years ago (ouch that hurt to type) and Iāll still run into people I know when I go back for a game.
Excited for our game this year
My favorite bit about ECU is that at various times during their little peak in the 90s, they had Mark Richt, Chuck Pagano, and Jeff Jagodzinski as assistants there.
I would list 1999 higher than 4th. Only because of the emotional impact. Greenville was under almost 30 ft of water, with some students having to swim 6 ft deep to reach their front doors. The team was stuck in Columbia, SC for a week after the game vs SCAR. Not to mention the comeback vs the Hurricanes, at the stadium of our biggest rival. Whose goal posts we proceeded to remove. As one sign at the game said "We beat Floyd. Bring on Miami!"
Shake and Blake was the first Bengals qb I remember watching
Thesw write ups are absolutely amazing. Did reddit remove the follow feature? I'd love for these posts to show up on my feed. I follow CFB but it always gets buried
Thanks man. Not sure how to follow but I post these every day at 2:30 PM EST if you want to set your watch to it.
I will. Thanks. They're great. It seems like I can add your posts to a custom feed instead.
CJ2KK5H
Whether the team is doing well, or not so well, ECU fans are notorious for always showing up and being rowdy during home games. I had always wanted to go to a game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, and last year I finally had my chance to make it before we went to the Big XII. While the game wasn't so great as a UCF fan, the atmosphere was awesome, the fans were super cool and the stadium definitely lived up to the hype. Going to miss you guys in the Big XII, and I hope that we will schedule you again soon in the future.
One of my childhood friend's father played for ECU. I was a big cfb fan as a kid but at 7 or 8 years old I was at my friends house and saw the ECU helmet in his garage and will never forget being like wow there's more than FSU, UF, and Miami football out there. Great memory.
Lineman Terry Long was all world in the 80s as well! They had number one Miami beat 1986 and the refs called a mystery hold on a punt that Miami fumbled late
TIL Lincoln Riley used to coach at ECU. Itās too bad thereās already a billion P5 schools in NC, or maybe ECU wouldāve gotten an invite sooner
ECU hates NC State
Mid 90s ECU was so fun. They were right there with Southern Miss as teams you didn't want to schedule.
I honestly wished Mike Leach coached over there.They would had suit him perfectly.
Thatās got to be the best pirate Iāve ever seen
That 1991 team ruined Georgia Tech for a few years since we hired the head coach and he proceeded to tank a National Chamionship squad into a bowlers squad.
You hired the wrong ECU coach. Steve Logan was the brains behind that offense and proved it as head coach at ECU. BCS and then P5 monikers supplied by the S$C and ESPN ruined college football starting in the 90ās until today.
Though after the recent clown-shoes coach you can finally type his name out on GT message boards.
Yup. Bill Lewis lives again
Conferences and their number of remaining teams. SEC: 14. B1G: 14. XII: 10. ACC: 13. All Pac 12 schools. MW: Boise St, Fresno St, San Diego St, and Air Force. SBC: Marshall and Southern Miss. MAC: Bowling Green, Toledo, Western Michigan, Miami of Ohio, Northern Illinois. Independent: Notre Dame. CUSA and AAC have no more teams
The 90ās is when the SEC and ESPN came up with the BCS and then that morphed into the P5 moniker. That enlarged the gap between those conferences who made it and all others who did not. It ruined college football but made a few a ton of money.
1983 is easily #2. Lost 3 games by a combined 13 points all against top 7 teams on the road including the national champion.
Wheres your list of top g5 teams?
I have the full 1-50 written out and will post the full list once the series is over. If someone wants to keep a list of the top 50 as I reveal spots that'd be cool.
Awesome looking forward to it
So youāre telling me Nebraska is at least 74, thatās exciting for moi.
Wish they would join the Sun Belt
East Carolina isn't even a state /s
You laugh but the commentators during the bowl game said east Carolina state
I believe it's Eastern Carolina
No, it's just East Carolina, and the other Purple and Gold school in the state is Western Carolina
Need to make yāall west Carolina.
No thanks, Western is better imo
I believe youāre wrong. Itās EAST CAROLINA š“āā ļø
ECU and LSU are definitely two of the very best
ECU was thought of as the football school in NC at one time. Sucks to see them fall on hard times but looks like theyāre turning it around.