:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51924513/usa_today_9692123.0.jpeg)
In college football’s so-called Power Five Conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC), there are 64 teams.
Only two of those teams have not won a game against a conference foe this year: The Arizona Wildcats and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
After Saturday’s games, both teams are now 0-8 in their respective conferences. Arizona has been dominated by just about every team they’ve faced in the Pac-12, and Rutgers has been just as bad in the Big Ten (yeah, they’re in the Big Ten...get that New York market Jim Delany).
Let’s compare just how bad both of these teams are:
Schedule/results:
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7504967/azdst.jpg)
Look at that, both of these teams were 2-1 with wins over an FCS team and a Mountain West team.
Stats:
*numbers in () indicate NCAA rank out of 128 FBS teams
| Arizona | Rutgers | |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring offense | 21.9 (113) | 15.9 (127) |
| Scoring defense | 38.6 (120) | 38.1 (118) |
| Total offense | 397.2 (76) | 277.1 (128) |
| Total defense | 467.3 (112) | 454.0 (103) |
| Turnover margin per game | -0.73 (112) | -0.36 (98) |
| Penalty yards | 667 (99) | 491 (25) |
| 3rd down conversion % allowed | 52.3% (127) | 41.3% (81) |
| Kickoff return average | 17.19 (123) | 19.62 (85) |
| Red Zone offense | 74.3 % (119) | 69.6% (127) |
The only thing Arizona really has going for it is at least its offense isn’t as excruciatingly awful as Rutgers’ offense. The Scarlet Knights have been shutout four times, and have quite literally the worst offense in the country.
Really, my biggest takeaway is just how bad these teams are at everything. Rutgers is only ranked in the top-50 of the FBS in things like interceptions thrown, penalty yards, Red Zone defense, and passing yards allowed. Arizona is in the top-50 in, well, uh, rushing yards and yards per completion.
Okay then, so maybe Rutgers is actually better since they have some things they’re decently good at.
Vote below on who you think is actually the worst team in the FBS right now: