College Football's Most Improved Teams from 2016
Sefo Liufau
The 2016 college football season concluded on Monday night in Tampa, Fla., as Clemson defeated Alabama 35-31 to take home the program’s first title since 1981. While the party in Death Valley won’t end anytime soon, plenty of other programs had seasons to remember in 2016.
With every game officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back at last year’s records and the win improvement or regression from all 128 teams in 2016. Colorado, Army, Eastern Michigan and Georgia Tech were just a few of the programs that improved their win total by six games this season. On the other side, Michigan State (minus-nine) and Marshall (minus-seven) were two of the teams that regressed the most in the win column.
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College Football's Most Improved Teams from 2016
Team | 2015 Record | 2016 Record | Improvement/ Regression |
Army | 2-10 | 8-5 | +6 |
Colorado | 4-9 | 10-4 | +6 |
Eastern Michigan | 1-11 | 7-6 | +6 |
Georgia Tech | 3-9 | 9-4 | +6 |
Troy | 4-8 | 10-3 | +6 |
UCF | 0-12 | 6-7 | +6 |
Wyoming | 2-10 | 8-6 | +6 |
Idaho | 4-8 | 9-4 | +5 |
Old Dominion | 5-7 | 10-3 | +5 |
Washington | 7-6 | 12-2 | +5 |
Western Michigan | 8-5 | 13-1 | +5 |
Boston College | 3-9 | 7-6 | +4 |
Hawaii | 3-10 | 7-7 | +4 |
North Texas | 1-11 | 5-8 | +4 |
Penn State | 7-6 | 11-3 | +4 |
Wake Forest | 3-9 | 7-6 | +4 |
Kansas State | 6-7 | 9-4 | +3 |
Maryland | 3-9 | 6-7 | +3 |
Miami (Ohio) | 3-9 | 6-7 | +3 |
Minnesota | 6-7 | 9-4 | +3 |
Nebraska | 6-7 | 9-4 | +3 |
SMU | 2-10 | 5-7 | +3 |
South Carolina | 3-9 | 6-7 | +3 |
South Florida | 8-5 | 11-2 | +3 |
Tulsa | 6-7 | 10-3 | +3 |
UTSA | 3-9 | 6-7 | +3 |
Virginia Tech | 7-6 | 10-4 | +3 |
Air Force | 8-6 | 10-3 | +2 |
Charlotte | 2-10 | 4-8 | +2 |
Kansas | 0-12 | 2-10 | +2 |
Kentucky | 5-7 | 7-6 | +2 |
New Mexico | 7-6 | 9-4 | +2 |
Oregon State | 2-10 | 4-8 | +2 |
UL Lafayette | 4-8 | 6-7 | +2 |
ULM | 2-11 | 4-8 | +2 |
USC | 8-6 | 10-3 | +2 |
Vanderbilt | 4-8 | 6-7 | +2 |
West Virginia | 8-5 | 10-3 | +2 |
Auburn | 7-6 | 8-5 | +1 |
Ball State | 3-9 | 4-8 | +1 |
Boise State | 9-4 | 10-3 | +1 |
Louisville | 8-5 | 9-4 | +1 |
Miami | 8-5 | 9-4 | +1 |
MTSU | 7-6 | 8-5 | +1 |
Purdue | 2-10 | 3-9 | +1 |
South Alabama | 5-7 | 6-7 | +1 |
Tulane | 3-9 | 4-8 | +1 |
UNLV | 3-9 | 4-8 | +1 |
Wisconsin | 10-3 | 11-3 | +1 |
Alabama | 14-1 | 14-1 | 0 |
BYU | 9-4 | 9-4 | 0 |
Clemson | 14-1 | 14-1 | 0 |
Colorado State | 7-6 | 7-6 | 0 |
FAU | 3-9 | 3-9 | 0 |
Florida State | 10-3 | 10-3 | 0 |
Indiana | 6-7 | 6-7 | 0 |
Iowa State | 3-9 | 3-9 | 0 |
Kent State | 3-9 | 3-9 | 0 |
Louisiana Tech | 9-4 | 9-5 | 0 |
Michigan | 10-3 | 10-3 | 0 |
NC State | 7-6 | 7-6 | 0 |
New Mexico State | 3-9 | 3-9 | 0 |
Ohio | 8-5 | 8-6 | 0 |
Oklahoma | 11-2 | 11-2 | 0 |
Oklahoma State | 10-3 | 10-3 | 0 |
Pitt | 8-5 | 8-5 | 0 |
San Diego State | 11-3 | 11-3 | 0 |
Syracuse | 4-8 | 4-8 | 0 |
Temple | 10-4 | 10-4 | 0 |
Tennessee | 9-4 | 9-4 | 0 |
Texas | 5-7 | 5-7 | 0 |
Texas A&M | 8-5 | 8-5 | 0 |
Appalachian State | 11-2 | 10-3 | -1 |
Arizona State | 6-7 | 5-7 | -1 |
Arkansas | 8-5 | 7-6 | -1 |
Arkansas State | 9-4 | 8-5 | -1 |
Central Michigan | 7-6 | 6-7 | -1 |
FIU | 5-7 | 4-8 | -1 |
Florida | 10-4 | 9-4 | -1 |
LSU | 9-3 | 8-4 | -1 |
Memphis | 9-4 | 8-5 | -1 |
Missouri | 5-7 | 4-8 | -1 |
Ohio State | 12-1 | 11-2 | -1 |
Texas State | 3-9 | 2-10 | -1 |
Toledo | 10-2 | 9-4 | -1 |
UMass | 3-9 | 2-10 | -1 |
Utah | 10-3 | 9-4 | -1 |
UTEP | 5-7 | 4-8 | -1 |
Washington State | 9-4 | 8-5 | -1 |
WKU | 12-2 | 11-3 | -1 |
East Carolina | 5-7 | 3-9 | -2 |
Fresno State | 3-9 | 1-11 | -2 |
Georgia | 10-3 | 8-5 | -2 |
Illinois | 5-7 | 3-9 | -2 |
Navy | 11-2 | 9-5 | -2 |
Nevada | 7-6 | 5-7 | -2 |
Rice | 5-7 | 3-9 | -2 |
Rutgers | 4-8 | 2-10 | -2 |
San Jose State | 6-7 | 4-8 | -2 |
Southern Miss | 9-5 | 7-6 | -2 |
Stanford | 12-2 | 10-3 | -2 |
Texas Tech | 7-6 | 5-7 | -2 |
Virginia | 4-8 | 2-10 | -2 |
Akron | 8-5 | 5-7 | -3 |
Baylor | 10-3 | 7-6 | -3 |
Buffalo | 5-7 | 2-10 | -3 |
California | 8-5 | 5-7 | -3 |
Cincinnati | 7-6 | 4-8 | -3 |
Georgia State | 6-7 | 3-9 | -3 |
Mississippi State | 9-4 | 6-7 | -3 |
North Carolina | 11-3 | 8-5 | -3 |
Northern Illinois | 8-6 | 5-7 | -3 |
Northwestern | 10-3 | 7-6 | -3 |
UConn | 6-7 | 3-9 | -3 |
Utah State | 6-7 | 3-9 | -3 |
Arizona | 7-6 | 3-9 | -4 |
Duke | 8-5 | 4-8 | -4 |
Georgia Southern | 9-4 | 5-7 | -4 |
Houston | 13-1 | 9-4 | -4 |
Iowa | 12-2 | 8-5 | -4 |
UCLA | 8-5 | 4-8 | -4 |
Ole Miss | 10-3 | 5-7 | -5 |
Oregon | 9-4 | 4-8 | -5 |
TCU | 11-2 | 6-7 | -5 |
Bowling Green | 10-4 | 4-8 | -6 |
Notre Dame | 10-3 | 4-8 | -6 |
Marshall | 10-3 | 3-9 | -7 |
Michigan State | 12-2 | 3-9 | -9 |
