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Having high expectations dashed makes for a bad year that can be exacerbated by losing to one's main rival and having frustrating coaching decisions.  I'd argue that having a rash of injuries a la Wisconsin is different, that is a legit excuse, and "we'll be back".

Some candidates for this award:

Auburn - top ten initial ranking and lost to LSU and Bama and UGA and Tenn.  Not a good year.
Michigan - a pretty good year by normal standards, but after the loss in week one looked really good on defense until ....  
Wazzu - kind of the same story in a way, a great year turned south by the late loss to rival
Miami - high expectations again and now frustration with the HC and a mediocre outcome in a weak conference
Alabama - well, just because they allowed some points to be scored, their fan base is only happy for about five minutes a year
Kentucky - another story of having a very nice year spoiled late
UCF? - undefeated season, again, and no CFP sniff, plus injury to QB

Contingent bad years:

ND - IFF they get torched in a playoff game
Clemson - ditto
Florida - if they lose to UCF
Tennessee - if they lose their bowl game, oh wait.

out of that list I'd say Miami... if they had fans.    Next up would be Auburn.   Lots of rumors flying around that they program and donors want to head in another direction.   

<<<raises hand>>>

I think the injury excuse is valid.

I think the injury excuse is valid.

Maybe. Injuries are part of the game though. Next man in, and all that.

You can't put Michigan on the list.

They beat one of their rivals, which doesn't happen very often.

Ha, good one.

Another piece of this is expectations.

This Badger fan was frustrated at the beginning of the season when the team just didn't look like what it was projected as (and the injury bug had already hit the defense). As the season wore on, it was increasingly obvious, even in the wins, that this team just wasn't that good.

But the Badgers have also been on a high of late, and were sure to come down at some point. Our program isn't Ohio State, Michigan, etc. Down years are part of the Wisconsin cycle. I can manage it--especially it 7-5 is a down year.

Not that I'm happy about it (particularly with the performance against Minnesota), but ok...now it's basketball season.

Now, if next season goes like this, too, then I'll start to be anxious.

When USC fans want ND to blow them out so that their coach is canned? That's a bad season for fans.

Good post.

At the beginning of this season, there was a thread on "expectations for your team", or some such. I wrote in that thread that a NYD6 bowl game was the minimum I expected. 

Given that, I'm disappointed. The poor record combined with losing the AXE for the first time since I was in my mid-30's makes it really shitty. Especially that last part. I can't even imagine how the seniors feel, knowing that they crapped it out last weekend.

Winning the bowl game will help, a little, for them, and us fans.

at the lower levels...

Youngstown state fans seem to be ready to move on.. at least the vocal ones.

Montana fans seem frustrated as well.

Idaho dropped down to play FCS football and finished 4-7.... they went 4-8 last year in FBS.