Seven saddest college football fan bases after Week 6

Nearing the midway point of the college football season, many fan bases are having to reconcile the reality that this isn't going to be the year they expected for their teams.

For starters, the two teams that topped the preseason AP poll are no longer even ranked after Week 6.

Other programs, meanwhile, are lamenting missed opportunities and what-could-have-beens or simply coming to grips with what is already a lost season.

These are the fan bases feeling it the most after Week 6.

1. Penn State

One week, the Nittany Lions are a top 5 team, dueling another of the top teams in the country, all the way to double overtime, before a frenzied "White Out" crowd at home.

Next, they're following that tough defeat to Oregon with an absolutely gutting loss against one of the worst teams in the country, in the most stunning outcome of the weekend.

Penn State's 42-37 loss at previously-winless UCLA on Saturday was absolutely damning for the program's national title hopes this season. After opening the season at No. 2 in the AP poll, the Nittany Lions are now unranked. And while it may be too soon to dismiss them completely from the College Football Playoff picture -- four Big Ten teams made it last year -- it's hard to take them seriously as a national contender after this one.

It's going to be a rough week for coach James Franklin, who went from facing questions about his record in big games to now having to answer how this could have happened and what it says about his team.

2. Texas

That Texas was still ranked in the top 10 entering Week 6 always seemed a bit unearned, considering the Longhorns hadn't played another Power Four team since losing to Ohio State in Week 1, and one could say they were exposed Saturday in a 29-21 loss at Florida.

The Gators were just 1-3 coming into the game and hadn't beaten a Power Four opponent yet, so even though this was a road game for Texas, it's a bad loss, and deservedly, the now 3-2 Longhorns tumbled all the way out of the AP top 25 after opening the season at No. 1.

Worse, doubts are mounting that Arch Manning will ever live up to the expectations he was billed to meet as a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate. Manning continues to look shaky and lacking confidence, and threw a season-high two interceptions in the loss to Florida.

This certainly isn't the narrative Longhorns fans expected this fall.

3. Florida State

The final score wasn't that bad, as Florida State lost 28-22 to No. 3 Miami, but that obscures what happened Saturday night in Tallahassee.

Coming off that dramatic double-overtime loss at Virginia, the Seminoles had a prime opportunity to make a statement nationally and add another marquee win to their resume.

Instead, Miami led 28-3 after three dominant quarters before Florida State tacked on a few late scores while never really threatening the outcome of the game.

The Seminoles came out flat in arguably their biggest game of the season (or co-biggest game of the season, along with the season-opening win over Alabama). Through three quarters, they had managed just a productive drive (an early field goal) along with four punts, two interceptions and a lost fumble.

Now 3-2 and clinging to the edge of the rankings at No. 25, Florida State hasn't done much to back up that big early win over the Crimson Tide.

4. North Carolina

North Carolina thought hiring NFL legend Bill Belichick as head coach would bring instant stability to the program -- instead, the Tar Heels have been a punch line for college football fans with one blowout loss after another.

With a 38-10 loss at home to Clemson on Saturday, North Carolina has now lost its three games against Power Four opponents by an average margin of 29 points. Put more simply, the Tar Heels don't resemble a Power Four team right now.

They were down 28-3 after the first quarter on Saturday and don't seem to have improved since that Week 1 blowout loss to TCU. It's becoming increasingly difficult to believe in the Belichick Era, which is quite a statement to make just five games into it.

The North Carolina football fans are BOYCOTTING Bill Belichick’s horrific ‘leadership’ and coaching… they left the stadium empty at halftime, it’s official he’s the most overrated coach in the history of sports
pic.twitter.com/gCaS2aV3K6
— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) October 4, 2025

"Bill Belichick is NOT the right guy for this job... It was a mistake, it's not the answer, and it's time to move on."@AaronTaylorCFB on Bill Belichick's first five games at North Carolina pic.twitter.com/epfIGNWvKl
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 4, 2025

5. Oregon State

This goes beyond what happened Saturday and is more about what has happened to the Oregon State program since it got left behind in the conference realignment chaos during the collapse of the Pac-12.

The Beavers were one of the great stories in college football a few years ago when they went 10-3 in 2022 and followed that up with an 8-5 mark the next year. Then the Pac-12 imploded, and Oregon State was one of two schools (along with Washington State) left without an invite to one of the remaining Power Four conferences.

Their longtime coach, Jonathan Smith, who had built the program up, bolted for Michigan State. The Beavers dropped to 5-7 last year and are now 0-6 after a 27-23 loss at Appalachian State.

6. Maryland

Any Maryland fan would have signed up for a 4-1 start coming off a 4-8 finish last year, but the Terrapins could be 5-0 and ranked for the first time since 2019 if not for a forgettable fourth quarter Saturday.

The Terps blew a 17-point lead at home as Washington scored three unanswered touchdowns in the final quarter to steal a 24-20 win in College Park.

The Terps are still exceeding expectations, but this qualifies as a major would-could-have-been.

7. Iowa State

Iowa State was off to a 5-0 start and knew it was going to be challenged by Cincinnati's capable passing attack against its injury-depleted secondary, but instead the Cyclones simply got thoroughly overpowered as the Bearcats rushed for a season-high 264 yards on 8.0 yards per carry in a 38-30 win.

It was a tough way for the Cyclones to take their first loss, and with the question of how many Big 12 teams are going to make it into the CFP field, it makes the path even more challenging for Iowa State -- now ranked No. 22 behind three other Big 12 teams -- and with big games still to go against No. 18 BYU, No. 21 Arizona State and TCU.