Best and Worst of the 2018 FBS College Football Season

Throughout the season, there are your winners and losers.  But in this modern time, millenials are clamoring for everyone to be a winner.  We here at AMSTS have seen the desire for everyone to be crowned a winner and done what we have always done. We found a way for all 130 FBS teams to be the best at one statistical category.  But, given the nature of our site, we also went out and found one statistical category in which every team in the nation came in dead last. 

We all know Alabama was good at a lot of stuff, but did you know they were the worst team in the country on 4th down at home?  Now you do.  Did you know that Central Michigan led the nation in punts per game, while coming in last in the nation in points per home game?  Well, that kinda makes sense, doesn’t it.  

I won’t go on too long, but I do always have to point out that for the various stats, best could be high or low, depending on the circumstance.  “Best fumbles per game” means lowest, while “Best fumbles recovered per game” means highest.  An asterisk means the team shared the worst category with one other team (sorry, this isn’t easy, you know!)

Here’s the full list, and be sure to post your favorite juxtapositions in the comments below. 

TeamBest atWorst at
Air Force3rd quarter time of possession % in home gamesOpponent yards per completion
AkronIndividual most fumbles by a RB in a game against Top 40 teamsOffensive TDs per home game
AlabamaMargin of victory4th down conversions per home game
Appalachian StateOpponent 2nd quarter points per home gameYards per MOV point in away games compared to home games for G5 schools with positive MOV on the season
ArizonaLongest made FG in a home gameIndividual fumbles lost by a RB
Arizona StateIndividual rushing attempts per away gameIndividual fumbles per away game by a RB
ArkansasIndividual yards per reception in away games4th quarter points per away game
Arkansas StateIndividual punt returns by a RBFumbles recovered per game by a G5 school
Army3rd down conversion %Completions per home game
AuburnGiveaway fumble recovery %Opponent FG attempts per game
Ball StatePass attempts per game vs Top 40 opponentsOpponent first downs per home game
BaylorIndividual yards per reception by a QB in away gamesOpponents fumble lost per game
Boise StateOpponents fumble lost per gamePoints per OT game at home for teams that scored points in overtime
Boston CollegePenalty first downs per away gameIndividual fumbles lost by a WR
Bowling GreenOpponent rushing yard %3rd quarter time of possession % in home games
BuffaloOpponent red zone attemptsBlocked kicks allowed
BYUOpponent points per FG attemptOpponent takeaway fumble recovery % for a non-P5 school west of the Mississippi
CaliforniaIndividual kickoff returns by a defensive player in home gamesOffensive points per home game
Central FloridaHome games playedWins per playoff appearance
Central MichiganPunts per gamePoints per home game
CharlotteOpponent penalty yards per penaltyOpponent third downs per home game
CincinnatiOpponent 2nd quarter points per away gameOpponent yards per completion in home games
ClemsonYards per rush attemptIndividual fumbles per game by a WR vs top 40 teams
Coastal CarolinaOpponent pass attempts per home gameThird downs per away game by a G5 school in the original Thirteen Colonies
ColoradoOpponent penalties per away gameTakeaways per home game
Colorado StateIndividual receiving yards per game in conference gamesYards per point for a team west of the Mississippi
ConnecticutMost points scored in a 4+ point lossMargin of victory
DukeFirst quarter points conceded by a non-religious private schoolInterceptions per home game
East CarolinaPlays per home gamePoints per away game
Eastern MichiganOpponent passing yards per home gameSecond quarter points in home games by a team east of the Mississippi
FloridaIndividual number of punt returns vs top 40 teamsIndividual fumbles by a QB with fewer than 50 rushing attempts vs Top 40 teams
Florida AtlanticIndividual rushing touchdowns per gameOpponent fumbles per home game
Florida International2 point conversion receptions by a kickerOpponent takeaway fumble recovery % for away games*
Florida StateIndividual punts in home gamesPenalties per game
Fresno StateOpponent points per away gameOpponent overtime points per away game for teams that gave up points in OT
GeorgiaTotal passing yards vs top 40 teamsThird downs per home game by a team without this year’s Heisman winner
Georgia SouthernIncompletions per gamePlays per game
Georgia State2 point conversion receptions per conference gameOpponent 4th quarter points per away game
Georgia TechRushing yards per gameCompletions per game
HawaiiIndividual receiving touchdowns, distance travelledInterceptions per game
HoustonIndividual passing touchdowns per game vs top 40 opponents2nd quarter time of possession %
IllinoisPenalty first downs per home gameOpponent 2nd quarter points per home game
IndianaIndividual completed 2 point conversion passes in conference games3rd quarter points per game by a P5 team outside of New Jersey
IowaYards per point in away gamesFirst quarter points per home game
Iowa StateIndividual 2 point conversion receptions by a QB per gameGames rescheduled
KansasIndividual 2 point conversion receptions by a TE per gameSecond quarter points by a P5 team
Kansas StateIndividual interception return yards for players with 2+ interceptions in a game vs Top 40 teamsIndividual fumbles lost by a WR in conference games
Kent StateIndividual yards per kickoff return by a defensive player in home gamesPenalty first downs per home game
KentuckyOpponent 2nd half points per gameRed zone scoring % in away games
LibertyIndividual completed 2 pt conversion pass per attempt in home gamesOpponent 2nd half points per away game
LouisianaFumble recovery % in away gamesOpponent 4th down conversions per home game
Louisiana TechIndividual kickoff returns per game by a WR in away games3rd down conversions per home game
Louisiana-MonroeIndividual most fumbles by a WR in away gamesOpponent completion % in home games
LouisvilleIndividual kickoff returns by a RBHiring Jeff Brohm, Away game MoV
LSUOvertime points per away gamePenalty first downs per away game by a P5 time
MarshallFumbles lost per home gameFumbles recovered per home game
MarylandOpponent interceptions thrown %Worst opponent points per FG attempt*
MassachusettsOpponent rush % in home gamesQB Sacks conceded per home game
MemphisIndividual yards per rushOpponent interceptions thrown % in away games
MiamiOpponent 3rd down conversion %Completion % for home games for P5 teams averaging > 10 passes/game
Miami (OH)Red zone scoring %OT Points conceded per away game by G5 schools east of the Mississippi
MichiganOpponent yards per gameOpponents points per FG attempt*
Michigan StateOpponent rushing yards per gameIndividual fumbles per away game for QBs who played more than one game
Middle TennesseeCompletion % in away gamesOpponent 3rd down conversion % in away games for teams that finished above .500
MinnesotaIndividual receiving touchdowns in home gamesIndividual fumbles per game vs top 40 teams
Mississippi StateOpponent points per gameWorst 4th down convert in away games*
MissouriLongest made FGFG Conversion % at home for a P5 school not in the playoff*
NavyPenalties per away gameFirst quarter points per away game
NebraskaIndividual rushing 2 pt conversions per game vs Top 40Individual fumbles lost
NevadaIndividual yards per rush in away gamesIndividual interceptions per game vs top 40 teams
New MexicoIndividual punt returns by a Safety in away games2nd half time of possession %
New Mexico StateIndividual rushing 2 pt conversions per home gamePenalties per home game
North CarolinaOpponent FG attempts per home gameIndividual interceptions per game
North Carolina StateRed zone scoring attempts per gameOpponent passing play %
North TexasOpponent 1st quarter points per away gamePenalty yards per penalty
Northern IllinoisOpponent 1st quarter points per home gameSingle game attendance
NorthwesternPenalties per gameOpponent passing % in away games
Notre DameIndividual completion % in home gamesOpponent takeaway fumble recovery % for home games*
OhioOffensive TDs per home gameGross Punting Yards per home game
Ohio State4th quarter points per gamePenalty first downs per last 3 games of the season by a P5 team
OklahomaPoints per gamePunts per game
Oklahoma StateIndividual gross punting yards per punt in home games1st quarter time of possession %
Old Dominion2 point conversion receptions by a TE per away gameRushing yards as a % of total yards for a team east of the Mississippi
Ole MissFG attempts per away game3rd quarter time of possession % in away games
OregonIndividual yards per reception by a RB1st half time of possession % by a P5 team
Oregon StateIndividual kickoff returns vs Top 40 teamsQB Sacks conceded per game
Penn StateOpponent points per FG attempt in away gamesIndividual fumbles lost by a RB in conference games
PittsburghLongest kickoff return by a WR against a top 40 teamPunts per play in away games by a P5 team outside of New Jersey
PurdueKeeping Jeff Brohm, Individual receptionsOpponent completions per game
RiceGross Punting Yards per home game3rd down conversion % in home games
RutgersIndividual gross punting yards in conference gamesPoints per game
San Diego StateOpponent rushing yards per away gameFumble recovery % in away games
San Jose State3rd quarter points per home game1st half points per away game
SMUIndividual yards per kickoff return in conference games1st quarter time of possession for a school not in New Jersey
South AlabamaIndividual yards per catch by a WR vs Top 40Penalty yards per game
South CarolinaBest FG Conversion % at home*Opponent red zone attempts per away game
South FloridaOpponent rushing yard % in home games4th quarter time of possession % in away games
Southern MissCompletion % in home gamesWorst opponent 4th down conversion % in away games
StanfordLongest puntPlays per game by a team in a state not bordering the Atlantic
SyracusePlays per gamePeanlty first downs per home game by a P5 team east of the Mississippi
TCUIndividual yards per reception by a WR vs Top 40Red Zone scores per home game
TempleRed Zone scoring attempts per away gameYards per point in home games for a team in the Original 13 Colonies
TennesseeIndividual yards per reception by a TEPlays per away game
TexasLongest punt return by a defensive playerInterceptions thrown per home game by a P5 team west of the Mississippi
Texas A&MOvertime points per game3rd down conversions per away game
Texas StateIndividual interceptions in the first game of the season for a player who would have no future interceptionsYards per point in home games
Texas Tech4th quarter points per home gameOpponent passing yards per game
ToledoIndividual blocked kicksFG % 30-39 yards vs Top 40 teams*
TroyOpponent fumbles per home gameOpponent penalties per home game
TulanePunts per home gameRed Zone scoring attempts per home game
TulsaOpponent rushing yard % in away gamesOpponent third down conversions per game
UABSack %3rd quarter points in final three games of the season*
UCLAIndividual receiving yards by a TEThird quarter time of possession % for away games by P5 teams not bordering the Atlantic
UNLVIndividual rushing TDs per home gameSack % in home games
USCIndividual FG per game for home games <100k in attendanceIndividual fumbles per game
UtahOpponent red zone %Blocked punts allowed*
Utah StatePoints per home gameOpponent incompletions per home game by a G5 school west of the Mississippi
UTEPIndividual completed 2 pt pass per game in conference gamesFG attempts per away game
UTSAPenalty yards per penalty in away gamesOffensive TDs per game
VanderbiltIndividual kickoff returns by a RB in home gamesOpponent 4th downs per away game
VirginiaIndividual receiving yards by a RBFumbles per game in last game of the season
Virginia TechIndividual punt returns per game vs top 40 teamsOpponent penalty yards per penalty
Wake ForestIndividual punt return yards in a home game by a Power Five teamOpponent 3rd quarter points per home game
WashingtonOpponent yards per completionPoints per overtime in away games in which a team scored points in overtime
Washington StateRed Zone scores per away gameRushing attempts per game
West VirginiaIndividual passing yards per home game2nd quarter time of possession % in away games by a P5 team
Western KentuckyIndividual 2 point conversions by a QB in a game with fewer than 9 passing attempts and 40 yards passingOpponent FG attempts per away game
Western MichiganIndividual completed 2 point conversion passes in away gamesOpponent 1st quarter points per home game
WisconsinPenalty first downs per gameIndividual fumbles lost by a RB vs Top 40 teams
WyomingFG Conversion %Opponent penalty first downs per away game