Best Chance for Mid-Majors

Since 1978, only 173 mid-major or nonBCS teams controlled their destiny for a top two regular season finish in the Power Points Standings. That is, each of these teams would have finished in the top two if they had won all of their games and all other results remained unchanged. Listed below is each season’s highest ranked team (based on PPS) among this group along with their FBS record and regular season finishes in the Power Points Standings and AP poll respectively.


1978 UTEP (1-11) 137 NR
1979 Brigham Young (10-0) 1 9
1980 Brigham Young (11-1) 3 14
1981 Miami-Ohio (8-2-1) 16 NR
1982 Brigham Young (8-3) 15 NR
1983 None
1984 Brigham Young (12-0) 2 1
1985 Brigham Young (11-2) 9 9
1986 San Diego State (8-3) 14 NR
1987 Wyoming (10-2) 13 NR
1988 Wyoming (10-1) 5 15
1989 Brigham Young (10-2) 13 19
1990 Brigham Young (10-2) 8 13
1991 Brigham Young (8-3-1) 16 NR
1992 Hawaii (10-2) 9 NR
1993 Louisville (8-3) 17 25
1994 Fresno State (5-7-1) 60 NR
1995 Utah (7-4) 29 NR
1996 Brigham Young (13-1) 4 5
1997 San Diego State (5-7) 69 NR
1998 None
1999 None
2000 None
2001 Fresno State (11-2) 7 20
2002 Colorado State (10-3) 13 23
2003 Miami-Ohio (12-1) 5 14
2004 Louisiana Tech (6-6) 42 NR
2005 None
2006 None
2007 Brigham Young (9-2) 15 19
2008 Buffalo (8-5) 35 NR