College Football Offensive Rank Trend (2009-2019)

It’s a clear cut theme across the fantasy world: the numbers never lie. And while the numbers never lie, sometimes they tell a crazier story than we could anticipate. This is, of course, true of the numbers we’re looking at in this data set: the Offensive Rank Trend for every major team from 2009-2019. Here are a few of the takeaways:

Consistency is Key

There are a few teams on here that have made some noise in the past few years, yet fall incredibly short on their rankings. 

Just look at LSU – #1 in the country in offense in 2019. They were easily one of the most dominant teams in history last season. However, over the past decade? No. They come in at a modest 66th for offensive rank, sandwiched by much less notable teams like Virginia Tech and Marshall. It isn’t just about getting big numbers for one year – it’s all about consistency.

Look at Toledo. A smaller, less memorable program that comes in an impressive 9th place on these rankings. They finished in the top 10 for offenses twice in the past ten years, yet have locked themselves in as a Top 10 offensive program over the last decade. Well, they only fell out of the top 40 once (2010, 74th) and have managed to keep a pretty steady momentum towards the high 10s, low 20s over this decade. 

One Man Can Change an Offense

There are few sports as team oriented as football. However, these rankings show that having one man in charge can really be beneficial for an offense. Take a look at some examples of offensive boosts thanks to the arrival of one guy.

Yeah, the go to here is Oklahoma. A consistently good team over the decade, their ranking as number 2 comes thanks to the series of weapons they deployed every year. The Baker Mayfield days had them above 8th place every year, while Kyler Murray ended with 1st place offense and Jalen Hurts with 3rd. All of these game changers have run the offense and turned what would have been a mid 10s team into the 2nd best of the decade.

Need another example? Our #1 overall, Texas Tech, is a great place to look. When now NFL MVP Patrick Hahomes left TT in 2017, the offensive rankings began to diminish. Mahomes led Texas Tech to a Top 2 offensive ranking for two straight years, before his departure forced the Red Raiders into the mid 10s. 

What other teams have some surprising numbers? Check them out. 

Team Avg 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Texas Tech 9.55 11 12 16 1 2 10 8 13 13 15 4
Oklahoma 12.82 3 1 1 2 7 24 52 12 5 10 24
Oregon 16.18 39 41 30 15 5 3 2 5 4 1 33
Baylor 22.18 52 22 59 6 1 1 1 2 2 13 85
Oklahoma State 24.64 21 10 2 14 22 85 37 4 3 3 70
Boise State 25.91 48 21 57 21 15 14 20 68 9 2 10
Texas A&M 26.45 72 15 56 24 50 32 4 3 7 23 5
Alabama 27.09 6 6 29 34 45 18 33 31 31 22 43
Toledo 27.18 36 30 14 7 30 15 39 32 9 74 13
Arizona 28.18 30 24 12 67 16 26 30 7 16 24 58
Houston 29.73 78 7 40 41 20 58 55 15 1 11 1
Clemson 30.55 5 3 38 12 11 61 9 9 26 88 74
Ohio State 31.00 4 2 7 31 41 9 7 46 107 20 67
Mississippi 37.09 26 9 18 26 10 54 21 46 114 43 41
West Virginia 37.73 119 8 20 17 23 12 63 10 15 67 61
USC 38.45 20 84 13 20 38 31 74 41 21 26 55
East Carolina 40.91 46 57 42 23 55 5 25 56 50 25 66
Notre Dame 41.09 44 32 27 62 27 34 68 54 35 61 8
Arkansas State 41.55 33 17 10 93 37 20 66 23 23 40 95
Tulsa 41.82 53 91 44 4 13 59 101 28 27 5 35
Wisconsin 42.09 38 36 51 89 79 22 18 65 14 21 30
TCU 42.64 62 99 45 29 3 5 106 73 28 12 7
Western Michigan 43.18 25 35 78 19 17 41 112 38 19 34 57
Cincinnati 45.55 80 23 101 99 6 29 23 36 61 32 11
Washington State 46.45 7 27 33 18 25 7 54 96 33 92 119
Nevada 46.91 101 38 67 88 86 71 45 8 6 4 2
Georgia 47.27 61 18 32 87 83 30 17 22 39 56 75
Arizona State 47.55 94 51 37 81 24 36 32 25 24 29 90
Troy 47.64 18 80 46 53 102 102 27 11 65 17 3
North Carolina 47.73 12 31 96 45 18 48 49 14 53 51 108
Air Force 48.64 51 53 49 36 33 55 92 51 22 28 65
Louisiana Tech 49.00 35 87 62 9 21 65 95 1 51 49 64
Missouri 49.27 92 13 8 13 125 98 16 98 12 35 32
Indiana 49.82 41 52 69 56 14 64 9 34 83 54 72
Middle Tennessee 51.27 59 74 71 8 32 46 67 66 45 69 27
Florida State 51.45 59 103 100 25 51 38 6 19 77 59 29
Auburn 52.18 64 79 26 42 94 17 11 118 100 7 16
Colorado State 52.73 34 60 11 30 47 19 24 102 87 87 79
Mississippi State 53.36 70 71 46 44 31 8 42 80 84 42 69
Northern Illinois 53.73 104 124 93 27 66 39 5 20 11 19 83
Utah State 53.91 43 11 68 96 93 85 60 21 20 84 12
Texas 54.82 14 58 65 16 92 113 65 40 54 58 28
BYU 54.82 28 101 119 71 49 28 14 60 41 72 20
Georgia Tech 55.18 127 62 74 85 80 20 44 35 18 36 26
Louisville 55.36 24 109 3 3 54 72 28 51 103 71 91
North Carolina State 56.09 88 26 25 63 57 60 71 48 94 39 46
Navy 56.18 19 111 39 46 48 53 62 78 48 37 77
Nebraska 56.18 55 25 87 90 34 33 59 26 66 44 99
UCLA 56.91 65 75 22 91 28 23 38 24 72 100 88
Southern Mississippi 57.18 63 99 43 21 12 100 116 109 17 18 31
SMU 58.00 9 81 15 55 76 127 41 92 58 33 51
Memphis 58.09 10 4 4 28 18 49 117 113 116 117 63
California 58.09 117 115 90 10 8 13 34 68 44 90 50
UCF 58.64 2 5 5 113 128 103 40 57 40 65 87
Ohio 59.00 29 16 34 77 56 94 84 33 25 95 106
Washington 59.09 79 55 58 32 61 77 13 99 38 76 62
Louisiana-Lafayette 59.18 8 44 65 107 77 57 56 29 51 81 76
Fresno State 59.18 85 47 72 120 122 62 3 16 37 70 17
Miami (Florida) 60.36 98 105 60 57 67 47 48 36 70 31 45
Western Kentucky 60.45 84 102 69 5 9 4 30 75 89 98 100
Hawai’i 60.73 13 49 63 79 121 101 58 121 43 6 14
Arkansas 61.36 111 118 94 54 29 63 100 49 29 9 19
Stanford 61.45 97 85 79 103 40 77 69 86 8 14 18
Penn State 62.18 56 45 19 49 105 114 43 53 95 68 37
Virginia Tech 63.64 86 39 53 39 74 99 102 83 35 41 49
LSU 64.36 1 69 54 59 39 80 35 87 86 86 112
Marshall 65.55 73 73 92 114 64 2 12 6 102 102 81
Florida Atlantic 66.18 23 14 9 72 81 103 83 101 120 107 15
South Florida 67.00 112 33 6 11 35 121 123 90 30 105 71
Michigan 67.18 68 50 105 58 69 115 87 79 42 8 58
Ball State 67.91 16 64 111 37 90 95 19 27 68 106 114
Louisiana-Monroe 68.36 17 53 21 100 123 109 99 42 55 85 48
Duke 68.73 114 65 88 76 36 69 47 55 79 59 68
Central Michigan 68.82 37 129 77 78 63 70 110 64 57 49 23
San Diego State 68.91 110 112 64 68 85 73 51 61 32 16 86
Bowling Green 70.00 120 106 84 69 4 44 29 93 62 115 44
Syracuse 70.36 71 19 23 42 119 116 86 17 90 97 94
North Texas 70.55 54 20 24 117 118 117 64 67 96 63 36
Michigan State 71.55 95 117 91 75 73 11 81 97 56 53 38
Buffalo 71.82 82 56 36 111 71 41 78 85 80 111 39
Utah 72.55 48 72 52 51 97 79 76 108 109 52 54
Oregon State 72.55 57 67 113 105 111 75 26 43 73 94 34
South Carolina 74.36 95 43 109 115 99 35 36 84 73 47 82
Pittsburgh 75.18 87 98 97 38 82 43 98 71 88 73 52
Northwestern 76.36 123 108 55 73 116 107 73 63 34 48 40
Iowa State 76.55 27 96 86 60 58 92 97 94 60 99 73
Colorado 76.55 82 75 48 47 68 40 88 119 92 79 104
New Mexico State 77.27 102 97 28 64 42 52 82 103 47 113 120
San Jose State 77.36 50 123 121 94 60 73 15 30 69 101 115
Purdue 78.00 75 29 61 80 95 111 121 58 71 104 53
UNLV 80.45 92 78 41 70 59 81 61 90 117 118 78
Tennessee 81.18 100 122 125 40 52 93 104 18 104 75 60
Wake Forest 81.27 15 28 17 124 114 128 120 120 78 108 42
Army 81.64 89 77 76 65 108 105 80 39 49 93 117
Virginia 81.82 81 82 107 112 75 90 90 62 46 37 118
Temple 84.45 77 61 80 66 96 120 75 110 63 89 92
Kansas State 84.73 103 114 95 83 113 50 72 59 101 62 80
Florida 84.91 45 42 110 116 112 96 115 104 105 83 6
New Mexico 85.18 69 121 99 33 70 67 53 89 113 120 103
Illinois 87.09 115 63 127 123 88 97 46 122 85 45 47
Wyoming 87.18 106 119 126 48 100 84 22 72 59 116 107
Rice 87.36 125 125 116 86 62 68 70 44 91 63 111
Florida International 88.00 91 47 73 98 106 123 125 77 82 46 100
Kentucky 88.82 76 104 103 61 89 82 109 115 118 27 93
Iowa 90.09 99 92 117 121 72 66 85 117 76 57 89
Eastern Michigan 90.55 67 93 83 35 78 124 111 105 93 91 116
Tulane 92.09 22 70 75 118 120 110 118 112 97 66 105
UTEP 94.91 116 126 130 101 107 108 105 88 64 78 21
Boston College 95.18 47 68 84 127 126 83 93 100 112 109 98
Miami (Ohio) 95.18 122 94 89 104 109 88 124 76 75 82 84
Maryland 96.91 109 95 120 94 87 112 77 123 67 80 102
Minnesota 98.36 42 86 123 107 103 106 107 111 110 77 110
Connecticut 100.45 108 89 50 122 124 126 114 113 108 95 56
Kansas 101.27 90 110 118 106 115 118 119 95 106 112 25
Kent State 102.55 66 83 128 125 127 119 89 74 119 102 96
Vanderbilt 102.73 124 59 102 110 117 125 94 82 98 110 109
Akron 105.27 130 127 122 84 104 91 108 45 115 119 113
Rutgers 107.91 129 128 129 128 84 76 96 107 99 114 97
Georgia State #N/A 31 90 81 119 43 88 103 0 0 0 0
Liberty #N/A 32 46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Appalachian State #N/A 39 37 31 52 26 27 0 0 0 0 0
Charlotte #N/A 57 116 124 102 110 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal Carolina #N/A 73 87 106 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UAB #N/A 105 65 98 0 0 45 79 50 81 30 22
UTSA #N/A 107 130 82 97 98 122 56 70 0 0 0
South Alabama #N/A 113 106 112 82 101 87 50 106 0 0 0
Georgia Southern #N/A 118 113 114 91 46 16 0 0 0 0 0
Texas State #N/A 121 120 108 126 53 25 113 81 0 0 0
Massachusetts #N/A 126 34 35 109 65 51 122 124 0 0 0
Old Dominion #N/A 128 40 114 50 91 37 0 0 0 0 0
Team Avg

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