2022 Independents Season Grades

Army

Preseason Rating: 65 

Final Rating: 62.5

Army expects to be bowl eligible yearly. More important is beating Navy. Army did that this year. Ending Ken Niumatalolo’s tenure in Annapolis. Besides that, not much went well for the Black Knights in 2022. Not a single win could be considered of quality caliber and a bowl game was not reached despite getting to six wins because two of Army’s wins were against FCS opponents. The days of hanging tough against some pretty good opponents might be over at West Point. 

2022 Grade: C-

BYU

Preseason Rating: 76.5 

Final Rating: 68.5

BYU finished two losses away from having a pretty good season. Still, those losses occurred and most of the wins were not great. Uncharacteristically poor defense led to a lowering of the power rating by more than a touchdown. Frankly, BYU could not have a much worse season at this point in Kalani Sitake’s tenure. Still though, a bowl game was reached and was won to boot. Some of the bigger games on the schedule that appeared competitive, when looking at the schedule in summer, ended up being nearly all losses. Things will change entering the Big 12, but if BYU is able to compete there, they could push for a NY6 appearance yearly. 

2022 Grade: C   

Liberty

Preseason Rating: 62.5 

Final Rating: 62

The Liberty Flames have been a program on the rise ever since embattled former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze got the head job. He elevated the Flames to a status of reaching bowls regularly and upsetting much better competition. This season, volatility was the theme of the year. Liberty often played to its competition, beating UAB, BYU, and Arkansas, and hanging close against Wake Forest, while losing to UConn and New Mexico State, while nearly falling to FCS Gardner Webb. The late season losing streak can likely be attributed to the rumors of Hugh Freeze leaving; those rumors ended up being true. Now, the Flames look to Jamey Chadwell for leadership. Chadwell will prove whether or not he is the real deal. If he is, his stay likely will not be long. 

2022 Grade: C+

New Mexico State

Preseason Rating: 41 

Final Rating: 48

Jerry Kill did one of the better jobs coaching in college football this season. Still, New Mexico State was not a good football team. Losses to Nevada and FIU underline this point. However, following the loss to FIU on October 1st, the Aggies only lost one more time and it was to SEC member Missouri. Diego Pavia was great the second half of the season and NMSU was a solid bet as an underdog. Even in the bowl game, New Mexico State dominated Bowling Green for most of the game. Overall, a touchdown improvement in power rating gets New Mexico State out of the basement in FBS. With a full offseason to prepare, Jerry Kill could get this team competing in a new look CUSA in 2023

2022 Grade: B-

Notre Dame

Preseason Rating: 83.5

Final Rating: 76.5

Notre Dame entered the season ranked highly in the AP Poll. A CFP appearance was not commonly thought to be outside the realm of possibility. Those thoughts ended following (or maybe during) a humiliating Week 2 home loss to Marshall. The Irish offense was anemic for much of the season but the defense was stout. Things got better and Notre Dame was a solid bet at depressed odds. A shocking loss at home to lowly Stanford lessened the improvements. However, a home upset over Clemson reinvigorated hope for the future in South Bend. Watch out for the Irish next year when Sam Hartman transfers in from Wake Forest. The schedule is tough next year, so if Notre Dame has double digit wins, they will truly deserve a NY6 appearance. If the opposite occurs, Marcus Freeman could be packing his bags sooner than even his most ardent detractors estimated.

2022 Grade: C+

UConn

Preseason Rating: 43.5

Final Rating: 54

UConn spent years as the worst team in FBS. Finally, Jim Mora came to save the day. The amount the Huskies improved in Mora’s first season in Storrs (or East Hartford) is shocking. Bowl eligibility was reached and UConn won a handful of games as underdogs and easily covered a few when favored. The only question is whether or not the ceiling has been reached. 

2022 Grade: A

UMass

Preseason Rating: 44

Final Rating: 37.5

Don Brown has his work cut out for himself in Amherst. There is not much to say about the 2022 Minutemen. They lacked a legitimate division 1 quarterback and thus were unable to ever really get the ball moving at any point during the year. UMass lost to some pretty bad opponents this season and were clearly the worst team in FBS. Quite honestly, UMass should play at the FCS level if not for conflicts with conference membership in other sports. This team can almost never be backed at the window. Drastic improvement will be needed before UMass ever reaches a bowl game. Not much was expected, but just one win against FBS competition would have been obviously better than the zero UMass actually had.

2022 Grade: D