2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season
| 2015 NCAA Division I FBS season | |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 127 full members, 1 transitional |
| Duration | September 3, 2015 – December 12, 2015 |
| Preseason AP #1 | Ohio State Buckeyes |
| Post-season | |
| Duration | December 19, 2015 – January 11, 2016 (excluding all-star games) |
| Bowl games |
41 (including national championship game) |
| AP Poll #1 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| Coaches Poll #1 | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| Heisman Trophy | Derrick Henry, Alabama |
| College Football Playoff | |
| 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship | |
| Site |
University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, Arizona |
| Winner | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| Division I FBS football seasons | |
|
← 2014 2016 → | |
The 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, began on September 3, 2015, the regular season ended December 12, 2015, and (not including all-star games) concluded on January 11, 2016 with the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship. This was the second season of the four-team College Football Playoff tournament system.
Rule changes
The following rule changes have been made by the NCAA Football Rules Committee for the 2015 season:[1]
- Making eight-man officiating crews (including the Center Judge) standard in FBS. Various FBS conferences experimented with eight-man crews in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
- Unsportsmanlike conduct (15 yards) penalties will be called on players who pull or yank opponents off piles (ex. fumbles).
- A 10-second runoff and resetting of the play clock to 40 seconds will occur if a defensive player's helmet comes off within the final minute of either half. Previously the play clock was set to 25 seconds and no runoff occurred.
- The five-yard penalty for a first offense sideline warning has been deleted, modifying a 2008 rule change. The second offense will be penalized five yards, followed by 15 yards (unsportsmanlike conduct) starting with the third offense.
- Officials will require players with illegal equipment (such as, but not limited to, "crop-top" jerseys that expose the back pads (popularized by Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott) and writing on eye block) to leave the field for one play to correct it. A time-out may be taken to correct the equipment and avoid the player having to sit out the one play.
- Instant replay can be used to review if the kicking team blocked the receiving team before an onside kick has gone 10 yards.
- Teams must have 22 minutes for pre-game warmups, which can be shortened by mutual agreement of both teams.
- The play clock will be reset to 40 seconds if the play clock reaches 25 seconds before the ball is ready for play. Previously it was reset if the play clock ran to 20 seconds before the ball was ready for play.
- Non-standard/overbuilt facemasks are prohibited.
A proposed rule to change the ineligible downfield rule from three yards to one yard past the line of scrimmage was tabled and not voted on, however it will be a point of emphasis for the season.
The use of advanced technology in games (such as wireless communication from one player on offense and defense to the bench, allow use of tablets by coaches for non-medical reasons, helmet cameras for players, etc.) is being studied by a committee for possible future implementation.
Conference realignment
Membership changes
| School | Former conference | New conference |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte 49ers | FCS Independent | Conference USA |
| Navy Midshipmen | FBS Independent | The American |
| UAB Blazers | Conference USA | Shut down football program (to be reinstated in 2017) |
Other headlines
- June 1 – UAB, which had dropped football after the 2014 season, announced that it would reinstate it as early as 2016–17.[2]
- July 21 – UAB announced that it had pushed back the return of football to the 2017 season.[3]
- September 1 – The Sun Belt Conference announced that Coastal Carolina would become a full member of the conference on July 1, 2016. The Coastal Carolina football team, at the time of the announcement a member of the FCS Big South Conference along with the rest of the athletic program, will begin a transition to FBS after the 2015 season, join Sun Belt football in 2017, and become fully bowl-eligible in 2018.[4]
- January 13, 2016 – The NCAA Division I council approved a rule that, from the 2016 season forward, allows FBS conferences to stage championship games regardless of their current membership numbers. The new rule, as originally proposed by the Big 12 Conference and amended by the Big Ten Conference, stipulates that a conference with fewer than 12 members can stage a championship game under either of the following circumstances:[5]
- The game involves two division winners, with each division having played a round-robin schedule.
- The game involves the top two teams in the conference standings after a full round-robin conference schedule.
Another "Year of the upset"
Similar to the 2007 season, which the media has dubbed as the "Year of the Upset", an unranked or lower-ranked opponent defeated a higher-ranked team several times over the course of the regular season, 55 in total as of December 5. This list does not include other upsets involving two unranked teams. The following list[6] shows rankings as the AP Poll:
| Winner | Score | Loser | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern | 16–6 | #21 Stanford | September 5 |
| Texas A&M | 38–17 | #15 Arizona State | September 5 |
| Toledo | 16–12 | #18 Arkansas | September 12 |
| BYU | 35–24 | #18 Boise State | September 12 |
| #15 Ole Miss | 43–37 | #02 #2 Alabama | September 19 |
| Stanford | 41–31 | #06 #6 USC | September 19 |
| Duke | 34–20 | #20 Georgia Tech | September 26 |
| Michigan | 31–0 | #22 BYU | September 26 |
| #18 Utah | 62–20 | #13 Oregon | September 26 |
| Kentucky | 21–13 | #25 Missouri | September 26 |
| Iowa | 10–6 | #19 Wisconsin | October 3 |
| #25 Florida | 38–10 | #03 #3 Ole Miss | October 3 |
| #12 Clemson | 24–22 | #06 #6 Notre Dame | October 3 |
| #13 Alabama | 38–10 | #08 #8 Georgia | October 3 |
| Arizona State | 38–23 | #08 #7 UCLA | October 3 |
| Washington | 17–12 | #17 USC | October 8 |
| Texas | 24–17 | #10 Oklahoma | October 10 |
| #18 Michigan | 38–0 | #13 Northwestern | October 10 |
| Tennessee | 38–31 | #19 Georgia | October 10 |
| Utah State | 52–26 | #20 Boise State | October 16 |
| Memphis | 37–24 | #13 Ole Miss | October 17 |
| #10 Alabama | 41–23 | #09 #9 Texas A&M | October 17 |
| UCLA | 40–24 | #20 California | October 22 |
| Georgia Tech | 22–16 | #09 #9 Florida State | October 24 |
| #24 Ole Miss | 23–3 | #15 Texas A&M | October 24 |
| USC | 42–24 | #03 #3 Utah | October 24 |
| North Carolina | 26–19 | #23 Pittsburgh | October 29 |
| Miami (FL) | 30–27 | #22 Duke | October 31 |
| Northern Illinois | 32–27 | #20 (CFP #24) Toledo | November 3 |
| #12 (CFP #14) Oklahoma State | 49–27 | #05 #5 (CFP #8) TCU | November 7 |
| Arkansas | 53–52 OT | #19 (CFP #18) Ole Miss | November 7 |
| Navy | 45–20 | #15 (CFP #13) Memphis | November 7 |
| Nebraska | 39–38 | #067 #6 (CFP #7) Michigan State | November 7 |
| Auburn | 26–10 | #25 (CFP #19) Texas A&M | November 7 |
| #7 (CFP #4) Alabama | 30–16 | #04 #4 (CFP #2) LSU | November 7 |
| Arkansas | 31–14 | #09 #9 (CFP #9) LSU | November 14 |
| South Florida | 44–23 | #21 (CFP #22) Temple | November 14 |
| Oregon | 38–36 | #07 #7 (CFP #7) Stanford | November 14 |
| #12 (CFP #12) Oklahoma | 44–34 | #04 #4 (CFP #6) Baylor | November 14 |
| Arizona | 37–30 2OT | #10 (CFP #10) Utah | November 14 |
| Washington State | 31–27 | #19 (CFP #18) UCLA | November 14 |
| Connecticut | 20–17 | #13 (CFP #19) Houston | November 21 |
| #9 (CFP #9) Michigan State | 17–14 | #2 (CFP #3) Ohio State | November 21 |
| #25 (CFP #22) Ole Miss | 38–17 | #17 (CFP #15) LSU | November 21 |
| UCLA | 17–9 | #18 (CFP #13) Utah | November 21 |
| #10 (CFP #10) Baylor | 45–35 | #4 (CFP #6) Oklahoma State | November 21 |
| #21 Houston | 52–31 | #16 (CFP #15) Navy | November 27 |
| Western Michigan | 35–30 | #24 (CFP #24) Toledo | November 27 |
| Washington | 45–10 | #20 (CFP #20) Washington State | November 27 |
| #15 (CFP #19) TCU | 28–21 2OT | #7 (CFP #7) Baylor | November 27 |
| USC | 40–21 | #22 (CFP #22) UCLA | November 28 |
| #13 (CFP #9) Stanford | 38–36 | #4 (CFP #6) Notre Dame | November 28 |
| #14 (CFP #13) Florida State | 27–2 | #10 (CFP #12) Florida | November 28 |
| Texas | 23–17 | #12 (CFP #12) Baylor | December 5 |
| #5 (CFP #5) Michigan State | 16–13 | #4 (CFP #4) Iowa | December 5 |
Updated stadiums
No FBS programs are opening new stadiums for the 2015 season. However, one school is playing its first season in FBS, and some programs are expanding or renovating their stadiums:
- Charlotte, playing its first season in FBS, is playing at the on-campus Jerry Richardson Stadium. The stadium opened for the 49ers' first season in 2013 with a capacity of 15,314, but was designed for quick expansion to as much as 40,000.
- Kentucky will debut a major renovation to Commonwealth Stadium. A $110 million project is reducing the capacity from 67,530 to 61,000, adding a new recruiting plaza in the east end zone surrounded by a new student section, more than 20 new luxury boxes and 2,000 new club seats, new home-team facilities, a revamped exterior, and improved concourses.[7]
- UCF is taking out about 2,000 seats from the east side of Bright House Networks Stadium, replacing them with a new club seating section with a capacity of about 1,000 that includes a beach area.[8]
- Auburn will debut the largest video board in college football in Jordan–Hare Stadium. The video board will measure 190 feet by 57. The project is expected to cost $13.9 million.
- Duke will feature a newly renovated Wallace Wade Stadium. The renovations include removal of the track and lowering of the field by several feet; more seating capacity near field level along both sidelines and the north end zone; the replacement of bleachers on the west side of the stadium with Duke blue seats; new brick facades around much of the field; a brand-new, much larger video board and new speakers; a refresh of the concourse area around the top of the bowl, with new sidewalks and brick separating the concourse from the seating area; and new concession booths, restrooms, and concourse lighting along with a new elevator tower. Construction on a new press box, luxury boxes, and attached seats will also be ongoing throughout the season, and is expected to be complete in time for the 2016 season. These mark the first major upgrades to Wallace Wade Stadium in over 70 years.
- Kansas State will debut the Vanier Football Complex in the North end zone of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. This feature includes new seating, a video board, offices, locker rooms and strength training facilities. kstatesports.com
- Cincinnati Capacity of Nippert Stadium to be increased to 40,000 and will debut the addition of premium seating & new press box, new pavilion, additional restrooms, upgraded concessions and improved concourses.
- Ole Miss Capacity to be increased over the 2015–16 season ultimately bringing the total seating to 64,038. The renovation includes a bowling in of Vaught–Hemingway Stadium, more club level seating, more restrooms, concessions, etc. The renovation will be completed at the start of the 2016–17 season. This renovation is part of the Forward Together campaign, which also gives the Rebels a new basketball arena right next to the football stadium.
- Texas A&M completed renovations to the west side and facade of Kyle Field, reducing the capacity from the previous season. The project cost over $450 million.
Television viewers and ratings
Most watched regular season games
- Excludes Conference Championships
| Rank | Date | Matchup | Channel | Viewers | TV Rating | Significance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 7, 8:00 ET | #2 LSU | 16 | #4 Alabama | 30 | CBS | 11.06 Million | 6.4 | Rivalry |
| 2 | November 21, 3:30 ET | #9 Michigan State | 17 | #3 Ohio State | 14 | ABC | 11.05 Million | 6.6 | |
| 3 | November 28, 12:00 ET | #8 Ohio State | 42 | #10 Michigan | 13 | 10.83 Million | 6.4 | The Game | |
| 4 | September 7, 8:00 ET | #1 Ohio State | 42 | Virginia Tech | 24 | ESPN | 10.59 Million | 6.0 | |
| 5 | November 28, 3:30 ET | #2 Alabama | 29 | Auburn | 13 | CBS | 9.29 Million | 5.3 | Iron Bowl |
| 6 | September 5, 8:00 ET | #20 Wisconsin | 17 | #3 Alabama | 35 | ABC | 7.97 Million | 4.3 | Advocare Classic |
| 7 | September 12, 8:00 ET | #7 Oregon | 28 | #5 Michigan State | 31 | 7.90 Million | 4.8 | ||
| 8 | October 3, 8:00 ET | #6 Notre Dame | 22 | #12 Clemson | 24 | 7.65 Million | 4.5 | ||
| 9 | September 19, 9:00 ET | #15 Ole Miss | 43 | #2 Alabama | 37 | ESPN | 7.61 Million | 4.6 | |
| 10 | November 7, 3:30 ET | #16 Florida State | 13 | #1 Clemson | 23 | ABC | 7.56 Million | 4.7 | |
Conference championship games
| Rank | Date | Matchup | Channel | Viewers | TV Rating | Conference | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 5, 4:00 ET | #18 Florida | 15 | #2 Alabama | 29 | CBS | 12.8 Million | 7.8 | SEC | Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA |
| 2 | December 5, 8:19 ET | #5 Michigan State | 16 | #4 Iowa | 13 | FOX | 9.8 Million | 5.7 | Big Ten | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN |
| 3 | December 5, 8:00 ET | #1 Clemson | 45 | #10 North Carolina | 37 | ABC | 7.9 Million | 4.1 | ACC | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| 4 | December 5, 7:45 ET | #20 USC | 22 | #7 Stanford | 41 | ESPN | 2.6 Million | 1.6 | Pac-12 | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA |
| 5 | December 5, 12:00 ET | #22 Temple | 13 | #19 Houston | 24 | ABC | 2.5 Million | 1.8 | AAC | TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX |
| 6 | December 4, 7:27 ET | Bowling Green | 34 | Northern Illinois | 14 | ESPN2 | 1.0 Million | 0.7 | MAC | Ford Field, Detroit, MI |
| 7 | December 5, 12:00 ET | Southern Miss | 28 | Western Kentucky | 45 | ESPN2 | 488K | N/A | C-USA | Houchens Industries-L. T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY |
| 8 | December 5, 10:00 ET | Air Force | 24 | San Diego State | 27 | ESPN2 | 363K | N/A | MWC | Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA |
College Football Playoff
Note: All games aired on ESPN
| Game | Date | Matchup | Viewers | TV Rating | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Bowl | December 31, 2015 | 4:00 ET | #4 Oklahoma | 17 | #1 Clemson | 37 | 15.64 Million | 9.1 |
| Cotton Bowl | December 31, 2015 | 8:00 ET | #3 Michigan State | 0 | #2 Alabama | 38 | 18.55 Million | 9.6 |
| National Championship | January 11, 2016 | 8:30 ET | #2 Alabama | 45 | #1 Clemson | 40 | 26.18 Million* | 15.0 |
- ESPN Megacast
Conference standings
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Conference champions
Bowl eligibility
Bowl Eligible Teams
- American Athletic Conference (8): Memphis, Houston, Temple, Navy, South Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Tulsa
- Atlantic Coast Conference (9): Clemson, Florida State, Duke, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Miami (FL), North Carolina State, Louisville, Virginia Tech
- Big 12 Conference (7): Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, West Virginia, Kansas State
- Big Ten Conference (8): Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, Northwestern, Wisconsin
- Conference USA (5): Western Kentucky, Marshall, Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State
- Independents (2): Notre Dame, Brigham Young
- Mid-American Conference (7): Toledo, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Ohio, Central Michigan, Akron
- Mountain West Conference (7): Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah State, Colorado State
- Pac-12 Conference (10): Stanford, Utah, UCLA, Washington State, USC, Oregon, Arizona, California, Arizona State, Washington
- Southeastern Conference (10): LSU, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn
- Sun Belt Conference (4): Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Appalachian State, Arkansas State
Total: 77
Bowl Ineligible Teams
- American Athletic Conference (4): Central Florida, East Carolina, SMU, Tulane
- Atlantic Coast Conference (5): Boston College, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Virginia
- Big 12 Conference (3): Iowa State, Kansas, Texas
- Big Ten Conference (6): Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota*, Nebraska*, Purdue, Rutgers
- Conference USA (8): Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, UTEP, Rice, Old Dominion
- Independents (1): Army
- Mid-American Conference (6): Buffalo, Miami (OH), Eastern Michigan, Massachusetts, Ball State, Kent State
- Mountain West Conference (5): Wyoming, Hawaii, Fresno State, UNLV, San José State*
- Pac-12 Conference (2): Oregon State, Colorado
- Southeastern Conference (4): South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Kentucky
- Sun Belt Conference (7): Louisiana-Lafayette, New Mexico State, Louisiana-Monroe, Idaho, South Alabama, Troy, Texas State
Note: Teams with Asterisk(*) qualified for bowls based on Academic Progress Rate, despite not having a bowl eligible record [9]
Total: 51
Bowl Games and the College Football Playoff
Main article: 2015–16 NCAA football bowl games
Since the 2014–15 postseason, six College Football Playoff (CFP) bowl games have hosted two semifinal playoff games on a rotating basis. For this season, the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl Classic will host the semifinal games, with the winners advancing to the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
| Semifinals | 2016 Championship Game | |||||||
| December 31 – Orange Bowl | ||||||||
| 1 | Clemson | 37 | ||||||
| 4 | Oklahoma | 17 | ||||||
| January 11 – National Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | Clemson | 40 | ||||||
| 2 | Alabama | 45 | ||||||
| December 31 – Cotton Bowl Classic | ||||||||
| 2 | Alabama | 38 | ||||||
| 3 | Michigan State | 0 | ||||||
Conference performance in bowl games
| Conference | Total games | Wins | Losses | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEC | 11 | 9 | 2 | .818 |
| ACC | 9 | 4 | 5 | .444 |
| Big Ten | 10 | 5 | 5 | .500 |
| Pac-12 | 10 | 6 | 4 | .600 |
| Big 12 | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429 |
| MW | 8 | 4 | 4 | .500 |
| The American | 8 | 2 | 6 | .250 |
| C-USA | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 |
| MAC | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429 |
| Independents | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Sun Belt | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
Final CFP rankings
Main article: 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
| CFP | School | Record | Bowl Game |
| | Clemson Tigers | | Orange Bowl |
| | Alabama Crimson Tide | | Cotton Bowl |
| | Michigan State Spartans | | Cotton Bowl |
| | Oklahoma Sooners | | Orange Bowl |
| | Iowa Hawkeyes | | Rose Bowl |
| | Stanford Cardinal | | Rose Bowl |
| | Ohio State Buckeyes | | Fiesta Bowl |
| | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | | Fiesta Bowl |
| | Florida State Seminoles | | Peach Bowl |
| | North Carolina Tar Heels | | Russell Athletic Bowl |
| | TCU Horned Frogs | | Alamo Bowl |
| | Ole Miss Rebels | | Sugar Bowl |
| | Northwestern Wildcats | | Outback Bowl |
| | Michigan Wolverines | | Citrus Bowl |
| | Oregon Ducks | | Alamo Bowl |
| | Oklahoma State Cowboys | | Sugar Bowl |
| | Baylor Bears | | Russell Athletic Bowl |
| | Houston Cougars | | Peach Bowl |
| | Florida Gators | | Citrus Bowl |
| | LSU Tigers | | Texas Bowl |
| | Navy Midshipmen | | Military Bowl |
| | Utah Utes | | Las Vegas Bowl |
| | Tennessee Volunteers | | Outback Bowl |
| | Temple Owls | | Boca Raton Bowl |
| | USC Trojans | | Holiday Bowl |
Awards and honors
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player.
| Player | School | Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | Alabama | RB | 378 | 277 | 144 | 1832 |
| Christian McCaffrey | Stanford | RB | 290 | 246 | 177 | 1539 |
| Deshaun Watson | Clemson | QB | 148 | 240 | 241 | 1165 |
Other overall
- Archie Griffin Award (MVP): Deshaun Watson, Clemson
- AP Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Chic Harley Award (Player of the Year): Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Maxwell Award (top player): Derrick Henry, Alabama
- SN Player of the Year: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
- Walter Camp Award (top player): Derrick Henry, Alabama
Special overall
- Burlsworth Trophy (top player who began as walk-on): Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
- Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player): Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Campbell Trophy ("academic Heisman"): Ty Darlington, Oklahoma
- Wuerffel Trophy (humanitarian-athlete): Ty Darlington, Oklahoma
Offense
Quarterback
- Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Deshaun Watson, Clemson
- Johnny Unitas Award (senior/4th year quarterback): Connor Cook, Michigan State
- Kellen Moore Award (quarterback):
- Manning Award (quarterback): Deshaun Watson, Clemson
- Sammy Baugh Trophy (passing quarterback):
Running back
- Doak Walker Award (running back): Derrick Henry, Alabama
- Jim Brown Trophy (running back): Dalvin Cook, Florida State
Wide receiver
- Fred Biletnikoff Award (wide receiver): Corey Coleman, Baylor
- Paul Warfield Trophy (wide receiver):
Tight end
- John Mackey Award (tight end): Hunter Henry, Arkansas
- Ozzie Newsome Award (tight end): Jake Butt, Michigan
Lineman
- Dave Rimington Trophy (center): Ryan Kelly, Alabama
- Jim Parker Trophy (offensive lineman): Landon Turner, North Carolina
Defense
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player): Tyler Matakevich, Temple
- Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player): Tyler Matakevich, Temple
- Lott Trophy (defensive impact): Carl Nassib, Penn State
Defensive line
- Bill Willis Award (defensive lineman):
- Dick Butkus Award (linebacker): Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
- Jack Lambert Trophy (linebacker): Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
- Rotary Lombardi Award (defensive lineman/linebacker): Carl Nassib, Penn State
- Ted Hendricks Award (defensive end): Carl Nassib, Penn State
Defensive back
- Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Desmond King, Iowa
- Jack Tatum Trophy (defensive back): Desmond King, Iowa
Special teams
- Lou Groza Award (placekicker): Ka'imi Fairbairn, UCLA
- Vlade Award (placekicker): Aidan Schneider, Oregon
- Ray Guy Award (punter): Tom Hackett, Utah
- Jet Award (return specialist): Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
Other positional awards
- Outland Trophy (interior lineman on either side of the ball): Joshua Garnett, Stanford
Coaches
- AFCA Coach of the Year: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
- AP Coach of the Year: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
- Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award:
- Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- Maxwell Coach of the Year:
- Paul "Bear" Bryant Award: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
- Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award:
- SN Coach of the Year: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
- The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
- Woody Hayes Trophy: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- Walter Camp Coach of the Year: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Assistants
All-Americans
Main article: 2015 College Football All-America Team
Coaching changes
This is restricted to coaching changes taking place on or after May 1, 2015. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2015, see 2014 NCAA Division I FBS end-of-season coaching changes.
| School | Outgoing coach | Date | Reason | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State | Pete Lembo | December 22, 2015 | Took job as special teams coordinator at Maryland | Mike Neu |
| Bowling Green | Dino Babers | December 5, 2015 | Left for Syracuse | Mike Jinks |
| BYU | Bronco Mendenhall | December 4, 2015 | Left for Virginia | Kalani Sitake |
| East Carolina | Ruffin McNeill | December 4, 2015 | Fired | Scottie Montgomery |
| Georgia | Mark Richt | November 29, 2015 | Fired[10] | Kirby Smart |
| Georgia Southern | Willie Fritz | December 11, 2015 | Left for Tulane[11] | Dell McGee (interim) |
| Georgia Southern | Dell McGee (interim) | December 20, 2015 | Permanent replacement[12] | Tyson Summers |
| Hawaii | Norm Chow | November 1, 2015 | Fired[13] | Nick Rolovich |
| Illinois | Tim Beckman | August 28, 2015 | Fired[14] | Bill Cubit |
| Illinois | Bill Cubit | March 5, 2016 | Fired[15] | Lovie Smith |
| Iowa State | Paul Rhoads | November 22, 2015 | Fired after the season[16] | Matt Campbell |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Todd Berry | November 14, 2015 | Fired[17] | John Mumford (interim) |
| Louisiana–Monroe | John Mumford (interim) | December 14, 2015 | Permanent replacement | Matt Viator |
| Maryland | Randy Edsall | October 11, 2015 | Fired[18] | Mike Locksley (interim) |
| Maryland | Mike Locksley (interim) | December 2, 2015 | Permanent replacement[19] | D. J. Durkin |
| Memphis | Justin Fuente | November 28, 2015 | Left for Virginia Tech[20] | Mike Norvell |
| Miami | Al Golden | October 25, 2015 | Fired[21] | Larry Scott (interim) |
| Miami | Larry Scott (interim) | December 2, 2015 | Permanent replacement[22] | Mark Richt |
| Minnesota | Jerry Kill | October 28, 2015 | Retired (health)[23] | Tracy Claeys |
| Missouri | Gary Pinkel | November 13, 2015 | Resigned after the season (health)[24] | Barry Odom |
| North Texas | Dan McCarney | October 10, 2015 | Fired[25] | Mike Canales (interim) |
| North Texas | Mike Canales (interim) | December 5, 2015 | Permanent replacement[26] | Seth Littrell |
| Rutgers | Kyle Flood | November 29, 2015 | Fired[27] | Chris Ash |
| Southern Mississippi | Todd Monken | January 24, 2016 | Left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as offensive coordinator | Jay Hopson |
| South Carolina | Steve Spurrier | October 12, 2015 | Retired[28] | Shawn Elliott (interim) |
| South Carolina | Shawn Elliott (interim) | December 6, 2015 | Permanent replacement[29] | Will Muschamp |
| Syracuse | Scott Shafer | November 23, 2015 | Fired after the season[30] | Dino Babers |
| Texas State | Dennis Franchione | December 22, 2015 | Retired | Everett Withers |
| Toledo | Matt Campbell | November 29, 2015 | Left for Iowa State[31] | Jason Candle |
| Tulane | Curtis Johnson | November 28, 2015 | Fired[32] | Willie Fritz |
| UCF | George O'Leary | October 25, 2015 | Resigned/retired[33] | Danny Barrett (interim) |
| UCF | Danny Barrett (interim) | December 1, 2015 | Permanent replacement | Scott Frost |
| USC | Steve Sarkisian | October 12, 2015 | Fired[34] | Clay Helton |
| UTSA | Larry Coker | January 5, 2016 | Resigned | Frank Wilson |
| Virginia | Mike London | November 29, 2015 | Resigned[35] | Bronco Mendenhall |
| Virginia Tech | Frank Beamer | November 1, 2015 | Retired after the season[36] | Justin Fuente |
See also
References
- ↑ ncaa.org (February 11, 2015). "Football Rules Committee Exploring Future Technological Advances". ncaa.org. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ↑ Scarborough, Alex (June 1, 2015). "UAB reinstates football for 2016". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ↑ "UAB to reinstate football for 2017 season". ESPN.com. July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Coastal Carolina to Join Sun Belt Conference" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. September 1, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ↑ "College football: FBS conferences with fewer than 12 members now able to hold championship game" (Press release). NCAA. January 13, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
- ↑ http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa/2015-college-football-schedules.php
- ↑ "The New CWS: Vision". Kentucky Wildcats. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
- ↑ Rovell, Darren (January 26, 2015). "Football, with touch of beach, at UCF". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- ↑ Johnson, Greg. "NCAA Football: Council approves process to allow 5-7 teams into bowl games". ncaa.com. NCAA. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ "Mark Richt fired by Georgia, per source". ESPN.com. November 29, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ "Tulane names Georgia Southern's Willie Fritz as its new football coach, ESPN reports". ESPN.com. December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ↑ "Tyson Summers reaches verbal agreement with Georgia Southern". ESPN.com. December 20, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Norm Chow relieved of duties at Hawaii". USA Today. November 1, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
- ↑ Bennett, Brian (August 28, 2015). "Illinois fires Tim Beckman one week before season amid external review". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- ↑ "CUBIT DISMISSED AS U OF I FOOTBALL COACH". fightinillini.com. March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ↑ Rittenberg, Adam. "Iowa State fires coach Paul Rhoads". ESPN.go.com. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
- ↑ "Todd Berry dismissed in sixth season at Louisiana-Monroe". ESPN.go.com. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
- ↑ "Randy Edsall fired by Maryland". ESPN.com. October 11, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ↑ "Source: D.J. Durkin to coach Maryland Terrapins". ESPN.com. December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Source: Virginia Tech to hire Memphis' Justin Fuente as coach". ESPN.com. November 28, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ "Golden Relieved of his Duties Effective Immediately". hurricanesports.com. NeuLion. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ↑ "Sources: Mark Richt to be named new Hurricanes coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Minnesota coach Jerry Kill retires, citing health". ESPN.com. October 28, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ↑ "Gary Pinkel to Resign Following 2015 Season Due to Health Issues". Missouri. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ↑ "Dan McCarney dismissed at North Texas". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
- ↑ "North Texas tabs UNC's Seth Littrell as new coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Rutgers fires Kyle Flood, AD Julie Hermann". ESPN.com. November 29, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ Evans, Thayer (October 12, 2015). "South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier to retire". Sports Illustrated (Time Inc.). Retrieved October 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Auburn DC Will Muschamp to become South Carolina coach". ESPN.com. December 6, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Scott Shafer fired: What they're saying about the change for Syracuse football". syracuse.com. November 23, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Toledo's Matt Campbell to become Cyclones' next coach, sources say". ESPN.com. November 29, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ "Tulane fires coach Curtis Johnson". ESPN.com. November 28, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ Green, Shannon; Bianchi, Mike (25 October 2015). "UCF football coach George O'Leary is retiring". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ↑ "Steve Sarkisian fired by USC". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
- ↑ "Mike London resigns as football coach at Virginia". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ Kalland, Robby (November 1, 2015). "Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer to retire at end of season". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
External links
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Media related to 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season at Wikimedia Commons
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