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Indiana’s recent revival stunned college football. A run of breakthrough seasons erased old expectations, yet the Hoosiers still sit near the top of an unlikely leaderboard: schools with the most all-time losses. This article breaks down who leads that list, how recent seasons reshaped it, and which programs have accumulated the most defeats in FBS history.
Which program now holds the most career losses in college football?
Northwestern currently leads the nation in career losses, with 718 defeats across 138 seasons. That shift is recent and tied to dramatic swings by other long-standing programs.
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For decades, Indiana carried the dubious honor of most losses. The Hoosiers entered the 2025 campaign with 715 career defeats despite a historic 2024 season. Indiana’s turnaround under coach Curt Cignetti included an 11-win campaign in 2024, the program’s first double-digit win total.
What changed during the 2024–25 seasons to flip the leaderboard?
Two seasons of contrasting results moved the needle. Indiana went unbeaten in the 2025 regular season, which halted the growth of its loss total. Northwestern, meanwhile, experienced a middling year and kept adding defeats.
- Indiana: 2024 finished 11-2, then the Hoosiers followed with an undefeated regular season in 2025.
- Northwestern: entered 2025 with three fewer losses than Indiana and finished the year 7-6.
- Key moment: Northwestern’s loss to USC, combined with Indiana’s win over Penn State, allowed the Wildcats to overtake the Hoosiers on the losses list.
Schools with the highest numbers of all-time losses
Below is a chart of the FBS programs that have recorded the most career losses. These totals reflect decades of play and varying program histories.
| Team | Losses | Wins | Ties | Seasons | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern | 718 | 578 | 44 | 138 | .446 |
| Indiana | 715 | 534 | 44 | 138 | .428 |
| Rutgers | 708 | 686 | 42 | 156 | .492 |
| Wake Forest | 698 | 506 | 33 | 124 | .420 |
| Kansas | 694 | 617 | 58 | 136 | .471 |
| New Mexico State | 689 | 464 | 30 | 129 | .402 |
| Iowa State | 685 | 589 | 46 | 134 | .462 |
| Kansas State | 683 | 586 | 42 | 130 | .462 |
| Tulane | 680 | 588 | 38 | 132 | .464 |
| Vanderbilt | 673 | 638 | 50 | 136 | .487 |
| Rice | 668 | 503 | 32 | 114 | .430 |
| UMass | 664 | 582 | 50 | 143 | .467 |
| Kentucky | 663 | 654 | 44 | 135 | .497 |
| UTEP | 655 | 416 | 30 | 108 | .388 |
| Virginia | 653 | 701 | 48 | 136 | .518 |
Why some programs accumulate so many losses
High loss totals often reflect longevity plus extended struggles. Several recurring factors explain the leaderboard.
- Length of history: older programs have more games and more chances to lose.
- Conference competition: long-term membership in strong conferences raises loss risk.
- Resource gaps: funding and recruiting affect competitiveness over decades.
- Rebuilding cycles: coaching turnover and program resets can create multi-year slumps.
Notable context and what to watch next
- Rutgers remains the only other team above 700 losses, with deep football roots across 156 seasons.
- Programs that improve quickly can stop their loss totals from climbing further.
- Expect this ranking to continue shifting with program turnarounds and long seasons.
