Exposing the West's most deluded college football fan bases

Social media breeds self-delusion. Every fan base has its echo chamber, the memes and retorts they use to reinforce their favorite arguments. "Zero natties." "Built not bought." "We are so back."

Some fan bases specialize in living in the past and distorting their record. Others confuse hype with reality.

Washington Huskies

What they think they are: A blueblood program with no limits, a national championship contender.

What they actually are: A window program.

The Huskies had six straight losing seasons between 2004 and 2009, including an 0-12 season in 2008. They proceeded to go 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, and 7-6 under current Texas coach Steve Sarkisian before breaking through with a 9-4 record and a win in the Fight Hunger Bowl in 2009.

Chris Petersen came to Seattle and went 8-6 and 7-6 for two years, then had a run of 12-2 in 2016, settling back to 10-3, 10-4 before falling back to 8-5 in his last year before retiring, 2019.

Jimmy Lake imploded the program again, 4-8 in 2021. Kalen DeBoer had a two-year run before bolting for Alabama. Jedd Fisch took over and finished 6-7 last season.

In the last 24 seasons, the Huskies have won 10 games or more five times, they've finished ranked in the AP Top Ten three times while suffering through eight losing seasons. They've had 15 seasons with six or more losses.

They are a window program, a school that occasionally stitches together a couple of good recruiting classes and keeps a staff together long enough to emerge from the shadow of Oregon, USC and UCLA.

UW hasn't been a consistent top-tier program in over 30 years.

Delusion Grade: 97

While it's nice to remember the glory years of Don James and Gloomy Gil Dobie or the One Shining Moment when DeBoer brought a potent offense to Montlake, the Huskies haven't sustained success, and the Petersen era was more brief and more mediocre than remembered (first two years, 8-6 and 7-6, last year 8-5.) They're competent in two or three-year stretches, awful the rest of the time.

Yet to interact with Dawg fans on X, they're still the power in the West. In reality they're living off their three straight wins over the Ducks when during Dan Lanning's first two years as a head coach, all by a field goal.

USC

What they think they are: "We are back, once again the dominant program in the West."

What they actually are: A program that had great runs under John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll, but one that has fired its three previous head coaches including Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin, who've gone on to success elsewhere.

Since Carroll left after the 2008 season, SC has finished in the AP Top Ten exactly once, when they went 10-3 in 2016 under Clay Helton. It's been 22 seasons since their last national championship and since then they've had 11 seasons of 10-4 or worse, 8 seasons with 5 or more losses, never returned to the the college football playoff. In the last four years they've gone 30-22.

An impressive 2026 recruiting class can't help the Trojans in 2025. Coming off seasons of 8-5 and 7-6, can Lincoln Riley survive another year in the same range?

Delusion Grade: 89

Oregon State

What they think they are: Lunchpail U., the Little Program That Could

What they actually are: A Power 4 also-ran with a small stadium.

Among Beaver fans the expectations are to be competitive against Oregon, have a winning season and make a bowl, so the fanbase is reasonably realistic. They've been to a bowl game 13 times in the last 25 seasons, won 11 games once and had 13 winning seasons, finished in the AP Top 25 five times.

Against Oregon since 2000, they're 8-17, though the Ducks have won 14 of the last 17 and two in a row. In Trent Bray, they've hired a defensive-minded coach with roots in the program so they should be competitive in the reconfigured PAC-12.

Hopes are high for Duke transfer at quarterback Maalik Murphy, a former four-star who started his college career at Texas, 2,933 yards and 26 touchdowns with the Blue Devils in 2024.

Although the OSU program has fallen on hard times, passed over by the Big Ten and relegated to a rebuilt conference with an unimpressive lineup, it's hard to really hate on them. The fans are realistic; they're loyal to their school and have modest expectations.

Delusion Grade: 53

Colorado Buffaloes

What they think the are: A resurgent juggernaut and future national champion.

What they actually are: Playing for clicks.

The national media has fueled the Deion Sanders hype, understandably because he's quotable and flamboyant and had a brilliant career as a player.

In 2023 the Buffs started 3-0 and pundits like Skip Bayless and RJ Young went full blast about the Buffs being a national championship threat until Oregon thumped them 42-6. Moving to the Big 12 in 2024 they put together a nice season that ended with a 36-14 loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl and a 9-4 record.

Travis Hunter won the Heisman and Shedeur Sanders got drafted by Cleveland in the 5th round. Coach Prime, battling health problems, has to start over with Kaidon Salter or Julian Lewis at quarterback. He's trying to rebuild the offensive line around five-star Jordan Seaton and the portal.

Last season, Shedeur Sanders was sacked 40 times, and the Colorado defense ranked 71st against the run. It's the lack of progress in the trenches that's holding them back.

Although moving to the Big 12 gives them a renewed chance to be competitive, Colorado isn't as back as the fanbase thinks, and it remains to be seen whether Coach Prime has staying power in Boulder. One thing is certain though: He's elevated attention and interest.

Delusion Grade: 83

What about the Ducks?

Duck fans are pretty realistic about the Oregon program. They've known adversity and disappointment on big stages. The program has been a consistent winner with relatively few clunker seasons.

The Ducks have won 9 conference championships since 2000 and three Rose Bowls. They've been to the national championship game twice and finished in AP Top Ten 11 times. And no, they've never won a natty.

Yet Oregon fans are realistic about all this. They've remained loyal and enthusiastic through the downturns, filled Autzen Stadium and made it a loud, raucous environment. Oregon has had two losing seasons in 25 years; they've won 10 or more games 15 times over that span.

All in all, a successful if not elite program, though they are 35-6 under Dan Lanning. The noise and derision from opposing fans won't stop until they win a national championship, and even then the references to "Phil Knight's money" will end never.

Duck fans themselves have a pretty realistic view of the program and they've maintained admirable loyalty.

Delusion grade: 39

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