FBS team-by-team season grades: Six earn A+

Paul Myerberg | USA TODAY Sports

Just because Ohio State won the national championship doesn't mean the Buckeyes were the only team to have a successful 2014 season. It's all relative: Some teams might have had a championship-or-bust mentality, but others might view an eight-win season in the same way Ohio State views its national title.

But winning the championship makes this an A+ season for the Buckeyes. What grade did your team earn in 2014? Let's hand out team-by-team report cards for the entire Football Bowl Subdivision, with marks ranging from an A+ through a failing grade — the dreaded F.

A+

Georgia Southern | Memphis | Ohio State | Oregon | TCU | UAB

Ohio State and Oregon easily draw the top grade for reaching the national championship game.

A

Air Force | Arizona | Baylor | Boise State | Colorado State | Florida State | Georgia Tech | Marshall | Western Michigan

Bryan Harsin had a perfect first season back at Boise State. Despite losing to the Ducks, Florida State was one of the few one-loss teams.

A-

Appalachian State | Alabama | Cincinnati | Duke | Louisiana Tech | Michigan State | Mississippi State | Missouri | Northern Illinois | Utah | Utah State | UTEP

Alabama has high standards. Michigan State lost twice, but to Oregon and Ohio State.

B+

Arizona State | Arkansas | Clemson | Kansas State | Louisiana-Lafayette | Louisville | Minnesota | Mississippi | North Carolina State | Rutgers | South Alabama | Temple | Toledo | Wisconsin

Winning eight games as a new member of the Big Ten Conference made this a pretty solid season for Rutgers.

B

Boston College | Central Michigan | East Carolina | Maryland | Old Dominion | Rice | Texas State | UCLA | Southern California | Western Kentucky

ECU could have done more. Old Dominion is happy with its first season on the Football Bowl Subdivision.

B-

Auburn | California | Florida International | Kentucky | Middle Tennessee State | Nebraska | Tennessee | UCF | Washington | West Virginia

Mostly winning seasons, though California and Kentucky are rewarded for coming close to six wins.

C+

Akron | Ball State | Brigham Young | Georgia | Houston | Illinois | Massachusetts | Nevada | Oklahoma State | Penn State | San Diego State

Ball State did a nice job despite being young. Oklahoma State and Penn State closed strong.

C

Arkansas State | LSU | Navy | Notre Dame | Stanford | Texas | Texas A&M | UTSA | Virginia Tech

Notre Dame , Stanford and Texas A&M expected more from this season.

C-

Bowling Green | Buffalo | Hawaii | Indiana | Miami (Fla.) | Ohio | Virginia | Wake Forest

Bowling Green had too much talent to lose six games. Same with Miami (Fla.), which lost a seventh game in the postseason.

D+

Florida | Florida Atlantic | Fresno State | Iowa | Miami (Ohio) | Northwestern | Oklahoma | Oregon State | Pittsburgh | Tulane | South Florida

At least Florida finished with a winning record, unlike in 2013. Oklahoma did too, though it felt like a losing season.

D

Army | Colorado | Eastern Michigan | Kent State | Louisiana-Monroe | North Carolina | North Texas | San Jose State | Southern Mississippi | Washington State | Wyoming

North Carolina should have done more. Craig Bohl didn't have a smashing debut at Wyoming.

D-

Idaho | Iowa State | Kansas | New Mexico | New Mexico State | Purdue | South Carolina | Syracuse | Texas Tech | Tulsa | Troy | UNLV

Some of the nation's worst major-conference teams — Purdue, Kansas and Texas Tech – and in South Carolina, the nation's biggest disappointment.

F

Connecticut | Georgia State | Michigan | SMU | Vanderbilt

Think SMU was bad? The Mustangs beat Connecticut.

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