The end of the 2024 season represented the halfway mark of the current decade. That prompted the question: Which FBS team was the most successful over the last five years?

The date is clear – UTSA, Texas, and SMU. Those were the only three teams to win over 40 games and at least one conference championship in that span. TCU was fourth in wins and reached the College Football Playoff. 

Eight of the 12 teams that began the decade as FBS programs posted a winning record since the start of 2020. The only teams that didn’t are North Texas, Texas State, Rice, and UTEP. Sam Houston only became an FBS program in 2023.

Below, we rank the teams by wins over the last five years. 

1. UTSA ROADRUNNERS 

Overall record: 46-20
Conference record: 31-8
Conference championships: 2 (CUSA)
Postseason appearances: 5 bowls

The Jeff Traylor era began in 2020 and so did UTSA’s ascension into G5 prominence. The Roadrunners lead the state in overall wins, conference wins, conference championships, and postseason appearances so far this decade. SMU is the only other school not to suffer through a losing season in the 2020s. 

2. TEXAS LONGHORNS

Overall record: 45-20
Conference record: 29-14
Conference championships: 1 (Big 12)
Postseason appearances: 2 College Football Playoffs, 2 bowls

The last two seasons vaulted the Horns into second place in overall wins. They are tied with SMU in conference wins with 29. Twenty-five of Texas’ 45 wins occurred over the last two years as the Longhorns reached the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs in consecutive campaigns. They’re the safe bet to end the decade with the most wins. 

3. SMU MUSTANGS 

Overall record: 44-19
Conference record: 29-10
Conference championships: 1 (AAC)
Postseason appearances: 1 CFP, 3 bowls

The Ponies are experiencing success last seen on the Hilltop in the 1980s. They won an AAC championship in 2023 and reached the ACC title game and the CFP in Year 1 as Power Four members. Quite the return on investment. The Mustangs lead the state with 54 wins since the start of the 2019 season. They’ve won at least 10 games in three of the last six years after not posting a single 10-win season from 1985 through 2018. SMU qualified for bowl games in all five years of this decade but two were canceled. 

4. TCU HORNED FROGS 

Overall record: 38-28
Conference record: 26-19
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 1 CFP, 2 bowls 

A trip to the College Football Playoff in 2022 was the highlight of the past half decade for the Frogs, who ushered in a new era when Gary Patterson was replaced with Sonny Dykes after the 2021 season. 

5. TEXAS A&M AGGIES 

Overall record: 37-23
Conference record: 23-18
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 3 bowls 

Four of the five seasons were the end of the Jimbo Fisher era. A nine-win 2020 campaign was tied with the most wins in a season for the Aggies since 2012. The 5-7 finish in 2022 was the low mark in the 2020s. Mike Elko won eight games last season. 

6. TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS 

Overall record: 34-28
Conference record: 22-23
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 4 bowls

The Red Raiders were consistently solid in four of the last five years, winning seven or eight games in every campaign since 2021. Texas Tech only posted one winning record in Big 12 play between Mike Leach leaving in 2009 and Joey McGuire arriving in 2022. McGuire has done it in all three years.

T-7. BAYLOR BEARS 

Overall record: 31-30
Conference record: 21-24
Conference championships: 1 (Big 12)
Postseason appearances: 3 bowls 

The Dave Aranda tenure, which started in 2020, is best described as a roller coaster. The highs included a program-best 12 wins and wins in the Big 12 championship game and the Sugar Bowl in 2021. He’s also led the Bears to three losing seasons in five years. 

T-7. HOUSTON COUGARS

Overall record: 31-28
Conference record: 21-19
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 3 bowls 

The Cougars transitioned from the G5 to the Power Four as Big 12 members while undergoing a coaching change when Willie Fritz replaced Dana Holgorsen after 2023. Houston won 12 games and reached the AAC championship game in 2021. 

9. NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN

Overall record: 28-34
Conference record: 20-19
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 4 bowls

The Mean Green haven’t finished above .500 since 2018. The best finish of this decade was the 7-7 season in 2022 that included a trip to the Conference USA championship game. North Texas has reached bowls in four of the last five seasons. 

10. TEXAS STATE BOBCATS 

Overall record: 26-36
Conference record: 16-25
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 2 bowls 

The trajectory is shooting upward for the Bobcats since the arrival of G.J. Kinne ahead of the 2023 season. Texas State was 10-26 in the first three seasons of the decade but 16-10 with the program’s first two bowl wins over the last two. 

T-11. RICE OWLS 

Overall record: 21-34
Conference record: 15-22
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 2 bowls 

The Owls are another Texas team that transitioned conferences since the turn of the decade. Mike Bloomgren could never lead the Owls to a winning season in his time on South Main. They replaced him with Scott Abell in the offseason. 

T-11. UTEP MINERS 

Overall record: 21-36
Conference record: 12-24
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 1 bowl 

A seven-win season in 2021 looked like a sign of good things ahead under Dana Dimel but it proved a mirage. It is the only winning season for UTEP since 2014. Scotty Walden won three games in 2024, his first in charge. 

N/R: SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS 

*2 years as FBS program

Overall record: 13-12
Conference record: 8-8
Conference championships: N/A
Postseason appearances: 1 bowl 

Sam Houston won a national championship at the FCS level during the spring of 2021 but only moved up to FBS two seasons ago. The Bearkats did win 10 games last year.