In 2015 Kansas became the first Power Five college football team to record a winless season 2008. They lost eight games by at least 25 points, four by at least 40 and two by at least 55. Their average margin of defeat was 31 points.
Not only did first-year head coach David Beaty return for another season, there were never rumblings that he would be fired — and he received praise for keeping the Jayhawks competitive in four games, including a six-point road loss to TCU, given their scholarship situation.
"I said, whether it's me or Paul Bear Bryant, if you want this done in a year, I think you're barking up the wrong tree," Beaty said in September 2016, recalling his conversation with athletics director Sheahon Zenger when he was hired. "I hope your goal is to win in the long-term."
VOTE: Which ACC Coaches Could Survive a Winless 2017 Season?
Since 2000, 18 FBS teams have gone winless. Surprisingly, 10 of those teams retained their coach for the next season, with Beaty being the most recent. George O'Leary is the most notable. Like Beaty, he survived a winless first season at UCF (2004), went 8-5 the following year and recorded four double-digit-win seasons over the next decade.
Here's a look at those 18 teams and coaches:
| YEAR | TEAM | Head Coach | Retained? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | UCF | George O'Leary | No |
| 2015 | Kansas | David Beaty | Yes |
| 2013 | Miami (OH) | Don Treadwell | No |
| 2013 | Georgia State | Trent Miles | Yes |
| 2012 | Southern Miss | Ellis Johnson | No |
| 2009 | WKU | David Elson | No |
| 2009 | Eastern Michigan | Ron English | Yes |
| 2008 | Washington | Tyrone Willingham | No |
| 2006 | FIU | Don Strock | No |
| 2006 | Duke | Ted Roof | Yes |
| 2005 | New Mexico State | Hal Mumme | Yes |
| 2004 | UCF | George O'Leary | Yes |
| 2003 | Army | Todd Berry | No |
| 2003 | SMU | Phil Bennett | Yes |
| 2001 | Navy | Charlie Weatherbie | No |
| 2001 | Houston | Dana Dimel | Yes |
| 2001 | Duke | Carl Franks | Yes |
| 2000 | Duke | Carl Franks |
