Surprising Teams Own Nation's Longest Losing Streaks After Huge Upset

On Thursday night, UMass Minutemen stunned Rutgers Scarlet Knights 37-21, despite being overwhelming underdogs with a 29.5 point deficit. This marked the Minutemen's first victory since October 26, 2024, an unexpected win for a team that has struggled for some time. However, the story has implications beyond the thrilling upset.

With UMass back on top, Oklahoma State holds the longest losing streak in college football at 11 games, a mark that has persisted for over a year since their lone victory on August 28, 2025, against UT Martin. The Cowboys are not the only team facing a bleak outlook; Arkansas Razorbacks and Purdue Boilermakers also boast 10-game losing streaks as they step into the 2026 season.

Their last wins were on September 6, 2025, against Arkansas State and Ball State, respectively. Thankfully, these teams are in a position to end their droughts before they hit a full year. The Boilermakers led Indiana State by 17 points when this report was written, while Arkansas faces North Alabama Lions as 40.5-point favorites.

The Cowboys, on the other hand, may encounter a more challenging scenario. They will face Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Saturday, a team that defeated them 19-12 last season when they were at home. This time, they must secure a winning road game to break their losing streak. Despite being favored, the Cowboys only have a 5.5 point advantage over Tulsa, a narrow margin that likely reflects the overall turmoil in Stillwater.

The new roster additions under coach Eric Morris have yet to gel, which may contribute to the Cowboys' struggle. If they fail to come together, Oklahoma State's grip on the longest losing streak in college football will persist for at least another week.