Even after a 38-31 win over Iowa that was more convincing than the scoreline indicates, Northwestern probably isn’t a very good team.

The Wildcats struggle with consistency, are dealing with injuries on defense, a talent deficit on offense and have a dreadful home loss to 2-3 FCS team Illinois State on their resume. At this point, a successful season for NU would end in the Pinstripe Bowl, not exactly something to write home about.

But the Cats are not alone as also-rans in college football. In fact, that group might be bigger now than ever.

Just five weeks into the season, the list of serious contenders for the College Football Playoff is down to less than ten. Traditional powerhouses like Florida State, Michigan State and Notre Dame have had questionable, at best, starts to the season, while teams like Tennessee have covered up shaky play with copious amounts of luck. Predictably excellent teams are few and far between.

The system embraces this. Last year, four teams were given a chance to win a national title in the Playoff. Meanwhile, 76 others won some bowl gifts and a chance to play in a random city for a corporate-sponsored title that doesn’t mean much. No other sport rewards so many teams for the accomplishment of winning as often as they lose, but, in college football, it almost makes sense.

That all sounds bleak, but it leads to the glorious mess that unfolds across the country every year. When every team has flaws, every game is in doubt. Crazy, stupid, wonderful upsets abound. Teams like NU in 2015, specialists in being just good enough to beat the opponent, get to have magical 10-win seasons and dream big for a brief moment.

Cats fans are seeing the other side of life this year, and it isn’t as pretty. But in the mediocre middle of college football, one team’s down year is another team’s banner year — and every NU loss gives life to something special for the Western Michigans and Nebraskas of the world.

Few teams will challenge Alabama and Ohio State this season. The Cats certainly won’t. The rest of the season will probably be worth watching anyway.

Max Schuman is a McCormick junior. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a letter to the editor to [email protected]. Views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of the Daily Northwestern.