College Football Preview Part XIII

Welcome Back!

Today I continue my 5 weeks of my college football previews. I begin with 3 weeks of individual team previews, and then conclude with 2 weeks of conference previews.

In case you are interested, I get all of my information from various sources. I use the 3 main preview magazines (Phil Steele, Lindy's, and Athlon), but I also use many different websites, including (but not limited to): Google, Winsipedia, sports-reference.com, ESPN.com, TeamRankings.com, NCAA.com, and, of course, individual school websites.

I don't have a staff- it's just me- so all of the research is my own from these various sources (it doesn't help when they contradict each other...), so any mistakes are mine. I also don't have an editor/proofreader, so you are likely to find several (many? I hope not) typos, such as commas where periods should be (or vice versa), a misspelled or missing word, doubled words ("the the" in the middle of a sentence, for example), etc. 

Finally, feel free to leave a comment. Interacting is much of the fun! Of course, if you know me personally, just text me. I'll get that a lot quicker.

So, on with the previews! 

15- Boise State Broncos 12-2/7-0

Coach: Spencer Danielson (3rd year, 3rd overall)

Coach FBS Record/Rank: 15-3/.833/4th

3-year record/rank: 30-12/.714/19th

6-year record/rank: 54-21/.720/10th

10-year record/rank: 94-34/.734/8th

Last League Title: 2024 Mountain West champions

Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 3 years/2024/2022

Bowl Record/Rank: 13-9/.591/23rd

CFP Playoff Appearances: 1

AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None

Last Undefeated Season: 2009/14-0 under HC  Chris Peterson

Last Winless Season: 1937/0-6-1 under HC Max Eiden (when they were known as Boise Junior College)

All-time Record/Rank: 503-188-2/.727/5th

Offense/ranks:

Scoring: 37.3/5th/1st MWC

Rushing: 240.4/8th/3rd

Passing: 225.6/70th/6th

Total: 466.0/8th/3rd

Defense/ranks:

Scoring: 22.6/37th/2nd

Rushing: 122.3/31st/2nd

Passing: 241.4/107th/10th

Total: 363.7/60th/4th

Returning Starters (Off/Def): 7/7

Schedule: 

Aug 28 @ USF

Sep 6 Eastern Washington

Sep 20 @ Air Force

Sep 27 Appalachian State

Oct 4 @ Notre Dame

Oct 11 New Mexico

Oct 18 UNLV

Oct 25 @ Nevada

Nov 1 Fresno State

Nov 15 @ San Diego State

Nov 22 Colorado State

Nov 29 @ Utah State

Notes: Boise State has won 11 of their last 12 games, with their only loss to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, and have won 16 of their last 19 games; the Broncos have a 12-game home winning streak, and have won 12 consecutive Mountain West games, and 8 straight MWC games at home (last MWC loss at home to Fresno State in the 2022 MWC Championship Game); offense scored 56+ points in 4 games, and 28+ points 11 times, while the defense held 7 opponents to 21 points or less; BSU has been to 3 consecutive bowl games (2021 was canceled, or it would be 4 in a row), their 2nd longest streak behind 16 straight from 2002-2017, but they’ve lost their last 2, and 3 of the last 4; QB Maddux Madsen (3,018 yds, 62%, 23 TDs, 6 INT, 221 yds rushing, 3.9 ypc) returns; K will likely be UCF transfer Colton Boomer (3-6 FGs, 19-20 PTs), and P will likely be Weber State transfer Oscar Doyle (44.4 avg/42.5 net); defense led the nation with 55 sacks, with edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan contributing 10, as well as 15.5 TFLs.


Outlook: The Broncos are spending their last season in the MWC as they move to the Pac 12 next year. BSU has played in 8 MWC Championship Games, winning 5, with both of those numbers more than any other team (and ties or bests the combination of any other 2 teams in the conference). This year, Boise State avoids SJSU, Hawaii, and Wyoming, with their toughest game at Air Force, as they have UNLV at home. So they should be favored in every game except one, and that one’s a doozy. On Oct 4, they travel to South Bend to take on 2024 fellow CFP participant Notre Dame. This will be a chance for the Broncos to measure their team against what is expected to be a national championship contender. Boise State is a clear favorite to repeat as Mountain West champions, and a favorite to return to the CFP.

14- Miami Hurricanes 10-3/6-2

Coach: Mario Cristobal (4th year, 15th overall)

Coach FBS Record/Rank: 84-76/.525/73rd

3-year record/rank: 22-16/.579/50th

6-year record/rank: 43-31/.581/47th

10-year record/rank: 77-49/.611/31st

Last League Title: 2003 Big East co-champs/2002 Big East champions/2017 ACC Coastal champions

Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 2 years/2024/2016

Bowl Record/Rank: 19-25/.432/89th

CFP Playoff Appearances: 0

AP Championships/Last AP Championship: 5/2001

Last Undefeated Season:2001/12-0 under HC Larry Coker

Last Winless Season: Never (since 1926); worst seasons were 1-7-1 in 1944 under HC Eddie Dunn, and 2-8 in 1958 under HC Andy Gustafson and in 1975 under HC Carl Selmer
All-time Record/Rank: 665-392-19/.627/18th

Offense/ranks:

Scoring: 43.9/1st/1st ACC

Rushing: 188.9/31st/1st

Passing: 348.2/3rd/2nd

Total: 537.2/1st/1st

Defense/ranks:

Scoring: 25.3/70th/9th

Rushing: 112.8/19th/3rd

Passing: 214.4/57th/4th

Total: 327.2/27th/2nd

Returning Starters (Off/Def): 7/8

Schedule: 

Aug 31 Notre Dame

Sep 6 Bethune-Cookman

Sep 13 USF

Sep 20 Florida

Oct 4 @ FSU

Oct 17 Louisville

Oct 25 Stanford

Nov 1 @ SMU

Nov 8 Syracuse

Nov 15 NC State

Nov 22 @ Virginia Tech

Nov 29 @ Pittsburgh

Notes: The Hurricanes have the 10th longest bowl win drought, having last won in 2016, with 6 losses in a row; Miami has an odd schedule- 4 consecutive home games to start the season, only 1 game (at FSU) between Sep 20 and Oct 17 (almost a month!), then a game for each of the last 7 weeks with no break, with the last 2 on the road, but with 8 home games overall; the Canes have lost 3 of their last 4 games, including to Iowa State in the Pop Tarts Bowl; Miami was 6-0 at home last season; offense scored 36+ points in 12 of their 13 games (losing 2 of those), and 41+ points 7 times (50+ in 4 games), while the defense allowed 28+ points in 7 games, but also held 6 opponents to 17 points or less; all 3 losses were by 5 points or less (a combined 10 points); last year was their 1st winning season in the ACC since 2021; QB will be UGA transfer Carson Beck (3,485 yds, 64.7%, 28 TDs, 12 INT last year, 24-3 as a starter); K will be Texas transfer Bert Auburn (16-25 FGs, long 54), and P Dylan Joyce (42,5 avg/38.7 net) returns; Canes have lost 12 of their last 13 bowl games;


Outlook: For the last few years, Miami has started fast, but then stumbled down the stretch. If they can start fast again this year, then they will have gotten through what could be the hardest part of their schedule: Notre Dame in their opener, and Florida in game 4, and we should know a lot about this team by then. But November has really been Miami’s kryptonite, as it were, and this November they play at SMU, Syracuse, NC State, at Va Tech, and at Pitt. If they can make it to November with no more than 2 losses (have FSU on the road and Louisville at home in October), then they have a great chance to get to 8 or more wins. But if November up and bites them again, then 6 or 7 wins is the more likely result.

13- SMU Mustangs 11-3/8-0

Coach: Rhett Lashlee (4th year, 4th overall)

Coach FBS Record/Rank: 29-13/.690/17th

3-year record/rank: 29-12/.707/20th

6-year record/rank: 54-22/.692/16th

10-year record/rank: 73-52/.584/45th

Last League Title: 2023 AAC

Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 3 years/2024/2012

Bowl Record/Rank: 7-12-1/.375/111th

CFP Playoff Appearances: 1

AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None

Last Undefeated Season: 1982/11-0-1 under HC Bobby Collins

Last Winless Season: 2003/0-12 under HC Phil Bennett

All-time Record/Rank: 548-569-54/.491/101st

Offense/ranks:

Scoring: 36.5/8th/2nd ACC

Rushing: 167.6/55th/7th

Passing: 261.9/31st/6th

Total: 429.5/27th/5th

Defense/ranks:

Scoring: 22.1/32nd/1st

Rushing: 100.2/7th/1st

Passing: 225.8/79th/7th

Total: 326.0/26th/1st

Returning Starters (Off/Def): 7/5

Schedule: 

Aug 30 East Texas A&M

Sep 6 Baylor

Sep 13 @ Missouri State

Sep 20 @ TCU

Oct 4 Syracuse

Oct 11 Stanford

Oct 18 @ Clemson

Oct 25 @ Wake Forest

Nov 1 Miami

Nov 8 @ Boston College

Nov 22 Louisville

Nov 29 @ California

Notes: The Mustangs have lost 5 straight bowls (well, postseason games) since their last win in 2012, the 4th longest bowl win drought; after starting the season 11-1, SMU lost their last 2 games- to Clemson in the ACC CG and to Penn State in the CFP 1st round (do we consider these bowl games? the Penn State Bowl, perhaps?); offense scored 31+ points in 10 games (40+ in 5), while the defense held 6 opponents to 18 points or less; 2 of 3 losses were by 3 points each; the Ponies have been in the postseason for 3 consecutive years, tied for their 2nd longest streak in their history (1982-84 under HC Bobby Collins), and 1 short of tying their longest streak (2009-2012 under HC June Jones); QB Kevin Jennings (3,245 yds, 65.0%, 23 TDs, 11 INT, 354 yds rushing, 3.5 ypc, 5 TDs) returns; K Collin Rogers (school record 24 FGs in 33 attempts, with 7 from 50+ yds- another school record, long of 55, tied SMU record with 5 FG in a game) returns, but P is new; SMU has won 17 straight regular season conference games (not counting championship games), 10 straight conference games at home, and 8 straight road conference games.


Outlook: Even though the Mustangs were statistically worse than the year before in 7 of the 8 categories listed above (pass defense was the only category that improved), SMU ended the season with the same 11-3 record that they had in 2023. Their 22-6 record over the last 2 seasons is a record for the most wins over 2 years in SMU history, but the 1981-82 teams had a better win percentage (21-1-1 under HCs Ron Meyer in ‘81 and Bobby Collins in ‘82), and they followed those 2 years up by going 10-2 each of the next 2 years (still under HC Collins). Can these Ponies follow up these 2 years with more like them? Their schedule is tougher this year, with OOC games vs Baylor and at TCU, and they have home games vs Syracuse, Miami, and Louisville, and a road contest at Clemson. SMU should challenge for a berth in the ACC CG for a 2nd straight year (and a CG berth for a 3rd consecutive year), but I don’t see them getting to double-digit wins for a 3rd year in a row.

12- Ole Miss Rebels 10-3/5-3

Coach: Lane Kiffin (6th year, 14th overall FBS)

Coach FBS Record/Rank: 105-51/.673/20th

3-year record/rank: 29-10/.744/14th

6-year record/rank: 48-26/.649/25th

10-year record/rank: 74-49/.602/36th

Last League Title: 1963 SEC champions/2003 SEC West co-champs

Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 5 years/2024/2024

Bowl Record/Rank: 26-15/.634/14th

CFP Playoff Appearances: 0

AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None

Last Undefeated Season: 1960/10-0-1 under HC John Vaught

Last Winless Season: 1907/0-6 under HC Frank Mason

All-time Record/Rank: 686-550-35/.554/60th

Offense/ranks:

Scoring: 38.6/3rd/1st SEC

Rushing: 175.7/44th/5th

Passing: 350.8/2nd/1st

Total: 526.5/2nd/1st

Defense/ranks:

Scoring: 14.4/2nd/1st

Rushing: 80.5/2nd/1st

Passing: 230.8/86th/12th

Total: 311.2/14th/3rd

Returning Starters (Off/Def): 6/6

Schedule: 

Aug 30 Georgia State

Sep 6 @ Kentucky

Sep 13 Arkansas

Sep 20 Tulane

Sep 27 LSU

Oct 11 Washington State

Oct 18 @ Georgia

Oct 25 @ Oklahoma

Nov 1 South Carolina

Nov 8 The Citadel

Nov 15 Florida

Nov 28 @ Mississippi State 

Notes: Ole Miss has won 5 of their last 6 games, including the win over Duke in the Gator Bowl, have won 13 of their last 14 home games, and 7 of their last 8 SEC home games; offense scored 40+ points in 6 games, and 52+ in 4 contests, and all wins were by at least 12 points; defense held 10 opponents to 20 points or less (5 to 10 points or less), and all 3 losses were by 7 points or less (13 total points); the Rebels have been to a bowl in 5 straight seasons (3-2 record), their 2nd longest streak behind 15 in a row from 1957-1971, with a 9-6 bowl record under HCs Johnny Vaught and Billy Kinard (1971), and have won 10 of their last 13 bowl appearances; 22 wins the last 2 seasons (22-5) are the most ever for the Rebs in a 2-year period, but Mississippi was 20-1-1 in 1959 and 1960 under HC Vaught with a FBWAA national championship in 1960; QB will be 2024 backup Austin Simmons (282 yds, 59.4%, 2 TDs, 0 INT); defense had a school-record 52 sacks and lead the nation with 120 TFLs (9.2/game); K will likely be WKU transfer Lucas Carneiro (18-19 FGs, Lou Groza Award semifinalist, 1st team All-American), and the P will also be new; Ole Miss has had 3 double-digit win seasons out of the last 4; the Rebels remain the only original SEC West team that has not played in the SEC CG; Ole Miss has had a winning record in the SEC in 3 of the last 4 years, their best over a 4-year period since they had 4 over a 5-year period from 1969-73 under HCs Vaught and Kinard (then Vaught again).


Outlook: Much of the discussion this offseason has been about how QB Austin Simmons will do in replacing the departed Jaxson Dart. My concern is how the defense does in replacing several NFL Draft choices. It should help that 5 of their 1st 6 games are at home, with an early chance of revenge at Kentucky the only away game. With 8 home games, the schedule sets up well for success, with LSU and SC at home, and UGA on the road. As long as they take care of business and beat the teams they should beat, I see 9-11 wins, meaning they could flirt once again with both an SEC CG berth and a spot in the CFP.

11- Tennessee Volunteers 10-3/6-2

Coach: Josh Heupel (5th year, 8th overall)

Coach FBS Record/Rank: 65-23/.739/13th

3-year record/rank: 30-9/.769/8th

6-year record/rank: 48-27/.640/27th

10-year record/rank: 75-50/.600/37th

Last League Title: 1998 SEC champions/2007 SEC East co-champs/2004 SEC East champions

Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 4 years/2024/2023

Bowl Record/Rank: 31-26/.544/35th

CFP Playoff Appearances: 1

AP Championships/Last AP Championship: 2/1998

Last Undefeated Season: 1998/13-0 under HC Phillip Fulmer

Last Winless Season: 1891/0-1 with no coach listed (1st year of playing)

All-time Record/Rank: 886-417-53/.673/11th

Offense/ranks:

Scoring: 35.7/12th/2nd SEC

Rushing: 225.8/9th/1st

Passing: 221.2/77th/12th

Total: 447.0/15th/3rd

Defense/ranks:

Scoring: 16.1/7th/3rd

Rushing: 103.9/10th/2nd

Passing: 189.3/29th/5th

Total: 293.2/6th/2nd

Returning Starters (Off/Def): 5/8

Schedule: 

Aug 30 Syracuse (Atlanta)

Sep 6 East Tennessee State

Sep 13 Georgia

Sep 20 UAB

Sep 27 @ Mississippi State

Oct 11 Arkansas

Oct 18 @ Alabama

Oct 25 @ Kentucky

Nov 1 Oklahoma

Nov 15 New Mexico State

Nov 22 @ Florida

Nov 29 Vanderbilt

Notes: The Volunteers are 11th on the all-time win list with 875, just 7 wins behind 10th place USC; UT has 57 bowl appearances, good enough for 6th most all-time; the Vols have just 4 true away games, and all games are on Saturdays; Tennessee has won 2 of their last 3 games, losing to Ohio State in the 1st round of the CFP; UT has won 8 consecutive home games, and 5 straight SEC home games; offense scored 51+ points 4 times, and 28+ in 7 games, while the defense held 10 opponents to 19 points or less, including 9 in a row to start the season and 2 shutouts; only 1 of 3 losses were by less than 14 points; Vols are 30-9 over the last 3 seasons; QB will be App St/UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar (3,003 yds, 55.9%, 23 TDs, 14 INT, 207 yds rushing, 3.5 ypc, 2 TDs); defense had over 100 TFLs; K Max Gilbert (20-26 FGs, long 52) and P Jackson Ross (43.9 avg/40.5 net) both return; like Mizzou, the Vols will face 5 of the 6 teams that had a losing SEC record last season.


Outlook: UT has a chance to return to the CFP, as they have few stumbling blocks on their schedule: Syracuse in Atlanta in the season opener, Georgia at home in game 3, at Alabama in game 7, and at Florida in game 11. Win half of those and all the rest of their other games and we have another 10-2 season, which might be good enough for the SEC CG and a return to the CFP. However, there are question marks on offense and defense, but if those can be resolved, this is a dangerous team.

Make sure you come back tomorrow as I continue my previews!

Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!