2026 College Football Preview Part III
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 4 main preview magazines (Phil Steele, Lindy's, Athlon, and The Sporting News (which returns for the 1st time since 2012!), but I also use many different websites, including (but not limited to): Google, Winsipedia.com, sports-reference.com, ESPN.com, TeamRankings.com, Wikipedia, NCAA.com, and, of course, individual school websites.
In case you are interested, I get all of my information from various sources. I use the 4 main preview magazines (Phil Steele, Lindy's, Athlon, and The Sporting News, which returns for the 1st time since 2012!), but I also use many different websites, including (but not limited to): Google, Winsipedia.com, sports-reference.com, ESPN.com, TeamRankings.com, Wikipedia, NCAA.com, and, of course, individual school websites.
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!
110- South Alabama Jaguars 4-8/3-5 (tied for 5th in West)
Coach: Major Applewhite (3rd year, 5th overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 26-25/.510/81st
3-year record/rank: 18-20/.474/83rd
6-year record/rank: 37-37/.500/71st
10-year record/rank: 52-71/.423/103rd
Last League Title: None (since 2009)
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year bowl-less/2024/2024
Bowl Record/Rank: 2-3/.400/T103rd
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 2010/10-0 under HC Joey Jones
Last Winless Season: Never (since 2009); worst season was 2-11 in 2012 under HC Joey Jones (1st year in FBS)
All-time Record/Rank: 94-106-0/.470/111th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 26.5/75th/7th SBC
Rushing: 199.7/18th/3rd
Passing: 181.2/112th/10th
Total: 380.8/73rd/8th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.4/109th/10th
Rushing: 176.6/101st/9th
Passing: 205.0/44th/4th
Total: 381.6/76th/5th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 4/4
Schedule:
Sep 5 SE Louisiana
Sep 12 @ Tulane
Sep 19 Ohio
Sep 26 @ Kentucky
Oct 3 ULM
Oct 8 @ Arkansas State
Oct 20 @ Marshall
Oct 31 La Tech
Nov 7 @ Louisiana
Nov 14 Troy
Nov 21 @ Southern Miss
Nov 27 Appalachian State
Notes: The Jaguars had a turnover margin of +3, tied for 47th; 94 wins is 133rd in FBS, 4 behind UTSA, and 9 ahead of Kennesaw State; QB Bishop Davenport (2,072 yds, 68%, 12 TDs, 6 INTs, 326 yds rushing, 2.8 ypc) returns; K is undecided, but P Aleksi Pulkkinen (40.4 avg/35.3 net) returns; USA won 2 of their last 3 games and 3 of their last 5; 2 wins were by 7 points each, and 3 losses were by 7 points or less; defense allowed 31+ points in 9 games.
Outlook: The Jaguars have only had 3 winning seasons at the FBS level, and they’ve all occurred in the last 4 seasons. This is another team I’m just not sure about; was last year an aberration, or the start of a downward trend? The OOC schedule is tough- after the obligatory FCS opener, they travel to Tulane, host Ohio, then play at Kentucky, teams that went a combined 25-14 last year. In the SBC, the Jaguars have Marshall (away) and App State (home) as crossover games. This team could challenge for a bowl, but I think they end up around 4-5 wins again.
109- FIU Panthers 7-6/5-3 (tied for 4th)
Coach: Willie Simmons (2nd year, 2nd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 7-6/.538/70th
3-year record/rank: 15-22/.405/108th
6-year record/rank: 20-46/.303/125th
10-year record/rank: 47-70/.402/107th
Last League Title: 2010 Sun Belt
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2018
Bowl Record/Rank: 2-4/.333/T117th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: None (since 2002); best season was 9-4 in 2018 under HC Butch Davis
Last Winless Season: 2006/0-12 under HC Don Strock
All-time Record/Rank: 99-184/.350/134th (last)
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 28.5/60th/3rd CUSA
Rushing: 181.6/36th/3rd
Passing: 215.4/85th/6th
Total: 397.0/57th/5th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 29.8/103rd/7th
Rushing: 161.6/83rd/T4th
Passing: 249.9/117th/8th
Total: 411.5/108th/8th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 3/4
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ USF
Sep 12 Buffalo
Sep 19 @ FAU
Sep 26 Long Island
Oct 7 New Mexico State
Oct 13 @ Jacksonville State
Oct 20 Middle Tennessee
Oct 31 @ Liberty
Nov 7 Missouri State
Nov 14 @ Delaware
Nov 21 Kennesaw State
Nov 28 Sam Houston
Notes: FIU had a TO margin of 0, tied for 71st; 99 wins 131st all-time, 8 behind ODU, and just 1 ahead of UTSA, and their all-time winning percentage is the lowest of any team in CUSA; 100th win could come at home against either Buffalo or LIU; QB will likely be Iowa State/App State transfer JJ Kohl (1,465 yds, 61.6%, 12 TDs, 2 INTs, 50 yds rushing in 7 games/6 starts); K Robert Czeremcha (2-3 FGs) returns, but may be supplanted by true freshman Noah Sidan, and P Stone Springman, a former transfer from Miami, Fl, takes over; the Panthers won their last 4 regular season games before a loss to UTSA in the bowl game.
Outlook: The Panthers ended a string of 6 consecutive losing seasons by finishing 7-6 last year, so now the question is if they can sustain this success, or if it was a one-off. I tend to think they have turned a corner, mainly due to the fact that HC Willie Simmons has had 9 winning seasons in 9 years as a HC (Prairie View and Florida A&M prior to here). So let’s look at the schedule. The OOC portion is manageable, with home games vs Buffalo and FCS LIU, and road trips to USF and FAU. At worst, they should be 2-2, but both 1-3 and 3-1 are possible. In CUSA, their toughest games- JSU, Liberty, Delaware, and KSU- are on the road, and they miss WKU altogether. 2-2 in OOC and 4-4 in CUSA gets them bowl eligibility, but I think 7 or 8 wins are possible (pre-bowl), and they may be in the CUSA title chase into November.
108- FAU Owls 4-8/3-5 (tied for 9th)
Coach: Zach Kittley (2nd year, 2nd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 4-8/.333/109th
3-year record/rank: 11-25/.306/120th
6-year record/rank: 26-43/.377/114th
10-year record/rank: 56-65/.463/87th
Last League Title: 2019 CUSA
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 5 years bowl-less/2020/2019
Bowl Record/Rank: 4-1/.800/4th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: Never (since 2001); best season is 11-3 in 2003 under HC Howard Schnellenberger and in 2017 and 2019 under HC Lane Kiffin
Last Winless Season: Never; worst season was 1-11 in 2011 under HC Howard Schnellenberger
All-time Record/Rank: 129-172/.429/126th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 29.5/51st/7th AAC
Rushing: 104.5/121st/13th
Passing: 340.2/1st/1st
Total: 444.7/22nd/4th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 36.3/T129th/12th
Rushing: 201.3/124th/13th
Passing: 235.2/98th/10th
Total: 436.5/128th/13th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 5/7
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ Florida
Sep 12 Navy
Sep 19 FIU
Sep 26 @ ULM
Oct 3 Texas Southern
Oct 17 @ Army
Oct 24 Rice
Oct 29 @ North Texas
Nov 5 UTSA
Nov 14 @ Tulsa
Nov 21 USF
Nov 28 @ East Carolina
Notes: FAU has the 7th longest bowl drought at 5 years; the Owls had a -21 TO margin, worst in FBS; 129 wins is 129th most, 22 ahead of ODU, and 49 behind CCU; QB Caden Veltkamp (3,641 yds, 67%, 24 TDs, 17 INTs- most in FBS, 45 yds rushing) returns; offense had an FBS worst 29 giveaways; defense allowed the most ppg (36.3) in program history; defense was one of 10 teams that allowed 200 ypg both rushing and passing; defense had only 8 takeaways, 5th fewest in FBS; K will be SMU transfer Collin Rogers (61-85 FGs, long of 55 in 4 years) and P will be Ga State transfer Reed Chandley (45.8 avg/37.8 net); OL allowed 21 sacks; WR Easton Messer was 12-250 yds on PR (20.8 avg); HC Kittley is still the youngest HC in FBS (34 yrs old); FAU has lost 3 in a row, and 5 of their last 6; defense allowed 33+ points in 9 games, and have allowed that many in 15 of their last 21 games; offense was held to 13 and under 3 times; team was 1-5 on the road, and have only won 2 of their last 14 games away from Boca Raton.
Outlook: The Panthers haven’t had a winning (full) season since 2019 (11-3 under HC Lane Kiffin), and haven’t been to a bowl since they were 5-4 under Willie Taggart in 2020 (lost the bowl). Their 1st priority is to get to a bowl, and close behind is a need for a winning season. This could be the year for both. The beginning of the season is rough, with a game at Florida, and then a home game with Navy, but they should win their next 3- FIU, at ULM, and an FCS squad- to be 3-2, and halfway to that bowl, in mid-October. Road games at Army and ECU are probable losses, as are home games against UTSA and USF, so they’ll have to get wins in their other games (no Tulane or Memphis). That gets them to 6-6, and a chance at a winning record with a win in the bowl. However, if their defense can improve on last year’s numbers, and if the offense can cut down on the turnovers, this could be an 8 or 9 win season, which means challenging for a spot in the conference championship game.
107- Boston College Eagles 2-10/1-7 (tied for 16th)
Coach: Bill O’Brien (3rd year, 5th overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 24-25/.490/87th
3-year record/rank: 16-22/.421/104th
6-year record/rank: 31-42/.425/100th
10-year record/rank: 58-66/.468/86th
Last League Title: 2004 Big East co-champs/2008 ACC Atlantic co-champs, 2007 ACC Atlantic champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year bowl-less/2024/2023
Bowl Record/Rank: 15-14/.517/T55th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1940/11-0 under HC Frank Leahy (20-2 in 1939-40, his only 2 years in Chestnut Hill)
Last Winless Season: 1978/0-11 under HC Ed Chlebeck
All-time Record/Rank: 703-541-37/.563/51st
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 25.4/83rd/12th ACC
Rushing: 103.9/125th/15th
Passing: 280.2/14th/3rd
Total: 384.1/71st/12th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 32.8/121st/16th
Rushing: 177.6/104th/17th
Passing: 255.7/121st/13th
Total: 433.3/126th/17th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 4/5
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ Cincinnati
Sep 12 Rutgers
Sep 19 Maine
Sep 26 Virginia Tech
Oct 3 @ SMU
Oct 17 Pittsburgh
Oct 24 @ Georgia Tech
Oct 31 @ Duke
Nov 7 FSU
Nov 14 @ Notre Dame
Nov 21 Syracuse
Nov 28 @ Miami, Fl
Notes: Boston College had a -9 TO margin, tied for 120th; 703 wins is tied with TCU for 38th most, 2 behind Cal, and 4 ahead of Virginia; 2-10 record last year was their worst since they were 2-10 in 2012 under HC Frank Spaziani, and their 1-7 ACC mark was their worst since they were 0-8 in 2015 under HC Steve Addazio; QB could be Division II Saginaw Valley State transfer Mason McKenzie (4,140 yds, 58%, 31 TDs, 15 INTs, 1,604 yds rushing, 5.8 ypc in 2 years as a starter); defense allowed 433.3 ypg, worst among P4 teams; defense had only 17 sacks last season; K Luca Lombardo (16-17 FGs, long of 52) returns, but P Bryce LaFollette (42.9 avg/37.1 net) is a transfer from FCS Towson; DE Kris Jones was little used at UGA, but is expected to be a big part of the defense here; BC is one of 5 ACC teams with only 8 conference games; win in the final game broke a 10-game losing streak; the Eagles were 1-6 at home last season, and have lost 6 home games in a row, and 8 of their last 9 road games; 3 losses were by 4 points or less, or a combined 8 points, and 1 was in 2 OT; offense scored 34+ points 3 times against FBS foes, and 2 were losses; defense held only 2 opponents to less than 25 points, and one of those was an FCS squad.
Outlook: Bill O’Brien is yet another 3rd year HC that had success his 1st year, then plunged in year 2. So which is the real team? Again, is year 1 the mirage, or was year 2? For the Eagles, it all comes down to QB play. If McKenzie can be at least half as successful as Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss was last year when he moved up from Div. II, then BC could be a bowl team. If not, it could be another long season. The OOC slate is challenging- at Cincinnati and Notre Dame, Rutgers and FCS Maine at home- so 2-2 is probably the best they can hope for there. In the ACC, they avoid Clemson, Louisville, and UVA, but get all the other top teams, mostly on the road, and for the 1st time since 2022, the Eagles have only 6 home games. I don’t have a strong feeling about the direction of the program, but I’m skeptical about their chances for success this season. I’ll go with 3-5 wins, and maybe flirting with a bowl.
106- Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 6-7/5-3 (3rd in East)
Coach: Ryan Beard (1st year, 2nd year overall FBS)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 7-5/.583/56th
3-year record/rank: 20-19/.513/66th
6-year record/rank: 51-26/.662/21st
10-year record/rank: 64-49/.566/52nd
Last League Title: 2020 Sun Belt co-champs/2022 SBC East champions/2006 Big South champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 6 years/2025/2023
Bowl Record/Rank: 2-4/.333/T117th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: Never (since 2003); best season was 11-1 in 2020 under HC Jamey Chadwell
Last Winless Season: Never; worst season was 3-9 in 2017, also under HC Chadwell
All-time Record/Rank: 178-103/.633/17th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 22.2/107th/12th SBC
Rushing: 155.8/70th/8th
Passing: 169.5/115th/11th
Total: 325.4/114th/12th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 33.1/123rd/13th
Rushing: 208.0/127th/12th
Passing: 235.8/100th/8th
Total: 443.8/130th/12th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 5/4
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ West Virginia
Sep 12 Fordham
Sep 19 @ Delaware
Sep 24 Liberty
Oct 3 Georgia Southern
Oct 10 @ Marshall
Oct 16 Appalachian State
Oct 31 @ Georgia State
Nov 7 ODU
Nov 14 Arkansas State
Nov 21 @ Louisiana
Nov 28 @ James Madison
Notes: The Chanticleers had a TO margin of 0, tied for 71st; 178 wins are 128th all-time, just 1 behind UAB, but 49 ahead of FAU; QB is unsettled, but Tyler Junior College transfer Tre Guerra (2,811 yds, 62%, 24 TDs, 14 INTs) appears to be the favorite; K’s Nico Cavanillas Alti (15-19 FGs, long of 50) is a transfer from FCS South Carolina State and Daniel Porto (17-21 FGs, long of 51) is a transfer from FCS Florida A&M, but P Emile Sebafundi (42.7 avg/36.2 net) returns; CCU has been to a bowl for 6 straight years; the Chants have lost 4 games in a row, including the bowl loss to La Tech, and they were held to 31 points over the last 3, while allowing 133; offense scored 40+ in 4 straight games in midseason, but lost one of them.
Outlook: Coastal Carolina is entering only its 10th season at the FBS level, and by all accounts has been successful: 4 winning seasons in the last 6 years and 6 straight bowl games (last 2 seasons were 6-7). But this looks to be a complete reset, and so they may take a step back for a season or 2 before returning to form. This season, they have a mostly manageable OOC slate, as after traveling to West Virginia, they host FCS Fordham, play at Delaware, then welcome Liberty to Conway for a Thursday night contest. In the Sun Belt Conference, they get Arkansas State and Louisiana (in Lafayette), along with all their divisional foes. The SBC East is usually the tougher division top to bottom, so 3-3 would be a good result, but that may be asking too much of this edition of the Chanticleers. I envision 4 or 5 wins overall, ending their bowl streak, but 6 is definitely possible, especially if they can find a competent QB.
105- Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens 7-6/4-4 (7th)
Coach: Ryan Carty (5th year, 2nd overall FBS)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 7-6/.538/70th
3-year record/rank: 7-6/.538/61st
6-year record/rank: N/A
10-year record/rank: N/A
Last League Title: 2020 Colonial Athletic Association/2003 Division I-AA National Champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2025
Bowl Record/Rank: 1-0/1.000/T1st
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1972/10-0 under HC Tubby Raymond (also 15-1 in 2003 under HC K.C. Keeler and Division I-AA national champions)
Last Winless Season: 1929/0-7-1 under HC Gus Ziegler (Blue Hens have been playing since 1889)
All-time Record/Rank: 739-485-43/.600/27th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 29.0/56th/2nd CUSA
Rushing: 119.2/112th/7th
Passing: 292.5/75th/9th
Total: 411.6/35th/2nd
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 31.0/115th/9th
Rushing: 159.7/83rd/T4th
Passing: 245.6/115th/7th
Total: 405.3/102nd/7th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 7/5
Schedule:
Sep 3 Merrimack
Sep 12 @ Vanderbilt
Sep 19 Coastal Carolina
Sep 26 @ Virginia
Oct 2 Liberty
Oct 13 @ Middle Tennessee
Oct 20 Missouri State
Oct 27 @ WKU
Nov 7 @ Kennesaw State
Nov 14 FIU
Nov 21 @ New Mexico State
Nov 28 Jacksonville State
Notes: Delaware had a TO margin of 0, tied for 71st; 739 wins is tied with Michigan State and North Carolina for 29th place, just 4 ahead of Colorado and Utah, only 1 behind Miami, Ohio, and is the most in CUSA; QB Nick Minicucci (3,683 yds, 63%, 23 TDs, 7 INTs, 235 yds rushing, 2.1 ypc, 10 TDs) is back for a 2nd season; K will be either Salisbury transfer Tucker Smack (5-6 FGs, long of 37) or true Freshman Kason Mullis, while P Josh Cupitt (42.9 avg/34.8 net) will be returning after missing all of ‘25 with a torn ACL; HC Carty is 33-17 in 4 years at Delaware, 3 at the FCS level; Delaware has a modest 2-game winning streak, including their bowl win over Louisiana; the Blue Hens were 5-1 at home, and 1-5 on the road; 3 wins were by 3 points or less, as were 2 losses.
Outlook: The Fightin’ Blue Hens had a fantastic 1st season at the FBS level, even winning their bowl game after needing a waiver to qualify (not enough teams had 6 wins). This year, they face 2 P4 teams- Vandy and Virginia- both on the road, and an FCS team and CCU at home. In CUSA, they miss only expected “bottom feeder” Sam Houston, so they just may have the toughest schedule in the conference, but they do get Liberty, Mo State, FIU, and Jax State at home. To me, this looks like a team ready to take the next step and challenge for a conference championship, as I see 7-9 wins on this schedule.
104- Appalachian State Mountaineers 5-8/2-6 (6th in East)
Coach: Dowell Loggains (2nd year, 2nd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 5-8/.385/103rd
3-year record/rank: 19-19/.500/68th
6-year record/rank: 44-32/.579/48th
10-year record/rank: 87-42/.674/15th
Last League Title: 2019 Sun Belt champions/2023 SBC East champions (due to JMU being ineligible)
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2023
Bowl Record/Rank: 7-2/.778/5th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: Never (since 1928); best seasons were 14-1 in 2006 under HC Jerry Moore and 13-1 in 2019 under HC Eliah Drinkwitz
Last Winless Season: Never (worst seasons were 2-9 in 1977 and 1-6 in 1945)
All-time Record/Rank: 674-368-29/.643/16th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 24.2/89th/10th SBC
Rushing: 127.6/102nd/11th
Passing: 256.6/32nd/3rd
Total: 384.2/70th/6th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 29.8/101st/8th
Rushing: 148.7/67th/4th
Passing: 267.9/126th/14th
Total: 416.6/112th/11th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 2/3
Schedule:
Sep 5 Maine
Sep 12 @ East Carolina
Sep 19 Charlotte
Sep 26 @ NC State
Oct 10 ODU
Oct 16 @ Coastal Carolina
Oct 22 James Madison
Oct 31 @ Georgia Southern
Nov 7 Georgia State
Nov 14 @ Marshall
Nov 21 ULM
Nov 27 @ South Alabama
Notes: Appalachian State had a TO margin of -3, tied for 83rd; 674 wins is 46th most, 3 behind Stanford, and 3 in front of Cincinnati, and is the most in the Sun Belt Conference, and their all-time win percentage is also the best in the SBC; offense had 22 turnovers, including 15 INTs; QB is likely to be Arkansas/Purdue transfer Malachi Singleton (439 yds, 59%, 5 TDs, 2 INTs, 202 yds rushing, 4.1 ypc in 11 games last year at PU); K will be Pitt transfer James London (16-22 FG, long of 55 in 2023-24 at Murray State), and P will be Arkansas State transfer Jaxson Dunn (DNP); App State lost their last 2 contests (including the bowl), and have lost 6 of their last 7 overall; 10 wins over the last 2 seasons is their lowest total since they were 5-5 in 1965 and 3-6-1 in 1966 in HC Carl Messere in his 1st 2 years in Boone; the Mountaineers have never had 3 losing seasons in a row (since their 1st season in 1928); 3 of 5 wins were by 7 points or less, and 3 losses were by 8 points or less (almost half their games decided by 1 possession).
Outlook: The Mountaineers began their FBS journey in 2014, reeling off 8 straight winning seasons, but have had only 1 winning season in the last 4, and losing seasons in the last 2. The question is if this is a trend, and can they get it turned around. The OOC schedule is typical, with an FCS team and Charlotte at home, and a top level G6 school (ECU) and P4 team (NC St) on the road. In the Sun Belt, their crossover games are ULM and at South Alabama in the last 2 weekends of the season. If they can go 2-2 in the OOC, and sweep their crossover games, then 2-4 in the tough East Division will get them to 6 wins and a return to a bowl, but it could mean they need a bowl win to avoid a 3rd consecutive losing record for the 1st time ever. I think they get anywhere from 6-8 wins.
103- Buffalo Bulls 5-7/4-4 (tied for 6th)
Coach: Pete Lembo (3rd year, 8th overall FBS)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 47-40/.540/69th
3-year record/rank: 17-20/.459/89th
6-year record/rank: 34-35/.493/76th
10-year record/rank: 60-60/.500/69th
Last League Title: 2008 MAC
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year bowl-less/2024/2024
Bowl Record/Rank: 4-3/.571/T25th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1897/7-0 under HC C.W. Dibble
Last Winless Season: 1999/0-11 under HC Craig Cirbus
All-time Record/Rank: 422-568-28/.428/127th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 24.0/91st/5th MAC
Rushing: 132.3/96th/9th
Passing: 229.0/62nd/3rd
Total: 361.3/84th/5th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 23.5/54th/4th
Rushing: 157.2/79th/8th
Passing: 186.4/23rd/3rd
Total: 343.6/44th/4th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 2/4
Schedule:
Sep 3 Albany
Sep 12 @ FIU
Sep 19 @ Penn State
Sep 26 Robert Morris
Oct 3 Western Michigan
Oct 10 @ Toledo
Oct 17 UMass
Oct 24 Bowling Green
Nov 3 @ Miami, Oh
Nov 11 @ Ball State
Nov 18 Central Michigan
Nov 27 @ Akron
Notes: Buffalo has the 5th longest bowl win streak (tied with Navy) as they’ve won their last 4; the Bulls ended the season on a 3-game losing streak; UB has 4 non-Saturday games, and is one of only 2 teams to play 2 FCS opponents (UMass is the other); TO margin was +2, good enough for a tie for 52nd; 422 wins ranks 118th, 11 behind Ga Southern, and 7 ahead of UTEP; QB is likely to be Jason Wright (43 yds rushing, 2.9 ypc, 0 pass attempts), but Division II Wingate transfer Elijah Holmes (3,040 yds, 59%, 24 TDs, 6 INTs, 290 yds rushing, 4.9 ypc) could challenge; K Oliver Hautanen didn’t play last year, but P Andrew VanSlyke is a transfer from James Madison (no punts); special teams blocked 4 punts, and had a PR TD; 3 of 5 wins were by 7 points or less, and 4 losses were by 8 or less, so 7 of 12 games were decided by 1 possession; defense held 7 of their 1st 9 opponents to 24 points or less, but allowed 31+ to each of the last 3; offense was held to 20 points or less 6 times.
Outlook: This is yet another team under a 3rd year coach that went to a bowl the 1st year, then took a tumble in year 2. Which is the real iteration? The Bulls do not have a history of success at this level, as they only have 6 winning seasons since moving up in 1999, but did go 10-4 in 2018 under HC Lance Leipold. They’ve done a little better in the MAC, with 8 winning records in that span. The OOC portion of their schedule is ridiculously easy- outside of a game at Penn State- as they host 2 FCS teams and travel to CUSA’s FIU. In the MAC, they play most of the top contenders, avoiding only Ohio and EMU, but they also get several expected to finish at or near the bottom. All-in-all, it’s a pretty fair schedule thea could lead to as many as 7 wins, but I think 5 or 6 is the most probable. However, if the QB situation doesn’t work out, all bets are off!
102- Syracuse Orange 3-9/1-7 (tied for 16th)
Coach: Fran Brown (3rd year, 3rd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 13-12/.520/77th
3-year record/rank: 19-19/.500/68th
6-year record/rank: 32-42/.432/96th
10-year record/rank: 55-68/.447/92nd
Last League Title: 2012 Big East co-champs/1998 Big East champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year bowl-less/2024/2024
Bowl Record/Rank: 17-11-1/.603/23rd
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: 1/1959
Last Undefeated Season: 1987/11-0-1 under HC Dick McPherson
Last Winless Season: 1892/0-8 under HC Jordan C. Wells
All-time Record/Rank: 756-589-49/.560/55th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 20.2/116th/15th ACC
Rushing: 123.2/108th/12th
Passing: 217.3/78th/15th
Total: 340.4/104th/15th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 34.9/128th/17th
Rushing: 174.9/97th/16th
Passing: 252.8/120th/12th
Total: 427.7/124th/16th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 4/7
Schedule:
Sep 5 New Hampshire
Sep 12 California
Sep 17 @ Pittsburgh
Oct 3 @ UConn
Oct 10 @ Virginia
Oct 17 Louisville
Oct 24 @ North Carolina
Oct 31 SMU
Nov 7 Clemson
Nov 14 @ NC State
Nov 21 @ Boston College
Nov 28 Notre Dame
Notes: The Orange have 8 consecutive losses, tied for the 7th longest current streak; TO margin was -13, tied for 131st in FBS, and worst in the ACC; 756 wins is 23rd most, 3 behind Navy, and 5 in front of Wisconsin and Minnesota; QB Steve Angeli (1,317 yds, 62.8%, 10 TDs, 2 INTs in 4 starts) returns after a torn achilles suffered in the 4th game against Clemson, but if he struggles Kennesaw State transfer Amari Odom (2,594 yds, 65%, 19 TDs, 8 INTs, 347 yds rushing) is available, as is USC/Boise State/UTEP transfer Malachi Nelson and FCS Georgetown’s Danny Lauter; defense allowed 5.3 ypc, 132nd in FBS; K Tripp Woody (12-14 FGs, 10-10 inside 40, long of 49), but P Jimmy Gregg (true freshman) is new; special teams allowed 2 PR TDs; offense was held to 18 points or less in each of the last 8 games (after starting QB Angeli was hurt), and 10 or less in 4 of them (half); defense allowed 30+ points in 7 of the last 8 games; only 1 win was by 7 points or less, while every loss was by at least 13 points, and 7 of the 9 were by at least 17 points.
Outlook: In what seems to be a recurring theme, HC Fran Brown had a stellar 1st season, then the team collapsed in season 2. So again, the question is which is the “usual” and which is the aberration. With QB Angeli returning, and quality backups behind them, the chances of another 3-9 season seems remote. Syracuse should be 2-1 in OOC play, with an FCS squad, Notre Dame (probably won’t lose by 63 again!), and at UConn, though the latter is questionable. In the ACC, they host Cal, Louisville, SMU, and Clemson, meaning they have 5 ACC road games. Unfortunately, most of the “winnable” games are on the road, but if they can win at least 3 of those, and then at least 1 at home, then that’s a 6-6 season and a bowl game. The Orange have had a losing record in 9 of the last 12 seasons, but I really believe Fran Brown is the right man for the job here, and I think they get at least 7 wins.
101- Central Michigan Chippewas 7-6/5-3 (5th)
Coach: Matt Drinkall (2nd year, 2nd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 7-6/.538/70th
3-year record/rank: 16-21/.432/94th
6-year record/rank: 32-36/.471/84th
10-year record/rank: 55-65/.458/90th
Last League Title: 2009 MAC Champions/2021 MAC West co-champs
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2021
Bowl Record/Rank: 4-10/.286/T127th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1979/10-0-1 under HC Herb Deromedi
Last Winless Season: Never (since 1896); worst season was 1-11 in 2018 under HC John Bonamego
All-time Record/Rank: 658-464-36/.584/38th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 22.5/103rd/7th MAC
Rushing: 163.5/60th/4th
Passing: 167.1/116th/9th
Total: 330.5/111th/8th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 23.5/55th/5th
Rushing: 145.7/64th/5th
Passing: 209.4/49th/7th
Total: 355.1/53rd/6th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 5/3
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ New Mexico
Sep 12 Colgate
Sep 19 Wyoming
Sep 26 @ Miami, Fl
Oct 3 Akron
Oct 10 @ Ohio
Oct 17 Western Michigan
Oct 24 Miami, Oh
Nov 4 Eastern Michigan (Detroit)
Nov 11 Sacramento State
Nov 18 @ Buffalo
Nov 28 @ Ball State
Notes: Central Michigan has only 5 true road games (play EMU in Detroit), and have 3 games on non-Saturdays; TO margin was +5, good enough to be tied for 36th; 658 wins is 49th most, 2 behind Fresno State, and just 1 ahead of Arizona State; QB is likely to be ‘25 backup Angel Flores (195 yds, 68%, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 527 yds rushing, 4.9 ypc, 8 TDs); K Caden VanHuis redshirted last year, but P Declan Duley (41.1 avg/37.9 net) returns; the Chippewas haven’t been to back-to-back bowls since they went to 4 in a row from 2014-17 under HCs Dan Enos (2014) and John Bonamego (lost all 4); CMU has won only 1 of their last 6 bowl appearances; OL returns 4 starters; only 1 win was by less than 11 points, while 2 losses were by 6 points or less; Chips were 4-1 at home, and have won 5 of their last 6 home games; defense held 7 teams to 19 points or less (all wins!); CMU is on a modest 2-game losing streak, including a bowl loss to Northwestern.
Outlook: The Chippewas will be entering their 2nd year under HC Matt Drinkall, and he will be hoping to avoid the “sophomore slump” so many other HCs seem to have experienced lately. The schedule appears to be easier than in last year’s 7-5 regular season, but they still have road games at New Mexico and Miami, Fl. That means they need to defeat Wyoming at home to have a 2-2 OOC record. In the MAC, the toughest games are WMU and Miami, Oh at home and Ohio on the road, Other stumbling blocks could be a game at Buffalo and EMU in Detroit. I feel strongly that they will get to at least 5 wins, but it may take an upset or 2 to get back to a bowl.
Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!
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