2026 College Football Preview Part V
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!
90- Utah State Aggies 6-7/4-4 (7th)
Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (2nd year, 20th overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 148-95/.606/45th
3-year record/rank: 16-22/.421/104th
6-year record/rank: 34-37/.479/80th
10-year record/rank: 61-61/.500/69th
Last League Title: 2021 MWC
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2021
Bowl Record/Rank: 6-11/.353/T115th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1936/7-0-1 under HC E. Lowell Romney
Last Winless Season: 1941/0-8 under HC E. Lowell Romney
All-time Record/Rank: 583-582-31/.500/96th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.9/36th/2nd Pac 12
Rushing: 162.5/62nd/5th
Passing: 247.0/46th/2nd
Total: 409.5/39th/3rd
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 28.7/36th/4th
Rushing: 181.2/109th/7th
Passing: 258.8/123rd/8th
Total: 440.1/129th/8th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 6/6
Schedule:
Sep 5 Idaho State
Sep 12 @ Washington
Sep 19 @ Utah
Sep 26 Troy
Oct 3 @ Boise State
Oct 10 Washington State
Oct 24 @ Texas State
Oct 31 Colorado State
Nov 7 Fresno State
Nov 14 @ San Diego State
Nov 21 @ Oregon State
Nov 28 Boise State (FLEX)
Notes: Utah State has been in a bowl 12 of the last 15 seasons (missed in 2016, 2020 and 2024); HC Bronco Mendenhall is 4th in wins among active coaches with 146, which ranks in a tie for 73rd; TO marin of +6 was tied for 29th; 583 wins is tied with Nevada and Sam Houston for 84th place, 1 ahead of UMass, and 2 behind Iowa State, Kansas State, and Tulane; the Aggies have 4 straight losing seasons, but 3 of those are 6-7 with bowl losses; QB McCae Hillstead (1,062 yds, 59%, 11 TDs, 8 INTs, 36 yds rushing in ‘23 here) has returned to USU after 2 seasons at BYU (33 yds, 4-5 passing in Provo); K will be CCU transfer Kian Afrookhteh (15-19 FGs, long of 44), while P Landon Rehkow (42.9 avg) returns; OL returns 3 starters; defense had 13 INTs, but also allowed 4.8 ypc rushing; USU has a modest 2-game losing streak, including the bowl loss to new conference-mate Washington State, and have lost 3 of their last 4; the Aggies were 5-1 at home, and have won 7 of their last 8 in Logan; offense scored 30+ points 5 times, but defense allowed the same against 4 foes; USU has had a losing conference record just twice in the last 9 years.
Outlook: If the Aggies can improve on defense while maintaining their offensive success, then they have a chance for a special season. But that’s a big if. They’ll need at least a .500 record in the Pac 12, as they have probable losses at Washington and Utah, but their Flex opponent is Boise State. They do get WSU and Fresno State at home, which means the (scheduled) Boise State, Texas State, SDSU, and Oregon State are all on the road. With the tough schedule, it looks like yet another 6-win season, but anywhere from 5-7 is to be expected.
89- Marshall Thundering Herd 5-7/3-5 (5th in East)
Coach: Tony Gibson (2nd year, 2nd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 5-7/.417/100th
3-year record/rank: 21-17/.553/55th
6-year record/rank: 44-30/.595/44th
10-year record/rank: 72-53/.576/43rd
Last League Title: 2024 Sun Belt Conference champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 2 years bowl-less/2023/2022
Bowl Record/Rank: 13-7/.650/13th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1999/13-0 under HC Bob Pruett
Last Winless Season: 1968/0-9 under HC Perry Moss
All-time Record/Rank: 643-581-47/.524/79th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.8/39th/3rd SBC
Rushing: 197.0/22nd/4th
Passing: 207.9/89th/9th
Total: 404.9/47th/3rd
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.3/107th/9th
Rushing: 148.9/68th/5th
Passing: 261.7/125th/13th
Total: 410.6/106th/8th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 6/3
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ Penn State
Sep 12 Middle Tennessee
Sep 20 @ Missouri State
Sep 26 Gardner-Webb
Oct 3 @ James Madison
Oct 10 Coastal Carolina
Oct 20 South Alabama
Oct 31 @ ODU
Nov 7 @ Georgia Southern
Nov 14 Appalachian State
Nov 21 Georgia State
Nov 28 @ ULM
Notes: The Thundering Herd had a TO margin of +6, tied for 25th; 643 wins is 60th most, 2 ahead of Oklahoma State, and 1 behind Purdue; QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (2,043 yds, 66.8%, 17 TDs, 5 INTs, 660 yds rushing- school record for a QB, 4.1 ypc, 6 TDs) returns; K will be Virginia transfer Jorge Diaz Nicolas (15-19 FGs in ‘24), and P will be Cooper Heimbach, who hasn’t attempted a kick in college; Marshall hasn’t had back-to-back losing seasons since suffering through 4 in a row from 2005-2008 under HC Mark Snyder; the Herd lost their last 2 (by a combined 7 points), 4 of their last 5; 4 losses were by 5 points or less; offense scored 40+ in 4 straight games in midseason, but lost one in double OT.
Outlook: Marshall has had a long history of success, as last season was only their 2nd losing record since 2016. And just their 3rd since 2012. The Thundering Herd should be 3-1 heading into SBC play, as their only real challenge is the opener at Penn State, which certainly isn’t a sure loss. Their other OOC games are an FCS squad and 2 teams in CUSA. The crossover games are South Alabama and at ULM, which should be no worse than 1-1. Within the division, they get CCU and App State at home, meaning they play the expected best teams- JMU and ODU- on the road. This looks like a season with 8 or 9 wins, which means a return to a bowl, and challenging for a spot in the SBC CG.
88- California Golden Bears 7-6/4-4 (tied for 7th)
Coach: Tosh Lupoi (1st year, 1st overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 0-0/.000/126th
3-year record/rank: 19-20/.487/78th
6-year record/rank: 29-38/.433/95th
10-year record/rank: 54-63/.462/89th
Last League Title: 2006 Pac 10 co-champs/1958 PCC champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 3 years/2025/2019
Bowl Record/Rank: 12-14-1/.463/T80th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1937/10-0-1 under HC Stub Allison
Last Winless Season: 1897/0-3-2 under HC Charles Nott
All-time Record/Rank: 705-582-51/.546/67th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 25.3/84th/13th ACC
Rushing: 81.7/133rd/17th
Passing: 275.9/17th/4th
Total: 357.6/87th/13th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 27.2/82nd/T11th
Rushing: 156.6/78th/14th
Passing: 205.2/45th/5th
Total: 361.8/62nd/9th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 8/3
Schedule:
Sep 5 UCLA
Sep 12 @ Syracuse
Sep 19 Wagner
Sep 25 Clemson
Oct 3 @ UNLV
Oct 10 Virginia Tech
Oct 17 Wake Forest
Oct 24 @ SMU
Oct 31 @ NC State
Nov 14 @ Virginia
Nov 21 Stanford
Nov 28 Pittsburgh
Notes: The Golden Bears have 3 consecutive road games, though that stretch is broken up with an off week; TO margin was -3, tied for 83rd; 705 wins is 37th all-time, 2 ahead of Boston College and TCU, and 5 behind Iowa; QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3,454 yds, 64.2%, 18 TDs, 9 INTs, 4 TDs rushing) returns for his 2nd season; defense has been fortified with many transfers, including CB Daniel Harris from UGA; K Chase Meyer (10-13 FGs) returns but P will be Tulsa transfer Angus Davies (43.4 avg/41.1 net); Cal won 2 of their last 3 regular season games before losing the bowl to Hawaii; offense scored 21 points or more in every game except 2, scoring 31+ 5 times; defense held 1st 3 opponents to 32 points total, then allowed 31+ in 7 of the final 10 contests; 4 of 6 wins were by 4 points or less.
Outlook: California has finished with 5, 6, or 7 wins in 7 of the last 9 full years (1-3 in 2020), with the exceptions of 8-5 in 2019 and 4-8 in 2022. That is a sustained level of mediocrity not often seen. The Golden Bears have a challenging OOC schedule, with UCLA at home and UNLV on the road (lost 34-0 at SDSU last year), so the FCS tilt is the only “sure” win. In the ACC, there is no Miami or Louisville, but they do face Clemson and Pitt at home, and SMU and NC State on the road. All-in-all, it’s a fair schedule- nothing too hard, nothing too easy. So let’s take the easy way out and predict 5, 6, or 7 wins.
87- Jacksonville State Gamecocks 9-5/7-1 (tied for 1st)
Coach: Charles Kelly (2nd year, 2nd overall FBS)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 9-5/.643/31st
3-year record/rank: 27-14/.659/32nd
6-year record/rank: N/A
10-year record/rank: N/A
Last League Title: 2024 CUSA champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 3 years/2025/2025
Bowl Record/Rank: 2-1/.667/T9th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1970/10-0 under HC Charley Pell
Last Winless Season: 1939/0-7-2 under HC Chet Dillon
All-time Record/Rank: 630-432-39/.590/33rd
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 28.1/61st/4th CUSA
Rushing: 246.7/5th/1st
Passing: 162.0/120th/10th
Total: 408.7/40th/3rd
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 25.2/71st/2nd
Rushing: 144.3/63rd/2nd
Passing: 234.5/95th/5th
Total: 378.8/74th/5th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 4/5
Schedule:
Aug 29 @ North Dakota State
Sep 5 Eastern Kentucky
Sep 12 @ Ohio
Sep 19 Georgia Southern
Sep 26 Middle Tennessee
Oct 7 @ Kennesaw State
Oct 13 FIU
Oct 28 @ New Mexico State
Nov 7 Sam Houston
Nov 14 @ WKU
Nov 21 Missouri State
Nov 28 @ Delaware
Notes: The Gamecocks had a TO margin of +10, tied for 12th best; 630 wins is 66th, 7 ahead of Ohio, and 2 behind WKU; QB Caden Creel (1,514 yds, 61.6%, 9 TDs, 4 INTs, 1,075 yds rushing, 5.9 ypc, 7 TDs) returns; K Garrison Ripa (21-28 FGs, long of 52) and P Conor Donaghy (39.6 avg/36.9 net) both return; JSU has won 2 of its last 3 games, including the bowl win over Troy, but 5 wins were by 4 points or less, and 2 more were by 9 and 10 points; on the other hand, all 4 losses were by 7 points or less, including by 7 to UCF of the Big 12; JSU was 5-0 at home in the regular season, and had won 11 straight in Amherst Stadium before losing to KSU in the CG; the Gamecocks are 20-4 in CUSA regular season games so far, and 1-1 in CGs.
Outlook: Jacksonville State has been very successful in their 1st 3 years at the FBS level, and I expect that to continue, but can they get to 9 wins again? Only 13 other teams have won 9+ games each of the last 3 seasons, and only 4 other G6 teams have accomplished that feat (NDSU is not included, as those seasons were all at the FCS level). They’ve been in each of the last 2 CUSA CGs, winning in ‘24 and losing in ‘25, so that appears to be the expectation every year. They do have a difficult OOC slate, as though they don’t play any P4 teams, they do match up against 3 of the better G6 teams in NDSU and Ohio on the road, and Ga Southern at Burgess-Snow Field at Amherst Stadium. In CUSA, they avoid Liberty, which could end up being their opponent in the CUSA CG, should they get there for a 3rd consecutive season. I think the Gamecocks will extend their 9-win streak and will challenge for a CG berth.
86- Mississippi State Bulldogs 5-8/1-7 (tied for 13th)
Coach: Jeff Lebby (3rd year, 3rd overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 7-18/.280/119th
3-year record/rank: 12-25/.324/119th
6-year record/rank: 32-42/.432/96th
10-year record/rank: 61-65/.484/79th
Last League Title: 1941 SEC champions/1998 SEC West co-champs
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2022
Bowl Record/Rank: 15-12/.556/T30th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1940/10-0-1 under HC Allyn McKeen (#9 final AP poll)
Last Winless Season: 1968/0-8-2 under HC Charles Shira
All-time Record/Rank: 593-627-39/.486/105th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.4/42nd/8th SEC
Rushing: 157.6/68th/9th
Passing: 241.2/52nd/8th
Total: 398.8/55th/8th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.2/106th/15th
Rushing: 186.3/115th/16th
Passing: 223.0/78th/10th
Total: 409.3/105th/15th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 5/6
Schedule:
Sep 5 ULM
Sep 12 @ Minnesota
Sep 19 @ South Carolina
Sep 26 Missouri
Oct 3 Alabama
Oct 17 @ LSU
Oct 24 Oklahoma
Oct 31 @ Texas
Nov 7 Vanderbilt
Nov 14 Auburn
Nov 21 Tennessee Tech
Nov 27 @ Ole Miss
Notes: The Bulldogs had a TO margin of +3, tied for 49th; 593 wins is the fewest among SEC wins, and is 3 behind Toledo, and 5 ahead of FSU; MSU is 1-15 in the SEC over the last 2 seasons; QB will likely be Kamario Taylor (629 yds, 55.8%, 5 TDs, 1 INT, 458 yds rushing, 5.6 ypc, 8 TDs), who served as a part-time starter last season; K Kyle Ferrie (17-20 FGs, school-record long of 55) and P Ethan Pulliam (46.8 avg/41.7 net) both return; RB Fluff Bothwell (great name!) also returns; defense has had only 31 combined sacks over the last 2 seasons; win at Arkansas ended a 16-game SEC losing streak (previous win was also at Arkansas); MSU has lost 16 of their last 17 SEC games, 9 of their last 10 away SEC games, 10 of their last 12 away games overall, their last 13 SEC home games (last win was over Arkansas in 2022- I’m sensing a theme here…), and their last 4 home games (and 13 of their last 18 FBS home games overall); the Bulldogs have lost 7 of their last 8 games; MSU hasn’t had a winning record in the SEC since they were 6-2 in 2014 under HC Dan Mullin- 5 HCs ago!- though they were 4-4 five times in that span.
Outlook: Mississippi State had been to a bowl for 13 straight years before falling short in 2023 and 2024, but one of those was the 2020 campaign, when they were just 3-7 and beat Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl, but they returned last year despite winning only 5 games. Their main goal should be getting more than 1 SEC win, breaking as many of the streaks mentioned above as possible, and perhaps getting to 6 wins. Can they do it? They were 4-0 in OOC games last season, but they only get 3 this year, as the SEC has moved to a 9-game conference schedule (MSU has 5 SEC home games). That means it would behoove the Bulldogs to sweep the OOC slate- ULM, at Minnesota, and the obligatory FCS foe. That would allow them to become bowl eligible with just 3 SEC wins, which is something they haven’t done in the last 3 seasons, but had done in each of the previous 11 seasons. Possible wins include at SC, Missouri, Vandy, and Auburn, and, of course, rival Ole Miss, as anything can happen in the Egg Bowl. Win 3 of those, and they’re golden, at least for this year. Win 5 games or less for a 4th straight year and HC Lebby may not be around for much longer.
85- Kentucky Wildcats 5-7/2-6 (tied for 11th)
Coach: Will Stein (1st year, 1st overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 0-0/.000/126th
3-year record/rank: 16-21/.432/94th
6-year record/rank: 38-36/.514/70th
10-year record/rank: 70-56/.556/57th
Last League Title: 1976 SEC co-champs (due to a Miss St forfeit)/1950 SEC champions (in 1977, they were 6-0 in the SEC and 10-1 overall but ineligible for the title or a bowl due to NCAA probation)
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 2 years bowl-less/2023/2021
Bowl Record/Rank: 12-11/.522/T49th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1898/7-0 under HC W.R. Bass (when they were known as Kentucky State College)
Last Winless Season: 1982/0-10-1 under HC Jerry Claiborne
All-time Record/Rank: 652-662-44/.496/97th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 23.0/99th/13th SEC
Rushing: 139.2/86th/10th
Passing: 201.9/94th/14th
Total: 341.1/103rd/14th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 26.4/75th/13th
Rushing: 134.3/45th/10th
Passing: 239.9/104th/14th
Total: 374.2/67th/12th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 5/6
Schedule:
Sep 5 Youngstown State
Sep 12 Alabama
Sep 19 @ Texas A&M
Sep 26 South Alabama
Oct 3 @ South Carolina
Oct 10 LSU
Oct 17 @ Oklahoma
Oct 24 Vanderbilt
Nov 7 @ Tennessee
Nov 14 Florida
Nov 21 @ Missouri
Nov 28 Louisville
Notes: The Wildcats have 5 SEC road games; TO margin was -8, tied for 115th; 652 wins is tied with NC State for 53rd place, 2 behind La Tech and Tulsa, and 1 ahead of Illinois; QB is likely to be Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey (196 yds, 76.9%, 84 yds rushing); K Jacob Kauwe (13-17 FGs, long of 51) returns, but P could be Tom O’Hara (44.5 avg), a transfer from FCS Murray State; UK has lost 12 of their last 14 SEC games, 10 of their last 11 SEC home games, and 8 of their last 11 SEC road games (meaning they are 4-22 in their last 26 SEC games); the Cats have lost 7 of their last 8 away from Kroger Field; UK is on a modest 2-game losing streak, though they have won 3 of their last 5 overall.
Outlook: The Cats have had back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since they had 6 in a row from 2010-2015 (encompassing HC Joker Phillips’ era and the 1st 3 years of HC Mark Stoops’ tenure). Since going 6-0 in the SEC in 1977, Kentucky has had only 2 winning seasons in the conference- 5-3 in 2018 and 5-3 in 2021- though they have been 4-4 six times, and 3-3 twice. HC Will Stein is the 1st new HC since Stoops arrived in 2013, and Stoops is likely to remain as the longest tenured coach in UK history (13 years)- and the winningest coach (82 wins)- for a long time. The schedule this year is not conducive to a winning record- 5 SEC road games, rival Louisville at home. But if they can go at least 2-1 in the OOC portion, which they should do, then their main focus should be on winning at least 1 SEC game on the road and 1 at home. Possible wins are at SC, Vandy, Florida, and at Mizzou, but even those are a stretch. The Wildcats have one of the toughest schedules in the SEC, so they could be better than either of the last 2 seasons and not improve their record at all. Expect 3-5 wins for a 3rd year in a row.
84- Maryland Terrapins 4-8/1-8 (tied for 16th)
Coach: Mike Locksley (8th year, 12th overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 39-75/.342/108th
3-year record/rank: 16-21/.432/94th
6-year record/rank: 33-35/.485/78th
10-year record/rank: 51-66/.436/97th
Last League Title: 2001 ACC champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 2 years bowl-less/2023/2023
Bowl Record/Rank: 14-14-2/.500/T59th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: 1/1953
Last Undefeated Season: 1951/10-0 under HC Jim Tatum
Last Winless Season: 1967/0-9 under HC Robert Ward
All-time Record/Rank: 685-640-43/.516/85th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 23.5/93rd/13th Big Ten
Rushing: 104.3/122nd/17th
Passing: 255.7/33rd/4th
Total: 360.0/85th/11th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 26.5/T76th/14th
Rushing: 175.6/99th/15th
Passing: 226.5/82nd/16th
Total: 402.1/97th/16th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 8/8
Schedule:
Sep 5 Hampton
Sep 12 @ UConn
Sep 19 Virginia Tech
Sep 26 UCLA
Oct 3 @ Nebraska
Oct 10 @ Ohio State
Oct 17 Rutgers
Oct 31 Illinois
Nov 7 @ Purdue
Nov 14 Wisconsin
Nov 21 @ USC
Nov 28 Penn State
Notes: The Terrapins are tied for the 7th longest current losing streak at 8 games; TO margin of +7 was 19th in FBS, and 2nd in the Big Ten; 685 wins is good enough for 43rd place, 2 ahead of Rutgers, and just 1 behind Miami, Fl; QB Malik Washington (2,953 yds, 57.7%, 17 TDs, 9 INTs, 303 yds rushing, 5.4 ypc, 4 TDs) returns; OL allowed only 9 sacks last season; both K Sean O’Hare (21-24 FGs, long of 49) and P Bryce McPherson (44.2 avg/39.6 net) return; the Terrapins have an 18-game non-conference winning streak (longest in FBS); 3 losses were by 4 points or less; offense scored 20 points or less 7 times, including 5 of the last 6 games; defense allowed 34+ points in 5 of their last 7 games; Maryland has lost 8 of their last 9 road games, all of them in the Big Ten (only win at Wisconsin), and their last 6 Big Ten home games (and 11 of their last 12 conference games at home).
Outlook: Maryland has a recent history of starting seasons fast, then fading. Over the last 5 seasons, the Terps are 18-2 over their 1st 4 games (and 21-4 over their 1st 5), and 13-22 over their last 8 each season (and 10-22 over the last 7). Maryland has never had a winning record in the Big Ten, with 4-4 in their 1st season as a member (2014) being their best. In fact, they haven’t had a winning conference record since 2010, HC Ralph Friedgen’s last year in College Park, when they were 5-3 in the ACC. One thing that would help the Terps succeed the entire season is an improved running game to take some of the pressure off of QB Washington. The defense also needs to live up to its talent and experience. This year the Terrapins get 5 Big Ten home games, but their FBS OOC games- at UConn and Va Tech- could be challenging, and one could end their long OOC winning streak. In the Big Ten, they have OSU and USC on the road, and Illinois and Penn State at home as their biggest challenges, so if the running game comes through, and the defense performs to expectations, then this team could win as many as 8 games, but 5 or 6 wins seems like the most likely result. It just might be time to Fear the Turtle again!
83- Ohio Bobcats 9-4/6-2 (tied for 2nd)
Coach: John Hauser (1st year, 1st overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 1-0/1.000/124th
3-year record/rank: 30-10/.750/11th
6-year record/rank: 45-24/.652/26th
10-year record/rank: 78-44/.639/23rd
Last League Title: 2024 MAC champions
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 4 years/2025/2025
Bowl Record/Rank: 9-8/.529/T45th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1960/10-0 under HC Bill Hess
Last Winless Season: 1994/0-11 under HC Tom Lichtenberg
All-time Record/Rank: 623-591-48/.513/87th
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 27.8/66th/3rd MAC
Rushing: 227.4/9th/1st
Passing: 184.2/107th/8th
Total: 411.5/36th/2nd
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 21.9/42nd/3rd
Rushing: 144.0/62nd/4th
Passing: 208.1/48th/6th
Total: 352.1/51st/5th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 1/4
Schedule:
Sep 5 @ Nebraska
Sep 12 Jacksonville State
Sep 19 @ South Alabama
Sep 26 Stonehill
Oct 3 @ Kent State
Oct 10 Central Michigan
Oct 17 @ Sacramento State
Oct 24 Eastern Michigan
Nov 3 @ Akron
Nov 10 @ Miami. Oh
Nov 17 Ball State
Nov 27 Toledo
Notes: The Bobcats have won 7 consecutive bowl games, the 2nd longest active streak; Ohio has won 9+ games each of the last 4 seasons in a row, one of only 7 teams (and only 2 G6 teams) to do so (NDSU and JSU have also done so, but at least one of those 4 were as an FCS team); Ohio plays their last 4 games on non-Saturdays, with 3 in a row on Tuesdays before ending the season on a Friday; TO margin was -3, tied for 83rd; 623 wins is 67th, 7 behind Jax State, and just 1 ahead of Northern Illinois; QB is likely to be Nick Poulos (19 yds on 4-8 passing); K will be Kent State transfer Will Hryszko (8-11 FGs, long of 39) and P will be Magnus Haines (42.3 avg/36.0 net); HC Hauser is the 3rd HC in the last 3 seasons; Ohio was 6-0 at home last season, and have won 13 consecutive games in Peden Stadium; the team has also won 9 straight MAC home games, and 15 of their last 16; 5 wins were by 7 points or less, and 3 of their 4 losses were by 6 points or less; offense scored 31+ points 6 times, while the defense held opposing teams to 21 or less 9 times, including 7 in a row.
Outlook: The Bobcats are annually one of the better teams in the MAC, as they’ve had only 1 losing season in the last 17 years (though they were 6-6 in 2014), both overall and in the MAC. You can expect them to be at or near the top again, despite all the turnover in the coaching staff. The biggest question mark is at QB, as there just isn’t a lot of experience there. One change this year is that they get only 1 P4 school- at Nebraska in the opener- instead of their usual 2. The other OOC games are Jax State, at South Alabama, and an FCS team. In the MAC, they play most of the other contenders, missing only WMU, but CMU, EMU, and Toledo are at home, with only Miami on the road. I’m not sure they will extend their 9-win streak, but I can easily see 8 wins, and certainly 9, or even 10 wins, is not out of the question, barring a complete collapse.
82- Air Force Falcons 4-8/3-5 (8th)
Coach: Troy Calhoun (20th year, 20th overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 139-97/.589/51st
3-year record/rank: 18-19/.486/79th
6-year record/rank: 41-28/.594/45th
10-year record/rank: 72-47/.605/36th
Last League Title: 1998 WAC champions/2021 MWC Mountain co-champs
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 2 years bowl-less/2023/2023
Bowl Record/Rank: 16-13-1/.550/T33rd
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 9-0-2/1958 under HC Ben Martin
Last Winless Season: Never (since 1955); worst record: 2-10 in 2013, under HC Troy Calhoun
All-time Record/Rank: 442-357-13 /.552/63rd
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 29.8/48th/2nd MWC
Rushing: 261.4/ 3rd/1st
Passing: 145.2/126th/8th
Total: 406.6/45th/2nd
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 30.3/108th/7th
Rushing: 158.5/82nd/5th
Passing: 264.7/126th/9th
Total: 423.2/116th/9th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 4/8
Schedule:
Sep 5 Duquesne
Sep 12 North Dakota State
Sep 26 Nevada
Oct 3 Navy
Oct 10 @ Northern Illinois
Oct 17 UNLV
Oct 24 @ Wyoming
Oct 31 UConn
Nov 7 @ Army
Nov 14 San Jose State
Nov 21 UTEP
Nov 29 @ New Mexico
Notes: Air Force has won 5 consecutive bowl games, the 4th longest active streak; Troy Calhoun has 139 wins, 6th most among active coaches, and tied for 88th all-time; the Falcons have the privilege of hosting NDSU in their 1st ever MWC contest; the Falcons play all their games on Saturdays, and have 7 home games; TO margin was -2, 81st in the nation; HC Calhoun has the 2nd longest tenure in FBS, as he has been with the Air Force Academy since 2007; all-time winning percentage of .552 is the best among current Mountain West teams; 442 wins is 116th, 9 ahead of Ga Southern and 20 behind New Mexico State; AFA had back-to-back losing seasons for the 1st time since 2017-18 (5-7 each year), and their 4-8 record was their worst since they were also 4-8 in 2006; the Falcons have not had 3 consecutive losing seasons since 2004-2006, the last 3 years of HC Fisher DeBerry’s tenure; QB Liam Szarka (1,294 yds, 62%, 9 TDs, 5 INTs, 922 yds rushing, 4.9 ypc, 13 TDs) returns; K Jacob Medina (3-6 FGs, long of 31) returns, but P Will Duncan is new; special teams returned only 9 kickoffs and 3 punts; the Falcons have lost 2 of their last 3 games; offense scored 30+ in each of the 1st 6 games, then not again until the last game; defense allowed 34+ in the 1st 5 games against FBS teams, then no more than 26 the rest of the season.
Outlook: The Air Force Academy has struggled the last 2 seasons, but appear to be ready to right the ship. They have a chance to be one of the “Big Dogs” in the all-new Mountain West Conference, and they’re closing game at UNM could be for 1st place. The only team they miss is Hawaii, and they get UNLV at home. I see at least 8 wins, and a return to a bowl, but their main goal is to win the CIC Trophy, which will be difficult to do, as all 3 service academies are expected to be formidable.
81- Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors 9-4/5-3 (tied for 5th)
Coach: Timmy Chang (5th year, 5th overall)
Coach FBS Record/Rank: 22-29/.431/97th
3-year record/rank: 19-19/.500/68th
6-year record/rank: 33-40/.452/89th
10-year record/rank: 61-67/.477/83rd
Last League Title: 2010 WAC co-champs/2007 WAC
Bowl Streak/Last Bowl Season/Last Bowl Win: 1 year/2025/2025
Bowl Record/Rank: 9-6/.600/24th
CFP Playoff Appearances: 0
AP Championships/Last AP Championship: None
Last Undefeated Season: 1934/6-0 under HC Otto “Proc” Klum
Last Winless Season: 1998/0-12 under HC Fred Vonappen
All-time Record/Rank: 597-503-25/.542/72nd
Offense/ranks:
Scoring: 29.0/56th/3rd MWC
Rushing: 103.2/127th/9th
Passing: 290.6/7th/1st
Total: 393.8/62nd/4th
Defense/ranks:
Scoring: 24.1/62nd/3rd
Rushing: 133.8/44th/2nd
Passing: 227.2/84th/6th
Total: 361.0/61st/4th
Returning Starters (Off/Def): 4/3
Schedule:
Aug 29 @ Stanford
Sep 5 UNLV
Sep 12 New Mexico State
Sep 26 @ Wyoming
Oct 3 San Jose State
Oct 10 Arizona State
Oct 17 New Mexico
Oct 24 @ Northern Illinois
Nov 7 @ UTEP
Nov 14 North Dakota State
Nov 21 @ Nevada
Nov 29 Sacramento State
Notes: Hawaii had a TO margin of -3, tied for 83rd; 597 wins is good enough for 75th, 1 ahead of Toledo, and 8 behind San Diego State; QB Micah Alejado (3,106 yds, 66.3%, 24 TDs, 9 INTs, 105 yds rushing, 1.3 ypc, 1 TD, MWC Freshman of the Year) returns; K Sean Olvera-Harle takes over, while Texas transfer Gehrig Heil takes over as P; home games will be played in a temporary venue for the next 3 seasons while the new Aloha Stadium is built; UH won 3 of their last 4 games, including the bowl win over Cal (also beat Stanford in the season opener!); Hawaii was 6-1 at home last year, and have won 8 of their last 10 on The Island.
Outlook: The Rainbow Warriors have improved each year under HC Chang, starting 3-10 in 2022, then 5-8, 5-7 and finally 9-4. Can they take the next step and make the MWC CG? UH hasn’t had back-to-back winning seasons since 2018-19 under HC Nick Rolovich, and before then it was 2006-07 under HC June Jones. The OOC schedule is pretty rough, with 2 P4 teams- at Stanford and at Arizona State- and 2 G6 teams- New Mexico State and Sacramento State- one of only a few teams that don’t play an FCS foe. In the MWC, the Warriors miss Air Force, and they get UNLV, New Mexico, and NDSU at home. The conference schedule is certainly set up for success, if they can take advantage of it. They may not top last year’s 9 wins, or even match it, but they are a legitimate contender for a spot in the CG.
Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!
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