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College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the Sun Belt Conference, the second of our Group of Five Conference previews. It has been addition by subtraction for the Sun Belt Conference as two teams are out and the league now will be the last of the FBS conferences.
College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the OVC. 2017 was another year where head coach John Grass’ Jacksonville Gamecocks pulverized the rest of their OVC competition and experienced only two losses – one to an FBS team early in the year, and another after a loss in.
College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the MAC, the first of our Group of Five Conference previews. For the last few seasons, it has not been difficult to pick the MAC winners as the preseason favorite ultimately would win the league. A year ago, Toledo won the.
Appalachian State Mountaineers Location: Boone, NC Coach: Scott Satterfield (41-22) 6th Season Stadium: Kidd Brewer Stadium (Capacity: 21,650) CSJ Projections: 1st: Sun Belt (1st East Division) 4th: North Carolina 56th: FBS 58th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Appalachian State won a share of the Sun Belt Conference title with Troy last year in finishing 9-4.
San Diego State Aztecs Location: San Diego, CA Coach: Rocky Long (64-29 @SDSU, 129-98 overall) 8th Season Stadium: SDCCU Stadium (Capacity: 70,561) CSJ Projections: 3rd: Mountain West (2nd West Division) 6th: California 59th: FBS 57th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Aztecs have become a dominant force in the Mountain West, although SDSU slipped.
Army-West Point Black Knights Location: West Point, NY Coach: Jeff Monken (24-26 @Army, 62-42 overall) 5th Season Stadium: Michie Stadium (Capacity:38,000) CSJ Projections: 2nd: FBS Independents 1st: New York 58th: FBS 60th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Black Knights are coming off a 10-3 season that included winning the Commander-in-Chief Trophy (first time since 1996).
College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the MEAC. Winners of the Celebration Bowl last season, North Carolina A&T was the runaway choice to repeating as MEAC champions. Aggie fans are accustomed lately to great football teams, but a historic 12-0 season, with a win over an FBS team.
Houston Cougars Location: Houston, TX Coach: Major Applewhite (7-6) 2nd Season Stadium: TDECU Stadium (Capacity: 40,000) CSJ Projections: 5th: AAC (3rd West Division) 5th: Texas 59th: FBS 61st: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Cougars finished an up and down season at 7–4, having signature wins over Arizona and South Florida, but having suffered inexplicable.
On a cool Tuesday morning, the Lehigh defense was having a lot of fun at football practice. For Lehigh fans, 2017 was a year to forget on the defensive end, a year replete with a multitude of big play touchdowns, big gashes of rushing yardage and some agonizing losses. But attending Lehigh’s practice today it.
Minnesota Golden Gophers Location: Minneapolis, MN Coach: P.J. Fleck (5-7 @Minn., 35-29 overall) 2nd Season Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium (Capacity: 50,805) CSJ Projections: 10th: Big Ten (5th West Division) 1st: Minnesota 60th: FBS 62nd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: In Coach Fleck’s first season with Minnesota, the Gophers lacked depth and talent to finish at.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits Location: Brookings, SD Coach: John Stiegelmeier (148-97) 22nd Season Stadium: Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium (Capacity: 19,340) CSJ Projections: 2nd: Missouri Valley Football Conference 1st: South Dakota 3rd: FCS 63rd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: SDSU went farther than it has ever went in the FCS playoffs with a semi-final appearance.
Ohio Bobcats Location: Athens, OH Coach: Frank Solich (97-71 @Ohio, 155-90 overall) 14th Season Stadium: Penden Stadium (Capacity: 24,000) CSJ Projections: 1st: MAC (1st in East Division) 2nd: Ohio 61st: FBS 64th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: With an offense that produced over 39 points per game, Ohio looked poised to make the MAC title game.
Kentucky Wildcats Location: Lexington, KY Coach: Mark Stoops (26-36)6th Season Stadium: Kroger Field (Capacity: 61,000) CSJ Projections: 10th: SEC (4th in East Division) 2nd: Kentucky 62nd: FBS 65th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Kentucky started the season out at 5-1 but slumped to a 7-6 overall mark and lost its last three contests including the.
Troy Trojans Location: Troy, AL Coach: Neal Brown (25-13) 3rd Season Stadium: Veterans Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 30,402) CSJ Projections: 2nd: Sun Belt (2nd East Division) 3rd: Alabama 63rd: FBS 66th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Trojans won a share of the Sun Belt title after defeating Arkansas State in a thriller in the regular season finale.
Florida Gators Location: Gainesville, FL Coach: Dan Mullen (0-0@ UF, 69-46 overall) 1st Season Stadium: Vanderbilt Stadium (Capacity: 40,550) CSJ Projections: 12th: SEC (5th in East Division) 6th: Florida 64th: FBS 67th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Florida and former Coach McElwain mutually agreed to part ways in late October with defensive coordinator Randy Shannon finished.
Toledo Rockets Location: Toledo, OH Coach: Jason Candle (21-7) 3rd Season Stadium: Glass Bowl (Capacity: 26,248) CSJ Projections: 2nd: MAC (1st in West Division) 3rd: Ohio 65th: FBS 68th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: For all of the success the Rockets has enjoyed in recent years, Jason Candle’s 2017 Rockets accomplished something that had not been.
College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the Big South Conference. The Kennesaw State Owls are still a relatively young program, but their impressive run in 2017 – and the fact that they graduate little of their quad – means Brian Bohannon’s squad is picked to be the.
Colorado Buffaloes Location: Boulder, CO Coach:Mike MacIntyre (22-31@CU, 40–59 overall) 6th Season Stadium: Folsom Field (Capacity: 50,183) CSJ Projections: 11th: Pac-12 (6th in South Division) 1st: Colorado 66th: FBS 69th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: After the great season of 2016 (finished 10-4 & Pac-12 South Division title), CU re-assumed its 2013-15 levels last season and finished.
Temple Owls Location: Philadelphia, PA Coach: Geoff Collins (7-6) 2nd Season Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field (Capacity: 68,532) CSJ Projections: 6th: AAC (3rd East Division) 3rd: Pennslyvania 67th: FBS 70th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: In Coach Collins’ first year, Temple went 7-6 and defeated Florida International in the Gasparilla Bowl–the first bowl win since 2011 and just.
North Carolina Tar Heels Location: Chapel Hill, NC Coach: Larry Fedora (43-34) 7th Season at North Carolina Stadium: Kenan Memorial Stadium (Capacity 51,000) CSJ Projections: 12th: ACC (6th Atlantic Division) 5th: North Carolina 68th: FBS 71st: Division I 2017 In a Sentence: North Carolina struggled to keep opposing offenses off the board and struggled to.
Syracuse Orange Location: Syracuse, NY Coach: Dino Babers (8-16) 3rd Season at Syracuse Stadium: Carrier Dome (Capacity 49,262) CSJ Projections: 13th: ACC (6th Coastal Division) 2nd: New York 69th: FBS 72nd: Division I 2017 In a Sentence: Syracuse struggled through a very uneven 2017. While they were able to hang close with many teams, they.
Wyoming Cowboys Location: Laramie, WY Coach: Craig Bohl (22-29 @Wyo., 125-61 overall) 5th Season Stadium: War Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 29,181) CSJ Projections: 4th: Mountain West (2nd Mountain Division) 1st: Wyoming 70th: FBS 73rd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Coming off a MWC Mountain Division title and having an All-American quarterback returning, most thought the.
Arkansas Razorback Location: Fayetteville, AR Coach: Chad Morris (0-0 @Ark., 14-22 overall)1st Season Stadium: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (Capacity: 54,120) CSJ Projections: 12th: SEC (7th in West Division) 1st: Arkansas 71st: FBS 74th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: After five years under Coach Bret Bielema, Arkansas decided to go another direction especially after last.
College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the Big Sky Conference. CSJ picks Weber State to repeat as the Big Sky champions this season, due to the return of five All-Americans and 10 players that earned All-Big Sky honors off last year’s championship team. Leading the Wildcats this.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Location: Lincoln, NE Coach: Scott Frost (0-0 @Neb., 19-7 overall) 1st Season Stadium: Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 85,458) CSJ Projections: 11th: Big Ten (6th West Division) 1st: Nebraska 72nd: FBS 75th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Nebraska suffered its worst season in 56 years with a record of 4–8 and then terminated Riley the day.
Northern Illinois Huskies Location: DeKalb, IL Coach: Rod Carey (44-24) 6th Season Stadium: Huskie Stadium (Capacity: 24,000) CSJ Projections: 3rd: MAC (2nd in West Division) 2nd: Illinois 73rd: FBS 76th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: NIU used its defense to get back to a winning season after finishing 5-7 in 2016 to finish 8-5 but.
Maryland Terrapins Location: College Park, MD Coach (interim): Matt Canada (0-0) Stadium: Maryland Stadium (Capacity: 52,454) CSJ Projections: 12th: Big Ten (6th East Division) 2nd: Maryland 74th: FBS 77th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Maryland started the season with a huge win at Texas, which seemed at the time to springboard the team to.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Location: Ruston, LA Coach: Skip Holtz (38-29 @ LT, 126-99 overall) 6th Season Stadium: Joe Aillet Stadium (Capacity: 32,227) CSJ Projections: 2nd: Conference USA (1st in West Division) 2nd: Louisiana 75th: FBS 78th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Louisiana Tech missed out on a third division title in four years because of.
We now turn the calendar to 2018 in the in the SWAC and as the calendar changed so did so many things in the conference. This year there will be five new head coaches in the conference (Connell Maynor/Alabama A&M, Donald Hill-Ely/Alabama State, Cedric Thomas/Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Vincent Dancy/Mississippi Valley State, and Eric Dooley/Prairie View A&M).
Weber State Wildcats Location: Ogden, UT Coach: Jay Hill (26-23) 5th Season Stadium: Stewart Stadium (Capacity: 17,312) CSJ Projections: 1st: Big Sky 2nd: Utah 4th: FCS 79th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Wildcat progression has been a consistent upward trend under Coach Hill–last year WSU won a share of the Big Sky title.
Virginia Cavaliers Location: Charlottesville, VA Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (8-17 @UV, 107-60 overall) 3rd Season at Virginia Stadium: Scott Stadium (Capacity 61,500) CSJ Projections: 14th: ACC (7th in Coastal Division) 3rd: Virginia 76th: FBS 80th: Division I 2017 In a Sentence: Virginia started off strong in 2017, going 5-1 to start the season. Once they got.
Vanderbilt Commodores Location: Nashville, TN Coach: Derek Mason (18-31) 5th Season Stadium: Vanderbilt Stadium (Capacity: 40,550) CSJ Projections: 13th: SEC (6th in East Division) 2nd: Tennessee 77th: FBS 81st: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: In a relativity down SEC East, Vanderbilt finished just 5-7 overall without a bowl bid and with a 1-7 conference slate–the.
Colorado State Rams Location: Fort Collins, CO Coach: Mike Bobo (21-18) 4th Season Stadium: Canvas Stadium (Capacity: 41,200) CSJ Projections: 5th: Mountain West (3rd Mountain Division) 2nd: Colorado 78th: FBS 82nd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: CSU went 7-6 for the third straight year under Coach Bobo in what has to be considered a disappointing.
Marshall Thundering Herd Location: Huntington, WV Coach: Doc Holliday (61-42) 9th Season Stadium: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (Capacity: 32,227) CSJ Projections: 3rd: Conference USA (2nd in East Division) 2nd: West Virginia 79th: FBS 83rd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: After an unexpected down 2016 season (3-9 record), the Thundering Herd rebounded back to its winning ways and.
SMU Mustangs Location: Dallas, TX Coach: Sonny Dykes (0-0 @SMU, 41-45 overall) 1st Season Stadium: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Capacity: 32,000) CSJ Projections: 8th: AAC (4th West Division) 6th: Texas 80th: FBS 84th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: SMU is coming off its first bowl appearance in five years after finishing the regular season at 7-5 but.
Western Michigan Broncos Location: Kalamazoo, MI Coach: Tim Lester (6-6@WMU, 46-29 overall) 2nd Season Stadium: Waldo Stadium (Capacity: 30,200) CSJ Projections: 4th: MAC (3rd in West Division) 3rd: Michigan 81st: FBS 85th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: After Western Michigan went 13-1 and had a Cotton Bowl appearance in 2016 and also lost its head.
Arkansas State Red Wolves Location: Jonesboro, AR Coach: Blake Anderson (31-20) 5th Season Stadium: Centennial Bank Stadium (Capacity: 30,382) CSJ Projections: 3rd: Sun Belt (1st West Division) 2nd: Arkansas 82nd: FBS 86th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Red Wolves have been a consistent Sun Belt winner and finished 7-5 last season although a.
Utah State Aggies Location: Logan, UT Coach: Matt Wells (34-32) 6th Season Stadium: Maverik Stadium (Capacity: 25,513) CSJ Projections: 6th: Mountain West (4th Mountain Division) 3rd: Utah 83rd: FBS 87th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Coming off a 3-9 season in 2016, the Aggies improved to finish with six wins and an Arizona Bowl.
Tulane Green Wave Location: New Orleans, LA Coach: Willie Fritz (9-15@TU, 202-89-1 overall) 3rd Season Stadium: Yulman Stadium (Capacity: 30,000) CSJ Projections: 8th: AAC (5th West Division) 3rd: Louisiana 84th: FBS 88th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Green Wave were stopped near the goal line in the last regular season game to lose to.
Jacksonville State Gamecocks Location: Jacksonville, AL Coach: John Grass (43-8) Stadium: Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium (Capacity: 24,000) CSJ Projections: 1st: OVC 4th: Alabama 5th: FCS 89th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: Another year where head coach John Grass’ Jacksonville Gamecocks pulverized the rest of their OVC competition and experienced only two losses – one.
Tennessee Volunteers Location: Knoxville, TN Coach: Jeremy Pruitt (0-0) 1st Season Stadium: Neyland Stadium (Capacity: 102,455) CSJ Projections: 14th: SEC (7th in East Division) 3rd: Tennessee 85th: FBS 90th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: There is no way to put the Tennessee season but state it was a disaster although it started 3-1 but finished 1-7.
Sam Houston State Bearkats Location: Huntsville, TX Coach: K.C. Keeler (220-85-1, 46-12 at SHSU) 5th Year at Sam Houston State Stadium: Bowers Stadium (Capacity: 12,593) CSJ Projections: 1st: Southland 7th: Texas 6th: FCS 91st: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: It was another very good season for K.C. Keeler and the Bearkats if you look.
Buffalo Bulls Location: Buffalo, NY Coach: Lance Leipold (13-23 @UB, 122-29 overall) 4th Season Stadium: UB Stadium (Capacity: 29,013) CSJ Projections: 5th: MAC (3rd in East Division) 3rd: New York 86th: FBS 92nd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Bulls won the final three games of the season to finish 6-6 and gain bowl eligibility.
Air Force Falcons Location: Colorado Springs, CO Coach: Troy Calhoun (82-60) 12th Season Stadium: Falcon Stadium (Capacity: 46,692) CSJ Projections: 7th: Mountain West (5th Mountain Division) 3rd: Colorado 87th: FBS 93rd: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: It was a rough season for the Falcons, stumbling to a 5-7 record with Commander In Chief trophy losses.
Eastern Michigan Eagles Location: Ypsilanti, MI Coach: Chris Creighton (15-34) 5th Season Stadium: Rynearson Stadium (Capacity: 30,200) CSJ Projections: 6th: MAC (4th in West Division) 4th: Michigan 88th: FBS 94th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: After Western Michigan went 13-1 and had a Cotton Bowl appearance in 2016 and also lost its head coach in.
Baylor Bears Location: Waco, TX Coach: David Beaty (1-11 @BU, 29-34 overall) 2nd Season Stadium: McLane Stadium (Capacity: 45,140) CSJ Projections: 9th: Big 12 8th: Texas 89th: FBS 95th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Bears won just a single game to finish 1-11 overall thanks to a road trip to Kansas but four losses were.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Location: New Brunswick, NJ Coach: Chris Ash (6-18) 3rd Season Stadium: High Point Solutions Stadium (Capacity: 52,454) CSJ Projections: 13th: Big Ten (7th East Division) 1st: New Jersey 90th: FBS 96th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: If baby steps are all that was expected, head coach Chris Ash provided that in a 4-8.
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Location: Murfreesboro, TN Coach: Rick Stockstill (79-72) 13th Season Stadium: Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium (Capacity: 30,788) CSJ Projections: 4th: Conference USA (3rd in East Division) 4th: Tennessee 91st: FBS 97th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: MTSU looked as if it could have had a very special season to start but injuries.
Central Michigan Chippewas Location: Mount Pleasant, MI Coach: John Bonamego (21-18) 4th Season Stadium: Kelly/Shorts Stadium (Capacity: 30,255) CSJ Projections: 8th: MAC (3rd in West Division) 5th: Michigan 92nd: FBS 98th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Chippewas were a surprise team in the MAC in finishing 8-5 overall and got there by winning.
North Texas Mean Green Location: Denton, TX Coach: Seth Littrell (14-13) 3rd Season Stadium: Apogee Stadium (Capacity: 30,850) CSJ Projections: 5th: Conference USA (2nd in West Division) 9th: Texas 93rd: FBS 99th: Division I 2017 In A Sentence: The Mean Green came up with a nine-win season (9-5) with a shot at the Conference USA title,.
