Lifting The Lid On An Odd Obsession

Most fans devote a sizable chunk of time to collecting merchandise and memorabilia for their favorite teams, so it should come as little surprise that your favorite blogger does, too. It's often a way to connect to your team, to show your support in a small way. So you buy the jerseys, the pennants, the shoes, whatever.

While it's never been a secret that my fandom begins and ends with Ohio State, it may be a little shocking to find out that I collect hats from colleges and universities around the nation. A recent reorganization allowed me to get an actual count -- there are 215 in my collection. I also have some MLB, NHL and NFL hats, though in much smaller numbers as I find in pro sports it's about the team you root for, and that's it.

The habit started innocently enough, without any thought of it really becoming a habit.
For awhile I was consumed with cool college team nicknames — Cal Irvine Anteaters, Lock Haven Bald Eagles, Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens and UC-Santa Cruz Banana Slugs (a heavy concentration of good names is in California apparently) — and out of that came an idea. A noble idea, and one that would be difficult to realize, but an idea nonetheless.

I would collect every hat of every college sports team in the country. After thinking about just how this would be achieved I realized that it would be a pretty arduous undertaking. Things like work and sleep and eating would probably get in the way, so I would have to ditch those. After about five hours I came to my senses and figured out that the goal would need to be a little smaller. All of the FBS football schools. Once that was taken care of, then it would be all of the FCS football schools. Then all of the basketball schools. If the occasional NAIA institution came along, all the better. It appeared to be cheaper than buying jerseys, and quite a bit more accessible, too. Thanks to school websites and online outlets like Fanatics, obscure schools are no longer obscure.

Before continuing, a distinction must be made — I had a few hats prior to beginning my “collection”, but all were Ohio State. Growing up in Columbus and having the Buckeyes as my team that was only natural. The Buckeyes are also among a very small group of schools — Florida and Florida State being the others — where more than one hat is allowed. I have family in Florida and they rooted for both schools, and on a few occasions a Gators or Seminoles hat was presented to yours truly. Never look a gift hat in the mouth, I always say.

The first hat I decided to buy with the express purpose was Southern Illinois, the good ol' Salukis.

 I was covering the Big Ten Wrestling Championships and traveling with the Ohio State contingent, and during some down time decided to head over to a local mall. The Salukis had always been another of my favorite nicknames, so when I saw the hat I knew it would be mine (cue the Wayne’s World clip).
After that, it didn’t really matter where I was — if I could find a school hat that I didn’t already own it was in the collection. And I didn’t discriminate, either.

I do own a Michigan hat, but have never (nor will ever) worn it. Same can be said about the University of Miami. Have it, won’t wear it. General rule -- if I can't stand the team, it ain't going on my head.

A quick perusal of my collection, which is grouped by conference, then alphabetically, then schools that do not play football, then Ohio State:

I don’t have nearly the time to pursue my hobby the way I used to — for one thing I’m off the road, and for another I have to be on a real mission to find one. It’s nice having enough hats to color coordinate just about everything I own, and you can bet at times they are conversation starters. I’m also not above taking a bunch with me to the local sports bar at NCAA Tournament time and changing out as games end.

It's not a bad thing to have so many hats -- they are conversation starters, they can elicit cheers from a fan base, and they are generally just cool to have.

2018 Top Head Coaching Hires

There was quite a bit of offseason movement on the college football coaching front, with some big names (Chip Kelly) returning to the game after time off and a few fixtures (Jimbo Fisher) making surprising moves to new programs.

All of these coaches will have differing levels of success, especially in year one, as some inherited better programs while others will need to do a rebuild or change to a new system.

This is one man's ranking of the top coaching hires of 2018.

Scott Frost (Pioneer Press)

1. Scott Frost/Nebraska -- Frost "going home" was about as much of a slam dunk as any coaching hire this season, and after leading UCF to an unbeaten record the natives will expect big things right away. It might take a season or two, but Frost should be able to recruit better than his predecessor, and it's already apparent that he can put his players in the best position to succeed. He brought defensive coordinator Erik Chinander with him from UCF, which might be an issue -- UCF was not good defensively despite being athletically sound and fast. If the D is as bad as it was in 2017 (Nebraska ranked 101st in total defense and 116th in scoring defense), what Frost is able to get done offensively might not matter. Still, this one has the feel of a grand slam hire.

2. Chip Kelly/UCLA -- Will Kelly be able to make a seamless transition back to the college game after some time off? He does have a proven track record, and his glitzy offense should play well in Hollywood. The Bruins must get tougher, however, and Kelly's defenses at Oregon were hit and miss. There's no doubt that there will be a ton of eyes on Kelly, which is a win for the Bruins, who had become second fiddle to their crosstown rival USC. The Bruins were one of the younger teams in the Pac-12 last season, and once Kelly gets the recruiting machine they could be one of the most talented. The only question here is whether or not Kelly will once again get a wandering eye for the NFL.

3. Willie Taggart/Florida State -- The surprising move by Jimbo Fisher to leave Tallahassee for College Station opened the door for Taggart, who has improved every program he's coached and who is a tireless recruiter. He won't need to really "program build" the Seminoles as there is already a boatload of talent on hand, and he should be able to spice up an FSU offense that hasn't finished in the nation's top 20 since 2013. His lone recruiting class at Oregon was top 20, so you have to believe he will get that machine humming as well.

4. Dan Mullen/Florida -- This might end up being the best coaching hire of 2018, even if it isn't quite as high-profile as Chip Kelly returning to college football. Mullen turned Mississippi State into a very good program, and with more money, resources and better talent in Gainesville could be on the verge of returning the Gators to championship level. He was part of the last UF coaching staff to win a national title in 2006, and his work with quarterbacks should give Gators fans hope that the offense will get it going sooner rather than later.


5. Jimbo Fisher/Texas A&M -- Fisher surprised many when he decided to leave FSU for A&M -- partly because he had a better situation at FSU and partly because the Seminoles have been a better program for quite some time. Fisher is an excellent recruiter so he should be able to upgrade the depth and talent in College Station, but there could be a worry as the Seminoles regressed after Jameis Winston left for the NFL, losing 12 games in the last three seasons and looking uninspired and undisciplined doing it. Fisher should provide a short term boost for the Aggies, but may find a real breakthrough difficult as he now has to battle Alabama, Georgia, Auburn and Florida, SEC programs that historically are equal or better than A&M.

6. Joe Moorhead/Mississippi State -- Moorhead was the architect behind Penn State's resurgent offense, and has one of the brightest offensive minds in all of football. With quarterback Nick Fitzgerald returning, Moorhead has one of the most dangerous weapons in America at his disposal. Moorhead turned FCS Fordham into a team that won 12 games in his second season after inheriting a one-win squad. Moorhead gets his chance to shine at a high profile program, and the belief here is that he succeeds wildly. 

7. Chad Morris/Arkansas -- Things never worked out for Bret Bielema, who tried to bring a Midwest approach to the SEC. Morris resurrected an SMU program that was winless when he took over, and he has connections in Texas which means recruiting should pick up. His hiring of veteran defensive coordinator John Chavis is a signal that Morris is serious about making the Razorbacks a player in the SEC title race.

8. Mario Cristobal/Oregon -- Oregon's players stumped for the former Florida International coach and Ducks assistant after Taggart left for Florida State, and hiring Cristobal full time brings familiarity. His record at FIU wasn't good (27-47) but he was undertaking one of the most massive rebuilds in recent memory, so on balance he did all right. Cristobal is an elite recruiter, and Oregon has been a big brand for a number of years now, so the players should show up. How well Cristobal does with them remains to be seen.
 

Kevin Sumlin (AllSportsTucson.com)

9. Kevin Sumlin/Arizona -- Many lauded this hire, which is curious given Sumlin's results at Texas A&M (five losses in each of the last four seasons). After a bang-up start in his first two seasons, Sumlin's offense (without Johnny Manziel) did a freefall, failing to break the top 25 in scoring from 2014 forward. Also noted as a wizard with quarterback, the Aggies had little resembling a passing game after Manziel, missing on nearly everyone it brought into the program. On the plus side, Sumlin is a very good recruiter, averaging a top 10 finish over the last five seasons. With lower expectations at Arizona, and a wondrous quarterback talent in Khalil Tate, Sumlin should be good right away in Tucson. Whether or not he'll be good in a few years is the big question.

10. Steve Campbell/South Alabama -- Campbell is one of the few new coaches with a national championship under his belt -- two in fact, albeit at lower levels. He won a Division II title at Delta State and a JUCO crown in 2007 at Mississippi Gulf Coast. He went 20-5 the last two years at Central Arkansas and won this past season's Southland Conference crown, which is no mean feat given the collection of teams in that league. Campbell loves playing tempo on offense and had numerous players from his JUCO team go on to play FBS football. While the Jaguars have been competitive in the Sun Belt, there's never been a real breakthrough. Campbell could be the guy to change that.

11. Billy Napier/Louisiana -- Napier has a Power 5 pedigree, serving as Arizona State's OC last season after spending five seasons coaching receivers at Alabama. He was also at Clemson, and that kind of cache could turn into an upgrade of on-field talent for the Ragin' Cajuns. He may not be a household names to college football fans, but those in the profession know that he has the goods to be successful. He has an excellent offensive mind and has been a very good recruiter. He joins Campbell as another energetic Sun Belt coach.

12. Jeremy Pruitt/Tennessee -- Tennessee gave a blueprint on how not to handle a coaching search after it fired Butch Jones, hiring-then-not-hiring Ohio State's Greg Schiano after an uninformed fan revolt. After interviewing/pursuing some second-tier candidates, the Vols end up with Pruitt, which really was a good save, all things considered. Pruitt has been the architect of Alabama's stifling defenses the past two seasons and was at Georgia prior to that, so he knows the SEC. He's been great at developing players and is a solid recruiter but has zero head coaching experience, at any level, the main reason he doesn't get a higher grade. He should bring talent to Knoxville, but whether it will be enough to contend with Georgia and Florida in the SEC East remains to be seen.

13. Matt Luke/Ole Miss -- Given the situation Luke inherited, he did a bang up job getting the Rebels to .500 in 2017. The players seem to like him, and if is given a chance to get out from under NCAA sanctions he could have Ole Miss competitive again in a few seasons. The talent may not be there for the next couple of seasons thanks to the transgressions of Freeze, but Luke seems like a steady enough hand to get through the difficult times. Luke guided Ole Miss to wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State and was competitive against Texas A&M. Stability is the buzzword here, and Luke brings that.

14. Jonathan Smith/Oregon State -- It wasn't a sexy hire, but Smith is a former Beavers player and knows what it takes to win in Corvallis. He has spent the last six seasons working under Chris Petersen, which is a positive. He's an unknown when it comes to recruiting, but he definitely will provide passion as a former OSU player, and recruits will see that. If he can tap into the Washington and California markets, he could get enough talent to make the Beavers at least competitive.

15. Chad Lunsford/Georgia Southern -- Lunsford got the job after leading the Eagles to a 2-4 mark following the ouster of Tyson Summers (who had the Eagles at 0-6 before his firing). The players love him, and the effort and results were apparent after he took over the program. Georgia Southern is a proud program and doesn't like being down, and Lunsford was part of the very good recent past as an assistant on Willie Fritz's staff. Going back to the option, long a staple of GSU football, will warm the hearts of fans everywhere.

Sonny Dykes (APNews)

16. Sonny Dykes/SMU -- Dykes has shown his offensive chops, and he does have a good knowledge of the state of the Texas, but he has an overall losing record and has won eight games or more just three times. He wasn't good in rivalry games while at Cal (going 1-11 against USC, UCLA and Stanford), and his defenses have seldom been more than mediocre. Maybe this works out, but the feeling is this is a big step down from Morris. Even if it is, the offense should at least be entertaining.

17. Josh Heupel/UCF -- Heupel knows offense, coordinating Missouri's high powered attack in 2017. Still, this one was a bit of a head-scratcher as there were more proven candidates out there. The Knights may not be quite as prolific as they were in 2017 under Frost, though Heupel should be able to keep McKenzie Milton in the spotlight with an offense that depends heavily on quarterback playmaking. The fast-paced offense should still be a staple, but the question is will Heupel be more like he was at Missouri (successful) or Oklahoma (unsuccessful)? It was a bit odd that UCF didn't make a bigger splash given how high its profile has become, and Heupel has never been a head coach at any level. So it is a gamble, but one that could have a huge payoff.

18. Mike Bloomgren/Rice -- Bloomgren may not have the profile of a lot of coaches on this list, but he spent the last seven seasons at Stanford as David Shaw's right hand man as well as spending some time as an assistant in the NFL. Like Stanford, Rice has stringent academic requirement, so Bloomgren should be able to figure out how to win with those limitations. He has zero head coaching experience, but Rice is a good level for him to cut his teeth. If he can win there, the 40-year-old will be able to write his ticket to a Power 5 job in a few years.

19. Sean Lewis/Kent State -- Lewis is a brilliant offensive mind, orchestrating Syracuse's high-scoring offense and being with Dino Babers since his Eastern Illinois days. He knows the MAC and knows how to formulate an offense that will put up points, which was a huge issue for Haynes in his five seasons. Lewis is unproven as a recruiter, but you can bet he'll look for some diamonds in the rough types, players who might be undersized but who fit his offense. The youngest coach in FBS (31), Lewis is definitely a gamble. But Kent State is a program that needs to take one, and maybe they hit on something this time.

20. Dana Dimel/UTEP -- Dimel comes from Kansas State, where he ran the offense from 2009 to last season, and has been a head coach before (Wyoming, Houston). UTEP does not routinely get high-profile players, but Dimel has proven adept at getting more out of less working with the Wildcats offense. That has to be the hope for the admins in UTEP, which hasn't won a bowl game since 1967 and has been to the postseason just four times since 2000 and has posted just three winning seasons in that span. On the surface this seems like an odd hire, as Dimel is older (55) and may have a limited shelf life. But he knows how to recruit to remote outposts (Laramie definitely counts) and could provide a little bit of hope to the Miners downtrodden program.

21. Herm Edwards/Arizona State -- I love Herm -- who doesn't? His analytical mind, his way of turning a phrase, all of it. It's a joy to listen to. But coaching a major college football after not coaching collegiately  since 1989, or at any level since 2008? He was clumsy in his introductory press conference, and this just doesn't have the feel of something that will end well. Whether or not you agree with the decision to fire Todd Graham, who was 31-23 in league play in six seasons, the hiring of Edwards is one of the more head-scratching hires in recent memory. Maybe it works out and we got a long dose of Herm-isms. But the guess here is that it will be a jarring return to the game, and won't end well.

2018 Heisman Trophy

Whether or not people believe that the Heisman Trophy is still relevant, it IS the top individual award in college football. So, like it or not, it is still treated with reverence. While most people have figured out that is an exclusionary award -- which fits, given that the College Football Playoff model is exclusionary toward Group of Five teams -- given only to the top offensive player (more specifically the top quarterback, with running backs occasionally breaking the hold), there will be buzz and hype and weekly tracking of the candidates, all the way until the December Saturday when the statue is handed out.

Here is a look at how we feel the voting will go this year. Our top three follows the projection.

Bryce Love (The Mercury News)

1. RB Bryce Love/Stanford -- It's all a matter of health for the senior, who ran for over 2,000 yards a year ago despite being bothered by a nagging ankle injury most of the year. Love would benefit from a double-digit victory season from the Cardinal, unless he dominates the field.

2. QB Will Grier/West Virginia -- The signal-caller for what could be the nation's most potent passing attack has to be in the mix. He threw for nearly 3,500 yards and 34 scores despite missing the final two games of 2017. If he puts up video game numbers, the senior should be invited to the Big Apple.

3. QB Khalil Tate/Arizona -- Kevin Sumlin has done wonders with quarterbacks, at least in his first year of coaching a team. Tate is a work in progress as a passer, but oh can he run. Those wheels and the fact that he puts up at least two or three jaw-dropping plays each week keeps him high on the list.

4. RB Jonathan Taylor/Wisconsin -- What a freshman debut he made last year, running for 1,977 yards and averaging 6.6 yards per carry. If the Badgers stay in the thick of the championship chase it will be due in large part to Taylor's wheels.

5. QB Nick Fitzgerald/Mississippi State -- Like Tate, Fitzgerald can be a little erratic as a passer. But he's rushed for over 100 yards 14 times in his career, and new head coach Joe Moorhead should find ways to highlight his playmaking ability.

6. RB JK Dobbins/Ohio State -- Another one who had a fabulous frosh campaign, Dobbins should be the beneficiary of more work this year as the Buckeyes eliminate the quarterback run and rely on their power run game. Mike Weber will steal some carries, but Dobbins should have enough to be a fixture in the Heisman race.

7. RB AJ Dillon/Boston College -- The Eagles are emerging in the ACC, and Steve Adazzio loves him some smashmouth football. With better quarterback play, Dillon should find a few more holes to run through and could become the biggest thing in Chestnut Hill since a guy named Flutie.

8. DL Ed Oliver/Houston -- A vote for the defense is a vote for Oliver, the man-child who terrorizes opposing backfields on a regular basis. There is talk that he will get some work on offense in 2018, which means he could end up higher on this list. A freak of nature, the athletic Cougar is definitely one of America's best.

9. QB McKenzie Milton/UCF -- The Knights offense will likely take a step back this year, but Milton is still the engine that makes it go. The junior is excellent at extending plays, is a sneaky good runner and as accurate as they come. His candidacy will go as far as the Knights do, which means if their unbeaten string is snapped he fades into the distance.

10. QB Trace McSorley/Penn State -- The onus should be on the senior with the loss of Saquon Barkley, and he has the weapons to put up big numbers through the air. He's a better runner than people think, and plays his best at the biggest moments. If PSU is in the championship hunt McSorley will be in prime position.

Others to watch: QB Tua Tagovailoa/Alabama; RB DeAndre Swift/Georgia; QB Jarrett Stidham/Auburn; QB Jake Browning/Washington; RB Rodney Anderson/Oklahoma; QB Jake Fromm/Georgia; RB Cam Akers/Florida State; QB Drew Lock/Missouri; RB Damien Harris/Alabama; WR Deebo Samuel/South Carolina

That is how we see the race shaking out.

But that is not who we would choose.

This can obviously change once the season begins, but at this moment our three votes would go to:

1. Ed Oliver/Houston
2. Will Grier/West Virginia
3. Bryce Love/Stanford

Also on our radar are FSU's Akers, Wisconsin's Taylor, OSU's Dobbins, Arizona's Tate and South Carolina's Samuel.

CFB 2018 Rankings -- 1-130

You can't have a football season without predictions, so we will do our part to make sure that expectation is met.

The following are not rankings of team strengths heading into the 2018 season, but rather how we believe the rankings will look when the dust settles on the season.

CFP PLAYOFF
SEMIFINALS
DECEMBER 29
ORANGE BOWL
1 Clemson vs. 4 Washington
COTTON BOWL
2 Alabama vs. 3 Ohio State
JAN 7, 2019
SANTA CLARA, CALIF.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 
1 Clemson over 2 Alabama

NEW YEAR'S SIX
PEACH BOWL (DEC. 29)
5 Georgia vs. 7 Miami
ROSE BOWL (JAN. 1)
8 Penn State vs. 13 Auburn 
SUGAR BOWL (JAN. 1)
6 West Virginia vs. 12 Mississippi State
FIESTA BOWL (JAN. 1) 
9 Oklahoma vs. 10 Boise State 
 
COLLEGE FOOTBALL FOCUS 2018 RANKINGS
1 Clemson

2 Alabama

3 Ohio State

4 Washington

5 Georgia

6 West Virginia

7 Miami

8 Penn State

9 Oklahoma

10 Boise State

11 Wisconsin

12 Mississippi State

13 Auburn

14 Michigan

15 Michigan State

16 Florida State

17 Texas

18 Stanford

19 Florida

20 TCU

21 FAU

22 USC

23 Oregon

24 South Carolina

25 Utah

26 Notre Dame

27 Texas A&M

28 UCF 

29 Boston College

30 Northwestern

31 NC State

32 Arizona

33 Iowa State

34 Virginia Tech

35 Missouri

36 Iowa

37 LSU

38 Purdue

39 Oklahoma State

40 Nebraska

41 Kansas State

42 Wake Forest

43 Georgia Tech

44 Memphis

45 Pittsburgh

46 Louisville

47 Ole Miss

48 Maryland

49 Texas Tech

50 San Diego State

51 Kentucky

52 Fresno State

53 Houston

54 Arkansas State

55 California

56 Baylor 

57 Arkansas

58 Duke

59 Navy

60 USF

61 UCLA

62 Temple

63 Northern Illinois

64 North Carolina

65 Indiana

66 Colorado

67 Tennessee

68 Minnesota

69 Army

70 Syracuse

71 Arizona State

72 Virginia

73 Marshall

74 Wyoming

75 Ohio

76 Toledo

77 Appalachian State

78 Vanderbilt

79 Washington State

80 Utah State

81 Louisiana Tech

82 Troy

83 North Texas

84 Buffalo 

85 Tulane

86 BYU

87 Middle Tennessee

88 Miami (Ohio)

89 UAB

90 Rutgers

91 Kansas

92 Nevada

93 Western Michigan

94 Illinois

95 Southern Miss

96 SMU

97 Colorado State

98 Air Force

99 Georgia Southern

100 Cincinnati

101 Akron

102 ULM

103 Old Dominion

104 Tulsa

105 UNLV

106 Oregon State

107 FIU

108 UTSA

109 Eastern Michigan

110 UMass

111 New Mexico

112 Central Michigan 

113 New Mexico State

114 Georgia State

115 Louisiana

116 Bowling Green

117 Ball State

118 Western Kentucky

119 UConn

120 San Jose State

121 East Carolina

122 South Alabama

123 Charlotte

124 Kent State

125 Texas State

126 Hawaii

127 UTEP

128 Coastal Carolina

129 Rice

130 Liberty

A Radical But Practical College Football Realignment

Full disclosure -- I like the College Football Playoff the way it is. Four teams is perfect, it makes every week of the regular season akin to an elimination game, and that's how things should be. It doesn't quite eliminate you to lose once, but lose twice and you're done. Have zero issue with that, which is why it would have bothered me had Auburn made it in last year with three losses -- even with a conference championship.

While I like the format, the process is another matter entirely. The CFP committee is certainly well-intentioned, but not nearly transparent enough for most people. There's also the matter of no truly etched in stone criteria -- they say conference titles matter, but Ohio State in 2016 and Alabama last year got in despite neither winning their league. The committee also talks about who you beat and when, meaning that in their eyes it's better to lose in September than to lose in November (unless you're Alabama). Schedule strength SHOULD matter -- I'd much rather have a one loss team that played a grueling slate get in over an unbeaten that beat a bunch of tomato cans.

Under a new system, this would not happen every year (Sporting News)

Strength of schedule hurts most of the Group of Five teams, as their leagues are not seen as strong enough by the committee, even in a year when they run the table -- as UCF did last season. The Knights best wins came against #22 USF and #16 Memphis in the AAC title game, both wins by a touchdown. In the eyes of the committee, that seemed to pale next to Alabama's victory over Mississippi State, or Ohio State's win over Penn State, or Wisconsin's win over Michigan or ... you get the picture. The committee values a good record and good wins, as long as you're a Power 5 team. And that's wrong. If you are a Group of Five team and you are worthy, you should definitely be in the mix for inclusion in the playoff. To have UCF at 12 when the selections were unveiled was absolutely asinine.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe UCF should have been included last year. But the fact that it wasn't even CONSIDERED after beating everyone on the schedule says that the process is flawed.

Those flaws in the process are turning off fans -- certainly those who follow Group of Five teams, but many others who swear allegiance to Power 5, too. And if you turn off your fans, they are eventually going to turn on you.

Now I know they didn't ask, but I have come up with a better way to run the playoff, and college football.

One word -- relegation.

Isn't that what they do in English soccer? Why yes, it is.

The English Premier League has 20 teams, and is part of a system of eight different leagues that are interconnected. Most of them promote the top two, and have varying numbers in the playoffs for their league. They also relegate the bottom two or three to the level below theirs (Premier League is Level 1, so bottom three would go down to the English Football League Championship, Level 2), and this goes on each season. It allows smaller teams to, in theory, compete for the biggest prize in English soccer. Usually dominated by Manchester United and Chelsea and Arsenal, the Premier League saw a shock in 2015-16 when Leicester City broke through with a championship after being forecast for relegation before the season started.

If college football worked the same way, there would be even more intensity than there is now, and all teams would, in theory, have something to play for.

Group Of Five teams would be welcome here (Sporting News)

At the moment, there are maybe 25-30 teams each season that realistically believe they have a chance to win it all. The Group of Five need not apply because they need to be almost doubly impressive to even get a sniff.

Well, my system would change that.

Think about this -- two leagues, the A League and the B League. With 130 teams, they can't quite be split evenly, so the top 64 would be put into the A and the remaining 66 would go to the B. It would be too problematic to promote and relegate teams every season, so a five-year snapshot would be used. A team's record after that fifth year would determine if they moved up, down or stayed where they were.

The A League is made up of the 64 winningest programs over the past five years, put into eight divisions -- including one made up solely of G5 teams. Teams were placed, for the most part, in geographically appropriate regions.

Scheduling would not be very difficult -- each division is eight teams, so you play all seven from your division, then five others of your choosing. Similar to the Premier League, points would be given for victories -- two for a win by an A League team, which has a limit of just one lower league game, but it isn't mandatory.

For the B League, which has six divisions of 11 teams, it's basically the same, only a win over an A League team is worth three points. All others are worth two. B League teams also play seven teams from their division and five others of their choosing, with the other five having no restrictions. They can schedule five A League teams, in hopes of chasing the big points, or five B League teams, attempting to stay in their own strata but picking up victories.

At the end of five seasons, points are tallied, and the eight A League teams with the fewest points move down to the B League, while the eight B League teams with the most points move up.

The eight A League divisional champions are automatically put into the College Football Playoff -- bye-bye championship games. There's zero sense in having to beat a team twice to qualify, and this eliminates that problem. With no championship games, there would be little to no chance that a three or four loss team makes it in. And that's a good thing. The committee would seed the teams 1-8, with the top four receiving home games in the quarterfinals. The semis and final would be part of the bowl system, which would be severely cut down from the 40 we have now to 15.

I know, I know -- bowl trips are a great experience, they give a team 15 additional practices, the kids enjoying seeing new places. Whatever. Bowls should be a REWARD, and teams that win six games should not be rewarded as they had a mediocre season. Hell, it would be great if seven win teams were left out, but that won't always happen. So the top 30 teams each season (based on points) get to play in bowl games. If there are ties, the bowl is allowed to choose.

What does that mean for the B League? It means get better, kids.

You want to eat at the big table? Prove you belong there.

Don't keep hiring retread coaches, don't keep pocketing that league television network money instead of spending it on football. Commit to excellence. Wins will follow.

And with a five year window, it may just keep coaches on the job a little bit longer, giving them a chance to build instead of tossing them out after two or three years.

So that's my plan.

Mike, you're asking -- where is my team?

Well, feast your eyes on the following:

A LEAGUE
7 DIVISIONAL OPPONENTS

5 OPPONENTS FROM ANY OTHER DIVISION, BUT ONLY ONE CAN BE FROM B LEAGUE.

NO CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

DIVISION WINNER GETS AUTOMATIC BERTH IN CFP

COMMITTEE ONLY NEEDED FOR SEEDING

2 POINTS FOR A WIN
MOST (B)/FEWEST (A) POINTS IN FIVE YEARS MOVE UP/DOWN

TOP 26 TEAMS NOT IN PLAYOFF PLAY IN BOWL GAMES, FOUR QUARTERFINAL PLAYOFF WINNERS GO INTO PREDETERMINED BOWL GAMES

UPDATED WITH RECORDS THROUGH OCT. 6TH

SOUTH

UCF (12-0)*

TROY (9-3)#
HOUSTON (8-4)#
ARKANSAS STATE (8-4)#
MEMPHIS (8-5)#

LOUISIANA TECH (7-5)
USF (7-5)

WESTERN KENTUCKY (3-9)

MIDEAST

WEST VIRGINIA (8-3)*
MARSHALL (8-4)#

MIDDLE TENNESSEE (8-5)#
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (8-5)#
WESTERN MICHIGAN (7-5)
TENNESSEE (5-7)

NAVY (3-9)

LOUISVILLE (2-10)

DEEP SOUTH

ALABAMA (13-0)*
LSU (9-3)#

MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4)#
TEXAS A&M (8-4)#
AUBURN (7-5)#
GEORGIA TECH (7-5)#

FLORIDA STATE (5-7)
MISSISSIPPI (5-7)

COASTAL

CLEMSON (13-0)*
GEORGIA (11-2)#

FLORIDA (9-3)#

MIAMI FLA (7-5)#
DUKE (7-5)#

SOUTH CAROLINA (7-5)

VIRGINIA TECH (6-6)
NORTH CAROLINA (2-9)

SOUTHWEST

WASHINGTON (10-3)*

WASHINGTON STATE (10-2)#
BOISE STATE (10-3)#

OREGON (8-4)#

SAN DIEGO STATE (7-5)#
ARIZONA STATE (7-5)#
ARIZONA (5-7)

UCLA (3-9)

MIDLANDS

OKLAHOMA (12-1)*
IOWA (8-4)#
MISSOURI (8-4)#
BAYLOR (6-6)

OKLAHOMA STATE (6-6)
MINNESOTA (6-6)
KANSAS STATE (5-7)

NEBRASKA (4-8)

MOUNTAIN

UTAH (9-4)*
STANFORD (8-4)#
WISCONSIN (7-5)#

TCU (6-6)

BRIGHAM YOUNG (6-6)
USC (5-7)
AIR FORCE (5-7)
COLORADO STATE (3-9)

MID SOUTH

NOTRE DAME (12-0)*

OHIO STATE (12-1)#

MICHIGAN (10-2)#
PENN STATE (9-3)#
OHIO (8-4)#
NORTHWESTERN (8-5)#

MICHIGAN STATE (7-5)

TOLEDO (7-5)

B LEAGUE

7 DIVISIONAL OPPONENTS

5 OPPONENTS FROM ANY OTHER DIVISION, TWO CAN BE FROM A LEAGUE

2 POINTS FOR A WIN, 3 FOR A WIN OVER A LEAGUE TEAM.
MOST (B)/FEWEST (A) POINTS IN FIVE YEARS MOVE UP/DOWN

EAST

CINCINNATI (10-2)

BUFFALO (10-3)
ARMY (9-2)

SYRACUSE (9-3)

TEMPLE (8-4)
BOSTON COLLEGE (7-5)
PITTSBURGH (7-6)
MARYLAND (5-7)
UMASS (4-8)

RUTGERS (1-11)

UCONN (1-11)

SOUTH COAST

APPALACHIAN STATE (10-2)
NC STATE (9-3)

FIU (8-4)
VIRGINIA (7-5)
WAKE FOREST (6-6)

LIBERTY (6-6)

CHARLOTTE (5-7)
COASTAL CAROLINA (5-7)
FLORIDA ATLANTIC (5-7)

OLD DOMINION (4-8)
EAST CAROLINA (3-9)

MIDDLE AMERICA

KENTUCKY (9-3)
EASTERN MICHIGAN (7-5)
PURDUE (6-6)
MIAMI O (6-6)
INDIANA (5-7)
ILLINOIS (4-8)
AKRON (4-8)

BALL STATE (4-8)

BOWLING GREEN (3-9)

KENT STATE (2-10)
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (1-11)

GREAT PLAINS

TEXAS (9-4)
NORTH TEXAS (9-3)
IOWA STATE (8-4)
TEXAS TECH (5-7)
SMU (5-7)
NEW MEXICO (3-9)
UTSA (3-9)

KANSAS (3-9)

NEW MEXICO STATE (3-9)

TEXAS STATE (3-9)

RICE (2-11)

GOLD MOUNTAIN

FRESNO STATE (11-2)
UTAH STATE (10-2)
HAWAII (8-5)
CALIFORNIA (7-5)

NEVADA (7-5)
WYOMING (6-6)
COLORADO (5-7)
UNLV (4-8)

OREGON STATE (2-10)

SAN JOSE STATE (1-11)

UTEP (1-11)

DIXIE

UAB (10-3)
GEORGIA SOUTHERN (9-3)
LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE (7-6)
SOUTHERN MISS (6-5)
VANDERBILT (6-6)

TULANE (6-6)
ULM (6-6)
TULSA (3-9)

SOUTH ALABAMA (3-9)
ARKANSAS (2-10)
GEORGIA STATE (2-10)

Got it? Looks exciting, right?

These would be the bowl games:

Troy vs Duke
Houston vs Marshall
Arkansas State vs. San Diego State
Memphis vs Northern Illinois
Middle Tennessee vs Ohio
LSU vs Washington State
Miami vs Oregon
Boise State vs Florida
Mississippi State vs Michigan
Georgia Tech vs Northwestern
Penn State vs Auburn
Stanford vs Texas A&M
Wisconsin vs. Missouri
Iowa vs Arizona State
Georgia vs Ohio State

This would be the CFP field for 2018 as things currently stand:

UCF
West Virginia
Alabama
Clemson
Washington
Oklahoma
Utah
Notre Dame

They would be seeded (purely hypothetical):

(8) West Virginia at (1) Alabama
(7) Utah at (2) Clemson
(6) UCF (3) Notre Dame
(5) Washington at (4) Oklahoma

That, friends, would be very cool.

The winners would then play in two predetermined bowls (rotated among the six currently used):

Cotton Bowl
Clemson vs Notre Dame

Orange Bowl
Alabama vs Oklahoma

The championship game would still be a neutral site game, but not nearly as late as it is now.

With the conference title games eliminated, the quarterfinals could be played in mid-December, and then the semifinals just after Christmas. The title game would be as close as possible to New Years Day -- either as a capper to a few other bowl games, or a day or two afterward. So the longest time anyone has off is two weeks, between the end of the regular season and the quarterfinals. After that, it would be a week, give or take a couple of days.

This would satisfy most people, as a G5 team would be included, and fans would get a real shot to participate with the quarterfinal games. It would have a true atmosphere, which is missing far too often in the postseason.

One note about this -- it will never happen, because the big time schools don't want to give away any of the money. They don't like to share, especially with teams and leagues they believe to be inferior.

But wouldn't it make the world a better place if this somehow, some way, became a reality?

It would convert me from being a proponent of "No More Than Four" to a champion of "Eight Is Great."

Abuse Claims Paint Bleak Picture For Meyer, Ohio State

Ohio State coaches certainly have a flair for the dramatic.

Woody Hayes punched a Clemson player in a bowl game, Jim Tressel lied to the NCAA and now Urban Meyer -- we think -- kept a coach on staff who appeared to have multiple incidents of domestic abuse against his now ex-wife.

There has been a rush to judgment, nothing new about that. That's the way the (social media) world works these days. A bunch of seemingly strong evidence, but nothing 100 percent certain that ties Meyer to this sordid mess.

When did Urban Meyer know about abuse claims? (Garrett Stepien)

Ohio State has plastered its practice facilities with all kinds of life mantras, among them TREAT WOMEN WITH RESPECT. Former assistant coach Zach Smith apparently didn't heed those words, physically abusing his former wife, Courtney. Theirs was undoubtedly a troubled marriage, one that Meyer felt he might be able to save after a 2009 incident when Smith was an intern at the University of Florida. A 2009 incident -- which no one is denying, including Meyer -- took place, and Meyer and his wife, Shelley, attempted to counsel the young couple, married just a year. Courtney Smith alleges that Meyer sent someone to coerce her to drop the charges against her then-husband, the person stating "he was drunk, he's never hit you before, he probably won't do it again." Not a foundation to build a marriage on, but not impossible, either.

I have a friend who went through much the same issue, over 25 years ago -- went out one night, had a bit too much to drink, got into a shouting match with his wife, pushed and slapped her before retreating to another place in the house. He chalked it up to alcohol, and after some thought she decided that he deserved a second chance. She gave him one, and there has never been a hint of another incident.

So to me there is zero problem with Meyer reacting to the 2009 incident as he did.

It's 2015 where things get dicey.

There were conflicting reports about whether an incident ever took place, at least until the bombshell Brett McMurphy story that contained texts and photos of a visibly battered and bruised Courtney. It's pretty evident that something happened. Courtney Smith says she told Shelley Meyer, who told her that she though Zach was dangerous and that she would have to tell Urban. Courtney was fine with that, but also admitted she doesn't know for sure whether or not Shelley actually did that.

And that COULD be where Urban Meyer can use the plausible deniability angle.

If Shelley intended to tell him but didn't, how was he to know? Sure, he and Smith discussed the incident, with Smith saying that everything he's heard isn't true. According to text messages, Urban Meyer didn't know whom or what to believe. He seemed to have knowledge that maybe something happened, but do we know for sure? This is one instance where it might be wise to let the facts bear themselves out, because firing a person on suppositions and allegations is not a good look.

Nor is the way Meyer attempted to assassinate McMurphy's character recently, when asked about the 2015 incident.

"We found nothing. There's nothing there. I don't know who makes up a story like that."

There are precious few coaches who have directly challenged the media and won, and this is likely not going to be one of them.

Had Meyer issued a mea culpa along the lines of  "when it came to my attention that something might have happened between Zach and Courtney, I should have done a better job getting to the bottom of things. I failed in that aspect. This is not who I am and this is not what Ohio State is. Once we found about the incident we took the proper steps, but I regret not doing more."

That would have made for roughly 24 hours of choppy waters, but it would have gone away.

Now Meyer is the one who might be going away -- at least from Ohio State.

This was the one guy who many felt would leave Ohio State on his own terms. None of the others did, but Urban won so much that he seemed to have carte blanche to step down whenever he felt like it.

The decision now may be made for him. If the allegations are true that he did indeed know in 2015 and kept Smith on staff for two more seasons, then the school has no choice. Meyer has to go.

But unlike many, I am not quite ready to call for his ouster. While this isn't going to a courtroom, the court of public opinion seems to have already fried Meyer -- save for the occasional irrational OSU fan trying to impugn Courtney Smith's character.

The incidents happened. This is certain. Zach Smith has major issues. This is certain. He needed to be removed from Ohio State. This is certain. Meyer has handled this poorly. This is certain.

Some have said that Meyer should be gone simply for having a serial abuser on his staff. But if he truly didn't know about how the incident actually unfolded, he could have been under the impression that Smith still had just the one strike against him. Violating the order of protection would have been what Meyer acted on. Is someone really a serial abuser if you only know about one incident? So far that's the all the proof anyone has, that Meyer knew about one incident.

So pardon me for waiting for a bit more concrete evidence to come in about Meyer and a timeline before deciding to cast him aside. Do I believe Meyer knew? Yeah, I do. But believing something and proving it are two different things, so count me as someone who doesn't mind waiting for more facts to come in instead of relying on suppositions and who told what to whom and when.

College Football 2018 Conference Previews -- Independents

INDEPENDENTS
OVERVIEW

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly (Corner Pub Sports)

What used to be four is now six, thanks to the additions of Liberty (moving up from FCS) and New Mexico State (booted out of the Sun Belt Conference). While neither will do much this year, they do add a bit to the landscape of the independents.

Whenever talking independents people start with Notre Dame, which has played both sides of the fence for years with no ramifications whatsoever. Do they want to be in the ACC or not? If no, then the ACC should stop scheduling games against them. At some point, leagues need to step up and tell the Irish that they won't schedule them, which will force their hand and make them join a conference. Until then, they reap the financial benefits of independence (not having to share bowl money) and hold the leverage. The Irish will once again be heavily run-based offensively, and why not? Dexter Williams averaged over 9 yards per pop in a reserve role last season and could be lethal as a starter. The line has experience, as does a receiving corps that features Chase Claypool (29 catches, 13.9 ypc) and emerging tight end Alize Mack (19 catches). But the passing game will only go as far as Brandon Wimbush (49.5%, 16 TD, 6 INT, 14 rush TDs) takes it. He was erratic and looked scared at times last year, and if that doesn't change the Irish offense won't do much. The defense is in solid shape, led by linebacker Te'Von Coney (116 tackles, 10 TFL), who calls the signals and brings aggressiveness and power to the stop unit. Drue Tranquill (85 tackles, 9 TFL) moves from safety to linebacker to fill a hole left by Nyles Morgan, and the secondary is in the able hands of corner Julian Love (68 tackles, 3 INT, 20 PBU) and safety Nick Coleman (44 tackles). Jerry Tillery (56 tackles, 4.5 TFL) is a rock along the Dline.

Jeff Monken has worked wonders at Army, winning 18 games the past two seasons and overpowering foes with a lethal rushing attack. Last year's Black Knights topped the nation in rushing at over 363 yards per contest, but may have trouble reaching that with the loss of standout quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw and four starters on the offensive line. Junior Kevin Hopkins takes over, and depth at running back should offset a lot of the quarterback worries. Darnell Woolfolk (812 yards, 14 TDs) will get the bulk of the work, and Kell Walker (629 yards, 7.3 ypc) will contribute as well. The defense allowed 22 points per game last year and should once again be stout, led by linebacker James Nachtigal (103 tackles, 5 sacks). Army has gotten a bit more aggressive defensively the last two seasons and is more athletic this year, and could eclipse last year's 24 sacks.

Brigham Young hit a rut last year after back to back nine win seasons in the first two years of the Kelani Sitake regime, going just 4-9 due to a horrific offense (325 yards per game). New OC Jeff Grimes has tailored the offense to suit Tanner Mangum's skill set a bit more, which should help the passing game. Mangum (57.2%, 8 TD, 9 INT) has a solid group of pass catchers, notably freshman All-America tight end Matt Bushman (49 catches, 3 TDs) and Dylan Collie, a grad transfer from the University of Hawaii. If the running game can find its footing (only 131 ypg last season) the Cougars should easily improve upon their 17.1 ppg, a figure that was 124th nationally. The defense went to more of a man look after utilizing zone for years under Bronco Mendenhall, and lack of turnovers (17 for the season) hurt big time. The front isn't bad, with Corbin Kaufusi (67 tackles, 6 sacks) leading the way, and linebacker Sione Takitaki (79 tackles, 5 sacks) has big-time breakout potential. Another tough schedule, featuring trips to Wisconsin, Washington and Boise State, could prove daunting, but there is enough talent and experience here to improve on last year's win total.

UMass won just four times last year, but lost at Tennessee by just four and at Mississippi State by 11. So the pieces are in place for a bowl breakthrough, a first since the Minutemen moved up to FBS in 2012. UMass has one of the best pitch and catch combos in Andrew Ford (63.2%, 22 TD, 4 INT) to Andy Isabella (65 catches, 15.7 ypc, 10 TD), and with seven other starters back the offense could be better than last year's (30.6 ppg). The defense had its moments but was too inconsistent for true success, especially against the run (4.9 ypc). A retooled defensive line may not help, but linebacker Bryton Barr returns after leading the team in tackles (105), and corner Isaiah Rodgers (50 tackles, 3 INT, 14 PBU) is a shutdown type who helped UMass allow just 53.3 percent competions last season, 16th nationally. Trips to Boston College, Ohio U and Georgia highlight the schedule.

New Mexico State went to its first bowl game since 1960 last season, and hopes for back to back postseason appearances. That might be tough as their top three offensive players are gone -- QB Tyler Rogers, RB Larry Rose and WR Jaleel Scott. The offensive line returns intact, and wideout OJ Scott (47 catches, 3 TDs) brings much needed experience to that group. The defense shows monumental improvement, allowing 29.7 points, down from 38.8 in 2016. Under the guidance of DC Frank Spaziani, the Aggies set a school record with 43 sacks. His attacking style fits the personnel perfectly, as three players went over 100 tackles last year. Linebacker Terrill Hanks (111 tackles, 7 sacks, 8 TFL) and safety Ron LaForce (104 tackles, 3 INT, 5 PBU) are keepers on the stop side and are among nine returning starters on that side of the ball.

Liberty makes the leap to FBS after going 6-5 in the Big South a year ago, and will have it work cut out to break .500 given a schedule that includes trips to Virginia and Auburn in November. Quarterback Steven Calvert (58.7%, 29 TD, 6 INT) set a school record for yardage (3,363) and has a live arm. Receivers Antonio Gandy-Golden (69 catches, 10 TDs) and Damian King (66 catches, 4 TD) are reliable, and the group has depth. The defense allowed over 30 points per game last year and could be worse this year with the tougher schedule. End Juwan Wells (74 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 6.5 TFL) is a standout while corner Jeremy Peters (36 tackles, 3 INT, 8 PBU) anchors a veteran secondary. Coach Turner Gill recruited well and brought in a lot of JUCO help, which means the Flames should be trending upward -- just not this season.

RISING: UMass
FALLING: New Mexico State
BOWL TEAMS (2): Notre Dame, Army

INDEPENDENT PROJECTED STANDINGS
1 Notre Dame (8-4)
2 Army (8-4)

3 Brigham Young (5-7)

4 UMass (5-7)

5 New Mexico State (5-7)

6 Liberty (2-10)

ALL-INDEPENDENT TEAM

OFFENSE
QB Andrew Ford/UMass

RB Darnell Woolfolk/Army West Point

RB Marquis Young/UMass

WR Andy Isabella/UMass

WR Chase Claypool/Notre Dame

WR Dylan Collie/Brigham Young

TE  Matt Bushman/Brigham Young

OL Sage Doxtater-Gronert/New Mexico State

OL Alex Bars/Notre Dame

OL Tommy Kraemer/Notre Dame

OL Bryce Holland/Army West Point

OL Sam Mustipher/Notre Dame

DEFENSE
DL Jerry Tillery/Notre Dame

DL Cedric Wilcots/New Mexico State

DL Corbin Kaufusi/Brigham Young

DL Kenneth Brinson/Army West Point

LB Te'Von Coney/Notre Dame

LB James Nachtigal/Army West Point

LB Terrill Hanks/New Mexico State

LB Drue Tranquill/Notre Dame

DB Julian Love/Notre Dame

DB Isaiah Rodgers/UMass

DB Ron LaForce/New Mexico State

DB Nick Coleman/Notre Dame

SPECIALISTS

 K  Alex Probert/Liberty

 P   Payton Theisler/New Mexico State

KR Marquis Young/UMass

PR Michael Shelton/Brigham Young

College Football 2018 Conference Previews -- SBC

SUN BELT CONFERENCE
OVERVIEW

Arkansas State's Blake Anderson (Mike Ehrmann)

A smaller Sun Belt Conference could mean a better Sun Belt Conference, at least in terms of national acclaim. Gone are Idaho (down to FCS) and New Mexico State (FBS Independent), which makes things more streamlined and interesting. There is also now a title game, which adds an extra layer of excitement and gives hope to a team that maybe lost the regular season showdown.

One thing that hasn't changed is the top teams -- Appalachian State, Troy and Arkansas State will once again show the way, with a couple of interlopers hoping to upset the apple cart.

Appalachian State returns 11 starters from last season's nine win squad, including running back Jalin Moore (1037 yards, 12 TDs) and the exemplary cornerback tandem of Clifton Duck (50 tackles, 6 INTs, 6 PBUs) and Tae Hayes (53 tackles, 4 INTs, 12 PBUs). The Moutaineers allowed just 14 TDs through the air a year ago, and their 18 picks ranked among the nation's top 15. If App State can get solid quarterback play after losing four year starter Taylor Lamb, it could be in line for more than just a conference title. Troy won double digit games for the second straight year, including an upset of LSU in Death Valley, but has a bit of rebuilding to do after losing quarterback Brandon Silvers and running back Jordan Chunn. The offensive line is one of the best and most experienced in the league, and the receiving tandem of Deondre Douglas and Damion Willis combined for 90 catches and seven TDs in 2017. Corner Blace Brown (33 tackles, 5 INTs, 6 PBUs) has NFL scouts paying attention and leads the way for a solid secondary group. The league finale at Appalachian State should determine the East Division champ. Georgia Southern won just twice last season, but played much better once Chad Lunsford was tabbed as head coach after the UMass game. The Eagles won two of their last three and have some momentum heading into the 2018 campaign thanks to one of the most experienced rosters in college football (18 returnees). Shai Werts is a solid dual threat quarterback while Wesley Fields (811 yards, 5 TDs) should improve with a reliable line in front of him. The defense must improve after allowing 32 points per game last year. The secondary is outstanding, led by corner Monquavion Brinson (5 INTs, 12 PBUs) and safeties RJ Murray (team-high 60 tackles) and Joshua Moon (47 tackles, 2 INTs). If GSU can generate more of a pass rush (22, 92nd nationally) there could be quite a bit of improvement. For now we're projecting a bowl game.

The West has the league's best shot at a New Years Six berth as Arkansas State appears ready to roll. The Wolves went just 7-5 last season, a disappointment, but close examination shows three losses by seven points or fewer. Combine that with 12 returning starters -- including the league's most potent offense for 2018 -- and it's easy to see why expectations are high. Quarterback Justice Hansen (3967 yards, 37 TDs) makes the offense go, and leading receiver Justin McInnis (49 catches, 16.3 ypc) returns. Former Oregon and Texas A&M product Kirk Merritt will be opposite McInnis and was one of the better JUCO receivers in America last season. The ground game is in the able feet of Warren Wand (715 yards, 6 TDs). The defense may take a step back after losing pass rush terror Ja'Von Rolland-Jones and his baker's dozen sacks, but Ronheen Bingham (22 tackles, 5 sacks) could be ready to establish himself. Justin Clifton (63 tackles, 13 PBUs) moves from corner to nickel back, which puts him closer to the line of scrimmage in the Wolves 4-2-5 scheme. Safety BJ Edmonds (80 tackles, 3 INTs) is a veteran and big time hitter. A-State misses Troy and gets App State at home, and travels to Alabama in week two for an interesting test. ULM allowed 35 or more points eight times last year, which isn't going to get it done in the Sun Belt or anywhere else. The Warhawks have matured and are among the nation's top 20 in terms of experience (17 returning starters) and bring back emerging quarterback Caleb Evans (2868, 17 TDs, 6 INTs, 13 rushing TDs). A veteran line should keep the offense rolling, as should a big-time jump from running back Derrick Gore (585 yards). The Warhawks didn't produce much pressure (21 sacks) nor force many turnovers (14), so that will have to improve. Defensive tackle Mason Husmann (37 tackles, 3.5 TFL) should vie for all-league honors while linebacker David Griffith (76 tackles, 6 TFL) brings experience and stability to the linebacker corps. Louisiana was another defensively challenged a year ago (40 ppg) but have fortified the lineup with a handful of FBS transfers, including defensive end Garrald McDowell (Ole Miss) and corner Kendall Johnson (Nevada). Running back Trey Ragas (813 yards, 9 TDs, 5.7 ypc) is one of the best in the league and could be ready for a national breakout.

RISING: Georgia Southern
FALLING: Troy
BOWL TEAMS (5): Appalachian State, Troy, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State, ULM

SUN BELT PROJECTED STANDINGS
EAST
1 Appalachian State (9-4, 6-2)

2 Troy (8-4, 6-2)

3 Georgia Southern (6-6, 4-4)

4 Georgia State (4-8, 3-5)

5 Coastal Carolina (2-10, 1-7) 
WEST

1 Arkansas State (11-2, 7-1)

2 ULM (6-6, 5-3)

3 Louisiana (6-6, 4-4)

4 South Alabama (4-8, 3-5)

5 Texas State (3-9, 1-7) 
SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP

Arkansas State over Appalachian State

ALL-SUN BELT TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB Justice Hansen/Arkansas State

RB Jalin Moore/Appalachian State

RBTrey Ragas/Louisiana

WR Penny Hart/Georgia State

WR Justin McInnis/Arkansas State

WR Deondre Douglas/Troy

TE  Collin Reed/Appalachian State

OL Victor Johnson/Appalachian State

OL Lanard Bonner/Arkansas State

OL Deontae Crumitie/Troy

OL Jacob Still/Arkansas State

OL Tristan Crowder/Troy

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL Joe Dillon/Louisiana

DL Logan Hunt/Georgia Southen

DL Ronheem Bingham/Arkansas State

DL Myquan Stout/Appalachian State

LB Anthony Flory/Appalachian State

LB Bryan London/Texas State

LB Michael Shaw/Georgia State

LB Tron Folsom/Troy

DB Blace Brown/Troy

DB Clifton Duck/Appalachian State

DB Tae Hayes/Appalachian State

DB Justin Clifton/Arkansas State

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS

 K Gavin Patterson/South Alabama

 P  Corliss Waitman/South Alabama

KR Marcus Green/ULM

PR Thomas Hennigan/Appalachian State

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB Caleb Evans/ULM

RB Warren Wand/Arkansas State

RB Wesley Fields/Georgia Southern

WR Malcolm Williams/Coastal Carolina

WR Marcus Green/ULM

WR Jamarius Way/South Alabama

TE  Chase Rogers/Louisiana

OL Kevin Dotson/Louisiana

OL Kirk Kelly/Troy

OL Aaron Brewer/Texas State

OL Curtis Rainey/Georgia Southern

OL Shamarious Gilmore/Georgia State

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL Trevon Sanders/Troy

DL Marterious Allen/Georgia State

DL Tyree Turner/South Alabama

DL Mason Husmann/ULM

LB Hunter Reese/Troy

LB Frankie Griffin/Texas State

LB Bull Barge/South Alabama

LB Silas Kelly/Coastal Carolina

DB Monquavion Brinson/Georgia Southern

DB Cedarius Rookard/Troy

DB BJ Edmonds/Arkansas State

DB Nigel Lawrence/South Alabama

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS

 K  Tyler Bass/Georgia Southern

 P   Cody Grace/Arkansas State

KR Marcus Jones/Troy

PR Marcus Green/ULM

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Justice Hansen/Arkansas State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Clifton Duck/Appalachian State

COACH OF THE YEAR: Blake Anderson/Arkansas State

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: CB Kendall Johnson/Louisiana

College Football 2018 Conference Previews -- MWC

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

OVERVIEW

Boise State's Bryan Harsin (Mountain West Connection)

The more things change, the more they stay the same -- at least that's the case in the Mountain West in 2018.

The league is better top to bottom than it's been in quite some time, but the usual suspects are sitting at the top of the heap this year, and that probably isn't going to change any time soon. While Boise State and San Diego State are still top dogs in their divisions, the improvement of Wyoming, Utah State and Fresno State could make for some potentially tasty matchups this season.

Boise State still rules the Mountain roost, and has enough talent and experience to make a real push to be the Group of Five rep for a New Year's Six bowl game. Quarterback Brett Rypien is back for his senior season, which means the offense is in good hands. While he didn't throw a ton of touchdowns last year (16), he also was steady with the ball and didn't turn it over much (6 INTs). With Boise's best receivers gone, look for more emphasis on the ground game -- which should suit Alexander Mattison just fine. The junior ran for over 1,000 yards and found the end zone a dozen times in 2017, and should be in line for even bigger things this year. Defense should once again be the Broncos calling card. After allowing just under 23 points per game last year, the defense could be ready to take off thanks to playmakers at every level. End Curtis Weaver, linebacker Tyson Maeva and defensive backs Tyler Horton and Kekoa Nawahine are all stars and should be the leaders of a powerful stop unit. If anyone is going to rival Boise for top defensive honors, it will be Wyoming. The Cowboys are starting to look like Craig Bohl's North Dakota State teams did. It will be tough to equal last year's stellar 17.5 ppg allowed, but it could happen, especially with star linemen Curtis Granderson and Youhanna Ghaifan, linebacker and leading tackler Logan Wilson (119 tackles, 7 TFL) and safety Andrew Wingard (114 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 INT) all returning. The offense could be potent if a quarterback is found. Utah State brings back one of the most experienced teams in the nation, including all five offensive linemen. Wideout Ron'Quavion Tarver and tight end Dax Raymond are stars and should help a passing game that was stagnant at times a year ago. The defense returns nine and could rival the 2014 group which allowed less than 20 points per contest. It might be a mistake to overlook Mike Bobo's Colorado State squad, especially if Washington transfer KJ Carta-Samuels plays up to expectation at quarterback. He has great weapons in Olabisi Johnson and Preston Williams, and an emerging backfield star in Izzy Matthews. Toughness on defense is a question after CSU allowed over 5.0 yards per carry to opponents last season, though first year DC John Jancek has gotten results at every stop.

The West has some depth, but San Diego State and Fresno State are clearly the best of the lot. The Aztecs return seven on offense, notably quarterback Christian Chapman (13-4 TD-INT) and an intact offensive line, which has a pair of stars in guard Keith Ismael and tackle Tyler Roemer. Running back Juwan Washington appears to be next in the SDSU running back line after scoring seven times and averaging 6.0 ypc a year ago in relief of all-world Rashaad Penny. The defense returns seven of its top 10 tacklers from a group that held foes to 20.2 ppg. Linebackers Ronley Lakalaka and Parker Baldwin will pace the unit. Vying with the Aztecs for divisional supremacy is Fresno State, which brings back 15 starters from a team that won double digit games for the first time since 2013. Marcus McMaryion is a confident leader at quarterback and just might have the best receiving corps in the league at his disposal. KeeSean Johnson eclipsed 1,000 yards and scored eight times last year, and he's joined by Jamire Jordan and former Oklahoma pass catcher Michiah Quick. If the Bulldogs can find more explosiveness and consistency in their run game they should be a handful. The defense was a revelation last year, allowing 17.9 points a year after giving up nearly 31 per game. The loss of DC Orlondo Steinauer to the CFL could be a blow as he devised schemes that would shift at the snap and confuse opponents. Taking over DC duties is Bert Watts, and he'll have some talent to work with, notably a linebacker group led by junior Jeffrey Allison, who emerged as a tackling machine (126) a year ago. Corner Jaron Bryant can play sticky man-to-man, and his mates in the secondary are all athletic and quick. Back to back games with Boise State and San Diego State will determine the Bulldogs' fate. Nevada is right on the fringe of breaking through but will ultimately fall short due to shortcomings on defense, though linebacker Malik Reed is a keeper. The pitch and catch combo of Ty Gangi to McLane Mannix will be one of the most lethal in the league. UNLV is also improving and could break through with a potent offense led by quarterback Armani Rodgers and running back Lexington Thomas.

RISING: Nevada
FALLING: Air Force
BOWL TEAMS (6): Boise State, Wyoming, Utah State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Fresno State

MWC PROJECTED STANDINGS
MOUNTAIN
1 Boise State (12-1, 7-1)
2 Wyoming (8-4, 6-2)
3 Utah State (7-5, 5-3)
4 Colorado State (6-6, 5-3)
5 Air Force (4-8, 3-5)
6 New Mexico (2-10, 0-8)

WEST
1 San Diego State (10-3, 7-1)
2 Fresno State (8-4, 6-2)
3 Nevada (6-6, 4-4)
4 UNLV (5-7, 3-5)
5 San Jose State (2-10, 1-7)
6 Hawaii (2-11, 1-7) 
MWC CHAMPIONSHIP
Boise State over San Diego State

ALL-MWC TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Brett Rypien/Boise State

RB Lexington Thomas/UNLV

RB Alexander Mattison/Boise State

WR KeeSean Johnson/Fresno State

WR McLane Mannix/Nevada

WR Preston Williams/Colorado State

TE  Dax Raymond/Utah State

OL Ezra Cleveland/Boise State

OL Aaron Jenkins/New Mexico

OL Keith Ismael/San Diego State

OL Quin Ficklin/Utah State

OL Micah St Andrew/Fresno State

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Carl Granderson/Wyoming

DL Curtis Weaver/Boise State

DL Youhanna Ghaifan/Wyoming

DL David Moa/Boise State

LB Malik Reed/Nevada

LB Jeffrey Allison/Fresno State

LB Logan Wilson/Wyoming

LB Jahlani Tavai/Hawaii

DB Andrew Wingard/Wyoming

DB Ron Smith/San Diego State

DB Jaron Bryant/Fresno State

DB Tariq Thompson/San Diego State

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS

 K  Dominik Eberle/Utah State

 P  Ryan Stonehouse/Colorado State

KR Tyler Hall/Wyoming

PR Avery Williams/Boise State

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Marcus McMaryion/Fresno State

RB Juwan Washington/San Diego State

RB Izzy Matthews/Colorado State

WR John Ursua/Hawaii

WR Olabisi Johnson/Colorado State

WR Ron'Quavion Tarver/Utah State

TE  Kahale Warring/San Diego State

OL Tyler Roemer/San Diego State

OL Nathan Jacobson/UNLV

OL Netane Muti/Fresno State

OL John Molchon/Boise State

OL Sean Krepsz/Nevada

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Noble Hall/San Diego State

DL Durrant Miles/Boise State

DL Christopher Unga/Utah State

DL Richard King/Colorado State

LB Ronley Lakalaka/San Diego State

LB Tyson Maeva/Boise State

LB George Helmuth/Fresno State

LB Josh Watson/Colorado State

DB Tyler Horton/Boise State

DB Dameon Baber/Nevada

DB Gaje Ferguson/Utah State

DB Kekoa Nawahine/Boise State

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS:
 K  Bryce Crawford/San Jose State

 P  Aaron Dalton/Utah State

KR Elijah Lilly/New Mexico

PR Austin Conway/Wyoming

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Brett Rypien/Boise State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jeffrey Allison/Fresno State

COACH OF THE YEAR: Matt Wells/Utah State

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: QB KJ Carta-Samuels/Colorado State 

College Football 2018 Conference Previews -- MAC

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE

OVERVIEW

Northern Illinois' Sutton Smith (STLToday.com

In most of the recent history, the MAC has had one team that has stood head and shoulder above the crowd, the one that followers knew was going to win the league crown. So the fact that there's some intrigue is a welcome change.

Both the East and West divisions should be two team affairs, led by mostly familiar faces.

Ohio had the most potent offense in the conference a year ago and returns most of its talent, so it wouldn't be a shock to see the Bobcats once again lead the way on offense. Quarterback Nathan Rourke is as fine a dual threat as you'll find, and he's helped by a veteran offensive line and running back AJ Ouelette. Ohio has been pretty steady on defense under head coach Frank Solich, and this year should be no diffferent. If the Bobcats are to be unseated, Buffalo will be the team to do it. Lance Leipold's Bulls could challenge Ohio for the MAC's most potent offense, and will certainly show the way in the passing game thanks to rifle-armed quarterback Tyree Jackson, who has NFL scouts watching. Wideout Anthony Johnson is one of the most dangerous pass-catchers in America, and tight end Tyler Mabry should see an increased role this season after catching 24 passes a year ago. Buffalo has already turned out one great linebacker named Khalil -- Mack, who has become a star for the Oakland Raiders -- and this year has another, Hodge, who made an eye-popping 154 stops a year ago and is the heart and soul of a defense that cut its scoring down by nearly eight points. Should Buffalo achieve to its potential, Leipold will have his first winning season, and the first at the school since 2013. Miami and Akron each have a couple of standouts, but not enough to seriously challenge for the division crown.

In the West, Northern Illinois will reclaim supremacy after two seasons of near misses. The Huskies have the league's best stop unit, led by pass rush terror Sutton Smith (14 sack, 15.5 TFL), a solid linebacker corp and a secondary led by former Notre Dame star Mykelti Williams (73 tackles, 6 PBU). NIU gets Ohio and Toledo at home, adding an extra advantage, and will be tested by a non-league slate of Iowa, Utah and Florida State. The offense should once again be solid after four straight years of decline thanks to eight returning starters. Toledo lost highly decorated quarterback Logan Woodside to graduation, which leaves questions about the position. Whoever wins the spot will have the league's best pass-catching group at his disposal -- Diontae Johnson, Cody Thompson and Jon'Vea Johnson, each of whom have had a season with 10 touchdown catches. Now that all are healthy, that means trouble for opposing defenses. The Rockets won't be quite as good on D as they were last year due to the loss of four of their top five tacklers, which could mean quite a few shootouts. Western Michigan disappointed last year, largely due to an ungodly spate of injuries. No fewer than 21 players suffered season-ending injuries, including the entire running back and receiving corps, as well as the starting quarterback. Presumably healthy, the Broncos should be a more competitive group. Quarterback Jon Wassink put up excellent numbers before getting hurt (64.2%, 14 TD, 4 INT), and he'll operate behind a veteran offensive line that was one of the few groups to stay healthy in 2017. Former Michigan wideout Drake Harris could emerge as a favorite target, and running back Jamauri Bogan should contend for all-league honors after averaging over five yards per carry last season. The defense was dealt a blow when corner Sam Beal declared for the supplemental draft, so it could be tough to improve on last year's 29 ppg allowed figure. The scoreboard in Waldo Stadium should light up often in 2018.

RISING: Buffalo
FALLING: Central Michigan
BOWL TEAMS (5):  Ohio, Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western  Michigan

MAC PROJECTED STANDINGS
EAST
1 Ohio (8-5, 7-1)
2 Buffalo (8-4, 6-2)
3 Miami (5-7, 5-3)
4 Akron (4-8, 3-5)
5 Bowling Green (3-9, 2-6)
6 Kent State (1-11, 0-8) 
WEST

1 Northern Illinois (10-3, 8-0)

2 Toledo (9-3, 7-1)

3 Western Michigan (7-5, 5-3)

4 Eastern Michigan (3-9, 2-6)

5 Central Michigan (3-9, 2-6)

6 Ball State (2-10, 1-7) 
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP

Northern Illinois over Ohio

ALL-MAC TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Tyree Jackson/Buffalo

RB James Gilbert/Ball State

RB AJ Ouelette/Ohio

WR Anthony Johnson/Buffalo

WR Diontae Johnson/Toledo

WR James Gardner/Miami

TE  Tyler Mabry/Buffalo

OL Max Scharping/Northern Illinois

OL John Keenoy/Western Michigan

OL Joe Lowery/Ohio

OL James O'Hagan/Buffalo

OL Jimmy Leatiota/Eastern Michigan 
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL Sutton Smith/Northern Illinois

DL Maxx Crosby/Eastern Michigan

DL Jamal Davis/Akron

DL Jeremiah Harris/Eastern Michigan

LB Ulysees Gilbert/Akron

LB Khalil Hodge/Buffalo

LB Malik Fountain/Central Michigan

LB Jim Jones/Kent State

DB Javon Hagan/Ohio

DB Sean Bunting/Central Michigan

DB Vince Calhoun/Eastern Michigan

DB Mykelti Williams/Northern Illinois 
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS

 K  Jameson Vest/Toledo P  Derek Adams/Kent State
KR Malik Dunner/Ball State
PR  Papi White/Ohio

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Nathan Rourke/Ohio
RB Jonathan Ward/Central Michigan
RB Jamauri Bogan/Western Michigan
WR Cody Thompson/Toledo
WR Scott Miller/Bowling Green
WR Papi White/Ohio
TE  Mitchell Brinkman/Northern Illinois
OL Luke Juriga/Western Michigan
OL Joe Anderson/Ohio
OL Bryce Harris/Toledo
OL Luke Shively/Northern Illinois
OL Jordan Rigg/Miami
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Chuck Harris/Buffalo
DL Kyle Junior/Bowling Green
DL Mike Danna/Central Michigan
DL Nate Trawick/Miami
LB Junior McMullen/Miami
LB Kyle Pugh/Northern Illinois
LB Evan Croutch/Ohio
LB Josh Corcoran/Northern Illinois
DB Alvin Davis/Akron
DB Jalen Fox/Ohio
DB Kyron Brown/Akron
DB Montre Gregory/Bowling Green
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
 K  Louie Zervos/Ohio
 P  Kyle Kramer/Miami
KR Diontae Johnson/Toledo
PR Denzel McKinley-Lewis/Toledo

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyree Jackson/Buffalo
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sutton Smith/Northern Illinois
COACH OF THE YEAR: Lance Leipold/Buffalo
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: OT Antwan Reed/Western Michigan