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D'ville's Full-Service CFB Preview Thread for 2020!

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Memphis

Preview segment: The Memphis Tigers

Last season: All right, Memphis! You guys finally reached the big time last year with a AAC trophy and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl. And the journey included QB Brady White setting passing records, a festive appearance hosting "College Gameday", and 2 big wins over Cincinnati to win the AAC title.
...But head coach Mike Norvell is gone now, off to Florida State. So what can Memphis do for an encore, now that Ryan Sliverfield has stepped in?

Bad news: Norvell took a lot of his assistant coaches with him to FSU, including the defensive coordinator. Speaking of the defense, it gave up too many big plays last year, so that problem needs to get fixed.

Good news: Maybe Sliverfield has what it takes to be a coach! I mean, he managed to convince people like Brady White and WR Damonte Coxie to stay put in Memphis for another year, so the offense shouldn't skip a beat. And the special teams look OK, too.

2020 X-factor: New defensive head Mike MacIntyre- Sliverfield also found a fine coach to be the new defensive coordinator in MacIntyre. Mike did win national coach of the year honors twice, you know, so he should do nothing but help the Memphis defense.

Key games:
9/12 @ Purdue (Much like their game against Ole Miss last year, Memphis will treat their game with Purdue as a possible launching pad for the season.)
9/19 vs. Houston (A high-scoring AAC opener is expected between these two teams.)
10/1 @ SMU (Another AAC game where a lot of points is expected.)
10/17 vs. UCF (Memphis has only defeated UCF once all-time... and that was back in the 20th century.)
10/31 @ Cincinnati (Another tough assignment for the Tigers, traveling out to Cincinnati. But at least Cincy hasn't beaten Memphis since 2013.)

Bottom line: Tough games at places like Purdue, SMU, and Cincinnati (combined with that UCF game) means that the Tigers will have an uphill climb in defending their AAC title. But with Brady White returning to lead the offense, at least the Tigers won't give up their throne without a fight! It'll be up to the new head-man to guide Memphis towards another title shot... and maybe even another big-time bowl.
 

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Navy

Preview segment: The Navy Midshipmen

Last season: They're baaaaaccckkkkk! After a bad 3-9 campaign in 2018, people were starting to question Ken Niumatalolo and his Navy program. One year later, QB Malcolm Perry regained his mojo... and so did the Midshipmen as they had a great 11-2 campaign with a Top 20 finish in the AP Poll. And yes, that included winning the "Commander-in-Chief" trophy, too.

Good news: A pair of talented safeties will led the Navy secondary, and they return almost all of their key players at RB and WR. That should help Malcolm get more points...

Bad news: ...oops, I forgot. Malcolm's no longer in Annapolis. And a rebuilding O-line will not help the new Navy QB get comfortable. Navy also lost some key defensive players thanks to the transfer portal.
And that's pretty weird. That almost never happens in Navy football, people transferring out like that.

Key games:
9/5 vs. Notre Dame (What a disaster! Navy's game in Dublin, Ireland got cancelled! ...Wait, excuse me? This will be the first time that Notre Dame EVER comes to Annapolis?! ...Okay, so it's not a disaster.)
10/3 @ Air Force (Maybe the toughest game Navy will have all year, as they must visit a Air Force team that is LOADED... and also quite cross at the Midshipmen.)
11/7 vs. Tulsa (Here's a must-win for the Midshipmen. Not just to boost their bowl chances, but also to pick up some much-needed momentum...)
11/14 vs. Memphis (...as they enter this game against the only AAC school to beat them last year.)
12/12 vs. Army [in Philly] (Beating up the Black Knights last year 31-7 had to feel nice for Navy.)

Bottom line: Things were great for Navy in 2019, but with Malcolm Perry gone it's time for a crash. Don't worry, guys! Navy won't fall too far (they'll still make a bowl game this year), but they are SO not going 11-2 again.
 

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Tulsa

The last preview segment for the AAC: The Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Last season: Another rough year as Tulsa went 4-8. But Tulsa did get better as the season went on thanks to their new QB. Maybe that's why Phillp Montgomery is still here; the school is now hoping that the offense carries them to a bowl.

Good news: That offense returns 9 starters, including senior QB Zach Smith and an array of strong skill players. The defense has some experienced players...

Bad news: ...and Tulsa will need every one of them since only 3 starters are coming back on that side of the ball. The kicking game costed them big time in a couple of games last year, so that needs to be fixed also.

Key games:
9/5 vs. Toledo (Tulsa will look for a good start to the season, as their new defense hosts a MAC power.)
10/3 @ UCF (Beating UCF 34-31 was undoubtedly the highlight of Tulsa's 2019 season. Their offense has to have a wonderful day if they want to stun UCF again.)
11/14 vs. SMU (This late game will be crucial for Tulsa's bowl chances.)
11/21 vs. Tulane (See above game.)

Bottom line: This may be Montgomery's last chance to turn the Tulsa program around by getting them to a bowl. If the offense goes wild and the defense gets better, the Golden Hurricane will have a chance to go to the postseason. Otherwise, we may have a new coach over here in 2021.
 

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AAC Predictions

...So we here in Central New York are finally getting some needed rain. Anyway, here's how the 11-team AAC will look like in 2020:

1. Central Florida (Conference champs, maybe "New Year's Six")
2. Cincinnati
3. Memphis
4. SMU
5. Houston
6. Navy
7. Temple
8. Tulane
9. Tulsa
10. East Carolina
11. South Florida

Coming up on Monday, I start up my previews for Conference USA!
 

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Charlotte

Preview segment: The Charlotte 49ers

Last season: All of Will Healy's ideas started to click late in the season for the 49ers, and it resulted in a 5-game winning streak that gave Charlotte it's 1st-ever winning season and 1st-ever bowl bid. Now the 49ers are hoping to do all of that again... and maybe challenge for the division.

Good news: QB Chris Reynolds had a breakout season last year, and he'll have his favorite targets back. 7 starters return on defense, including a good secondary.

Bad news: Replacing people like Alex Highsmith (the school's all-time sacks leader) and Jeff Gemmell (the school's all-time tackles leader) will not be easy. Finding a replacement for RB Benny LeMay will also be hard, and the special teams unit needs some help (especially on punt coverage).

Key games:
9/5 @ Tennessee (Don't be scared of this game, 49ers! Remember what Georgia State did to Tennessee in last year's opener?)
10/3 @ Florida Atlantic (Charlotte must start conference play against FAU for the 2nd year in a row. Hopefully it'll go better for the 49ers than it did in 2019.)
10/10 @ North Texas (A hard-fought 39-38 win over the Mean Green was the spark Charlotte needed to go on that 5-game win streak.)
11/21 @ Marshall (The 49ers were able to beat Marshall last year. And if they do it again...)
11/28 vs. Western Kentucky (...it'll bode well for them entering this big season finale.)

Bottom line: Hmm... of the 5 key games I mentioned, 4 of them are on the road. That probably means that the 49ers will have a tough time duplicating their success from last year. But they now have the talent and the confidence to deal with it. They may be a year away from seriously contending for the C-USA East, but another bowl berth is doable.
 

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Rice

Preview segment: The Rice Owls

Last season: Another tough year for the Owls, but at least they got better as the season went on.

Good news: 10 starters return on a not-bad defense, including some very good corners. Their top 2 WR's from a year ago are back on offense.

Bad news: That offense sucked last year, and Rice will be trying out 7 QB's during summer camp. Rice also has no go-to running back.

Key games:
9/3 @ Houston (Keeping it close against their inner-city rivals would be a good sign for Rice to start the year.)
9/12 vs. Army (If Rice's offense wakes up, this game looks winnable.)
10/10 vs. UAB (Maybe Rice can surprise the Blazers with their proud defense.)
11/21 @ North Texas (By this time, we'll know how improved the Owls really are.)

Bottom line: Rice might actually have a shot this year! They have a good defense that should keep them afloat in conference play. But in order for Rice to have ANY shot at postseason play, they had BETTER fix their problems at quarterback as soon as possible.
 

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Florida International

Preview segment: The Florida International Golden Panthers

Last season: What a great moment it was for FIU on November 23rd, as they actually defeated their inner-city foe Miami! ...Sadly for FIU, it was their only highlight in what was otherwise a pretty blah 2019. Expected to compete for the C-USA title, they instead went 6-7 with a losing record in conference play.

Bad news: The offense needs to be more efficient, which won't be easy with only 3 starters returning on that side (and QB James Morgan is not one of them). Oh, and the hero of that win over Miami (kicker Jose Borregales) transferred out.

Good news: FIU's defense should be one of Conference USA's best units, with the front 7 looking particularly nasty. TE Sterling Palmer is posed to have a breakout year, and if the new QB (Kaylan Wiggins) steps up the passing game should be good.

Key games:
9/12 @ UCF (This is the perfect test for FIU's stout defense.)
10/10 vs. Middle Tennessee (To get into the bowl picture in 2020, FIU must avenge the 50-17 beatdown that Middle Tennessee gave them last year.)
10/17 @ Charlotte (And then, they must take care of a suddenly confident 49ers team.)
11/14 vs. Florida Atlantic (FIU has now lost 4 of their last 5 meetings against their arch-rivals.)

Bottom line: This season, there are no high expectations for the Golden Panthers to fulfill... which actually could help these guys. All they have to do now is think about making a bowl game and surviving in Conference USA. But if they want ANY chance to challenge for the East division, their offense had BETTER deliver.
 

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North Texas

Preview segment: The North Texas Mean Green

Last season: I honestly thought that North Texas was gonna be a good team in 2019. Well, oopsy-doopsy! The defense imploded and lost close game after close game, leaving the Mean Green to finish 4-8 and waste Mason Fine's final year as their QB.

Bad news: The defense really needs to force more turnovers, and the O-line has to improve. Plus, UNT will be testing out 2 QB's to be the starter... and neither one is a sure bet.

Good news: The skill positions on offense are solid, and the special teams unit will be a reliable weapon for UNT this year.

Key games:
10/3 vs. Southern Miss (After a tough non-conference slate [that includes SMU, Houston, and Texas A&M], North Texas will have to start conference play against a Southern Miss team desperate for a breakout year.)
10/10 vs. Charlotte (Last year, the 49ers clipped the Mean Green 39-38.)
11/7 vs. Louisiana Tech (La-Tech may be down this year, but you should never, EVER doubt them in conference.)
11/14 @ UAB (Another tough assignment for North Texas; the Blazers could be on a major roll by the time this game happens.)

Bottom line: Coach Seth Littrell fired both of his coordinators after the 2019 season, and now he wants to call the plays himself. This could be a critical year for his tenure in Denton, Texas as the school has a lot of holes to fill in 2020. But if he fills them in and scapes up a bowl berth, he and North Texas should be fine.
 

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Louisiana Tech

Preview segment: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Last season: Give it up for Skip Holtz and company! In 2019, Louisiana Tech had as much fun as they had since the Tim Rattay days of the late 80's. Their offense did great and they got their first 10-win season since 1984 (when they were in Division I-AA) and first since entering the FBS. Happy days!
...But now, cue the hangover. La-Tech is going into 2020 while missing a LOT of players.

Bad news: Among-st the people that had left Ruston, Lousiana are QB J'Mar Smith, proud kicker Bailey Hale, and nearly the entire secondary. In all, La-Tech will have only 8 total starters from 2019 coming back.

Good news: If La-Tech can find a new QB soon enough, maybe the offense won't miss a beat; most of their RB's and WR's from a year ago are back.

Key games:
9/12 @ Southern Miss (Let's just say that La-Tech's new defense is gonna be tested right here.)
10/17 vs. Marshall (Last year, La-Tech came into their game with Marshall at 8-1... and then lost 31-10.)
10/31 vs. UAB (Losing to the Blazers 20-14 costed La-Tech the West division last year. This year, La-Tech vs. UAB will have an impact on the division again.)
11/28 @ FIU (If things go bad for the Bulldogs in 2020, they might be fighting for their postseason lives here.)

Bottom line: Despite all of those personnel losses, La-Tech has earned the benefit of the doubt and shouldn't be counted out. The Bulldogs will be the wild-card team of C-USA in 2020; how quickly that defense reloads will determine La-Tech's fate.
 

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Old Dominion

Preview segment: The Old Dominion Monarchs

Last season: Extremely bad; the Monarchs went 1-11, and their only win was against a FCS team. This prompted coach Bobby Wilder to walk away, and now Ricky Rahne has stepped in.

Good news: 9 starters return on the defense, and the special teams look stable. The O-line has received high praise from the coaching staff last winter.

Bad news: The quarterback spot is a muddled mess, which will not help ODU's new no-huddle offense get going.

Key games:
9/19 vs. FIU (The Monarchs almost got FIU last year, losing 24-17.)
9/26 vs. Middle Tennessee (Will Old Dominion's offense take advantage of MTSU's rebuilding defense?)
10/17 @ UTSA (ODU had their hearts broken at home by the Roadrunners last year.)
10/24 vs. Virginia (This is the first time ODU will get to host the University of Virginia? Cool!)

Bottom line: The potential is there in Norfolk, so maybe Old Dominion will be a great team... in a couple of years. This year, it's all about installing the new schemes, which won't be easy with a hard schedule staring them down. You can ignore ODU in 2020 as the rebuilding process begins.
 

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Texas El-Paso

Preview segment: The UTEP Miners

Last season: Another miserable 1-11 year.

Good news: The Miners should have it's best wide-receiver group in a decade, and the D-line has some good pieces.

Bad news: The QB spot will (once again) be a spot of worry until further notice, and the defense REALLY needs to get better at forcing turnovers.

Key games:
9/26 vs. New Mexico State (After a likely 0-3 start, the Miners faces a rival that they've lost to 3 years in a row. This is a must-win for UTEP.)
10/31 vs. North Texas (Some gains in the state of Texas must be made for the Miners to survive.)
11/14 @ UTSA (To that end, this in-state game looks winnable.)
11/28 @ Rice (Ditto for this one.)

Bottom line: Some good individual pieces are here, but UTEP desperately needs to put them in the right places. Otherwise, I'll be ignoring them again in 2020... and coach Dana Dimel may be looking for a job.
 

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Texas San-Antonio

Preview segment: The UTSA Roadrunners

Last season: Another 4-8 season spelled the end of Frank Wilson's tenure in San Antonio, and now former Arkansas assistant Jeff Traylor is stepping in.

Good news: The skill positions look good; the WR group is deep and RB Sincere McCormick was a freshmen All-American. And even though there is a QB battle, at least it's a healthy one. UTSA's pass defense took a big step up in 2019...

Bad news: ... but the rest of the defense has some issues (especially at linebacker). The O-line has some depth problems.

Key games:
9/12 @ Texas State (The Roadrunners has never lost a game to Texas State in their history.)
10/17 vs. Old Dominion (A winnable contest for UTSA in conference.)
11/7 @ Rice (UTSA must once again take care of business as they punk out both the Owls...)
11/14 vs. UTEP (...and the Miners.)
11/28 vs. North Texas (Senior Day for the Roadrunners... and it'll be the final exam for the team to see if they get the new schemes.)

Bottom line: Almost everyone on the new coaching staff is from the state of Texas, which could pay big dividends for UTSA... in the future. But with new schemes to learn and not much time to learn them, the Roadrunners might have a tough 2020. 4 wins might be their ceiling... again.
 

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Western Kentucky

Preview segment: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Last season: Nowadays, every single year we get an FBS team that gets the jitters and loses to an FCS team but still turns out OK. In 2019, that team was Western Kentucky as they lost to Central Arkansas in Tyson Helton's very first game as head coach. Yet they recovered and tripled their win total from 2018 (including a blowout win at Arkansas and a bowl victory)! Now what can WKU (and Tyson) do for an encore?

Good news: The Hilltoppers has a LOT of good pieces, including a veteran O-line and a good RB. 9 starters return from a darn-good defense in 2019, including draft prospect DeAngelo Moore.

Bad news: Quarterback would have been another strong point on the team... had Steven Duncan not entered the transfer portal 3 months ago. And the 2 QB's fighting for the starting job right now both have little experience.

Key games:
9/12 @ Indiana (WKU will be fine against FCS team Chattanooga, but this will be the first real test for their new quarterbacks.)
10/10 vs. Marshall (Another tough task for WKU is dealing with Isaiah Green and Marshall one week...)
10/17 @ UAB (...and then dealing with the powerful Blazers the next week.)
11/7 @ Florida Atlantic (The Hilltoppers went 0-3 against Florida Atlantic while Lane Kiffin was in Boca Raton. Now with Lane gone, maybe WKU can take them out.)
11/28 @ Charlotte (WKU could win the East division right here... or lose it completely.)

Bottom line: With 17 seniors in the starting lineup, the Hilltoppers are going for broke in Tyson Helton's 2nd year as coach. If they find a replacement for Steven Duncan at QB, they'll be the favorites in the C-USA East division. But Marshall and Florida Atlantic will be standing in the way...
 

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Alabama-Birmingham

Preview segment: The UAB Blazers

Last season: People thought that was a shitload of seniors leaving the team, UAB would have problems in 2019. Well, Bill Clark fooled them all again! Thanks to a Top-10 defense, the Blazers were actually able to get 9 wins and successfully defend their C-USA West title! ...Part of that was due to UAB having maybe the easiest schedule in the whole FBS, but oh well.
Now with a shitload of players returning to Birmingham, can UAB get to even bigger heights?

Good news: Depth is everywhere on this team, with a lot of star players. They include QB Tyler Johnston III, WR Austin Watkins, OLB Jordan Smith, and MLB Kristopher Moll to name just a few.

Bad news: Tyler Johnston's health will be a sticking point for the team, as he got hit QUITE a few times last year. To that end, the O-line could stand to get better. And there's not much experience in the kicking game.

Key games:
9/17 @ Miami (Here's a game I'm looking forward to. Can UAB's offense handle Miami's powerful pass-rush?)
10/17 vs. Western Kentucky (Is this a preview of the 2020 Conference USA title game?)
10/31 @ Louisiana Tech (Fighting off the Bulldogs 20-14 last year allowed UAB to retain their division title.)
11/28 vs. Southern Miss (The Golden Eagles smashed UAB in Hattiesburg last year. If that happens again, the Blazers could lose their title chances.)

Bottom line: A few problems do need to be fixed come summer camp, but UAB has the star players and the coach to make another great run. 4 years into their return to college football, the Blazers are now the favorite to win Conference USA in 2020. And if they somehow upset Miami in September, the sky could be the limit for them.
 

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Southern Miss

Preview segment: The Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Last season: By the end of November 16th, Southern Miss was sitting at 7-3 and looked like they would have a great season after a couple of years of mediocrity. But then they stumbled and lost their last 3 games to finish 7-6. Now the fans in Hattiesburg are getting a little anxious for a breakout year.

Good news: The special teams look great, and the defense has a powerful front-line. 8 starters return on defense (including a good O-line)...

Bad news: ...but QB Jack Abraham needs to cut back on his interceptions. Jack also needs a new top WR after Quez Watkins left for the NFL, and for some actual help from the running game (which was poor last year).

Key games:
9/12 vs. Louisiana Tech (A big tone-setter for the rest of the C-USA season for the Eagles.)
10/10 vs. Florida Atlantic (Southern Miss has only faced FAU twice... and lost both times.)
11/14 @ Western Kentucky (The Hilltoppers ruined Senior Day for the Golden Eagles, beating them 28-10 at home. Payback must be administered.)
11/28 @ UAB (If the Golden Eagles hold it together, they can steal the West division here from the Blazers.)

Bottom line: The schedule's not too bad, so the Golden Eagles should easily return to the postseason. But coach Jay Hopson hasn't done too well in big games, and he needs to break that bad trend for Southern Miss to have that breakout season they want in 2020.
 

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Florida Atlantic

Preview segment: The Florida Atlantic Owls

Last season: Much like Ed Orgeron, nowadays Lane Kiffin works well under pressure. His FAU Owls were expected to fall short of the C-USA East division last year, but thanks to a killer offense FAU soared to the overall conference title. In fact, they went 11-3 in 2019... even though Lane departed for Ole Miss right after the C-USA title game.
So after that joyride FAU went on last year, what's next for this school?

2020 X-factor: New head coach Willie Taggart- Yep, FAU went and hired Willie Taggart. You know, the guy that bombed miserably at Florida State? Maybe Willie is trying to restart his career here (just like Lane did), so we'll see how he treats this job.

Bad news: FAU is trying to reload it's wide-receiver game with a crop of transfers, and the O-line must fill in a few holes. The defense has a depleted secondary, and it has it's 5th coordinator in 5 seasons...

Good news: ...but there are so many new pieces there, maybe Jim Leavitt's new schemes can work. QB Chris Robison is back, and so are FAU's top 4 rushers from last season.

Key games:
9/26 vs. USF (It won't be easy to beat USF, but they DID defeat the Bulls the last time they met.)
10/24 @ Marshall (FAU lost to Marshall last year, but they were able to recover from it. I don't think they can do that again, so this will be a must-win for the Owls.)
11/7 vs. Western Kentucky (Another critical contest in the fight for the C-USA East division.)
11/14 @ FIU (The Owls have won 4 of their last 5 meetings with the rival Golden Panthers.)

Bottom line: Don't get me wrong, Florida Atlantic has the talent to hold on to the C-USA East title. But with not much time to learn the new schemes and with Marshall and WKU breathing down their necks, it'll be a tough assignment. Good luck, Owls!
 

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Middle Tennessee

Preview segment: The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Last season: No Brent Stockstill at QB? On offense, that was no problem as Asher O'Hara stepped in admirably. But the defense struggled all damn year, and MTSU finished 4-8.

Good news: Asher has proven to be a great running QB, and if he progresses and hits more deep passes, the offense should do well again as it returns 8 starters. The defense has a good secondary...

Bad news: ...but it has question marks at every other place. The return game was trash last year, so that must be fixed.

2020 X-factor: The running game- I'll bet that the Blue Raiders don't want Asher to run around so much in 2020, so they'll need a reliable RB to carry the load. There are a few people there, but nobody really stands out there... YET.

Key games:
10/3 vs. Western Kentucky (These rivals are meeting for the 70th time, and it's a game where MTSU's defense needs to step up.)
11/7 vs. Charlotte (A challenging part of MTSU's schedule comes here, where the Blue Raiders will deal with the confident 49ers...)
11/14 @ Marshall (...and a determined Marshall team in consecutive weeks.)

Bottom line: I was only able to come up with 3 key games for this team?! ...Well, some coaches in this conference DID say that Rick Stockstill's tenure at MTSU is getting stale and needs a spark. Hopefully the Blue Raider defense gets better so that they can excite us again and get back to the postseason.
 

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Marshall

The last preview segment for Conference USA: The Marshall Thundering Herd

Last season: It was another good season for Marshall as they got 8 wins. But a late loss to Charlotte would cost the Herd a shot at the C-USA title.

Good news: Stud RB Brenden Knox is ready to go again, and the O-line returns a lot of starters. And if Marshall gets better consistency out of QB Isaiah Green, the offense will get even better.

Bad news: The defense has a lot of holes to fill, especially at linebacker. That vaunted O-line will be missing Levi Brown as it's center, and Marshall must also replace their entire kicking game from a year ago.

Key games:
9/12 vs. Pittsburgh (Some people are worried about Marshall's non-conference slate, which consist of ECU, Ohio, Pitt, and Boise State. But at least Marshall will get to host the Panthers.)
9/26 vs. Boise State (Marshall will get to host the Broncos, too! And don't forget: The Herd almost got Boise State on the "Smurf Turf" last year.)
10/10 @ Western Kentucky (Marshall has beaten the Hilltoppers 3 years in a row. If they make it 4 in a row, the Herd should have firm control over their fate in the division.)
10/24 vs. Florida Atlantic (This game [and the WKU game before it] will be part of a busy October for Marshall in conference play. The Herd defeated the Owls last year 36-31.)
11/21 vs. Charlotte (Marshall SHOULD have taken that win over FAU to the C-USA East division title... but then the 49ers ruined them 24-13.)

Bottom line: On paper, the Herd has the talent to be a Conference USA title contender once again. But their schedule is a little rough and their defense could be quite young. I guess if Marshall wants to win a wide-open East division in 2020, the offense might have to carry the load.
 
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