Normal college football is back... we hope! (2021 CFB Preview thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Sorry for the delay, everybody. I was waiting for whenever the CFB preview magazines was gonna come out. But now that they are, I'm back to give you MY thoughts on this upcoming season.

Now, I'm a little behind, but I think I'll start by taking care of some stragglers...
(P.S.: Please get your COVID vaccines; I already did.)

 

[BigFin]

I just see Athlon right now.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

I just see Athlon right now.

Yeah, and I had to send for it online after I went to Walmart (Twice!) and it wasn't there. I also sent for the Lindy's one online, too.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Just a small schedule update: Tomorrow I'll be taking care of previews for some schools that sadly didn't get to play that much (or at all) in 2020. They are UMass, New Mexico State, UConn, and Old Dominion.

Wait... Isn't Old Dominion a part of Conference USA? Well, I guess that means that C-USA will be the first conference I'll preview in 2021.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Returnees to the college football world for 2021

During last year's pandemic, some CFB teams decided that for safety's sake they'd best not play at all. But they're all back this year, so here are brief capsules for the 4 teams coming back to us:

New Mexico State: It could be another long year for the Aggies, but at least the running game looks OK. Fans in Las Cruces are hopeful that their poor defensive performances in the spring (against Tarleton State and Dixie State) are just blips on the radar.

UMass: The Minutemen only served as a "fill-in opponent" for 4 games last year. The defense should be their strong suit in 2021, and they have 3 talented running backs. Question is, can the coaching staff keep all 3 of them happy?

UConn: Much like NMSU, UConn could be in for a long year in 2021, but at least the extra time off last year helped Randy Edsall's staff to mold the talent. Quarterback may be a season-long issue, too.

Old Dominion: Even with the NCAA giving players an extra year of eligibility for 2021, the Monarchs STILL are having depth problems. That won't be good for the ODU offense, although the O-line is the best unit on the squad.

Coming up tomorrow, we'll properly begin the Conference USA previews.

 

[Yo Tee]

Was able to find Athlon in Publix today.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rice

Preview segment: The Rice Owls

Last season: Rice was able to defeat a Marshall team that was ranked #15 in the AP poll last year, so that's something! But sadly, the Owls were only able to play 5 games total last year, so we didn't get to see what they could REALLY do.

Good news: When Rice was able to play, their defense was REALLY good. And it could be that way again with 9 starters coming back, plus they're not gonna commit any stupid penalties on the field.

Bad news: If Wiley Green can't step up to the plate, quarterback is gonna be a worrisome place on offense.

2021 X-factor: New offensive coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo- Rice's pro-style offense could get a boost up with Marques' new wide-open attack. We'll see how it goes; it'll take a while for the team to learn it, but they showed great progress in the spring game.

Key games:
9/4 @ Arkansas (For Rice, this begins a 3-game "reunion tour" of their old SWC friends; they'll face Houston and Texas afterwards.)
10/16 @ UTSA (The hardest part of Rice's conference slate will be when they face a Roadrunner team that wants a C-USA title...)
10/23 @ UAB (...and then they'll visit the defending conference champs.)
11/27 vs. Louisiana Tech (If all goes well for Rice, they'll be fighting for a postseason berth here.)

Bottom line: Coach Mike Bloomgren is making progress over at Rice, but a hard schedule should keep the Owls from seriously contending for a bowl berth. That is, of course, unless the offense can catch up with that hard-nosed defense.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

UTEP

Preview segment: The Texas El-Paso Miners

Last season: There were actually some encouraging signs for the Miners to start the season; they started 3-1 with their first road win in a little while. But then conference play started, and so UTEP finished 3-5.

Good news: UTEP has a good O-line, some solid RB's, and a good run defense. Praise Amaewhule is getting some love from NFL scouts as a pass rusher.

Bad news: In 2021, it's all gonna be about depth. And sadly, UTEP doesn't have enough of it at this moment. Quarterback play has to be better, and Amaewhule is the only trustworthy guy on the Miner defense right now.

Key games:
8/28 @ New Mexico State (Happily for the Miners, the first half of their schedule is pretty easy. Winning the "Battle of I-10" would be a good start.)
10/2 vs. Old Dominion (Also winnable is this game against returning Old Dominion...)
10/9 @ Southern Miss (...and this game against a Golden Eagles team looking for direction.)
11/20 vs. Rice (By this time, we'll know how much progress UTEP's defense has made.)

Bottom line: UTEP has a chance to get off to a good start, but they won't move up in their division in 2021 unless the whole team continues to improve.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Florida Atlantic

Preview segment: The Florida Atlantic Owls

Last season: Under the circumstances, I thought Willie Taggert did OK in his 1st year; he got FAU to a winning record thanks to a stout defense.

Bad news: The offense stunk last year, and last I checked 5 QB's are currently fighting for the starting spot (which is never good). The defense could do better at forcing interceptions.

Good news: The O-line returns everyone from 2020, and the skill positions are set to help out whoever becomes the starting QB. The defense returns almost everyone as well.

Key games:
9/11 vs. Georgia Southern (FAU will start the season at Florida, but to me this is the more important game... if only because I'll find out what the QB's can ACTUALLY do.)
10/2 vs. Florida International (The Owls have won the last 4 meetings with FIU and five of the last six.)
10/9 @ UAB (Just a simple glamour game in the conference.)
11/6 vs. Marshall (The C-USA East will hinge on this game in 2021, and if FAU's offense is running well they can win this.)

Bottom line: Right now, the C-USA East looks to be a two horse race. Marshall is one, and FAU is the other one with 20 starters coming back. A bowl berth looks certain for the Owls this year, and if they win on November 6th the East could be theirs.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

UTSA

Preview segment: The Texas San-Antonio Roadrunners

Last season: UTSA were able to get 7 wins in Jeff Traylor's 1st year as coach, and in 2021 this team is hoping to follow up a surprising season with another surprise: Their first conference title.

Good news: Now this is just ridiculous; we have 23 starters returning from last year's Roadrunners team. They include QB Frank Harris, RB Sincere McCormick (a potential NFL player), their entire O-line, and the best kicking game in C-USA.

Bad news: The defense could stand to do better, especially in defending the pass.

Key games:
9/4 @ Illinois (How big would it be for UTSA if they can beat a Big 10 school? They'll have a chance here; Illinois's starting over with a new coach.)
10/16 vs. Rice (These two didn't play each other last year, sadly. This could be a tough in-state game if UTSA isn't ready.)
10/23 @ Louisiana Tech (This may be the hardest game UTSA will have all year, but it's one they'll need to win to take the West. The Roadrunners got La-Tech last year 27-26.)
11/20 vs. UAB (UTSA has only beaten UAB once... way back when they were in the WAC in 2013. What a Senior Day game we're gonna have here!)

Bottom line: A lot of solid players returning from a good team... I like those odds! I think the Roadrunners are gonna be the best team in Conference USA in 2021. If they defeat the Blazers in late November, they are SO gonna win the conference title.

 

[BamaDude]

Yeah, and I had to send for it online after I went to Walmart (Twice!) and it wasn't there. I also sent for the Lindy's one online, too.

Athlon came out two weeks ago down here, and Lindy's one week ago. Street & Smith/Sporting News should be next.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Middle Tennessee

Preview segment: The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Last season: So we're still talking about preseason magazines over here. On that note, I'll bet that CFB coaches and athletic directors all across the country are throwing out 2020 completely and just focusing on the future.
Middle Tennessee certainly needs to do that, as they're coming off their 2nd straight losing season.

Bad news: MTSU was thrown a MAJOR curve ball when QB Asher O'Hara left in the winter to go to an FCS team. So yeah, I think the QB spot is up for grabs now. Running back may also be an area of concern.

Good news: But maybe Bailey Hockman (coming in from NC State) can step in at the QB spot. The WR group looks good, and with 10 starters coming back expect the defense to get somewhat better.

Key games:
9/18 @ UTSA (We'll know where the Blue Raiders stand REALLY quickly, as they'll start conference play against my pick to win it.)
9/25 @ Charlotte (Then, it's a swing game against the 49ers...)
10/2 vs. Marshall (...before this big contest against Marshall. If MTSU wins this, maybe they'll be a factor in the division)
11/6 @ Western Kentucky (MTSU started the 2020 season 0-4, with a loss to the rival Hilltoppers thrown in.)

Bottom line: Such a shame. Had Asher O'Hara stayed in Murfreesboro, the Blue Raiders could have been a contender for the East division in 2021. But now, MTSU is just hoping to avoid a 3rd straight losing season. Finding the right QB and improving the defense will be key for them to achieve that goal.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Western Kentucky

Preview segment: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Last season: I'm not sure what to make of WKU's 2020 season. On one hand, they made another bowl game and were one of only 16 teams to play 12 games. On the other hand, their offense sucked and they finished 5-7.

Good news: New offensive coordinator Zach Kittley is coming in from Houston Baptist, and he brought along his QB Bailey Zappa (who comes in with some lofty stats). Line play should be great for the Hilltoppers, and they hit the transfer market hard to get 18 players to fill in depth.

2021 X-factor: All of these transfers- That actually brings up a great point. Last year, the NCAA relaxed it's transfer rules, and now anybody can transfer from one school to another 1 time without consequences. And you just know that these new transfer rules are gonna cause chaos; the players love it, and the coaches now must adapt and/or deal with it.
The 2021 Western Kentucky team could be a case study to follow; will all of these new transfers mesh together well, or rip the team apart? It'll be something to watch.

Bad news: Maybe the reason why WKU got all of these transfers is that they're only returning 10 starters from the 2020 team. The new high-powered offense might need time to get going.

Key games:
9/11 @ Army (WKU should get a test against the option-run Black Knights.)
10/9 vs. UTSA (This will be only the 2nd time the Hilltoppers and Roadrunners face each other, and it'll be a big home game for WKU.)
11/6 vs. Middle Tennessee (This rivalry game will be a big "swing game" for WKU's bowl chances... and for Middle Tennessee's as well.)
11/27 @ Marshall (This rivalry is now being called the "Moonshine Throwdown", and it's a series that Western Kentucky has now lost 4 in a row in.)

Bottom line: Coach Tyson Helton is hoping that all of these new additions (a new offense, new QB, the transfers) will get Western Kentucky back into C-USA contention. They'll have a chance in 2021 if they're able to win some big games in November.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Marshall

Preview segment: The Marshall Thundering Herd

Last season: I mean, it stated out well; Marshall soared to a 7-0 record thanks to an awesome defense and freshmen QB Grant Wells on offense. But then the quality dipped and Marshall dropped their final 3 games, including an embarrassing shutout loss to Rice and a loss to UAB in the C-USA title game.
But that's not the weirdest part. No, that came when Doc Holliday got the boot after 11 successful seasons in Huntington. Why the hell did they do that?

2021 X-factor: New head coach Charles Huff- The new guy comes in with a proud resume, no doubt. But after the stunning dismissal of Holliday, I'd be a little on-edge if I were Charles. Hopefully he can keep the team together.

Good news: A proud O-line will be a luxury for Grant Wells, who's looking to build off a good rookie year with some good targets. The defense should be strong again...

Bad news: ...but it did lose some key players from a year, especially in the secondary. There's a scramble to replace departing RB Brenden Knox.

Key games:
9/23 @ Appalachian State (Last year, Marshall was able to have the CBS cameras film their game against App. State. And they won it (17-7)! Now let's see what happens when they meet again on a Thursday night.)
11/6 @ Florida Atlantic (A big contest in the East division. And FAU could be on a roll by the time they host the Herd.)
11/13 vs. UAB (Just a simple rematch of the 2020 C-USA championship game... that UAB won in Huntington.)
11/27 vs. Western Kentucky (See my previous post.)

Bottom line: The schedule's pretty darn easy, so I think Marshall has a great chance to defend their East division title with that offense of theirs. Question is, which Marshall team will we see in big games: The proud team that climbed to #15 in the AP Poll, or the team that lost their last 3 games and got their coach fired? Your move, coach Huff.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Charlotte

Preview segment: The Charlotte 49ers

Last season: In 2020, some CFB teams got so unlucky with the virus that it was nearly impossible to see what they could have done. Charlotte was one of those unfortunate souls as they played 6 games, but dealt with 6 cancellations.
So for the first time this year, I'm throwing up my hands and saying .

Good news: QB Chris Reynolds is back for one more run, and his helpers at RB and WR are players he can count on.

Bad news: The kicking game needs an upgrade, and the 49ers HAS to do better at stopping the run.

Key games:
9/4 vs. Duke (One team Charlotte DID play in 2020 was in-state opponent Duke. This should be a big season opener for the 49ers.)
9/25 vs. Middle Tennessee (The 49ers didn't get to play MTSU last year, but I think they can beat the Blue Raiders THIS year.)
10/9 @ Florida International (A swing game for both teams' postseason chances.)
11/6 vs. Rice (Another winnable game for Charlotte.)

Bottom line: Coach Will Healy used the "Club Lit" mentality in 2019 to great results. But 2020 was decidedly less fun. If the defense does better, maybe the good vibes will come back to Charlotte in 2021.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

North Texas

Preview segment: The North Texas Mean Green

Last season: Despite a horrible defense, the Mean Green offense was able to do enough to get a bowl invite. Now the team is hoping to get back to contention in the C-USA West this year.

Bad news: I know that the stats in 2020 (for all FBS teams) were skewed, but North Texas's defense was THE WORST in the nation last year. And hope is not high for a dramatic improvement there. Special teams also needs a upgrade... badly.

Good news: The O-line was UNT's strength last year, and it should be again. That can only help an offense that has the chance to be really good in 2021.

Key games:
9/18 vs. UAB (Say! The Mean Green has the chance to do damage in the West division right away! Should be fun to see that proud UNT offense against a good UAB defense.)
9/25 @ Louisiana Tech (Trouble for UNT is, they gotta go and visit La-Tech right afterwards.)
10/16 vs. Marshall (Another tough [but fun-looking] game for North Texas to deal with. We could see a lot of points here.)
11/27 vs. UTSA (If the UNT defense is any good this year, they could surprise UTSA on Senior Day in Denton.)

Bottom line: The last 2 years have not been good for North Texas, and now they're starting to slide down the ladder in C-USA. If the defense can't hold up that strong offense, the slide-down could continue as the Mean Green sits at home during bowl season.

 

[jwolt92]

Thanks for this @Dolgevillefootballfan always one of my favorite parts of the summer leading up to CFB

 

[belcherboy]

Yes!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Louisiana Tech

Preview segment: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Last season: With so many new people around, I think La-Tech did good in 2020 as they had a break-even season which included a bowl invite.

Good news: Jacob Barnes does well as both a kicker AND punter, the O-line returns almost everyone, and QB Luke Anthony was the C-USA newcomer of the year. 10 starters return on defense...

Bad news: ...but last year's defense wasn't too good; some transfers might have to step up over there. Luke Anthony is recovering from an UGLY leg injury from last December, and the Bulldogs doesn't have a go-to running back.

Key games:
9/18 vs. SMU (Lindy's magazine says "La-Tech has a manageable schedule". Yeah, right! They gotta go to Mississippi State and NC State! Two sure-fire losses on the-
What? Oh, right, sorry. Uh, this could be a good one when the Mustangs go to Ruston.)
10/23 vs. UTSA (Wait. Maybe this is what Lindy's meant; the conference schedule's pretty good. If La-Tech beats UTSA, their chances to win the West will shoot upwards.)
11/6 @ UAB (This is easily the hardest conference game La-Tech will have in 2021... and it'll be one that they'll have to win to take the division.)
11/27 @ Rice (Careful, Bulldogs! I think Rice has a chance to surprise you this year!)

Bottom line: The West division will be a 3-horse race in 2021, and La-Tech is one of them... IF their QB is healthy and their defense gets better. At best, the Bulldogs are a viable threat to win Conference USA this year. At worst, they'll at least have another bowl berth.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Alabama-Birmingham

Preview segment: The UAB Blazers

Last season: Despite dealing with 4 straight cancellations, UAB was still able to take another West division title. And then they upset Marshall 22-13 to win their 2nd C-USA title in 3 years. Man, this fairy tale just keeps going and going for the UAB Blazers, eh?

Bad news: Lindy's has been freaking out about the schedule UAB has (more on that later), and wide-receiver is a bit of a mystery. Linebacker is another position of worry for the Blazers.

Good news: But the rest of the defense looks loaded again, and QB Tyler Johnston III is back for one more year. Oh, and the spring game helped UAB somewhat in finding new receivers.

Key games:
9/18 @ North Texas (See my North Texas preview.)
9/25 @ Tulane (The Blazers go on the road to face a team that used to be a friend over in C-USA.)
10/2 vs. Liberty (People are saying that Liberty will be a BEAST again this year. We'll see how UAB's stout defense handles this.)
11/6 vs. Louisiana Tech (Okay, NOW I'm seeing what Lindy's is talking about. In November, the Blazers take on a La-Tech team they lost to last year 37-34 in double OT. Then the next week they'll go to Marshall...)
11/20 @ UTSA (...and then they'll visit a LOADED Roadrunner team that also wants to dethrone the Blazers.)

Bottom line: Look. UAB has a chance to defend their conference title; Bill Clark and his team has earned the benefit of the doubt. But to me, the problem is not the non-conference slate. It's the fact that EVERYONE in the West division wants to take them out. Of course, if the Blazers defeat La-Tech and UTSA, a repeat title could happen.