Record: 4-8, no bowl
Season Synopsis: After bowl run last year and one of the nation’s top QBs returning in Jason Lucas, Ball State was viewed as a trendy pick in the MAC West. However, the Cardinals greatly underachieved under first year head coach Vince Kehres and failed to make a bowl game.. Though there were some bright spots including the emergence of sophomore tailback Brian Johnson (935 yards) late in the year, lots of question marks remain for Ball State moving forward.
Key Player - QB Jason Lucas - 171-290, 2176 yards, 21 TD, 241 rush, 1022 yards, 13 TD
Record: 4-8, no bowl
Season Synopsis: After a fantastic 11-3 campaign a year ago while returning future NFL tailback Jasper Haley, the Falcons did need to replace their heart and soul under center, Chris Williams, and the man who made the offense go in offensive coordinator Sam Freday. The Falcons saw a drastic seven game slip in the win column as the Falcons struggled to remain competitive in a solid MAC East.
Key Player - RB Jasper Haley - 214 rush, 1379 yds, 8 TD
Record: 7-5, inexplicably not invited to bowl game due to a bull**** phantom reason but instead we’ll label as “probation” to be nice about it.
Season Synopsis: After an embarrassing loss to FCS Youngstown State to open the season, Cincy rebounded beautifully and looked to be in command of the AAC East for much of the season. A late game slide ruined Cincy’s shot at the AAC Title, and that would be costly as Cincy inexplicably was not invited to a bowl game despite a 7-5 finish. Running back Chris Madison starred and, guess what, he’s back for his senior year in 2021. Cincy will have to replace QB Will Curry next year, a four year starter, but Cincy is trending upward.
Key Player - RB Chris Madison - 255 rush, 1549 yds, 8 TD
QB Will Curry - 134-254, 1975 yds, 21 TD, 164 rush, 949 yds, 8 TD
Record: 7-6, lost Military Bowl to Navy but no one cares because THE CHIPS FINALLY WENT BOWLING AFTER FIVE GODDAMNED YEARS!
Season Synopsis: Well.. you see what happened here. After five years of painful heartaching CMU football, offensive coordinator Crenshaw and head coach Doug Martin finally made some progress! Central went to their first bowl game in the seven year run of this dynasty (to my recollection) and played pretty well all around.. They were in the hunt for the MAC West title once again until the last week. CMU played two different QBs this season, Paul O’Toole and Johnny Hadley, but both were effective when they played. Former mega-freshman Cam Stith may always be remembered as a what might have been player, but did come a hair shy of gaining 1000 yards in his senior campaign. CMU will have to replace O’Toole and Stith next year, but who cares. CMU finally did it.
Key Player - RB Cam Stith - 180 rush, 1004 yards, 11 TD
Record: 5-7, no bowl.
Season Synopsis: Obviously a disappointment when compared to the great 10-3 run a year ago, but the Warriors did have to replace a lot of players, including star QB Mike Bryant. Jason Kililoloka did a good job all things considered. Hawai’i also had a tough out of conference slate that pushed them to the wall immediately. Hawai’i looked great in Mountain West play, but couldn’t pull out a win in Week 14 to gain bowl eligibility. Nevertheless, Trebell will return for his third season next year as strong candidates for a bounce back campaign.
Key Player -- QB Jason Kililoloka - 149-301, 2050 yards, 24 TD, 194 rush, 622 yds, 7 TD
RB Kyle Pettway - 171 rush, 1024 yds, 7 TD
Record: 6-7, lost to Temple in inaugural Chicago Bowl but who cares because he went bowling too.
Season Synopsis: Up there with Coach Crenshaw in my personal “Hard Knocks Life” category for the CAC fraternity, Coach James has seen good and bad in his time at UTSA and now Maryland. The second year Terps coordinator built upon a dismal 3-9 record last season to gain bowl eligibility. However, the Terps will think about what might have been as well.. Maryland was at one point 5-1 and ranked after beating then #1 Penn State, but had a colossal slide at the end of the year dampened the mood, including losing to winless Indiana. Nevertheless, Eldrick Robinson asserted himself as the guy under center and will return for his senior campaign as a possible dark horse Heisman candidate.
Key Player - QB Eldrick Robinson - 215-399, 2846 yards, 25 TD
RB Mario Washington from a town I’m very familiar with, Bellows Falls, VT -- 184 rush, 1210 yards, 13 TD
Record: 7-6, won St. Petersburg Bowl over Western Kentucky
Season Synopsis: The third year coordinator King rebounded brilliantly from a poor start to take four games in the American Conference and gain bowl eligibility in Week 14. Senior QB Erik Harvey, much like Ball State’s Jason Lucas, had a trying year despite high hopes. Fortunately, the Tigers got fantastic play out of junior tailback Napoleon Mason to get strong leadership and make it clear who the offense runs through.
Key Player - RB Napoleon Mason, 252 rush, 1346 yards, 19 TD
WR Ryan Burton - 59 rec, 1070 yds, 7 TD
Record: 6-6, no bowl
Season Synopsis: Middle Tennessee had a good start to the year, upsetting Texas A&M. However, it was a trying year for the Blue Raiders as well. A good offense met a poor defense, and a late-season losing streak jeopardized MTSU’s bowl hopes. Fortunately, they got to six wins thanks to senior fullback Lester Howard, who assumed the starting tailback spot late thanks to injuries and literally carried MTSU to two late season victories. Nevertheless, MTSU finished fifth in the C-USA East and did not receive a bowl invite, a disappointment for a talented team.
Key Player: QB Warren Johnson, 216-384, 3052 yards, 29 TD
RB Lester Howard, 198 rush, 1083 yards, 12 TD
Record: 2-10, no bowl
Season Synopsis: First year head coach Bob Stitt was expected to bring the fun and gun offense to keep football a happening thing in Las Cruces after four fantastic seasons of football. Sadly, the Aggies struggled all year long and put on a 2-10 tailspin. C.J. McNeil broke 1000 yards at tailback, but other than that the highlights were few and far between. Grant is reportedly set to be released from his contract, so we will see what the future holds for the Aggies and Coach Grant. Hopefully it’s better than this dumpster fire.
Key Player - RB C.J. McNeil - 234 rush, 1300 yds, 4 TD
Record: 6-7, loss to Florida in Music City Bowl
Season Synopsis: I think the 6-7 record doesn’t tell us much. New head coach Dave Steckel and Coach Woodard, part of the original five in the CAC fraternity, did a helluva job with this Louisville squad. For a team that had quickly fallen into the abyss with a pathetic 2-10 record in 2019, 6-7 will more than please Cards fans. What’s scarier is that UL could’ve gotten further had starting QB Lamont Phillips stayed healthy; UL still got phenomenal play out of LeCarl Brandis regardless and will look to him to guide the Cards back into the ACC picture next year.
Key Player -
Key Player - QB LeCarl Brandis - 121-237, 1647 yards, 17 TD
Record: 4-8, no bowl invite yada yada I really don’t want to do this to my man Bryan.
Season Synopsis: Yowch. One year removed from a New Year’s Six Bowl game and very nearly the College Football Playoff, Purdue returned to its Purdue self. A solid start ended quickly when grad transfer QB Nathan Jolly went down with a season ending injury midway through, and Coach Smith’s defense looked downright atrocious all year long. Let’s tuck this away and hope Coach Smith’s reputation remains partially intact when the Coaching Carousel stops spinning.
Key Player - CB Grant Daniels - 45 tackles, 3 INT
Record: 8-5, win vs. Akron in General Motors Detroit Bowl yada yada this was a New Year’s Six talented team.
Season Synopsis: Much like his coaching counterparts in the Big 10, Coach Coley will wonder what might have been for a long time. Rutgers sat in the Top 4 for a good chunk of the season, saw his star QB Rian Scott sit in the Heisman power poll all year.. They were going to get to the College Football Playoff. Until Scott got hurt and Rutgers lost something like four of their last six. Adam Locker didn’t do much to inspire hope at QB after that and the Knights stumbled to 8-5. A lesser bowl win might ease the pain a little, but Coach Coley went from head.. nay, hot... head coach candidate back to Piscataway in 2021 real quickly. Rutgers has been recruiting some interesting offensive players, however, so we’ll see if the Knights can replicate 2020’s partial success.
Key Player - QB Rian Scott - 185-263, 2409 yds, 24 TD, 126 rush, 664 yds, 12 TD
WR Steven Baker - 95 rec, 1076 yds, 12 TD
RB Randy Russell - 196 rush, 1292 yds, 14 TD
Record: 3-8, no bowl
Season Synopsis: After graduating their starting running back and QB from last year, Coach Davis thought that South Carolina grad transfer QB Josh Tyler was the piece the Golden Eagles needed to keep the good times rolling in Hattiesburg. Instead, Tyler played erratically all year and it was tailback Mike Harper who emerged as the star, not Tyler. The usually steady Eagles slumped to a 3-8 year and have a lot to do to get back to the middle of the road in Conference USA. After 2020, however, Coach Davis is surely looking to re-prove himself as he preps for his fourth year as OC in 2021.
Key Player - RB Michael Harper - 182 rush, 965 yds, 12 TD
Record: 4-8, no bowl invite.
Season Synopsis: Now two years removed from a surprise ACC Title Game run, the Orange struggled again after expectations were set to look for a rebound. Michigan grad transfer Donnie Sampson was supposed to provide a jolt into a long-dead running game, but instead it was Joey Wilkerson who stepped in and looked like an NFL back, running for over 1800 yards on the year. Despite that success, QB Gus Martin played below average once again and it cost the Orange a bowl shot in another weak ACC field.
Key Player - RB Joey Wilkerson - 297 rush, 1803 yds, 10 TD
Record: 2-10, no bowl but who cares because UAB WON TWO GAMES!
Season Synopsis: The worst team in the dynasty for a long time now, Coach Spanky definitely got totally, utterly shafted by yours truly when it came to job selection (and for that I will severely punish myself somehow..). Nevertheless, under new head coach A.J. Milwee, the Blazers looked really good despite the record. As an Independent playing one of the hardest schedules in the country, the Blazers had several one and two score defeats against Power 5 teams, and actually beat an FCS team and UTSA mid-season to save everyone’s jobs. The caveat is that this success came with a veteran lineup. Star QB Charrod Stovall played well all year but will graduate, as will several of the top skill players. However, UAB will jump into the Sun Belt this year, so the weaker schedule could be favorable for the Blazers moving forward.
Key Player - QB Charrod Stovall - 189-373, 2286 yards, 16 TD, 187 rush, 671 yds, 7 TD
Record: 8-5, won Bank of America Bowl over Miami-FL
Season Synopsis: Former mega-recruit Aaron Houston finally got the call under center and UCF continued their recent good fortune, coming up just short in a tight AAC East race but beating a Power 5 team in their bowl. Georgia Tech grad transfer Evan Burks looked good, as did returning starter Willie Alexander, who will be hungry to regain his job after his touches were reduced in the split backfield. But make no mistake: Houston proved he is the real deal at QB.
Key Player - QB Aaron Houston - 180-348, 2322 yards, 24 TD, 201 rush, 793 yards, 14 TD
Record: 8-5, won Southern Bowl over #25 Miami-OH
Season Synopsis: After a Top 25 finish in 2019, Louisiana slid just a tick in 2020 to 8-5. Nevertheless, all was a success in Coach Miller’s first season as head coach. Former highly touted recruit Antoine Wilson finally found the success many expected of him, running for over 2000 yards in his senior season, while teammate Jamaal Huston ran for almost 1200 more; the Cajuns had the sixth best rushing offense in the nation. A bowl win over another run heavy Miami University attack capped off the 8-5 year and a third place finish in the Sun Belt. With 3-time defending champs Arkansas State leaving the conference, if Miller stays on board, look out for the Cajuns moving forward.
Key Player - RB Antoine Wilson - 368 rush, 2258 yards, 27 TD
RB Jamaal Huston - 183 rush, 1161 yards, 10 TD
Record: #9 AP, 9-4, won Amazon Las Vegas Bowl over #12 Fresno State
Season Synopsis: After back to back playoff appearances, you can forgive college football fans for thinking USC was a lock to make it for a third straight year under the boy genius Shea. USC did, however, have to replace their Heisman winning backup tailback, their more talented starting tailback and their QB. Cam Miles did an admirable job filling the QB spot as he was a Heisman finalist, but the tailback stats took a step back. Justin Lewis did tally 1000 yards and Baron Baggarly showed promise at tailback as a true freshman, but Miles was often left to do all of the work himself. It showed, as the Trojans were dealt some uncharacteristic losses and despite an easy path, fell out of the playoff race in a weak year. With questions about Shea’s lack of “prowess” on the recruiting trail, Shea will need to re-prove himself in 2021.. Something the former National Champion coach never envisioned having to do.
Key Player - QB Cam Miles - 178-265, 2682 yards, 30 TD (3 INT), 194 rush, 1019 yards, 12 TD
Record: 3-9, no bowl, yada yada can we save this guy from the UTEP dead end please?
Season Synopsis: Last place in the C-USA West.. yeah it just wasn’t pretty. I’m hoping that Mac can somehow, some way find a way out.
Key Player - RB Terrence Roberts - 191 rush, 1015 yards, 9 TD
Record: #20 AP, 9-4, won Chevron Holiday Bowl over Baylor
Season Synopsis: Woah. After a less than inspiring first two seasons, Coach Willingham entered a make or break year where he had to coach like his seat was on fire. Well, because it was. In any case, the addition of UCLA grad transfer QB Timi Ponaventi helped make the offense go, as Wazzu had success throwing and running the ball in 2020, a different approach for Willingham. Though the focus returned to running late in the year, the Cougars still thrived and uncovered a future star in sophomore tailback Patrick Tuivalea. The only thing that might have made the season better for Wazzu would have been upsetting USC and Oregon, but Willingham finally has his program headed in the right direction. Hopefully for good.
Key Player - RB Elson Asa’sina, 181 rush, 1098 yards, 8 TD
QB Timi Ponaventi - 186-282, 2587 yards, 30 TD, 177 rush, 747 yards, 9 TD
Record: 5-7, no bowl invite, yada yada it’s his first year give my man a mulligan.
Season Synopsis: UNLV had a good run under Tyrone Nix, and hired Coach Freday after constructing the lethal and deadly Bowling Green offense to keep the Rebels in the thick of the Mountain West for years to come. And for a while, it looked like the Rebels made a home run hire. Freday got UNLV roaring out of the gate in non-conference play to start the year, but cooled off significantly in conference play and slumped to 5-7. The play of senior QB Brice Cary regressed as the year went on, and the Rebels went back and forth between running backs being hurt or ineffective. As a result, UNLV missed out on a bowl game in Freday’s debut year.. With a veteran team. That could be a little scary for fans of the program moving forward, but the brash Freday assures something like 5-7 won’t happen again. With a lot of new faces for next year, we’ll see if he’s right.
Key Player - QB Brice Cary - 135-270, 1642 yards, 14 TD, 131 rush, 666 yards, 6 TD
Record: 3-9, no bowl invite.
Season Synopsis: Eastern Michigan has struggled mightily throughout the course of this dynasty but we saw some good things out of the Eagles, despite the subpar record. Eastern Michigan played some close games all year, got good play out of running back B.J. Miller and wideout Boley Bozekian. Unfortunately, both graduate. However, Michigan transfer QB Jay’Shawn Bryant was a 5-star prospect before transferring and he’s eligible next year. Eastern is going to be a trendy pick as a bowl contender in 2021, and it’s up to Henderson to make that come to fruition.
Key Player - RB B.J. Miller - 259 rush, 1502 yards, 13 TD
Record: 4-8, no bowl invite.
Season Synopsis: The Jaguars had a litany of weapons to pick from this season and use to their full potential. However, the Jags just couldn’t get it going, had some tough losses in conference play and dealt with some key injuries, particularly to Tennessee grad transfer Albert Ward at tailback and longtime starter Kareem Mirvil under center. However, Favre has an interesting weapon coming in at QB in the fall.. We’ll see what that’s about later.
Key Player - RB Albert Ward - 166 rush, 934 yards, 9 TD
Record: 8-6, lost C-USA Title Game vs. Old Dominion, lost Armed Forces Bowl vs. Air Force
Season Synopsis: Don’t let the 8-6 record fool you; this Bobcats team was much better than the record indicated. Yes, they had some puzzling losses and dropped their last four games -- but Texas State has been good for several years now and didn’t miss a beat with legendary tailback Dre Johnson and the first year coordinator Brooks. The offense was explosive again as QB Will Mock was good, freshman sensation Will Dotson looked like the future at tailback, and wideout Romeo Julian topped 1000 yards again in his senior campaign. Mock is slated to return, as is Dotson and some other key pieces, including rising sophomore tight end Keon Sharriff, also a highly touted recruit. While the late losses surely hurt the overall memory of the 2020 campaign, it was nevertheless a good one - and Texas State looks even better in Brooks’ second year.
Key Player - RB Will Dotson - 222 rush,1144 yds, 9 TD,
WR Romeo Julian - 86 rec, 1251 yards, 14 TD