College Football Conference Winning Percentage Rankings 1-130: 2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis

How good were the teams in conference play over the last five years? CFN 5-Year Program analysis, every team’s conference winning percentage

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How good were the teams in conference play over the last five years? In the CFN 5-Year Program analysis, here are the rankings of the teams and how well they did in their respective leagues.


Contact @PeteFiutak

Out of all 130 FBS college football teams, how do they rank when they have to crank up the conference action?

For the independents – like Notre Dame, BYU and Army – the overall record is counted like a conference record.

The league championship games aren’t a part of this – regular season conference records only – with the winning percentage the element of the Five-Year Program Analysis.

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130 Kansas

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.067
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 130
5-Year Conference Record: 3-42

129 Rutgers

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.091
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 128
5-Year Conference Record: 4-40

T127 UTEP

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.150
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T117
5-Year Conference Record: 6-34

T127 Texas State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.150
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T123
5-Year Conference Record: 6-34

126 UConn

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.175
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 126
5-Year Conference Record: 7-33

125 Oregon State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.178
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 129
5-Year Conference Record: 8-37

124 East Carolina

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.200
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 8-32

123 Arkansas

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.225
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 9-31

T121 Maryland

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.227
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 107
5-Year Conference Record: 10-34

T121 Illinois

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.227
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 125
5-Year Conference Record: 10-34

T118 Rice

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.250
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 10-30

T118 Ball State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.250
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T121
5-Year Conference Record: 10-30

T118 Vanderbilt

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.250
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T123
5-Year Conference Record: 10-30

T115 Kent State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.275
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 127
5-Year Conference Record: 11-29

T115 San Jose State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.275
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 11-29

T115 South Alabama

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.275
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T93
5-Year Conference Record: 11-29

114 UMass

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.288
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 115
5-Year Conference Record: 13-43

113 New Mexico State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.292
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 113
5-Year Conference Record: 14-34

112 Purdue

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.318
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 116
5-Year Conference Record: 14-30

T108 Tulane

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.325
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 13-27

T108 Charlotte

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.325
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T121
5-Year Conference Record: 13-27

T108 New Mexico

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.325
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T93
5-Year Conference Record: 13-27

T108 UNLV

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.325
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 13-27

T105 Texas Tech

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.333
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T100
5-Year Conference Record: 15-30

T105 Arizona

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.333
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T83
5-Year Conference Record: 15-30

T105 Coastal Carolina

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.333
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T83
5-Year Conference Record: 10-20

104 Indiana

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.341
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 120
5-Year Conference Record: 15-29

NEXT: College Football Conference Winning Percentage Rankings: Top 100

Conference Winning Percentage Rankings By League: 2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis

How good were the teams in conference play over the last 5 years? In the 2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, how well did all the teams do?

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How good were the teams in conference play over the last five years? In the 2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, how well did all the teams do in their respective conferences?


Contact @PeteFiutak

Of course everyone wants to win the big national games, but to a whole lot of fans, winning the conference games on a weekly basis means even more.

How good have the teams been when league play gets going? Come up with a good conference season, and the world is okay. Struggle against the familiar family members, and there’s a problem.

For the independents – like Notre Dame, BYU and Army – the overall record is counted like a conference record.

The league championship games aren’t a part of this – regular season conference records only – with the winning percentage the element of the Five-Year Program Analysis.

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ACC Atlantic

1 Clemson

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.950
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 3
5-Year Conference Record: 38-2

T2 Florida State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.525
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T34
5-Year Conference Record: 21-19

T2 Louisville

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.525
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T59
5-Year Conference Record: 21-19

4 NC State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.450
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T64
5-Year Conference Record: 18-22

5 Wake Forest

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.375
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 15-25

T6 Boston College

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.350
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T97
5-Year Conference Record: 14-26

T6 Syracuse

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.350
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T102
5-Year Conference Record: 14-26

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ACC Coastal

1 Miami

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.625
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T42
5-Year Conference Record: 25-15

T2 Pitt

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.600
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T42
5-Year Conference Record: 24-16

T2 Virginia Tech

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.600
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 56
5-Year Conference Record: 24-16

4 North Carolina

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.475
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T72
5-Year Conference Record: 19-21

5 Virginia

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.425
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T97
5-Year Conference Record: 17-23

6 Georgia Tech

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.400
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T64
5-Year Conference Record: 16-24

7 Duke

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.350
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T88
5-Year Conference Record: 14-26

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American Athletic Conference East

1 Temple

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.750
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T11
5-Year Conference Record: 30-10

2 UCF

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.650
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T21
5-Year Conference Record: 26-14

3 USF

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.600
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T34
5-Year Conference Record: 24-16

4 Cincinnati

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.500
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T64
5-Year Conference Record: 20-20

5 East Carolina

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.200
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 8-32

6 UConn

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.175
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 126
5-Year Conference Record: 7-33

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American Athletic Conference West

1 Memphis

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.725
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T11
5-Year Conference Record: 29-11

2 Navy

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.675
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T40
5-Year Conference Record: 27-13

3 Houston

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.600
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T25
5-Year Conference Record: 27-18

4 SMU

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.450
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T102
5-Year Conference Record: 18-22

5 Tulsa

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.350
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T97
5-Year Conference Record: 14-26

6 Tulane

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.325
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T108
5-Year Conference Record: 13-27


Big 12

1 Oklahoma

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.911
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 5
5-Year Conference Record: 41-4

2 Oklahoma State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.622
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T42
5-Year Conference Record: 28-17

T3 TCU

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.556
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T25
5-Year Conference Record: 25-20

T3 West Virginia

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.556
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T42
5-Year Conference Record: 25-20

5 Texas

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.533
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T57
5-Year Conference Record: 24-21

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T6 Baylor

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.489
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 71
5-Year Conference Record: 22-23

T6 Kansas State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.489
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T57
5-Year Conference Record: 22-23

8 Iowa State

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.444
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T100
5-Year Conference Record: 20-25

9 Texas Tech

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.333
2019 Ranking (2018 season): T100
5-Year Conference Record: 15-30

10 Kansas

5-Year Conference Win %: 0.067
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 130
5-Year Conference Record: 3-42

NEXT: Big Ten, Conference USA

Attendance Rankings By Conference: 2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis

How many people show up to college football games? As a part of the CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, the attendance is a factor.

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How many people show up? As a part of the CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, the attendance is a factor. Here are the rankings by conference.


Contact @PeteFiutak

How many people showed up in the stands? More importantly, how many tickets were sold? Averaged out over the last five seasons, here are the attendance rankings for each team, school, and conference.

Attendance is based on the average per game over the last five years.

11. MAC

Attendance 5-Year Average: 15,697.78

1 Toledo

5-Year Average: 20721.20
2019 National Ranking: 90

2 Western Michigan

5-Year Average: 19079.00
2019 National Ranking: 100

3 Akron

5-Year Average: 18981.80
2019 National Ranking: 101

4 Ohio

5-Year Average: 18939.20
2019 National Ranking: 102

5 Buffalo

5-Year Average: 16819.40
2019 National Ranking: 110

6 Miami Univ.

5-Year Average: 16261.60
2019 National Ranking: 112

7 Bowling Green

5-Year Average: 16193.60
2019 National Ranking: 115

8 Central Michigan

5-Year Average: 14597.60
2019 National Ranking: 122

9 Eastern Michigan

5-Year Average: 14053.60
2019 National Ranking: 123

10 Kent State

5-Year Average: 12516.80
2019 National Ranking: 126

11 Northern Illinois

5-Year Average: 11034.80
2019 National Ranking: 129

12 Ball State

5-Year Average: 9174.80
2019 National Ranking: 130


10. Sun Belt

Attendance 5-Year Average: 17,583.04

1 Appalachian State

5-Year Average: 23831.60
2019 National Ranking: 84
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 86

2 Arkansas State

5-Year Average: 22023.80
2019 National Ranking: 87
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 87

3 Troy

5-Year Average: 20600.60
2019 National Ranking: 91
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 102

4 Louisiana

5-Year Average: 18865.00
2019 National Ranking: 103
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 94

5 Georgia Southern

5-Year Average: 17524.60
2019 National Ranking: 107
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 105

6 Texas State

5-Year Average: 16797.60
2019 National Ranking: 109
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 108

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7 South Alabama

5-Year Average: 16404.00
2019 National Ranking: 111
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 111

8 Georgia State

5-Year Average: 15016.80
2019 National Ranking: 120
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 120

9 ULM

5-Year Average: 13201.80
2019 National Ranking: 124
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 124

10 Coastal Carolina

5-Year Average: 11564.60
2019 National Ranking: 127
2019 Ranking (2018 season): 129


9. Conference USA

Attendance 5-Year Average: 19,593.21

1 Southern Miss

5-Year Average: 25002.80
2019 National Ranking: 81

2 Marshall

5-Year Average: 23997.20
2019 National Ranking: 83

3 UTSA

5-Year Average: 22696.20
2019 National Ranking: 86

4 Louisiana Tech

5-Year Average: 21945.60
2019 National Ranking: 88

5 Rice

5-Year Average: 20500.40
2019 National Ranking: 92

6 North Texas

5-Year Average: 20116.80
2019 National Ranking: 95

7 Old Dominion

5-Year Average: 19644.20
2019 National Ranking: 97

8 UTEP

5-Year Average: 19401.80
2019 National Ranking: 99

9 Tulsa

5-Year Average: 18630.80
2019 National Ranking: 104

10 WKU

5-Year Average: 16158.60
2019 National Ranking: 114

11 Middle Tennessee

5-Year Average: 15980.60
2019 National Ranking: 116

12 FIU

5-Year Average: 15203.00
2019 National Ranking: 118

13 UAB

5-Year Average: 15078.40
2019 National Ranking: 119

14 Charlotte

5-Year Average: 12948.60
2019 National Ranking: 125

NEXT: Attendance Rankings, 5-Year Program Conference Analysis – Top Eight

Attendance Rankings, Averages For Every School: 2020 CFN Five-Year Program Analysis

How many people show up? As a part of the CFN 5-Year Program Analysis, the attendance is a factor. Here are the rankings of all 130 schools.

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How many people show up? As a part of the CFN Five-Year Program Analysis, the attendance is a factor. Here are the rankings of all 130 schools.


Contact @PeteFiutak

2020 Five-Year Program Analysis
Attendance Rankings
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | Top 25 | Top 10

Beyond wins and losses, attendance might be the most important factor in a program’s success. Put butts in the seats, support the non-revenue sports. When the stands have empty sections, athletic directors get fired – especially at the power program schools.

Below are the rankings of all 130 college football programs based on their five-year attendance averages, including how full the stadiums are.

Basically, for the teams at the top of the list, there are no excuses when it comes to revenue and infrastructure. Attendance – and the revenue that comes from it – is why these schools usually have the major football programs.

With the 2020 college football season a question mark in so many ways, this is a massive factor for athletic directors to deal with. Not finishing up the spring and winter sports hurt, but don’t have fans in the football stands – or if games get cancelled or postponed – and there’s a huge problem.

130 Ball State

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 130
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 127
5-Year Average: 9174.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 40.78%

129 Northern Illinois

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 128
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 114
5-Year Average: 11034.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 46.77%

128 UMass

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 127
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 122
5-Year Average: 11244.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 66.15%

127 Coastal Carolina

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 129
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 130
5-Year Average: 11564.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 57.82%

126 Kent State

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 126
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 119
5-Year Average: 12516.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 49.44%

125 Charlotte

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 125
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 126
5-Year Average: 12948.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 84.55%

124 ULM

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 124
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 111
5-Year Average: 13201.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 43.39%

123 Eastern Michigan

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 123
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 129
5-Year Average: 14053.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 46.54%

122 Central Michigan

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 117
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 116
5-Year Average: 14597.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 48.25%

121 San Jose State

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 118
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 118
5-Year Average: 14917.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 69.29%

120 Georgia State

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 120
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 123
5-Year Average: 15016.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 60.07%

119 UAB

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 121
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 128
5-Year Average: 15078.40
Filled Stadium Capacity 20.94%

118 FIU

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 119
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 117
5-Year Average: 15203.00
Filled Stadium Capacity 76.02%

117 New Mexico State

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 122
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 121
5-Year Average: 15376.20
Filled Stadium Capacity 50.67%

116 Middle Tennessee

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 112
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 108
5-Year Average: 15980.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 51.91%

115 Bowling Green

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 114
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 113
5-Year Average: 16193.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 67.47%

114 WKU

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 113
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 109
5-Year Average: 16158.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 73.07%

113 Florida Atlantic

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 116
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 120
5-Year Average: 16257.20
Filled Stadium Capacity 55.12%

112 Miami Univ.

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 115
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 115
5-Year Average: 16261.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 66.96%

111 South Alabama

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 111
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 112
5-Year Average: 16404.00
Filled Stadium Capacity 49.01%

110 Buffalo

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 106
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 105
5-Year Average: 16819.40
Filled Stadium Capacity 57.97%

109 Texas State

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 108
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 103
5-Year Average: 16797.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 55.99%

108 Liberty

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 110
2018 Ranking (2017 season): NR
5-Year Average: 17298.40
Filled Stadium Capacity 69.19%

107 Georgia Southern

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 105
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 107
5-Year Average: 17524.60
Filled Stadium Capacity 70.10%

106 Nevada

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 100
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 90
5-Year Average: 18150.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 60.50%

105 UNLV

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 107
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 110
5-Year Average: 18379.20
Filled Stadium Capacity 49.94%

104 Tulsa

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 103
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 101
5-Year Average: 18630.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 62.10%

103 Louisiana

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 94
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 89
5-Year Average: 18865.00
Filled Stadium Capacity 45.54%

102 Ohio

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 98
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 95
5-Year Average: 18939.20
Filled Stadium Capacity 78.91%

101 Akron

2019 Ranking (2018 season): 109
2018 Ranking (2017 season): 124
5-Year Average: 18981.80
Filled Stadium Capacity 63.27%

2020 Five-Year Program Analysis
Attendance Rankings
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | Top 25 | Top 10

NEXT: Attendance Rankings, 5 Year Program Analysis Top 100

Hoops And Helmets: Ranking The Combination Of Football And Basketball Schools 1-130: 2019-2020

Which schools had the best and worst years in the two major sports? Ranked from 1 to 130, all college football and basketball combinations.

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Which schools had the best and worst years in the two major sports? Ranked from 1 to 130, all college football and basketball combinations. Who had the most fun? 


Contact @PeteFiutak

On the field and court – at least in the regular season – whose fans had the most fun?

When it comes to what athletic departments need, even though everyone has some other sport to brag about, it’s really all about college football and men’s basketball.

There are 130 schools that played Division I college basketball and FBS football. How do they all rank?

The biggest emphasis is on the schools whose football teams went bowling and with basketball teams that almost certainly would’ve gone to the NCAA Tournament. However, with the hoops post-season cancelled, the rankings skew heavily towards the stronger teams on the football side.

Do something massive in football this past year, and that’s worth almost everything. Be totally miserable on one side, and that’s reflected here. This isn’t about talent – it’s about the success in both sports.

There are a few huge exceptions, though, if a school was amazing in one sport and struggled in the other. Win or at least share a piece of a conference title, and you get ranked accordingly.

Broken down by categories – the schools that did the most in the two major sports, to the schools that did nothing – here we go with Hoops & Helmets 2019-2012.

2019-2020 Hoops & Helmets 
Losers in Both Sports | No Bowl, No Buckets
Bowls, No Buckets | Bowls, No Buckets, Part 2
Bowls & Buckets | Top Ten

Losers In Both Sports

These schools suffered the indignity of failing to come up with a winning season in either of the two major sports. The fans didn’t get to have any fun.

130. UMass Minutemen

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 126
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 122
Football: 1-11 overall, 6th among Independents
Basketball: 14-17 overall, 8-10 in conference, T8th in Atlantic 10

129. Northwestern Wildcats

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 62
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 64
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-8 in conference, 7th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 8-23 overall, 3-17 in conference, 13th in Big Ten

128. Vanderbilt

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 91
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 108
Football: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in conference, 7th in SEC East
Basketball: 11-21 overall, 3-15 in conference, 14th in SEC

127. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 79
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 47
Football: 4-8 overall, 3-5 in conference, T5th in C-USA East
Basketball: 8-23 overall, 4-14 in conference, 14th in C-USA

126. Old Dominion Monarchs

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 74
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 65
Football: 1-11 overall, 0-8 in conference, 7th in C-USA East
Basketball: 13-19 overall, 9-9 in conference, T6th in C-USA

125. San Jose State Spartans

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 130
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 128
Football: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in conference, T4th in MW West
Basketball: 7-24 overall, 3-15 in conference, 10th in MW

124. Nebraska Cornhuskers

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 96
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 101
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-6 in conference, 5th in Big Ten West
Basketball: 7-25 overall, 2-18 in conference, 14th in Big Ten

123. Troy Trojans

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 71
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 63
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in conference, 4th in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 9-22 overall, 5-15 in conference, T11th in Sun Belt

122. ULM Warhawks

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 94
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 113
Football: 5-7 overall, 4-4 in conference, 3rd in Sun Belt West
Basketball: 9-20 overall, 5-15 in conference, T11th in Sun Belt

121. UTSA Roadrunners

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 109
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 88
Football: 4-8 overall, 3-5 in conference, T4th in C-USA West
Basketball: 13-19 overall, 7-11 in conference, T11th in C-USA

120. East Carolina Pirates

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 127
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 126
Football: 4-8 overall, 1-7 in conference, 5th in AAC East
Basketball: 11-20 overall, 5-13 in conference, 13th in AAC

119. Fresno State Bulldogs

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 34
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 45
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, T4th in MW West
Basketball: 11-19 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in MW

118. Rice Owls

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 128
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 127
Football: 3-9 overall, 3-5 in conference, T4th in C-USA West
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 7-11 in conference, T11th in C-USA

117. USF Bulls

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 47
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 78
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, 4th in AAC East
Basketball: 14-17 overall, 7-11 in conference, 8th in AAC

116. Ole Miss Rebels

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 93
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 106
Football: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in conference, 6th in SEC West
Basketball: 15-17 overall, 6-12 in conference, 12th in SEC

115. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 113
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 123
Football: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in conference, 5th in Sun Belt East
Basketball: 16-17 overall, 8-12 in conference, T8th in Sun Belt

114. Army Black Knights

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 66
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 72
Football: 5-8 overall, 4th among Independents
Basketball: 15-15 overall, 10-8 in conference, T4th in Patriot League

113. TCU Horned Frogs

2019 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 41
2018 Hoops & Helmets National Ranking: 10
Football: 5-7 overall, 3-6 in conference, T7th in Big 12
Basketball: 16-16 overall, 7-11 in conference, T7th in Big 12

NEXT UP: No Post-Season, But …

College Football Tournament Of College Football Things

What makes college football, college football? Welcome to the Tournament of College Football Things. You decide what makes it what it is.

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What makes college football, college football? Welcome to the Tournament of College Football Things. You decide what makes the sport what it is.


What makes college football the sport it is?

When you think college football, what matters? What’s great about it? What makes the game special?

They can be great games, historic teams, legendary coaches and players, the atmosphere – however you want to define this uniquely American sport.

We’ve created a Tournament of College Football Things, and we’re going to let you vote and decide what goes forward and what or who gets knocked out.

In general, we try to keep this as positive and fun as possible – yes, there are a slew of massive scandals that could be on here – so there’s just one NCAA sanction thing that makes the tournament, partially because it seems quaint by comparison to other controversies.

Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews and vote throughout the entire process. The First Four voting is up now, and then the rest of the tournament will get started on Monday afternoon.

First Four Out

– Redshirting, 1945 Army, 2-point conversions, Steve Spurrier

College Football Tournament of College Football Things

PLAY-IN THINGS

11 Boise State’s Blue Turf vs. 11 Toomer’s Corner

Line: Toomer’s Corner -21.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

12 Washington Tailgate Flotilla vs. 12 Tennessee Vol Navy

Line: Tennessee Vol Navy -25.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

16 2018 Cheez-It Bowl vs. SMU Death Penalty

Line: SMU Death Penalty -16
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

16 #MACtion vs. #Pac12AfterDark

Line: #MACtion -4.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote


COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT of COLLEGE FOOTBALL THINGS: POP WARNER REGION

1 Heisman Trophy vs. 16 Homecoming

Line: Heisman -45.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

8 Death Valley: Clemson vs. 9 Death Valley: LSU

Line: Death Valley: LSU -2.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

5 Tim Tebow vs. 12 Washington Tailgate Flotilla/Tennessee Vol Navy

Line: COMING
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

4 Cheerleaders vs. 13 USC vs. UCLA

Line: Cheerleaders -29.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

6 Woody vs. Bo vs. 11 Boise State’s Blue Turf/Toomer’s Corner

Line: COMING
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

3 Rose Bowl vs. 14 Oklahoma 47 Game Winning Streak

Line: Rose Bowl -31
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

7 All Things Notre Dame vs. 10 Mascots

Line: All Things Notre Dame -21.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

2 Polls vs. 15 Option/Wishbone Offenses

Line: Polls -37.5
Final Score: COMING
Go on Twitter to @ColFootballNews to vote

NEXT: EDDIE ROBINSON REGION

2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket. What Might Have Happened?

What if the 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament went off like normal? What the bracket might have been, and what would’ve happened in each game?

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What if the 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament went off like normal? What the bracket might have been, and what would’ve happened in each game?


Let’s just pretend this whole global nightmare thing didn’t happen, and let’s just assume that the 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament went off as normal.

Everyone is healthy, there are crowds, there are bands, everyone is playing – including Duke and Kansas – and there’s all the fun of what’s normally this most glorious time on the sports calendar.

We’re going to play this out over the next several days from the First Four right up to the national championship with our own brackets, seedings, and game outcomes.

Let’s have some fun.

We try to figure out what the best overall matchups might be, throw in games that would make geographic sense, NET Rankings, and – sorry for being boring – we go chalk on who the conference tournament champions might have been.

And then it’s Game On.

Just so there’s absolutely no confusion – of course the real NCAA Tournament is cancelled – these are all our seedings, matchups, lines, brackets and projections. Nothing about this comes from the NCAA selection committee. 

The 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament bracket might have been (trying to get it as close to the pin as possible) …

First Four Out

-Wichita State, Texas, Northern Iowa, NC State

2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament First Four. What Might Have Happened?

11 Xavier vs. 11 Stanford

Game Site: Dayton, OH
Line: Xavier -3.5, o/u: 133
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

12 UCLA vs. 12 Liberty

Game Site: Dayton, OH
Line: UCLA -5.5 o/u: 128.5
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

16 Robert Morris vs. Prairie View A&M

Game Site: Dayton, OH
Line: Robert Morris -7.5, o/u: 138
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

16 NC Central vs. Siena

Game Site: Dayton, OH
Line: Siena -8.5, o/u: 141
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament First Round. What Might Have Happened?

2020 NCAA TOURNAMENT EAST REGION

1 Dayton vs. 16 North Dakota State

Game Site: Cleveland, Ohio
Line: Dayton -18.5, o/u: 157
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

8 Florida vs. 9 Arizona State

Game Site: Cleveland, Ohio
Line: Florida -3.5, o/u: 144.5
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

5 Auburn vs. 12 UCLA/Liberty

Game Site: Greensboro, NC
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

4 Louisville vs. 13 New Mexico State

Game Site: Greensboro, NC
Line: Louisville -5.5, o/u: 137
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

6 Illinois vs. 11 Xavier/Stanford

Game Site: Greensboro, NC
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

3 Duke vs. 14 North Texas

Game Site: Greensboro, NC
Line: Duke -21, o/u: 138.5
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

7 Iowa vs. 10 ETSU

Game Site: St. Louis, MO
Line: Iowa -3, o/u: 140.5
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

2 Creighton vs. 15 Eastern Washington

Game Site: St. Louis, MO
Line: Creighton -13, o/u: 146
Game Analysis, What Would’ve Happened COMING
Final Score: COMING

NEXT: 2020 NCAA TOURNAMENT MIDWEST REGION

College Football Future Win Total Projections For All 130 Teams: Spring Version

We’re still months away from the start of the college football season, but where should Vegas set the early win projections for every team?

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Spring football is just getting going, the transfer portal is still a factor, and we’re still several months away from the start of the college football season, but where should Vegas be setting the early win projections for every team?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

The line doesn’t lie.

With a whole lot of factors still to be figured out – how the depth charts will shake out, which new players will rise up, where are the key injuries, etc. – where should the win total bar be set for every college football team?

The idea is to get it as close to the pin as possible, set the line for the market, and then let the investment public make the call.

Returning talent, schedules, when the big games come, here’s where the oddsmakers should be setting the win total lines. Once they’re released for real, then it’s about trying to find where the discrepancies are and where the value might be.

One note, the win total line projections are based on the regular season only – bowl games and conference championships don’t count.

As we do this, two things to note.

1) The 3 Key Games are NOT the biggest games on each team’s schedule – these are the 50/50 games on the slate that could go either way. Of course giant rivalry battles are the ones that truly matter, but for the most part, the Key Games are going to be the ones everyone has to figure out to get the right totals.

2) These are NOT our predictions for each team. Those will come this summer when we make a call. These are the projections of where we think the win total lines are going to be set.

Future Win Total Team Projections
ACC | AAC | Big Ten | Big 12 | C-USA
IND | MAC | M-West | Pac-12 | SEC | Sun Belt

ACC Future Win Total Projections

ATLANTIC

Boston College

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 6
3 Key Games: 1) at Kansas, Sept. 19, 2) Syracuse, Sept. 4, 3) at Wake Forest, Nov. 28
Schedule Analysis

Clemson

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 11
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 10.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 12
3 Key Games: 1) at Notre Dame, Nov. 7, 2) at Florida State, Oct. 10, 3) South Carolina, Nov. 28
Schedule Analysis

Florida State

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 7.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 6
3 Key Games: 1) at Miami, Nov. 7, 2) at Boise State, Sept. 19, 3) at Louisville, Oct. 24
Schedule Analysis

Louisville

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 7
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 6
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 7
3 Key Games: 1) NC State, Sept. 3, 2) Florida State, Oct. 24, 3) at Syracuse, Oct. 3
Schedule Analysis

NC State

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 7.5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 8.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 4
3 Key Games: 1) at Syracuse, Nov. 14, 2) at North Carolina, Nov. 27, 3) Mississippi State, Sept. 12
Schedule Analysis

Syracuse

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 8.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 5
3 Key Games: 1) at Pitt, Nov. 28, 2) at Boston College, Sept. 4, 3) at Wake Forest, Nov. 7
Schedule Analysis

Wake Forest

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 5.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 8
3 Key Games: 1) Appalachian State, Sept. 11, 2) at Duke, Oct. 3, 3) Boston College, Nov. 28
Schedule Analysis

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COASTAL

Duke

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 6
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 5
3 Key Games: 1) at Georgia Tech, Nov. 7, 2) Wake Forest, Oct. 3, 3) North Carolina, Oct. 17
Schedule Analysis

Georgia Tech

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 4
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 3
3 Key Games: 1) Duke, Nov. 7, 2) at Syracuse, Oct. 31, 3) Miami, Nov. 21
Schedule Analysis

Miami

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 7.5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 9
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 6
3 Key Games: 1) North Carolina, Oct. 24, 2) Florida State, Nov. 7, 3) at Virginia, Oct. 31
Schedule Analysis

North Carolina

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 6.5
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 5.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 6
3 Key Games: 1) at Miami, Oct. 24, 2) NC State, Nov. 27, 3) Virginia Tech, Oct. 10
Schedule Analysis

Pitt

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 7
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 6
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 7
3 Key Games: 1) Virginia Tech, Nov. 6, 2) at North Carolina, Nov. 14, 3) at Marshall, Sept. 12
Schedule Analysis

Virginia

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 8
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 8
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 9
3 Key Games: 1) at Virginia Tech, Nov. 28, 2) Miami, Oct. 31, 3) Louisville, Nov. 7
Schedule Analysis

Virginia Tech

2020 Future Win Total Projection: 8
2019 Spring Win Total Projection: 8.5
2019 Regular Season Win Total: 8
3 Key Games: 1) Penn State, Sept. 12, 2) at Louisville, Oct. 31, 3) Virginia, Nov. 28
Schedule Analysis

Future Win Total Team Projections
ACC | AAC | Big Ten | Big 12 | C-USA
IND | MAC | M-West | Pac-12 | SEC | Sun Belt

NEXT: American Athletic Conference Future Win Totals

Hot Seat Coach Rankings For Every Power Five Team: 20 For 2020 College Football Topics, No. 14

20 for 2020 College Football Topics, No. 14: the coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams. 

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20 for 2020 College Football Topics, No. 14: the coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams. 


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Being on a hot seat shouldn’t just be about whether or not a guy needs to win a football game or five to keep his job. That’s obviously the biggest part of the staying hired equation, but it’s about pressure, too.

Sometimes, a relatively safe made man has all the pressure in the world on his shoulders to beat the arch-rival, and sometimes a college football head coach just has to win big, or else.

The rankings go from who’s on the coolest of seats in each Power Five conference to who had better come up with a big season to survive.

ACC Spring Coach Hot Seat Rankings

14. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

Yeah, the pressure is on to win the national title or the season is a disappointment, but Swinney has coached in four national championship games in five years. He’s at Clemson for life if it’ll have him.
Record With Team: 130-31
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 14
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 14
Full Schedule Analysis

13. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia

The guy just beat Virginia Tech and took the Cavaliers to the ACC Championship and the Orange Bowl. It’s Virginia, the pressure isn’t that intense – he can have a few rough seasons and still be more than comfortable.
Record With Team: 25-27
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 12
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 8
Full Schedule Analysis

12. Jeff Hafley, Boston College

A total disaster of a year would cause a little grumbling, but get to six wins and everything will be okay in Year One. Even if the record is awful, it’ll be seen as a step back to possibly take a big leap forward.
Record With Team: 0-0
Full Schedule Analysis

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11. Scott Satterfield, Louisville

Everyone likes him, the overall attitude has changed around the program, and the talent is starting to come in. There’s still a rebuilding process to be done, but he showed last season what he can do with the Cardinals.
Record With Team: 8-5
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 13
Full Schedule Analysis

10. Dave Clawson, Wake Forest

It’s Wake freaking Forest, and Clawson has managed to take it to four straight bowl games and four straight winning seasons. There might be ebbs and flows to the record throughout the years, but he has already proven what he can do.
Record With Team: 36-40
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 8
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 10
Full Schedule Analysis

9. Mack Brown, North Carolina

It was a positive first season to pull the Tar Heels out of the nosedive, but it has to be a beginning and not a culmination. The recruiting class was great, everything appears to be pointing up, but … win more.
Record With Team: 7-6
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 3
Full Schedule Analysis

8. Mike Norvell, Florida State

He’ll get a very, very, very short leash. He got Memphis over the hump, and the early returns are all positive, but he has yet to win a bowl game and he’s not the A-list of A-list possible hires. Brand name doesn’t always matter – ask UCLA how the Chip Kelly era is going – but it’s Florida State. A losing season will set off panic sirens.
Record With Team: 0-0
Full Schedule Analysis

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7. David Cutcliffe, Duke

A third losing season in five years wouldn’t be a plus, but it’s Duke, and it’s Cutcliffe, so it would take something awful for this to be over in a bad way. However, after 12 years, the “go another direction” thing could come out if the campaign is a total disaster.
Record With Team: 72-79
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 10
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 7
Full Schedule Analysis

6. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech

It’s still going to take a little while to completely turn this whole thing around – a brutal schedule won’t help – but grade him a bit on a curve. That’s fine, but there had better be signs that something big is coming in 2021 no matter what happens record-wise in 2020.
Record With Team: 3-9
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 11
Full Schedule Analysis

5. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech

Last season was stronger after a losing 2018 season, but he has lost three straight bowl games and there can’t be another loss to Virginia. At the very least, it would be a big plus if the Hokies were in the mix for the Coastal title until the end.
Record With Team: 33-20
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 4
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 13
Full Schedule Analysis

4. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt

The pressure always seems to be on Narduzzi to do more, and then he goes out and wins 7-to-8 games. However, after five years, one total clunker – and a second losing season in three years – would be a big problem
Record With Team: 36-29
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 2
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 1
Full Schedule Analysis

[lawrence-related id=507021]

3. Dino Babers, Syracuse

The ten-win season of two years ago seems way back in the rearview mirror. With three losing seasons in his four years, last season has to be more of the aberration than 2018.
Record With Team: 23-26
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 9
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 2
Full Schedule Analysis

2. Dave Doeren, NC State

The opening line of last year’s blurb on Doeren: “There’s a problem if the Wolfpack come up with a 4-8 run.” State went 4-8. That was okay once, but it can’t happen again. The team wasn’t even competitive over the second half of the season.
Record With Team: 48-41
2019 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 7
2018 ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 5
Full Schedule Analysis

1. Manny Diaz, Miami

Miami fans are already a fickle lot as they expect greatness – and are right to do so – but losing to FIU, losing to a bad Duke team, and getting shutout by a Group of Five team in a lower-tier bowl on the way to a losing season is never going to be okay in Coral Gables.
Record With Team: 6-7
Last Season ACC Spring Hot Seat Ranking: 6
Full Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC

20 For 2020 College Football Topics, No. 17: Letdown Game For Every Power Five Team

20 for 2020 College Football Topics, No. 17: The letdown or sandwich game for every Power Five team.

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20 for 2020 College Football Topics, No. 17: The letdown or sandwich game for every Power Five team.


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

They’re the games that all fans blow off, but all coaching staffs lose sleep over.

For the most part, they’re supposed to be sure-thing wins, but they’re the ones that don’t always get the full and undivided attention of the supposedly superior team.

They’re the letdown games, or they’re the sandwiches – the games in between the two supposedly more important, bigger battles.

On each Power Five team’s slate, there’s at least one game that will be a moment to mail it in, but it could also be time to worry a bit.

More often than not there’s not a problem – they’re the easier games for a reason. However …

You’ve been warned.

ACC ATLANTIC

Boston College Eagles

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Holy Cross, Oct. 31
Game Before: at Virginia Tech
Game After
: at NC State

Of course Boston College is going to roll past the Crusaders – it had better. With Clemson, Louisville and at Virginia Tech before, and road games at NC State and Florida State after, this is the only relative breather.
Full Schedule Analysis

Clemson Tigers

Letdown/Sandwich Game: The Citadel, Nov. 14
Game Before: at Notre Dame
Game After
: at Wake Forest

Here’s the problem – there aren’t enough tough games on the slate for this loaded team to make anything a true letdown game, but dealing with the Citadel option offense will be annoying coming off the showdown in South Bend.
Full Schedule Analysis

Florida State Seminoles

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Pitt, Oct. 31
Game Before: at Louisville
Game After
: at Miami

This is when the Noles are in the dog days of the season. They’ll have to deal with the likely shootout against Louisville on the road, and the showdown against Miami – the pivotal moment in the 2019 season for the program – is coming up. They have to take care of home against the Panthers.
Full Schedule Analysis

Louisville Cardinals

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Nov. 14
Game Before: at Virginia
Game After
: at Notre Dame

UofL can’t take anyone lightly quite yet, but this should be a stronger Year Two under Scott Satterfield. It’ll have a fun few weeks including a date at Virginia before hosting Wake Forest, but one eye will likely be on the late-season showdown on the trip to South Bend.
Full Schedule Analysis

NC State Wolfpack

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Duke, Oct. 10
Game Before: Florida State
Game After
: at Clemson

Considering the Wolfpack start the season at Louisville, the pressure could be on in October. The Florida State game is a must after getting rocked in last year’s showdown, and going to Clemson is a likely loss. There can’t be a misfire against Duke.
Full Schedule Analysis

Syracuse Orange

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Liberty, Oct. 17
Game Before: Louisville
Game After
: at Clemson

There weren’t too many problems in last year’s opener at Liberty with a 24-0 win, but this time around it’s coming off a key first half game against Louisville followed by a week off. The Orange might be looking past the Flames with the trip to Clemson to follow.
Full Schedule Analysis

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Villanova, Sept. 19
Game Before: Appalachian State
Game After
: Notre Dame (in Charlotte)

Be very, very, very careful with this. A whole lot will be made out of the battle with a loaded Appalachian State team the week before, and the battle with Notre Dame in Charlotte is right after. This is a prime moment for what should be a strong Villanova team to come up with something big.
Full Schedule Analysis

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ACC COASTAL

Duke Blue Devils

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Oct. 3
Game Before: at Pitt
Game After
: at NC State

The Blue Devils should be able to roll through the first part of the schedule, but the ACC season opens up at Pitt, and then comes the date against the Demon Deacons. There likely won’t be a lack of focus after losing 39-27 last year, but a trip to NC State is up next before dealing with North Carolina and Notre Dame.
Full Schedule Analysis

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Virginia, Oct. 17
Game Before: at Virginia Tech
Game After
: at Pitt

It doesn’t get much more sandwichey than playing between Clemson and UCF – Georgia Tech gets Gardner-Webb – but the Virginia game is even more interesting. It’s a home date between two road games on the front end against North Carolina and Virginia Tech and two right after against Pitt and Syracuse.
Full Schedule Analysis

Miami Hurricanes

Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Georgia Tech, Nov. 21
Game Before: at Virginia Tech
Game After
: Duke

Throw this in the letdown category, even though the Canes lost 28-21 to Georgia Tech last year. It comes right after a run of at Virginia, Florida State and at Virginia Tech, and it’s late in the year before closing out with Duke. The Canes can’t lose focus.
Full Schedule Analysis

North Carolina Tar Heels

Letdown/Sandwich Game: James Madison, Sept. 19
Game Before: Auburn (in Atlanta)
Game After
: Georgia Tech

Oh sure, North Carolina types will say all of the right things about playing one of the stars of the FCS, but it’ll be too hard to take the lower-level team seriously after dealing with UCF and Auburn, and with the ACC season against Georgia Tech starting the week after.
Full Schedule Analysis

Pitt Panthers

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Georgia Tech, Oct. 24
Game Before: Notre Dame
Game After
: at Florida State

The Panthers struggled to get by Georgia Tech last year, but they did it. Now they have to get up for them right after dealing with Notre Dame the week before and with a trip to Florida State to follow. After this, the ACC season kicks in full force.
Full Schedule Analysis

Virginia Cavaliers

Letdown/Sandwich Game: (tie) VMI Sept. 12, UConn Sept 19
Game Before: Georgia (in Atlanta)
Game After
: at Clemson

A little creative license here – call this a double-decker sandwich. No, Virginia won’t lose to VMI or UConn, but it can be forgiven for not bringing the full intensity with the season opener in Atlanta to deal with Georgia and with the ACC opener at Clemson lurking.
Full Schedule Analysis

Virginia Tech Hokies

Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Duke, Nov. 21
Game Before: Miami
Game After
: Virginia

Okay, okay, Virginia Tech isn’t going to overlook Duke after getting obliterated 45-10 last year, but it’s a late-season battle in the final road game of the season. The Miami game the week before should be a big deal in the Coastal race, and then comes Virginia. After losing last year, the Hokies will be a wee bit focused on taking back the rivalry.
Full Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC