San Diego State Football: First Look At The Ohio Bobcats

The Aztecs will kick off their 2023 season against last year’s MAC runners-up. Here’s a first look at Ohio.


San Diego State Football: First Look at the Ohio Bobcats


The Aztecs will kick off their 2023 season against last year’s MAC runners-up. Here’s a first look at Ohio.


Contact/FollowĀ @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

MACtion is on the way to Snapdragon.

San Diego State Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Ohio | Idaho State | UCLA | Oregon State

It’s hard to stay on top in the Mid-American Conference, but the Ohio Bobcats have made a habit over the past decade or so of being remarkably consistent.

After a one-year blip in 2021, Ohio roared back to clinch a spot in the MAC championship game for the first time since 2016. They fell short of claiming the program’s first crown since 1968, though, which means the Bobcats should be plenty motivated to finish the job this fall. That begins in Week 0 with a must-see showdown against San Diego State.

Location: Athens, Ohio

Conference: Mid-American

Series History: Ohio leads the all-time series against San Diego State, 1-0.

2022 Record: 10-4 (7-1 MAC)

Head Coach: Tim Albin (third year, 13-13 overall). When Frank Solich stepped away from leading the Bobcats before the 2021 season, Ohio fell into a funk and finished that year with a 3-9 record. That was the program’s first losing season since 2008 but Albin, who had worked alongside Solich as offensive coordinator since 2005, didn’t need much time to help his team rediscover their footing: After playing three one-score contests in the first five games, Ohio strung a seven-game winning streak together to win the MAC East title.

Though they lost the conference championship to Toledo, the Bobcats bounced back to win a close Arizona Bowl over Wyoming to earn their first ten-win since 2011. Now, they enter 2023 as one of the most experienced rosters anywhere in college football, returning 71% of last year’s production.

Key Players

Kurtis Rourke, QB

The first time San Diego State faced off with Ohio in the 2018 Frisco Bowl, Nathan Rourke led the Bobcats to a big win by accounting for 250 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. In Week 0, the Aztecs will square off with Nathan’s younger brother, Kurtis, who just so happens to be the reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Even that might undersell just how good he was last year before a knee injury knocked him out for Ohio’s final three games. Among all FBS quarterbacks, Rourke ranked tenth in yards of total offense per game (316.2), eighth in completion percentage (69.1%), fourth in yards per attempt (9.2), and tied for first in overall Pro Football Focus grading (92.0). If he’s back to 100%, he could be the best quarterback SDSU will see all season.

Torrie Cox, CB

Cox started 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2022 and quickly established himself as one of the best overall players in the MAC. He finished ninth among conference defenders with an overall PFF grade of 82.9 after making 52 total tackles, including three tackles for loss, and breaking up six passes with three interceptions, so Cox will be a tough test for whichever Aztecs receiver lines up opposite him.

Sieh Bangura, RB

If Rourke is the engine that makes Ohio’s offense go, then Bangura spent his first full season in 2022 as one of Rourke’s primary beneficiaries. The MAC’s Freshman of the Year rushed for 1,078 yards on the ground and caught 27 passes for 226 yards through the air with 15 total touchdowns, giving the Bobcats an all-around weapon out of the backfield.

Keye Thompson, LB

Thompson missed the entire 2021 season with an injury, but that setback proved to be temporary when he re-established himself in the heart of the Bobcats defense last fall. He led Ohio with 96 total tackles and chipped in with 6.5 tackles for loss, three passes defended, and an interception, earning a third-team all-MAC nod for his efforts.

Vonnie Watkins, DE

Where Cox and Thompson thrive further back from the line of scrimmage, Watkins gets things done in the trenches for the Bobcats. His 14 tackles for loss last season were the most by an Ohio defender since 2018 and he added 4.5 sacks for good measure, though he’ll be counted upon to provide more as the team reloads up front.

Overview:

Offense

Ohio has never typically had much problem moving the ball in recent years and 2022 was no exception. The Bobcats led the MAC in averaging 6.17 yards per play and finished 34th and 41st, respectively, among all FBS teams in points per drive (2.62) and available yards percentage per drive (51.7%).

Rourke’s return is the biggest boon of all, especially since it’s worth noting that Ohio’s production dipped slightly when they were forced to turn toĀ CJ Harris at quarterback down the stretch, averaging 4.98 YPP in the final three games. He and Bangura give the team one of the MAC’s best backfield tandems, though the passing game has its own standouts, too, inĀ Sam Wiglusz (74 catches, 883 yards, 11 touchdowns),Ā Jacoby Jones (45-776-6), andĀ Miles Cross (46-554-3).

On the offensive line, Ohio must replace first-team all-MAC Guard Hagen Meservy but will bring back the other four players who finished last season in the starting lineup. Chief among that group are seniors Parker Titsworth, who led the team by playing 974 snaps at center, andĀ Jay Amburgey, who has started games at both tackle positions over the past two seasons.

Defense

One of the biggest reasons for Ohio’s big 2022 was a defense that rebounded on a number of different fronts, improving their team sack rate (6.5%, 56th in FBS), stuff rate (22.1%, 22nd), available yards percentage allowed per drive (47.5%, 67th), and net points per drive (2.20, 60th) despite giving up 6.16 yards per play, the highest average in the MAC.

There’s a decent chance they’re as good or better in 2023 with the number of productive veterans who are back for more. On the defensive line, Watkins andĀ tackleĀ Rodney Matthews (26 tackles, seven tackles for loss) anchor a unit that must replace the 9.5 combined sacks notched by Jack McCrory and Kai Caesar last fall. They’ll have reinforcements ready to step up, though, like Rayyan Buell andĀ Bradley Weaver.

With Thompson andĀ Bryce Houston (77 tackles, 11 TFLs, 5.5 sacks) entrenched at linebacker, things look much more stable in the middle of the defense. The secondary returns mostly intact, too, led by cornerbacks Cox and Justin Birchette (36 tackles, eight pass breakups). While questions remain at safety and nickelback, Austin Brawley got two starts in 13 appearances andĀ Adonis Williams Jr. played more than 250 snaps out of the slot, so they appear the best the likeliest candidates to win those jobs.

Early Prediction

The Aztecs figure to play much closer to the level they achieved in the second half of last season, but there are just enough questions on offense right now to make me think that, even if the San Diego State defense manages to keep Rourke and company in check at times, they won’t be able to keep up drive for drive against one of the better attacks they’re going to see all year.

Ohio 31, San Diego State 24

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Mountain West Football: First Look At The USC Trojans

The Trojans look well on their way to becoming a Pac-12 power again, but they’ll first contend with two Mountain West teams in 2023.


Mountain West Football: First Look at the USC Trojans


The Trojans look well on their way to becoming a Pac-12 power again, but they’ll first contend with two Mountain West teams in 2023.


Contact/FollowĀ @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Unlike some bluebloods, USC might actually be “back”.

Nevada Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

USC | Idaho | Kansas | Texas State

San Jose State Football: First Look At 2023 Non-conference Opponents

USC | Oregon State | Cal Poly | Toledo

After several years in the wilderness, the USC Trojans announced their return with an exclamation point in 2022.

First came the shocking hire of head coach Lincoln Riley. Then, quarterback Caleb Williams followed Riley from Oklahoma to Los Angeles. Then came a wealth of other incoming transfers and, when all was said and done, the men of Troy were back in a New Year’s Six bowl game for the first time since 2017.

The expectation to write a Hollywood ending remains as high as ever, however, which means that Nevada and San Jose State will tangle with a very talented and motivated Trojans roster in non-conference play.

Location: Los Angeles, California

Conference: Pac-12

Series History: USC leads the all-time series against Nevada, 5-0, and leads the series against San Jose State, 5-0.

2022 Record: 11-3 (8-1 Pac-12)

Head Coach: Lincoln Riley (second year; 11-3 at USC, 66-13 overall). Riley’s sudden exit from Norman sent shockwaves across the college football landscape, but he hit the ground running at USC thanks to a Heisman-winning quarterback and a defense with a knack for creating lots of turnovers. The only real blemishes were an inability to defeat Utah, who stunned the Trojans twice last season, and letting a 15-point, fourth-quarter Cotton Bowl lead slip away against Tulane.

Heading in 2023, USC is one of the few teams nationally which could claim missing the College Football Playoff will qualify as a disappointment. Considering the Trojans are projected 7th overall by preseason SP+ and return 76% of last year’s production, they’re certainly loaded for bear.

Key Players

Caleb Williams, QB

What can you say about Williams that a Heisman Trophy wouldn’t say for you? Williams posted an overall PFF grade of 91.7 on the strength of 52 total touchdowns (42 passing, ten rushing), a 66.6% completion rate through which he averaged 9.1 yards per attempt, and a minuscule 1% interception rate. He’s already widely considered a candidate to be selected first overall in next year’s NFL Draft, so it’s really more a matter of containing his talent rather than stopping it.

Emmanuel Pregnon, OG

The Mountain West has seen a number of talented players leave for the Power 5 over the last couple years, but Pregnon’s exit from Wyoming is nothing but good news for the Trojans. In his lone season as a starter for the Cowboys, Pregnon allowed just two sacks and four hurries in 625 total snaps, finishing fourth among Mountain West guards with an overall PFF grade of 73.9.

Calen Bullock, S

Since starting as a true freshman two years ago, Bullock has done nothing to dispel the belief that he’s one of the top safeties in the country. Pro Football Focus tabbed him as a first-team All-American last year after he earned a 82.5 overall grade with 48 total tackles, five pass breakups, and five interceptions.

Tajh Washington, WR

Yes, Caleb Williams has a comical amount of weapons at his disposal, but Washington is a difference maker out of the slot. 87.4% of his snaps came inside last year and he finished second to Jordan Addison in receptions (50), receiving yards (785), and receiving touchdowns (six). With Addison off to the pros, he could be in line for more than the 70 targets he saw in 2022.

Mason Cobb, LB

Cobb is far from the only new Trojan slated for a big role this fall, but the Oklahoma State transfer is a strong candidate to be the best of that bunch. He racked up 13 tackles for loss last season, tied for fifth-most among Big 12 defenders, and 96 total tackles, which ranked in a tie for seventh. Pro Football Focus also credited him with 51 stops (third in Big 12), so chances are you’ll hear his name early and often on Saturdays this fall.

Overview:

Offense

We can keep this one simple: USC’s offense was sick in 2022. The Trojans tied for first among all FBS teams by averaging 3.76 points per drive and ranked fourth in earning 65.9% of available yards per drive, though it might suffice to note that they were one of just five offenses to average seven yards per play.

It might be setting an absurdly high standard to expect USC to do it again… but they could. Williams is as good an engineer as you’ll find in college football and Washington is just one of the many pass-catching talents at his disposal:Ā Mario Williams (40 catches, 631 yards, five touchdowns) and Brendan Rice (39-611-4) are both backĀ and the Trojans addedĀ Dorian Singer (66-1105-6 at Arizona) from the transfer portal. It’s a true embarrassment of riches.

There are more questions at running back and offensive line but — surprise! — the Trojans have loaded those units, too. Travis Dye, last year’s top running back, is gone butĀ Austin JonesĀ (135 carries, 705 yards, six total touchdowns) returnsĀ and USC courted MarShawn Lloyd (111-573-9 at South Carolina) from the transfer portal. It’s the same story up front, as well: Andrew Voorhees and Brett Neilon have moved on, but Pregnon,Ā Jarrett Kingston (Washington State), andĀ Michael Tarquin (Florida) could all step in alongside senior swingman Justin Dedich (79.1 PFF grade) and junior tackleĀ Jonah Monheim to keep things rolling along.

Oh, did we also mention this offense is adding the top wide receiver prospect (Zaccariah Branch)Ā and the top tight end prospect (Duce Robinson) from the 2023 recruiting class? This unit could crack 40 points a game again without breaking a sweat.

Defense

For as often as the offense dazzled, the defense had stars but often gave up a ton of ground. Where the offense ranked in the top five by points per drive and available yards percentage per drive, USC’s defense ranked 111th and 116th, respectively, and while their team sack rate was a respectable 7.6% (34th) and a +21 turnover margin paced the nation, it’s very telling that they also finished 124th in yards per play allowed.

Needless to say, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has been a very divisive figure who’s now tasked with finding success in more sustainable ways. Up front, the defensive line is likely to revolve around a number of incoming transfers likeĀ Kyon Barrs (39 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss at Arizona),Ā Jamil Muhammad (44 tackles, five TFLs at Georgia State), andĀ Anthony Lucas (Texas A&M), though holdovers likeĀ Solomon Byrd,Ā Romello Height,Ā and former #1 overall recruitĀ Korey Foreman could also factor in.

The linebacker unit should also be fully stocked with veterans likeĀ Shane Lee (78 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks) andĀ Eric Gentry (71 tackles, four TFLs, two sacks) joining forces with Cobb and highly-regarded freshmen likeĀ Tackett Curtis.

In the secondary, Bullock andĀ Max Williams (79 tackles, five pass breakups, two interceptions) give the Trojans a reliable safety tandem, but how things will shake out at cornerback is a little less clear. Youngsters likeĀ Ceyair Wright andĀ Domani Jackson will sort that out alongside Arizona transfer Christian Roland-Wallace (58 tackles, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles) and others, and it’ll take a group effort to improve upon the 63.7% completion rate and eight yards per attempt they allowed to opponents in 2022.

Early Predictions

Nevada could be much improved and San Jose State may look like a conference title contender as 2023 progresses, but it’s doubtful either of these games will be close.

USC 59, Nevada 7

USC 45, San Jose State 17

Want to learn more about USC football? Be sure to visit our friends over at Trojans Wire.

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Mountain West Football: First Look At The Vanderbilt Commodores

Vandy might finally be on the rise in the SEC, which makes their two games against Mountain West opponents critical litmus tests.


Mountain West Football: First Look at the Vanderbilt Commodores


The ‘Dores might finally be on the rise in the SEC, which makes their two games against Mountain West opponents critical litmus tests.


Contact/FollowĀ @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

A test for two Mountain West teams who hope to rise.

Hawaii Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Vanderbilt | Stanford | Albany | Oregon | New Mexico State

UNLV Football: First Look At 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Bryant | Michigan | Vanderbilt | UTEP

For the majority of their existence, the Vanderbilt Commodores have been a moribund program with little success of which to speak, but change might finally be in the air.

For the first time since James Franklin left Nashville in 2013, there are hopes that the downtrodden ‘Dores have found a lasting path out of the bottom of the SEC East division. While the grind of conference play figures to be as brutal as ever, they’ll get a chance to prove themselves against a pair of Mountain West opponents, Hawaii and UNLV, who harbor higher hopes of their own headed into 2023.

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Conference: SEC

Series History: Vanderbilt leads the all-time series against Hawaii, 1-0, while UNLV leads their all-time series against the Commodores, 1-0.

2022 Record: 5-7 (2-6 SEC)

Head Coach: Clark Lea (third year, 7-17 overall). Life will never been a cakewalk for anyone holding the SEC’s toughest job, but Lea has made some headway in his first two seasons at the helm. Despite taking their expected lumps against the likes of Alabama and Georgia early in SEC play, the Commodores notched two straight conference wins against Kentucky and Florida in November, ending a drought that stretched back to 2019.

Now, Lea’s ‘Dores have more experience on hand than ever, returning 70% of last year’s production. After finishing last season just one win shy of bowl eligibility, they’ll be motivated to anchor down in non-conference play once more in order to meet that goal.

Key Players

Will Sheppard, WR

Slowly but surely, Sheppard is leaving his mark as one of the best overall pass catchers in Vanderbilt history. Last year, he led the entire SEC with 116 targets and paced the Commodores with 60 catches, 776 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns (including two in the Week 0 blowout against Hawaii) while dropping just three passes. That was enough to earn him a second-team all-SEC nod.

AJ Swann, QB

Though it took a little while for Swann to see the field last year, he appears to be the quarterback of the present and the future until further notice. He appeared in nine games as a true freshman and made six starts, completing 58.1% of his throws for 1,274 yards (6.4 yards per attempt) with ten touchdowns and a healthy 1% interception rate. For better or worse, the sophomore is now an offensive cornerstone.

Jaylen Mahoney, S

Now one of the most experienced players on the Vanderbilt roster, Mahoney continued doing a little bit of everything for the Commodores defense last season. He set a new career high with seven tackles for loss among 55 total and also broke up five passes with one interception.

CJ Taylor, ANCHOR

The flex piece in Lea’s defense, Taylor finished 2022 with the highest overall PFF grade, 74.6, of any Commodores defender. It makes sense when you consider he also tallied 56 total tackles, the most of anyone returning for Vanderbilt in 2023, as well as seven tackles for loss and five pass breakups.

De’Rickey Wright, S

After flirting with the transfer portal early last year, Wright returned to the Commodores and stepped up, leading the team with six pass breakups and three interceptions while making 55 total tackles. If The Tennessean’s Gentry Estes is to be believed, he could be in for a major jump in production after an equally strong spring.

Overview:

Offense

Vanderbilt’s offense wasn’t great last year, but a closer look at things reveals some progress: Though they finished 120th in net points per drive and 118th in net available yards percentage per drive, their -1.19 and -15.3% figures in those two areas were actually the team’s best since 2018. The Commodores were also pretty good at protecting the quarterback, allowing a 3.7% sack rate which ranked 18th in the country, and return enough pieces here to keep giving their SEC brethren the occasional scare.

At quarterback, it begins and ends with Swann, though former starterĀ Ken Seals is still on hand to provide a veteran hand if needed. The situation at running back, on the other hand, is much less clear-cut since leading rusher Ray Davis bolted for Kentucky in December. Junior Patrick Smith and sophomoreĀ Chase Gillespie combined for 83 carries, but this could be an opportunity for incoming freshmen likeĀ Sedrick Alexander orĀ Deago Benson to pitch in early.

Though top tight end Ben Bresnahan has moved on, the passing game remains well-stocked behind Sheppard. Sophomore Jayden McGowan (44 catches, 453 yards, three touchdowns) made good on the early buzz which surrounded him this time last year whileĀ Quincy Skinner Jr. (17-238-2) led the way with 14.0 yards per catch and one drop on 24 targets.

The offensive line, meanwhile, battled through injuries in 2022 but returns mostly intact. The biggest name back is senior Bradley Ashford, who has spent time at tackle and guard over the past two years, but tackles Gunnar Hansen andĀ Junior Uzebu also provide Vandy a pair of solid bookends which will test their two Mountain West opponents.

Defense

It may seem like bad news that Vanderbilt went from allowing 6.75 yards per play in 2021 to 6.95 YPP last season, but Lea’s defense did a couple things well like getting into the backfield (20.5% stuff rate, 32nd in FBS) and taking better advantage of fumble luck, but there’s a lot of work left to be done and now the Commodores must do it without Anfernee Orji, their top defender who is now with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.

One top priority: Find a spark for the pass rush. Though Vanderbilt nearly doubled their raw sack total from nine to 17, their 4.1% team rate still ranked 121st in the FBS. Defensive lineman Christian James led the team with three sacks, but they will simply need more across the board from newcomers like Stanford transferĀ Aeneas DiCosmo and returning veteransĀ Daevion Davis andĀ Miles Capers.

Orji’s departure leaves a massive hole at linebacker, one thatĀ Ethan Barr (42 tackles, two tackles for loss) won’t be able to fill by himself.Ā Kane Patterson (39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks) seems likely to take on more reps, but others like Errington Truesdell and Notre Dame transferĀ Prince Kollie could also step into the breach. The secondary, thankfully, has fewer concerns around Mahoney, Taylor, and Wright since cornerbacks Tyson Russell andĀ BJ Anderson also return, but their collective challenge will be to get more hands on footballs after finishing next to last in the SEC with 36 passes defended and six interceptions.

Early Predictions

The general consensus appears to be the Lea is onto something headed into his third year with the Commodores, and they definitely looked ahead of schedule in their season-opening romp against Hawaii last season. That should be enough to help erase the “same old Vanderbilt” vibes and, for the Mountain West, could make them a much tougher challenge than anticipated. They might still have an uphill climb in the SEC, but Vandy still has SEC talent at its disposal.

Vanderbilt 42, Hawaii 20

Vanderbilt 37, UNLV 23

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College Football Rankings: 1 To 131 After Week 1

College football rankings from CollegeFootballNews.com from 1 to 131 after Week 1

College Football News 2022 college football rankings after Week 0 for all 131 teams with results and who’s up next week.


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As always, the CFN rankings are based on what we know and can prove more than what we believe, but it’s only Week 1 – there’s not a ton to go on yet. Also, as always, these rankings will fluctuate wildly.

The adjustments will be made after Sunday and Monday night games.

Contact @ColFootballNews

CFN 2022 Rankings: After Week 1
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | 11-25 | Top 10
Week 1 Scoreboard, how the predictions went

CFN College Football Rankings: After Week 1

131 FIU (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 129
Week 1: FIU 38, Bryant 37 (OT)
Week 2: at Texas State

130 Akron (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 130
Week 1: Akron 30, Saint Francis 23 (OT)
Week 2: at Michigan State

129 UMass (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 131
Week 1: Tulane 42, UMass 10
Week 2: at Toledo

128 Charlotte (0-2)

Last Week Ranking: 119
Week 1: William & Mary 41, Charlotte 24
Week 2: Maryland

127 ULM (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 128
Week 1: Texas 52, ULM 10
Week 2: Nicholls State

126 New Mexico State (0-2)

Last Week Ranking: 127
Week 1: Minnesota 38, New Mexico State 0
Week 2: at UTEP

125 UConn (1-1)

Last Week Ranking: 126
Week 1: at Central Connecticut State
Week 2: Syracuse

124 Ball State (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 125
Week 1: Tennessee 59, Ball State 10
Week 2: Western Michigan

123 Rice (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 120
Week 1: USC 66, Rice 14
Week 2: McNeese State

122 Bowling Green (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 124
Week 1: UCLA 45, Bowling Green 17
Week 2: Eastern Kentucky

121 Navy (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 99
Week 1: Delaware 14, Navy 7
Week 2: Memphis

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120 Texas State (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 118
Week 1: Nevada 38, Texas State 14
Week 2: FIU (Sept 9)

119 Buffalo (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 123
Week 1: Maryland 31, Buffalo 10
Week 2: Holy Cross

118 New Mexico (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 122
Week 1: New Mexico 41, Maine 0
Week 2: Boise State (Sept 9)

117 Arkansas State (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 121
Week 1: Arkansas State 58, Grambling State 3
Week 2: at Ohio State

116 UTEP (0-2)

Last Week Ranking: 116
Week 1: Oklahoma 45, UTEP 13
Week 2: New Mexico State

115 Hawaii (0-2)

Last Week Ranking: 109
Week 1: WKU 49, Hawaii 17
Week 2: at Michigan

114 Kent State (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 113
Week 1: Washington 45, Kent State 20
Week 2: at Oklahoma

113 Eastern Michigan (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 114
Week 1: Eastern Michigan 42, Eastern Kentucky 34
Week 2: at Louisiana

112 Georgia Southern (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 117
Week 1: Georgia Southern 59, Morgan State 7
Week 2: at Nebraska

111 Temple (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 100
Week 1: Duke 30, Temple 0
Week 2: Lafayette

110 Middle Tennessee (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 107
Week 1: James Madison 44, Middle Tennessee 7
Week 2: at Colorado State

109 UNLV (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 106
Week 1: OPEN DATE
Week 2: at Cal

108 Northern Illinois (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 103
Week 1: Northern Illinois 34, Eastern Illinois 27
Week 2: at Tulsa

107 Southern Miss (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 108
Week 1: Liberty 29, Southern Miss 27 4OT
Week 2: at Miami

106 Miami University (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 104
Week 1: Kentucky 37, Miami University 13
Week 2: Robert Morris

105 South Alabama (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 111
Week 1: South Alabama 48, Nicholls 7
Week 2: at Central Michigan

104 James Madison (1-0)

Last Week Ranking: 112
Week 1: James Madison 44, Middle Tennessee 7
Week 2: Norfolk State

103 Nevada (2-0)

Last Week Ranking: 102
Week 1: Nevada 38, Texas State 14
Week 2: Incarnate Word

102 Florida Atlantic (1-1)

Last Week Ranking: 87
Week 1: Ohio 41, Florida Atlantic 38
Week 2: SE Louisiana

101 Louisiana Tech (0-1)

Last Week Ranking: 101
Week 1: Missouri 52, Louisiana Tech 24
Week 2: Stephen F Austin

CFN 2022 Rankings: After Week 1
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | 11-25 | Top 10
Week 1 Scoreboard, how the predictions went

NEXT: CFN 2022 College Football Rankings: Week 1 Top 100

Overreactions to Week 0 Mountain West performances

Overreacting to Week 0 Mountain West performances.

Week 1 is in full swing


Overreacting to Week 0 performances


Contact/Follow @AddisonDeHaven3Ā & @MWCwire

Week 1 will bring more answers

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ā€œUNLV might be pretty good this yearā€ Or Idaho St. might be really, really bad this year. The Bengals were picked 11th (of 12) in the Big Sky preseason poll and let UNLV hit big play after big playā€”including 35 points in the second quarter. While the Rebels may be improved this year, itā€™s tough to gather too much playing against a team with 51 (!) new players on the roster. Frankly, itā€™s a little concerning that they allowed Idaho St. to get three scores, one of which came when the game was still competitive. Let us remember 2015, when the Rebels walloped ISU in a 80-8 rout. UNLVā€™s record that year? 3-9. Still, Doug Brumfield looked great and the recruiting efforts from Marcus Arroyo are starting to bear some fruit. The true test for the Rebels will come in a week when they travel to Berkeley for a tilt with Cal.

ā€œTimmy Chang might be in over his headā€ Ā Hawaiiā€™s performance vs. Vanderbilt was rough, thereā€™s no way around that one. Is it time to declare that Chang canā€™t succeed as a head coach? Absolutely not. As was pointed out on Twitter, June Jonesā€™ first game at UH was a 62-7 loss to a 6-6 USC team in 1999.

It will take Changā€”who had no previous head coaching experienceā€”some time to figure it out. The Rainbow Warriors will get a much easier test this week vs. Western Kentucky, who at times struggled with FCS Austin Peay in Week 0.

ā€œUtah St. is headed for a down year after struggling to put away UCONNā€ Ā Despite winning 31-20 last Saturday, Utah St.ā€™s performance was a little head scratchingā€”or was it? UCONN has been absolutely horrific the last few years but the hiring of Jim Mora has clearly brought new life to the program. This is obviously not the same UCONN team that was clowned by Holy Cross last year and while Utah St.ā€™s run defense (or lack thereof) was concerning, it may not look all that bad after a few more weeks of play. Now, the Aggies get a chance at a moral victory vs. Alabama this week (as 42 point underdogs, covering the game will count as a moral victory at this point). Itā€™s not quite time to pull the panic button in Logan yet.

ā€œNevada didnā€™t miss a beat after losing Norvell and the majority of last yearā€™s rosterā€ Ā Nevada beat New Mexico St. 23-12 in Week 0 when a lot of pundits had the Wolfpack on upset alert. They won, yes, but they did it in the least impressive way possible as the Aggies missed field goals, threw multiple interceptions on the Nevada side of the field and gave away a fumble. Say what you will about NMSUā€™s performance but Nevadaā€™s was equally concerning (ok, maybe not equally). Given the stat line, Nevada should have rolled the Aggies but somehow the game felt somewhat in doubt during the second half. The 11 point win is deceiving and the Wolfpack are on upset alert this week, this time at home vs. Texas St. A strong performance vs. the Bobcats will actually bring renewed optimism to Nevadaā€™s ā€œrebuild,ā€ but considering the spread has gone from Texas St. +8 to Texas St. +1, most arenā€™t ā€œbuyingā€ Nevadaā€™s Week 0 performance.

ā€œWyoming didnā€™t look that bad, maybe Illinois will be one of the better teams in the Big Tenā€ Ā Is this the beginning of the end for the Craig Bohl era at Wyoming? The Cowboys looked horrific vs. Illinois. Andrew Peasley, Wyomingā€™s QB, threw for a total of Ā 30 yards (and a pick). The defense wasnā€™t much better. It was expected to be a down year for the Cowboys after losing most of their key pieces to the transfer portal but I donā€™t think anyone expected this. Who knows, maybe Illinois will be the surprise team in the Big Ten this year and Wyoming will be ā€œfriskierā€ as the new faces start to gel but thatā€™s the best case scenario. The far more likely scenario is that Illinois is a bottom half Big Ten team and Wyoming is one of the worst FBS teams in the country this year. Bohlā€™s seat is warming by the minute.


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Bowl Projections, College Football Playoff Predictions: Week 0

What are the bowl projections and the College Football Playoff calls after a light opening over the college football season?

Usually there aren’t many big changes to the bowl projections after Week 0 – especially when almost everything goes according to plan – but a few things happened since we came out with our 2022 Preview version.

Northwestern beating Nebraska was the biggest one of the bunch – even if that has nothing to do with the College Football Playoff predictions.

Like the preseason bowl projections, though, the goal is to come up with a starting point to work off of.Ā Remember, ESPN is going to try creating the biggest and best matchups possible, and that includes shoehorning in a few eligible Big Ten teams. That might mean a bowl tie-in is blown off, and it could mean that ESPN creates a bowl game for more inventory.

For now, if you don’t see your team here – especially if it’s a Power Five program – assume that if it gets to six wins it’ll find a home somewhere no matter what. We didn’t want to getĀ tooĀ crazy yet … at least until a switched up College Football Playoff projection.

For everything else, we’ll assume most bowl ties will stay put.

2022-2023 conference bowl tie-ins

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Bowl Projections: Week 0

All Times Eastern

Bowl Projections: Week 0 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2Ā |Ā New Year’s Six
College Football Playofff Prediction
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
Contact/Follow @ColFootballNewsĀ & @PeteFiutak

HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl

Friday, December 16, 2022
11:30 am, ESPN
Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Last Year: Middle Tennessee 31, Toledo 24
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs MAC
Bowl Projection: Louisiana Tech vs Kent State

Duluth Trading Cure Bowl

Friday, December 16, 2022
3:00, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Coastal Carolina 47, Northern Illinois 41
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five or Army
Bowl Projection: Florida Atlantic vs Georgia State

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
11:00 am, ESPN
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: ACC vs American Athletic (Conference USA)
Bowl Projection: Boston College vs Cincinnati

Cricket Celebration Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
12:00, ABC
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Year: South Carolina State 31, Jackson State 10
Bowl Ties: MEAC vs SWAC
Bowl Projection: South Carolina State vs Jackson State

New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
2:15, ESPN
Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Last Year: Fresno State 31, UTEP 24
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs AAC, C-USA, MAC or Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Utah State vs North Texas

Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
3:30, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: San Diego State vs Washington State

LendingTree Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
5:45, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Last Year: Liberty 56, Eastern Michigan 20
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Sun Belt (C-USA)
Bowl Projection: Western Michigan vs Louisiana

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
7:30, ABC
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Last Year: Wisconsin 20, Arizona State 13
Bowl Ties: Pac-12 vs SEC
Bowl Projection: UCLA vs Ole Miss

Frisco Bowl

Saturday, December 17, 2022
9:15, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Last Year: San Diego State 38, UTSA 24
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five or Army
Bowl Projection: BYU vs Nebraska*
*Our early call – the Big Ten will have too many available teams, and ESPN will want to find a spot for them to create the most interesting matchups.

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Monday, December 19, 2022
2:30, ESPN
Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Last Year: Tulsa 30, Old Dominion 17
Bowl Ties: C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Liberty vs Maryland*
*Our early call – the Big Ten will have too many available teams, and ESPN will want to find a spot for them to create the most interesting matchups.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Tuesday, December 20, 2022
3:30 ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Last Year: Wyoming 52, Kent State 38
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: Northern Illinois vs Fresno State

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl

Tuesday, December 20, 2022
7:30, ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Last Year: WKU 59, Appalachian State 38
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: Coastal Carolina vs East Carolina

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Wednesday, December 21, 2022
9:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Year: Louisiana 36, Marshall 21
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: UABĀ vs Appalachian State

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Thursday, December 22, 2022
7:30, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Last Year: Army 24, Missouri 22
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Conference USA (Big 12, Pac-12)
Bowl Projection: SMU vs UTSA

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
Last Year: UAB 31, BYU 28
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Army
Bowl Projection: Memphis vs Army

Union Home Gasparilla Bowl

Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Year: UCF 29, Florida 17
Bowl Ties: ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC (AAC, C-USA)
Bowl Projection: Louisville vs Auburn

Easyport Hawaii Bowl

Saturday, December 24, 2022
8:00, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Complex, Honolulu, HI
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: WKU vs Air Force

Bowl Projections: Week 0 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2Ā |Ā New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team

More Bowl Projections After Week 0: NEXT

College Football Rankings: 1 To 131 After Week 0

College football rankings from CollegeFootballNews.com from 1 to 131 after Week 0.

College Football News 2022 college football rankings after Week 0 for all 131 teams with results and who’s up next week.


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Last year it was Illinois upsetting Nebraska in Week 0 that generated a buzz, and this season it kicked off with Northwestern taking down Scott Frost’s team. Vanderbilt looked great, Illinois got rolling, and others were very, very shaky. But that’s what Week 0 is for – it’s to work the kinks out, unless you played a big game over in Ireland.

Here are the CFN college football rankings after a fun opening to the season.

Contact @ColFootballNews

CFN 2022 Rankings: After Week 0
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | 11-25 | Top 10
Week 1 Schedule, Predictions: Thursday, Friday
Week 1 Expert Picks, Thursday, Friday

CFN College Football Rankings: After Week 0

131 UMass (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 130
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Tulane

130 Akron (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 128
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Saint Francis

129 FIU (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 127
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Bryant

128 ULM (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 126
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Texas

127 New Mexico State (0-1)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 129
Week 0: Nevada 23, New Mexico State 12
Week 1: at Minnesota

126 UConn (0-1)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 131
Week 0: Utah State 31, UConn 20
Week 1: at Central Connecticut State

125 Ball State (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 125
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Tennessee

124 Bowling Green (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 124
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at UCLA

123 Buffalo (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 123
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Maryland

122 New Mexico (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 122
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Maine

121 Arkansas State (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 121
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Grambling State

120 Rice (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 120
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at USC

119 Charlotte (0-1)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 119
Week 0: Florida Atlantic 43, Charlotte 13
Week 1: William & Mary (Sept 2)

118 Texas State (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 118
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Nevada

117 Georgia Southern (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 117
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Morgan State

116 UTEP (0-1)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 104
Week 0: North Texas 31, UTEP 13
Week 1: North Texas

115 Ohio (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 116
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Florida Atlantic

114 Eastern Michigan (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 115
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Eastern Kentucky

113 Kent State (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 114
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Washington

112 James Madison (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 113
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Middle Tennessee

111 South Alabama (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 111
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Nicholls State

110 Old Dominion (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 110
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Virginia Tech

109 Hawaii (0-1)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 107
Week 0: Vanderbilt 63, Hawaii 10
Week 1: WKU

108 Southern Miss (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 108
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Liberty

107 Middle Tennessee (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 105
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at James Madison

106 UNLV (1-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 112
Week 0: UNLV 52, Idaho State 21
Week 1: OPEN DATE

105 Central Michigan (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 109
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Oklahoma State

104 Miami University (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 102
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Kentucky

103 Northern Illinois (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 101
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: Eastern Illinois

102 Nevada (1-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 100
Week 0: Nevada 23, New Mexico State 12
Week 1: Texas State

101 Louisiana Tech (0-0)

CFN Preseason Ranking: 99
Week 0: OPEN DATE
Week 1: at Missouri

CFN 2022 Rankings: After Week 0
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | 11-25 | Top 10
Week 1 Schedule, Predictions: Thursday, Friday
Week 1 Expert Picks, Thursday, Friday

NEXT: CFN 2022 College Football Rankings: Week 0 Top 100

Week 0 Mountain West Football Power Rankings

Week 0 Mountain West Football Power Rankings We have some movement after five games Contact/Follow @MWCwire Remember these are still early There were just five Mountain West games in Week 0 and there are 11 in Week 1 – UNLV is off this week to prep …

Week 0 Mountain West Football Power Rankings


We have some movement after five games


Contact/FollowĀ @MWCwire

Remember these are still early

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There were just five Mountain West games in Week 0 and there are 11 in Week 1 — UNLV is off this week to prep for Cal.

There were some surprising results in Week 0 which notably include Hawaii getting allowing Vanderbilt to put up 60-plus over the Warriors and also the poor performance on both sides of the ball for Wyoming.

2022 Mountain West Football Power Rankings

These rankings are clearly still early and they are voted on by our staff. We will keep track each and every week of how these progress throughout the season.

College Football Roundup Week 0: What It All Means, Winners, Losers, Overrated, Underrated

College football Week 0 roundup with the winners, losers, overrated, and underrated aspects to the season

College football Week 0 roundup with the 5 things that matter, winners and losers, overrated and underrated aspects to the weekend, and what it all means


College Football Week 0 Roundup

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College Football Week 0 Roundup
CFN 1-131 RankingsĀ |Ā Bowl Projections
Week 0 ScoreboardĀ | Week 1 Expert Picks

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNewsĀ & @PeteFiutak
– Nebraska can’t buy a break:Ā One Really Big Thing
– THAT kick:Ā Most Overrated Thing
– Florida Atlantic rolls:Ā Most Underrated Thing
– Week 0 should be more:Ā What It All Means, Week 0

Winners & Losers From Week 0

Winner: Pat Fitzgerald

The guy’s team went 3-9 last season – and got destroyed in the only Big Ten win of the season for Nebraska – and yet he was able to kickoff 2022 with a 31-28 upset over the Huskers thanks to a good running game, steady play by the defense in the second half, and a brilliant performance by the offensive line. It was just one game, butĀ thatĀ wasn’t the 2021 Northwestern team in Dublin.

Loser: Scott Frost

Frost was in this exact spot in last year’s Week 0 piece after losing to Illinois. After that loss he was 12-21 as the Nebraska head coach and 9-18 in the Big Ten. Fast forward a year later, and after a slew of changes and adjustments, he’s now 15-30 overall and just 10-26 in conference play.

Winner: Drake Maye

North Carolina’s new quarterback got his light scrimmage in. Maye had a few off throws, but he was 29-of-37 for 294 yards and five touchdowns – and ran for 55 yards – in the 56-24 win over Florida A&M. It should’ve been an easier game overall for the Tar Heels – at least an easier first half – but Maye looked fantastic.

Loser: FCS teams

There will be moments when the FCS rises up and shines. Austin Peay gave WKU a battle in a 38-27 loss, but Idaho State (52-21 to UNLV), Duquesne (47-7 to Florida State), and Florida A&M (it was missing a slew of players against North Carolina) all lost by double-digits.

Winner: UConn

The Huskies lost at Utah State 31-20, but it scored 14 points in the first quarter. Last year’s team only averaged 15.6 points per game, but under new head coach Jim Mora Jr. there was a rushing attack – Nathan Carter ran for 190 yards. The defense wasn’t bad outside of a rough second quarter, and at least there was a little bit of hope for the near future as they pushed the defending champion of the …

Loser: Mountain West

Nevada needed to work way too hard to get by a bad New Mexico State team 23-12, Utah State struggled in a win over a bad UConn squad, and Wyoming couldn’t do anything in the 38-6 loss at Illinois. However, UNLV rolled Idaho State for a fun moment, but the conference ended the day with …

Winner: Vanderbilt

The 1969 Vanderbilt team beat Davidson 63-8. The program hadn’t hit the 60 mark since – the 1996 team managed just 122 points in 11 games – until it rolled to a 63-10 win over …

Loser: Hawaii

It’s going to take a bit. The Rainbow Warriors gave the effort and intensity, but they were totally gutted this offseason, they don’t have the parts, and Timmy Chang’s team is going to need a while to put it all together.

– Nebraska can’t buy a break:Ā One Really Big Thing
– THAT kick:Ā Most Overrated Thing
– Florida Atlantic rolls:Ā Most Underrated Thing
– Week 0 should be more:Ā What It All Means, Week 0

NEXT:Ā The really big Week 0 thing was …

PODCAST: 2022 Week 0 Mountain West Football Recap

PODCAST: 2022 Week 0 Mountain West Football Recap Five games in the books Contact/Follow @MWCwire How many wins for the Mountain West? Jeremy and Matt are back to recap the five games that started the Mountain West season for Week 0. There was some …

PODCAST: 2022 Week 0 Mountain West Football Recap


Five games in the books


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

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How many wins for the Mountain West?

Jeremy and Matt are back to recap the five games that started the Mountain West season for Week 0. There was some good intel in this first set of games.

We learn enough but not too much to divert away from our preseason projections, but some of these results leave things to be desired.

  • Wyoming looked lost on offense and defense.
  • UNLV had a great offensive performance, who cares it was against Idaho State
  • Utah State had some really good moments vs. UConn
  • Hawaii is in for a really long rebuild
  • Nevada’s defense looks better than expected

You can find the Mountain West Wire podcast below or subscribe to the show via Stitcher Radio,Ā TuneIn,Ā Spotify,Ā iTunes, and more. Listen in, subscribe and rate it and let us know what you think!

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