100. San Jose State Spartans
Relative Strength: Wide Receiver
Relative Concern: Running Back
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 95
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 117
San Jose State Quick Take: The offense worked, and it should be terrific again with another fun passing game. Yes, the secondary looked great because everyone was busy running the ball on the Spartan defense, but it really is going to be a plus.
– San Jose State 2020 CFN Team Preview
99. Army Black Knights
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Wide Receiver
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 89
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 77
Army Quick Take: Army is going to go Army again – it’s going to run, run some more, and keep on running – but the line is just decent and the defense has to be a wee bit better after an okay year. It’s all up to an offense that has to get back to a 2018 level and be dominant again.
– Army 2020 CFN Team Preview
98. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Secondary
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 82
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 68
Southern Miss Quick Take: The offense has way too much returning talent to be mediocre again. The defense gets back enough good tacklers and enough pass rushers to be great again at getting behind the line, but the pass defense has to be far better.
– Southern Miss 2020 CFN Team Preview
97. WKU Hilltoppers
Relative Strength: Defensive Line
Relative Concern: Running Back
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 40
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 102
WKU Quick Take: After a really fun, really wild turnaround season with a fantastic bowl win to end it all, the defense will be among the best in Conference USA. If the offense can go from improved to great, it might win the league title.
– WKU 2020 CFN Team Preview
96. Ohio Bobcats
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Linebacker
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 51
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 86
Ohio Quick Take: Frank Solich’s team might have just filled the big hole with QB Armani Rogers coming in from UNLV. The offensive backfield is going to be good again, but there’s a massive talent loss up front. The defense will be okay, but nothing amazing.
– Ohio 2020 CFN Team Preview
95. Nevada Wolf Pack
Relative Strength: Offensive Line
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 74
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 87
Nevada Quick Take: This is hardly a great ranking, but it’s still a wee bit of a gift considering the offense has a whole lot of work to do to turn the experience into more production. Once again, the defense will be fine against the mediocre teams, and will struggle against everyone else.
– Nevada 2020 CFN Team Preview
94. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Relative Strength: Wide Receiver
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 86
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 120
Tulsa Quick Take: Putting it out there – we’re fully prepared to accept that this ranking could be really, really wrong on the low side if the defense can do anything. The offense is loaded at the skill spots to survive in shootout after shootout.
– Tulsa 2020 CFN Team Preview
93. Arkansas State Red Wolves
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Secondary
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 67
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 92
Arkansas State Quick Take: Can the defense be any better? It gave up over 400 points for the first time since 2013, but the great offense often made up for it. Expect more of the same, but the defensive line should quietly be better. The secondary loses a ton of key parts from the nation’s 124th-ranked defense.
– Arkansas State 2020 CFN Team Preview
92. Ball State Cardinals
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 83
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 109
Ball State Quick Take: Don’t sleep on a Cardinal team that might become one of the nation’s biggest surprises. The secondary is terrific, the offense should be the MAC’s best, and the experience and talent are there to have a fantastic year.
– Ball State 2020 CFN Team Preview
91. East Carolina Pirates
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 108
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 114
East Carolina Quick Take: The Pirates have the offensive pop with the great passing game sure to scare the rest of Conference USA, and the secondary is good, but the defense as a whole has to rise up and be a whole lot better.
– East Carolina 2020 CFN Team Preview
90. Marshall Thundering Herd
Relative Strength: Offensive Line
Relative Concern: Quarterback
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 35
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 83
Marshall Quick Take: The quarterback situation just became interesting with Isaiah Green in the transfer portal, but the offensive line and the secondary are in place to build around.
– Marshall 2020 CFN Team Preview
89. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Relative Strength: Wide Receiver
Relative Concern: Offensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 43
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 94
Louisiana Tech Quick Take: Coming off a special season, Louisiana Tech has a whole lot of reworking to do to be amazing again. The receiving corps, though, will be excellent, and there’s just enough back on defense to be in the Conference USA title mix.
– Louisiana Tech 2020 CFN Team Preview
88. SMU Mustangs
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 28
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 84
SMU Quick Take: The offense will be great again, the defense will struggle again, and the Mustangs will continue to be a whole lot of fun with a big-time passing game. That defense, though …
– SMU 2020 CFN Team Preview
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87. Florida Atlantic Owls
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 13
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 85
Florida Atlantic Quick Take: Willie Taggart inherits a relatively full cupboard. No, the overall talent isn’t there to be in the mix for the New Year’s Six spot, but the offensive backfield is good enough to push for the Conference USA title again.
– Florida Atlantic 2020 CFN Team Preview
86. Colorado State Rams
Relative Strength: Wide Receiver
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 109
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 97
Colorado State Quick Take: New head coach Steve Addazio should be just the nudge the program needs to go from struggling to decent right away. The passing attack will be among the best in the Mountain West in what should be a good turnaround year.
– Colorado State 2020 CFN Team Preview
85. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Offensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 123
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 75
Rutgers Quick Take: New head coach Greg Schiano isn’t going to be enough to make Rutgers the new Ohio State in the Big Ten East. but he has a potentially good running game to work with if the line can be anything other than miserable.
– Rutgers 2020 CFN Team Preview
84. Georgia Southern Eagles
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Wide Receiver
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 55
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 108
Georgia Southern Quick Take: You know what you’re getting with Georgia Southern, and it’s once again going to do what it does, only better. The offensive backfield is loaded for the option attack, the linebacking corps is special, and the overall formula should work.
– Georgia Southern 2020 CFN Team Preview
83. Buffalo Bulls
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Quarterback
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 39
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 101
Buffalo Quick Take: Be really, really disappointed if this isn’t the best team in the MAC. The Bulls will have one of the nation’s most productive rushing tandems, the defensive front is fantastic, and the overall talent is in place to roll to a massive year.
– Buffalo 2020 CFN Team Preview
82. UAB Blazers
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Offensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 58
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 100
UAB Quick Take: If there wasn’t so much success after returning from a few years off, this would be the year when things would kick in. As good as UAB has been, this version could be the best yet with almost everyone back. The Conference USA title is there for the taking.
– UAB 2020 CFN Team Preview
81. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
Relative Strength: Quarterback
Relative Concern: Secondary
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 14
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 95
Louisiana Quick Take: The offense should be unstoppable. After two years of getting everything rolling under head man Billy Napier, now the spread attack will go to a whole other level. The defense will be just good enough to hold serve.
– Louisiana 2020 CFN Team Preview
80. Utah State Aggies
Relative Strength: Offensive Line
Relative Concern: Quarterback
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 46
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 72
Utah State Quick Take: This got interesting in a hurry. Jordan Love might be gone to the Green Bay Packers, but bringing in Utah transfer Jason Shelley has changed around the quarterback situation. The O line is among the best in the Mountain West, and the D should be a lot stronger in the back.
– Utah State 2020 CFN Team Preview
79. Tulane Green Wave
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Linebacker
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 62
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 81
Tulane Quick Take: Combine the great coaching with outstanding special teams, and Tulane should be able to do all of the little things right. There isn’t enough overall talent to make a huge push in the American Athletic Conference race, but it’ll once again be a rock of a team under Willie Fritz.
– Tulane 2020 CFN Team Preview
78. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Relative Strength: Wide Receiver
Relative Concern: Defensive Line
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 32
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 89
Hawaii Quick Take: New head coach Todd Graham will keep the passing game going, but with a few twists. The offensive line is good enough to expand the attack, but the defensive front will need a while to get rolling.
– Hawaii 2020 CFN Team Preview
77. Fresno State Bulldogs
Relative Strength: Running Back
Relative Concern: Quarterback
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 91
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 69
Fresno State Quick Take: Welcome to the Group of Five’s biggest wild-card team. After a clunker of a 2019, Fresno State might be able to bounce back fast under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. Running game, good defense, repeat.
– Fresno State 2020 CFN Team Preview
76. Wyoming Cowboys
Relative Strength: Defensive Line
Relative Concern: Wide Receiver
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 48
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 91
Wyoming Quick Take: Too many great defensive parts are gone, but it’ll still be a good overall group. The running game should be great, but there won’t be a whole lot of flash from the passing attack.
– Wyoming 2020 CFN Team Preview
CFN Preview 2020 Rankings
All 130 Team Previews | 101-130
76-100 | 51-75 | 26-50 | 11-25 | Top 10