2021 college football preview – Syndication Server

5 Potentially Disappointing College Football Teams: 21 For 2021 Preview Topics, No. 7

21 for 2021 key college football offseason topics: Which five college football teams have the potential to disappoint?

21 for 2021 key college football offseason topics: Which five college football teams have the potential to disappoint?

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2020 was a strange year for everyone so a free pass has to be given to everyone who had a rough year, but …

Wisconsin was supposed to be good enough to play for the Big Ten title. That didn’t happen – global pandemic things had a wee bit to do with that.

Penn State seemed like it had top ten talent, and then it had the worst start in the program’s history.

Michigan struggled, Virginia Tech wasn’t that great, Minnesota wasn’t special, Mississippi State didn’t break through, and LSU took a massive step back.

Last year we got it close to the pin, hitting Florida State, Minnesota, and Baylor. Give us a mulligan on USC because the schedule changed, and for what the piece is about, Georgia was right considering it didn’t play for or win the SEC Championship and didn’t get to the College Football Playoff.

No one’s saying these teams are going to be bad, but …

It’s all relative. Keep those three words in mind with each of the five teams on the list, because for all of them, anything but less an appearance in the respective conference championship game – at least – will be a disappointment.

Which Power Five teams will start the season with big expectations and will likely fall short?

2021 Power Five Possible Disappointments
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC

ACC: North Carolina Tar Heels

There isn’t any one team in the ACC that appears to be overvalued too much when it comes to the preseason win totals, so this is more about overall expectations.

North Carolina is going to be fantastic, but will it win the ACC Championship? Clemson still appears to be miles ahead of the rest of the conference

Will the Tar Heels win the Coastal Division and get to the ACC title game?

Across several board, the win total line is 10, but Mack Brown’s club has to go to Notre Dame, it starts out at Virginia Tech, ends with NC State, and has to deal with Pitt on the road and Miami at home.

– 2021 CFN North Carolina Preview

That’s not to say it won’t or can’t win any of all of those meetings, and it’s a huge help to not have Clemson on the regular season slate, but is there a defensive meltdown coming like the 44-41 loss to Virginia last year? Is there a brain-cramp like the 31-28 thriller of a defeat to Florida State?

This is when just about everything should be in place after a few years of great recruiting – along with the third year at the helm for QB Sam Howell – but again, the bar is set on ACC Championship appearance or bust.

Anything less than being the second-best team in the ACC – at least – and a ten-win season will be a disappointment.

By the way, North Carolina has one double-digit win season since 1997.

2021 Power Five Possible Disappointments
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC

21 for 2021 Preview Topics (so far)
21. Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes for 2021
20. Best Teams To Not Make CFP
19: Teams That Will Rebound Big
18. Teams That Will Fall Back
17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game
16. Expectations For New Head Coaches
15. Expectations For 2nd Year Head Coaches
14. Power 5 Hot Seat Coach Rankings
13. 21 Key Transfers You Need To Know
12. Group of 5 over Power 5 Upset Alerts
11. 5 of College Football’s New Superstars
10. Group of 5 Teams In New Year’s Six Hunt
9. Power 5 Sleeper Teams
8. Ranking The Power 5 Quarterback Battles

– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

NEXT: Big Ten Potential Disappointment

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College Football Power Five Sleeper Teams: 21 For 2021 Preview Topics No. 9

21 for 2021 key college football offseason topics: Every Power Five conference’s sleeper team.

21 for 2021 key college football offseason topics: No. 9. Every Power Five league’s sleeper team.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Texas A&M wasn’t exactly a sleeper last going into last season, but it was ranked 13th in the preseason polls and turned out to be a whole lot stronger.

Iowa State was 23rd in the preseason AP Poll and 25th in the Coaches Poll, Northwestern received just one vote in the AP, and Indiana got just one in the Coaches.

In last year’s Power Five Sleeper Teams piece, we got Texas A&M right, hit it on 8-4 NC State, and was sort of right on a West Virginia team that went 6-4.

Politely give us a free pass on UCLA – and anything Pac-12 – and we’ll all move right along on the thought that Nebraska was finally going to become a thing under Scott Frost.

The 5 Power Five programs listed below almost certainly aren’t going to win their respective conferences, and they’re not likely to be ranked all that high – if at all – but they should give their fans a fun year.

– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

College Football Power Five Sleeper Teams

ACC Sleeper: Boston College Eagles

– CFN 2021 Boston College Preview

To be totally honest, Boston College is here mostly because there’s not a whole lot to choose from.

NC State was the ACC call last year – and it should be every bit as strong again this time around – but Clemson is obviously amazing, and North Carolina and Miami performing well wouldn’t be that much of a surprise.

Boston College has the best shot of being that quirky out-of-the-blue team that pulls off a shocker or three thanks to a transformed passing attack that gets almost everyone back around QB Phil Jurkovec.

– 2021 CFN Preseason ACC Rankings

It took a year to transform the attack, the defense should be better, and the schedule will help with no Miami or North Carolina from the Coastal.

It’s asking too much to win the ACC Atlantic, but it gave Clemson fits last year, and … forget that. Clemson is Clemson.

Colgate, at UMass, at Temple. That’s three wins right there, and it’s followed up by getting a home date against Missouri. Win that, and the program’s first eight-win season since 2009 should be on the way.

To get even more jacked up, NC State, at Louisville, Virginia Tech, at Georgia Tech, Florida State, Wake Forest. Find the game after dealing with Clemson that BC can’t win.

NEXT: College Football Power Five Sleeper Teams: Big Ten

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Group of Five Teams In New Year’s Six Bowl Hunt: 21 For 2021 Preview Topics

21 for 2021 preseason topics: No. 10. The top Group of Five college football teams that should be in the New Year’s Six bowl chase.

21 for 2021 preseason topics: No. 10. The top Group of Five college football teams that should be in the New Year’s Six bowl chase.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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This piece is almost certainly going to be wrong.

Two years ago we didn’t get Memphis – who ended up getting the New Year’s Six Bowl nod – and last season we weren’t even in the right zip code when it came to the rise of Coastal Carolina and Louisiana.

But we did have Cincinnati on the 2020 list.

So far in the College Football Playoff era, six teams from the Group of Five conferences – the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt – have been the highest-ranked conference champion in the final CFP rankings to get the New Year’s Six spot. None of them have been able to get into the playoff, but if the tournament expands, that will change.

Boise State beat Arizona in the first shot for the Group of Five, and Houston followed it up with a win over Florida State. Western Michigan, Memphis, Cincinnati, and UCF (twice) are the other schools to get the big spotlight game, going 3-4 overall and generally playing very, very well in the losses.

This year, the Group of Five champion – if it’s not in the College Football Playoff – will either play in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl or the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

So what does it take for a Group of Five program to get that New Year’s Six slot? Realistically – but not technically – 1) needs to go unbeaten or finish with just one loss, 2) it should have at least one signature win to impress the College Football Playoff committee that does the rankings, and 3), as part of the requirement, it has to win its conference championship.

Here’s hoping that a few teams will rise up and shock the world, but assume that one of these teams will likely have the best shot at getting the New Year’s Six nod.

Let’s start with a total cop-out.

College Football Group of Five Programs in the New Year’s Six Hunt

5. San Jose State at Nevada winner

– CFN 2021 San Jose State Preview

Boise State is always the instant pick from the Mountain West to have a shot at the New Year’s Six bowl bid, but this year’s team is undergoing a coaching overhaul and it has a few tweaks it has to make, but there are three problems …

Non-conference schedule, non-conference schedule, non-conference schedule.

The Broncos should be strong enough in a relatively weak Mountain Division to get to the Mountain West title game, but they have to start the season at UCF, host Oklahoma State, and they have to go to BYU.

If they win all three they should probably be No. 1 on this list, if they win two of the three they’ll be in the hunt, and if they win just one, forget it. Throw in the road games at San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State, and it’s a tough ask.

– CFN 2021 Nevada Preview

From the West, Fresno State will be dangerous, San Diego State always has a puncher’s chance to get to the NY6, and Hawaii will be plucky, but it should – like last year – come down to the showdown between San Jose State and Nevada.

The Spartans have to go to USC, but they other three non-conference games are against Western Michigan, New Mexico State and Southern Utah. If they’re good enough to win the Mountain West title, they’ll be good enough to win all three of those.

They don’t have to play Boise State and get San Diego State and Fresno State at home. However, they start November with a trip to Reno.

The Wolf Pack are loaded with high-octane offensive talent, the overall experience is in place, and the coaching staff is hitting its stride. They have to at least split the road games against Cal and Kansas State, and they follow that up with a trip to Boise State. Throw in road games at San Diego State and Fresno State, and there’s a problem.

However, get by San Jose State, go on to win the Mountain West title, and they should be in the hunt.

NEXT: Group Of Five Teams In New Year’s Six Bowl Hunt, No. 5

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College Football’s Breakout Superstars: 21 For 2021 Preview Topics

21 for 2021 preseason topics: Five college football players who were already great, but are about to break out and become national stars.

21 for 2021 preseason topics: No. 11 The college football players who are already terrific, but are about to go to a whole other level. Here are five breakout national stars to watch for.

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You already know who most of the superstars should be going into the 2021 college football season, but which guys are about to go from very good to next-level amazing?

If you’re a die-hard fan you probably already know these five players below, and if you don’t, you’re about to.

They’re the great players about to go nuclear, and they’ll soon be a big part of your college football Saturdays – and most likely your NFL Sundays.

– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

How’d we do on these calls over the past few years? We didn’t exactly go out on a huge limb, but again, the goal was/is to highlight the good players who might take their respective games up a several notches.

2019 Breakout Star Predictions

5. S Grant Delpit, LSU
Thorpe Award winner for the epic national title team.

4. RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State
Led the nation with 2,094 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.

3. WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado
While he was okay, he didn’t blow up as expected with 56 catches for 764 yards and four scores.

2. QB Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
Martinez hit just 59% of his passes for 1,956 yards and ten touchdowns with nine picks in 2019, and he ran for 626 yards and seven touchdowns.

1. RB Najee Harris and/or Brian Robinson, Alabama
Harris turned it on to finish with 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns, Robinson was second on the team with 441 yards and five scores. Harris also caught seven touchdown passes.

2020 Breakout Star Predictions

5. QB Sam Howell, North Carolina
He threw for close to 3,600 yards with 30 touchdowns and seven picks, and now he’s being talked about as a possible No. 1 overall draft pick.

4. LB Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State
He couldn’t get his 2020 going – he was banged up all year and fought through injuries. A pass rushing terror in a a dominant 14-sack, 22.5-tackle for loss run in 2019, he failed to come up with a sack with 23 tackles and two tackles for loss.

3. DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami
Opted out on the season, but he was still the 30th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

2. QB KJ Costello, Mississippi State
Yeah, this call didn’t work, but he’ll forever be remembered for the 623-yard, five-touchdown day to beat LSU to start the season.

1. RB Najee Harris, Alabama
Ww went back to the well from our 2019 No. 1 spot, thinking Harris would go up another whole level from his great 2019 season – and he did. The Doak Walker winner led the national champion Tide team with 1,466 rushing yards and 26 scores, along with 43 catches for 425 yards and four touchdowns.

Five (potential) College Football Breakout Superstars

5. DE George Karlaftis, Purdue

– CFN 2021 Purdue Preview

The Big Ten is going to have to deal with him again.

Karlaftis started out his Purdue career as a dominant force with 54 tackles with 7.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in an All-Big Ten season. He was steady, sensational, and relentless with his sack production spread out over the 2019 season and with at 1.5 tackles for loss in eight games.

All primed and ready to roll for a massive 2020, he couldn’t get going with COVID issues along with a leg injury. He only saw time in three games, but he came up with a sack against both Iowa and Illinois to start the season, and then that was about it.

Now he’s back.

The 6-4, 275-pounder is a mortal lock to earn All-Big Ten honors both on the field and in the classroom, and he’s a repeat of the 2019 season away from being a sure-thing first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft – and possibly a top 15 selection.

He’ll get a few games to warm up before being part of the national discussion. Oregon State and UConn should be in big trouble before he’s turned loose on Notre Dame.

NEXT: Florida’s next amazing defensive back

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21 Power Five vs Group of Five Upset Alerts: 21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 12

21 for 2021 college football topics. The most dangerous upset alert games for Power Five teams vs. Group of Five programs.

21 for 2021: 21 most dangerous upset alert games for Power Five teams vs. Group of Five programs.

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You want to make a statement as a Group of Five program? You want to sit at the lunch table with the cool kids? Beat the Power Five teams.

The Group of Five – American Athletic, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt – doesn’t have the success you might think it does against the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC.

The Gof5ers went 4-8 last season against the P5, and that’s after going 22-81 in 2019.

But they’re there. There are big wins to be had to cripple the seasons of the schools with the big money, bigger names, and snobby expectations.

Here are 21 Group of Five vs. Power Five games to watch out for.

– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

21 College Football Group of Five vs. Power Five Upset Alerts

21. Syracuse at Ohio, Sept. 4

It’s a new era of Ohio football in the first game after the Frank Solich retirement, but there won’t be any sort of a slowdown. Syracuse is the better team, but it’s a road trip to start the season for a program that hasn’t blocked a pass rush in a few years.
Syracuse Preview | Ohio Preview

20. Georgia Southern at Arkansas, Sept. 18

Curveball game alert. It’s about as big a sandwich as this gets for Arkansas, playing Texas the week before and Texas A&M right after. Georgia Southern is 0-10 against Power Five programs since moving into the full-time FCS world in 2014 – more often than not getting stomped – but if the option attack starts to work like it did against Minnesota in 2019 and Alabama in 2011, this could be interesting.
Arkansas Preview | Georgia Southern Preview

19. Army at Wisconsin, Oct. 16

In theory, Wisconsin is the perfect team to destroy Army. Through the years, the Badgers generally have had problems with the better passing games and hurry-up attacks. Army’s slow, deliberate running game along with a smallish defensive front should be right in Bucky’s wheelhouse. However, if the knuckleball is working, and if Wisconsin is a bit off after playing Notre Dame, Michigan, and Illinois in the Bret Bielema game, there might be problems.
Army Preview | Wisconsin Preview

18. South Carolina at East Carolina, Sept. 11

Call this the puncher’s chance game. South Carolina will get a warm-up against Eastern Illinois to start the Shane Beamer era, but East Carolina should have a dangerous offense that might catch the Gamecocks looking ahead to the SEC road opener to Georgia up next. The last time ECU had a home game against a Power Five program, it rim-rocked North Carolina 41-19 in 2018.
East Carolina Preview | South Carolina Preview

17. Fresno State at Oregon, Sept. 4

Be very, very careful here. Fresno State has a Pac-12-caliber quarterback in Jake Haener leading a high-powered offense that’s going to keep on pushing. It might be the season opener for the Ducks, but their attention might already be on the monster date at Ohio State the following week. Speaking of Pac-12 vs. Big Ten focus …
Fresno State Preview | Oregon Preview

16. Arkansas State at Washington, Sept. 18

Can Washington hit the four-foot putt? The Huskies should be able to roll if they’re fully focused, but this comes right after the trip to Michigan and just before the Pac-12 opener against Cal. Ask 2020 Kansas State what Arkansas State can do – the Red Wolves pulled off a 35-31 shocker – and new head coach Butch Jones has a dangerous team. Speaking of Sun Belt road stunners …
Arkansas State Preview | Washington Preview

NEXT: Top 15 College Football Group of Five vs. Power Five Upset Alerts

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Hot Seat Coach Rankings For Every Power Five Team: 21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14

20 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14: The coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams.

20 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 14: The coaching hot seat rankings for all of the Power Five teams.

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What’s the hot seat status of all the Power Five head coaches?

Being on a hot seat isn’t just about whether or not a head coach needs to win a football game or have a big season to keep the job. That’s obviously the biggest part of staying hired, but it’s about pressure, too.

Some of the biggest-name head coaches have no real shot of getting fired, but they have to deal with through-the-roof unfair expectations. Really, though, these rankings are about who needs to win … NOW.

The hot seat rankings go from who’s on the coolest of seats in each Power Five conference to who desperately needs a massive campaign.

– CFN 2021 Preview: All 130 Team Previews

ACC Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings 2021

14. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

The pressure is now at a whole other level – not winning the ACC Championship and going to the College Football Playoff would be a failure – but he’s obviously in the high-rent district of elite coaches.
Record With Team: 140-33
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 14, 2019: 14, 2018: 14
Clemson Preview | Schedule

13. Mack Brown, North Carolina

No, he’s not on any hot seat when it comes to potentially being fired, buuuuuuuut … is Mack Brown going Mack Brown? He recruited well enough to have a team worthy of playing for the ACC Championship – UNC isn’t in Clemson’s division – and this year the results have to match the talent.
Record With Team: 15-10
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 9, 2019: 3, 2018: NA
UNC Preview | Schedule

– 2021 CFN Preseason ACC Rankings

12 . Dave Clawson, Wake Forest

If you want to make a list of who’s doing the most with the least, Clawson might be at the top. Five straight bowls at Wake Forest is amazing – he can have a dud of a year and be more than fine.
Record With Team: 40-45
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 10, 2019: 8, 2018: 10
WF Preview | Schedule

11. Jeff Hafley, Boston College

The passing game is great, Boston College is looking dangerous, and there’s a shot Hafley becomes one of the hot rising coaches with a big year. As long as BC goes to a bowl, all is fine.
Record With Team: 6-5
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 12, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
BC Preview | Schedule

10. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia

He can still live another year off the Orange Bowl appearance of 2019. Virginia is never going to be the pressure cooker of jobs that others are, and even if the results aren’t always perfect, Mendenhall is still among the best coaches in the league.
Record With Team: 30-32
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 13, 2019: 12, 2018: 8
Virginia Preview | Schedule

9. Scott Satterfield, Louisville

It’s not like the buzz wore off after a huge 2019, but going 4-7 last season was a huge disappointment. He’s a good guy, he brings a great attitude and tone for the program, and he’s fine to 2022 no matter what, but there’s still rebuilding to do.
Record With Team: 12-13
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 11, 2019: 13, 2018: NA
Louisville Preview | Schedule

8. Dave Doeren, NC State

Doeren got it back after a 4-8 2019 season with is typical 8-4-like campaign, and now he has to keep it all going with one of his better teams. He’s always going to be on a tepid seat – that’s sort of the nature with the NC State gig – but he’s good through next year even with a disappointing run.
Record With Team: 55-46
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 2, 2019: 7, 2018: 5
NC State Preview | Schedule

7. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt Panthers

The pressure has chilled out a little bit as Pitt has found a bit of a groove with its style. However, he can’t afford one really bad year. As long as the Panthers are going bowling, he’s fine.
Record With Team: 42-34
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 4, 2019: 2, 2018: 1
Pitt Preview | Schedule

– 2021 CFN Preseason All-ACC Team

6. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech

So how much longer does the “he has to totally restyle the offense” thing work? It’s Year Three, and now the production has to come and the wins have to be there, but that’s going to be a problem with a nasty schedule.
Record With Team: 6-16
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 6, 2019: 11, 2018: NA
GT Preview | Schedule

5. Manny Diaz, Miami

It’s amazing what happens when you have a great quarterback and an offense that works. It’s Miami so the pressure is always going to be high and the seat will always be hot, but things have chilled a bit after going 8-3.
Record With Team: 14-10
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 1, 2019: 6, 2018: NA
Miami Preview | Schedule

4. Mike Norvell, Florida State

Yeah, one year in a pandemic shouldn’t mean much, but considering how quickly Willie Taggart was run out of town, the same standards need to apply here, too. Start winning or else.
Record With Team: 3-6
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 8, 2019: NA, 2018: NA
FSU Preview | Schedule

3. David Cutcliffe, Duke

Yeah, he might be one of the best teachers in the game, and the pressure is never there for football at Duke, but he’s 4-15 in his last 19 games with three losing seasons in the last five. This is his 13th year – there has to be something positive this season.
Record With Team: 74-88
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 7, 2019: 10, 2018: 7
Duke Preview | Schedule

– 2021 CFN ACC Predictions For Every Game

2. Dino Babers, Syracuse

He’ll get one more shot to prove that the ten-win 2018 season wasn’t a total fluke. Syracuse doesn’t have to win the ACC title – and it might not have to even go bowling – but this can’t be among the worst teams in the conference again. Just pull up out of the nosedive and show hope for 2022 and things might be okay.
Record With Team: 24-36
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 3, 2019: 9, 2018: 2
Syracuse Preview | Schedule

1. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech

It’s about as make-or-break as a year gets. The Hokies haven’t totally underachieved over the last few seasons, but they’re not in the ACC title mix like they need to be. At the very least, they have to make some noise in the Coastal.
Record With Team: 38-26
ACC Preseason Hot Seat Rankings
2020: 5, 2019: 4, 2018: 13
VT Preview | Schedule

2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC

NEXT: 2021 Preseason Hot Seat Coach Rankings: Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC

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NFL Draft Rankings By Conference Last 5 Years: 2021 CFN Program Analysis

After the 2021 NFL Draft, the CFN 5-Year Program Analysis ranks the college football conferences based on how many players were drafted.

Which college programs are doing the best jobs of cranking out the pro talents? Here are the rankings by conference of the college teams and how many players they sent to the NFL over the last five years.

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How have each of the college football conferences done at sending players to the NFL Draft over the last five years? Come up with a slew of great teams and great seasons, get players drafted, get recruits more interested in your program.

After the 2021 NFL Draft, here are the rankings by team and conference over the last five years.

NFL Draft Rankings Over The Last 5 Years: Players Drafted By Conference Average

Average number of players drafted per conference over the last five years

1. SEC 21

2. Big Ten 14.21

3. Pac-12 13.17

4. ACC 13.14

5. Big 12 10.3

6. American Athletic 7

7. Independents 6.29

8. Mountain West 3.26

9. Conference USA 2.5

10. MAC 2.36

11. Sun Belt 2.1

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NFL Draft Rankings Over The Last 5 Years: By Conference

11. Sun Belt NFL Draft Picks 2017-2021

1 Louisiana 7

2 Appalachian State 4

3 Georgia Southern 3

T4 Coastal Carolina 2

T4 South Alabama 2

T6 Georgia State 1

T6 Troy 1

T6 ULM 1

T9 Arkansas State 0

T9 Texas State 0

NFL Draft Picks 2017-2021: 21

NEXT: NFL Draft Rankings By Conference Over The Last 5 Years: No. 10

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NFL Draft Rankings By College Last 5 Years: 2021 CFN Program Analysis

In the CFN 5-Year Program Analysis, here are the 1-130 rankings of the college teams and how many guys they sent to the NFL Draft.

In the CFN 5-Year Program Analysis, here are the 1-130 rankings of the college teams and how many guys they sent to the NFL Draft.

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Contact @PeteFiutak

Colleges love to sell the idea that if you come play for their team, you have a real shot at going to the NFL. Recruits might like the schools for their academics and the atmosphere and the program and … they all dream of the pros.

In the 5-Year Program Analysis, here are the rankings of the teams based on who had the most players drafted.

One note, unlike all of the other categories in the 5-Year Program Analysis that go from 2016 to 2020, this one is from 2017 NFL Draft to the 2021 version.

NFL Draft Rankings: 2021 5-Year Program Analysis

T124 Arkansas State

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T121

T124 Army

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T121

T124 Kent State

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T121

T124 Old Dominion

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T121

T124 Rice

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T110

T124 Texas State

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T95

T124 UNLV

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 0
2020: T122, 2019: T121

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T111 Air Force

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T110

T111 Ball State

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T121

T111 Bowling Green

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T110

T111 Georgia State

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T110

T111 Liberty

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T121

T111 Middle Tennessee

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T96, 2019: T95

T111 Navy

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T96, 2019: T95

T111 Nevada

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T110

T111 New Mexico

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T110

T111 North Texas

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T122, 2019: T121

T111 Troy

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T109, 2019: T110

T111 UAB

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T122, 2019: T95

T111 UTSA

5-Year NFL Draft Total: 1
2020: T96, 2019: T95

NEXT: NFL Draft Rankings: 2021 5-Year Program Analysis Top 110

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21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 17: Letdown Game For Every Power Five Team

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 17: The letdown or sandwich game for every Power Five team.

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 17: The letdown or sandwich game for every Power Five team.

Fans assume a win, the players see it as just another game, and coaches lose sleep over everyone not taking it seriously.

They’re overlooked by the general public, and then they lead SportsCenter when the upset happens.

They’re the letdown games, or maybe 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 should be a mail-it-in moment, but a bad day could screw up the entire season.

These all should be easy wins, but …

You’ve been warned.

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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

21 for 2021 College Football Topics
21: 21 Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes
20: 5 Best Programs To Not Make CFP
19: 5 Teams That Will Rebound
18: 5 Teams That Will Take A Step Back

Letdown Game For Every Power 5 Team
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC

ACC Atlantic

Boston College Eagles

Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Temple, Sept. 18
Game Before: at UMass
Game After: Missouri

There won’t be any problems against UMass the week before, but it’ll at least generate local interest. The focus will be on the big statement moment against Missouri coming up, but Temple should be more dangerous this year, especially at home.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Clemson Tigers

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Nov. 20
Game Before: UConn
Game After: at South Carolina

At this point, Clemson should have the ACC Championship and more in its sights, but it’ll have to gear it up for the ACC regular season finale against the Demon Deacons. The UConn game will be a scrimmage, and all focus might be on the return of the rivalry date with South Carolina.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Florida State Seminoles

Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Boston College, Nov. 20
Game Before: Miami
Game After: at Florida

The Noles have a whole slew of sandwich/letdown games, but Boston College will be the most dangerous moment. Not only will it be in between the home showdown against Miami and with Florida to follow, but the Florida team has to go to Boston in late November.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Louisville Cardinals

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Syracuse, Nov. 13
Game Before: Clemson
Game After: at Duke

It’s not just that the Cardinals have to play Clemson the week before facing Syracuse, and it’s not really about going to Duke the week after. It’s about the timing, with the Duke game coming up five days after hosting SU and with the Kentucky showdown looming.
– Full Schedule Analysis

NC State Wolfpack

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Furman, Sept. 18
Game Before: at Mississippi State
Game After: Clemson

It’ll take something special for the Paladins from the FCS world to pull off the upset over NC State, but the Pack will be coming off the fun date against Mike Leach and the Mississippi State offense, and the ACC opener against Clemson is up next.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Syracuse Orange

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Oct. 9
Game Before: at Florida State
Game After: Clemson

It’s not like Syracuse is going to overlook anyone, but before going to Florida State it has to deal with a Liberty team that one last year’s game in the dome, and Clemson comes the week after dealing with the Demon Deacons.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Duke, Oct. 30
Game Before: at Army
Game After: at North Carolina

Playing two road games in the second half of the season is tough enough, but the Duke game comes after dealing with the Army offense – defensive linemen legs are never happy after stopping the option attack.
– Full Schedule Analysis

– ACC 2021 Predictions: Spring Version

ACC Coastal

Duke Blue Devils

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Kansas, Sept. 25
Game Before: Northwestern
Game After: at North Carolina

Duke will be in for a battle against Northwestern at home with a chance to make a statement, and opening the ACC season down the road at North Carolina is going to be the focus. Losing to what should be a miserable Kansas team would be devastating.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Boston College, Nov. 13
Game Before: at Miami
Game After: at Notre Dame

Call this as much of a letdown moment as it is a sandwich. Georgia Tech can’t drop a game against anyone, but the visit from BC is the calm before the final storm with Notre Dame and Georgia finishing things up.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Miami Hurricanes

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Appalachian State, Sept. 11
Game Before: Alabama (in Atlanta)
Game After: Michigan State

Overall the schedule isn’t all that bad. However, the Canes should be beaten up a bit after starting out against Alabama and with a fun game against Michigan State to follow. Appalachian State will be good enough to pull this off.
– Full Schedule Analysis

North Carolina Tar Heels

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Georgia State, Sept. 11
Game Before: at Virginia Tech
Game After: Virginia

The Tar Heels have a whole lot of big fish to fry, and that includes dealing with the two Virginia teams to start ACC play. The two games are wrapped around a dangerous home opener against a Georgia State team loaded with veterans and a strong offense.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Pitt Panthers

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Western Michigan, Sept. 18
Game Before: at Tennessee
Game After: New Hampshire

A letdown more than a sandwich game, the Panthers will be coming off a trip to Tennessee. One way or another, it’ll be hard to get up for a Western Michigan team with just enough talent to win the MAC.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Virginia Cavaliers

Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Pitt, Nov. 20
Game Before: Notre Dame
Game After: Virginia Tech

Going to Pitt won’t be any sort of a letdown, but between the home date with Notre Dame and with Virginia Tech to finish, it’s about as sandwichy a game as it gets.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Virginia Tech Hokies

Letdown/Sandwich Game: Middle Tennessee, Sept. 11
Game Before: North Carolina
Game After: at West Virginia

Starting the season off against North Carolina will set the tone either way, and going to West Virginia will be a big statement moment for the season. Middle Tennessee shouldn’t be a threat, but the Hokies can’t just mail it in.
– Full Schedule Analysis

Letdown Game For Every Power 5 Team
Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC

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

Pages: 12345

21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 18: Teams That Will Take A Wee Step Back

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 18: Five teams that should have worse seasons in 2021 after a fantastic 2020.

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 18: Five teams that should have worse seasons in 2021 after a fantastic 2020.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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21 for 2021 College Football Topics
21: 21 Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes
20: 5 Best Programs To Not Make CFP
19: 5 Teams That Will Rebound

Sometimes everything works just right.

2020 might have been a horrific year all the way around, but for a few college football teams and conferences, at least the production on the field was something special.

Sometimes it took everything to align correctly, and sometimes the teams were just that good. However, no matter how good a program it is – like the five on last year’s list: LSU, Minnesota, Baylor, Utah and Virginia – it’s almost impossible to get all of the same breaks, schedule timing, and amazing plays to recreate the magic.

The teams on this list are going to be very, very good, but all it takes is an extra loss, a key injury, or something else that might be off to take a step back.

Going from the lowest-ranked team in the 2020 final rankings to the highest, starting with a catch-all …

5. Sun Belt teams

2020 FInal RankingS
Coastal Carolina (11-1): AP 14, Coaches 14
Louisiana (10-1): AP 15, Coaches 16

What Made 2020 Special?

It all started with a bang, and it never stopped.

If anything, the top Sun Belt teams were underrated considering Coastal Carolina beat Kansas at Kansas to start the season, Arkansas State beat Kansas State at Kansas State, and in the key win, Louisiana hit Iowa State 31-14.

It was a magical breakthrough year for the conference – helped by Coastal Carolina’s win over BYU in what might have been the best game of the season.

Coastal Carolina went from being picked by some dopey college football pundits – hand sheepishly raised – to be among the Sun Belt’s worst teams, but the offensive style was unstoppable for most of the year. Louisiana has some Power Five program’s next head coach in Billy Napier – how is he still around? – with a loaded offensive team, and others like Appalachian State were fantastic, too.

The conference had a wonderful bowl season – App State, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State all romped – just about everyone in the conference other than ULM had something positive to point to, and …

Why 2021 Will Be A Bit Worse, Schedule Part 1
– 2021 Sun Belt Football Schedule, Top Games

It’ll be hard to sustain.

The big problem is attention with even one loss meaning that proper credit won’t be given.

Put it this way (sorry, Cyclone fans, I promise this is the last time I’ll do this): Louisiana beat Iowa State by 17 points in Ames, and the only other loss on the year for the Ragin’ Cajuns was against Coastal Carolina. Iowa State finished ninth in both polls, and Louisiana was 15th in the AP and 16th in the Coaches. The respect just wasn’t there.

That’s not to say that Coastal Carolina won’t pull a threezie on Kansas by winning a third straight year in the series, but it has to go to Buffalo, Arkansas State, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.

Appalachian State has the ability to beat Miami, but it’s conference schedule isn’t a breeze with road dates at Georgia State and Louisiana, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have to go to Texas.

Why 2020 Will Be A Bit Worse: Schedule, Part 2

There will be moments when the Sun Belt rises up and rocks. Again, the teams are going to be just that good, they all return a ton of talent, and they’ll all receive plenty of love and respect in the preseason rankings.

But again, just one loss by anyone screws up the national love, attention, and focus.

If one of the good teams slips by a Washington if you’re Arkansas State, or a Baylor if everything works right for Texas State, or a North Carolina if Georgia State is wonderful, or an Arkansas if it can’t stop the Georgia Southern option, there’s a strong enough league to have landmines all across the board.

NEXT: Indiana Hoosiers

Pages: 12345