Freshman Cornelious Brown gained valuable experience last season and will compete with fellow freshmen Kierston Harvey, Mikele Colasurdo, and Vanderbilt transfer Jamil Muhammad for the starting nod. After a 2-10 record in 2018, Louisville went 8-5 and finished second in the Atlantic Division last fall. The Huskies departed the AAC in favor of the Big East in basketball and other sports, with the football program charting an Independent course. The Red Wolves have significant concerns on a defense that allowed 34.2 points a game last year, and only three starters are back this fall. Every one of those universities has a fresh start in front of them. David Moore is suspended for the first five games, leaving Daniel Richardson as the likely starter this fall. Junior James Blackman is the front-runner under center, but freshmen Chubba Purdy and Tate Rodemaker and sophomore Jordan Travis will push for the job. However, regardless of how the schedule shapes up, coach Brian Kelly’s team should be among the top 10. Brady White threw for 275 yards and four touchdowns to lead Memphis to a 37-24 win over Arkansas State on Saturday night. Ohio State returns only three starters and must replace standouts in defensive end Chase Young, linebacker Malik Harrison, cornerback Jeffrey Okudah and safety Jordan Fuller. For the first time in program history, the Demon Deacons have played in four consecutive bowl games. Toledo hosts two of its top contenders from the West – Ball State and Central Michigan – and Ohio in crossover play with the East. Penn State — $100 million 7. Every autumn, football fans around the country rejoice as their favorite teams end a long summer of waiting to take the field yet again. Coach Rod Carey’s defense still has a good foundation in place, so a steep drop-off shouldn’t be expected. Both starting cornerbacks from 2019 must be replaced, but a solid front and safeties Tykee Smith and Sean Mahone provide a good foundation to lean on in 2020. The Week 2 matchup versus Louisiana Tech could decide which team emerges as the biggest challenger to UAB. The Cowboys get a small edge here, as coach Mike Gundy's team hosts both Texas and Iowa State in Stillwater and return 19 starters off a squad that won eight games last season. 1 Alabama's 52-24 win over No. Just two starters are back up front, and there’s turnover at running back after Bilal Ally entered the transfer portal. Only five starters are back for 2020, and the defense must find a replacement for standout cornerback Isaiah Rodgers. New coach Ryan Silverfield inherits a team that went 12-2 and made an appearance in the Cotton Bowl after finishing 2019 ranked as the top Group of 5 team. Expect the Wildcats to rebound back to a bowl in 2020. 1 role in the fall. With quarterback Sam Howell poised to be even better as a sophomore, along with two standout receivers in Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome, the Tar Heels won't have trouble scoring points. Week 9 Opponent: Colorado State. New coach Jeff Traylor has extensive ties to the state of Texas from his days as a high school head coach and is regarded as an excellent recruiter. Quarterback Kedon Slovis and the nation's top receiving corps put USC in the driver's seat to win the Pac-12 South in 2020. Matchups against Notre Dame and Appalachian State await in non-conference play. With Jamie Newman opting out, the quarterback battle between JT Daniels and D’Wan Mathis will be a top storyline to follow before kickoff on Sept. 26. Utah has to play at California and hosts Washington but misses Oregon in crossover action. Week 12 Opponent: at Air Force. The Hoosiers have a solid defense in place with nine starters back, as this group held teams to 24.4 points a contest. The 2020 version should be just as strong for Stoops, as edge rusher Boogie Watson (6.5 sacks) and a strong secondary lead the way. The Bobcats ranked third in conference-only games by holding teams to 5.6 yards a snap last fall. MissouriNew coach Eli Drinkwitz arrives in Columbia after a successful one-year stint at Appalachian State, and his background on offense will be put to the test right away with an offense that returns just four starters after averaging 25.3 points a game in 2019. An offense that averaged 12.7 points a game and 3.9 yards a play in Big Ten action was primarily to blame, and Fitzgerald took steps to address this by hiring Mike Bajakian to call plays and landed Indiana transfer Peyton Ramsey to start at quarterback. Andersen and coordinators Stacy Collins and Frank Maile are shifting to a 3-4 look, along with moving Nick Heninger from linebacker to end, and safety Troy Lefeged to linebacker/nickel. Joe Burrow leaves big shoes to fill, offensive assistant Joe Brady left for the NFL, the line has four new starters, and the Tigers have to replace running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and receiver Justin Jefferson. Notre Dame’s ACC season kicks off this Saturday against Duke. This unit gave up 5.95 yards a snap last fall, but with the experience in place, a step forward on the stat sheet is likely. The 49ers have manageable crossover matchups – UTEP and at North Texas – but have road trips on tap for key East battles against Marshall and FAU. In other words, scoring points won’t be a problem in 2020. Sophomore Jack Zergiotis (1,782 yards and nine touchdown passes) is the favorite to start at quarterback, with Steven Krajewski returning as the backup. The Bears still need improvement up front after allowing 38 sacks last fall, and go-to receiver Denzel Mims must be replaced. The Lobos get high marks for the hire of Danny Gonzales, but the first-year coach is stepping into a major rebuilding effort. Tight end Mitchell Wilcox is gone, and a go-to receiver must emerge, but there’s experience back in the receiving corps thanks to the arrival of transfer tight end Mitchell Brinkman and the return of receivers Randall St. Felix, Eddie McDoom and Bryce Miller. The Golden Gophers were the Big Ten's biggest surprise last season. Athlon Sports projects where every team will finish in the final rankings at the conclusion of the upcoming season: Walt Bell’s rebuilding effort at UMass is set to continue into the 2020 season. Cameron Thomas and Keshawn Banks anchor a strong defensive line, with three starters returning from a secondary that allowed just 10 touchdown passes in 2019. Mountaineers pounded Charlotte’s defense for 308 rushing yards en route to a 35-20 win. While the defense gave up 40.5 points a contest last season, it was nearly 10 points fewer (50.4) than the unit surrendered in ’18. Ranking the Top 50 College Football Players for the 2020 Season. 126 FIU Golden Panthers (0-4) Week 11: Florida Atlantic 38, FIU 19. 1 receiver, with Matt Drayton and tight end Jay Rose working as secondary options. Top receiver Isaiah Hodgins must be replaced and three new starters are set to take over up front. 107. Of those 19, eight come from an offense that's poised to break out in 2020. Four starters are back to provide a good foundation up front, and senior quarterback Kenny Pickett returns after throwing for 3,098 yards last season. Expect SMU to be involved in its share of shootouts once again, as the defense enters 2020 with plenty of question marks after allowing 33.4 points a game last fall. If Bowman can stay healthy, Wells' team should push for a bowl in 2020. There are holes to fill at linebacker with Logan Wilson off to the NFL and safety Alijah Halliburton out of eligibility. 1 running back for Frankie Hickson. Coach Manny Diaz’s squad kicks off their season against UAB on Thursday. The Blue Devils are due for a little better luck after posting a minus-11 turnover margin last season. An offense that averaged 37.9 points a game last fall is led by quarterback Levi Lewis (3,050 yards and 26 TDs) and the dynamic one-two punch at running back of Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas. The outlook is a little better on defense. The Wolverines have a deep collection of running backs, and receivers Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell form a big-time tandem on the outside. BYU’s defense took a step back on the stat sheet in 2019, surrendering 5.6 yards a snap – up from 4.7 the previous fall. With 11 starters back, more improvement is expected for 2020. Fellow receiver Dante Wright and tight end Trey McBride form a strong trio of targets, but the offense needs more out of the line (27 sacks allowed) and ground game (4.02 ypc). Christian Kirk, WR/PR, Texas A&M. Monken has to replace the team’s top two rushers from last season, but the cupboard isn’t empty. The secondary will be under construction with three new starters in 2020. Mississippi StateThe Bulldogs won't lack for intrigue with Mike Leach taking over, but the lack of spring practice hurts a team making a significant shift to the Air Raid on offense. 3 Ohio State for the College Football Playoff national championship.. Below, find the scores, schedule and top 25 rankings for all bowl games. Ranking the Top 100 college football players for the 2019 season, headlines by leading Heisman Trophy contenders, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and Jonathan Taylor. Filling the void left behind by tackle Justin Madubuike and improving the pass defense will be a priority this fall. The Yellow Jackets allowed 32.4 points a game last season but should improve thanks to the return of linebacker David Curry, cornerback Tre Swilling and safety Juanyeh Thomas. The winner of the quarterback competition inherits an offense that averaged 34.3 points a game and brings back three starters along the line, leading rusher O’Shaan Allison (869 yards), and the top six statistical receiving options from 2019. The Cougars should be better in coach Dana Holgorsen’s second season. 17. However, Robison was off the roster in the fall, leaving Nick Tronti as the projected starting quarterback. The Bobcats host Buffalo but play at Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 17. Top target Sage Surratt (1,001 yards in nine games) leads the way for Hartman on the outside, with redshirt freshman Donavon Greene primed for a breakout year. Only three starters are back, so there's plenty of uncertainty on the depth chart for 2020. Strong threw for 2,335 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman last fall and should be able to put up better numbers in 2020 with receivers Romeo Doubs and Elijah Cooks back, along with four starters up front. The Rainbow Warriors are the reigning division champs, but face a couple of obstacles to a repeat in 2020. The rebuilding effort is greater on defense. Temple had one of the conference’s top defenses last season, limiting teams to 25.9 points a game and 4.93 yards a play. Improvement is desperately needed up front after allowing 45 sacks in 2019. The Sept. 18 matchup against Houston was postponed due to positive COVID tests in the program. There’s no clear front-runner in the East for 2020, but Athlon gives a slight edge to WKU. Fritz’s squad hosts Navy, Temple and Memphis and doesn’t have to play Cincinnati. After registering back-to-back nine-win seasons, the Mean Green slipped to 4-8 last fall. Our top 100 college rankings report for 2021 includes the 4-year colleges and universities in America that provide students the best overall experience and ROI. Positive COVID tests at Louisiana Tech forced a cancellation of their matchup in Week 2. Additionally, there's a new play-caller in Kerry Coombs. With 10 starters back, Edsall and coordinator Lou Spanos hope this unit takes another step forward on the stat sheet. The Hilltoppers play at UAB in crossover play, but Marshall visits Bowling Green on Oct. 10. Quarterback Micale Cunningham, running back Javian Hawkins and receiver Tutu Atwell form one of the nation's top trios for an attack that averaged 33.1 points a game — up from 19.8 in 2018. The arrival of transfer running backs Khalil Herbert (Kansas) and Raheem Blackshear (Rutgers — if awarded a waiver) should add some punch to an offense that averaged only 3.7 yards per carry in ACC contests. Oklahoma State's defense is a work in progress, but this group showed some improvement last fall by limiting teams to 26.8 points a game — down from 32.5 the previous year. With eight starters returning, there's optimism for a big jump in production on defense. A trip to the Big 12 Championship Game should be within reach in 2020, especially as coach Matt Campbell's team returns one of the league's top quarterbacks (Brock Purdy) and a defense that has ranked near the top of the Big 12 in each of the last three seasons. Arizona's defense has not finished higher than eighth in the Pac-12 in fewest points allowed in each of the last six years. New coordinator Mike Bobo inherits an offense with question marks at every position and has to help quarterback Ryan Hilinski reach his potential as a sophomore. Of the team’s eight defeats, five came by 12 points or less. The Hurricanes gave the rest of college football a head start of 67 seasons and still reached the top 20, thanks to that incredible two-decade run from the early 1980s into the 2000s. Gleeson should lean heavily on the trio of Isaih Pacheco, Aaron Young and Kay'Ron Adams at running back this fall. The rising junior, who spent part of his offseason working out and refining … With seven starters back, this unit should rank among the best in the Pac-12. College Football News Rankings Top 100 100 Fresno State Bulldogs (0-1) Week 8: Hawaii 34, Fresno State 19. Tackle Jalen Twyman anchors one of the nation's top defensive lines, and additional help is on the way with Rashad Weaver returning from an injury. The Hilltoppers are powered by one of the top Group of 5 defenses, holding teams to just 20.1 points a game last fall. Spavital has only two starters returning up front, but there’s hope for improvement if McBride is an upgrade at quarterback. Ole MissLane Kiffin inherits an Ole Miss program without a bowl appearance since 2015. The road trip to Nevada could decide the division title. Former Texas A&M and Arkansas signal-caller Nick Starkel is likely to replace Love under center, and he figures to have one of the Mountain West’s top receiving corps at his disposal. Penn State's defense held teams to 16 points a game last season, and despite returning only five starters, this should be a standout group once again. An inconsistent offensive line is starting over with four new full-time starters, but there's good skill talent at running back and Seth Williams (14.1 ypc) is one of the SEC's top receivers. After holding teams to 4.1 yards a play in '18, the Bulldogs surrendered 6.3 last year.