My PC's back... and so are my previews! (2018 CFB Preview thread, part 1)

[The Q]

The Uconn Tulsa game was wild last year.

Hope this year is just as fun

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Temple

Preview segment: The Temple Owls

Last season: Not too bad, considering everything that Temple lost before the 2017 season began. And yes, they struggled at first as they started 3-5. But once everyone got comfortable in Geoff Collins's new system, Temple ended up with a winning record and a bowl victory.

Good news: The QB that helped lead that comeback (Frank Nuttle) returns to the team, and so do playmakers at RB and WR; Ryquell Armstead and Isaiah Wright can break open a big play at any time. On defense, the D-line returns some players...

Bad news: ...but depth is gonna be a concern over there. The secondary loses 3 starters as well, so Temple's pass rush could be sub-par.

2018 X-factor: The O-line- Most of the players here has had experience starting in games, but I'll have to wait and see if it can jell properly; the Owls offense depends on it!

Key games:
9/15 @ Maryland (This game [and a later game at Boston College] will be BIG tests for the Owls defense.)
10/13 @ Navy (The breakthrough that saved Temple's season last year was the 34-26 win they got over the Midshipmen.)
11/1 @ UCF (People in Philly are wondering "Can Temple take the AAC East in 2018?". Since the Owls are going to Orlando this year, probably not. But that's not gonna stop Temple from trying!)
11/17 vs. USF (And on that note, did you know that USF will visit Temple right before they face UCF? Temple can score a big win here.)

Bottom line: A lot of good pieces from the 2017 season has returned to Philly, so expectations are high for the Owls as they're expecting another bowl. But can they challenge the Florida schools for the AAC East? If the pass-rush gets going, then maybe...

 

[MikeMed]

Good stuff @Dolgevillefootballfan

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

South Florida

The last preview segment for the American Conference: The South Florida Bulls

Last season: Despite not really accomplishing their big goal of the "New Year's Six", 2017 was still a strong year for USF as Quinton Flowers helped bring the Bulls a 10-win season. And besides, a few more breaks and they could've beaten UCF in that epic "Black Friday" game!

Bad news: Quinton is gone. So is USF's top receiver from a year ago, as well as their center (Brooks Larkin left in April). Also gone is their top tackler, sack leader, and 4 other key players on defense.

Good news: The secondary returns mostly intact, and USF is confident that they can find playmakers at RB and WR. Depth is also not a concern.

Key games:
9/8 vs. Georgia Tech (Lost in that 10-win season is the fact that USF had a very easy start. Clearly, that won't be the case this time; Georgia Tech is a Top-25 caliber team.)
10/6 @ UMass (The Bulls have to be careful here; the Minutemen has a good-enough offense that they can shock USF if they're not careful. Hopefully by this time, USF will have a starting QB locked in place.)
10/27 @ Houston (Speaking of shockers, Houston shocked USF in Tampa last year 28-24. If USF can break the Houston defense, they're gonna get their revenge.)
11/17 @ Temple (Like I said in the previous post, USF has to deal with this AAC East contender right before hosting the Golden Knights. Charlie Strong's coaching muscles will be tested here...)
11/23 vs. UCF (...and especially here in this showdown with McKenzie Milton and co.)

Bottom line: Last year, it was USF looking like the juggernaut and UCF just hoping to be in striking distance at the end of the season. Now in 2018, it's the other way around. So we'll see if USF and their head coach can find the people needed to fill in the holes and challenge in the East.
But just know this, USF: I want a QB duel when you face UCF again on November 23rd. And if you can't find someone that can match-up with McKenzie, you're toast.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

AAC Predictions

AAC East:
1. Central Florida (Conference champs)
2. Temple
3. South Florida
4. Cincinnati
5. East Carolina
6. Connecticut

AAC West:
1. Memphis
2. Navy
3. Houston
4. Tulane
5. SMU
6. Tulsa

Will 3 teams from the AAC finish in the Top 25 just like last year? I'm not sure, but it'll be fun to see. And don't forget to tune in tomorrow, where we'll begin looking at the Mountain West!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Nevada

The first preview segment for the Mountain West conference: The Nevada Wolfpack

Last season: A miserable 3-9. But by winning 2 of their last 3 games, at least Nevada has some form of momentum.

Good news: The Wolfpack defense was awful in 2017, but 7 starters return (including some all-MW honorees) so there's hope for a rebound. Coach Norvell's "Air Raid" offense showed flashes of brilliance last year, and with Ty Gangi and some good RB's leading the way it could be even better...

Bad news: ...but that's ONLY if the O-line can keep them safe. And with 3 starters gone (including the NFL's own Austin Corbett), that place is a real worry. Team depth is not so good, especially on that hopeful defense.

Key games:
9/15 vs. Oregon State (Is it wrong for me to think that maybe Nevada can win this one?)
9/29 @ Air Force (The Wolfpack has lost 13 of their last 14 road games. Here's a good chance to get one of those all-important road wins!)
10/6 vs. Fresno State (The schedule for Nevada is pretty good; almost all of their hard games are at home. And Nevada's offense should be up for this one.)
10/13 vs. Boise State (That being said, playing Fresno AND Boise in consecutive weeks has to be rough.)
11/24 @ UNLV (Knocking UNLV out of bowl eligibility 23-16 was undoubtedly the highlight of Nevada's 2017 season. Wonder if that could happen again...)

Bottom line: The Wolfpack is still not ready to challenge for anything major in 2018, but it is getting better. If Nevada steals away some road wins, maybe a bowl trip is in order.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Fresno State

Preview segment: The Fresno State Bulldogs

Last season: I know I don't swear too often, but pardon me as I say this: HOLY SHIT! Fresno went from 1-11 in 2016 to THIS?! For fuck's sake, in 2017 we got a Top-15 defense, the greatness of Marcus McMaryion, and a bowl triumph all the way to a 10-win season! Even better, they won the West division and SHOULD have hosted the MW title game.
And all of this in just 1 year of Jeff Tedford's coaching tenure at Fresno. So... what will the Bulldogs do now?

Good news: Fresno's defense looks to be nasty again, as the secondary and the linebacker group returns nearly everyone. Marcus is back for one more year to lead the offense.

Bad news: Fresno is seeking better consistency in their balanced offense, but their biggest worry is their pass-rush; the D-line is missing some playmakers.

Key games:
9/8 @ Minnesota (If Marcus's helpers at RB and WR are on their game, Fresno will have a good chance to win this one.)
9/15 @ UCLA (Fresno has a shot in this game, too. But they're facing Chip Kelly, so I don't know...)
11/3 @ UNLV (November is where Fresno's fate will be decided. First, it's a revenge game against a UNLV team that clipped them 26-16 last year. Fresno should be up for this one, but there's one problem...)
11/10 @ Boise State (...and it's this game that's right afterwards.)
11/17 vs. San Diego State (Then, the West division will be on the line as the Aztecs come to visit [and to seek their own revenge] before Fresno finishes with rival San Jose.)

Bottom line: With that swearing I did at the beginning of this preview, it's a safe bet to assume that Fresno is back to being a target in the Mountain West. But with that defense and QB Marcus McMaryion, Fresno's got the horses to handle it. As long as they don't stumble against people like UNLV and Nevada, expect the Bulldogs to be fighting for the West division crown again.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Colorado State

Preview segment: The Colorado State Rams

Last season: The Rams have now made 5 straight bowl appearances, which is amazing. But the 2017 season still was disappointing for CSU, as they ended it with 4 losses in their final 5 games (essentially wasting Nick Stevans's fine year). Now that Nick is gone, coach Mike Bobo has his work cut out for him.

Good news: The kicking game is all set, and the Rams are very optimistic that some transfers will help them out; watch for WR Preston Williams. And K.J Carta-Samuels (formerly from Washington) will be filling in at QB.

Bad news: Colorado State's defense has been getting bullied for 5 years straight, and early games against Arkansas and Florida will NOT help 2018's unit get better. Can somebody PLEASE help them out?

2018 X-factor: K.J Carta-Samuels- Here's the problem with K.J: He won't get to Fort Collins until the summer, and Mike Bobo's offense (from what I've heard) is complicated. How fast K.J learns this offense will be key to the Rams' success.

Key games:
8/25 vs. Hawaii (The last time Colorado State played in late August, it went really well.)
8/31 vs. Colorado [in Denver] (Look, CSU! Your in-state rivals are on the downswing again! Let's see that offense of yours surprise the Buffaloes.)
10/19 @ Boise State (By this time, the Rams should be rolling. Sadly for them, so will the Broncos.)
11/22 @ Air Force (Wait, CSU... you're playing the rival Falcons on Thanksgiving? Cool! ...Wait, will anybody be watching?)

Bottom line: There are quite a few intangibles that can make or break Colorado State this year, so I'll just say this: The Rams are aiming for a school-record 6th-straight bowl berth, and let's hope their defense can get good enough to help with that goal.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Air Force

Preview segment: The Air Force Falcons

Last season: You guys might be surprised by Air Force's 5-7 record in 2017, but I'm not. I mean, when you go into the season with only one starter returning on defense, a rough season sounds pretty likely.
Wait. My dark side's telling me something... Ooooo. So Air Force's O-line had a rough time of it, as well? Good to know.

Bad news: That O-line is the biggest worry, as only 1 starter returns to that unit. Plus, QB Arion Worthman must get back to the form he showed as a sophomore.

Good news: As usual, Air Force is loaded at tailback and should put up big numbers on the ground again.

2018 X-factor: Air Force's new defensive coordinator- So wait a minute, Falcons. Steve Russ left for the NFL in January, and you STILL haven't found a replacement for him yet?
But then again, Troy Calhoun has a good rep for finding good coaches and assistants. Let's hope he rectifies this quickly, 'cause I actually think that the Falcon defense can improve this season... IF the new coordinator turns out well.

Key games:
9/8 @ Florida Atlantic (Athlon Sports said in their preseason magazine "If FAU stampedes to a big rushing day, Air Force could be destined for a repeat of last year's troubles". Damn, Athlon! I'm not THAT worried about it.)
9/22 @ Utah State (Now, THIS game I'm worried about. Air Force has to get to the Aggies' QB Jordan Love, or it could be a long game.)
10/6 vs. Navy (For obvious reasons, this is big. The Falcons almost got the Midshipmen in Annapolis, but stumbled late 48-45.)
11/3 @ Army (When Army shut out the Falcons in Colorado Springs 21-0, Air Force never recovered.)
11/22 vs. Colorado State (Air Force could be fighting for their postseason lives here... just like the Rams.)

Bottom line: Well... this could be an interesting season for the Air Force academy. All coach Calhoun has to do to get the Falcons back to a bowl is fix up the O-line, find a new head man for his defense, makes sure that defense can stop the run, and get the QB spot up and running again. Easy!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

San Jose State

Preview segment: The San Jose Spartans

Last season: All that 13-game slate did for San Jose State was bring them down to a 2-11 record.

Good news: The running game looks promising, and all 3 starters return on the D-line.

Bad news: The O-line, however, is a BIG worry. That doesn't bode well for a quarterback race that isn't resolved yet. Oh, and Frank Ginda is no longer here to help out that awful defense.

Key games:
9/29 vs. Hawaii (San Jose has 2 weeks to prep for this one. Plus, Hawaii will be having some problems of their own, so this looks winnable for the Spartans.)
10/20 @ San Diego State (It's in San Diego, but the Spartans just can't lose this one 52-7 again.)
11/17 vs. Nevada (A rough time of it; this is San Jose's only home game in the month of November.)

Bottom line: Sadly, I'm throwing San Jose State into the "Ignore" pile as Brent Brennan continues his rebuild in 2018.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

New Mexico

Preview segment: The New Mexico Lobos

Last season: Man... The bloom fell off New Mexico's rose FAST! From a 9-win season in 2016, to a 9-loss season in 2017... and that wasn't even the worse part! No, that came when Bob Davie got suspended without pay for alleged abusive behavior afterwards.
Now I'm hearing that the university is having some financial problems. So hopefully some good news will come from the football team in the fall.

Good news: There's some hope on offense, as new offensive coordinator Calvin Magee is looking to open up the playbook. The D-line has some good players...

Bad news: ...but not too much experience. In total, only 8 starters will return to the team, including only 3 on offense.

Key games:
9/15 @ New Mexico State (The Lobos will get a shot of much-needed optimism if they get revenge on their in-state rivals.)
10/13 @ Colorado State (On October 20th, New Mexico lost a tough one at home to CSU 27-24, and the Lobos never recovered.)
10/20 vs. Fresno State (No, wait. Maybe the season ended when the Bulldogs smashed them 38-0.)
11/3 vs. San Diego State (By this time, we'll know if the Lobos offense is still working.)

Bottom line: As you probably have guessed, I try to be more of a optimist when it comes to college football teams. But honestly, it does not look good for New Mexico in 2018. It looks like a guarantee that the Lobos will finish last in the Mountain division... and you gotta wonder if Bob Davie will survive to see 2019.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Nevada-Las Vegas

Preview segment: The UNLV Rebels

Last season: From 3 wins in 2015, to 4 in 2016, and now to 5 in 2017. So it's getting better for Tony Sanchez and company.
Yet, I'll bet 2017 still left an awful taste in the mouths of the Rebels; giving up a 27-0 lead and losing against Air Force, that rough loss in Reno that costed them a bowl berth, and oh yeah, losing to FCS team Howard! A 45-point underdog!!

Bad news: Devonte Boyd is no longer here to help UNLV eliminate it's bad juju on offense, and the D-line and secondary are major concerns.

Good news: UNLV might not miss Devonte Boyd, as the WR corps are pretty deep and Lexington Thomas is ready to tear it up at RB. Special teams look good, and from what I've heard, the defense was getting better in the spring. It also helps that UNLV misses Boise State and Wyoming again on the schedule.

2018 X-factor: QB Armani Rogers- Armani was the MW Freshman of the Year as he showed some great skills, especially as a runner. He CAN stand to up his accuracy numbers quite a bit, though.

Key games:
9/15 vs. Prairie View (After a likely 1-1 start, the Rebels faces this FCS team. Hopefully they'll treat this one like an opponent and not like a carefree tourist... like when they played Howard.)
10/13 @ Utah State (If the Rebels are to make a bowl this year, they need to win big games on the road. This game would do nicely.)
10/20 vs. Air Force (Like the Prairie View game, UNLV must overcome a mental hurdle to win this one.)
11/3 vs. Fresno State (New life was imbued into the Rebels team when they stunned Fresno 26-16 last year.)
11/24 vs. Nevada (The Fremont Cannon will be on the line for the 44th time. And here's a cool fact: Did you know that the Fremont Cannon is the heaviest and most expensive rivalry trophy in college football?)

Bottom line: This is the wild-card of the Mountain West; the Rebels are thinking "Bowl game or bust", but can their defense improve enough to help with that goal? And can they avoid the embarrassing losses that froze them out of the postseason last year? It'll be interesting to see, that's for sure.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Boise State

Preview segment: The Boise State Broncos

Last season: Fans in Boise were JUST a little concerned about their team after a 2-2 start. But when they punched out #19 San Diego State IN San Diego, everything changed.
And by the time Christmas came around, Boise State had their first conference title since 2014 and their first win over a "Power 5" school in a long while. So brace yourselves, CFB fans; people in Boise are now thinking "New Year's Six" or bust this season... once again.

Good news: Well, where do you start? Brett Rypien, a 1,000-yard rusher in Alexander Mattison, a veteran O-line, and 9 starters returning on defense.

Bad news: However, NFL 1st-Rounder Leighton Vander Eash is not one of them. And there may be problems early on for Rypien; his top two targets from last year are gone as well.

Key games:
9/15 @ Oklahoma State (Once again, we'll know where Boise State stands very early on. The Broncos offense can make a BIG statement if it outguns the Cowboys.)
9/29 @ Wyoming (Don't sleep on this one, Boise State! Wyoming may no longer have Josh Allen, but their defense looks NASTY.)
10/6 vs. San Diego State (A potential preview of the Mountain West championship game.)
10/27 @ Air Force (Don't sleep on this game, either; the Broncos have never won at the Air Force academy.)
11/9 vs. Fresno State (These two teams split the bit last year, with Boise... Wait a minute. This game's on a Friday, right? Didn't Fresno beat Boise the last time these 2 met on a Friday night?)
11/24 vs. Utah State (Shoot, I almost forgot about this game! ...Ah, I'll get to it tomorrow.)

Bottom line: After a couple of relatively down years, Boise State is back to a team screaming for big-money bowls and national respect. With all that talent returning, Boise is rightly the favorite to win the Mountain West again and shoot for (maybe) the Fiesta Bowl. But god help coach Bryan Harsin if Boise fails to get the job done.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Wyoming

Preview segment: The Wyoming Cowboys

Last season: To me, Wyoming's 2017 season was a tad strange. I mean, if Josh Allen wanted to showcase his leadership skills, he did. If he wanted to become a Top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, he did just that. But I was surprised more people didn't say this: Maybe a strong defense was the reason Wyoming won 8 games that season, and not Josh.

Bad news: Well anyway, Josh Allen is gone, and now Wyoming must learn how to cope. And so far they're not doing a good job; Tyler Vander Waal and Nick Smith will duke it out for the starting QB spot in the summer. Running-back is also an area of concern.

Good news: Wyoming's staff sounds happy about their special teams and it's depth at O-line. And it's defense is looking to be the best in the Mountain West; that D-line they have looks NASTY.

2018 X-factor: Turnover margin- Last year Wyoming led the country in turnover margin with +24. That'll probably won't happen again, but if Wyoming stays somewhere around that number they'll be just fine.

Key games:
8/25 @ New Mexico State (An intriguing opener for both of these teams. Let's hope that Wyoming's new QB establishes himself here...)
9/1 vs. Washington State (...'cause if he does, Wyoming might have a chance to shock the Cougars in Laramie.)
9/29 vs. Boise State (Wyoming had a chance to beat Boise last year, but got burned late by Montell Cozart. This year, the Cowboys are hoping to suffocate Brett Rypien with their defense.)
10/26 @ Colorado State (Wyoming is looking for their 3rd straight win in their "Bronze Boot" rivalry with the Rams.)

Bottom line: Wait... I just remembered something. Didn't Wyoming finish 125th in total offense last year, even WITH Josh Allen?
...Ah, that's probably a blessing in disguise. If Wyoming improves AT ALL on offense, they can ride that defense of theirs to another bowl berth. But if they don't get to Boise State early, they can forget about winning the Mountain division.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Utah State

Preview segment: The Utah State Aggies

Last season: It was a mixed bag for the Aggies. On one hand, they lost 5 of their last 8 games including their bowl game. On the other hand, some young talent emerged that could point to happier times ahead.

Good news: QB Jordan Love emerged as a leader last season, and he'll have help in the form of a good O-line and a gaggle of young playmakers at RB and WR.

Bad news: The defense should be better, but it'll have to do it without two of it's best pass defenders from last season.

Key games:
10/5 @ BYU (Recently, Utah State's been getting the upper hand against BYU in the "Battle for the Beehive Boot" rivalry.)
10/20 @ Wyoming (A critical swing-game in the Mountain division, as Utah State looks to break that Cowboys defense.)
11/17 @ Colorado State (Another tough road test for the Aggies; the Rams offense should be rolling by this time.)
11/24 @ Boise State (If anyone is gonna deny Boise State a divisional title, Utah State might have to be the one to do it.)

Bottom line: As you probably guessed, Utah State's home schedule is pretty easy. So if they defend their home turf and take 1 or 2 of those road games, the Aggies will be climbing up the Mountain West ranks fast. Will it be enough to trip up Boise State? Their defense will give us the answer.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Hawaii

Preview segment: The Hawaii Warriors

Last season: A 2-0 start just straight up evaporated for Hawaii, as they lost 9 of their last 10 games in 2017.

Good news: It looks like Hawaii's famous "run-and-shoot" offense is coming back, and it should benefit speedy players like slotback John Ursua.

Bad news: Dru Brown's departure from the team (to go to Oklahoma State) leaves the QB position in flux. Also, Hawaii's on it's 8th defensive coordinator in 8 years.

Key games:
8/25 @ Colorado State (The Rams will get their first real look at Hawaii's new run-and-shoot offense... and so will Hawaii fans.)
9/29 @ San Jose State (The Warriors should be able to avoid losing this one... right?)
10/6 vs. Wyoming (Hawaii came close to stopping Josh Allen and Wyoming last year in Laramie.)
11/3 vs. Utah State (By this time, we'll know if Hawaii's defense has improved at all.)

Bottom line: Will there be enough time for Hawaii's players to relearn the run-and-shoot? Can the defense prepare itself for staying out longer on the field? Those are the questions Hawaii will be asking itself as they steel themselves for 2018. At least they won't finish last in the West division.

 

[jjc2009]

Good to know Ken's excited for that San Diego trip. But I also said that Navy's traveling over 26,000 miles for their road games this season. I don't think Ken's too excited about THAT fact.

Navy always plays ND at larger venues (NFL stadiums, etc) because they are usually their only few guaranteed sell outs. They make a killing off this game that they lose a lot of revenue playing it at memorial stadium.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

San Diego State

The final preview segment for the Mountain West: The San Diego State Aztecs

Last season: Over the past 3 years, the people at San Diego State have been giving us art in the form of it's running backs. We've had Donnel Pumphrey. We got Rashaad Penny. And those 2 have given this team 2 conference crowns and 3 straight 10-win seasons (including last year's 10-3 mark). Truly, these are glorious times for the Aztecs.

2018 X-factor: RB Juwan Washington- And now, it's time for this junior to try to become the next SDSU great! ...Okay, maybe that's asking a bit too much, but Juwan did have 6 yards per carry last year as a backup. So if Juwan keeps it together, SDSU's offense will move along just fine.

Good news: To make things easier for Juwan, the Aztecs O-line is big and experienced. On defense, the secondary looks to be ball-hawks once again.

Bad news: However, SDSU could stand to do better defending the run. And let's hope the Aztec offense gets more diverse; their passing game finished 117th overall last season.

Key games:
8/31 @ Stanford (This one comes to us on a Friday night. Is it to give us an attractive game for the first Friday of the season, or an elaborate plot by Stanford to humiliate SDSU for what they did to them last year?)
9/15 vs. Arizona State (And on that note, you just know that the Sun Devils want revenge on the Aztecs for beating them in Tempe.)
10/6 @ Boise State (See my Boise State preview.)
11/3 @ Nevada (If San Diego isn't ready for Nevada's passing attack, then I smell an upset.)
11/17 @ Fresno State (Remember Fresno State's incredible comeback from 1-11 to the West division title? How do you think San Diego felt? Losing at home to the Bulldogs kicked that feel-good story into high gear... and costed SDSU the division.)

Bottom line: The West division is getting better; Fresno's comeback made sure of that. However, SDSU still has enough horses to win back that division and challenge for their 3rd MW title in 4 years. The key will be the passing game and how much better it gets.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Mountain West predictions

Right now, I'm watching Argentina about to get whacked by Iceland in the World Cup. And even that won't stop me; these are my picks for the Mountain West in 2018:

West Division:
1. San Diego State
2. Fresno State
3. UNLV
4. Nevada
5. Hawaii
6. San Jose State

Mountain Division:
1. Boise State (Conference champs; "New Year's Six" favorite)
2. Utah State
3. Wyoming
4. Colorado State
5. Air Force
6. New Mexico (with a new head coach waiting for them after the season)

Coming up on Monday (if I don't melt first), we'll begin looking at Conference USA!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Southern Mississippi

The first preview segment for Conference USA: The Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Last season: So here we are. Now I have to deal with the conference I most don't like to preview: Conference USA, a place filled of mostly mediocre southern teams.
...Wait. Actually, 2017 was pretty good for the conference! I mean, they had 9 teams in a bowl. NINE! Pretty good for the SEC, but awesome for Conference USA.
And Southern Miss was one of them as they went 8-5 with RB Ito Smith and a Top-20 defense leading the way. But uh oh! Most of that team is gone now.

Bad news: There's a LOT of questions on offense right now. Can anybody replace Ito Smith? Can the O-line jell fast enough? And maybe most importantly, will anyone step up and be the starting QB in the summertime?

Good news: The defense only returns 3 starters, but the depth there is pretty good, so that unit shouldn't be a big worry. The kicking game looks set, and the receivers DO have the potential to help out immensely.

Key games:
9/8 vs. Louisiana-Monroe (Yes, ULM being a "key game" looks weird. But this will be the first big test for Southern Miss and it's new offense. If they outgun the high-flying Warhawks, it'll bode well for USM going forward.)
10/13 @ North Texas (The Golden Eagles lost an early one to UNT 43-28 last year, and it ended up costing them the division.)
11/10 @ UAB (And on that note, returning rival UAB embarrassed the Eagles 30-12 in Hattiesburg. You just know that the Eagles will want revenge.)
11/17 vs. Louisiana Tech (This matchup has had an impact on the C-USA race for the past few years now.)

Bottom line: It looks like the C-USA West division could be a two-horse race between North Texas and Louisiana Tech. If Southern Miss wants to get involved in the fight this year, they'll have to replace a lot of pieces... and hope that the offense can just tread water.