Suggestions for Group of 5 Teams/Players to Watch?
Football season is nearly upon us! While M's first game is in a week and a half, college football in general is back this Saturday. In previous years I haven't paid much attention to the opening day of CFB, but was pleasantly surprised last year when I watched Hawaii vs. Colorado St., an extremely exciting offensive-oriented game that had me keeping tabs on Hawaii and their star young QB Cole McDonald the rest of the season. I plan on tuning into at least a few games this weekend, and was wondering if any board members know of other teams/players who impressed last season and would be a good watch.
Here are the 3 teams/players that I will be keeping tabs on to start the season:
Hawaii/QB Cole McDonald (home this Saturday vs. Arizona)
Ohio/QB Nathan Rourke (home next Saturday vs. Rhode Island)
Utah St./QB Jordan Love (away next Friday vs. Wake Forest)
Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
August 21st, 2019 at 4:49 PM ^
I will always plug the only other team I root for Boise State. I follow Michigan so much I don’t know that many of their players until the season starts so I can’t help you there. But they seem like a lock for 9+ wins a year
August 21st, 2019 at 4:58 PM ^
Boise starts the season against FSU. I don't know anyone on the team this year, but I assume that will be a nationally televised game. Great chance to check out the roster.
August 22nd, 2019 at 10:09 AM ^
Let me guess, you are slowly becoming a UCF fan?
August 21st, 2019 at 4:59 PM ^
I plan on watching msu struggle against ...Tulane? On Friday.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:00 PM ^
Tulsa, not Tulane. Tulane actually went to a bowl game last year and would've had at least a pulse. As usual, I'll check out the "closer than should be" halftime score, then go to bed.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^
"As usual, I'll check out the "closer than should be" halftime score, then go to bed."
So relatable. EVERY single stupid Week 1 staee game on a Friday
August 21st, 2019 at 5:03 PM ^
Beavers.
Britons.
Saints.
Hurons.
Minutemen.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:22 PM ^
Bears.
Beets.
Battlestar Galactica.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:45 PM ^
This should get all the upvotes
August 21st, 2019 at 8:03 PM ^
Embed for Board
August 21st, 2019 at 5:07 PM ^
Black @ UM
Shae @ UM
Colins @ UM
and...
DPJ @ UM
August 21st, 2019 at 5:24 PM ^
North Texas and Mason fine for sure.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
University of Louisiana Cougars/Bobby Boucher
August 21st, 2019 at 6:09 PM ^
Keep an eye on UVA this season. Bronco Mendenhal get a great D returning. Starting QB coming back. Also gets FSU & Virginia Tech at home, with no Clemson in the regular season. UVA could have double digit wins for the first time in thirty years.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
You got the team I was going to say. Admittedly I'm a USU grad, so I'm partial, but the Aggies should be pretty good again this year. In 2009, they hired Gary Andersen as head coach after what seemed like millenia of mediocrity. After 2 4-win years (which was better than before!!), he took them to winning records and eventually a bowl win. He was poached by Wisconsin, where he only stayed briefly before a trip to Oregon State then back at the University of Utah, where he helped run the defense again (I know they're not G5, but the Utes should be really good again this year). In the meantime, his replacement was OC Matt Wells, who kept the wheels turning with pretty dynamic offenses. Wells took the Texas Tech job this offseason, and USU decided to get Gary back for round 2. He has quite a few explosive players on offense, and I think we'll see Jordan Love put up some pretty nice numbers this year.
First games are against Wake Forest and LSU, so that should give a good gauge of where they're at for the year. Don't be surprised to see them stay very competitive against LSU.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:43 PM ^
August 21st, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^
I'm with you on MacDonald and Hawaii. I think they'll be a fun offense to watch at a minimum. Rolovich is a pretty damn good coach and a perfect fit for that program.
August 23rd, 2019 at 12:06 AM ^
McDonald was one of PFF's top-rated QBs last year. He faded a bit down the stretch but he could have a big year.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:50 PM ^
Cals defense (Bynum, Hicks Davis and Hawkins). Might be the best secondary in the country. Which is hilarious because under Dykes they cared less about defense than Rich Rod did here.
But head coach Wilcox and DC DeRuyter have turned their defense around. Offense is still “meh” but they could win 8-9 games only scoring 17 points a game
August 21st, 2019 at 7:58 PM ^
Tedford building a solid program at Fresno. Watch out for them against USC in week 1
August 22nd, 2019 at 8:39 AM ^
They kicked the ever-loving crap out of UCLA at the Rose Bowl last year. With the dumpster fire that USC is becoming I can see that one being an upset VERY easily.
The Chip Kelly hire at UCLA is taking on shades of Rich Rod at Michigan and I am getting VERY uncomfortable with that.
August 23rd, 2019 at 12:07 AM ^
Keep an eye on Fresno's O-lineman Muti. Dude was pancaking guys from USC as a freshman in 2017 but had to sit out last year due to injury.
August 21st, 2019 at 8:40 PM ^
King from HOUSTON is a stud.
August 21st, 2019 at 8:51 PM ^
Warren the RB from Cincy and Ohio Bobcats QB mikey Rourkes son.
August 22nd, 2019 at 10:15 AM ^
Yea but Cincy's coach is a flavor or Dbag that I don't subscribe to.
August 21st, 2019 at 9:07 PM ^
Air Force grad, so I'll be paying particular attention to the other service academy games, but until they win more than three games in a row I'm afraid and ashamed to admit I'll end up being a fair weather fan.
August 22nd, 2019 at 8:42 AM ^
I'll watch all the Air Force games save for the Parent's weekend 1-AA scrimmage they play every year to start, even knowing that when they score late in the fourth quarter to go up by four points with three minutes left that they're going to give up the game winning touchdown to the other team because the secondary just can't keep up with the opposition's deep threat. .
August 21st, 2019 at 9:30 PM ^
North Texas will be interesting to follow. Their QB, Mason Fine, is a senior and will have a very productive year. Their coach, Seth Littrell almost landed a P5 job last cycle and if they have another strong year, he'll land a solid Big 12 or Pac12 job I think.
August 21st, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
I live in North Denver --- Wyoming is my adopted "Non-Power 5" favorite college football team.
I don't think they will be great. They will be extremely young. Which likely limits their potential to middle-of-the-road in the MWC. But they are shaping up to be a "man-ball", physical, strength on defense type of football team. A departure from the recent Josh Allen era. Sean Chambers is their young QB and he appears to have a bright future - though it may be realized in 2020/2021 instead of 2019.
For a team playing on the hard-scrabble, 7000+ foot elevation, high plains of Laramie where it can snow in September - that seems like a very appropriate type of football team. Hopefully they make a Bowl game this year. They missed in 2018 after making Bowls in both 2016 & 2017.