Moorhead had head coaching experience. He also had coached at Akron before as an offensive coordinator. He was a successful OC elsewhere as well, including at Oregon before taking over at Akron.

The Zips hoped they could be one of the better programs in the MAC. Instead, they’ve gone 2-10 each of the past two years. And there’s little sign of things turning around this season. Akron is 1-6 overall, with its only win being a 31-20 victory against FCS Colgate.

If the Zips decide to move on from Moorhead, either during this year or after the season is over, here are some names they could consider to hire as their next head coach.

FAU Offensive Coordinator Charlie Frye

Frye has a good resume and connections to Akron.

Frye was a successful quarterback at Akron, where he was a four-year starter and broke numerous records. He was picked in the third round of the NFL Draft in 2005 by the Cleveland Browns and spent half a decade in the league.

He began his coaching career at the high school level and eventually worked as a consultant/director of player development at Florida from 2015-17. He was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the collegiate level for the first time at Central Michigan from 2019-20. He then coached quarterbacks with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 before being an offensive analyst and analytics coordinator at Penn State in 2022. He’s been at FAU, where he’s an OC and QBs coach, since 2023.

Frye could be motivated to make Akron a solid program.

Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy

Maybe getting Getsy to leave the NFL would be tough. But considering things aren’t going smoothly with the Raiders at the moment, maybe now is a good time for him to think about returning to his alma mater.

Getsy played at Akron when Moorhead was a coach there. Getsy also set some Zips program records and even led the MAC with 3,455 passing yards in 2005, a season in which he led Akron to a conference championship and its first bowl game appearance. He also was first in the MAC with 2,665 passing yards the following year.

Getsy was a graduate assistant at Akron from 2007-08 and at Pitt in 2010. He coached with the Green Bay Packers from 2014-17 before being an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Mississippi State when Moorhead was the head coach there. He returned to the Packers for a few years, then was the offensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears from 2022-23 and is in his first season with the Raiders.

If Getsy ends up leaving Las Vegas and wants to coach at the collegiate level again, Akron would be a good fit.

Indiana Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines

Haines followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, and he has been stellar as the Hoosiers’ DC thus far.

Going into Week 8, Indiana is in the top 15 in the FBS in terms of scoring defense (14.83 points allowed per game) and total defense (255.7 yards per game allowed).

Before his current job, he was instrumental in JMU’s transition to the Sun Belt. He was promoted to DC and linebackers coach after three years as a co-defensive coordinator there.

In just their first season as an FBS program, the Dukes allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game in the country with 290.2 while allowing just 20.9 points per game. They were also top 10 in rushing defense, tackles for loss per game, first downs allowed, sacks per game, third down defense, and fumble recoveries.

In 2023, JMU was in the top 20 in the FBS with 19.5 points per game allowed and the top 30 in the country with 333.8 yards per game allowed.

Before JMU, Haines worked with linebackers under Cignetti at Elon and was a linebackers coach at UC Davis before that in 2016.

Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock

Denbrock would make a ton of sense for Akron if he were interested.

Denbrock has coached in the area for years. He’s worked with offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers over the years at Notre Dame, but he’s also coached at a variety of other schools as well. He was LSU’s OC and tight ends coach before this from 2022-23, and was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati from 2017-21.

Denbrock hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level, but he has been an associate head coach, including at Notre Dame from 2015-16 and at Indiana State in 2009.

Denbrock’s name has come up plenty of times when it comes to college football hot seats and potential head coaching hires this season. If he’s open to taking a G5 head coaching job, Akron would be a good fit.

Washington State Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle

Arbuckle is only in his second season as Washington State’s OC and quarterbacks coach. But he’s made an impact quickly.

This year, WSU is top 20 in the country with 462 yards per game and 39 points per game. A season ago, the Cougars were in the top 40 in the country in terms of scoring offense with 31.7 points per game and total offense with 421.7 yards per game. Cameron Ward, WSU’s QB in 2023, was in the top 10 in the FBS with 3,735 passing yards and top 20 with 25 touchdowns.

Arbuckle has coached in the area. Before WSU, he was a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky. In 2022, the Hilltoppers were in the top 15 in the nation with yards per game (497.3) and points per game (36.4) as quarterback Austin Reed led the country with 4,746 yards and was third with 40 touchdowns.

Arbuckle hasn’t been coaching at the collegiate level long, but he was at one point on 247Sports’ 30-Under-30 list, which recognizes up-and-coming college football coaches. Considering he’s shown great expertise on the offensive side of the ball, maybe Akron should consider him.

The post Joe Moorhead Hot Seat: 5 Candidates For Akron Football’s Head Coach Replacement appeared first on HERO Sports.

Following a win over Hawaii, Boise State remained at No. 1 in the HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 media poll going into Week 8. 

Here’s a look at the full poll, which features several members of nationally-focused media outlets as well as at least one team beat reporter for every G5 conference.

HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 For Week 8

1. Boise State (17 first-place votes)

2. UNLV

3. (tie) Memphis and Tulane

5. Army

6. Navy

7. Liberty

8. JMU

9. Sam Houston

10. Texas State

11. Louisiana

12. Western Kentucky

13. North Texas

14. ULM

15. NIU

16. Toledo

17. Georgia Southern

18. San Jose State

19. Coastal Carolina

20. Buffalo

21. Fresno State

22. Ohio

23. (tie) Colorado State and Marshall

25. UConn

RV: Jacksonville State, South Alabama, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Nevada, USF, East Carolina, San Diego State, Miami (Ohio), Arkansas State, Georgia State, Charlotte

HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 Media Poll Voters

Josh Boutwell, Troy Messenger

Michael Calabrese, Action Network

Ron Counts, HERO Sports

Luke Creasy, HD Media

The G5 Hive

Bryson Gordon, The News & Advance

Joe Londergan, Fan Nation/Sports Illustrated

Greg Luca, San Antonio Express-News

Colton McWilliams, San Marcos Record

Robert Munoz, HERO Sports

Jeff Nations, Bowling Green Daily News

Marc Narducci, HERO Sports

Colton Pool, HERO Sports

Kyle Rowland, Toledo Blade

Ty Scheiner, Mike Farrell Sports

Chris Vannini, The Athletic

Brett Vito, Denton Record-Chronicle

The post HERO Sports 2024 Group of Five Top 25 Media Poll For Week 8 appeared first on HERO Sports.

It’s early, but fans of any team that has a legitimate chance of making the CFP are also keeping an eye on some other top-tier programs as the season goes on. Any significant loss, like Notre Dame falling against Northern Illinois, will significantly impact the postseason picture.

With plenty more weeks to go where this could change, what would the CFP look like if the season were to end after Week 7?

College Playoff Rankings

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee has yet to release any rankings and will do so for the first time on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

So if we’re going off of the Associated Press Top 25 after Week 6, the teams in the CFP right now would be:

• No. 1 Texas
• No. 2 Oregon
• No. 3 Miami
• No. 4 Iowa State
• No. 5 Penn State
• No. 6 Ohio State
• No. 7 Georgia
• No. 8 Alabama
• No. 9 LSU
• No. 10 Clemson
• No. 11 Tennessee
• No. 12 Boise State

CFP Betting Odds

Here are the 12 teams with the best college football betting odds to make the CFP, via BetMGM:

• Texas -2000
• Oregon -2000
• Ohio State -1000
• Penn State -700
• Georgia -500
• Alabama -400
• Miami -250
• Clemson -160
• Notre Dame -135
• Boise State +100
• Tennessee +105
• Texas A&M +115

CFP Bracket Predictions

I predict Texas, Ohio State, Miami, and Iowa State will be the top four teams in the College Football Playoff at the end of the season.

I predict the conference championship winner ranked the next highest will be Boise State, and I believe the CFP Selection Committee will rank the Broncos No. 10.

From there, I’m projecting Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee, Penn State, Oregon, and LSU will be in the CFP.

2025 CFP Playoff National Championship Predictions

I predict Texas will play Ohio State in the College Football Playoff championship with Texas winning.

Right now, I think the Longhorns, no matter who’s at quarterback, are the best squad in college football.

Projecting the teams to win the SEC and Big Ten is especially difficult because those two conferences are always loaded with talent, and this year is particularly tough with Texas now in the SEC and Oregon and USC now in the Big Ten.

But from my perspective, Texas and Ohio State are the most complete teams and would be the most prepared to make it through a daunting CFP bracket.

2024 CFP Selection Show Schedule

The College Football Playoff Selection Show will be at noon ET on Sunday, Dec. 8, on ESPN.

Here’s when the CFP Selection Committee will release its rankings throughout the season.

What Is The CFP?

The College Football Playoff is a postseason system where now 12 teams compete for the national championship. The CFP was introduced in 2014.

Before that year, the two teams playing in the national title were dedicated by the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The two teams ranked the highest would compete for the championship while the next highest-ranked squads would face off in other bowl games.

Then the College Football Playoff was adopted in 2014, which allowed for four teams to square off, with two semifinal contests and one title game.

Ohio State won the first CFP title. Alabama won the most national championships during the four-team CFP era with three victories.

But now the CFP is entering a new stage in 2024.

New 12 Team College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff will feature 12 teams for the first time this season.

The five highest-ranked conference champions in the FBS – decided by the CFP selection committee – will make the field, as well as the seven highest-ranked teams that didn’t win a conference title.

The four conference title winners ranked the highest will earn a bye, while the remaining squads will compete in the first round. 

The higher seeds in those matchups will host in the first round. The top-four conference winners with the bye will be given a bowl game, like the Sugar Bowl, and the four teams playing in the two semifinal games will also be assigned to another bowl.

Re-seeding will not occur, nor will alterations be made to avoid rematches from the regular season or contests between teams in the same conference.

2024-2025 College Football Playoff Schedule

The first round of the CFP will be played on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The CFP quarterfinals will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. The CFP semifinals will occur on Thursday, Jan. 9, and Friday, Jan. 10. 

In the first round, the No. 12-seeded team will play at the No. 5-seeded team. The No. 9 team will go on the road to face the No. 8 team. The No. 11 team will travel to take on the No. 6 team. And the No. 10 team will compete at the No. 7 team.

The winner of the 5/12 matchup will play the No. 4-seeded team in the quarterfinals. Whoever wins the 8/9 contest will go against the top-seeded team. The victor in the 6/11 contest will next face the No. 3 team. And whoever is triumphant in the 7/10 bout will compete against the No. 2-seeded team.

The winners of the games involving the No. 1-seeded team and the No. 4-seeded team will square off in the semifinals, and the winner of the games involving the No. 3-seeded team and the No. 2-seeded team will also play in the semifinals.

The victor of those two contests will see each other in the national championship.

CFP Championship Schedule

The national championship will be played on Monday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

The post CFP Rankings Predictions: Who Would Make It To The 2025 College Football Playoff If The Season Ended Now? appeared first on HERO Sports.

That team will need to win a conference championship, and that won’t be easy in any G5 league this season. Here’s a look at the G5 teams that have the best chances of appearing in the College Football Playoff and competing for a national championship.

2025 G5 CFP Predictions

I predict Boise State will be the G5 team that makes the CFP this season. That’s an easy pick considering the Broncos are the top Group of Five program in the Associated Press Top 25 this week at No. 15. However, Army (No. 23) and Navy (No. 25) are now ranked as well and should be teams to consider for a CFP spot.

The Case For Boise State

Boise State has the best betting odds to make the College Football Playoff and win the national title among Group of Five teams. And I don’t think there’s a strong case to argue against that.

Yes, the Broncos lost to Oregon in Week 2. But the Ducks are a top-10 team in the country, and Boise State nearly beat them on their home field. That’s what a top-tier college football team does.

Boise State has an elite offense that features running back Ashton Jeanty, who has a chance of winning the Heisman Trophy this season. The Broncos’ defense isn’t perfect, but they are capable of producing turnovers and pressuring quarterbacks, and sometimes that’s all you need.

If quarterback Maddux Madsen can continue to develop as the year goes on, I think the Broncos have a great shot of winning the Mountain West with just one loss during the regular season.

The Case For Army

Army has had little issue with any opponent this season. And the Black Knights deservedly received some recognition this week, as they’re ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25.

Army is 6-0, including a perfect 5-0 mark against AAC teams. And the Black Knights have beaten all of those teams by at least 17 points. They’ve won their last four games by 30 points or more.

Army quarterback Bryson Daily is among the top 10 players in the country with 738 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. The Black Knights are also in the top 20 in total offense (462.3 yards per game) and total defense (267.3 yards per game allowed) as well as scoring offense (39.7 points per game) and scoring defense (9.83 points per game allowed).

The Case For Navy

Navy is 5-0 overall right now, and the Midshipmen’s games haven’t been particularly close.

They’ve defeated Bucknell, Temple, UAB, and Air Force all by more than 20 points. Their only close game of the season has been against Memphis, and even that was a 56-44 victory for Navy.

The Midshipmen are fifth in the country with 43.6 points per game scored and also rank in the top 20 in total offense (465.4). However, they’re not as good on defense, which could prove to be problematic down the stretch.

Navy quarterback Blake Horvath is among the top players in the country with 565 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing. He’s also been efficient enough as a passer to keep drives going.

Winning the AAC won’t be easy, but Navy could do it.

The Case For Memphis

Memphis was a frontrunner by many to represent the G5 in the College Football Playoff during the offseason, but the Tigers took a step back when they lost to Navy a couple weeks ago. Before that, they beat North Alabama 40-0 in Week 1 and then followed that up by beating reigning Sun Belt champion Troy 38-17. And their best win thus far was in Week 3 when Memphis won a Power Four matchup against Florida State.

Seth Henigan is a seasoned quarterback who has the experience to deal with pressure. If Memphis needs him to win a game with his arm, he can deliver. Memphis also has great playmakers around Henigan like running back Mario Anderson and wide receiver Roc Taylor.

Memphis is still a good team and can still win a competitive AAC. If the Tigers do that, they will still be considered for a CFP spot.

The Case For UNLV

UNLV had a challenging non-conference schedule and nearly earned three victories over Power Four teams.

UNLV opened the season with a 27-7 triumph over Houston. And after beating Utah Tech 72-14, the Rebels earned a second Power Four win in a 23-20 contest at Kansas in Week 3. UNLV suffered its first loss last week by falling against Syracuse in overtime.

UNLV’s defense has been impressive thus far, and it will need to continue to be against Mountain West foes.

2025 CFP Betting Odds For Group of Five Teams

There are a few G5 teams with college football betting odds to make the CFP, via BetMGM. The Group of Five teams with betting odds at BetMGM are:

• Boise State +100
• Memphis +600
• Tulane +650
• Liberty +650
• UNLV +1400
• Louisiana +1500
• Army +2000
• Texas State +2500
• Western Kentucky +2500
• Navy +2500
• Fresno State +2500
• JMU +2500
• Toledo +5000

2025 CFP Championship Odds For Group of Five Teams

There are also betting odds for G5 teams to win the national championship. The squads with betting odds to win the title at BetMGM are:

• Boise State +20000
• Liberty +50000
• Coastal Carolina +100000
• Tulane +100000
• App State +100000
• UNLV +100000
• Memphis +100000
• Fresno State +100000
• Toledo +100000
• Texas State +100000

2025 College Football Championship Predictions

I predict Texas will play Ohio State in the College Football Playoff championship with Texas winning.

Right now, I think the Longhorns, no matter who’s at quarterback, are the best squad in college football.

Projecting the teams to win the SEC and Big Ten is especially difficult because those two conferences are always loaded with talent, and this year is particularly tough with Texas now in the SEC and Oregon and USC now in the Big Ten.

But from my perspective, Texas and Ohio State are the most complete teams and would be the most prepared to make it through a daunting CFP bracket.

College Football Playoff Teams Projections

I predict Texas, Ohio State, Miami, and Iowa State will be the top four teams in the College Football Playoff at the end of the season.

I predict the conference championship winner ranked the next highest will be Boise State, and I believe the CFP Selection Committee will rank the Broncos No. 10.

From there, I’m projecting Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee, Penn State, Oregon, and LSU will be in the CFP.

For more Group of Five coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

2024 CFP Games Schedule

The first round of the CFP will be played on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The CFP quarterfinals will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. The CFP semifinals will occur on Thursday, Jan. 9, and Friday, Jan. 10. 

In the first round, the No. 12-seeded team will play at the No. 5-seeded team. The No. 9 team will go on the road to face the No. 8 team. The No. 11 team will travel to take on the No. 6 team. And the No. 10 team will compete at the No. 7 team.

The winner of the 5/12 matchup will play the No. 4-seeded team in the quarterfinals. Whoever wins the 8/9 contest will go against the top-seeded team. The victor in the 6/11 contest will next face the No. 3 team. And whoever is triumphant in the 7/10 bout will compete against the No. 2-seeded team.

The winners of the games involving the No. 1-seeded team and the No. 4-seeded team will square off in the semifinals, and the winner of the games involving the No. 3-seeded team and the No. 2-seeded team will also play in the semifinals.

The victor of those two contests will see each other in the national championship.

College Football Playoff Rankings

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee has yet to release any rankings and will do so for the first time on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

So if we’re going off of the Associated Press Top 25 after Week 7, the teams in the CFP right now would be:

• No. 1 Texas
• No. 2 Oregon
• No. 3 Miami
• No. 4 Iowa State
• No. 5 Penn State
• No. 6 Ohio State
• No. 7 Georgia
• No. 8 Alabama
• No. 9 LSU
• No. 10 Clemson
• No. 11 Tennessee
• No. 12 Boise State

New 12 Team College Football Playoff Format

The College Football Playoff will feature 12 teams for the first time this season.

The five highest-ranked conference champions in the FBS – decided by the CFP selection committee – will make the field, as well as the seven highest-ranked teams that didn’t win a conference title.

The four conference title winners ranked the highest will earn a bye, while the remaining squads will compete in the first round. 

The higher seeds in those matchups will host in the first round. The top-four conference winners with the bye will be given a bowl game, like the Sugar Bowl, and the four teams playing in the two semifinal games will also be assigned to another bowl.

Re-seeding will not occur, nor will alterations be made to avoid rematches from the regular season or contests between teams in the same conference.

The post College Football & CFP Predictions: Which Group of Five Team Will Make The CFP? appeared first on HERO Sports.

Here’s an early look at the FBS bowl picture a couple months before bowl games begin.

How Many FBS Bowls Are There?

There are 35 FBS bowls during the 2024 season, not including the College Football Playoff, meaning 70 teams will make a bowl while another 12 teams will be in the CFP.

For more Group of Five coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

How Many FBS College Football Teams Are Bowl-Eligible?

Though there’s still plenty of football yet to be played, only two teams are bowl-eligible as of Oct. 7. Here is a list of those teams by conference.

AAC

• Army

ACC

• Miami
• Pitt

Independent

• none

Big 12

• BYU
• Iowa State

Big Ten

• Indiana
• Oregon
• Penn State

Conference USA

• none

MAC

• none

Mountain West

• none

Pac-12

• none

SEC

• Texas

Sun Belt

• none

The post College Football Bowl Games 2025: Which Teams Are Bowl-Eligible And Which Teams Won’t Be? appeared first on HERO Sports.

And that’s not to mention we’ll see at least one G5 program compete in the College Football Playoff with the field expanding to 12 teams this year.

Here’s a look at HERO Sports’ 2024 bowl projections.

College Football Playoff First-Round Prediction

For my G5 College Football Playoff prediction, I project Boise State will play Tennessee with Tennessee winning.

The Broncos are stacked on offense and defense this year. Though they lost to Oregon, they have a good chance of going 11-1 during the regular season and winning the Mountain West. If they do, they’ll probably be the G5 team that makes it to the CFP.

I don’t discount Boise State from pulling off an upset in the first round of the CFP. But beating a team like Tennessee or one of that caliber would be daunting, though.

Group of Five teams likely to play in the College Football Playoff:

• Boise State
• Memphis
• UNLV
• JMU
• Liberty

Camellia Bowl Prediction

For my Camellia Bowl prediction, I project Georgia State will play East Carolina with ECU winning.

Even with Georgia State going through a coaching change, I think Dell McGee can lead the Panthers to a bowl game after they beat Vanderbilt this year. But I’m anticipating East Carolina will continue to improve after the starting the season 3-3, including a victory over UTSA.

Teams likely to play in the Camellia Bowl:

• East Carolina
• Navy
• Georgia State
• Coastal Carolina
• ULM

For more Group of Five coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Boca Raton Bowl Prediction

For my Boca Raton Bowl prediction, I project ULM will play Colorado State with ULM winning.

Colorado State, though it started 3-3 overall, is formidable with wide receiver Tory Horton and quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi on offense. However, ULM has proven it is one of the top teams in the Sun Belt with Bryant Vincent as head coach. The Warhawks have looked impressive during their 5-1 start to the season, including during their victory over James Madison.

Teams likely to play in the Boca Raton Bowl:

• ULM
• JMU
• Louisiana
• Colorado State
• San Jose State

Frisco Bowl Prediction

For my Frisco Bowl prediction, I project Texas State will play UNLV with UNLV winning.

This would be a fantastic matchup. Texas State has a high-powered offense this year. But UNLV is balanced and has stars on both sides of the ball, like wide receiver Ricky White III and linebacker Jackson Woodard. It’s now tough to pick against the Rebels after they’ve defeated two Power Four squads.

Teams likely to play in the Frisco Bowl:

• Texas State
• ULM
• UNLV
• Fresno State
• Colorado State

LA Bowl Prediction

For my LA Bowl prediction, I project Fresno State will play Oregon State with Fresno State winning.

With playmakers like Malik Sherrod, many thought Fresno State was strong enough to compete for a Mountain West Championship. But even if the Bulldogs don’t reach the league title game, I think they’ll be in a position for a good bowl game. Don’t discount Oregon State, though. The Beavers should be capable of winning seven or more games in 2024.

Teams likely to play in the LA Bowl:

• Fresno State
• UNLV
• San Jose State
• Washington State
• Oregon State

New Orleans Bowl Prediction

For my New Orleans Bowl prediction, I project Arkansas State will play FIU with Arkansas State winning.

I’m expecting FIU should be competitive in Conference USA by the end of the year. However, Arkansas State has a standout QB, 2023 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Jaylen Raynor, who should help the Red Wolves play at a high level in the next few weeks after starting the year 3-3.

Teams likely to play in the New Orleans Bowl:

• FIU
• Western Kentucky
• Arkansas State
• JMU
• Coastal Carolina

Cure Bowl Prediction

For my Cure Bowl prediction, I project Louisiana will play North Texas with Louisiana winning.

Louisiana is expected to have a shot of winning the Sun Belt this year, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Ragin’ Cajuns making a bowl game. I expect North Texas will continue to be exciting to watch for the rest of the year after starting 5-1, but I think Louisiana would win this tilt.

Teams likely to play in the Cure Bowl:

• Louisiana
• Arkansas State
• JMU
• North Texas
• USF

Gasparilla Bowl Prediction

For my Gasparilla Bowl prediction, I project Army will play Virginia Tech with Army winning.

Army is one of the better teams in the AAC this year and proved it by starting the season 6-0. The Black Knights also reached the No. 23 spot in the Associated Press Top 25. I think Army would be in a better position to win if this matchup happened.

Teams likely to play in the Gasparilla Bowl:

• Army
• USF
• Navy
• Virginia Tech
• Louisville

Myrtle Beach Bowl Prediction

For my Myrtle Beach Bowl prediction, I project JMU will play Eastern Michigan with JMU winning.

Eastern Michigan has put together a great start to the 2024 season. The Eagles are 4-2 overall, with their only losses being at Washington and against Miami (Ohio). But I think the Dukes are one of the best G5 teams in the country, especially after they beat North Carolina in Week 4.

Teams likely to play in the Myrtle Beach Bowl:

• Eastern Michigan
• Toledo
• JMU
• ULM
• Arkansas State

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Prediction

For my Famous Idaho Potato Bowl prediction, I project New Mexico will play Northern Illinois with NIU winning.

Though New Mexico is 2-4 overall, the Lobos’ schedule is pretty favorable for the rest of the season, so I could see them finding their way into a bowl. But the Huskies are skilled in every facet of the game and displayed how great they can be during their victory over Notre Dame.

Teams likely to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl:

• New Mexico
• Colorado State
• San Jose State
• Northern Illinois
• Buffalo

Hawai’i Bowl Prediction

For my Hawai’i Bowl prediction, I project San Diego State will play Western Kentucky with WKU winning.

SDSU has bounced back after starting the 2024 season 1-3 overall and is now at .500 after beating Hawaii and Wyoming in back-to-back games. But Western Kentucky looks to be well-rounded this year and might be tough to stop in a bowl game.

Teams likely to play in the Hawai’i Bowl:

• San Diego State
• Colorado State
• Western Kentucky
• Sam Houston
• Liberty

Detroit Bowl Prediction

For my Detroit Bowl prediction, I project Western Michigan will play Iowa with Iowa winning.

Western Michigan is strong up front this season, and the Broncos’ play in the trenches should lead to them being in position for a bowl game. But I think Iowa would be even stronger in this clash.

Teams likely to play in the Detroit Bowl:

• Western Michigan
• Ohio
• Toledo
• Iowa
• Wisconsin

Guaranteed Rate Bowl Prediction

For my Guaranteed Rate Bowl prediction, I project San Jose State will play Nebraska with San Jose State winning.

With Ken Niumatalolo taking over as head coach, the Spartans have looked like one of the better teams in the Mountain West after starting 4-2. Their only losses are against Washington State in double overtime and a seven-point defeat at Colorado State last week. Taking on Nebraska would be a tall order, but I think SJSU ends the year with a victory.

Teams likely to play in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl:

• San Jose State
• Colorado State
• Fresno State
• Nebraska
• Wisconsin

68 Ventures Bowl Prediction

For my 68 Ventures Bowl prediction, I project Marshall will play Ohio with Ohio winning.

With head coach Tim Albin leading the way, Ohio should manage to find itself in a bowl game by the end of the season and would win this bout in my opinion. But I also believe Marshall will put together a winning campaign in 2024, as the Thundering Herd started the season with a blowout victory over Stony Brook, competed well against Virginia Tech, and recently defeated App State.

Teams likely to play in the 68 Ventures Bowl:

• Ohio
• Buffalo
• Western Michigan
• Marshall
• Coastal Carolina

Armed Forces Bowl Prediction

For my Armed Forces Bowl prediction, I project Jacksonville State will play FAU with Jacksonville State winning.

This would be a game between two teams that needed to bounce back after starting the 2024 season 0-2. Jacksonville State made a bowl game last year in its first FBS season, and I don’t see the Gamecocks struggling much more this year. FAU, which is in its second season during head coach Tom Herman’s tenure, would give Jax State some issues in this contest, however.

Teams likely to play in the Armed Forces Bowl:

• Jacksonville State
• Western Kentucky
• Sam Houston
• FAU
• Charlotte

Birmingham Bowl Prediction

For my Birmingham Bowl prediction, I project Navy will play North Carolina with Navy winning.

Navy is 5-0 and is ranked at No. 25 in the AP Top 25 after Week 7. None of the Midshipmen’s games have even been one-possession contests, including against Memphis. So as great as they’ve played, beating a team like North Carolina, which lost to James Madison this season, would be possible. I would expect this to be a close one.

Teams likely to play in the Birmingham Bowl:

• Navy
• USF
• Charlotte
• North Carolina
• NC State

Fenway Bowl Prediction

For my Fenway Bowl prediction, I project USF will play NC State with NC State winning.

South Florida might no longer be in contention to make the College Football Playoff, but the Bulls will have plenty more opportunities to earn enough wins for bowl eligibility. NC State is also loaded with talent, so this would be an entertaining matchup.

Teams likely to play in the Fenway Bowl:

• USF
• Memphis
• NC State
• SMU
• Virginia Tech

New Mexico Bowl Prediction

For my New Mexico Bowl prediction, I project Liberty will play Georgia Southern with Liberty winning.

Liberty has a high-powered offense with quarterback Kaidon Salter and running back Quinton Cooley leading the way. Georgia Southern should be in the mix for a bowl bid, but I think the Flames would be better in this game.

Teams likely to play in the New Mexico Bowl:

• Liberty
• Jacksonville State
• Georgia Southern
• Marshall
• Arkansas State

Arizona Bowl Prediction

For my Arizona Bowl prediction, I project Nevada will play Toledo with Toledo winning.

Nevada is 3-4, but the Wolf Pack have shown promise during head coach Jeff Choate’s first season there. I believe they could win enough games in Mountain West play to reach a bowl game. However, I also think Toledo is one of the top teams in the G5 and would find a way to triumph here.

Teams likely to play in the Arizona Bowl:

• Toledo
• Buffalo
• Nevada
• Colorado State
• UNLV

Military Bowl Prediction

For my Military Bowl prediction, I project Memphis will play Georgia Tech with Memphis winning.

Memphis will have a great opportunity to make the College Football Playoff if the Tigers win the AAC, which they’re capable of doing. But if Boise State earns the CFP G5 spot over them, I think they would be capable of beating a Power Four team in a bowl game, just like they beat Iowa State in the Liberty Bowl last season.

Teams likely to play in the Military Bowl:

• Memphis
• USF
• Navy
• Georgia Tech
• Duke

First Responder Bowl Prediction

For my First Responder Bowl prediction, I project Tulane will play Arizona State with Tulane winning.

Tulane did go through a coaching change, but new head coach Jon Sumrall has proven he can keep the team competing at a high level. The Green Wave also have a good number of players who could be all-conference picks this season, so I believe they could defeat a Power Four squad in a bowl.

Teams likely to play in the First Responder Bowl:

• Tulane
• Navy
• Army
• Arizona State
• Cincinnati

Bahamas Bowl Prediction

For my Bahamas Bowl prediction, I project Buffalo will play Sam Houston with Buffalo winning.

Following a losing season in its first year as an FBS program, making a bowl game would be a massive success for Sam Houston in 2024, and I think the Bearkats are capable of doing that. At this point, they might even be able to secure their first bowl victory, though Buffalo would be a tough opponent as the Bulls have started this season 4-2.

Teams likely to play in the Bahamas Bowl:

• Buffalo
• Ohio
• Sam Houston
• Jacksonville State
• Western Kentucky

Group of Five FBS Bowl Schedule

The post 2023 FBS G5 College Football Bowl Game Predictions appeared first on HERO Sports.

The Cardinals head coach led the program, which he used to play quarterback for and was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1993, to a MAC Championship in 2020. Ball State was even ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and won the Arizona Bowl that year.

Then Ball State went 6-6 during the regular season in 2021 and lost in the Camellia Bowl. And steadily since then, the Cardinals have only been worse. They went 5-7 in 2022 before going 4-8 a season ago. They’ve started this year 2-4 with their only wins being against FCS Missouri State and Kent State.

In Neu’s previous eight years as Ball State’s head coach, the Cardinals have had just one season above .500, and that doesn’t appear to be changing after this season. If things don’t improve quickly, some have wondered if Ball State might look for a new head coach.

If the team ends up looking to replace Neu, here are some coaches the Cardinals might consider.

Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock

Denbrock would make a ton of sense for Ball State if he were interested.

Denbrock has coached in the area for years. He’s worked with offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers over the years at Notre Dame, but he’s also coached at a variety of other schools as well. He was LSU’s OC and tight ends coach before this from 2022-23, and was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati from 2017-21.

Denbrock hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level, but he has been an associate head coach, including at Notre Dame from 2015-16 and at Indiana State in 2009.

Denbrock’s name has come up plenty of times when it comes to college football hot seats and potential head coaching hires this season. If he were open to taking a G5 head coaching job, Ball State would be a good fit.

Idaho Head Coach Jason Eck

Eck is one of the top head coaches in the FCS, and he already has experience at Ball State.

Eck is in his third season as Idaho’s head coach. The Vandals went 7-4 during the regular season in 2022, earning a trip to the postseason for the first time since 2016, and were 9-4 last year as they reached the FCS quarterfinals. Idaho is one of the top teams in the Big Sky and FCS again in 2024.

Before that, he was the offensive coordinator at South Dakota State from 2019-21 and the team’s offensive line coach from 2016-19. Going back to 2000, he’s also been an assistant at Montana State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Western Illinois, Hampton, Ball State, Winona State, Colorado, and Wisconsin.

Eck has proven he can take a program to the next level and is the exact type of coach Ball State would want.

Washington State Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle

Arbuckle is only in his second season as Washington State’s OC and quarterbacks coach. But he’s made an impact quickly.

This year, WSU is in the top 25 in the country with 462 yards per game and 39 points per game. A season ago, the Cougars were in the top 40 in the country in terms of scoring offense with 31.7 points per game and total offense with 421.7 yards per game. Cameron Ward, WSU’s QB in 2023, was in the top 10 in the FBS with 3,735 passing yards and top 20 with 25 touchdowns.

Before WSU, Arbuckle was a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky. In 2022, the Hilltoppers were in the top 15 in the nation with yards per game (497.3) and points per game (36.4) as quarterback Austin Reed led the country with 4,746 yards and was third with 40 touchdowns.

Arbuckle hasn’t been coaching at the collegiate level long, but he was at one point on 247Sports’ 30-Under-30 list, which recognizes up-and-coming college football coaches. Considering he’s shown great expertise on the offensive side of the ball and has coached in the area, maybe Ball State should consider him.

Indiana Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines

Haines followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, and he has been stellar as the Hoosiers’ DC thus far.

This year, Indiana is in the top 15 in the FBS in terms of scoring defense (14.8 points allowed per game) and total defense (255.7 yards per game allowed).

Before his current job, he was instrumental in JMU’s transition to the Sun Belt. He was promoted to DC and linebackers coach after three years as a co-defensive coordinator.

In just their first season as an FBS program, the Dukes allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game in the country with 290.2 while allowing just 20.9 points per game. They were also top 10 in rushing defense, tackles for loss per game, first downs allowed, sacks per game, third-down defense, and fumble recoveries.

In 2023, JMU was in the top 20 in the FBS with 19.5 points per game allowed and the top 30 in the country with 333.8 yards per game allowed.

Haines knows defense and the region, so he could be a good fit for Ball State.

Incarnate Word Head Coach Clint Killough

Incarnate Word apparently keeps attracting FBS-level coaches. Eric Morris led Incarnate Word for four years, and now is the head coach at North Texas. Then GJ Kinne took over before becoming Texas State’s head coach.

And now Killough might start to see some consideration for FBS head coaching vacancies. He’s continued the success of Incarnate Word, which is where he played from 2013-15. UIW went 9-2 overall in 2023, with one of its losses being a 28-14 game at UTEP. The team was ranked as highly as No. 4 in the FCS poll. The Cardinals ranked first in the Southland in terms of scoring offense, total offense, scoring defense, and total defense. UIW is 4-2 overall this season.

Before that, he was an associate head coach and wide receivers coach. He began coaching at his alma mater in 2018 as a quality control coach with an emphasis on inside receivers. UIW had some explosive passing offenses during that time, as multiple receivers broke school records. Killough does have some FBS experience, having been a defensive backs and special teams graduate assistant as well as a WRs GA at Bowling Green.

Killough is an up-and-coming coach with experience in the MAC who might see some consideration for FBS openings.

The post Mike Neu Hot Seat: 5 Candidates For Ball State Football’s Head Coach Replacement appeared first on HERO Sports.

But things haven’t gone as smoothly for Southern Miss since then. The Golden Eagles went 3-9 in 2023 and have begun this season 1-5 with their only victory being against FCS Southeastern Louisiana.

That’s led many to wonder how much longer Hall will stick around before the program goes in another direction. If Hall isn’t the head coach at Southern Miss in 2025, here are some coaches (in no particular order) who could replace him.

Jacksonville Jaguars Running Backs Coach Jerry Mack

Mack has experience as a head coach and a coordinator. He’s recruited in the area and has familiarity with the Sun Belt, so he would be a good fit here.

Before going to the Jaguars, Mack was Tennessee’s running backs coach from 2021-23. Last year, the Volunteers were 10th in the country with 204.8 rushing yards per game. Leading rusher Jaylen Wright was among the 45 running backs in the country to rush for at least 1,000 yards.

Previously, he was an associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Rice. He’s also been a head coach at North Carolina Central, a wide receivers coach at South Alabama and Memphis, an OC and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Central Arkansas, and a wide receivers/tight ends coach at Jackson State.

With a resume like his, Mack would deserve to be a head coaching candidate for the Golden Eagles.

SMU Offensive Coordinator Casey Woods

Woods is a successful coordinator at a current Power Four school who has coaching experience in the Sun Belt.

The Mustangs were eighth in the FBS in scored points per game (38.7) and 16th in yards per game (454.9) in 2023, their last year in the AAC. SMU, which is now ranked 21st in the AP Top 25 and is 5-1 as a member of the ACC, was 15th in the country with 40.8 points per game scored going into Week 8 of this season.

Previously, Woods was a tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Missouri. He’s also been an assistant at UAB and Auburn.

Woods coached wide receivers and was a recruiting coordinator at Arkansas State in 2012 when the Red Wolves went 10-3, earned a Sun Belt title, and won the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

If Woods were interested in a head coaching job, Southern Miss would be smart to consider him.

Indiana Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines

Haines followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, and he has been stellar as the Hoosiers’ DC thus far.

Going into Week 8, Indiana was in the top 15 in the FBS in terms of scoring defense (14.8 points allowed per game) and total defense (255.7 yards per game allowed).

Before his current job, he was instrumental in JMU’s transition to the Sun Belt. He was promoted to DC and linebackers coach after three years as a co-defensive coordinator there.

In just their first season as an FBS program, the Dukes allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game in the country with 290.2 while allowing just 20.9 points per game. They were also top 10 in rushing defense, tackles for loss per game, first downs allowed, sacks per game, third down defense, and fumble recoveries.

In 2023, JMU was in the top 20 in the FBS with 19.5 points per game allowed and the top 30 in the country with 333.8 yards per game allowed.

Before JMU, Haines worked with linebackers under Cignetti at Elon and was a linebackers coach at UC Davis before that in 2016.

Haines knows defense and the conference, so he could be a good fit for Southern Miss.

UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion

Marion is in just his second season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator. He’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience in the eastern part of the country.

In 2023, UNLV was 44th in the FBS with 412.7 yards per game and 22nd with 34.4 points per game. The Rebels have continued to be successful on offense this season, even after quarterback Matthew Sluka decided to sit out the rest of the year.

Before this, Marion was a passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022, a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 2021, a wide receivers coach at Hawaii in 2020, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary in 2019, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard in 2017 and 2018, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016. 

Marion’s name has been tied to a few head coaching vacancies the past couple years. The expertise he brings could benefit Southern Miss.

Alabama Tight Ends Coach Bryan Ellis

Ellis has only been at Alabama for less than a year. But if he were willing to leave for an FBS head coaching opportunity, Southern Miss might make sense.

Last season, when Ellis was an offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern, the Eagles were in the top 50 in the country with 30.2 points and 419.5 yards per game. And that was a down year compared to the other teams he’s worked with.

In 2022, which was Ellis’ first as Georgia Southern’s OC and QBs coach, the Eagles were in the top 20 in the FBS with 466.7 yards per game and scored 32.7 points per game.

Before that, Ellis was Western Kentucky’s co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach. In 2021, the Hilltoppers were second in the country with 44.2 points per game and 535.3 yards per game while leading the FBS with 433.7 passing yards per game.

He was WKU’s OC and quarterbacks coach from 2019-20 and was an assistant there from 2014-16. From 2017-18, he worked with quarterbacks at USC. 

Ellis obviously knows the Sun Belt well and how to develop high-flying offenses, so he would be a good candidate for Southern Miss.

The post Will Hall Hot Seat: 5 Candidates For Southern Miss Football’s Head Coach Replacement appeared first on HERO Sports.

After a stellar 2023 season where he was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and the G5 Offensive Player of the Year, there was plenty of hype surrounding the young running back.

But nobody knew he would start this season the way he did. Jeanty ran for 267 yards and six touchdowns – four in the first half alone – in Week 1 against Georgia Southern. Those are single-game BSU football records. That catapulted him into serious Heisman Trophy consideration.

But could Jeanty actually end up winning the award?

Ashton Jeanty’s Heisman Odds

Jeanty is the Heisman Trophy betting odds frontrunner at +175, via BetMGM. He initially wasn’t even on the board.

Jeanty is ahead of Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel (+400) and Miami quarterback Cam Ward (+600).

Ashton Jeanty of Boise State Broncos Football Making Heisman Hopes Known

Boise State posted on social media about Jeanty’s Heisman candidacy back in August. And considering how important he is to the offense and the team overall, it makes sense.

But after his performance in Week 1, plenty of media members began gushing about Jeanty.

The Heisman Trophy Twitter/X account posted a podcast interview with him. Robert Griffin III, a Heisman winner himself during his career at Baylor who’s now a college football commentator, called Jeanty his No. 1 Heisman Trophy frontrunner after the first week of the season.

But no matter how great Jeanty is, he faces an uphill battle to actually receive the award. Group of Five players have historically not won the Heisman very much – and haven’t at all this century. It’s also becoming more and more difficult for non-quarterbacks to win it in recent decades.

Who’s The Last Group of Five Player To Win The Heisman Trophy?

Roger Staubach was the last player from a team currently in the Group of Five to win the Heisman Trophy when he did so with Navy back in 1963.

Others have won it when their teams weren’t in a league that’s considered a “power” conference today. Ty Detmer is the most recent example of that. He won the Heisman in 1990 as the quarterback for BYU, which was in the Western Athletic Conference at the time but is now in the Big 12.

Who’s The Last Running Back To Win The Heisman Trophy?

Derrick Henry is the last running back to win the Heisman during his junior year at Alabama in 2015.

Going back to 2000, only three running backs have won the Heisman. That includes Reggie Bush of USC in 2005 and Mark Ingram of Alabama in 2009.

Who’s The Last Non-Quarterback To Win The Heisman Trophy?

Devonta Smith, a wide receiver at Alabama, won the Heisman four years ago in 2020. He’s only one of four receivers to ever win the award.

Smith is also one of four non-quarterbacks to win the Heisman since 1999.

Since the award was first given out back in 1935, 38 quarterbacks have won the Heisman. Running backs lead the way with 40 Heisman winners, and that’s not including the two fullbacks and two halfbacks which have also won the trophy. Two tight ends have earned the award as well.

Charles Woodson, a cornerback while he was at Michigan, is still the only defender to take the Heisman when he did so in 1997.

Ashton Jeanty Stats

After Week 7, Jeanty has 1,248 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. He leads the country in both categories by a comfortable margin. He’s also caught nine passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

He’s averaged 9.9 yards per carry.

Last year as a sophomore, Jeanty ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns on 220 carries for an average of 6.1 yards per carry. He hauled in 43 passes for 569 yards and five scores.

Jeanty was a freshman in 2022 and split carries with George Holani, another Boise State great who made it to the NFL. That season, Jeanty ran for 821 yards and seven touchdowns on 156 carries for a 5.3 yards-per-carry average while catching 14 passes for 155 yards.

What’s The FBS Record For Rushing Yards And Touchdowns In A Single Season?

Barry Sanders set the FBS single-season rushing yards and touchdowns record at 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 1988 at Oklahoma State.

Jeanty is actually on track to have a shot of breaking those records. Sanders ran for 1,002 yards and 17 touchdowns on 130 carries in his first five games that season. Jeanty had 29 more yards and one fewer touchdown through his first five games in 2024.

Ashton Jeanty NFL Draft Chances

Jeanty is the No. 1-ranked Group of Five prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft class in my rankings. Barring something catastrophic, he’ll be drafted in April if he decides to move on from the college game.

However, his draft stock could be affected by the same factors as his Heisman Trophy candidacy.

For starters, Jeanty is a running back, a position that’s largely been undervalued in recent years by NFL franchises. Does that mean Jeanty won’t be selected in the first round? No. But it makes it tough for a team to justify taking him early.

Jeanty is also a Group of Five player. Even if he continues to thrive against the Mountain West this year, there’s a chance some teams won’t view him as highly because of the competition he faces.

Ashton Jeanty Height & Weight

Jeanty is a 5-foot-9, 215-pound running back playing in his junior season at Boise State. He’s originally from Jacksonville, Florida, and went to high school at Lone Star High School in Texas.

Boise State Game Next Week

Jeanty and Boise State (5-1) are playing on the road at UNLV on Oct. 25.

Boise State Score Last Week

Boise State defeated Hawaii 28-7 in Week 7.

The post Ashton Jeanty Heisman Trophy Watch: Why The Boise State RB Could Be The Best Player In College Football appeared first on HERO Sports.

And after Week 7, there’s still plenty of teams that have a shot of earning that CFP spot.

Here’s a look at the G5 landscape after Week 7.

AAC Scores

Army 44, UAB 10

Memphis 21, USF 3

North Texas 41, FAU 37

Rice 29, UTSA 27

Mountain West Scores

UNLV 50, Utah State 34

Colorado State 31, San Jose State 24

San Diego State 27, Wyoming 24

New Mexico 52, Air Force 37

Washington State 25, Fresno State 17

Nevada 42, Oregon State 37

Boise State 28, Hawaii 7

Sun Belt Scores

JMU 39, Coastal Carolina 7

Old Dominion 21, Georgia State 14

ULM 38, Southern Miss 21

Texas State 41, Arkansas State 9

Louisiana 34, App State 24

Georgia Southern 24, Marshall 23

MAC Scores

Ball State 37, Kent State 35

Buffalo 30, Toledo 15

Miami (Ohio) 38, Eastern Michigan 14

Northern Illinois 17, Bowling Green 7

Ohio 27, Central Michigan 25

Western Michigan 34, Akron 25

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Conference USA Scores 

Liberty 31, FIU (OT)

Jacksonville State 54, New Mexico State 13

Louisiana Tech 48, Middle Tennessee 21

Western Kentucky 44, UTEP 17

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