Losing a Heisman Trophy finalist, the best defensive player on the team and other key personnel would tamp down expectations for a lot of programs even in this era of quick fixes through the transfer portal.
Not Boise State, which brings back more than enough talent to be deemed the favorite to earn the Group of Five’s guaranteed College Football Playoff bid a second straight year.
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Boise State has a second-year starter in quarterback Maddux Madsen, who threw for more than 3,000 yards with 23 touchdowns, and a deep offensive line returning 10 players who started a game.
One of Madsen’s favorite targets will be Matt Lauter, an All-Mountain West Conference pick whose 47 receptions set a school record for tight ends. The departure of Ashton Jeanty, the Heisman runner-up, creates opportunities for promising running backs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines.
There’s a hole on the defensive line without Ahmed Hassanein, the MWC’s top defensive draft pick as a sixth-rounder. Edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan and linebacker Marco Notarainni, both All-MWC picks, are back. So are cornerbacks A’Marion McCoy and Jeremiah Earby.
The Broncos’ early schedule is intriguing: The opener at South Florida is followed by a mid-September trip to Air Force to start Mountain West play. There also is a road game against No. 6 Notre Dame.
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This is the second year the highest-ranked G5 conference champion will be assured a spot in the playoff. In addition to the Mountain West, the G5s are the American, Conference USA, Mid-American and Sun Belt.
Tulane
The Green Wave are looking for their fourth straight American Conference championship game appearance, and their 32 wins over the last three seasons are fourth-most nationally.
Jon Sumrall brought in 34 transfers after getting dinged hard in the portal. Transfers Jake Retzlaff (BYU) and Brendan Sullivan (Iowa) are battling at QB, and the running back and receiver rooms are full of new faces. The offensive line is perhaps the best in the league, and the defense has quality players at all three levels. The schedule, with a home game against Duke and a trip to Mississippi, is second-toughest among G5 teams.
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Memphis
The Tigers are extremely tough at home, and that’s where they play key American games against South Florida, Tulane and Navy and a nonconference game against Arkansas.
Nevada transfer Brendon Lewis takes over for four-year starter Seth Henigan at quarterback. As many as nine transfers could start on defense. Returning all-conference D-lineman William Whitlow Jr. is a menace.
James Madison
The Sun Belt Conference is a crapshoot, but James Madison gets the nod. Coach Bob Chesney was deciding between returning QB Alonza Barnett III, who is coming back from an ACL tear, and UNLV transfer Matt Sluka. Barnett set a school record with seven touchdowns in a 70-50 win over North Carolina and threw just four interceptions over 12 games. The Dukes also have the Sun Belt’s top defense.
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JMU’s biggest games are on the road — Louisville and Liberty in nonconference and Texas State, Marshall and Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt.
Toledo
Jason Candle, who has never had a losing record in nine-plus seasons as Rockets coach, could have his best team. He retained his best players, added key transfers and the schedule is one of his most manageable in years. The Rockets play four of last year’s five bottom teams in the Mid-American Conference and avoid defending champion Ohio in the regular season.
Key newcomers are RBs Chip Trayanum (Arizona State, Ohio State and Kentucky) and Trayvon Rudolph (Northern Illinois). They should help bring life to a lethargic rushing game and take pressure off returning QB Tucker Gleason.
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Liberty
Coastal Carolina transfer Ethan Vasko takes over at quarterback following Kaidon Salter’s departure for Colorado. Question marks remain at several spots, but the Flames’ schedule is one of the easiest among Group of Five teams and they should be back in the Conference USA championship game after faltering late last season. The Flames, who joined the FBS seven years ago, have won at least eight games six straight seasons.
