Team Stories — CFB Zeitgeist

USCRecruitingNo. 1Mark Bowman (TE, #23 nationally) headlines USC's first top-ranked class in five years — a rebuild under Lincoln Riley with 15% QB production returning, as Notre Dame's top-5 haul looms over the rivalry.AnsweredRead the story →IowaProgram outlookTop 14%3-yr power ratingFerentz's 26-11 run has Iowa in dynasty territory for the first time since 2021, but the market's 7.5-win projection suggests skepticism about sustaining that grind.Read the story →UConnCoachingJason Candle inherits a 9-4 program and 96% QB production returning, but UConn's identity as a basketball school still hangs over whether football can be more than a footnote.Read the story →FBS-wideCoordinatorsThe coordinator carousel: 15 changes across FBS this cycle.See the coordinator board →Texas TechMarket movesJoey McGuire's fourth season opens with a 12-2 record and a #29 talent rank, yet the market now sees Texas Tech as a long shot for Big 12 title contention.ReplacedRead the story →Washington StateCoachingKirby Moore inherits a 7-6 roster and 25% returning production — the Pac-12's last Air Raid holdout now faces the weight of a 1st season under a new coach in.ReplacedRead the story →James MadisonCoachingNapier, who led Florida to a 12-2 season and #19 AP ranking, inherits a 78% returning roster but faces the challenge of stabilizing a program that has had three coaches in five years.ReplacedRead the story →South AlabamaProgram outlookMajor Applewhite enters his second season with a 4-8 losing record to overcome, as South Alabama's fanbase identity shifts amid its recent FBS ascent.ReplacedRead the story →ArkansasCoachingSilverfield, who went 2-10 at Memphis, inherits a 36% production return and a program that hasn't won an SEC game since 2021 — the stakes are clear, the margin for error narrow.Read the story →UABCoachingMortensen inherits a 4-8 roster and 73% returning production — UAB’s third coach in five years faces the challenge of stabilizing a program defined by cycles of collapse and revival.ReplacedRead the story →South FloridaCoachingHartline, who led Ohio State to a national title, inherits a 9-4 South Florida roster with 100% production returning — the third coach in five years faces the challenge of.Read the story →IndianaProgram outlookTop 4%3-yr power ratingCignetti's second season arrives with a 27-10 arc and a market already pricing in 10.5 wins — the most improbable leap of the playoff era.ReplacedRead the story →UtahProgram outlookNo. 8SP+Utah leaped 32 spots in SP+ — the gap between the ranking and its bottom-quintile returning production is the story Kyle Whittingham has to answer in the Pac-12 this year.AnsweredRead the story →MiamiRecruitingNo. 9With Jackson Cantwell (OT, #4 nationally) arriving, Cristobal's top-9 class faces extreme rebuild — 9 NFL exits and 6% QB production returning as Miami redefines its legacy amid near-total roster turnover.AnsweredRead the story →Western MichiganProgram outlookLance Taylor's third season opens with a 10-4 record, but the fanbase remains uneasy as Western Michigan navigates its identity shift beyond the P.J. Fleck era.ReplacedRead the story →CharlotteProgram outlookNo. 134SP+Charlotte dropped 16 spots in SP+ — the 1-11 record and 108th talent rank reveal a program identity in crisis, and Tim Albin’s first season is the first test of.AnsweredRead the story →Arkansas StateProgram outlookNo. 100SP+Arkansas State enters 2026 — the 7-6 record and #88 talent rank signal a rare upward trajectory, yet the program's identity as a historic Sun Belt dynasty remains unproven in.Read the story →South CarolinaProgram outlookNo. 49SP+South Carolina collapsed 35 spots in SP+ — the 4-8 record and lack of returning production raise one question: can Shane Beamer reverse the slide before the program’s next 11-win season?ReplacedRead the story →SyracuseProgram outlookNo. 115SP+Syracuse collapsed 70 spots in SP+ — the 3-9 record and bottom-quintile returning production raise one question: can Fran Brown’s second season salvage the historic-northeast-football identity before it fades?AnsweredRead the story →TCUProgram outlookNo. 37SP+TCU enters 2026 — the 12-spot SP+ drop from 2024 raises one question: can Sonny Dykes’ 4th season sustain the 9-4 winning record that made a national title game appearance feel possible?Read the story →DelawareProgram outlookNo. 109SP+Delaware enters 2026 — a 7-6 record and 133rd national talent rank create a tension between promise and parity, with Ryan Carty’s first season the fulcrum for a program seeking consistency.Read the story →Bowling GreenProgram outlookNo. 113SP+Bowling Green collapsed 36 spots in SP+ — the 4-8 record and bottom-quintile returning production raise one question: can Eddie George reverse the slide before the program’s historic identity fades further?AnsweredRead the story →North Dakota StateProgram outlookNorth Dakota State's 12-1 record marks its first winning season in FBS, but the program's FCS legacy raises questions about whether its identity can translate beyond the Fargodome dynasty.Read the story →Iowa StateProgram outlookMatt Campbell enters his 8th season at Iowa State with an 8-4 record and a fanbase at 52/100, signaling tension between recent progress and lingering doubts about long-term identity.Read the story →Virginia TechProgram outlookBrent Pry's fourth season opens with a 3-9 losing record — the program's identity hinges on whether the Lunch Pail defense can reclaim its legacy amid shifting fan expectations.ReplacedRead the story →Coastal CarolinaRecruitingNo. 44Beck's top-22 portal class addresses P, RB, and WR — positions that matter for a 6-7 team with 97% production returning, aiming to recapture Chadwell-era magic.ReplacedRead the story →Ole MissRecruitingNo. 22Lane Kiffin's sixth straight top-25 class arrives as Ole Miss rebuilds nearly everything at once — 18% production returning, 2 NFL exits, and a 13-2 season that proves winning without.AnsweredRead the story →Mississippi StateRecruitingNo. 23Bralan Womack (S, #30 nationally) arrives as Mississippi State's highest-ranked class since 2019 — a lifeline for a program with 32% QB production returning and a 5-8 record to overcome.AnsweredRead the story →LSURecruitingNo. 1Brian Kelly's top-11 portal class arrives with 66% production returning and seven NFL exits — but the Tigers' nighttime thinking starts at QB.AnsweredRead the story →Notre DameRecruitingNo. 5Rodney Dunham (EDGE, #12 nationally) arrives as Marcus Freeman's best class in five years — but with 6% QB production returning, the question lingers over a program that knows what.ReplacedRead the story →BYUProgram outlookTop 17%3-yr power ratingSitake's 26-11 run has BYU in dynasty-caliber territory for the first time since its title era, but the market projects just 8.5 wins this season.Read the story →VirginiaProgram outlookNo. 31SP+Virginia leaped 60 spots in SP+ — the 11-3 record and #20 AP finish suggest momentum, but the #62 talent rank raises questions about sustaining success under Tony Elliott's fourth season.Read the story →NavyProgram outlookTop 32%3-yr power ratingNewberry's third season arrives with Navy's 24-12 mark in hand — the kind of consistency that keeps a triple-option program in December.Read the story →FloridaRecruitingNo. 17With Davian Groce (WR, #49 nationally) joining, Florida's eighth straight top-20 class arrives as Napier's team rebuilds after a 4-8 season, facing a Georgia squad that signed a top-6 class of its own.ReplacedRead the story →TennesseeRecruitingNo. 8With Faizon Brandon (QB, #7 nationally) arriving, Tennessee's top-8 class confronts a rival Alabama's top-2 haul — a program rewriting its story with 2% QB production returning and five NFL exits to fill.AnsweredRead the story →North TexasRecruitingNo. 29Eric Morris' top-2 portal class targets CB, DL, and EDGE — addressing the defensive gaps that followed key departures in a 12-2 season.ReplacedRead the story →Oklahoma StateCoachingEric Morris inherits a 1-11 roster and a program that once defined itself by not being Oklahoma — the identity lingers, but the rebuild begins with a 44% return and.ReplacedRead the story →MinnesotaProgram outlookP.J. Fleck enters his 7th season with an 8-5 record, navigating a fanbase in transition as Minnesota seeks to redefine its historic-program-resurrected identity in the Big Ten.Read the story →AlabamaProgram outlookNo. 20SP+Alabama dropped 16 spots in SP+ — the gap between its No. 20 ranking and 11-4 record raises questions about whether Kalen DeBoer can recalibrate a program that still defines college football's standard.ReplacedRead the story →MissouriRecruitingNo. 6Eli Drinkwitz's 6th season brings Missouri's highest-ranked portal class, yet 20% of production returns while QB production transferred out — rebuilding nearly everything at once.AnsweredRead the story →San José StateProgram outlookKen Niumatalolo begins his second season at San José State, inheriting a 3-9 losing record and a program defined by its 2020 Mountain West championship run under Brent Brennan.AnsweredRead the story →Michigan StateMarket moves4.5 ▲ 1Jonathan Smith's first full season at Michigan State ended with a 4-8 record, but the win total projection climbs to 4.5 in his second year.AnsweredRead the story →LouisianaProgram outlookMichael Desormeaux's fifth season opens with a 6-7 losing record, raising questions about whether the Ragin' Cajuns can sustain their identity beyond the Napier era.Read the story →Miami (OH)Program outlookNo. 82SP+Miami (OH) dropped 14 spots in SP+ — the 7-7 record and #87 talent rank reveal a gap between expectations and execution, challenging Chuck Martin to restore the 'Cradle of.Read the story →GeorgiaRecruitingNo. 6Ekene Ogboko (#33 nationally, OT) arrives as Georgia's top recruit, but with 16% QB production returning and Florida signing a top-17 class, the SEC's most storied program faces its sharpest test yet.Read the story →ToledoCoachingJacobs inherits a 68% production returning roster after Candle's 45-23 tenure — Toledo hasn't won a conference title since 2017, and the Glass Bowl's legacy now hinges on a new era's first step.AnsweredRead the story →New MexicoMarket movesJason Eck begins his tenure with a 9-4 record and a #131 talent rank, raising questions about sustaining success in a conference where New Mexico's title odds have softened.AnsweredRead the story →TroyProgram outlookGerad Parker enters his second season with an 8-6 record, signaling a shift in Troy's identity as the program seeks to redefine its legacy beyond past Sun Belt successes.AnsweredRead the story →Ball StateProgram outlookNo. 132SP+Ball State enters 2026 — the program's bottom-quintile returning production and 4-8 record under Mike Uremovich highlight a rebuilding phase with little margin for error in the Mid-American Conference.AnsweredRead the story →ArizonaProgram outlookNo. 28SP+Arizona leaped 54 spots in SP+ — the 2024 10-3 record and Jedd Fisch’s legacy anchor a program that hasn’t been this high since its 1998 Holiday Bowl peak, now.AnsweredRead the story →New Mexico StateProgram outlookNo. 123SP+New Mexico State enters 2026 — the 4-8 record and #130 talent rank contrast sharply with the 2023 10-5 season that defined its historic Southwest-borderland identity under Jerry Kill.AnsweredRead the story →Missouri StateProgram outlookNo. 108SP+Missouri State enters 2026 — a 7-6 record and 129th talent rank create a split screen between momentum and skepticism for Ryan Beard’s first season in a program that hasn’t.Read the story →Fresno StateProgram outlookNo. 66SP+Fresno State jumped 19 spots in SP+ — the 9-4 record and bottom-quintile returning production create a split screen between momentum and the rebuilding challenge under Matt Entz.AnsweredRead the story →MichiganProgram outlookNo. 25SP+Michigan enters 2026 — the 9-4 record and No. 25 SP+ rating highlight a program that hasn't been this high since its national title era, yet still faces the challenge.AnsweredRead the story →Sam HoustonProgram outlookNo. 135SP+Sam Houston collapsed 37 spots in SP+ — the 2-10 record and 1% returning production highlight a stark contrast to the program's FCS-to-FBS ascent, testing Phil Longo's ability to stabilize.AnsweredRead the story →Middle TennesseeProgram outlookNo. 127SP+Middle Tennessee enters 2026 — the program's top-quintile returning production contrasts sharply with its 3-9 record, and Derek Mason's second season will determine if historic-Tennessee-G5-football can be rekindled.AnsweredRead the story →LibertyProgram outlookNo. 102SP+Liberty collapsed 31 spots in SP+ — the 4-8 record and 1% returning production contrast sharply with the 2023 13-1 Fiesta Bowl run, exposing the fragility of Jamey Chadwell's rebuild after Hugh Freeze's departure.Read the story →Northern IllinoisProgram outlookNo. 128SP+Northern Illinois collapsed 44 spots in SP+ — the 3-9 record and #125 talent rank highlight a steep drop, and Thomas Hammock's 6th season faces the challenge of reversing a program's fading G5-bowl legacy.ReplacedRead the story →Kennesaw StateProgram outlookNo. 89SP+Kennesaw State leaped 43 spots in SP+ — the 10-4 record and Jerry Mack's first season create a split screen between rising expectations and the challenge of sustaining momentum in the Big South.AnsweredRead the story →OhioProgram outlookNo. 84SP+Ohio dropped 21 spots in SP+ — the 9-4 record and 126th talent rank create a split screen between recent success and the challenge of sustaining it under first-year coach Brian Smith.ReplacedRead the story →Florida InternationalProgram outlookNo. 107SP+Florida International enters 2026 — the 7-6 record and No. 107 SP+ mark contrast with the program’s 2002 founding and Riccardo Silva Stadium legacy, raising questions about sustaining its identity in Conference USA.AnsweredRead the story →Eastern MichiganProgram outlookNo. 119SP+Eastern Michigan enters 2026 — the 4-8 record and 94th national talent rank highlight the challenge of elevating a middle-tier program under Chris Creighton's 10th season.Read the story →MassachusettsProgram outlookNo. 136SP+Massachusetts enters 2026 — top-quintile returning production contrasts with a 0-12 record, and Joe Harasymiak’s first season will define whether UMass reclaims the version of itself that earns respect in FBS.AnsweredRead the story →Ohio StateProgram outlookNo. 2SP+Ohio State enters 2026 — the gap between its No. 2 SP+ ranking and 12-2 record is the story Ryan Day has to answer in Big Ten this year.ReplacedRead the story →Kent StateProgram outlookNo. 130SP+Kent State enters 2026 — the 5-7 record and bottom-quintile returning production highlight the steep climb ahead for Mark Carney in his first season at the helm.AnsweredRead the story →PurdueProgram outlookNo. 90SP+Purdue leaped 31 spots in SP+ — the gap between the ranking and 2-10 record is the story Barry Odom has to answer in Big Ten this year.AnsweredRead the story →DukeProgram outlookNo. 44SP+Duke enters 2026 — the 9-5 record and No. 44 SP+ rating contrast with bottom-quintile returning production, forcing Manny Diaz to rebuild under the shadow of Mike Elko's legacy.AnsweredRead the story →OklahomaProgram outlookNo. 14SP+Oklahoma jumped 19 spots in SP+ — the gap between the ranking and its 10-3 record is the story Brent Venables has to answer in Big 12 this year.ReplacedRead the story →North CarolinaProgram outlookNo. 91SP+North Carolina collapsed 42 spots in SP+ — the bottom-quintile returning production and 4-8 record raise one question: can Bill Belichick turn a 138-year football experiment into something more than a footnote?AnsweredRead the story →BuffaloProgram outlookNo. 95SP+Buffalo enters 2026 — the 95th SP+ ranking and 5-7 record highlight a steep drop from 2024, raising questions about Pete Lembo’s ability to stabilize a program that hasn’t been.AnsweredRead the story →SMUProgram outlookNo. 23SP+SMU enters 2026 — the 11-spot SP+ drop from 2024 raises one question: can Rhett Lashlee’s 4th season sustain the 9-4 winning record and Pony Express identity after a CFP appearance?AnsweredRead the story →NevadaProgram outlookNo. 116SP+Nevada enters 2026 — the 3-9 record and 119th talent rank highlight a program that hasn't been this low since the early 2000s, and Choate's second season is the first.AnsweredRead the story →ClemsonRecruitingNo. 20With Naeem Burroughs (WR, #61 nationally) arriving, Clemson's 83% returning production faces a test as South Carolina's top-14 class closes the gap in a rivalry that once defined the program's rise.ReplacedRead the story →RiceProgram outlookScott Abell begins his tenure at Rice with a 5-8 losing record and a fanbase uneasy about reversing the program's decline.AnsweredRead the story →WashingtonRecruitingNo. 13Kodi Greene (OT, #19 nationally) headlines Washington's highest-ranked class since 2019 — a statement in the Pacific Northwest as Jedd Fisch rebuilds with 24% QB production returning and Oregon's top-3 haul looming.AnsweredRead the story →Kansas StateProgram outlookTop 18%3-yr power ratingKansas State has slipped from elite-tier consistency — the first time below the top-11% tier since 2024, and the gap from the #17 AP peak is structural, not just a roster rebuild.ReplacedRead the story →IdahoProgram outlookPaul Petrino enters his fourth season at Idaho with a 4-8 losing record, navigating a program that once dominated I-AA but now rebuilds in the Sun Belt with deep institutional.Read the story →Hawai'iProgram outlookNo. 68SP+Hawai'i leaped 39 spots in SP+ — the 9-4 record and June Jones-era identity raise the question of whether this program can sustain its newfound momentum in the Mountain West.Read the story →Penn StateCoachingCampbell inherits a 7-6 roster and 56% returning production, but Penn State's standard was built by Franklin's legacy — the program must now prove it can thrive without him.ReplacedRead the story →Florida StateRecruitingNo. 16With Chauncey Kennon (CB, #41 nationally) arriving, Florida State faces extreme turnover after a 5-7 season — its top-16 class competes in a conference where rival Florida also signed a top-17 haul.ReplacedRead the story →OregonProgram outlookNo. 4SP+Oregon enters 2026 — bottom-quintile returning production contrasts with its No. 4 SP+ ranking, forcing Dan Lanning to prove this is more than a flash in the pan for a.ReplacedRead the story →KentuckyCoachingWill Stein inherits a 5-7 roster and a 27% production return, but the program's identity as a football school now demands more than just rebuilding — it demands proving it belongs.Read the story →NebraskaProgram outlookNo. 46SP+Nebraska enters 2026 — the 7-6 record and #20 talent rank suggest momentum, yet the 25-year national title drought looms as the unspoken challenge for Matt Rhule's third season.ReplacedRead the story →ColoradoRecruitingNo. 14Colorado's top-3 Big 12 portal class arrives with just 7% production returning — Sanders' third straight extreme rebuild, now restocking DL and WR after losing Tyrecus Davis.Read the story →TulaneCoachingWill Hall, who led Southern Miss to an 11-3 season and a #17 AP ranking, inherits a 15% production roster at Tulane — the program's third head coach in five.AnsweredRead the story →StanfordProgram outlookNo. 112SP+Stanford enters 2026 — bottom-quintile returning production and a 4-8 record last season raise the question of whether power football can survive in an admissions office this cycle.ReplacedRead the story →UCLARecruitingNo. 20Foster's first full portal class in Year 2 addresses OT and LB while replacing Marshall and Johnson — UCLA's patience with roster rebuilding meets its alumni pedigree.AnsweredRead the story →BaylorProgram outlookDave Aranda enters his sixth season at Baylor with a 5-7 losing record, navigating a fanbase in transition and a program redefining its identity beyond the Art Briles era.Read the story →WisconsinRecruitingNo. 18A top-3 portal class for Wisconsin — a program that turned Big Ten clichés into actual football — arrives as Fickell's third season begins with 6% of QB production returning.Read the story →TexasRecruitingNo. 7Dia Bell (QB, #9 nationally) headlines Texas' No. 1 Big 12 class — a program with 27% QB production returning and six NFL exits now faces a rival, Oklahoma, with.Read the story →RutgersMarket moves3.5 ▼ 1.5Schiano's sixth season arrives with a 5-7 record and win total dip from 5 to 3.5 — a historic program's reset now faces its first real test.ReplacedRead the story →West VirginiaRecruitingNo. 30Rich Rodriguez's second consecutive top-20 portal class arrives with Michael Hawkins Jr. (QB) to fix 16% returning QB production — a lifeline for West Virginia's only Power-5 show in a state hungry for wins.AnsweredRead the story →Boise StateMarket moves8.5 ▲ 0.5Spencer Danielson's third season opens with a 9-5 record and a win total rise to 8.5, signaling Boise State's push to sustain its G5 prominence amid a top-81 talent landscape.ReplacedRead the story →Texas StateProgram outlookG.J. Kinne enters his third season at Texas State with a 7-6 record under his belt, as the program's identity continues to shift toward a more established FBS presence.Read the story →San Diego StateProgram outlookSean Lewis begins his second season at San Diego State with a 9-4 record, but the fanbase remains uneasy as the program's identity shifts amid ongoing development.ReplacedRead the story →Old DominionProgram outlookRicky Rahne enters his fifth season with a 10-3 record, anchoring Old Dominion's identity as a historic Tidewater rebuild in a middle-tier program navigating a conference shift.Read the story →Wake ForestProgram outlookJake Dickert's first season at Wake Forest begins with a 9-4 record, but the program's identity shift and uneasy fanbase signal untested challenges for a coach inheriting a middle-tier P5 school.AnsweredRead the story →Georgia TechProgram outlookBrent Key's 4th season opens with a 9-4 record and an uneasy fanbase questioning whether the program's engineering-school identity can sustain a top-25 AP finish.ReplacedRead the story →UTEPProgram outlookScotty Walden begins his second season at UTEP with a 2-10 losing record to overcome, as the program's historic identity in El Paso remains unfulfilled despite its rich football legacy.ReplacedRead the story →HoustonMarket moves8.5 ▲ 1Willie Fritz, who previously coached at Tulane, begins his first season with a program that rose from 7.5 to 8.5 wins in the market, signaling cautious optimism for a middle-tier Big 12 team.AnsweredRead the story →TempleProgram outlookK.C. Keeler begins his tenure at Temple, inheriting a 5-7 losing record and a program seeking to redefine its identity beyond its 2016 AAC championship legacy.AnsweredRead the story →Florida AtlanticProgram outlookZach Kittley begins his tenure at Florida Atlantic with a 4-8 losing record, signaling a rebuild for a program defined by its 2017 Conference USA championship and Schnellenberger legacy.AnsweredRead the story →