College Football Preview 2014-2015: Previewing the Non-Power Five Conferences
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| Deontay Greenberry |
Rankings
1. UCF
2. Cincinnati
3. Houston
4. East Carolina
5. SMU
6. Temple
7. Memphis
8. UConn
9. Tulane
10. Tulsa
11. South Florida
Top Players to Watch:
Terrance Plummer, LB, UCF
The senior was an All-AAC player a year ago and should lead a fantastic Central Florida defense. He moves exceptionally well and is gifted with incredible instincts.
Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston
Expect the Cougars to throw the ball all around the field this year, with Greenberry and quarterback John O'Korn returning. Greenberry is extremely fast and should be a very scary deep threat this season.
Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane
A big reason for the Green Wave's surprising 7-6 mark in 2013 was Doss, an All-Conference USA corner a year ago. He picked off seven passes last year and is one of the nation's elite shutdown cornerbacks.
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| Rakeem Cato |
Rankings:
East Division
1. Marshall
2. Western Kentucky
3. Middle Tennessee
4. Old Dominion
5. Florida Atlantic
6. UAB
7. Florida International
West Division
1. North Texas
2. UTSA
3. Rice
4. Louisiana Tech
5. UTEP
6. Southern Mississippi
Top Players to Watch:
Rakeem Cato, QB, Marshall
Cato has put up huge numbers so far in his Marshall career, and he should do much the same in 2013. He has a huge arm and is a dual threat, he could be a dark horse Heisman candidate if Marshall runs the table or wins the conference.
Cyril Lemon, OG, North Texas
The three-year starter for the Mean Green is extremely durable and hard-working. The senior isn't the biggest player on the field but he is very mobile and he is extremely powerful.
Taylor Heinicke, QB, Old Dominion
Heinicke, the Walter Payton Award winner in 2012 (award given to best FCS offensive player) has the talent to keep the Monarchs in the mix in their first full year in FBS football. He has thrown for career marks of 11,483 yards and 102, while completing 70% of his passes.
Conference USA Championship: Marshall over North Texas
MAC
Rankings:
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| Jawon Chisholm |
1. Bowling Green
2. Buffalo
3. Akron
4. Ohio
5. Kent State
6. Miami (Ohio)
7. UMass
West Division
1. Northern Illinois
2. Toledo
3. Ball State
4. Central Michigan
5. Eastern Michigan
6. Western Michigan
Top Players to Watch:
Matt Johnson, QB, Bowling Green
In new head coach Dino Babers' air raid offense, Johnson should put up huge numbers. He has the strong arm, smarts and mobility to give defenses serious fits.
Titus Davis, WR, Central Michigan
The senior playmaker is a talent you rarely see inside the MAC. He has a scary mix of size (6'2", 190 pounds) and speed to really have a fantastic final season in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
Jawon Chisholm, RB, Akron
Now a senior, Chisholm has been a playmaker for the Zips for years. Last season, the playmaker ran for 869 yards and caught 27 passes, proving that he can hurt defenses in a variety of ways. If he can stay healthy, Chisholm could compete for Offensive Player of the Year honors.
MAC Championship: Bowling Green over Northern Illinois
Mountain West
Rankings:
West Division
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| Chuckie Keeton |
2. Fresno State
3. UNLV
4. Nevada
5. San Jose State
6. Hawaii
Mountain Division
1. Utah State
2. Boise State
3. Colorado State
4. New Mexico
5. Wyoming
6. Air Force
Top Players to Watch:
Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State
Keeton could have put up huge numbers last year before a knee injury sidelined him for the last eight games of 2013. Now healthy, Keeton's huge arm and his plethora of options makes him a dark horse for the Heisman.
Derron Smith, S, Fresno State
The senior free safety is an elite playmaker; he has picked off 14 career interceptions, the FBS' active leader. He is also a dangerous blitzer who will be very disruptive in 2014.
Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State
The talented junior linebacker does it all. In 2013, he recorded 82 tackles, 13 tackles for loss along with five sacks. He leads a talented linebacker corps that also includes the two Vigil brothers, Nick and Zach.
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| Terrance Broadway |
Sun Belt
Rankings:
1. Louisiana-Lafayette
2. Arkansas State
3. Troy
4. South Alabama
5. Texas State
6. Louisiana-Monroe
7. Georgia Southern
8. Appalachian State
9. Idaho
10. Georgia State
11. New Mexico State
Top Players to Watch:
Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama
Saxton will be South Alabama's most dangerous weapon this year after a strong 2013. The 6'4", 240 pound playmaker is not only an exceptional blocker but also has receivers' hands and superb speed.
Terrance Broadway, QB, Louisiana-Lafayette
Few quarterbacks in the history of the Sun Belt are as talented as Broadway, a dual threat who is so tough to stop. He threw for 2,419 yards and ran for 442 more, while completing over 62 percent of his passes.
Michael Orakpo, LB, Texas State
Orakpo was terrific a year ago, and he might only grow as a pass rusher this season. He picked up 4.5 sacks and 71 tackles in 2013 but has looked stronger this spring. He will be a monster this season for the Bobcats.
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