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PROJECTED STANDINGS
| | |
TEAM |
SBC |
OVERALL |
North Texas |
6-1 |
7-4 |
Middle Tennessee |
5-2 |
6-5 |
Troy |
5-2 |
6-5 |
Florida Atlantic |
4-3 |
4-7 |
Louisiana-Monroe |
3-4 |
4-7 |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
2-5 |
4-7 |
Arkansas State |
2-5 |
3-8 |
Florida International |
1-6 |
2-9 |
TEAM PREVIEWS
NORTH TEXAS
Last Season: 7-5 / 7-0
Starters Returning: 5 offense, 4 defense
Projected wins: Tulsa, ASU, at FIU, ULM, ULL
Projected losses: at LSU, at KST
Toss-Ups: at MTSU, Troy, at LT, at FAU
PROJECTED RECORD: 7-4 / 6-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Mean Green were the conference's best a year ago, and not much is changing. Thomas and Cobbs make up one of the most powerful RB combos in the country.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Last Season: 5-6 / 4-4
Starters Returning: 7 offense, 8 defense
Projected wins: Akron, ULL, at FIU, ASU, ULM
Projected losses: at ALA, at NCSU
Toss-Ups: NTX, at VAN, at FAU, at Troy
PROJECTED RECORD: 6-5 / 5-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Blue Raiders were less than stellar in 2004, but QB Clint Marks is the league's best and should improve his TD to INT ratio. Three BCS opponents hurt the overall record.
TROY
Last Season: 7-5 / 5-2
Starters Returning: 4 offense, 4 defense
Projected wins: CalPoly, FIU, at ULM, at ULL, at ASU
Projected losses: UAB, at MO, at SC
Toss-Ups: at NTX, FAU, MTSU
PROJECTED RECORD: 6-5 / 5-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Trojans had their ups and downs a year ago and return just eight starters. QB D.T. McDowell must play like the star he was proclaimed to be.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Last Season: 9-3
Starters Returning: 4 offense, 4 defense
Projected wins: ULM, at ASU, at FIU
Projected losses: at KU, OKST, at MINN, at LOU
Toss-Ups: at ULM, MTSU, at Troy, NTX
PROJECTED RECORD: 4-7 / 4-3
BOTTOM LINE: FAU returns just eight starters from a team that beat Hawaii, North Texas, and MTSU in 2004. They meet those same three again this fall, and only the Trojans away from home.
LOUISIANA-MONROE
Last Season: 5-6 / 4-3
Starters Returning: 6 offense, 6 defense
Projected wins: NWST, ASU, FIU
Projected losses: at WYO, at GA, at FAU, ARK, at NTX, at MTSU
Toss-Ups: Troy, ULL
PROJECTED RECORD: 4-7 / 3-4
BOTTOM LINE: ULM has the potential to finish better than projected here, but having to travel to North Texas, MTSU, and FAU hurts their chances. WR Drouzon Quillen is a star in the making.
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
Last Season: 4-7 / 2-5
Starters Returning: 7 offense, 5 defense
Projected wins: NWST, UCF, FIU
Projected losses: at TX, FAU, at MTSU, Troy, at NTX
Toss-Ups: at EMU, at ASU, at ULM
PROJECTED RECORD: 4-7 / 2-5
BOTTOM LINE: A second-week game at fairly weak Eastern Michigan will tell whether this team will put up a fight this fall or be content to finish in the back of the pack.
ARKANSAS STATE
Last Season: 3-8 / 3-4
Starters Returning: 4 offense, 6 defense
Projected wins: UTM, FIU
Projected losses: MO, at OKST, FAU, at MTSU, Troy
Toss-Ups: at ULM, ULL, at Army
PROJECTED RECORD: 3-8 / 2-5
BOTTOM LINE: The Indians hung tough with the likes of Memphis and Mississippi a year ago and will again be BCS tested this fall. RB Antonio Warren will have to carry the load.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
Last Season: 3-7
Starters Returning: 8 offense, 9 defense
Projected wins: FAMU
Projected losses: at KST, at TT, at Troy, NTX, MTSU, FAU
Toss-Ups: at ASU, at ULM, at ULL
PROJECTED RECORD: 2-9 / 1-6
BOTTOM LINE: Division I newcomer Owls went just 3-7 against a 2004 schedule that contained only three D-I teams. That isn't the recipe for success in 2005.
FIVE CAN'T MISS GAMES
| |
September 10 |
North Texas at Middle Tennessee |
October 1 |
Troy at North Texas |
November 19 |
Middle Tennessee at Troy |
November 12 |
North Texas at Florida Atlantic |
October 15 |
Middle Tennessee at Florida Atlantic |
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
| | | |
OFFENSE |
OL |
Brandon Cox |
JR |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
OL |
Jason May |
JR |
North Texas |
OL |
Germayle Franklin |
JR |
Middle Tennessee |
OL |
Dylan Linberry |
JR |
North Texas |
OL |
Justin Ernest |
SR |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
RB |
Jamario Thomas |
SO |
North Texas |
RB |
Patrick Cobbs |
SR |
North Texas |
WR |
Johnny Quinn |
JR |
North Texas |
WR |
Drouzon Quillen |
JR |
Louisiana-Monroe |
TE |
Samuel Smith |
JR |
Florida International |
QB |
Clint Marks |
JR |
Middle Tennessee |
DEFENSE |
DL |
Brandon Guillory |
SR |
Louisiana-Monroe |
DL |
Tony Hills |
JR |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
DL |
Jeff Littlejohn |
SR |
Middle Tennessee |
DL |
Quinton Staton |
SR |
Middle Tennessee |
LB |
Brandon Monroe |
SO |
North Texas |
LB |
Bernard Davis |
SR |
Troy |
LB |
Shomari Earls |
SR |
Florida Atlantic |
DB |
Johnny Faulk |
SR |
Troy |
DB |
Tyrell Johnson |
SO |
Arkansas State |
DB |
T.J. Covington |
SR |
North Texas |
DB |
Willie Hughley |
SR |
Florida Atlantic |
SPECIAL TEAMS |
K |
Nick Bazaldua |
SR |
North Texas |
P |
Joel Stelly |
SR |
Louisiana-Monroe |
AP |
Leodis McKelvin |
SO |
Troy |
Photos Courtesy: mtsusidelines.com, springhill.esc7.net, bowlbound.com, ulmathletics.com, collegefootballnews.com, asuindians.com, beaconnewspaper.com
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