COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY 29
PREVIEW
IN 2018 By Connor Scott
Memphis
The clear-cut favorite in the American
Athletic Conference, Mike Norvell’s
Tigers return almost everyone on both
sides of the ball except star QB Riley
Ferguson and 2nd round draft pick WR
Anthony Miller. The Tigers fielded their
best defense statistically in 2017 since
the 1960s. It consisted of strong
freshman, including freshman
All-American CB TJ Carter. Norvell
brought in two new quarterbacks this
year to duel it out and find the best man
for the job in his spread-out, high-paced
offense — one that is designed to wear
you out and then beat you over the
top. It will be hard to repeat what they
accomplished last year as they finished
4th in the country in total offense, but
with plenty of experience coming back
from both sides of the ball the Tigers
will once again be a dangerous team.
Boise State
They’re the favorite to win the
Mountain West Conference this year
after winning it last year for the first
time in three years. They return senior
quarterback Brett Rypien and almost
their entire offense while also creating
havoc on the defensive side of the ball
with two of college football’s best pass
rushers at each defensive end spot and
a secondary that knows how to force
turnovers. Bryan Harsin is going into
his 5th season as the Broncos head man
with hopes of putting together the type
of special season that was frequent when
Chris Petersen roamed the sidelines.
Troy
The Trojans prevailed when they
traveled down to Baton Rouge last year
to face LSU, upsetting them 24-21.
They narrowly missed beating Clemson
the year before. This year they play at
Nebraska, and if they can find a way to
beat the Cornhuskers in Scott Frost’s
first year, look out for that team. They
may go overlooked in Alabama, but
this team has talent and could play
with unsuspecting teams in the Power
Five conferences. Troy led the Sun Belt
Conference in both total offense and
defense in 2017 while taking home the
conference crown. They are the favorites
to repeat that feat in 2018.