THE RFC MYC: FBS Independents (FBS Group Of Five)

FBS Independents (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: Of the five FBS Independent teams (teams that aren't currently members of any conference) not named Notre Dame, only two of them played in bowl games last season, with Liberty stunning Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl on December 21. It was the Flames first-ever bowl win in their first full season of FBS eligibility, finishing the 2019 season at 8-5 overall. Meanwhile, BYU fell to Hawai'i in the Hawai'i Bowl on Christmas Eve, with the Cougars settling for a final mark of 7-6 overall.

The big questions heading into the 2020 season are these: Can both BYU and Liberty make it to back-to-back bowl games? Can Army rebound after posting a miserable 5-8 mark a year ago? Can New Mexico State and UMass get to .500 or better after dismal 2-10 and 1-11 seasons in 2019, respectively? And can UConn make a splash as an independent after mostly multiple uneventful seasons in the American Athletic Conference? Don't be surprised if at least one of those three questions is answered successfully this fall.

2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Army 

BYU  

Liberty 

New Mexico State

UConn

UMass

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THE RFC MYC: Sun Belt Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Sun Belt Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: The Appalachian State University Mountaineers (13-1 overall in 2019) had their best season since joining the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 2014, as they won their fourth straight Sun Belt Conference (SBC) championship after outlasting Louisiana 45-38 on December 7. The Mountaineers went on to beat UAB 31-17 in the New Orleans Bowl for their fifth-straight bowl win two weeks later. 

Speaking of the Ragin' Cajuns, they had an excellent season well, winning the West Division title en route to an 11-3 overall record in 2019-2020. Louisiana outlasted Miami (Ohio) 27-17 to take the Lending Tree Bowl title on January 6.  

Three other SBC squads advanced to bowl action last season, with Arkansas State holding off FIU 34-26 to win the Camellia Bowl, Georgia Southern losing to Liberty in the Cure Bowl, and Georgia State falling to Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl. The SBC finished the bowl season at 3-2 overall. 

One potential storyline in the Sun Belt going into 2020 is yet another coaching change, as Shawn Clark steps in to replace Eliah Drinkwitz as Appalachian State's head coach. Drinkwitz left Appalachian State at the end of last season to become the new head coach. Even with that coaching change, expect the Mountaineers to be in the conversation for a fifth straight SBC championship this fall.  
2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Final 2019 Sun Belt Conference Football Standings

East Division

Appalachian State

Coastal Carolina

Georgia Southern 

Georgia State

Troy

West Division

Arkansas State

Louisiana

South Alabama

Texas State

ULM 

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THE RFC MYC: Mountain West Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Mountain West Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: The Mountain West Conference joined the American Athletic Conference (AAC) as the only FBS Group Of Five conferences to win at least four bowl games in 2019-2020, with its seven bowl-eligible teams finishing 4-3 in postseason play. 

The Air Force Academy Falcons (11-2 overall in 2019) were one of those teams, outlasting Washington State 31-21 to win the Cheez-It Bowl on December 27. Three other teams in San Diego State (New Mexico Bowl), Hawai'i (Hawai'i Bowl), and Wyoming (Arizona Bowl) also emerged victorious in the respective bowl games.  

On the other hand, three other MW squads weren't as fortunate during the postseason, with eventual conference champion Boise State (12-2 overall) falling to Washington in the Las Vegas Bowl on December 21. Two other squads, Utah State and Nevada also fell in bowl action, with the Aggies and Wolfpack falling short in the Frisco and Famous Idaho Potato Bowls respectively.

For those fans looking for a potential key early-season Mountain West contest, it will take place on September 12, as Air Force will play host to Boise State in the conference opener for both teams. 

2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any developments.

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Final 2019 Mountain West Conference Football Standings

Mountain Division

Air Force

Boise State 

Colorado State

New Mexico

Utah State

Wyoming

West Division

Fresno State

Hawai'i

Nevada

San Diego State

San Jose State

UNLV

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THE RFC MYC: Mid-American Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Mid-American Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: 2019 proved to be another season of wacky "MACtion" in the Mid-American Conference, as all 12 teams lost at least two conference games during the regular season last fall. In the championship game on December 7, Miami (Ohio) outlasted Central Michigan 26-21 to claim the MAC crown. 

Seven MAC teams played in bowl games last year, finishing the bowl season a respectable 3-4 overall, with Buffalo (Bahamas Bowl), Kent State (Frisco Bowl) and Ohio (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) all winning their bowl games, while Central Michigan (New Mexico Bowl), Eastern Michigan (Quick Lane Bowl), Western Michigan (First Responders Bowl) and Miami (Ohio)-(Dollar General Bowl) all lost their respective postseason contests. It'll be interesting to see how the "MACtion" will unfold in 2020.

2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any developments.

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Final 2019 Mid-American Conference Football Standings

2020 Mid-American Conference Composite Schedule

East Division

Akron

Bowling Green

Buffalo

Kent State

Miami (Ohio)

Ohio

West Division

Ball State

Central Michigan

Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois

Toledo

Western Michigan

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THE RFC MYC: Conference USA (FBS Group Of Five)

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any developments.

Conference USA (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: Defending champion Florida Atlantic (11-3 overall) capped a banner 2019 season on a high note, as the Owls downed SMU 52-28 to win the Boca Raton Bowl in their own backyard on December 21. FAU was one of only three Conference USA teams to win bowl games last season, with Louisiana Tech shutting out Miami (Fla.) 14-0 to win the Walk-Ons Independence Bowl on December 26, followed by a win by Western Kentucky over Western Michigan on a walk-off field goal by freshman Cory Munson to win the First Responders Bowl four days later (December 30). Five other teams (Charlotte, FIU, UAB, Marshall, and Southern Mississippi) also advanced to bowl games, only to lose, as C-USA finished a disappointing 3-5 in bowl action. Don't be surprised if one or more of these teams find themselves in the bowl eligibility conversation again in 2020.

2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any developments.

Final 2019 Conference USA Football Standings

2020 Composite Schedule
East Division

Charlotte

Florida Atlantic

FIU

Marshall

Middle Tennessee

Old Dominion

Western Kentucky

West Division

Louisiana Tech

North Texas

Rice

Southern Mississippi

UAB

UTEP

UTSA

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THE RFC MYC: 2020 Debut-American Athletic Conference

Editor's Note: Welcome to the 2020 debut of the "RFC MYC", with the "MYC" initials standing for "Mark Your Calendars". The purpose of the previews at the Real Football Central blog is to present the schedules of every college football team outside of the so-called "Power Five" conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, and SEC), throughout the summer of 2020. So, what are we waiting for? Let's get started.

Editor's Note #2: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any developments.

American Athletic Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: The AAC will have one less team in 2020, as UConn leaves to become an independent, leaving the league with 11 teams. As for the teams that hope to take the field this fall, defending conference champion Memphis hopes to have an encore performance this year after a 12-2 overall finish last year, losing to Penn State in the Cotton Bowl Classic. However, expect the likes of Cincinnati, Navy, SMU, and UCF, among other teams, to provide serious challenges to the Tigers.

2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Final 2019 American Athletic Conference Football Standings

2020 American Athletic Conference Composite Schedule

Cincinnati

East Carolina

Houston

Memphis

Navy 

SMU

Temple

Tulane

Tulsa

UCF

USF

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Recognizing The Non-FBS/Small College National Champions 2019-2020

Editor's Note: Here's a brief post to recognize all of the teams who won college football national championships below the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level for the 2019-2020 season, with the links to each team's website (s).

FCS: North Dakota State

NCAA Division II: West Florida

NCAA Division III: North Central (Ill.)

NAIA: Morningside

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The Final Prediction Totals For 2019-2020

FCS National Championship Game at Frisco, Texas

Final Score: North Dakota State 28, Eastern Washington 20

Final Prediction Totals

FCS Semifinals, Celebration Bowl, and Small College National Championship Games: 3-3 (.500)

Bowl Games 2019-2020: 10-4 (.714)

Overall 2019-2020: 689-332 (.675)

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One Final Prediction For 2019-2020: The FCS National Championship Game

Saturday, January 11

FCS National Championship Game at Frisco, Texas

Airtime: Noon EST/11 a.m. CST on ABC/ESPN3
James Madison (14-1) vs. North Dakota State (15-0)

Preview

James Madison

North Dakota State

What's at stake: North Dakota State looks to close out the decade with its eighth FCS national championship in nine years, as well as its third straight title in the current span, with the Bison winning five straight titles from 2011-2015. Meanwhile, James Madison hopes to make some history of its own, as the Dukes will look to not only win their third national championship in program history but also their second title in four seasons. Look for a close clash from start to finish in Frisco this Saturday.  

Prediction: North Dakota State 38, James Madison 35 

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RFC Throwback Thursday Season Finale: 1983 NCAA Division I-AA National Championship Game-Southern Illinois vs. Western Carolina

(Video courtesy of ABC Sports)

The third season of "RFC Throwback Thursday" comes to a close, with a look back at the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) National Championship Game between the Southern Illinois University Salukis and the Western Carolina University Catamounts from 1983. While this contest wasn't necessarily known for its competitiveness, as SIU crushed WCU 43-7 for the lone football national championship in program history, it was likely known more for who was in the broadcast booth on that December day more than 36 years ago, with the late Keith Jackson and the late Frank Broyles doing the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively. As always, sit back and enjoy one of the greatest moments in non-power conference college football.

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12 Days Of Bowl Games-Day 12: 2018 Peach Bowl-UCF vs. Auburn

(Video courtesy of ESPN)

Our "12 Days Of Bowl Games" series comes to a close with the Peach Bowl between UCF and Auburn being played at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on New Year's Day, January 1, 2018. The Knights held off a late rally from the Tigers to win 34-27, and complete an undefeated 2017 season at 13-0 overall.

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12 Days Of Bowl Games-Day 11: 2014 GoDaddy Bowl-Arkansas State vs. Ball State

(Video courtesy of ESPN)

For the 11th day of the "12 Days Of Bowl Games" series, we turn the clock back to January 5, 2014. That was when the Ball State University Cardinals did battle with the Arkansas State University Red Wolves in the GoDaddy Bowl at Mobile, Alabama. The Red Wolves finished the 2013 season at 8-5 overall after pulling off the upset over the Cardinals in a close 23-20 contest. Ball State finished its campaign at 10-3 after the loss to Arkansas State.

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12 Days Of Bowl Games-Day 10: 2014 Heart Of Dallas Bowl-North Texas vs. UNLV

(Video courtesy of University of North Texas Athletics/MeanGreenSports)

The "12 Days Of Bowl Games" series continues with the Heart of Dallas Bowl contest between North Texas and UNLV, played on New Year's Day, January 1, 2014. UNT rolled to an easy 36-14 win over UNLV for the Mean Green's first postseason win in more than a decade. That was when they got by Memphis 27-17 to win the 2003 New Orleans Bowl. 

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12 Days Of Bowl Games-Day 9: 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl-Kent State vs. Arkansas State

(Video courtesy of ESPN)

Our "12 Days Of Bowl Games" series stays in Mobile, Alabama, with the GoDaddy.com Bowl (formerly the GMAC Bowl)  being played on the night of January 6, 2013. Arkansas State knocked off Kent State 17-13 in a close low-scoring contest to finish the 2012 season at 10-3 overall, while Kent State settled for a 11-3 finish. 

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.12 Days Of Bowl Games-Day 8: 2010 GMAC Bowl-Central Michigan vs. Troy

(Video courtesy of ESPN/Central Michigan University Athletics)

Our "12 Days Of Bowl Games" series rolls on with a brief look back at the GMAC Bowl from January 6, 2010. Central Michigan clashed with Troy in a clash that ended with a thrilling CMU victory over Troy in double overtime. 

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12 Days Of Bowl Games-Day 7: 2007 Fiesta Bowl-Boise State vs. Oklahoma

(Video courtesy of Fox Sports)

As another new calendar year arrives, the "12 Days Of Bowl Games" series continues, with Boise State doing battle with Oklahoma at the 2007 Fiesta Bowl in what proved to be game for the ages. Additionally, this classic contest was also a program defining moment for Boise State.

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