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Big South Conference (FCS)
Overview: The battle for the Big South Conference championship was basically a two-team race in 2019, with Monmouth (N.J.) downing Kennesaw State 45-21 on November 2 to claim the conference crown. The Blue Hawks finished undefeated in league action at 6-0 en route to advancing to the FCS playoffs, eliminating Holy Cross 44-27 in the first round before falling to eventual national runner-up James Madison in the second round to finish 11-3 overall.
As for Kennesaw State, the Owls overcame that humiliating loss to finish Big South play in second place at 5-1. They upset then No. 11 Wofford in the first round, only to lose a heartbreaker to Weber State in the second round. Like Monmouth, KSU also finished the 2019 season at 11-3 overall.
Assuming the COVID-19 pandemic doesn't disrupt the start of the 2020 season, the Big South Conference will see a change this fall, as Presbyterian leaves the league to play an independent schedule, leaving the league with seven teams, six of whom will be eligible for the conference championship.
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 Big South Conference Football Standings
Campbell
Charleston Southern
Gardner-Webb
Hampton
Kennesaw State
Monmouth (N.J.)
North Alabama*
*-Ineligible for Big South Conference Championship.
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Big Sky Conference (FCS)
Overview: Once again in 2019, the Big Sky Conference was competitive from top to bottom, with both Weber State (11-4 overall) and Sacramento State (9-4 overall) sharing the conference crown after finishing 7-1 in league play last fall. While the Wildcats advanced to the national semifinals of the FCS playoffs, losing to eventual runner-up James Madison, the Hornets' first-ever postseason run was stopped cold in the second round, as Austin Peay pulled off the upset over the then fourth-ranked Hornets on December 7.
Of the three teams that finished in a three-way for third place in the league at 6-2, two of those teams in Montana (10-3) and Montana State (11-4), respectively. While the Grizzlies advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs before bowing to fellow conference foe Weber State, the Bobcats became the Big Sky's national semifinalist, falling to eventual national champion North Dakota State on December 21.
Meanwhile, the third team that finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Big Sky in Eastern Washington, finished the 2019 campaign with a modest 7-5 overall record. The Eagles fell short in three of their first four games before bouncing back to win six of their final eight games.
So, assuming that the lingering effects of COVID-19 don't continue into late August/early September, expect another competitive season from top to bottom in the Big Sky Conference again in 2020.
2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
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.
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 Big Sky Conference Football Standings
Cal Poly
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Idaho State
Montana
Montana State
Northern Arizona
Northern Colorado
Portland State
Sacramento State
Southern Utah
UC Davis
Weber State
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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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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 StandingsEast Division
Appalachian State
Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
TroyWest Division
Arkansas State
Louisiana
South Alabama
Texas State
ULM
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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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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
Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
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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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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