The top 25 is out, but what about the other 95 teams? We lay them out in reverse order, 10 at a time.

100: Toledo — Tim Beckman came into his first head coaching job preaching change, and the Rockets’ faithful are excited to hear that mantra. The key to a quick turnaround will be improvement on a defense that allowed more than 30 points per game and consistent play from Opelt to complement what should be a solid rushing attack. Beckman should have the Rockets relevant in the MAC in the near future, but the 2009 season could be a struggle.

99: Bowling Green — The folks in the power tower at Bowling Green brought in Dave Clawson because they were not happy with the status of the program — serious character issues were overshadowing the program’s relative success on the field. With Troy, Missouri, Marshall and Boise State first up, success in September will be hard-earned. Clawson has the résumé to put this program among the MAC’s elite, but the make-or-break component this season will likely be the defense.

98: SMU — If you break a team into four quadrants — rushing offense, rushing defense, passing offense, passing defense — SMU is batting 1-for-4. Obviously, that doesn’t bode well. SMU’s passing game figures to be a credible threat this season as the unit will have a full year in Jones’ complex scheme, and the running game may improve just as a byproduct of a more efficient aerial attack. Coming off a 1–11 season, SMU will take wins anywhere it can get them. Four wins would be solid signs of progress with expectations of a bowl game in 2010, but only if the defense makes measurable improvement.

97: Florida Atlantic — It’s easy to forget that this is only Florida Atlantic’s fourth season in the FBS, considering that coach Howard Schnellenberger has guided the program to consecutive bowl victories. Now, however, the standards are starting to rise. The Owls frankly underachieved by finishing in a tie for third in the Sun Belt Conference last year, and the pressure will fall on the offense to do that well this time around. The Rusty Smith-to-Cortez Gent air route should be fruitful, and no one in the league can boast of a better raft of tight ends. But FAU must show it can at least slow the run with a revamped front seven, or the Owls will have a tough time contending for a Sun Belt title.

96: Akron — Akron isn’t far away in the perennially wide-open MAC East, and if the Zips find ways to close out games, they should be right there come late November. If quarterback Chris Jacquemain becomes a little more consistent, there’s no reason to think that the Zips can’t have one of the league’s most powerful offenses. Then again, it might not matter if the defense doesn’t make strides after a poor 2008. The program enters a critical year with a new stadium opening Sept. 12, and Brookhart could use a boost following three losing seasons.

95: UCF — Defensive tackle Torrell Troup needs to be a beast up front and continue the trend of the Knights’ defense controlling games for its still-developing offense. The fresh faces in the secondary don’t have much room for error against talented non-conference teams and high-scoring Conference USA offenses. Quarterback Rob Calabrese, running back Brynn Harvey and the wide receivers have stepped up their play, but the Knights’ offensive line remains a huge question mark. UCF has the pieces to climb back up the Conference USA standings, but it won’t be an easy trip for George O’Leary and the Knights.

94: San Jose State — Dick Tomey welcomes back an experienced team that includes an amazing 30 seniors and 11 returning starters. This could be Tomey’s finest and deepest team in his five years in Silicon Valley. The key for the Spartans, besides avoiding an ugly rash of injuries that derailed last season’s run at a bowl game, will be finding suitable replacements at corner and developing an effective ground game. If the Spartans can survive their brutal September schedule both physically and emotionally, they could make a strong run at another upper-echelon WAC finish and perhaps a bowl game.

93: Ohio — Ohio has enough talent and experience on both sides of the ball to contend in the perennially wide-open MAC East, but not without being healthy and much more disciplined. Good teams can overcome injuries, and the Bobcats will have more options this year, particularly at the offensive skill positions. The schedule provides some exciting non-league opportunities, namely a home game against Connecticut and a trip to Tennessee, and Ohio can position itself for a postseason push with four of its final six games in Athens at Peden Stadium.

92: Arkansas State — This year, the key positions on offense are manned by seniors who have been through the wars for at least two seasons, so figure on the Red Wolves turning around some of their close losses if the offensive front holds up. The defense should be solid if ASU can replace middle linebacker and leading tackler Ben Owens, and the kicking game has a weapon in Josh Arauco.  They’ll all get an early test when preseason favorite Troy comes to Jonesboro in September. If the Wolves can pull off the early upset, it could be a year to remember.

91: Buffalo — Turner Gill has certainly upped the ante at Buffalo in only three short seasons. Once a punch line, the Bulls have won back-to-back MAC East titles, and they won their first outright league title last year by stunning 12th-ranked Ball State 42–24 in the MAC Championship Game. Now comes the unavoidable question: Can the Bulls keep the momentum going? They have to replace quarterback Drew Willy, and the offensive and defensive lines have to be rebuilt. Still, the Bulls appear to be the most talented team in the MAC East. A run at another division title should be expected.

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