FAVORITE TEAMS

Hey all, I hope you’re doing well. There was some shifting in the Underrated stock, and I’ve changed my opinion on a couple of teams as the month continues. I’ll give you information on teams that rose, fell, or dropped out of my stock. Next month, I’ll have a final decision made on who my underrated teams are, so stay tuned.

ARMY – Their schedule is fairly simple. Michigan, road games at Western Kentucky, Air Force, and Hawai’i, and the season finale against Navy are their only obstacles. If their defense can play at Top 10 level again with a new D-Line, 10 wins is possible again.

ARIZONA STATE – Plenty of players got playing time last season as freshmen and sophomore, and that itself adds depth with new talent coming in. They’re slightly favored as my underrated pick over Utah because of an early schedule that could get the Sun Devils off to a strong start before their visit to Utah.

ARKANSAS STATE – Quarterback Logan Bonner came off his injury to impress in the spring offseason. They also return receivers Omar Bayless, Kirk Merritt, and add Oklahoma-transfer Dahu Green into the mix along with Jonathan Adams. This defense should be good once again this season. Despite playing Georgia, the Red Wolves should take advantage of their schedule since they don’t play Appalachian State.

LIBERTY – I won’t count out the Flames just yet. I see them winning possibly more than 6 games this season. They return their quarterback, running back, receiver, and four experienced linemen. But is their defense a year wiser after playing against more FBS competition last season?

UTAH – They’re favored to win out in a wide-open Pac-12 South, but road games against BYU, USC, Washington, and Arizona are always tricky. Utah must replace three starting offensive line. If they aren’t settled by August 29th, quarterback Tyler Huntley and running back Zack Moss are in for a world of pain.

AUBURN – The Tigers are gaining traction as my underrated pick once again. Their roster is loaded with talent and experience. Running back Boobie Whitlow should have more opportunity with Kam Martin and a loaded back roster. Returning all five on the O-Line is a huge benefit after a down year. The defense should be as solid and a bit more dangerous. I like quarterback Bo Nix or Joey Gatewood to be the starting quarterback of the future. But…I heard during the bowl game against Purdue that their may be some issues with the offensive coaching staff and Gus Malzahn? Hopefully it’s just talk.

LOUISIANA – This team fell from being the underrated pick contender because their defense is a concern, even though linebacker Joe Dillon returned from his 2018 injury. The bigger concern is their schedule between September 21st and October 17th (at Ohio and Georgia Southern, and Appalachian State, and at Arkansas State). Assuming that they lost to Mississippi State, their four week stretch alone will determine if this team is 6-1 or 2-5 by November.

MINNESOTA – I’m reading and hearing a bit more about Minnesota in the past few weeks and I bumped them into the race. Both sides have a loaded, returning roster. This defense is for sure underrated, led by defensive end Carter Coughlin, and their offense is a year older and should be better. Whether it’s Zack Annexstad or Tanner Morgan as starting quarterbacks, they have a wide-range of receivers and a loaded running back position. Their early schedule gives them a chance to shine before their last five games of the season, but they must be careful against Fresno State and Nebraska.

ARIZONA – Could the Wildcats sneak their way in as a second straight underrated team like Khalil Tate snuck his way into a Heisman race before? They could bounce back if he’s healthy. If their defense can’t make improvements, Tate will have to do a whole lot more to carry his team back to a bowl game.

TEXAS A&M – The Aggies were hyped up after a huge upset over LSU. But as I continue to look at their schedule and how much was lost on defense, they’re slipping down into the pit of no return. Their schedule is daunting and even a high-powered offense isn’t enough to survive their SEC opponents if their defense can’t handle the pressure. Playing national champ Clemson, Auburn, Arkansas (yes! Arkansas), national champ runner-up Alabama, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Georgia, and LSU looks a little to heavy for my taste. Prove me wrong, Jimbo Fisher, please.