Underdog Dynasty
An unofficial The American, Conference USA, Sun Belt, and Independent football blog
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The Much-Anticipated (And Highly-Expected) Title Defense is on at Montana State
Few teams in college football have had to face the unique challenge that the Montana State football team will deal with over the next five months. Of course it is the goal of every champion in every sport at every level to double up and go back-to-back. Seldom does it happen. That’s a very common […]
Here are the American Conference games with greatest CFP stakes in 2026
The College Football Playoff quietly changed its selection rules for the third consecutive season. Under the previous format, the five highest-ranked conference champions secured berths, regardless of conference. In 2025, those champions were Indiana (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Texas Tech (Big 12), Tulane (American), and James Madison (Sun Belt). Now, the conference champions of the […]
2026 UCF Knights Football Season Preview
Scott Frost prepares for year two at UCF. This isn’t the first time that sentence has been applicable. Nine years ago, coming off a 6-7 season, Frost transformed UCF into a spotless 13-0. The Knights won the American Conference, upended Auburn in the Peach Bowl, finished No. 6 in the AP Poll, and secured an […]
Three reasons why Delaware is ready to win the CUSA in year two
The Blue Hen is the state bird of Delaware. While they aren’t classified as flightless birds, Blue Hens are capable of fluttering wings and taking off for short distances. They may not be flying to the top of a building, but one place they could be flying is under the radar. The Delaware Fightin’ Blue […]
NFL Preseason: Which Former FCS Rookies Helped Their Chances in Week 2?
The preseason is pressing on and the fight for roster spots is really heating up around the NFL. With the second round of exhibition games wrapped up, the job interviews are almost complete. There’s just one more real chance for everyone to prove themselves before cuts come around. As was the case last weekend, a […]
North Dakota Star DE Lance Rucker Suffers Foot Injury Days Before Start of 2026 Season
North Dakota was dealt a tough blow on Friday evening. Star senior defensive end Lance Rucker suffered a foot injury during practice just six days before the Hawks are set to kick off their 2026 season against LIU next Thursday night. Rucker, who is one of the FCS’s top defensive players, is expected by many […]
2026 Houston Cougars Football Season Preview
Willie Fritz wins football games. From coaching Blinn at the JUCO ranks, to Central Missouri in Division II, to Sam Houston at the FCS level, to Georgia Southern and Tulane in the FBS, Fritz has consistently built winning programs. In 31 years across those five programs, the head coach only endured five losing seasons — […]
2026 Cincinnati Bearcats Football Season Preview
In 2021, the Cincinnati Bearcats made history as the first American Conference team to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff. Two years later, Cincinnati transitioned to the Big 12 Conference, and they’re slowly but steadily acclimating to the league. Scott Satterfield has been at the helm since the Bearcats’ Big 12 debut, overseeing […]
CUSA Notebook: Kennesaw State, Missouri State name starting QBs
The end of fall camp is near across the entire country, meaning it’s time to finalize depth chart decisions. Conference USA saw its fair share of quarterback battles in fall camp, and two of these competitions were decided this week: Kennesaw State Owls Starting QB – Rickie Collins The reigning CUSA champions lost starting quarterback […]
Patrick Overmyer is ready to fill Houston’s biggest vacancy
After finishing 10-3 and No. 22 in the country, Houston returns head coach Willie Fritz, all three coordinators, and 12 primary starters including quarterback Conner Weigman and All-Big 12 selections Amare Thomas and Will James. Despite all the continuity, one significant vacancy remains. In 2025, tight end Tanner Koziol was indispensible to Houston’s offense. The […]
2026 Conference USA Football Season Preview
No conference has turned over more than Conference USA. Fourteen years ago, the league featured the likes of Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, and UCF. Now, the conference’s longest tenured members are FIU and Middle Tennessee, which joined in 2013. Exactly half of the 10 members were added from the FCS since 2022, but those additions […]
Navy, Memphis, Tulane receive votes in 2026 Preseason AP Top 25
The American Conference landed three teams in the final AP Poll of 2025. Tulane was ranked No. 18, Navy landed at No. 23, and North Texas followed at No. 24. However, that doesn’t mean the conference enters 2026 with a similar level of respect. For the third-straight season, zero American teams make an appearance in […]
SMU ranked #19 in 2026 Preseason AP Top 25
For the second-straight year, SMU is ranked prior to its opening kickoff. The Mustangs garnered a ranking of No. 19 in the preseason AP Top 25. It’s the second time since 1985 they’ve started a season in the AP Poll. Last August, SMU ended a 37-year drought with an appearance at No. 16 in the […]
Houston ranked #23 in 2026 Preseason AP Top 25
For the first time as members of the Big 12 Conference, the Houston Cougars enter a season with a number beside their name. Houston checked in at No. 23 in the preseason AP Top 25. It’s the program’s first preseason ranking since starting No. 24 in 2022 and highest preseason ranking since 2016, when it […]
The Legend of Tim Polasek: From logger to leading North Dakota State into FBS
It was 5 p.m. on a Friday back in 2006, 10 degrees below zero, and Tim Polasek was just getting off work when his old yellow Nokia cell phone rang. The screen barely worked, though well enough for a few games of Snake, and Polasek had just finished another day at his logging job, operating […]
2026 SMU Mustangs Football Season Preview
Several years ago, the SMU Mustangs were the scrappy underdogs, foregoing nine years of ACC media rights revenue just for a chance to compete in the conference. Now, the Mustangs are an established power in the league. In its ACC debut in 2024, SMU seamlessly handled the competition. It finished 8-0 in league play, qualified […]
Marshall unveils alternate uniform to recognize The 75 and “We Are Marshall”
When you play for the Marshall Thundering Herd, honoring “The 75” becomes a part of your identity. On Nov. 14, 1970, following a 17-14 road loss to East Carolina, 75 individuals — primarily Marshall football players, coaches, staff, and boosters — boarded Southern Airways Flight 932. The commercial aircraft crashed into a hill, and all […]
NFL Preseason: Which Former FCS Rookies Helped Their Chances in Week 1?
Football is back. It may have just been the preseason but helmets were cracking and pads were popping around the NFL last weekend as pro football’s most intense, three-week tryouts officially got underway. Several young players are clawing for spots and we are just a few short weeks away from when the bell rings and […]
Rice fall camp notes: ‘slot’ position, linebacker update, Wisne v. NCAA
Fall camp is officially underway in South Main. The Rice Owls are three weeks away from their 2026 home opener against FCS opponent Houston Christian, gearing up for year two under head coach Scott Abell. Here are several developments from the Owls’ fall camp practices: ‘Slot’ position One position unique to Scott Abell’s gun choice […]
FCS Throwbacks: Ah Yat Leads Montana to Victory over Oregon State in Season Opener
History in sports… as it does in life… has an funny way of echoing itself. Montana Grizzlies fans are hoping that it does again in 2026. Fresh off a 13-2 season and a trip the national semifinals last fall, the Griz are entering this season as one of the top teams in the FCS and, […]
Tulane unveils 2026 Mardi Gras City Edition uniforms
The concept of “City Edition” uniforms started in the NBA, made its way to the MLB, and now have become a tradition embraced in college football by the Tulane Green Wave. For the second-straight season, Tulane unveiled City Edition uniforms, and they significantly differ from last year’s release. The 2026 City Edition uniforms are heavily […]
2026 Sun Belt Season Preview: West Division
In an era of bizarre, geographically-inconvenient superconferences and the loss of regional rivalries, the Sun Belt Conference remains true to the roots of college football. It’s the only FBS league that still consists of divisions. The geography makes sense. Historic rivalries remain, while new ones develop. And the quality of football is only improving. The […]
American Conference notebook: Tulane, North Texas lose key starters to injury
Fall camp is underway for all 138 FBS institutions. And while the start of fall camp is generally viewed as a positive among college football fans, there is one harsh reality that comes with it — injuries. Notable injuries have been already reported from the camps of both 2025 American Conference Championship Game participants: Tulane […]
The mentor and protégé: How Houston is handling two 5-star QBs at once
The anticipation had been brewing in Houston for over two years. The wait is over, and Keisean Henderson is finally a Houston Cougar. The 5-star quarterback was ranked the No. 1 overall prospect by 247Sports and the No. 4 by ESPN, earning the distinction as the nation’s top high school quarterback in the class of […]
2026 Sun Belt Season Preview: East Division
In an era of bizarre, geographically-inconvenient superconferences and the loss of regional rivalries, the Sun Belt Conference remains true to the roots of college football. It’s the only FBS league that still consists of divisions. The geography makes sense. Historic rivalries remain, while new ones develop. And the quality of football is only improving. The […]
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