NWADG College Football

20 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 8.27.2023 Visit the Weirdest Place in Branson! Visit the Weirdest Place in Branson! ASK FOR ARKANSAS APPRECIATION, 50% OFF NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20 2023 Where seeing is believing! APPRECIATION, 50% OFF NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20 2023 believing! 3326 76 Country Boulevard • Branson, MO 65616 417-337-5300 • www.ripleys.com/branson Get Real value in BENTON COUNTY 479-273-7786 • 479-524-8400 www.afbic.com BENTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU 1601 SW A St • Bentonville, AR 72712 2125 E Main Street • Suite 13 Siloam Springs, AR 72761 *Southern Farm Bureau® Casualty Insurance Co. *Farm Bureau® Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc. *Southern Farm Bureau® Life Insurance Co., Jackson, MS ARMLNP40215 WESTERN CAROLINA Head Coach: Kerwin Bell (10-12 in third season at Western Carolina and 103-54 in 14th season overall) Coordinators: Kade Bell (Offense), Chazmon Scales (Defense) 2022 Record: 6-5 overall, 4-4 SoCon Postseason Result: None Preseason Stats Perform FCS Rank: N/A Returning Lettermen: 54 (23 offense, 29 defense, 2 specialists) Returning Starters: 15 (6 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists) Players to Watch: QB Cole Gonzalez, RB Desmond Reid#, TE Ajay Belanger*, RT Christian Coulter#, LT Tyler Smith*, DE Micah Nelson*, LB Antoine Williams#^, DB Andreas Keaton*, K Richard McCollum* Offense: Pro Spread Defense: 4-2-5 Preseason SoCon Coaches Poll rank: 5 out of 9 * denotes preseason All-SoCon first-team selection # denotes preseason All-SoCon second-team selection ^ denotes Phil Steele preseason FCS All-America player SCHEDULE Sept. 2 .................... at Arkansas (in Little Rock) Sept. 9 ................................................. Samford Sept. 16 ............................. at Eastern Kentucky Sept. 23 ............................ Charleston Southern Sept. 30 ....................................... at The Citadel Oct. 7 ......................................... at Chattanooga Oct. 21 .................................................. Furman Oct. 28 ................................................... Mercer Nov. 4 ................................................ at Wofford Nov. 11 ............................. East Tennessee State Nov. 18 ....................... Virginia Military Institute KENT STATE Head Coach: Kenni Burns (first season at Kent State and overall) Coordinators: Matt Johnson (Offense), Dave Duggan (Defense) 2022 Record: 5-7, 4-4 MAC Postseason Result: None Preseason AP Rank: N/A Returning Lettermen: 32 (11 offense, 18 defense, 3 specialists) Returning Starters: 4 (0 offense, 4 defense) Players to Watch: RB Xavier Williams, DT CJ West#, LB Khalib Johns, K Andrew Glass#, P Josh Smith#, CB DJ Miller*, LB Khali Saunders Offense: Up-Tempo Spread Defense: 4-3 Preseason MAC Coaches Poll rank: 6 out of 6 in East Division * denotes preseason Phil Steele All-MAC third-team selection # denotes preseason Phil Steele All-MAC fourth-team selection SCHEDULE Aug. 31 ................................... at Central Florida Sept. 9 ............................................ at Arkansas Sept. 16 .................... Central Connecticut State Sept. 23 ..................................... at Fresno State Sept. 30 ....................................... Miami (Ohio) Oct. 7 ..................................................... at Ohio Oct. 14 ............................... at Eastern Michigan Oct. 21 ................................................... Buffalo Nov. 1 ................................................... at Akron Nov. 8 ......................................... Bowling Green Nov. 18 ............................................ at Ball State Nov. 25 ..................................... Northern Illinois BYU Head Coach: Kalani Sitake (56-34 in eighth season at BYU and overall) Coordinators: Aaron Roderick (Offense), Jay Hill (Defense) 2022 Record: 8-5 Independent Postseason Result: Defeated SMU 24-23 in the New Mexico Bowl Preseason AP Rank: N/A Returning Lettermen: 41 (24 offense, 16 defense, 1 specialist) Returning Starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense) Players to Watch: QB Kedon Slovis, RB Aidan Robbins, WR Keanu Hill, TE Isaac Rex, LB Ben Bywater, LB Max Tooley, OL Kingsley Suamataia*, DE Tyler Batty, S Micah Harper Offense: Multiple Defense: Multiple Preseason Big 12 Media Poll rank: 11 out of 14 * denotes preseason All-Big 12 selection SCHEDULE Sept. 2 ......................................... Sam Houston Sept. 9 ....................................... Southern Utah Sept. 16 .......................................... at Arkansas Sept. 23 ............................................. at Kansas Sept. 29 ............................................. Cincinnati Oct. 14 .................................................... at TCU Oct. 21 ............................................. Texas Tech Oct. 28 .................................................. at Texas Nov. 4 ....................................... at West Virginia Nov. 11 .............................................. Iowa State Nov. 18 .............................................. Oklahoma Nov. 25 .................................. at Oklahoma State LSU Head Coach: Brian Kelly (10-4 in second season at LSU and 177-66 in 25th season overall) Coordinators: Mike Denbrock (Offense), Matt House (Defense), John Jancek (Special Teams) 2022 Record: 10-4, 6-2 SEC Postseason Result: LSU lost 50-30 to Georgia at the SEC Championship Game; defeated Purdue 63-7 at the Citrus Bowl. Preseason AP Rank: 5 Returning Lettermen: 40 (21 offense, 15 defense, 4 specialists) Returning Starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense) Players to Watch: QB Jayden Daniels*, RB Josh Williams, RB Noah Cain, WR Malik Nabers*^, WR Brian Thomas, TE Mason Taylor#^, OL Will Campbell*^, OL Emery Jones%, OL Miles Frazier, OL Charles Turner, DL Mekhi Wingo*^, DL Maason Smith*, LB Harold Perkins*^, DB Major Burns%, DB Greg Brooks Offense: Multiple Defense: 4-3 Preseason SEC Media Poll rank: 2 out of 7 in Western Division * denotes preseason SEC first-team selection # denotes preseason SEC second-team selection % denotes preseason SEC third-team selection ^ denotes Phil Steele preseason All-America player SCHEDULE Sept. 3 ............... Florida State (in Orlando, Fla.) Sept. 9 .............................................. Grambling Sept. 16 .............................. at Mississippi State Sept. 23 .............................................. Arkansas Sept. 30 ........................................... at Ole Miss Oct. 7 ............................................... at Missouri Oct. 14 ................................................... Auburn ARKANSAS OPPONENT CAPSULES RAZORBACKS FACE TOUGH SCHEDULE IN 2023 ETHAN WESTERMAN HAWGS SPORTS NETWORK COLLEGE FOOTBALL P R E V I E W

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