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Five College Football Teams to Watch in 2015

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Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplash

Five College Football Teams to Watch in 2015

College football season is rapidly approaching, and a new season means new lineups, coaching changes, and promising new football stars stepping up to replace graduating seniors. Read on to learn about five of the teams you should be watching for the 2015-2016 football season.

Tennessee Volunteers

Five College Football Teams to Watch
Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplash

After the firing of long-time coach Phillip Fulmer and the less-than-successful runs of his two successors, Lane Kiffin and Dane Kooley, the Volunteers may have a chance this year. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs is entering his third year strong, with nine touchdown throws and 469 rushing yards in last year’s schedule, and with the backing talent of defensive end Derek Barnett and running back Jalen Hurd, the Volunteers are looking very promising. The Volunteers are a personal favorite to take the NCAA D1 championship in 2016. If you need some more insight on other teams and players for a fantasy team, check out Docsports.com for player news, schedules and picks.

LSU

Due to early NFL drafts upsetting the LSU Tigers’ lineup, the team has had an uninspiring last two seasons. However, 16 starters are returning this fall, providing some more stability. Included in the starters is one of the best tailbacks in the nation, Leonard Fournette, who finished out last season with 1,034 yards, plus 10 touchdowns. The only thing holding the team back is the quarterbacks, who may step up their game this season to get the talented offensive the ball.

Oklahoma State

2014 was a decent year for the Cowboys, and they’re entering the 2015 season with 16 return starters, including their top receiver Brandon Shepherd, who had five touchdowns and 39 receptions. The impressive freshman quarterback Mason Rudolph threw six touchdowns and 853 yards in three starts, with only four interceptions in the 2014-2015 season, and hopefully he’ll bring that kind of talent back for 2015-2016. Defense lost some of its big players, but end Emmanuel Ogbah and linebacker Ryan Simmons are holding down the defensive line.

Auburn

Facing down a particularly rough season in 2014, Auburn is ready to turn things around under the leadership of new coach Will Muschamp, formerly from University of Florida. The team is retaining most of its talent from last year, losing only three defensive players, and the promising defensive end Carl Lewis is returning after his ACL injury. Auburn is losing their star quarterback this year, but his successor, Jeremy Johnson, is a promising player with a lot of talent.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish had a less-than-spectacular season last year, losing five of its final seven games, in a disappointing downhill slide from winning the Bowl Championship in 2012. However, in 2015, the depth chart has stayed steady on both sides of the ball, eliminating some of the unpredictability that new talent brings. End Ishaq Williams and cornerback KeiVarae Russell return to bolster what was a flagging defense due to injuries in 2014. Add to that the burgeoning talent of young quarterback Malik Zaire and the impressive left tackle Ronnie Stanley, and the Fighting Irish have a great chance of bringing home the gold.

With these teams showing some serious talent, among other nationally ranked teams with strong lineups, 2015 should be an intense season with plenty to get excited about.