Preseason Rankings 75-51: Bowl Hopefuls Try to Crack Six Wins in 2025

 There are certainly more than enough bowl games to showcase all the middle of the road teams, but that sixth can be quite elusive. Five teams on this list fell short of the six-win threshold, while another six lost their bowl games to finish under .500.

Four teams on the list welcome new coaches including most famously Bill Belichick at UNC. Meanwhile, Kyle Whittingham is entering year 22 at Utah.

Here's the third part of this ever-growing list.

The face you make when your roster is ravaged by the transfer portal.

75. Marshall

Last Year Finish (20, 10-3, Sun Belt Champs)

A Quick Note: When Charles Huff left, the rest of the Thundering Herd followed with many heading to Southern Miss with him. Now Tony Gibson will have to try and defend their Sun Belt Championship with a whole new cast of characters.

Prediction: 5-7

74. West Virginia

LYF (77, 6-7)

A Quick Note: Rich Rodriguez returns to the place where he established himself as an offensive guru.

Prediction: 6-6

73. UCLA

LYF (86, 5-7)

A Quick Note: Hopefully, DeShaun Foster was more charismatic for Big Ten media day.

Prediction: 5-7

72. Arkansas State

LYF (56, 8-5)

A Quick Note: The Red Wolves are on my list of teams I have beef with as long as Butch Jones is their coach.

Prediction: 6-6

71. Rutgers

LYF (64, 7-6)

A Quick Note: The Greg Schiano reunion tour hasn't quite met the excitement of the first time around.

Prediction: 5-7

The Bobcats found success under GJ Kinne in 2024.

70. Texas State

LYF (52, 8-5)

A Quick Note: I just hope the Bobcats start the season 0-1 and then have nothing but success.

Prediction: 8-4

69. Cincinnati

LYF (88, 5-7)

A Quick Note: The Bearcats enter the season on a five-game losing streak.

Prediction: 6-6

68. South Florida

LYF (68, 7-6)

A Quick Note: The Bulls finished hot winning three of their final four, including a trip to Hawaii for bowl season.

Prediction: 6-6

67. Colorado State

LYF (57, 8-5)

A Quick Note: The Rams were one loss away from making it to the Mountain West Championship.

Prediction: 8-4

66. San Jose State

LYF (71, 7-6)

A Quick Note: In year one, Ken Niumatalolo found success with the Spartans, including an upset of Stanford.

Prediction: 8-4

Could the Redhawks be on the move?

65. Miami (OH)

LYF (40, 9-5)

A Quick Note: There are grumblings that the Redhawks could follow NIU out of the MAC for greener pastures. 

Prediction: 7-56

64. Utah

LYF (90, 5-7)

A Quick Note: 2025 marks the first time that QB Cam Rising is not on a college roster since 2017.

Prediction: 7-5

63. Arkansas

LYF (66, 7-6)

A Quick Note: The Razorbacks are going be one of the biggest detractors of the new SEC rule to play 9 conference games.

Prediction: 5-7

62. Washington State

LYF (49, 8-5)

A Quick Note: Jimmy Rogers takes over as the new head coach of the Cougars.

Prediction: 6-6

61. UNC

LYF (80, 6-7)

A Quick Note: Move over Michael Jordan, there's a new multi-champion in Chapel Hill, and his names Bill.

Prediction: 8-4

There is no Power 4 conference job harder to win at than Vanderbilt.

60. Vanderbilt

LYF (62, 7-6)

A Quick Note: The Commodores just need two conference teams to have a bad day so they can get to bowl eligibility.

Prediction: 5-7

59. Louisiana

LYF (27, 10-4)

A Quick Note: It's seems inevitable anymore that the Ragin' Cajuns will go bowling.

Prediction: 10-2

58. Georgia Southern

LYF (50, 8-5)

A Quick Note: It seems likely that Clay Helton is going to get hired away from the Eagles.

Prediction: 7-5

57. NCST

LYF (74, 6-7)

A Quick Note: The Wolfpack will look to seek revenge against ECU after losing to the Pirates to end the 2024 season.

Prediction: 6-6

56. Virginia Tech

LYF (72, 6-7)

A Quick Note: Maybe Brent Pry lost to Minnesota on purpose, so he didn't have to get doused in Duke's Mayo.

Prediction: 6-6

Pete Lembo had the Bulls charging at the end of the season.

55. Buffalo

LYF (36, 9-4)

A Quick Note: The Bulls are currently riding a five game win streak.

Prediction: 8-4

54. Kansas

LYF (84, 5-7)

A Quick Note: Five of their seven losses were by one score.

Prediction: 6-6

53. Auburn

LYF (89, 5-7)

A Quick Note: The Tigers missed a bowl by one game after being vultured by bottom feeder Vanderbilt.

Prediction:

52. Boston College

LYF (59, 7-6)

A Quick Note: The Eagles need to collect a lot of early wins, because the middle of their schedule is brutal.

Prediction: 6-6

51. Toledo

LYF (54, 8-5)

A Quick Note: With the Huskies departing, that's one less contender for the Rockets to worry about.

Prediction: 8-4