College Football Top 25: 10 non-ranked teams who could crack the late-season polls
Dec 23, 2014; Boca Raton, FL, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd quarterback Rakeem Cato (31) runs with the ball as Northern Illinois Huskies defensive end Jason Meehan (49) pursues in the second quarter against Northern Illinois Huskies in the Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
No. 6: Marshall Thundering Herd
2014 Finish: 13-1, 7-1 C-USA
Nobody wants to buy into Marshall because they play in Conference-USA, and truthfully they stand very little chance of becoming a playoff contender in that conference, but the fact is that they were a one-loss team and they are returning some important key players from last year’s squad.
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Quarterback Michael Birdsong has stepped in to replace Rakeem Cato. Birdsong is a 6’5″, 242-pound transfer from James Madison with some experience as a starter and a big arm. The new quarterback is one of the few fresh faces on this top-ranked offense, with senior running back Devon Johnson and junior Remi Watson returning.
At wide receiver, Birdsong will have returning players Davonte Allen, Angelo Jean-Louis and Deon-Tay McManus to whom he can spread the ball.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Heater has the Herd’s defense turned around and looking like one of the best in the nation. He’s lost a few key players, including linebacker Neville Hewitt, who was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year last season.
There won’t be much of a falloff for the Thundering Herd, and to think they aren’t a top 25 team now is just silly, because they certainly will be later.
Next: BYU