College football: Predicting who finishes in last place of every conference

Sun Belt: Texas State

After just four wins in two seasons, the clock might be ticking on Withers to make Texas State contenders in the Sun Belt.

When Texas State joined the FBS in 2012, the team showed promise under the leadership of Dennis Franchione. Unfortunately, after only three wins in 2015, Franchione was let go ushering in the Everett Withers era. His first year was difficult as the Bobcats went 2-10 and winless in Sun Belt play. It was more of the same in 2017 as the team only won two games, one coming against conference opponent Coastal Carolina.

Quarterback Damian Williams is gone after throwing for 2,061 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also ran for five scores. Sophomore Willie Jones IV is expected to replace him, being the only quarterback on the roster who played last year. Another key loss is receiver Elijah King, who caught 52 passes for 750 yards and three touchdowns. The biggest defensive loss is linebacker Gabe Loyd. Loyd led the team in sacks with five and was tied for first in tackles for loss with 10.5. For a team that finished last in the conference in total offense and surrendered 31.3 points per game on defense, this does not bode well.

On the upside, the Bobcats retain their leading rusher and tackler. Junior Anthony Taylor ran for 436 yards on 108 carries, but only two touchdowns. With an inexperienced quarterback, it might be on him to carry this offense. Junior linebacker Bryon London II is expected to be the heart of the defense, coming off 91 tackles and two forced fumbles.

Even with this returning talent, Withers still has a long way to go with this team. With two challenging non-conference opponents in Rutgers and UTSA, the Bobcats might have just one win heading to Sun Belt play. One or two conference wins seem possible, but it might not be enough to keep them out of the basement.