10. San Diego State Aztecs (Mountain West Conference): 0-1
Head coach Rocky Long has never had a losing season since taking over at San Diego State in 2011. The Aztecs have won 32 games the last three years.
Long’s crew came up short in their season-opener against no. 13 Stanford, falling 31-10. But the game was closer than the final score would indicate. The Aztecs matched up well with the Cardinal, taking a 7-0 lead early and only trailing 16-10 well into the third quarter.
Juwan Washington seems to have taken the reigns from first round pick Rashaad Penny. The junior running back had 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in the loss.
Up next: Saturday vs. Sacramento
9. Houston Cougars (American Athletic Conference): 1-0
Most fans tuning in to see the Houston Cougars in 2018 will be looking to see defensive lineman Ed Oliver. Some consider the junior the best player in college football. He’s also seen as one of the top prospects for the 2019 NFL Draft.
Major Applewhite is the team’s head coach, a position which has been a springboard for several high profile coaches, such as Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, and Tom Herman.
The team finished 7-5 in 2017, losing the Hawaii Bowl to Fresno St.
Junior D’Eriq King leads the offense, taking over as field general late last season after transitioning from wide receiver.
King was impressive in the Cougars 45-27 win over Rice. He threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 33 yards and another score.
Up next: Saturday vs. Arizona.