College football rankings 2019: Every FBS team from 1-130, ranked

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LAWRENCE, KS – SEPTEMBER 15: Safety Mike Lee #11 of the Kansas Jayhawks gets a block by cornerback Ricky Thomas #24 as he runs back an interception for a touchdown against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

The Les Miles era of Kansas football is upon us, and though rebuilding the Jayhawks is a monumental challenge, there are some solid position groups on which to lay a foundation. The KU secondary (which returns four starters) ranks fourth in the Big 12 and No. 18 overall in Roster Strength. The Jayhawks also rank in the Top 20 in offensive line starts returning (97). Running back is an area of strength as well.

Which FAU will we get in 2019? The Owls came out of nowhere to win Conference USA in Lane Kiffin’s first season and then disappointed mightily to a 5-7 overall record last year, which included a 3-5 mark in league play. FAU ranks second in the conference with a .8026 average 247Sports Composite ranking (which we sometimes call “pure talent”), so Kiffin’s squad will have a talent advantage more often than not.

Lance Leipold ranks No. 15 overall and first in the MAC in Head Coach rating (89.66), but it’s hard to imagine Leipold guiding Buffalo back to the conference title game after losing so much production on both sides of the football. The Bulls lost more ground in Roster Strength (-5.50) than any team in the country. Buffalo must replace over 50 percent of its tackles, 66.33 percent of its receiving yardage and 99.24 percent of its passing. Fortunately, running back Jaret Patterson and an experienced offensive line returns.

Quarterback Kaleb Barker is back from injury and B.J. Smith is one of the best running backs in the Sun Belt. That talented duo, along with an offensive line led by All-Conference performer Kirk Kelley and three other returning starters, should give new head coach (and former Auburn offensive coordinator) Chip Lindsey a solid foundation to work with offensively. However, the top three wide receivers are gone from last year’s 10-win team.

Louisiana made a surprise run to the Sun Belt Championship Game in Billy Napier’s first season, and enough talent returns to make the Ragin’ Cajuns the favorite to represent the West division again in 2019. Offensively, running back duo Trey Ragas and Elijah Mitchell is arguably the best in the conference, and they will run behind an offensive line that returns five starters, all of whom are seniors. Both units rank second in the Sun Belt and among the Top 50 nationally.

Maryland was inches away from a bowl game in 2019, and new head coach Mike Locksley helped boost the Terrapins overall Roster Strength by 3.57 points in the offseason, which ranked No. 7 in the country. Anthony McFarland headlines a running back unit that ranks No. 18 in the country according to CFB Winning Edge Roster Strength and All-Big Ten safety Antoine Brooks leads a secondary that ranks No. 26. Both units rank No. 4 in the Big Ten. And Lockley’s 69.47 Head Coach rating (No. 128 overall), will surely go up.

The Wyoming Cowboys finished 2018 on a strong note, winning four straight to close the season. Head coach Craig Bohl rarely has a talent advantage, which is a big reason he ranks No. 3 in the Mountain West and No. 29 overall with an 86.48 Head Coach rating. But Bohl will have the best linebacker corps in the Mountain West, led by middle linebacker Logan Wilson – a 100-rated player who ranks No. 66 on our preseason list of the top 100 players in college football.

Tulane finally got over the hump and into a bowl game under head coach Willie Fritz and capitalized with a 41-24 victory over Louisiana. The win pushed the Green Wave to 7-6 overall, which marked first winning season for the program since 2013.

A second straight bowl bid is a distinct possibility with quarterback Justin McMillian and running back duo Darius Bradwell and Corey Dauphine returning, as well as top receiver Darnell Mooney and Oklahoma State transfer Jalen McCleskey. And let’s not forget about defensive end Patrick Johnson, whose 22 career Production Points are most among AAC defenders.

There is little room between the top-ranked team in the Sun Belt, and the bottom half. In fact, No. 1 Georgia Southern would be just a 0.06-point favorite over rivals No. 6 Appalachian State on the road Oct. 31, according to CFB Winning Edge 2019 FBS Preseason Projections. Led by quarterback Shai Werts and three All-Conference defenders (including the top cornerback duo among all G5 programs), the Eagles are the top-ranked team in the league, but the margins are razor-thin. Southern plays six games in which it has between a 45 percent and 66 percent chance of winning.

Looking for an out-of-nowhere candidate to make a bowl game in 2019? The East Carolina Pirates have a very favorable schedule and based on his success at James Madison, new head coach Mike Houston ranks second in the AAC and No. 36 overall with an 85.30 Head Coach rating. Sophomore quarterback Holton Ahlers, who led the team in both rushing and passing despite starting just five games as a true freshman, is one of the most exciting players in the conference.