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College football bowl games: Ranking every 2019-2020 bowl team

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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AMHERST, NY – OCTOBER 26: Buffalo Bulls Running Back Jaret Patterson (26) runs with the ball and is tackled by Central Michigan Chippewas Defensive Back Darius Bracy (24) during the first half of the game between the Central Michigan Chippewas and the Buffalo Bulls on October 26, 2019, at UB Stadium in Amherst, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
AMHERST, NY – OCTOBER 26: Buffalo Bulls Running Back Jaret Patterson (26) runs with the ball and is tackled by Central Michigan Chippewas Defensive Back Darius Bracy (24) during the first half of the game between the Central Michigan Chippewas and the Buffalo Bulls on October 26, 2019, at UB Stadium in Amherst, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

64. Buffalo Bulls, 80.17

  • Roster Strength: 77.09 (118)
  • Team Performance: 79.19 (76)
  • Head Coach Rating: 85.66 (24)

Few, if any, FBS college football teams fielded a less experienced roster than Buffalo in 2019. But head coach Lance Leipold leaned heavily on two of his biggest assets – a solid offensive line and one of the best running back duos in the MAC – to guide the Bulls to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history.

Jaret Patterson set a school-record with 298 rushing yards and set the MAC record with six rushing touchdowns in the regular-season finale against Bowling Green. Patterson’s career day pushed him to a MAC-leading 1,626 rushing yards and 17 scores, which ranks second in the league. But Buffalo is far from a one-man show; Kevin Marks, who like Patterson is a sophomore, finished the regular season with 1,008 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

63. Southern Miss Eagles, 80.37

  • Roster Strength: 80.31 (86)
  • Team Performance: 79.03 (77)
  • Head Coach Rating: 81.15 (70)

Southern Miss was left out of the 2018 bowl season despite a 6-5 record, but the Golden Eagles secured a fifth consecutive winning season and a spot in the Armed Forces Bowl after finishing 7-5 this year. Head coach Jay Hopson guided Southern Miss to a 5-3 mark in conference play, just one game behind division champion UAB (which USM beat 37-2 in November).

Receiver Quez Watkins led the league in receiving yardage (1,024) despite missing the first two games of the year. Watkins caught 55 passes, which ranked second on the team to Tim Jones’ 66 and scored a team-high five touchdowns.

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