We're continuing our countdown to the top team in college football for 2014 and unveiling our teams in groups of eight, working backward from 128. Thus, the second batch of our rankings includes teams ranked 113th through 120th.
We'll include a look at each team's top players. Obviously, the better the team, the more "top players." Still, even teams that are going to struggle to win two or three games have players that are worth watching, and we'll let you know who they are.
The rankings come from College Football 24/7 writers Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer on Twitter), Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) and Mike Huguenin (@MikeHuguenin). If you're so inclined, let them know what you think of the rankings.
113. Tulsa
Coach: Bill Blankenship
2013 record: 3-9
Top players to watch: DE Derrick Alexander (6-2, 270, junior); WR Keyarris Garrett (6-4, 221, junior); DT Derrick Luetjen (6-3, 285, junior); FS Demarco Nelson (6-0, 192, senior); OT Garrett Stafford (6-5, 314, junior)
The outlook: Tulsa fell a long way last season, finishing 3-9 after going 11-3 in 2012. This season will be the Golden Hurricane's first in the AAC after leaving Conference USA; the AAC isn't a top-tier league, but it's still better than C-USA, so any improvement on the field is going to have to come against better opposition. There is talent on hand, but unless coaches find a competent quarterback and a productive feature back, Tulsa is in trouble. Nelson will be a four-year starter; he missed last season because of academics, but covers a lot of ground against the pass and also is solid against the run. Garrett had a strong 2012 season, but missed all but two games last season because of a broken leg. Alexander had 6.5 sacks last season.
114. Georgia Southern
Coach: Willie Fritz
2013 record: 7-4
Top players to watch: NT Johnathan Battle (6-1, 285, junior); CB Valdon Cooper (5-10, 185, senior); OT Garrett Frye (6-5, 290, senior)
The outlook: The Eagles were a long-time FCS power, but are making the move to the FBS ranks this season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The school's final game as a FCS member was a memorable 26-20 win at Florida last November. Fritz was hired to replace Monken; he comes from FCS school Sam Houston State, and is going to scrap the Eagles' triple-option attack in favor of the spread. Is there a quarterback on campus who can pass? Cooper began his career at Illinois. Frye is a good run blocker who could move inside at the next level. Georgia Southern will play two ACC teams and there are seven road games, but overall, the schedule isn't that difficult.
115. Army
Coach: Jeff Monken
2013 record: 3-9
Top players to watch: SS Geoffery Bacon (6-0, 205, senior); RB Terry Baggett (6-0, 214, senior); RB Raymond Maples (6-1, 218, senior)
The outlook: Monken arrives from Georgia Southern to try to boost Army's fortunes; the Black Knights have won eight games in the past three seasons and have won more than four games just twice in the past 17 seasons. He will continue with the triple option, and Maples' return from injury -- he redshirted last season -- gives Army a nice group of running backs. Army definitely has the backfield talent to lead the nation in rushing. Other than a trip to Stanford in September, which has the potential to get truly ugly, the schedule isn't overly difficult. Monken is a cousin to Southern Miss coach Todd Monken.
116. Hawaii
Coach:Norm Chow
2013 record:1-11 (0-8 MWC)
Top players to watch:QB Taylor Graham (6-5, 235, senior), RB Joey Iosefa (6-0, 245, senior), WR Scott Harding (5-11, 200, senior), OL Ben Clarke (6-3, 285, junior), LB Jeremy Castro (6-4, 240, sophomore)
The outlook:The Warriors looked decent at times last season despite the record, but had a hard time closing out games in the second half. There's enough talent on the relatively experienced roster to improve in the win column from 2013, but establishing the run on offense and finding some consistency on that side of the ball will be key. The defense won't be great, but the hire of Kevin Clune to run the unit should help. The team will need to beat Northern Iowa early in the non-conference slate to have any chance of having a better year.
117. New Mexico
Coach:Bob Davie
2013 record:3-9 (1-7 MWC)
Top players to watch:WR Carlos Wiggins (5-8, 160, junior), WR Jeric Magnant (6-0, 182, senior), LB Javarie Johnson (6-4, 248, senior), S David Guthrie (5-9, 210, senior)
The outlook:Davie has done his best to pull the Lobos out of a deep hole, but there's still a tall task ahead given how the team was outscored significantly by average teams a season ago. It will likely be a running back by committee as the focus on offense but there are enough weapons in the passing game to provide at least the threat of going to the air for the option offense. The defense is once again a huge issue and will need to step up significantly if they want to improve the record from a season ago. The schedule isn't terrible for them, so they could possibly reach six wins, but it will be an uphill battle and the team will need to catch a few breaks if it wants to even have a shot at that mark.
118. UTEP
Coach: Sean Kugler
2013 record: 2-10
Top players to watch: RB Aaron Jones (5-10, 210, sophomore); DE Roy Robertson-Harris (6-7, 255, junior); QB Jameill Showers (6-2, 230, senior); FS Dashone Smith (6-0, 200, sophomore); TE Eric Tomlinson (6-7, 265, senior)
The outlook: Showers began his career at Texas A&M but lost out to Johnny Manziel in a battle for the starting job in 2012; Showers played well for the Miners before missing most of the second half of last season with an injury. He is a legit dual-threat quarterback, and if he remains healthy, the Miners could lead C-USA in rushing. Jones and senior Nathan Jeffery (6-0, 210) are a nice 1-2 punch at tailback. The Miners run a 4-2-5 set on defense, but the front six lacks size. Led by Smith, the secondary has a chance to be OK this season. It might not matter, though, because it's questionable whether the Miners will be able to stop any kind of rushing attack.
119. Miami (Ohio)
Coach: Chuck Martin
2013 record: 0-12
Top players to watch: DE Bryson Albright (6-5, 224, junior); LB Kent Kern (6-1, 229, junior)
The outlook: The RedHawks have a proud football history, but last season was a disaster and it led to the hiring of Martin, who had been on Notre Dame's staff. He also is a former wildly successful coach at Division II Grand Valley State. The offense was inept last season -- Miami scored just 14 TDs all season and its highest point total for a game was 17. The hope is that Notre Dame transfer QB Andrew Hendrix (6-2, 224), who has immediate eligibility, can inject some life into the unit. There is some hope for the front seven on defense if the offense can show some signs of life. Kern is one of the best linebackers in the MAC.
120. Appalachian State
Coach: Scott Satterfield
2013 record: 4-8
Top players to watch: DE Ronald Blair (6-foot-4, 275 pounds, senior); QB Kameron Bryant (6-1, 210, junior); TB Marcus Cox (5-10, 185, sophomore); OT Kendall Lamm (6-6, 292, senior)
The outlook: Appalachian State was a longtime FCS power, but it will be a FBS member -- and in the Sun Belt Conference -- beginning this season. (Detractors could say the school will go from being a big fish in a medium-sized pond to a small fish in the ocean.) Brown played well in his first season as the starter last season, but Cox should be the focal point of the offense. Blair and Lamm should contend for all-league honors. Other than the opener at Michigan on Aug. 30, the schedule is navigable for a first-year FBS school. (Then again, remember what happened the last time App State played in the Big House?)
Follow College Football 24/7 on Twitter _@NFLCFB_.
