*** The Hotline’s rollout of season preview content begins with Colorado and will continue into the week of the season openers. We’ll have game-by-game predictions for each team, projections for the divisions, an analysis of quarterback depth, bowl picks, our all-conference selections and more.
A team wins three conference games and loses its starting quarterback, top playmaker and best offensive lineman.
It has just one all-conference performer returning.
It has gone bowling once in the past 13 seasons.
Recruiting has been mediocre, at best, compared to peers within the division.
Our outlook for that team would be bleak even under normal circumstances.