Underdog Dynasty
An unofficial The American, Conference USA, Sun Belt, and Independent football blog
Total reads
1,856
This week
2
Rank
#122 of 419
Published
416 posts
Most read posts
Featured on Sportsblogs
Run this blog? Add the badge to your site to show readers you're featured — it links back to this page.
Latest Entries
2025 American Championship Game Storylines: Tulane vs. North Texas
The American Conference Championship Game kicks off Friday night at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT from Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. It’s a higher-stakes title game than the conference typically sees, given the current rankings of the participants — the No. 20 Tulane Green Wave and No. 24 North Texas Mean Green. College […]
2025 CUSA Championship Preview: Kennesaw State Owls @ Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Game notes Setting the scene Jacksonville State joined the FBS in 2023. This is the program’s second year eligible for a conference championship. In their first season of eligibility in 2024, the Gamecocks sat on the throne of Conference USA, throttling WKU 52-12 behind the backdrop of AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville. However, Jax State lost […]
Houston logs six 2025 All-Big 12 selections
2025 marked year three in the Big 12 for the Houston Cougars, and it was by far the program’s most successful season as members of the conference. After winning an eight combined games in 2023 and 2024, the Cougars rattled off nine victories in the regular season — positioning themselves at No. 21 in the […]
Sun Belt Championship: JMU hosts Troy for potential CFP spot
It’s Championship Weekend and the #FunBelt will help kick it off as James Madison will host Troy in the 2025 Sun Belt Championship game on Friday night. The Dukes (11-1, 8-0 SBC) have had a storybook season, featuring a ranking of No. 25 in the College Football Playoff standings. Meanwhile their Sun Belt Coach of […]
2025 SWAC Championship – Prairie View A&M Panthers @ Jackson State Tigers: How to Watch, Preview, Predictions
Date: Saturday December 6, 2025 Time: 3:00 PM (ET) TV: ESPN2 The Quick Hits It’s time for the SWAC to crown its champion and, once again, Jackson State is right in the thick of things. After winning their first Celebration Bowl last season, the Tigers are one victory away from making a return trip to […]
Missouri State and Arkansas State to play in inaugural 2025 Xbox Bowl
A new bowl game has arrived to the scene. In 2025, we wave farewell to the Bahamas Bowl and welcome the new Xbox Bowl, which occupies the vacancy. The Xbox Bowl debuts in Frisco, TX on Thursday, Dec. 18 and pits together the Missouri State Bears and Arkansas State Red Wolves in a Conference USA […]
2025 American Conference Championship Preview: Tulane Green Wave vs. North Texas Mean Green
Game notes Setting the scene This is the 11th American Conference Championship since the advent of the game in 2015. This one is unlike the other 10, as the stakes are greater than ever for both teams involved. For the first time in the league’s history, both teams competing in the conference championship can qualify […]
SFA Tries for First Quarterfinal Berth Since 2009 vs. Abilene Christian
This fall has been a wildly successful one for Stephen F. Austin but it has gone largely under-the-radar in the grand scheme of the national FCS picture. While other big stories like North Dakota State’s prefect regular season, South Dakota State’s surging start then subsequent tailspin and Tarleton State’s rise stole much of the headlines […]
SMU logs five 2025 All-ACC selections
The SMU Mustangs are a bowl game away from completing their second season as an ACC member, and the tenure has started better than most people could have imagined. SMU qualified for the ACC Championship Game and College Football Playoff in year one, and in year two, the Mustangs were excruciatingly close to another ACC […]
South Florida hires Brian Hartline as head coach
Three days after experiencing a head coaching vacancy, the South Florida Bulls filled it. South Florida announced Brian Hartline as its seventh full-time head coach. Hartline replaces Alex Golesh, who was hired by Auburn on Sunday after three seasons as a 23-15 record. USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins confirmed Hartline was the team’s priority […]
FCS Playoffs Round 2 Game of the Week – South Dakota State Jackrabbits @ Montana Grizzlies: How to Watch, Preview, Predictions
Date: Saturday December 6, 2025 Time: 2:00 PM (ET) TV: ESPN+ The Quick Hits For the third year in a row, Montana (11-1) and South Dakota State (9-4) will collide in the playoffs. After meeting in the second round a year ago and the national title game back in 2023, UM and SDSU are set […]
2025 CUSA Championship Game Storylines: Jacksonville State vs. Kennesaw State
For the second-straight season, the Conference USA Championship runs through Jacksonville, AL. The Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4, 7-1 CUSA) are only in their third year of FBS membership, but they’re already looking to wrap up their second CUSA title after annihilating WKU 52-12 on the league’s grandest stage last December. This time, Jax State’s opponent […]
Title-bound Eric Morris balances North Texas with Oklahoma State
The North Texas Mean Green had never enjoyed a season this unique. They set the program single-game and season attendance record, as Denton, TX is showing up in droves to watch something special brew in the air. North Texas generated its first-ever 11-win season Friday evening when handling Temple in 52-25 fashion — a style […]
North Texas hires Neal Brown as head coach
The North Texas Mean Green are still in the Eric Morris era, until the team’s historic 2025 run finally concludes. North Texas awaits an American Conference Championship Game and potential College Football Playoff appearance, but first, the program set its sights to next year. Neal Brown was named the head coach of the Mean Green […]
2025 All-American Conference Teams and Individual Awards Revealed
The 2025 All-American Conference teams and individual awards were revealed by the conference on Tuesday, three days before Tulane hosts North Texas in the American Conference Championship Game. Individual Awards The individual awards were voted on by the American’s 14 head coaches: All-American Conference Teams The American released First, Second, and Third team selections. With […]
Rhode Island Looks for Program-Altering Win at UC Davis on Saturday Night
The second round of the FCS playoffs will wrap up on Saturday night in California with 8-seed UC Davis hosting Rhode Island. It will be a first-ever meeting between the two schools and, besides the obvious significance that comes with a playoff game, the stage is set for what could be a big night for […]
American Notebook: Tulane title bound, Alamodome magic fades, ECU and USF dominate
The American Conference has been at the forefront of the college football news cycle all week but not necessarily for on-the-field matters. The league saw four of its premier head coaches accept jobs at other institutions, creating a slew of vacancies at the top of the standings. However, there were still games played Saturday. The […]
Delaware, Missouri State granted bowl eligibility in first FBS season
There is one massive hurdle that first-year FBS teams must endure. When transitioning from the FCS level, teams are typically barred from the postseason in their debut year. That includes conference championships and bowl games. However, there is one exception to the rule. If not enough teams qualify for bowl eligibility, any first-year FBS programs […]
Yale Takes Magical Run to Treasure State
One of the biggest stories in the FCS right now as the playoffs head into their second weekend is the success of Yale. The Bulldogs, who many didn’t even think had much of a shot to get into the postseason just a few weeks ago, suddenly find themselves in the final 16 still standing. As […]
Houston finishes 6-0 on road after holding off Baylor, 31-24
The Houston Cougars had been chasing six wins in general during their first two seasons in the Big 12. But in year three holding membership in the conference, Houston got to six wins — if you only count the road games. The Cougars concluded the 2025 campaign at 6-0 on the road, holding off Baylor […]
Cal ends SMU’s ACC title/CFP dreams in 38-35 upset
Win-and-in. The SMU Mustangs understood the task at hand during their West Coast business trip to Berkeley, CA for the regular season finale. SMU was accustomed to winning conference matchups since joining the ACC, faring 14-1 in its first 15 — taking a 1-point loss to Wake Forest on a last-second field goal in October. […]
Florida hires Jon Sumrall; Sumrall will coach rest of Tulane’s 2025 season
Sunday morning was a chaotic one for the American Conference which lost three of its top head coaches to SEC programs. One coach affected by this movement was Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, who departed for the opening at Florida. Sumrall spent two years at Tulane (2024-25), generating a 19-7 record and qualifying for the […]
Coastal Carolina fires Tim Beck after three seasons
The Sun Belt experienced its first head coach firing of 2025 on the Sunday after the regular season finale. Coastal Carolina parted ways with Tim Beck after three seasons where he produced a 20-18 record. Beck attained bowl eligibility in all three years at the helm, faring 8-5 in 2023 (victory over San Jose State […]
Arkansas hires Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield
On Sunday morning, Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield accepted the same position with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was one of three American Conference head coaches to relocate to the SEC on the Sunday morning following the conclusion of the regular season. “It became clear during our conversations that Coach Silverfield shares our vision of […]
Auburn hires South Florida head coach Alex Golesh
On Sunday morning, three different American Conference head coaches were hired by SEC programs. Auburn agreed to terms with South Florida head coach Alex Golesh — two days before the Bulls defeated Rice 52-3 in their regular season finale. “He has produced wins and record-setting results throughout his entire career, including over the last three […]
Displaying items 251-275 of 416 in total