Around the Dog Park: The Battle of I-10 is here to stay

General G5

• Montana’s Gage Smith courageously offers his account on battling depression before deciding to retire from football.
• CBS Sports picks the best college football team in every state and somehow gave the Hogs a nod over Arkansas State.
• Move over California, Texas and Florida, it’s time to include Georgia as the next premier state at producing top players.
• The most efficient and explosive ball carriers in college football include a lot of option quarterbacks.
• Colorado State head coach has taken a leave of absence after losing feeling in his feet.

American

• USF is tired of playing second fiddle, and wants to be recognized as South Florida when it wins big.
• The Bulls continue their search for a quarterback as it’s a three-man race between Blake Barnett, Brett Kean and Chris Oladokun.
• A detailed look at SMU’s first practice under new head coach Sonny Dykes ($$$).

Conference USA

• A fun deep dive on just how inconsistent J’Mar Smith was last season.
• Xavier Lane is rising to the occasion and as a result, WKU coaches expect a breakout year.
• A look at the quarterback room in Southern Miss.
• Gerald Hearns and Kerrith Whyte find other ways at helping FAU’s offense beyond running the ball.
• Heart of Dallas has a new sponsor and will stay in Texas.

Independents

• Battle of I-10 is locked up through 2023.
• Liberty and Miami (OH) schedule a home-and-home starting in 2023.
• New Mexico State adds Florida in 2020.

Sun Belt

• A case for this to be the most interesting Sun Belt season ever.
• South Alabama encounters another delay on partnership for the new stadium.
• Troy will play Kansas State in 2023.