The first installment of this series can be found here: Teams 31-40

The second installment can be found here: Teams 21-30

Again, the teams are listed in alphabetical order. The first true ranking will come out the week of Sept. 28. Teams 11-20 are teams that, with enough breaks, can contend for their conference championships. These teams are all serious playoff contenders.

EASTERN ILLINOIS
2008 record: 5-7 (3-5 OVC/6th)
Last postseason appearance: 2007 (lost to Southern Illinois 30-11 in the first round)
Last postseason victory: 1989 (beat Idaho 38-21 in first round)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 7/6
Players to watch: QB Brodie Reeder (62.8 comp%, 1,931 yards, 13 TD, 7 INT); WR Charles Graves (40 rec., 561 yards, 2 TD); CB Rashad Hayes (60 tackles, 2 TFL, 8 PBU, 4 INT)
The skinny: Last year was uncharacteristic for a Panther team that’s been the dominant force in the OVC over the last half decade. The five OVC losses last year was more than twice the amount of losses EIU had in the previous five seasons. EIU has two Florida transfers at tailback and three of its top defensive players back, along with last year’s quarterback. The Oct. 24 game at Jacksonville State could be for the OVC title.

HOLY CROSS
2008 record: 7-4 (5-1 Patriot/2nd)
Last postseason appearance: 1983 (lost to Western Carolina 28-21 in first round)
Last postseason victory: None
Starters returning (offense/defense): 6/8
Players to watch: QB Dominic Randolph (65.4 comp%, 3,838 yards, 34 TD, 17 INT); WR Bill Edger (24 rec., 345 yards, 4 TD); LB Sean Lamkin (71 tackles, 1 sack, 5 TFL, 2 PBU); CB Anthony DiMichele (66 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 10 PBU, 2 INT).
The skinny: The Crusaders seem to always be right on the edge of earning their second-ever trip to the FCS playoffs. They’ve finished 7-4 in each of the last three years and lost to Colgate by one in the season finale last year, costing them a trip to the postseason. Randolph is one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, but he must find a rapport with a new group of receivers, as Jon Brock and Brett McDermott have graduated. The schedule is pillow soft, and the Crusaders should be 6-0 heading into a critical four-game stretch, starting Oct. 24 at home against Colgate. Lafayette travels to Worcester, Mass., Nov. 14 in the game that could decide the Patriot title.

JACKSONVILLE STATE
2008 record: 8-3 (6-2 OVC/t2nd)
Last postseason appearance: 2004 (lost to Furman 49-7 in first round)
Last postseason victory: None
Starters returning (offense/defense): 7/9
Players to watch: QB Ryan Perrilloux (63.0 comp%, 2,318 yards, 19 TD, 13 INT; 368 rush yards, 7 TD); WR James Wilkerson (32 rec., 516 yards, 3 TD); LB Alexander Henderson (103 tackles, 1 sack, 5 1/2 TFL, 2 PBU)
The skinny: It appears the only thing Jacksonville State will have to play for this year is pride. Thanks to a poor APR rating, the Gamecocks have been banned from the FCS playoffs. Too bad. With LSU transfer Ryan Perrilloux back at QB, the Gamecocks were poised to make their strongest playoff push since the 2003 and 2004 teams made back-to-back postseason appearances. JSU hosts both UT Martin and Eastern Illinois and is a favorite for the OVC title.

MAINE
2008 record: 8-5 (5-3 CAA/2nd North)
Last postseason appearance: 2008 (lost to Northern Iowa 40-15 in first round)
Last postseason victory: 2002 (beat Appalachian State 14-13 in first round)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 8/5
Players to watch: QB Mike Brusko (64.4 comp%, 936 yards, 8 TD, 7 INT); RB Jared Turcotte (625 yards, 7 TD); WR Tyrell Jones (23 rec., 356 yards, 4 TD)
The skinny: Maine returns eight offensive starters, which might not be a good thing. The Black Bears averaged 24.5 points per game last season, the first time in four years they finished at better than 20 ppg. QB Mike Brusko was inefficient, and the carries were split between Jared Turcott and Jhamal Fluellen, who is gone. Maine benefited greatly from finishing plus-10 in turnover margin, and the Bears will need the same sort of good fortune this season. The schedule includes roadies with Syracuse, Albany, James Madison, Hofstra and New Hampshire. Getting back to the playoffs will be a chore, but Jack Cosgrove’s team are not to be taken lightly.

McNEESE STATE
2008 record: 7-4 (4-3 Southland/t3rd)
Last postseason appearance: 2007 (lost to Eastern Washington 44-15 in first round)
Last postseason victory: 2002 (beat Villanova 39-28 in semifinals)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 6/3
Players to watch: QB Derrick Fourroux (61.0 comp%, 2,205 yards, 18 TD, 5 INT; 447 rush yards, 11 TD); RB Todd Pendland (1,431 yards, 12 TD; 35 rec., 337 yards, 3 TD); LB Deron Minor (89 tackles, 1 sack, 4 1/2 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 INT)
The skinny: The Cowboys just missed out on earning the Southland’s automatic bid last season, losing by three to Texas State. Though McNeese only returns nine starters, the offense should be solid with the return of QB Derrick Fourroux and RB Todd Pendland. If some leaders emerge on defense, the Cowboys should be right in the thick of what looks to be another tight Southland race.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
2008 record: 10-3 (6-2 CAA/1st North)
Last postseason appearance: 2008 (lost to Northern Iowa 36-34 in quarterfinals)
Last postseason victory: 2008 (beat Southern Illinois 29-20 in first round)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 5/9
Players to watch: QB R.J. Toman (65.1 comp%, 3,110 yards, 28 TD, 15 INT); TE Scott Sicko (50 rec., 660 yards, 7 TD); CB Dino Vasso (99 tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PBU, 5 INT)
The skinny: After going 10 years without a playoff appearance, New Hampshire has made the postseason in five straight years. Though the Cats lose top receiver Mike Boyle and top tailback Robert Simpson, the return of QB R.J. Toman should be enough to help UNH remain steady this year. The schedule is manageable, with only tough road games at Ball State, Massachusetts, Hofstra and William & Mary.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE
2008 record: 6-5 (4-4 MVC/t4th)
Last postseason appearance: None
Last postseason victory: None
Starters returning (offense/defense): 4/4
Players to watch: QB Nick Mertens (58.5 comp%, 2,004 yards, 16 TD, 15 INT); RB Pat Paschall (619 yards, 2 TD)
The skinny: This is Craig Bohl’s first true rebuilding year in some time in Fargo, and the schedule is absolutely brutal, with three straight road games to open the year (Iowa State, Sam Houston State, Southern Illinois). Call this one a hunch. We all had NDSU overrated last season, and the Bison performed well below expectations. No one will be thinking about NDSU this season, but Bohl’s pedigree is to be respected. The wild card in the MVC race.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
2008 record: 10-3 (8-0 MEAC/1st)
Last postseason appearance: 2008 (lost to Appalachian State 37-21 in first round)
Last postseason victory: 1982 (beat Furman 17-0 in first round)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 6/6
Players to watch: QB Malcolm Long (56.6 comp%, 1,988 yards, 14 TD, 10 INT); RB William Ford (1,499 yards, 13 TD); RB Travil Jamison (586 yards, 16 TD); WR Oliver Young (48 rec., 605 yards, 4 TD); LB Marshall McFadden (88 tackles, 5 sacks, 6 TFL, 1 PBU)
The skinny: The Bulldogs have won their last 11 MEAC games and played Appalachian State tough in the first round a year ago, the school’s first playoff appearance in 26 years. There’s no reason to think, with everything SCSU has coming back, that much will change this season. The Bulldogs’ toughest competition—Florida A&M—must travel to Orangeburg. The Bulldogs finished last (regular) season with three straight league shutouts.

WILLIAM & MARY
2008 record: 7-4 (5-3 CAA/4th South)
Last postseason appearance: 2004 (lost to James Madison 48-34 in semifinals)
Last postseason victory: 2004 (beat Delaware 44-38 in quarterfinals)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 7/8
Players to watch: RB Jonathan Grimes (929 yards, 7 TD); WR D.J. McAulay (40 rec., 718 yards, 8 TD); SS David Caldwell (78 tackles, 1 sack, 5 TFL, 2 PBU, 2 INT)
The skinny: Had the Tribe beaten Richmond at home to end the season, William & Mary would have earned a playoff berth, and not the Spiders. Of course, Richmond went on to win the national championship, lending credence to the idea that if you just make it to the dance, you have a chance. William & Mary loses QB Jake Phillips, but R.J. Archer has plenty of experience playing QB from high school, so he should fill in just fine. DE Adrian Tracy is a beast. The toughest road games are at Virginia in the opener, at Villanova Oct. 3 and Richmond Nov. 21 in the season finale. That game again could decide a playoff berth.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE
2008 record: 4-8 (3-5 MVC/t6th)
Last postseason appearance: 2006 (lost to Appalachian State 49-24 in semifinals)
Last postseason victory: 2006 (beat Illinois State 28-21 in quarterfinals)
Starters returning (offense/defense): 5/9
Players to watch: QB Brandon Summers (62.6 comp%, 1,540 yards, 18 TD, 7 INT); RB Kamryn Keys (804 yards, 5 TD); RB Jabari Scott (403 yards, 5 TD); DB Brandian Ross (98 tackls, 4 TFL, 3 PBU, 1 INT)
The skinny: YSU? Really? Hear me out on this one. The Penguins lost more players to injury than anyone in FCS football last season, losing two quarterbacks, a tailback, a receiver, a front-line starter on the defensive line. The list goes on. The Penguins have too proud a tradition to put together back-to-back four-win seasons, and Jon Heacock’s coaching life may be on the line this year. If YSU stays healthy, the defense returns enough talent for the Penguins to get back into the mix in the MVC race.