Coastal Carolina

The Chanticleers enter 2026 with a new head coach in Ryan Beard and a wide-open quarterback competition after losing both Tad Hudson (30.5 PPA) to NC State and Samari Collier (33.7 PPA) via the transfer portal. JP+ projects Coastal Carolina 123rd nationally at -11.8 points, with both offense (-6.2, 124th) and defense (-5.5, 124th) ranking near the bottom of FBS. The portal churn was significant — 43 departures costing 123.9 PPA versus 30 arrivals adding just 62.6 PPA — though Missouri State transfer Tristian Gardner (33.1 PPA) headlines a receiver group that also added Clayton Coppock from Kennesaw State and running back Daelen Alexander from Rice.

JP+ forecasts exactly 5.0 wins for the Chanticleers in their 12-game slate, a projection that reflects the structural uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position and the overall talent deficit. Road trips to West Virginia, Delaware, and James Madison loom as the season's toughest tests, while home dates with Georgia Southern and Fordham plus a trip to Georgia State offer the clearest paths to victory. If the new signal-caller emerges quickly and the portal additions mesh with returning players, Coastal Carolina could push toward bowl eligibility. If not, another rebuilding year awaits in Conway.