Southern Miss

The Golden Eagles enter 2026 with new head coach Blake Anderson trying to rebuild after a significant talent drain to the transfer portal. Southern Miss lost 22.1 PPA through 28 departures, headlined by leading receiver Tychaun Chapman's move to Memphis along with two other wideouts. The defense grades out as the team's strength at 99th nationally (-2.6 points), while the offense struggles at 112th (-4.2) with quarterback Braylon Braxton returning as the starter. Josh Johnson arrives from Nicholls as the top portal addition (16.0 PPA) to anchor the defensive line, while Mario Sanders II from Illinois helps replace some of the receiving production lost to Memphis.

JP+ projects just 1.0 wins for Southern Miss in 2026, reflecting the challenge of competing in a Sun Belt that includes tough road trips to Auburn and Tulane. The -7.3 overall rating (109th nationally) suggests this will be a difficult season as Anderson installs his system with a roster that gained only 12.7 PPA through portal additions despite bringing in 36 new players. If Braxton can elevate the passing game and Johnson anchors an improved defense, the Golden Eagles might exceed those modest expectations. If not, this becomes a foundation-setting year for Anderson's program.