College Football Teams Guaranteed to Improve Their Win Total in 2016
Spring practice is a time for unbridled—and maybe even unfounded—optimism, but a select bunch of college football teams are guaranteed to improve in 2016.
And they'll be better where it matters most: the win column.
For some programs, that means crawling out of the Football Bowl Subdivision cellar. They could double or even triple the number of victories from 2015, an impressive step after mediocrity.
Others will compete for conference and/or national championships, reaching a level the school hasn't achieved in more than a decade or simply improving on a disappointing year one season ago.
Central Florida
1 of 8
Beyond the whole "didn't win any games last season," there's an excellent reason Central Florida is up first.
The school hired Scott Frost, who spent 2013-2015 as Oregon's offensive coordinator. He'll bring an exponentially more dynamic offense to a unit that returns quarterback Justin Holman.
Last year, the Knights managed just 13.9 points per game, the third-lowest mark in the country. Considering the tempo Frost has implemented, though, they'll undoubtedly score more often.
As long as UCF's defense improves, too, wins over at least South Carolina State and Tulane are on the horizon.
Army
2 of 8
Army was arguably the best 2-10 team in 2015. That's not much of an accolade, but it's a promising sign for the future.
Of the 10 shortcomings, seven included one-possession margins of victory. Plus, the Black Knights bring back a majority of their top contributors, namely Aaron Kemper, Ahmad Bradshaw, Edgar Poe, Andrew King and Jeremy Timpf.
Rice, UTEP, Louisiana-Lafayette, North Texas, Wake Forest and Morgan State are each on the 2016 docket. Army conceivably could triple its win total, though doubling is a more realistic expectation.
And maybe—just maybe—the Cadets will snap a 14-game losing streak to a rebuilding Navy team.
Georgia Tech
3 of 8
One of 2015's biggest surprises was Georgia Tech's drop from ACC Coastal Division champions to mustering just three wins.
All aboard the roller coaster.
Similar to Army, the Yellow Jackets were really close, really often. Six of their nine losses were by eight points or less, though the 30-22 final at Notre Dame is a little deceiving.
Regardless, Georgia Tech returns almost every skill-position contributor on offense, most notably quarterback Justin Thomas as well as A-backs Marcus Marshall and Clinton Lynch.
The Jackets don't have a shoo-in victory other than Mercer, but they'll put together stronger finishes and edge a group of Boston College, Vanderbilt, Georgia Southern, Duke and Virginia.
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Nebraska
4 of 8
Nebraska could be the breakout team of 2016.
After a 6-7 season that included tight losses to BYU, Miami, Illinois, Wisconsin and Northwestern—a total of 13 points over five games—the Cornhuskers compete for the Big Ten West Division crown.
In 2015, the offense averaged 32.8 points per contest. The quarterback, leading rusher and nearly every wide receiver all return.
Even better for Mike Riley's club, it avoids crossover games against Michigan and Michigan State. The upcoming slate sets up perfectly for Nebraska to approach 10 wins.
Washington
5 of 8
Development is never guaranteed, but Washington has the makings of a special team following a 7-6 year.
The combination of quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin is appealing. If the pass-catching corps finds a fourth option, it'll be respectable. The offensive line has the right pieces; now, the unit needs to complete the puzzle.
Additionally, the Huskies have a strong base in linebackers Azeem Victor and Keishawn Bierria, lineman Elijah Qualls and safety Budda Baker. They'll attempt to maintain what was the nation's No. 18 scoring defense last year.
Washington should begin the campaign 3-0 against Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State. Recording five more victories is absolutely within the Huskies' reach.
Louisville
6 of 8
The Louisville hype train has almost left the station.
Last season, a brutal opening schedule, combined with a quarterback carousel, contributed to the Cardinals' 2-4 start. They dropped games to Auburn, Houston, Clemson and Florida State.
But we know what to expect from Louisville in 2016. Lamar Jackson will be behind center. Every skill-position standout is back, as are most of the offensive linemen and best defenders.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Cardinals only lose to Florida State and Clemson during the regular season.
LSU
7 of 8
Competing in the SEC West means a perennially difficult schedule, but LSU is built to overcome the arduous slate.
Highlighted by superstar running back Leonard Fournette, the Tigers return 18 starters. Under new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, the unit should be among the nation's best.
Yes, there are questions at quarterback and linebackers. However, LSU isn't searching for answers; rather, it's looking to improve the talents everyone knows will play in 2016.
The Tigers will jump from nine victories into double digits.
Florida State
8 of 8
Florida State has every single offensive starter coming back. The defense is expected to dominate despite a couple of notable NFL-bound departures.
Surpassing 10 wins? Yeah, that'll happen.
Granted, the 'Noles don't have an easy road to 11-plus victories. Ole Miss, Louisville, North Carolina and even Miami pose respectable threats during the opening six weeks.
But Florida State will be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff, so the Seminoles will be shooting for 14 wins. Even if they fall short, it's an improvement on 2015.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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