The Blitz: Which small college team is ready for a breakout season?

The teams at the top of the small college ranks typically receive most of the press. So it’s only natural that teams such as Mary Hardin-Baylor, Stephen F. Austin, Hardin-Simmons, and Angelo State receive the most attention during the preseason. 

But is there a team that could match the rise of Howard Payne? The Yellow Jackets were a combined 3-37 from 2015 through 2018. However, HPU began to turn around under Braxton Harris, who led the Yellow Jackets to a 5-5 record in 2019, the first season at or above .500 since 2006.