Team most likely to win each college football conference division for 2016

South Florida is neck-and-neck with Cincinnati in the AAC East. The Bulls had a huge turnaround last season, finishing 8-5 behind sophomore quarterback Quinton Flowers. They hope to take another step forward this season.

The Cougars are the overwhelming favorites to win the West and the entire American Athletic Conference. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. returns as a legitimate Heisman candidate.

Clemson gets the edge over Florida State in the Atlantic Division, though the teams square off in Tallahassee this year. The Tigers were undefeated during the regular season last year. Louisville is also a dark horse for the division.

Many expect new head coach Mark Richt to make significant progress with the Hurricanes in his first season, and winning the division is a possibility given North Carolina's personnel losses. Quarterback Brad Kaaya is a legitimate Heisman prospect and could help the jump. Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech are also in the conversation.

The Sooners have a brutal schedule, but they're still the class of the Big 12 after making the College Football Playoff last season. TCU and Baylor have seen major losses, personnel and otherwise, with Oklahoma State having a lot of ground to cover to catch up to its in-state rival. Oklahoma's conference opener at TCU could be key.

The brutal East is almost a coin flip between Ohio State and Michigan this year and could be decided by their heated matchup in the last game of the regular season. The Buckeyes' continuity at quarterback with J.T. Barrett returning could be the difference. Michigan State also can't be counted out.

Iowa is hoping to repeat its division win behind quarterback C.J. Beathard, though Nebraska and Wisconsin are viable challengers. The Hawkeyes' path is much more difficult this season, with games at Penn State and vs. Michigan.

Marshall has three 10-win seasons in a row but finished two games behind undefeated Western Kentucky in the East last season. With quarterback Brandon Doughty gone from Western Kentucky, the prospects for Marshall look much better, especially with quarterback Chase Litton having one year under his belt.

Southern Miss had a huge turnaround in 2015, going from 3-9 to 9-5 and claiming the West. With Jeff Driskel gone at Louisiana Tech, the Golden Eagles look even better to win the division.

The defending East champion, Bowling Green allowed the third fewest points in the MAC last season and had the top offense after finishing 7-1 in conference. Its biggest competitors will likely be Ohio and Akron again.

There was a four-way tie atop the West last season between Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Toledo and Central Michigan at 6-2. The return of quarterback Zach Terrell for his senior season could give Western Michigan the edge this year.

After a down year for Boise State in 2015, the Broncos are widely considered the heavy favorites in the Mountain West Conference this season behind young quarterback Brett Rypien. Air Force, the defending champion of the Mountain division, likely stand as their stiffest competition.

The Aztecs went a perfect 8-0 in conference last season, allowing only 90 points during those eight games. Their ball control offense and strong defense should challenge for the conference title.

The North division is nearly a coin flip between Washington and Stanford. The Huskies went 4-5 in the Pac-12 last season but are expected to make a big jump this season with young stars Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin having a full year under their belts. Stanford, on the other hand, has to overcome the loss of four-year starting quarterback Kevin Hogan.

Last season was an investment for the Bruins, starting true freshman Josh Rosen at quarterback. They hope he makes a huge jump in his sophomore season, and the personnel turnover at USC, Utah and Arizona State make a South title well within reach.

The Vols are strong favorites to win the East over Georgia and Florida. Tennessee's three conference losses last season were by a combined 10 points, and the Volunteers return most of their key players.

Even with turnover at several key positions, including quarterback and running back, the Crimson Tide is easily the favorite to win the West again. As has been the case recently, Nick Saban's biggest competition will likely be LSU and Ole Miss.

Arkansas State, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are nearly a toss-up to win the Sun Belt, as they were last season. Arkansas State's offense led the team to a perfect 8-0 in the conference last season, but there's some concern the losses of quarterback Fredi Knighten and running back Michael Gordon will open the door for another conference champ.