After what has seemed like a long, long, spring and summer, us college football fans, can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
We are all still in a sense of disbelief, that the historically worst team in college football, the Indiana Hoosiers, won the College Football National Championship.
While “recruiting battles” and keeping up with the all the coaching changes kept our appetites wet, there is nothing like seeing them clash on the field.
I could hem and haw about all the new changes in the offseason, but, I’m going to get right to the meat of the matter (go back and read my articles).
So, without further ado, here are my college football season predictions.
1) Who will win the ACC, B12, B10 and SEC?
NIL (name, image, and likeness), has stopped the SEC from cheating (which a lot of former players openly admit now) and has now leveled the playing field. Hence, we have Indiana winning the Natty.
It makes the conferences deeper than ever before. We no longer just have Alabama and Georgia in the SEC. Ohio State and Michigan and the B10.
I’ll start with the ACC, and let’s be honest here. It’s the Miami Hurricanes. They avoid the other Top 2 contenders (SMU and Louisville) in the regular season. Unless something catastrophic happens, I expect them to finish conference play undefeated.
The most fun conference to watch every season, is by far the Big-12. Why you ask? Because they’ve had 5 different conference champions in the last 5 season. You never know who is going to win, and that makes it fun.
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All the “experts” on ESPN, or as us fans call them, E(SEC)PN, are picking the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win back-to-back conference titles. While it’s possible, it’s certainly NOT a given. They do miss out on having to play BYU, and they do get Houston at home (Sept 18th at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX). They lost a lot of production at quarterback and on defense. Projected QB starter Will Hammond is coming off an ACL, that he suffered in October last year.
The BYU Cougars and Houston Cougars, are returning their starting QBs, in Bear Bachmeier and Conner Weigman. Both the Cougar teams are returning the majority of their defensive starters from last season as well.
Ultimately, I think Texas Tech makes it back-to-back, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they don’t.
It’s an absolute crapshoot in the Big-10. Almost everyone is picking the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, or the Indiana Hoosiers. However, do not count out the USC Trojans.
They return starting QB Jordan Maiava, HB King Miller, and all five starters along their offensive line. Five players return on defense as well. They schedule did them no favors though. They have Oregon (Sept 28th) and Ohio State (Oct 31st) at home, and travel to Indiana (Nov 14th). Do not be shocked if USC wins 2 of these games and make it to Indianapolis.
At the end of it all, I think it’ll come down to the Buckeyes and Ducks. I think Ohio State beats Oregon on November 7th in Columbus, but the Ducks clip them in the Big-10 Championship Game, to win conference title.
Down in the SEC, the most talented team is the Texas Longhorns. They avoid Georgia and Alabama in the regular season. They get Ole Miss at home (Oct 24th) and ARE going to get revenge, and just clobber Florida at home (Oct 17th). They do have to travel to Texas A&M to finish the regular season (Nov 27th). I think if they can avoid injuries, they’ll win the conference.
However, you can never count out the Georgia Bulldogs, and do not sleep on Mike Elko and Texas A&M. The Aggies return starting QB Marcel Reed. If her can cut down on his 12 INTs, they’ll give Alabama (Oct 24th) and Texas (Nov 27th) a very serious scare.
2) Notre Dame will finish inside the Top 4.
Yes, I know that Notre Dame lost their top 2 running backs from last season in Jeremiyah Love (3rd overall pick) and Jadarian Price (32nd overall), but, CJ Carr returning at quarterback, after an impressive freshman season (2,741 yards, with 24 TDs and 6 INTs).
The Irish went out and got former Ohio State WRs Quincy Porter and Myles Graham in the transfer portal to give him weapons on the perimeter and offset the loss of the running game. Three offensive lineman return, and Notre Dame always has good tight ends.
They return 7 starters on defense, including quite possibly the best CB tandem in all of college football (Leonard Moore and Christian Gray), and All-American S Tae Johnson. It’s going to be a nightmare throw against them.
They also used the portal to get better along the defensive line, pairing newcomers DE Keon Keeley (Alabama), DT Francis Brewu (Pitt), and DT Tione Gray (Oregon), with returning starters DE Boubacar Traore and DT Jason Onye.
They two toughest games are at home, against the Miami Hurricanes (Now 7th) and SMU (Nov 21st). They do travel to play the always sneaky tough BYU (Oct 17th). Other than that, their schedule is easy.
I fully expect them to be 11-1 or even 12-0 at the end of the season.
3) Boise State will be the lone Group of 6 school in the College Football Playoffs.
Last year the College Football Playoff Committee put 2 Group of Five schools in the playoff, and it went absolutely terrible with blowout losses, with Oregon beating James Madison 51-34, and Ole Miss beating Tulane 41-10.
They’ve learned their lesson. It won’t happen again.
Boise State is the best team in the newly reformed Pac-12 and all the Group of 6 schools (Pac-12, Mountain West, Conference USA, MAC, American Athletic, and Sun Belt).
Starting quarterback Maddux Madsen returns after throwing for 2,334 yards with 18 TDs and 9 INTs. HB Duke Riley is also returning after turning down multiple offers from P4 teams. He ran for 1,125 yards and 10 TDs. They return 3 starters along the offensive line (C, RG, RT).
They return 3 of 4 starters on the defensive line, for a defense that finished ranked 39th best overall in the country last season. They are going to rely heavily on them, as the “back 7” only returns 2 starters, in LB Boen Phelps and CB Jaden Mickey.
The Broncos have an incredibly tough game to open the season, against the Oregon Ducks (Sept 9th, at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS).
Their toughest conference games, are all at home (Utah State on Oct 3rd, Texas State on Oct 31st, and San Diego State on Nov 21st) as well.
4) The 1st Head Coach to be fired will be…..
With all the off the field distractions going on with Head Coach Bill Belichicks’ personal life, now GM Mike Lombardi and DC Steve Belichick have been suspended, with an external investigations ongoing, he’s already on the hot seat.
They open their schedule against 5 teams that made a bowl game appearance, in their first 6 games.
I am predicting the Tar Heels only win will be against East Tennessee State (Sept 12th), and he’ll be fired before Oct 24th game at home against Syracuse.
OC Bobby Petrino will take over and lead them to wins over Syracuse, UConn, and an upset win over Virigina.
5) Who will make the College Football Playoffs.
First Round Byes
Oregon Ducks
Texas Longhorns
Miami Hurricanes
Norte Dame Fighting Irish
First Round Games
#12 Boise State at #5 Ohio State.
#11 Indiana at #6 Texas Tech.
#10 Ole Miss at #7 Georgia.
#9 USC at #8 Texas A&M.
Quarter-final Games
#5 Ohio State vs #4 Notre Dame.
#9 USC vs #1 Oregon.
#11 Indiana vs #3 Miami.
#7 Georgia vs #2 Texas.
Semi-Final Games
#5 Ohio State vs #1 Oregon.
#3 Miami vs #2 Texas.
National Championship Game
#5 Ohio State vs #2 Texas.
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National Champion
Ohio State wins their 2nd national championship in 3 years, when they go on a similar run, as they did in 2024.
What are your predictions for the upcoming college football season?
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and information courtesy of….. ESPN, NCAA, and Lindy’s.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.
