2018 Season Predictions

The time has come! One of my favorite weeks each year, leading into my favorite season! Not just fall...but college football season!

To that end, let's get down to forecasting the season that is about to come (and, for a handful of teams, actually began last weekend).





Conference Picks
ACC: Clemson over Miami (first repeat game since 2008)
Big Ten: Wisconsin over Michigan (repeat of regular season result)
Big 12: Oklahoma over West Virginia (revenge from the regular season result)
PAC-12: Washington over USC (perhaps the "best" game of the championship weekend, in terms of competitiveness and/or potential to "swing" the CFP picture)
SEC: Alabama over Georgia (most highly anticipated among the conference title games, yet again going in Alabama's favor)

American: Memphis over UCF (repeat of regular-season; revenge from last year's classic)
Conference USA: Florida Atlantic over North Texas (repeat from last year)
MAC: Ohio over Toledo (Ohio's been on the verge...they get it done this year)
Mountain West: Boise State over Hawaii (battle of two 11-win or better teams)
Sun Belt: Arkansas State over Troy (and very convenient, since they dodge each other in the regular season)

College Football Playoff Picks
Orange: Alabama vs Wisconsin (Alabama wins)
Cotton: Clemson vs Washington (Clemson wins)
Championship: Clemson wins in another thriller (though not down to the literal last second)

New Year's Six
Rose: Stanford vs Michigan (repeat of the very first one from 1902, and a Harbaugh-Stanford reunion)
Sugar: Georgia vs Oklahoma (another crack at last season's classic Rose Bowl)
Peach: Miami vs Ohio State (a rubber-match from 2010-11, each won by the home team)
Fiesta: Boise State vs West Virginia (Boise seeking to be the first 2-time NY6 winner from the Group of Five)

Miscellaneous Predictions

• The ACC will have the greatest number of bowl teams - at least 11
• In the Big Ten, Nebraska will emerge as one of the stronger teams by season's end, but not before taking a couple of losses to wind up out of division contention
• In the Big 12, Texas takes a step up. I count on Tom Herman and the Longhorns to finish ranked in the Top 15.
• In the PAC-12, Kevin Sumlin and Arizona will have the most success of the first-year head coaches. Good (let's say 9-3), but not quite good enough to make it to Santa Clara.
• In the SEC, Auburn takes a step back, and the "we love Gus-we can't stand Gus" pendulum swings back to the darker side.
• The Group of Five race will come down to the final weekend, with at least THREE conferences in contention. Boise will be the clear front-runner, with a solid win at Oklahoma State.
• Notre Dame finishes below preseason expectations, but not by much. An 8-4 campaign should be enough to keep the Irish ranked, but not really in NY6 range.
• For the second year in a row, we won't need to worry about "contingency" bowl teams (5-7 teams...or in 2018, Liberty). Everyone will be 6-6 or better.
• For the first time since 2015, the CFP will feature 4 conference champs. And like 2015, the selection will be a no-brainer.
• We will get our first 15-0 team this season. In fact, we'll know that going into the Championship Game because both teams will be 14-0!