Tag: usc

2023 College Football Season Preview

College football is finally back in our lives, which means we’ll be treated with the best sport on the planet for the next four months. And this could be one of the craziest seasons we’ve ever seen. Here’s my preview of what should be another fantastic year of college football.

Cover photo taken from News IO.

The best sport in the world is finally back. College football has returned to us after a long seven month wait, and we could be in for one of the most fun seasons we’ve ever seen. 2022 will be a tough act to follow, but this is shaping up to be a season featuring some absolute juggernauts at the top that could provide us with some of the best games in recent memory as everyone vies to reach Houston and the National Championship. And with this being the last season of the both the four-team playoff and the Power Five as we know it before realignment takes shape, we are bound for some classic college football craziness. Here’s how I see each of the Power Five conferences playing out, along with my Heisman and Playoff picks for what could be one of the best college football seasons of all time.

Big Ten

Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes

Runner-Up: Wisconsin Badgers

If only the Big Ten got rid of their division system one season earlier. If there was ever a time to let the teams at the top of the league go at it, it’s now. The conference is as top-heavy as it has ever been with the big three of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State boasting absolutely loaded rosters that can and will compete for this year’s national championship while the other 11 teams look up in admiration.

The two-time defending B1G champion Michigan Wolverines are undoubtedly the favorites heading into the season, and for good reason. In each of the last two seasons, they’ve thrashed their rivals from Columbus en route to conference titles and CFP berths. However, Jim Harbaugh’s squad is still chasing that elusive first Playoff victory. Despite Harbaugh’s upcoming absence due to a self-imposed suspension for recruiting violations in 2020, Michigan should cruise for the first ten weeks of their season thanks to a combination of their incredible talent — both returning and new — and one of the softest schedules in all of college football that culminates in matchups against Penn State and Ohio State in two of their final three games.

Almost all of the Wolverines’ key players from their dream 2022 season are back. QB J.J. McCarthy enters his second year a starter with perhaps the best RB duo in football behind him with returning stars Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Their offensive line has been reloaded with two senior transfers to complete a unit featuring five players with a combined 23 years of experience. The receiving corps is also led by veterans Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson. Like last season, Michigan’s defense is extremely balanced with playmakers everywhere like Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil in the secondary and the senior edge-rushing duo of Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell. Simply put, this is the most complete and talented team in the conference, and maybe all of college football. If Michigan doesn’t complete all of their three-peats, the season will be considered a failure.

Michigan RB Blake Corum is back to lead the offense after a sensational 1,463 yard, 18 TD season in 2022. (h/t 247Sports)

It might not seem like it on the surface, but Ohio State is a program in flux. The Buckeyes enter each season with three goals: beat The Team Up North, win the Big Ten, and win a national championship. They haven’t beaten Michigan since 2019 and have been embarrassed in back-to-back seasons. They haven’t won the Big Ten since 2020, and they only played in that game on a technicality. They haven’t won a national championship since 2014. Under Ryan Day, Ohio State is hitting 3-for-11 on their goals. That’s a .273 batting average, which would be solid in baseball but is absolutely dreadful for a program as proud as this one. There’s no excuse for the Buckeyes to be underachieving as much as they have been under Ryan Day. They have been blessed with countless offensive gems and have nothing to show for it. This is the season that he has to get Ohio State back to how they were under Urban Meyer. If he doesn’t, his time in Columbus might be up.

Luckily for Coach Day, his 2023 squad is another lethal one. C.J. Stroud is gone, but his replacement will be either Kyle McCord or Devin Brown (note: it is extremely strange that we are entering September and this QB battle hasn’t been settled yet), each of whom are extremely capable and talented quarterbacks. It helps that the surrounding cast is the best in the nation with two preseason first-team All-Americans at wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. — the best WR in football and perhaps the most unique WR prospect I’ve ever seen — and Emeka Egbuka. The Bucks also boast a bullish RB tandem with veterans TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams. But offense is never a question in Columbus. It’s the defense that has let this team down again and again. Jim Knowles was brought in last year to fix that problem, but his first season was a resounding failure that included back-to-back embarrassments to end the year against Michigan and Georgia. This year’s unit returns every key player that suffered those embarrassments, headlined by the star pass rush duo of Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau and field general linebacker Tommy Eichenberg — a preseason first-team All-American. The secondary is significantly weaker than the front seven, and they will really need to pull their weight if the Buckeyes want to get where they want to. If young guys on this defense like C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles get their chances, the unit can take huge strides. It’s just hard to put any faith in the Ohio State defense at this point.

Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. could have a record-breaking season in Columbus. (h/t Sports Illustrated)

In Happy Valley, everything is lining up for Penn State to have their dream season. James Franklin has his most talented, complete team yet with studs all over the place and a plethora of returning talent from last season’s Rose Bowl-winning team. The running back duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen is one of the best in the country, the WR room features your typical Penn State wideout talents like KeAndre Lambert-Smith and underrated Kent State transfer Dante Cephas, and the offensive line is bolstered by perhaps the best tackle in the country in Olu Fashanu. The defense features studs like Abdul Carter, Chop Robinson, and Kalen King who should each hold down their respective sections of the field.

Penn State RB Nicholas Singleton spearheads one of the best rushing attacks in college football. (h/t Penn State Athletics)

There are only two real question marks with the Nittany Lions. The first one is new QB Drew Allar who has all the talent in the world to take this team to new heights. If Allar lives up to his potential, this team could cut through the Big Ten like a hot knife through butter. But he is inexperienced and could have some growing pains. I believe in Allar’s ability, and he should be a treat to watch. The second question mark is one that has loomed over this program for years now, and that’s James Franklin himself. There’s no doubt that he is a fantastic recruiter and — at the very least — a solid coach. But so many times he has fallen short in the biggest moments. I’d like to think that he and the program will keep the momentum from their great 2022 season where they only lost to Ohio State and Michigan and won a Rose Bowl. But it’s very hard to put any faith in a guy that hasn’t given anyone a reason to have any.

These three heavyweights will all go head-to-head this season, so it should all play out in a fairly straightforward manner… right? Not exactly. The way I see it, each of the three teams is built to beat one of the others, but not both. I think Michigan clearly has the blueprint to beat Ohio State as we have seen for two years in a row, but I think Penn State can match up with them physically. With that game being in Happy Valley, I see Penn State being the lone loss on Michigan’s schedule. However, Penn State clearly struggles with the overwhelming offensive talent that Ohio State possesses, and with the Nittany Lions traveling to Columbus for that game, I think the Buckeyes hand Penn State their only loss.

So, when this merry-go-round is all wrapped up, each of these three juggernauts will sit at 11-1. Who heads to Indianapolis? It would come down to the team whose Big Ten West opponents have the highest combined winning percentage. Ohio State plays Wisconsin, Purdue, and Minnesota while Michigan takes on Minnesota, Nebraska, and Purdue and Penn State clashes with Iowa, Illinois, and Northwestern. What stands out to me there is how awful the Nittany Lions’ trio is shaping up to be. It’s safe to say that they’ll get the short end of the stick in this scenario. And even though I believe that Michigan will notch their third straight win over Ohio State, I have the slightest feeling that Wisconsin’s success in year one of their new regime under Luke Fickell will catapult the Buckeyes to the top of the standings for a matchup with those very Badgers in the Big Ten Championship game where Ryan Day’s squad punches its ticket to the College Football Playoff with their first conference title since 2020.

But that doesn’t mean the season is cooked for Michigan or Penn State. Similar to Ohio State last season, they will certainly be in consideration for a playoff spot despite not even winning their division. The chances of one of them sneaking in are higher than you think.

SEC

Winner: Georgia Bulldogs

Runner-Up: Alabama Crimson Tide

Like the Big Ten, the SEC is as top-heavy as ever. But unlike the Big Ten, this should play out in a much more straightforward manner.

The two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs are searching for college football’s first three-peat in nearly a century (Minnesota from 1934 to 1936). History would say the odds aren’t exactly in their favor, and the sport is extremely strong at the top. But each of the contenders has to go through Georgia. Ohio State came oh so close in the Peach Bowl last season before TCU got steamrolled in the national championship.

Now, the Dawgs are back and still absolutely loaded despite losing perhaps the most decorated player in program history in QB Stetson Bennett IV. The offense will see a lot of change following the departure of OC Todd Monken, but they still have the players to move the needle. Redshirt junior Carson Beck takes over under center, and while he’s not going to blow anyone away, he’s a very talented player with a better arm than Bennett. He’ll be helped out by an experienced group of skill players including Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards out of the backfield and Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint out wide. But we all know the true star of this offense is Brock Bowers: one of the best tight ends in recent memory and a surefire 2024 top ten pick. His talent alone will make this offense virtually unstoppable. But Georgia under Kirby Smart has been known for their defense, and this year’s unit is reloaded with some absolute studs like sophomore star Mykel Williams flying off the edge and a sensational secondary trio of Kamari Lassiter, Malaki Starks, and Javon Bullard. This is perhaps the most talented team in college football and a very worthy preseason No. 1 that plays one of the most embarrassingly easy schedules I’ve ever seen. Only one team stands in their way of a 13-0 cakewalk to the Playoff.

Georgia TE Brock Bowers is a generational talent at his position. (h/t Press Democrat)

Alabama is in their longest title drought in almost a decade. That drought is two seasons. God, Nick Saban really is the GOAT. And this is a perfect year for the Crimson Tide to bounce back and return to their expected glory. For the first time in forever, Bama is seemingly being overshadowed. Letting them be the underdog is probably a mistake.

Yes, Bryce Young is gone and this offense hasn’t lived up to expectations in a while. But the new-look offense is more of a blast from the past. This Alabama team is going to beat you up and run it down your throat just like the first half of the Saban dynasty. Bill O’Brien has been replaced by Tommy Rees, so this offense should also be more watchable in general. The starting QB will either be Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner who would play the role of Jake Coker or A.J. McCarron or Jalen Milroe who would play the role of Blake Sims or a young Jalen Hurts. They’ll make the throws and plays they have to while the other guys on the offense do the heavy lifting. All the while, the defense will be thumping people left and right with their physicality and athleticism. Dallas Turner leads the way off the edge as one of the premier pass rushers in college football and one of my absolute favorite players to watch. The secondary features some of the best DBs in the nation with Kool-Aid McKinstry, Malachi Moore, and Caleb Downs — a young superstar in the making. This is going to be a team that reminds you of the Alabama teams of the early 2010s, which will be good enough to get them to an SEC Championship Game. The only question is whether or not that will be their peak. With Nick Saban leading the charge, I’ll never doubt what this team is capable of.

Alabama LB Dallas Turner could be the next great Alabama pass-rusher. (h/t Touchdown Alabama)

But I think beating Georgia could be a very tall task. They’ve previously had success with beating the Dawgs when they had the offensive athletes to do so, similar to Ohio State’s blueprint against them last year. This isn’t that kind of Alabama team. Still, they should be good for a run at a playoff spot, and I’d be shocked if they wind up on the outside looking in come Selection Sunday.

The rest of the SEC isn’t much to look at. Teams like LSU, Tennessee, and Ole Miss should linger for a while, but I just can’t see them stepping up and competing with the two juggernauts at the top. LSU is certainly the third best team in this conference with their uber-talented squad in year two under Brian Kelly, but they have a very tough opening test against Florida State and have to travel to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama. Similarly, the Vols are coming off a resurgent season of their own, but it’s hard to believe they won’t get smacked by Georgia. Ole Miss has arguably the best running back in football in Quinshon Judkins, but they don’t have enough talent elsewhere to keep up in the brutal SEC West. Barring something unforeseen, this is a two-horse race.

Pac-12

Winner: Oregon Ducks

Runner-Up: Washington Huskies

One last ride. The last dance. Insert other clichés here. 2023 is the last year of the Pac-12 as we know it, which is a fact that fills me with melancholy. This once-proud conference is one that I grew up loving and gave me and so many others lifelong memories. We are all devastated to see it fall apart the way it has. But the silver lining here is that this year’s Pac-12 is absolutely stacked and should be a treat to watch and cover.

You might think the conversation starts with the defending champion Utah Utes or headline-grabbing USC Trojans, but I would point you in a different direction. I think the Pac-12 runs through the Pacific Northwest and two bitter rivals in Oregon and Washington. These are the two best teams in the conference for very similar reasons. Each team is entering year two of a new regime under a new head coach with Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Washingon’s Kalen DeBoer. Each team is led by a quarterback in his 148th year of football who transferred in 2022 and vastly exceeded expectations with Bo Nix of the Ducks and Michael Penix Jr. of the Huskies. Each team has a star WR in Oregon’s Troy Franklin and Washington’s Rome Odunze. Everything is lining up for these two teams to be on a season-long collision course culminating in a October 14th heavyweight fight in Seattle and an eventual rematch in Las Vegas in the conference title game.

Bitter Pac-12 Rivals Washington and Oregon will be neck and neck at the top of the conference in 2023. (h/t UW Dawg Pound)

With so many similarities, what separates these two? I’d like to say defense, but neither one is particularly impressive. They both had some low lows in 2022, and neither unit stands out heading into this season. But Oregon has revamped that side of the ball with a plethora of transfers, and I think that can put them over the top. I don’t think they will beat the Huskies and their explosive offense on the road, but that loss will help them get their act together down the stretch en route to a revenge victory in the title game to secure their first actual conference championship since 2019.

But what about the others? Utah is coming off back-to-back conference titles and Rose Bowl appearances, and like the two teams I’m buying into this year, they are led by a veteran QB in Cam Rising. They have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball and some of the best program culture in the sport in year 19 under Kyle Whittingham. USC just missed out on the Playoff in 2022, has the incumbent Heisman winner in Caleb Williams — who is also one of the best QB prospects in history — among abundant offensive talent and arguably the best offensive mind in Lincoln Riley. Oregon State is in the midst of their own resurgence under Jonathan Smith and should be getting an offensive lift with the arrival of Clemson transfer QB D.J. Uiagalelei.

USC QB and defending Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is going to light up college football once again in 2023. (h/t USC Athletics)

Well, the Pac-12 is simply going to cannibalize itself as it has so often in the past. USC’s abhorrent, porous defense will be victimized all year long, and no amout of offense will be able to save them. The same can be said about Washington. Oregon is bound to have their hearts broken in typical Oregon fashion. Utah’s injury problems at QB could derail their season from the start. Oregon State simply lacks the big game experience to fully compete at the top.

All five of these teams — and maybe others like Cal and UCLA — will take turns beating each other to the point where nobody has the season they really want to have. Thus, the Pac-12 misses out on the Playoff for the seventh consecutive season. There would be no more symbolic way for the conference to go out.

Big 12

Winner: Texas Longhorns

Runner-Up: Kansas State Wildcats

Buckle up folks. The 2023 Big 12 is going to be hilarious.

This is the first season for newcomers UCF, Houston, BYU, and Cincinnati and the last season for Texas and Oklahoma before they depart for the SEC. So this is an extremely unique season where the conference has 14 teams and very different scheduling. It’s going to be strange from start to finish, but when is the Big 12 not strange?

As a whole, the conference should be as competitive as it was in 2022, if not more so. Last year’s top teams like TCU, Kansas State, and Texas should all stick around while others like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and even Kansas should have vastly improved campaigns. It’s difficult to imagine a world where TCU replicates the success they saw last year, which means the conference should be wide open.

As always, all the eyes are on Texas. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but it really does feel like this is the year that the Longhorns figure it out. If there has ever been a season for Steve Sarkisian’s offense to finally get it done, it’s this one. Yes, Bijan Robinson is gone and Quinn Ewers hasn’t exactly lived up to his potential, but the ingredients are there for this unit to thrive. Ewers dealt with a shoulder problem for much of last year, and if he stays healthy, there’s no doubt that his talent can help this offense do big things. It helps that he’s throwing to one of the best WRs in the sport in Xavier Worthy and gets a huge lift with the arrival of Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell, who was absolutely nails last year against Ohio State and in the 2021 national championship against Alabama. Mitchell has also dealt with some injuries, but figures to be a massive part of this offense if he can stay on the field. We know the defense has the talent to be potentially dominant, but I just can’t put any faith in a Texas Longhorns defense in 2023. They haven’t earned my respect. Still, it feels like Texas has the most talent in the conference, and if they can channel that into actually good play on the field, the Big 12 should be theirs for the taking. I can’t wait to be wrong for the trillionth time.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers has what it takes to get the Longhorns to their first conference championship since 2009. (h/t San Antonio Express-News)

Kansas State might be the most overlooked defending conference champions ever, and I can’t exactly figure out why. Losing RB Deuce Vaughn certainly hurts, but they have a great, proven QB in Will Howard and return almost the entire offense that just won a conference title and went to a Sugar Bowl last season. The defense also features many of the same cast members as last year’s team, including one of the most experienced front sevens in all of football. By all means, Kansas State should be the favorites to run it back. Unfortunately, they just don’t have a Texas or Oklahoma logo on their helmet, so they don’t get the love they deserve. I was very close to picking them to win the conference, but for some reason I’m continuing to buy Texas’ stock. But it would not be a surprise at all if the Wildcats repeat.

Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and TCU figure to be the other teams to look out for. The Sooners enter year two under Brent Venables after a disastrous 2022 which included an all-time embarrassment at the State Fair with a 49-0 loss to Texas. It’s never good when your first season is remembered for one of the lowest moments in program history. But, like so many teams in the second year of a new regime, OU figures to be better this season. Eight or nine wins is certainly on the table. Texas Tech has been a trendy media darling in the last few months thanks to their extremely experienced offense led by QB Tyler Shough which returns each of its five top yardage leaders from 2022. But the story with the Red Raiders is whether or not their defense can bounce back from a dreadful season that saw them give up nearly 30 points per game. It’s another experienced unit that has what it takes to improve, but if they don’t, it’s hard to see Tech competing for a conference title. And TCU simply lost too many key players for me to have faith in them to do what they were able to last year. But Sonny Dykes is doing great things in Fort Worth, and I’m sure they will be very competitive, perhaps playing spoiler to some of the teams at the top.

ACC

Winner: Clemson Tigers

Runner-Up: Florida State Seminoles

Once again, the ACC is the worst Power Five conference in football. But I do think it’s improving. And I do think that it is much better at the top than it was last year. The ACC has two real playoff contenders, and all eyes will be on them from start to finish in 2023.

Clemson is coming off another disappointing season that saw them miss the playoff for the second consecutive season and suffer a tough Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee. But the Tigers have all the ingredients they need to return to form in 2023. They’ll get a full year out of sophomore QB Cade Klubnik, who has all the talent to be one of the top signal-callers in the sport. Junior RB Will Shipley enters his junior season coming off a tremendous 2022 where he made first-team All-ACC and was a first-team All-American. The offense has seen some struggles, but they should be infinitely better with the addition of OC Garrett Riley from TCU. Lincoln’s younger brother burst onto the scene last season and should help give this program the lift they so desperately need on that side of the ball. The defense needs no introduction, as is usually the case with this program. There are absolute dogs all over the field from Xavier Thomas up front to Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in the middle to Andrew Mukuba in the secondary. The Tigers could very well boast the best defense in college football, and that should help carry them to another ACC title and perhaps a return to the Playoff. But it won’t be easy. They have a tough matchup against Notre Dame late in the season, and a highly-anticipated game against a media favorite to open conference play.

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik has all the tools to become the next great Tigers signal-caller. (h/t The Athletic)

That media favorite is none other than Florida State, who admittedly had a great finish to their season last year and deserve at least some of the hype they’ve received this summer. Senior QB Jordan Travis is back as one of the premier dual-threat players in the sport, and he’ll be throwing to guys like Johnny Wilson and premier Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman. Defensively, the Seminoles are anchored by star edge rusher Jared Verse who shocked the world when he announced he would forgo the NFL Draft and return for one more year in Tallahassee. Verse will help elevate this defense to a level that can compete for a conference title and maybe even a playoff berth. They’ve got some other key players like Kalen DeLoach, Virginia transfer Fentrell Cypress, and Western Michigan transfer Braden Fiske. But FSU’s problem is their schedule. They open with a very tough game against a great LSU team and have to travel to Death Valley to take on Clemson in Week 4. There’s a pretty good chance that the Noles start 2-2 and have their season be over before we even reach October.

Florida State EDGE Jared Verse enters the 2023 season as college football’s premier edge rusher. (h/t ESPN)

The only other teams I like in the ACC would be North Carolina and Duke. The Tar Heels have one of the best QBs in football in Drake Maye, who will have eyes on him all year long as he figures to be a top 5 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. Duke could be a sleeper team to compete for a conference title as Mike Elko continues to build a very solid, experienced squad led by QB Riley Leonard. The Blue Devils have a real shot to knock off some top teams on their schedule, including Clemson in Week 1. If that happens, they could easily vie for an ACC title and/or a New Year’s Six berth.

Heisman Winner: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Here’s what I wrote about Marvin Harrison Jr. and his Heisman chances for the Student Media Poll Football Column:

At this point in his college career, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. needs no introduction. 

After breaking out for the Buckeyes in the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah with three  touchdown receptions, the son of the NFL Hall of Famer had arguably the best season of any receiver in the nation last year with 77 catches, 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

The combination of his freakish six-foot-four, 205-pound frame, incredible hands, blazing speed,  precise route-running and lightning-fast athletic ability allows Harrison to make every  possible catch and play on the field, and even some seemingly impossible ones — look no further than his acrobatic sideline grabs against Michigan State and Indiana last season. 

Harrison enters 2023 as the top receiver in college football and would likely be the best player in the country if not for one reigning Heisman winner in Southern California. Although C.J. Stroud has departed for the NFL and Ohio State’s quarterback battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown hasn’t been settled, there should be no doubts about whether or not Harrison can replicate his success from 2022. 

Ohio State plays in arguably the biggest game of each month of the season with a trip to South Bend to take on Notre Dame in September, a home showdown against a loaded Penn State team in October, and a rivalry matchup with Michigan in November. Harrison Jr. played his best when it was needed against top teams last year, including a combined 12 catches, 226 yards, and 3 touchdowns against No. 3 Michigan and No. 1 Georgia in the final two games of the Buckeyes’ season. 

If he keeps that trend going in the national spotlight throughout the course of this season, there’s no doubt that he’ll be in the thick of the Heisman race down the stretch. And if the Buckeyes end up in the College Football Playoff over teams with Heisman contenders of their own, Harrison could be the first Heisman receiver since Devonta Smith broke records with Alabama in 2020.

College Football Playoff Prediction

No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Penn State – Allstate Sugar Bowl

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Alabama – Rose Bowl Game

The College Football Playoff Committee is going to be in a very sticky situation in the final few weeks of the season. Three of these spots should be easy to fill: an undefeated SEC champion in either Georgia or Alabama, a one-loss SEC runner-up, and whichever team wins the Big Ten at 12-1. That leaves the fourth and final spot, which could be claimed by any number of teams. 11-1 Michigan and 11-1 Penn State would have great shouts, as could Clemson, Texas, Oregon, or any other team that finds themselves on a run late in the year like Washington, Notre Dame, Florida State, or even USC. I think the committee will be stuck with a dilemma — either put the best remaining conference champion in despite having more losses than Michigan and Penn State, or decide between one of those final two Big Ten teams. I think it’ll be the latter simply based on how dominant those teams will be down the stretch and the nature of this Big Ten merry-go-round will end up.

So, why am I giving Penn State the final slot over Michigan? There are two main reasons. The first of which is that the Nittany Lions will have a head-to-head victory over the Wolverines, which will likely end up being the top factor for this decision. The other is that Michigan will have lost later in the year (November 11) than Penn State (October 21), meaning the Nittany Lions will have more time to rise back up through the rankings and find themself with a wild, wacky playoff berth.

In the final four-team College Football Playoff, I like Georgia to beat Penn State in an old-school, physical Sugar Bowl and Ohio State to run past Alabama with their immense offensive talent to set up a rematch of last year’s Peach Bowl classic in the national championship game in Houston. Ohio State will no doubt have a massive chip on their shoulder after the way that game ended, but once again, I think the moment might prove too big for Ryan Day and company. I like the Georgia Bulldogs to once again emerge as college football’s national champion to complete the first three-peat of the 21st century and establish themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

All stats taken from ESPN. All roster information taken from OurLads.

2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: East Region

The East Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament is littered with sleepers and a plethora of potential upsets. Let’s break it down and preview how the East will play out.

Cover photo taken from Purdue Sports.

Welcome back to the Madness. The 2023 NCAA Tournament is upon us with 68 teams and 67 incredible games ahead to crown a champion. The 2022-23 college basketball season has been one of the most unique in recent memory, as the field appears to be as wide open as it has ever been. There isn’t necessarily a clear favorite in this tournament, so March Madness is sure to live up to its name in the coming weeks. To preview the tournament, I’ll be breaking down the 2023 bracket region by region. This is the preview of the East: a region littered with sleepers and a plethora of potential upsets.

Meet the 1 Seed: Purdue Boilermakers

For the last several years, Purdue and heartbreak have been synonymous in March. If there’s any team that’s built to change that narrative, it’s this one. This is Matt Painter’s best team yet that has been at or near the top of college basketball all season long, finishing the year ranked 5th in NET, 6th in KenPom, and 7th in BPI. And the one true story of this team is Zach Edey. The 7-foot 4-inch 300-pound junior and National Player of the Year-to-be has dominated college basketball for five months and is showing no signs of slowing down. In every single Purdue game, he dominates the middle of the floor, creates space, and cannot be stopped offensively. If he does miss, then he’ll just grab his own board and put it in the net. It’s virtually impossible to attack the paint offensively when Edey stands there, so you better hope you can hit your shots against the Boilers defense. Edey is as dominant and unique as a talent as college basketball has ever seen. Averaging 22 points (sixth nationally), 13 rebounds (third nationally), and two blocks per game with 26 double doubles in 33 games, he is the heart and soul of this Purdue team, and they go as he goes. That’s not to say this team doesn’t have other options; guards Fletcher Loyer, Mason Gillis, and Braden Smith control the backcourt and provide plenty of good scoring and passing. But all eyes will be on #15 when the Boilers are on the floor. If their opponents can’t stop Zach Edey, then Purdue may finally reach their coveted Final Four for the first time since 1980. Unfortunately, they’re the 1 seed in one of the toughest regions imaginable with some incredibly difficult teams lying in wait.

Meet the Sleeper: #6 Kentucky Wildcats

Honorable Mentions: #5 Duke, #8 Memphis, #10 USC

I’m not sure if it’s ever appropriate to call a blue blood a “sleeper” but Kentucky has flown under the radar for months now, and they’re finally starting to get their act together. Though Vanderbilt of all teams was their Achilles heel down the stretch, the Wildcats finished the year winning five of their last seven games to rise up the seed line. While their defense hasn’t been as good as they would hope, the offense has been unstoppable, scoring 80+ points in four of their last five. The star of the show remains forward Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s National Player of the Year, who remains a rebounding machine and a walking double double. Tshiebwe averages 16.5 points and 13.1 rebounds (to lead the nation) per game and has amassed 19 double doubles on the year. But the rest of the offense has plenty of capable pieces, namely Illinois State transfer Antonio Reeves, who scores over 14 points per game. There are also several key pieces from last year’s team which was upset in the first round by St. Peter’s: guards Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wallace as well as forward Jacob Toppin. I can imagine this Kentucky team wants to atone for their massive failure from last season, when they had title aspirations just to lose to a 15 seed. They haven’t lived up to the hype throughout the season, but they are starting to get hot. If they can stay hot in the tournament, then nobody in the entire field will want to see them. But one of their patented bad days will send them packing.

Upset “Waiting To Happen”: #13 Louisiana over #4 Tennessee

Honorable Mention: #10 USC over #7 Michigan State

I don’t see any first round upsets in this region, but if I had to pick one to happen, it would be this one. Tennessee lost their star guard Zakai Zeigler, an elite perimeter defender, to injury, and it has had clear detriments on a team that was already spiraling downwards as the season came to a close. The Vols are trending in the wrong direction after being so dominant for so long, finishing the year 4-6. Louisiana doesn’t have anything special going on, but their offense can hit threes and rebound with the best of them. If, and that’s a pretty massive if, they get some balls to bounce their way and cash in from distance and the free throw line, they might be able to beat Tennessee’s elite defense, which ranks second in KenPom. But like I said, I think that’s far too unlikely.

Best Potential Games: #1 Purdue vs. #2 Marquette, #5 Duke vs. #6 Kentucky

Honorable Mentions: #1 Purdue vs. #5 Duke, #2 Marquette vs. #6 Kentucky

Purdue and Marquette have the 9th and 7th ranked offensive efficiencies in the country according to KenPom, respectfully. Seeing these offenses square off would be a feast for the eyes. Each team also has one of the nation’s best players in Zach Edey and Tyler Kolek, although they both make their money in vastly different ways. It would be a fascinating display of different offensive styles between two teams and coaches that are desperate for a trip to the Final Four. It would be a wildly entertaining Regional Final, but unfortunately for both squads, I don’t trust them enough to see either one of them making it that far.

Do I really need to outline why I want to see Duke and Kentucky, two Champions Classic teams and two of the greatest programs on Earth, play each other in a Regional Final at Madison Square Garden? This matchup would be everything we could hope for as college hoops fans. Both the Blue Devils and Wildcats are entering the tournament playing some of their best ball, and they are both plenty capable of making deep runs on the backs of their elite talent and coaching. This is the Regional Final I’m predicting in this region, and while I’ve been wrestling with making a pick all week long, there is one team that I’m going to continue to back, no matter how many times they let me down.

My Pick For Houston: #6 Kentucky

Honorable Mentions: #5 Duke, #8 Memphis

I am ready to get hurt again. One year after picking the Wildcats to make the Final Four only to have them lose in the first round to a 15 seed, I am once again backing Coach Calipari and Kentucky. This might not be the most talented team that Cal has ever had in Lexington, but they have a certain feeling to them. If they get hot, they can run through the teams in this region. They’re going to be hungry and desperate to prove themselves and not only make up for the shortcomings of last year, but previous years. Kentucky hasn’t made a Final Four since 2014, when they lost the title game to Shabazz Napier and UConn as an 8 seed. Who’s to say they can’t make another run as a 6? I think they got a favorable draw with a possible breeze in the first weekend before two potential shootouts in the Regionals at MSG. All they need is their offense to operate at its typical level and their defense to step up ever so slightly and they can shock the world en route to Houston.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Purdue over #16 Fairleigh Dickinson: FDU, a 16, is the shortest team in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue, a 1, has Zach Edey. You picking up what I’m putting down?

#8 Memphis over #9 Florida Atlantic: This is one of the most enticing games of the first round. Each of these squads enters the tournament red hot, with Memphis coming off a win over Houston in the AAC title game and FAU having their way with the C-USA en route to a 31-win season. This is as close as an 8-9 gets, but I’m taking the Tigers and their superior talent and coaching. And this might not be the only game they win in this tournament. I think Memphis is the team seeded eighth or lower that has the best shot of making it to Houston.

#5 Duke over #12 Oral Roberts: The Golden Eagles are back in the tournament after their historic Sweet 16 run in 2021, and everyone is jumping on them to pull off an upset over Duke. I hate to break your hearts, but that is simply not happening. The Blue Devils are peaking at the right time, playing their best ball of the year when it matters most. They haven’t lost since February 11th and just ran through the ACC Tournament; they’re primed for a deep run. This one might not be remotely close.

#4 Tennessee over #13 Louisiana: The Vols not having Zakai Zeigler will doom them in this tournament, but not here. The Ragin’ Cajuns are a popular upset pick, but I just don’t see it. Not with the athleticism and level of play that Tennessee brings to the table. This will likely be their lone win in this tournament, but it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

#6 Kentucky over #11 Providence: Both of these offenses are absolute treats to watch. This should be a thrilling, high-scoring affair with a juicy storyline in the Bryce Hopkins revenge game for the Friars guard who transferred from Lexington. I’m obviously rolling with the Wildcats all the way to Houston, but this will be a very tough test for them against an offense that can go blow-for-blow with theirs. The Kentucky defense should be able to be the difference.

#3 Kansas State over #14 Montana State: They don’t make games more uninteresting than this one. K State’s defense will dominate from start to finish against perhaps the worst offense in the field of 68.

#7 Michigan State over #10 USC: This is a fantastic 7-10 matchup between two teams that are plenty capable of making some noise in this tournament. Neither have achieved what they wanted to this season, but both have high ceilings that could show in March. While I think the Trojans will have the best player on the floor in Boogie Ellis, I like Sparty more across the board. The experienced backcourt of Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard should be able to carry them to victory.

#2 Marquette over #15 Vermont: Despite this being a 2-15, the Catamounts won’t be a pushover. This is a great program that continues to dominate the America East and has become a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament. But they don’t have what it takes to handle the offense of the Golden Eagles, who have a lot to prove in this tournament under Shaka Smart.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 10 CFP Rankings Reaction

The first CFP rankings of the 2022 season were unveiled on Tuesday night, and I have some thoughts about the actions of the committee as we head into a massive weekend in college football.

Cover photo taken from Tennessee Athletics.

We’ve reached November, which means college football is entering its home stretch, and the College Football Rankings will be released every Tuesday from now until Selection Sunday. The first iteration brought some storylines, both expected and unexpected, as we head into the biggest weekend of the season thus far. Here are some of my thoughts on Tuesday night’s rankings.

Expected Top 3, Unexpected Order

We all know that Tennessee, Ohio State, and Georgia are the top three teams in the country. The order of those three has been debated for several weeks now. A lot of people love Ohio State’s offensive talent and improved defense and have them on top. CJ Stroud is playing like a Heisman favorite and Marvin Harrison Jr. has emerged as perhaps the best WR in the nation. Many continue to ride Georgia’s excellence despite some struggles. They have played the best defense of anyone in college football and deserve their flowers on both sides of the ball. And Tennessee has taken the world by storm with their top ranked offense led by Heisman favorite QB Hendon Hooker. I personally think the balance of the Buckeyes makes them the #1 team, but the committee went Vols, Bucks, Dawgs, and I honestly understand. I’m not upset at all; the Volunteers have been incredible all year long and boast the country’s best win in their 52-49 thriller over Alabama, who clocked in tonight at #6 in the rankings. Georgia being ranked 3rd was a bit surprising, but felt warranted thanks to some unnecessary tough wins against Missouri and Kent State. Most of the debate over this top 3 is pointless, seeing as though Tennessee travels to Athens to take on Georgia this Saturday (3:30 PM EST, CBS), and the winner of that game will likely be ranked #1 until the SEC Championship Game. I think the loser of that game will still rest in the top 5 or so (if Tennessee loses I don’t see how they fall below Alabama) unless it’s a complete blowout, which itself feels unlikely. Ohio State needs to win out and they’ll be just fine, although I feel like them being ranked #1 at any point feels unlikely for the reason I just mentioned. We all know the game that matters the most for them.

Clemson vs. Michigan vs. TCU

The other three unbeatens have had very interesting seasons up to this point. Clemson has put together a solid resume over wins against currently ranked teams like Wake Forest, NC State, and Syracuse. But, they’ve also had a ton of offensive struggles and have a weird situation going on at QB right now with DJ Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik. The committee is valuing their resume apparently and slotting them in the 4 spot, and considering how awful their remaining schedule is, it’s hard to see them missing out on the Playoff. Michigan has looked the part after a CFP appearance last year, running all over opponents with Heisman candidate RB Blake Corum, but have an incredibly weak strength of schedule weighed down by one of the worst non-conference schedules you’ll ever see. However, the committee thinks they pass the eye test, which is fair. Their offense has been great and their defense is somehow better than last year. They only have two real tests left with a home matchup against Illinois and The Game. Both of those matchups will tell us what we need to know about the Wolverines. TCU has emerged out of the blue with their incredible offense led by QB Max Duggan and boast perhaps the best overall resume in the sport with 4 wins over then-ranked teams and the 3rd ranked strength of record in football. But, they was ranked 7th behind Alabama, who has a loss and has struggled mightily against vastly inferior competition. I do have TCU ranked 6th out of the 6 unbeatens in football, but if I were on this committee, I might have put them at 4. Their resume is too strong to be ignored, and they certainly should not be behind a team with a loss, even if that team is Alabama. Based on this precedent, it’s hard to say that the Horned Frogs control their own destiny, even if they go unbeaten and win the Big 12 at 13-0.

A Flawed Logic

The committee has LSU ranked at #10, one spot above #11 Ole Miss, who they thrashed at home two weeks ago. I think ranking the Tigers above the Rebels is totally fair and believed AP voters should have done the same, but #10 feels a bit high. However, that is not my concern. My concern is that the committee is once again picking and choosing when and where to apply their alleged value for head-to-head wins. If you’re going to put 2-loss LSU above 1-loss Ole Miss because of how that game went, then why is 2-loss Utah five spots below 1-loss USC? Why is 2-loss Kansas State six spots ahead of 1-loss Tulane? That last one is a bit more acceptable, seeing as though the Wildcats have looked sensational since that game. But the other one, not so much. USC is vastly overrated in my opinion, which brings me to my next point.

Benefit Of The Doubt

USC is getting the benefit of the doubt from the committee simply because they’re USC. This is a great team, don’t get me wrong, but they do not belong in the top 10. They were in dogfights against Oregon State and Arizona and lost to Utah, who is inexplicably five spots below them. They have a great offense, but a very subpar defense who got gashed by the Utes and most recently the Wildcats in Tuscon. UCLA has certainly looked like the better team, but they’re ranked all the way down at #13. The only reason I can think of for that is the logo on the helmet. This also applies to Alabama, who has no business being ranked in the top six. If there are six unbeaten teams, each with solid resumes, then what is a 1-loss team doing in the top six? I know they’re the Crimson Tide and have two of the best players in the sport in Bryce Young and Will Anderson. But they lost to Tennessee fair and square and honestly should have lost to both Texas and Texas A&M. They realistically control their own destiny to get to the CFP, but that doesn’t mean they should be slotted so high right now. The other teams need to get their respect for what they’ve done (namely TCU). Saturday’s mammoth clash against #10 LSU (7:00 PM EST, ESPN) will show us just how deserving the Tide are of their ranking.

Big Brand Tax

Finally, we have to stop favoring the big brands simply because of who they are. I said it above with the likes of Alabama and USC being ranked above TCU, UCLA, Utah, and others, but it’s also apparent on the backend of the rankings. Are we sure Penn State should be above Illinois? And are we absolutely positively sure that Texas deserves to be ranked at all? The Longhorns have three close losses, but two of them are against okay to bad teams in Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Meanwhile, Florida State is on the outside looking in despite their three close losses all coming against ranked opponents and having a win against a top 10 team in LSU. Feels a bit strange, don’t you think?

My Top 10

1 – Ohio State
2 – Georgia
3 – Tennessee
4 – Michigan
5 – Clemson
6 – TCU
7 – Alabama
8 – Oregon
9 – UCLA
10 – Utah

I update this every week as the season progresses. Georgia and Tennessee are so close in my mind, I just trust UGA’s defense infinitely more than the Vols’. I’ve advocated for TCU, and I think they could feasibly be above Clemson, but I’d love to see them play more complete games in the next couple of weeks. Oregon is a team to look out for as they continue to play like one of the best teams in the country after their Week 1 thrashing at the hands of Georgia. UCLA and Utah are being vastly underrated and undervalued by the committee and AP voters, and I would love to understand why.

It’s safe to say this weekend is going to bring about a lot of turmoil in next Tuesday’s rankings. I’ll be right back here to break that all down when they are unveiled. Until then.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 College Football Season Preview

After 9 long months of waiting, the best sport in the world is finally back. Here’s my preview of the season, from every Power 5 conference to the Heisman winner and the College Football Playoff.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

The best sport in the world is finally back. College football has returned and is already in full swing as we dive into Week 1, which promises to be a fantastic opening weekend. If the small sample size of games that have already taken place are any indication, then we are in for another tremendous season of this beautiful game.

As always, a fresh season means a fresh set of predictions and picks for what the next few months hold in store for us. From conference picks to playoff predictions to award winners, there’s so much in this crystal ball to look into. I didn’t have as inaccurate of an outlook as I may have expected last season, but even if these don’t come to fruition, it does not matter. That’s the fun of it all. So, let’s get into it, starting with previewing the results of each Power 5 conference.

Big Ten

Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes
Runner-Up: Iowa Hawkeyes

For all intents and purposes, 2022 will be a return to the norm in the Big Ten. Last season was filled with anomalies, the most notable of which was Michigan finally getting over the hump by beating their arch rivals in Ohio State, winning the conference and reaching the College Football Playoff. I hope that they enjoyed that brief success, because this year will belong to the Buckeyes once again.

Ohio State has a roster that’s as scary as it has ever been. It’s a squad that reminds me of the 2019 one so much, and many consider that to be one of the most talented Buckeyes teams ever. Returning the three-headed monster of CJ Stroud at QB, TreVeyon Henderson in the backfield, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba lining up outside is enough to make any and all opposing defenses lose sleep. Star wideouts like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are being replaced by incredible talents like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. The offensive firepower speaks for itself in Columbus. The questions reside exactly where they did last season: with the defense that cost them a chance at a national championship. Getting absolutely ran over by Michigan lit a fire under the program that has led to a complete reworking of that side of the ball. HC Ryan Day brought in Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State to take over as defensive coordinator after leading the Pokes to a top 5 defense last season. He inherits an incredibly talented defense, many of which return after last season’s sour ending. The defensive line of Jack Sawyer, Zach Harrison, Tyleik Williams, and JT Tuimololau is bound to wreak havoc on offensive lines all year long. The secondary has some very promising pieces like Cam Brown and Denzel Burke, who emerged as the top corner on the team last year. Tanner McCallister is a grad transfer who followed his former DC from Stillwater who will make an instant impact in the secondary as well. If the Bucks can fix their defensive woes, there will be very little that can stop them from realizing their potential, exercising their demons from 2021, and hoisting the championship trophy once again.

The rest of the conference should be fascinating to monitor. I personally think Iowa will build off of a tremendous 2021 season and run it back as champions of the B1G West, but I wouldn’t sleep on Wisconsin, especially with Braelon Allen bulldozing defenses out of the backfield. Michigan will of course have plenty of eyes on them as well, but I just don’t think they can live up to last year’s achievements after losing so much incredible talent to the NFL this year. They have a very good roster despite that, but it’ll just be too hard to compete with Ohio State in the B1G East. Michigan State also saw themselves overachieve last season, winning a New Year’s 6 bowl game in Mel Tucker’s first real season in East Lansing, but like their counterparts in-state, they suffer from being in a one-horse race in their division. A team that I wouldn’t sleep on is Penn State, who should be just as good if not better than they were last year with a very promising young team, especially defensively. Look out for the Nittany Lions to potentially finish second in the East.

SEC

Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Runner-Up: Georgia Bulldogs

The 2021 season was perhaps the best the SEC has had in years. The conference truly flexed its colors and showed the country that it was by far the best league in the sport. The results spoke for themselves. And the end result was a delight to watch, with Georgia using their generational defense to mercifully end their title drought and finally eclipse Alabama to be this season’s defending champions, despite losing to them in the SEC Championship Game. Could the Dawgs possibly run it back this year? Well, like the Big Ten, I see more of a return to normalcy.

Alabama is the preseason #1 team in the country according to both the AP and Coaches Poll. And by every metric, they should be. This was the #1 team in last year’s CFP and came extremely close to winning yet another national title. All they’ve done this offseason is return the Heisman-winning Bryce Young at QB and the best player in the sport in edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. Not to mention a plethora of athletic freaks at every position on both sides of the field, like Jase McClellan, Dallas Turner, Henry To’oTo’o, Jordan Battle, and so many more. But where Bama shined brightest this offseason was in the transfer portal, bringing in WR Jermaine Burton from the title-winning Georgia Bulldogs and a lightning-quick RB in Jahmyr Gibbs from Georgia Tech. Losing Jameson Williams removes a level of explosiveness from this offense, but they will still be able to carve up any team on any given Saturday. And their defense is even better, so good luck scoring on them. This is a sensational team across the board, and I’d be shocked to see them lose a game, or the #1 spot, at any point this season.

The defending champs are nothing to scoff at though. They return their star QB in Stetson Bennett, college football’s best tight end in Brock Bowers, and a very good amount of their star-studded defensive players from last season, the most notable of which being Jalen Carter, perhaps the best defensive tackle in the sport. There’s plenty of young talent to go around on both sides of the ball, and unless they return to the choking form of years past, it’s safe to say Georgia will be a playoff contender, if not one of the four teams competing for a title in late December.

The rest of the league is really anyone’s guess, as it tends to be so often. Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ole Miss are teams who had sensational years in 2021, but running that back is so hard in the SEC. I do have high hopes for the Hogs and Wildcats, but less so for the Rebels after losing their star QB to the NFL. It’s also hard to envision the traditional powers like LSU not returning to form, especially as the Tigers begin a new era with Brian Kelly at the helm. Teams like Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee seem primed to make up for the past few seasons. Perhaps the biggest question mark of the entire conference is Texas A&M, who has dominated recruiting and NIL alike with absolutely no success to show for it. This is the year it has to come to fruition for the Aggies. All of the eyes will be on them from start to finish.

ACC

Winner: Clemson Tigers
Runner-Up: Miami Hurricanes

Are you sensing the trend yet? After years of dominating college football, Clemson was perhaps the sport’s biggest disappointment in 2021. It’s not easy to replace a generational QB like Trevor Lawrence, but the Tigers’ offense was genuinely unwatchable last season. It’s hard to imagine it will be that bad again. Despite a complete assistant overhaul with OC Tony Elliott leaving fort Virginia and acclaimed DC Brent Venables going to Oklahoma, Clemson should return to form in 2022 thanks to what is, in my opinion, the best defense in college football. The defensive line is one full of guys who would start in the NFL right now in Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, and Tyler Davis. Trenton Simpson is an absolute stud in the middle of the defense. The secondary is stacked with names like Andrew Mukuba and Fred Davis. The offense isn’t the scariest sight, but RB Will Shipley and WR EJ Williams are tremendous young pieces who can make any play on the field. If QB DJ Uiagalelei can return to his 2020-level of play, then this team will be frightening. And if he doesn’t, there’s a very talented freshman QB in Cade Klubnik lying in wait. We know how that went last time for this team.

The ACC outside of Clemson is an absolute mess. This statement has been true for quite some time now. So many teams are in the beginning of new eras; Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and several others are beginning brand new regimes. Who knows who could rise to the top amidst all the chaos? I’m betting on Miami, simply because I think they have the talent to overcome most of the teams in the Coastal. I really like Virginia Tech and the direction they’re going in, Virginia has one of the more prolific passing offenses in college football, Pitt is coming off the high of a season that is impossible to replicate, so why not throw it back and have the Canes back in the spotlight? I have high hopes for the Mario Cristobal era, and kicking it off with a division win would do tremendous things for the program, which is seemingly already back on the rise. They worked the transfer portal and seem to have a very solid lineup on both sides of the ball. If QB Tyler Van Dyke can live up to his potential, we might be talking about Miami as a top 15-20 team by season’s end.

Big 12

Winner: Baylor Bears
Runner-Up: Oklahoma Sooners

The Big 12 is perhaps the biggest mess of a conference in the Power 5. Last year was one of the weirdest in over a decade, with Oklahoma struggling to find its identity, leading to the rise of teams like Oklahoma State and Baylor. This led to a ton of turnover this offseason, and now we have one of the most fascinating seasons ahead of us in this already exciting league.

Lost in the sea of overachieving teams in 2021 were the Baylor Bears, who improbably won the Big 12 and the Sugar Bowl with one of the most stout defenses in all of college football. This season, they return almost all of that unit with almost entirely upperclassmen. The offense is a solid unit, but it will be that defense that wins Baylor games, just as it was last season. I’m not exaggerating when I say Baylor is a top 6-7 team in the country and will be a playoff contender. That’s how strong I feel about them.

Oklahoma was gouged harder than any program I have ever seen this offseason. HC Lincoln Riley left for USC and took the star QB Caleb Williams and so many recruits and other young players with him. The Sooners have brought in former Clemson DC Brent Venables to take over as head football coach, and while I think they will return to form, it’s hard to see them being as great as they were under Riley with all that tremendous QB talent they’ve had. The offense is still solid, led by transfer QB Dillon Gabriel, but don’t be shocked if it’s not even as good as it was in 2021. However, I still think Oklahoma is talented enough on both sides of the ball to bounce back from last year’s shortcomings and be a top 2 team in this league.

Two other teams with plenty of eyes on them will be Texas and Oklahoma State. The Longhorns are one of college football’s most promising teams, with Steve Sarkisian still at the helm, a shiny new QB in transfer Quinn Ewers, the best RB in the sport in Bijan Robinson, and a top 5 WR in Xavier Worthy. However, Texas has still not shown us that they can return to their glory days. If there’s any season to do it, it’s this one. The Pokes, on the other hand, were mere inches away from a Big 12 title and CFP berth last season, but a fateful goal line confrontation relegated them to a Fiesta Bowl win instead. They return a lot of talent, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to replicate that level of success again with the rest of the conference catching back up. However, I still like what’s going on in Stillwater, and I can easily see them returning to the title game.

PAC-12

Winner: Utah Utes
Runner-Up: Oregon Ducks

That’s right. The PAC-12 is the only Power 5 conference that is going to play out exactly like it did in 2021. Well, maybe not exactly.

Utah turned it on harder than almost any other team in the country towards the end of last year, absolutely dominating Oregon twice en route to a conference title and Rose Bowl berth. After a slow start to their season, they ended the year 9-1 in games started by QB Cameron Rising. Now, Rising and a promising young offense is back and primed to make a real playoff push. The defense lost some key pieces, but is still a very, very good unit. I don’t see them getting shredded like they did in the Rose Bowl in any of their games this season. All in all, the Utes should make light work of what is, in all likelihood, the worst Power 5 conference in college football.

Oregon has had a tumultuous offseason that saw its beloved head coach leave and several key pieces depart for the NFL. Still, they’re the beneficiary of playing in the absolutely dreadful PAC-12 North, and they have more than enough talent to breeze to another trip to Vegas. Bo Nix comes in from Auburn to take over at QB and inherits a very solid offense with guys like Dont’e Thornton and Troy Franklin catching the ball. And the defense still has studs like Noah Sewell and Justin Flower to lock things down. If the Ducks weren’t in the midst of so much turnover, they’d probably be my pick to win this conference. Alas, they’ll have to deal with a Rose Bowl trip instead (yes, the runner up to the Rose Bowl, more on that later).

Despite all of this, no team in the conference has more eyes on them or more anticipation for this season than the USC Trojans. The program is back in full force as they’ve brought in Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to right the ship. Riley has brought a wave of his OU recruits and players, most notably QB Caleb Williams. They’ve even added other stars from around the country via the transfer portal, such as former Oregon RB Travis Dye and last year’s Biletnikoff award winner Jordan Addison from Pitt. With so much talent and actually competent coaching, why wouldn’t USC splash in year 1 of the new era? Well, I think it’s just too soon. The Trojans will be a ton of fun this season, but not as successful as the media may think. Next year will be the one for this team to truly blossom in to the playoff contender that everyone expects them to be.

Heisman Winner: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State Buckeyes

It is a biased pick. It is a basic pick. There’s nothing fun or exciting about picking the betting favorite to win the Heisman. That is, unless he plays for your team. I went against CJ on the record early last season and he shut me up so badly that I almost never want to bad mouth him ever again. I cannot wait to see what he has in store after last year’s fireworks (4,435 yards, 44 TDs). Leading the nation’s best offense with the nation’s best weapons sounds like a very good formula for success. Other players I wouldn’t sleep on are the obvious ones: Will Anderson, Bijan Robinson, Bryce Young, and even Jalen Carter. Maybe this is the year a defensive player finally wins it again!

Playoff Prediction

(1) Alabama vs. (4) Utah – Chick Fil A Peach Bowl
(2) Ohio State vs. (3) Georgia – Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Similar to how it was for so much of last season, college football in 2022 really is just Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and then everyone else. The Tide and Buckeyes should run the table with ease, and I think Georgia still gets in with a loss in the SEC title game by virtue of not losing in the regular season, just like they did last season. The fourth spot in the field could go to any number of teams: Baylor, Clemson, Notre Dame, and maybe even the likes of Oregon or Oklahoma State. But, I’m choosing the Utah Utes based on how they ended last season. It’s just such a solid team with so much returning talent that is bound to do huge things this year. However, the room for error is so slim, as it is with all those teams I mentioned that will be vying for the last playoff spot. With Baylor in the Big 12 which is bound to cannibalizing itself, Clemson playing Notre Dame in South Bend late in the year, Notre Dame opening against Ohio State, and so many other teams’ circumstances, I believe Utah has the best shot to get in at either 13-0 or 12-1. They need to be cautious not to slip up in games against teams like Florida, Arizona State, UCLA, USC, and Oregon, but if this team is what I think they are, they’ll be just fine. If not, then we could be looking at our first Alabama-Ohio State-Georgia-Clemson playoff ever. Either way, I think we’re in for a dandy in late December.

When it comes down to these matchups, it’s hard not to foresee the inevitable Alabama-Ohio State national championship game. And in that scenario, I’d pray every second of every day that the Bucks find a way to pull it out. Of course I’d pick them to win, but this might just be one of those years where nobody stops Alabama. However, I refuse to admit that. I’ve got the Buckeyes over the Tide in an instant classic national title game between the sport’s two biggest brands on its biggest stage. CJ Stroud has a legendary homecoming in SoCal en route to winning the program’s first title in 8 years. And we all go home happy!

The best sport in the world is back and I could not be more excited to be spending my Saturdays with my absolute favorite thing once again. Regardless of how this season plays out, I know I’m going to have the time of my life, as I always do. I hope you do as well.

All stats taken from ESPN.