It was around this time last year that attempts to make college football predictions began, with the guesswork of whether the season would actually come to an end.
Only 60% of FBS conferences started in September – which explains why UCF will be elected to the 2020 college football playoffs.
Does that explain the selection of Texas? There are only so many things that can be attributed to the pandemic. (It should be noted that the if-in-doubt-pick-Alabama strategy worked great).
College football is heading back towards business as usual in 2021. Fingers crossed. That should make it a lot easier to predict who will disappoint, outperform, and make the playoffs and win the national championship.
To the right?
UNDERLATE / OVERRIDE
Three teams that start the season without rank, but are rated:
TCU (40 points in preseason poll): Coach Gary Patterson seems to have a surprising Big 12 contender with breakout candidates in running back (Zachary Evans) and receiver (Quentin Johnson). Beware of five Big 12 street games.
Houston (five points). The American Athletic Conference is usually good for at least one surprising team per season (see: Tulsa 2020, Navy 2019). The cougars look like they did in year 3 under Dana Holgorsen.
Kentucky (zero points). The Wildcats are a college football hipster selection that ranks second in the SEC East, with a viral video quarterback in Penn State Transfer Will Levis.
Three teams that start the season ranked but are not rated:
No. 13 Florida. The Gators have lost a lot of firepower and need a big step forward from a defense that was a mess last season. Oh, look, Alabama is on the agenda too.
No. 17 Indiana. The Hoosiers’ rise was a great story under coach Tom Allen, but last season’s milestone wins against Michigan and Penn State will be hard to repeat on the road.
No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette. A small step back after double-digit wins in a row for coach Billy Napier’s team is probably enough to relegate the Ragin ‘Cajuns to the rankings. If they start a second straight season with a win against a Big 12 opponent – this time against No. 21 Texas – that pick will go out the window.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
Atlantic Coast Conference: Clemson on North Carolina. The Tigers claim their seventh consecutive ACC title with a new star quarterback in DJ Uiagalelei and a defensive that brings back memories of Christian Wilkins-led Power Rangers who won a national title in 2018.
American Athletic Conference: Cincinnati over Houston. The Bearcats make it to two AAC titles in a row behind QB Desmond Ridder and represent a serious case for entry into the college football playoffs.
Big 12: Oklahoma via TCU. The Sooners make it seven times in a row the championship against the surprising Horned Frogs. How long can a team be an outgoing member of a conference?
Big Ten: Wisconsin over Ohio State. The Buckeyes haven’t lost a Big Ten game under their third-year coach Ryan Day. Has to happen at some point, right? A more explosive Badgers offensive with QB Graham Mertz breaks Ohio State’s grip on the Big Ten after four straight titles.
Conference USA: West Kentucky on USTA. Due to a revised offensive – the Hilltoppers imported a quarterback, two receivers and an offensive coordinator from FCS Houston Baptist – the WKU wins its first C-USA title since 2016.
Mid-American Conference: Western Michigan via Kent State. The MAC is all about parity. In the past five seasons, nine different teams have made it to the championship game. The Broncos have been close for the past two seasons.
Mountain West: Nevada via Boise State. Coach Jay Norvell may have the Wolf Pack’s best team since Colin Kaepernick tore it apart in Reno. Behind the NFL prospects QB Carson Strong and WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada wins its first Mountain West title.
Pac-12: Oregon via Utah. The Ducks make three Pac-12 titles in a row, with offensive destructive pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux leading the way. But can they do enough to get the Pac-12 back into the GFP?
Southeast Conference: Georgia over Alabama. JT Daniels gives the Bulldogs the kind of dynamic offense they need to break through to the Crimson Tide after three devastating losses in the past four seasons.
Sun belt: Appalachian state via Louisiana-Lafayette. App State had won or shared the previous four Sun Belt titles before being knocked off the top of the mountain by Coastal Carolina and ULL last season. The Mountaineers are pushing back this season.
COACHING CAROUSEL
The jobs in Southern California and Michigan both open, with the blue-blooded targets each targeting Matt Campbell of the state of Iowa. Campbell also chooses USC for NFL options.
SIX OF THE NEW YEAR
Rose Bowl – Ohio State vs. Oregon.
Sugar Bowl – Alabama vs. TCU.
Fiesta Bowl — Texas A&M versus Cincinnati.
Peach Bowl — North Carolina vs. LSU.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
Wait! A playoff without Alabama and Ohio State?
Orange Bowl Semifinals – No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Wisconsin.
Cotton Bowl Semifinals – No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Oklahoma.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Georgia versus Oklahoma. The Bulldogs win the elusive first national championship since 1980.
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