Power 5 Conference 2018 Predictions

     IT'S COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK!!! Hello readers and welcome to the opening week of College Football. In honor of this fantastic time of year, I've got a big post for you all leading up to the games this weekend. This post will include my predictions for all the Power 5 Conferences winners as well as my CFB Playoff Predictions, my Husker overview and Heisman hopefuls! Also be on the lookout for my details about my upcoming radio show on KRNU this fall and for what Husker games I'll be calling on the radio! As for now, enjoy the predictions and get hyped for football season!


Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Las Year's Winner: Clemson

     We'll kick this off with an easy one and go out East to the ACC. Clemson has won the past 3 ACC Championships, and that's not likely to change this year. The Tigers return 15 total players from last year's squad including their entire defensive line. Easily the most fearsome defensive front four in the country, as all of them are ranked in ESPN's Top 50 Players for College Football. Christian Wilkins and crew will be reeking havoc on opposing backfields while Travis Etienne and the Tiger offense will roll through competition on their way back to the playoffs. This is one of the most complete and dominant teams in the nation and I expect them to have no issues in the Atlantic Division. Florida State is their typical competition, but new head coach Willie Taggart will have his hands full with an offensive line that gave up 32 sacks last year, ranking 99th in the nation. The 'Noles have selected Junior QB Deondre Francois to lead the team as he returns from injury, but I'm not sure this team will be up to the task of the Tigers. In my mind, the only other challenger (kind of, not really) in the division is Boston College. The Eagles won't win the division, but could definitely play spoiler and cause some upsets along the way. Boston College is my team to watch out for in the ACC, they finished last year with 7 wins and will definitely improve on that this season. They find both Miami and Virginia Tech in crossover play, so their schedule is stacked. Star RB AJ Dillion will look to continue his stellar freshman campaign as he ran for nearly 1,600 yards a year ago. Watch out for this kid's name on the Heisman list toward the end of the season. Clemson and Miami both travel to BC, so there's upset potential in the making. Louisville will be almost nothing without Lamar Jackson and NC State will drop a bit with the lost of Bradley Chubb.
     The Coastal Division is where things could get interesting as Miami and Virginia Tech both enter the season ranked in the top 20. The Hokies open the season against FSU, so there are big implications early in the year. Sophomore QB Josh Jackson impressed me last year with his play, so look for a lot of growth in year two. Especially because he returns 6 other offensive starters from 2017. The Hurricanes were one of the hottest teams until late in 2017, but the experience should play well for them in 2018. With 7 returning starters on both sides of the ball, look for the Turnover Chain to be out in full force for 2018. Miami and VA Tech both avoid Clemson this year, so the Coastal Division will likely be decided on November 17th in Blacksburg when Hurricanes travel North. Georgia Tech and Pitt are potential upset-causing teams, but I don't think they'll be able to win the Division. Clemson and Miami will rematch in the ACC Championship and the Tigers will once again take home the ACC crown in 2018.


Big 12 Conference
Last Year's Winner: Oklahoma

     The inaugural Big XII Championship went off without a hitch last season as Baker Mayfield and the Sooners demolished the Horned Frogs of TCU 41-17. Mayfield is gone and the Sooners will hand the QB1 job to Kyler Murry, who was also selected 9th overall in the 2018 MLB draft by the Oakland A's. They've agreed to let him play a year of college football before jumping to the big leagues. The Sooners return 12 starters from 2018, 6 on both sides of the ball. They're an early favorite to win the Big XII again. Next up we have the Horned Frogs of TCU. They return 11 starters, which is fewest in the conference. Despite that fact, the Frogs are ranked 16th to start the season and do catch Oklahoma at home. However, with road trips to Texas and West Virginia, they could have a difficult time getting back to the championship game. Speaking of the Horns and the Mountaineers, these are the two biggest threats to OU's crown. Let's start with the rival. Texas returns 14 starters, 7 on each side of the ball. Sam Ehlinger has been named QB1 and will look to improve on his solid freshman season. The Longhorns lost six games by 10 points or less last season, so look for a couple of those close ones to fall their way, especially because they play USC, Iowa State, TCU and West Virginia in Austin this year. When looking at the Mountaineers, they are one of my dark horse teams this season. They will have one of the most high-powered offensive attacks in the nation led by QB Will Grier and his All-American wideouts, David Sills IV and Gary Jennings Jr. Grier is also a dark horse Heisman candidate for 2018 after throwing for nearly 3,500 yards 34 TDs and just 12 picks in 2017. His completion percentage was 64.4% last season, so look for that to improve with returning experience on the offensive line. The big question marks are at Running Back and in the Secondary. Justin Crawford is gone, but Junior Kennedy McKoy had 596 yards and 7 TDs last season in the #2 role, so look for him to step out into the spotlight with the rushing attack for the Mountaineers. Defense is the main concern though as WVU returns only half of their starters from a year ago. Key losses in the secondary will hurt, especially since they ranked 91st last year, giving up over 240 yards per game through the air. If the defense can get just a few key stops throughout the year, Will Grier and the offense should be able to cover the rest. Look for this team to average around 40+ points per game and watch out for them at the end of the year.
     Oklahoma State will take a step back this year without the duo of Mason Rudolph and James Washington but they're always a dangerous team, especially with Texas and West Virginia visiting Stillwater. K-State will be as consistent as always, beating who they should but not quite having enough to knock off the top teams. Bill Snyder just got another extension though, so he'll be coaching for at least another 5 years. Another coach who's likely to get a big contract at the end of the year (likely at another school) is Matt Campbell at Iowa State. He had the Cyclones competing for a Big XII Championship game birth last year and was one of only two teams to beat Oklahoma in 2017 (Georgia being the other one in the Playoffs). They lose a big target with star wideout Allen Lazard moving onto the NFL, but with stability at QB and an experienced Running Back who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards last season, I think the Cyclones could do some damage again in 2018. Their defense gave up only 20.9 points per game last fall, and Oklahoma and West Virginia both visit Ames this season. Watch for some more upsets from the Cyclones. Finally, Baylor should improve, Texas Tech won't be too much of a factor and Kansas will be Kansas. I predict West Virginia and Oklahoma to meet in the Big XII Title Game, but the Mountaineers take the crown this year.


Pac-12 Conference
Last Year's Winner: USC

     The Pac-12 was a hot mess in 2017 with only two teams reaching double-digit wins and going 1-8 in bowl games. The 2018 season will feature a lot of new head coaches at major programs and a lot of familiar faces tearing up the stat sheet. Starting with the new coaches, Chip Kelly has arrived in LA and will be looking to set the Bruins on a new course. His fast-paced, high-speed offense will be intriguing to watch again in college football, but it could be a couple years before UCLA is truly a powerhouse. It's hard to predict what they'll do this season, but with Washington, Utah, Stanford and rival USC all visiting the Rose Bowl this year, there could be a couple potential upsets. Elsewhere in the South Division, Kevin Sumlin and Herm Edwards look to lead their respective desert-dwelling teams to the Pac-12 Championship. Out of the two, Arizona has the strong edge in my opinion. The Wildcats return 16 starters from a year ago (9 on defense and 7 on offense) along with Heisman hopeful Khalil Tate. Tate thrashed the record books while only playing two-thirds of the season. He'll be a September Heisman for sure, but how quickly his team can learn Sumlin's system will determine how far they'll go. With all the returning experience, they're a big threat to win the South Division, especially because USC, Cal and Oregon all visit Tucson and they avoid both Stanford and Washington. The Sun Devils made an interesting hire during the off-season, and I'm not convinced how well it will play out. I see 2018 as more of a rebuilding year for them. Colorado will look to bounce back from a losing season in 2017, but with only 10 returning starters and losing their all-time leading rusher, they have their work cut out for them. Then we have the other LA team, who are also the reigning conference champions, the USC Trojans. Sam Darnold is off to the NFL, so it's now up to true freshman, JT Daniels. He was highly recruited out of high school, but a week 2 trip to the Farm against Stanford will really test just how good this kid is. The Trojans bring back decent depth with 13 players returning, but losing key pieces like RB Ronald Jones II and WR Deontay Burnett to the NFL will be tough to replace. I see them sliding down a bit this year, which leaves room for my Pac-12 South Division Champ, the Utah Utes. Utah returns 14 starters from 2017, with 8 of them on the offensive side of the ball. Junior QB Tyler Huntley will look much better with another year under center, and he has weapons to use all around. He'll have Zack Moss next to him in the backfield at RB, and Moss accounted for nearly 1,500 total yards and 10 TDs in 2017. Their schedule is tough, but most of it is at home. They get Washington, Stanford and Oregon in crossover play, but only Stanford is on the road. Plus they get Arizona and USC in Salt Lake City too. I like the Utes to win the South, their experience will pay off.
     As we travel up North, the team everyone is focused on is Washington. They're the heavy favorite to begin the season as they return 17 starters from last year's squad and one of the best backfield duos in the nation with QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin. Browning has been lighting up the scoreboard since he was a freshman and Gaskin will be going for his 4th straight 1,000+ yard rushing season. Their defense is the true strength of their team as they held opponents to 16.1 points per game and bring back one of the nation's best secondaries. Oregon is transitioning into the Mario Cristobal era, but his familiarity with the program and star QB Justin Herbert should make the transition fairly easy. The Ducks return 15 starters with a lot of experience on defense. Home games against Stanford and Washington make the schedule a bit more manageable, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to take the control of the North Division. Their orange and black counterparts won't be making any significant jumps this year and Wazzu should step back with the loss of Luke Falk. Stanford is the big question mark in the North, primarily due to their defense, or lack there of. The Cardinal return just 6 starters on defense and lose their top two secondary players. The offense should be able to keep them afloat for a while however, as they return 9 starters including the 2017 Heisman runner up, RB Bryce Love. There's more stability at QB too as KJ Costello has been locked in as the starter. Their schedule does not do them any favors however, as they have to travel to Notre Dame for non-conference, then Oregon, Washington and my Pac-12 dark horse, the Cal Golden Bears. Now I don't think Cal is going to top Washington for the top spot in the conference, but this is a very dangerous team and will cause a few upsets this season, mark my words. Cal lost 4 games by 10 points or less in 2017 in their first season under new head coach, Justin Wilcox. Those close games will turn into wins in 2018, because the Golden Bears return 18 starters from last year, tied for second most in the nation. There are 10 returning starters on offense including QB Ross Bowers and star RB Patrick Laird. Laird is one of the most underrated players in the conference, and opposing teams will really have to be careful with him and the rest of Justin Wilcox's offense. Cal gets to host Oregon, Stanford and Washington this year as well, so I'm going to keep my eye on the Golden Bears. I still think Washington will come out of the North due to their experience on defense. They'll top Utah in the Pac-12 Championship and the Huskies will hold the crown once again. Washington wins the 2018 Pac-12 Championship.


South Eastern Conference (SEC)
Last Year's Winner: Georgia

     The SEC has two of the nation's best teams, followed by a bunch of teams looking like chickens with their head's cut off (no offense South Carolina). There's obviously a lot of talent spread throughout the conference, but with so much coaching turnover, it will be hard for other teams to break past Georgia and Bama. Starting with the East Division, Georgia is the heavy favorite and should be looking at another shot at the CFB Playoffs. There has been a lot of debate over which QB should start, but it's an easy decision. Jake Fromm led this team to the CFB Championship a year ago, there is no reasoning to say that a highly recruited freshman should overthrow him just because he's a 5 star recruit. Jake Fromm is the QB for Georgia and he will be even better than his 2,615 passing yards, 24:7 TD to INT ratio with 62.2% completion rating season he had a year ago. The Dawgs return 7 other starters on offense and RB D'Andre Swift should blossom in the starting role after 618 yards as RB3 in 2017. Their defense will need some reloading, but they're the most talented team in the SEC East right now. Florida is tied for the most returning starters in the nation with 19 (10 offense, 9 defense). That experience will be crucial as ex-Mississippi State head coach, Dan Mullen, has taken over the Swamp and looks to bring the Gators back to glory. We'll see how quickly they can pick up his system. Kentucky has a week 2 date with the Gators, so that will sort those two teams out fairly quickly. Missouri and South Carolina return a lot of talent, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to make it through their schedules. Tennessee will remain the dumpster fire we know and love.
     Over in the West, all the experts have picked Bama. That's always a strong pick, but my issue comes with the other prediction that's been made by everyone, Tua Tagovailoa winning the Heisman. ARE YOU SERIOUS?? Yes, the kid is a great talent at QB, but he's only played a half of football. He should not be the front-runner for the Heisman just based off of that because he still has to beat out another QB who has a 26-2 starting record with 2 consecutive trips to the playoffs. Personally, I like Tua better because of his ability to pick apart secondaries, but he's not a Heisman candidate yet. The Tide have a lot of talent to replace on defense, but they should be a strong playoff contender yet again (sigh). Their arch rival, the Auburn Tigers, were a game away from the playoffs and will be looking to take two Iron Bowls in a row from the Tide. They return 7 starters on defense and their centerpiece on offense with QB Jarrett Stidham. Their schedule is not friendly though as the open with Washington this weekend and have road trips to Georgia, Mississippi State and Bama. Auburn is always a surprising team, but I'm not sure they'll make it through that schedule. Ole Miss is looking to move past all of the Hugh Freeze issues and have unveiled the newest mascot in College Football with Landshark Tony (look it up). The new mascot is great (honestly one of my favorites in football now), but I don't see them making any big steps this year. Arkansas is rebuilding under new head coach Chad Morris and LSU will likely be looking for a new head coach after 2018. Much like they're looking for a QB who wants to stay in the program. Texas A&M will be interesting under new head coach Jimbo Fisher, but it'll take a year or two before they can really compete on Bama level. That just leaves my SEC dark horse, Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are under the direction of ex-Penn State OC Joe Moorhead and return 17 starters from 2017. Star QB Nick Fitzgerald is a Heisman caliber player, but will be suspended for the opener against SF Austin for violating team rules. This won't be much concern to anything other than the stat sheet as I saw backup QB Keytaon Thompson live in the Tax Slayer Bowl last December, and this kid is good. Even if Fitzgerald were to get injured again (I really hope not, he's fun to watch), the Bulldogs offense is loaded with weapons. I'm not sure they can win the division, but they will definitely cause some havoc this season. The most interesting story will be to see how Dan Mullen is received when Florida visits Starksville at the end of September. This is a talented team, so watch out for the Bulldogs this year. Bama should still roll though, Nick Saban is too good of a a coach to let his team slip up in the SEC during a down year. Bama and Georgia in the SEC Championship, but I think Georgia gets revenge. The Eastside Bulldogs are your 2018 SEC Champs.


Big 10 Conference
Last Year's Winner: Ohio State

     The Big 10 is arguably the most loaded conference in the nation when it comes to playoff potential teams. The West Division is fairly east to shake out, so we'll start with that. Wisconsin is the heavy favorite at they return 13 starters from last year, 9 of them on the offensive side of the ball. Of those 9, the Badgers return Junior QB Alex Hornibrook, Sophomore stud Johnathan Taylor at RB and every. Single. OFFENSIVE LINEMAN! The Badgers O-line averages 6'6, 315 lbs. and have a combined 150+ games of starting experience. They will be rolling over everyone this year. They have a lot of holes in the secondary to fill, but the Badgers should have some of the best linebacker play in the conference. Looking around the rest of the West Division, there really isn't anyone that can truly dethrone Wisconsin this season. Nebraska will be rebuilding with Scott Frost and has too difficult of a schedule to get to Indianapolis this year. Illinois won't do much, but I am excited to watch ex-Husker and former campus acquaintance of mine, AJ Bush, play QB for the Illini. Minnesota still has rebuilding to do under PJ Fleck and Iowa is just Iowa. Okay, the Hawkeyes have a solid team coming back with 13 starters, but their defense will have some holes without LB Josey Jewel holding down the fort. QB Nathan Stanley and TE Noah Fant could make a case for best passing duo in the conference though, so watch out for some more upsets from the black and gold. Speaking of black and gold, the other team that wears those colors in the West could also cause some headaches in 2018. The Purdue Boilermakers are on the rise under new head coach Jeff Brohm and will be looking to continue their success from 2017. The Boilermakers return 9 starters on offense including both of their part-time QBs, Elijah Sindelar and David Blough. Purdue opens with my dark horse of the  BIG 10 West, Northwestern, tomorrow night to help kick off the opening weekend of college football. The Wildcats are always a difficult team to predict on, but they are going to be a team to watch in 2018. They return 14 starters from last year, 7 on each side of the ball. Senior QB Clayton Thorson is recovering from a torn ACL in their bowl game against Kentucky, but having watched this kid play for 3 years, there's no way he's missing any time this season. Thorson is honestly one of the toughest and most consistent QBs I've ever followed. Even when he beats the Huskers, he's an absolute pleasure to watch. He knows the game extremely well and improves every year. His completion rating has gone up every year and I think his senior year will be his best yet. Northwestern avoids Ohio State and Penn State this year and get Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin at home. If they can get through the opener against Purdue, this team has potential to push Wiscy for that division title. I've still got the Badgers winning the West though.
     Now the East Division of the BIG 10 is a bit more complicated. Ohio State is the early favorite, but Urban Meyer's suspension has increased caution with their playoff capabilities. It shouldn't hinder their BIG 10 Title hopes as the only conference opponent they play during Urban's suspension is Rutgers, but it will be interesting to see how the team responds to his absence. The other candidates for division title contenders are Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan. Starting with Penn State, everyone has written them off since Saquon Barkley left for the NFL. However, the Nittany Lions return 7 other starters on offense including the best QB in the nation, in my opinion. Senior Trace McSorely is often overlooked, but this kid can ball. He's thrown for over 3,500 yards in each of the past two seasons with 77 total career TDs (59 passing, 18 rushing), and completed 66.5% of his passes last year. Most importantly, the guy just knows how to win. He's a gutsy player with great decision making and I know this is going to be his year. He's a dark horse Heisman favorite for me and I think he's going to lead Penn State back to the BIG 10 Championship. If they can survive a road trip to the Big House in November, the rest of their schedule sets up nicely for them as they host Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa and Wisconsin all in Happy Valley. Watch out for the Nittany Lions, there's still a lot of talent on that team. Speaking of talent, the Michigan Wolverines are loaded on all sides of the ball, and most importantly, they finally have a QB! Jim Harbaugh has been lacking a solid player in the QB spot over the past few years, contributing to Michigan's lack of offense. Graduate Transfer Shae Patterson out of Ole Miss should ease those woes and bring a spark to the Maize and Blue. Their defense will be as formidable as ever too since 9 of their 17 returning starters are on that side of the ball. Michigan will be a fun team to watch this year and I think they're going to even beat the Buckeyes this year. Finally (because we know Indiana, Rutgers and Maryland won't do anything significant), we turn our attention to the Spartans of Michigan State. They are going to be one of the most experienced teams in the country as they return 19 starters from 2017, including dual-threat QB Brian Lewerke. Sparty has weapons all over the place on offense, but their defense is what will give them a shot at getting back to the BIG 10 championship. They ranked 7th in total defense last year and only gave up an average of 20 points per game. With "simple" road trips to Happy Valley and Lincoln (they don't typically play well against the Sea of Red), the rest of their schedule lines up quite nicely. Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue and Michigan all visit East Lansing and they avoid Wisconsin from the West. The BIG 10 is always intriguing because all of the teams are so talented and often beat up on each other so much in conference that the playoffs are difficult to reach. The East could end up with any of those 4 main teams to be honest, but I like Penn State vs. Wisconsin in the title game. That's a hard one to pick, especially because I hate going against McSorely, but I'm picking the Badgers to win the BIG 10 in 2018.


Nebraska Football Overview

     Scott Frost has come home and is ready to lead the Huskers as head coach this time around. His goal is to bring Nebraska back to the top ranks of College Football and to bring back the culture to what it once was under T.O. The fan base is excited, the energy is back in Memorial Stadium and that large building at the end of Vine Street will be rocking come Saturday night. There will be a lot of new faces on the field for Nebraska, including the first ever true freshman to start a season opener in program history. Adrian Martinez won the starting QB job, but not without drama of course. Just 1 day after Martinez was named the starter, Redshirt Freshman, Tristan Gebbia, withdrew from classes and left the program since he lost the QB battle. This leaves Nebraska with two walk-on QBs behind Martinez, the lone scholarship QB on roster. Luckily the Huskers have a lot of returning weapons around Martinez, including one of the most talented group of receivers in the BIG 10. Nebraska's offense will have a steep learning curve with Coach Frost's up-tempo offense, but they should be a fun group to watch this year. As for the Blackshirts, 8 returning starters are back from a year ago, but there will still be a lot of new faces on the field as UCF transfer Safety, Tre Neal, was named a starter and a lot of young talent will get a chance to see the field. One player you definitely need to watch out for is my good friend, #57 at Linebacker, Jake Weinmaster. I'm very excited to announce that Jake was awarded a scholarship at the end of Fall camp and I cannot wait to watch him tear it up in the games!
     With all of the excitement, I do have to remember this is College Football and Nebraska has a new system in place as they head into face the nation's top 5 toughest schedules according to numerous sources. This does not make for a good recipe for immediate success and this team still has a lot of growing to do before they'll be competing for a BIG 10 Championship or a Playoff birth. I believe Nebraska has a shot in every game like any other fan, but my reality prediction leaves this team at 5-7 or 6-6 at the end of the year. This season is about stepping forward in a new direction and while 7 or 8 wins would be nice, I'm just not sure that's realistic with Colorado, Michigan State coming to Lincoln and brutal road trips to Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Ohio State and Iowa lined up. I'm excited to see the talent on this team and I know Coach Frost will be able to bring them together quickly, but they'll have to learn how to play together quickly if they want to make a bowl game this year. Nebraska is on the right path, but it's going to take some time. GO BIG RED!


College Football Playoff Predictions

     My 4 CFB Playoff teams are Clemson, Georgia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Heisman Hopefuls

     In no particular order, these are my 5 Heisman candidates entering the season.

Trace McSorley QB Penn State
Johnathan Taylor RB Wisconsin
Bryce Love RB Stanford
Will Grier QB West Virginia
Jake Browning QB Washington

     I hope you all enjoyed the mega-post and are as ready for College Football season as I am! Be sure to leave any comments or questions below and get ready, because GAMEDAY is upon us!

#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando

Group of 5 Conference 2018 Predictions

     Hey football fans, we're less than two weeks from the kickoff of the 2018 College Football season and I am pumped! As always, I'll be keeping you updated with all the college football craziness here on my blog, and will also have a solo radio show this fall on our campus radio station KRNU2 at UNL. I'll provide details for the show in a later post, but I will make sure to upload all the podcast recordings in case you can't listen live. Another big announcement is that I will be taking a Sports Broadcasting class for my last semester at school, which will provide me the opportunity to call at least one Husker Football game on the radio along with some local high school games, Husker Volleyball and Soccer games! I'm very excited for this opportunity and I think this along with enjoying games as a fan again will be a great way to end my college experience.

     Now onto the actual football part of this post, this one is focused on my predictions for the Group of 5 Conferences. It's not likely any of these teams will make a big push for the playoffs, but there are still some dangerous teams in the lower conferences, and some of the best (unknown) players in the nation. They'll be looking to prove themselves even more this season and could cause a few upsets during non-conference play. So check out which G5 teams could be upset potential and enjoy!

Sun Belt Conference

Last Year's Winner: Troy & Appalachian State

     Much like 2017, the 2018 Sun Belt title should be taken home by one of three teams, Troy, Appalachian State or Arkansas State. The big change in 2018 will be the new Sun Belt Championship game, ending the possibility of shared conference titles like the previous two seasons have seen. With the new championship game and divisions being established in the conference, it does break up the competition a bit. Troy and App. State are placed in the East Division with Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Coastal Carolina. The Trojans and Mountaineers are the primary threats, but Georgia Southern looks to turn some heads with newly promoted head coach Chad Lunsford and 18 returning starters (9 offense & 9 defense). Appalachian State and Troy both bring back 11 total starters, and both teams also lose their star QBs. This makes the East a pretty even slate between those two teams. The West Division should be dominated by the Red Wolves, as they return star QB Justice Hansen and a strong receiving corps. Their defense will suffer some key losses with stud DE Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, LB Kyle Wilson and DB Blaise Taylor all graduating, but there's still enough pieces to shut opposing teams down. South Alabama and Georgia State will have solid defenses to keep games close, but both teams will be breaking in new QBs, so the offenses will need to get up to speed quickly. UL-Monroe returns 8 starters on offense, including the QB-Receiver combo of Caleb Evans and Marcus Green. The two connected for over 800 yards through the air and 5 TDs last season. Evans is a dynamic dual-threat QB, so look for defenses to force him to throw more this season. Their defense has a lot of holes, but should improve slightly from giving up 41 points per game in 2017. UL-Lafayette had a similar problem on defense as they gave up around 40 points per game. There are some questions at QB, but star RB Trey Regas and 3 O-linemen are back to lead a powerful ground game for the Ragin' Cajuns. I anticipate Troy coming out of the East, but the Red Wolves should take the Sun Belt crown in the inaugural 2018 Sun Belt Championship game!

Mid-American Conference (MAC)

Last Year's Winner: Toledo

   The MAC will be a fun conference to watch this year, especially in the East Division. My man Frank Solich and his Ohio Bobcats look to lead the way with 9 returning starters on an offense that averaged 39.1 points per game last season. The deadly duo of QB Nathan Rourke and RB A.J. Ouellette are back after combining for nearly 2,000 yards on the ground last year (912 for Rourke and 1,006 for Ouellette). Plus, 3 of the Bobcats' top 4 wideouts are back, so Rourke will have plenty of weapons. The other potential threats in the East are Buffalo and Miami (OH). The Bulls return the QB-WR duo of Tyree Jackson and Anthony Johnson on offense, and All-American Candidate Khalil Hodge at Linebacker for the defense. Johnson had more than 1,300 yards receiving last season with 14 TDs. Look for him to reek havoc again on opposing secondaries. For the Redhawks of Miami (OH), the 2017 was plagued by injures, causing a down year after finishing 2016 strong. However, star QB Gus Ragland is back and their defense should be one of the tops in the conference with 8 returning starters. It should be a tight race between these three teams.

     Over in the West Division, Northern Illinois looks to reclaim the oh-so-familiar crown. The Huskies won 6 division titles from 2010-2015. They will be lead by star DE Sutton Smith and a defense that returns 5 other starters. They only gave up 22 points per game last season, so look for opposing offense to have a tough time again this year. Offensively, they aren't loaded with talent like Toledo, but sophomore QB Marcus Childers should improve from his freshman season. Speaking of the Rockets, the defending MAC Champions have a lot to replace with MAC Player of the Year, QB Logan Woodside, being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. Woodside was responsible for nearly 3,900 yards through the air and 28 TDs in 2017, so his replacement will have some big shoes to fill. The rest of the West division shouldn't cause too much havoc to the top tier teams, but upsets are always possible in College Football. I like Northern Illinois to take control of the West, but the East is a toss up. I'll stick with my man Frankie and I think the Bobcats of Ohio will win their first MAC title since 1968. Ohio wins the 2018 MAC Championship over Northern Illinois.

Conference USA (C-USA)

Last Year's Winner: Florida Atlantic

     Lane Kiffin and his fighting Owls rolled through C-USA last year, with a perfect record in conference play and a 41-17 win over North Texas in the conference championship. They return All-American RB Devin Singletary and 10 starters on a defense that gave up 22.7 points per game last year. Marshall is the second team to watch in the East Division, as they nearly beat the Owls last year, and bring back 17 starters including 9 on defense from 2017. The Heard also get to host FAU this year, setting up a lot of potential for an upset. Middle Tennessee State has potential, but that mostly hinges on the health of stud QB Brent Stockstill. Florida International returns 7 starters on offense, and hosts both FAU and Marshall, so watch out for the Golden Panthers.

     Over in the West Division, there are three big contenders for the top spot. Last year's division champion, North Texas, will be tough to beat as they return 17 starters, including QB Mason Fine. Fine threw for 4,052 yards and 31 TDs in 2017, leading the Mean Green to the 19th ranked scoring offense in the nation. They'll have to fix a defense that gave up around 35 points per game last year, but they're a threat in 2018 for sure. The other two contenders in the West are LA Tech and the newly re-vamped UAB Blazers. Louisiana Tech should have a solid defense, and the offense will look to improve under Junior QB J'Mar Smith. The schedule is not in their favor however, as they have to travel to both North Texas and FAU. The Blazers have a little more luck since they avoid FAU in crossover play and get North Texas at home. UAB surprised everyone last year going to a bowl game in their first year back in the College Football ranks. They'll look to build on their 8-5 season as QB A.J. Erdely returns with 9 total starters on offense. Southern Miss will be replacing a lot of talent with All-CUSA RB Ito Smith gone, but has a good chance to make a bowl game. UTEP and Rice will be with new coaches, so they will be in transition mode for 2018. I like North Texas to win the West again, but watch out for those sneaky Blazers. Nonetheless, Lane Kiffing and Florida Atlantic should roll yet again, potentially even to a New Year's Six Bowl! The Owls are my pick for the C-USA Champion in 2018.

Mountain West Conference (MWC)

Last Year's Winner: Boise State

     The Mountain West Conference has been a bit lackluster over recent years, but Boise State looks to take back the crown as the top Group of 5 team in the nation. The Broncos finished last year 11-3, and return 15 starters, including QB Brett Rypien and RB Alexander Mattison. Their defense held teams to just 22.9 points per game last year, so look for the Broncos to be tough yet again on that side of the ball. I think Brett Rypien will really shine in his senior year, so watch for him to put up some crazy numbers this season. Elsewhere in the Mountain Division, it's a three-way race for second place. Colorado State, Utah State and Wyoming  all make cases for the spot, but I'm giving the nod to Wyoming. Colorado State only returns 9 starters from 2017 and they will be lead by graduate transfer QB K.J. Carta-Samuels from Washington. Luckily they have a lot of weapons around him, so their offense should still be fairly deadly. Utah State was a close pick behind Wyoming, because the Aggies return 16 starters from last year, including QB Jordan Love. Love took over the second half of last season and will look to build on his success. He will have to navigate a very tough schedule however, which includes trips to Michigan State, BYU, Wyoming, Hawaii, Colorado State and Boise State. I like the Aggies this year, but their schedule is just too brutal for them to last very long. UNLV and Nevada both have strong potential to make a bowl game.

     Over in the West Division, the crown will likely be determined on November 17th when the Aztecs of San Diego State visit the Bulldogs of Fresno State. Fresno State won last year, and has a good chance to go for two in a row. The Bulldogs return 15 starters, including QB Marcus McMaryion and one of the conferences best receiving corps. Their defense held teams to just 17.9 points per game last year, so look for Jeff Tedford's team to be a force to reckon with, even with a new Defensive Coordinator. San Diego State will be replacing star RB Rashaad Penny, but Juwan Washington should fill those shoes nicely. The Aztecs also return 7 starters from a defense that gave up only 20.2 points last season. Both teams will be tough this year, but I like Fresno State to take the West. However, the Championship crown will still be worn by the Broncos at the end of 2018. Boise State wins the Mountain West!

American Athletic Conference

Last Year’s Winner: UCF

     The Golden Knights shocked the nation last year with a 13-0 record just two seasons after going 0-12. They were led by Scott Frost, who is now back in his home state of Nebraska to coach the Cornhuskers. The Knights claimed a 2017 national title for their efforts last season and look to continue their success in 2018. Star QB McKenzie Milton will have some talent back to help him, but the true challenge will be learning Josh Heupel's new offense. The defense will likely take a step back after losing standout LB Shaquem Griffen and lockdown DB Mike Hughes to the NFL. Regardless, Milton and Heupel should gel quickly, leading to a lot of wins for the Golden Knights in 2018. Right on the heels of the Knights are the Owls of Temple and the Bulls of USF. Temple won four out of their last 5 games in 2017, and return six players on either side of the ball to make for some solid experience. The Owls get a break missing Memphis in crossover play, but their schedule is far from easy. Road trips include a nasty non-conference date with the Boston College golden feet of AJ Dillon, and then conference trips to Navy, UCF, Houston and UConn. The Owls will really have to make a push in November if they want a shot at the conference title. The Bulls will be replacing star QB Brandon Flowers, who left USF with his name next to nearly every record possible. Charlie Strong will have to find a QB quickly if he wants his offense to look even remotely close to the kind of production they had in 2017. I like the young talent on this team though, so watch out for them to challenge UCF in the season finale.

     The American West Division is definitely the more interesting to watch this year as Navy, Houston and Memphis battle for the top spot while SMU and Tulane look to play spoiler with a lot of experience coming back. Memphis will be looking to avenge their double-OT loss to UCF in the conference championship on October 13th when the Knights come to visit them. Unfortunately the Tigers have a lot of talent on offense to replace with their deadly QB-WR duo of Riley Ferguson and Anthony Miller expiring their eligibility. The defense returns 8 starters however, so look for some improvement on that side of the ball. Houston is a tricky team to pick because they have arguably the best player in the nation with DT Ed Oliver, but have a tough schedule as they catch both Memphis and Navy on the road. The Cougars are going to be a scary team on defense, so we'll see if their offense can put up some numbers to help them out. Navy has arguably the most difficult path to the conference championship as they are on the road for UCF and Tulane. Malcolm Perry has full grip on the reigns at QB, and he rushed for nearly 1,200 yards last season. SMU will transition a bit under new head coach Sonny Dykes, but Junior QB Ben Hicks should help ease that after throwing for 3,569 yards and 33 TDs last year with only 12 picks. Look for them to pull an upset or two as they host Navy, Houston and Memphis all in Dallas. Finally, Tulane could be another spoiler as they return 15 total starters from last season (8 offense, 7 defense). That's the most returning experience in the conference, and hosting both Memphis and Navy could cause some fireworks. I think Houston will come out of the West Division simply because of their dominating defense. However, McKenzie Miltion is a guy who does not lose easily, and I believe the Golden Knights will find themselves atop the American Conference yet again at the end of 2018. UCF wins the American Conference.

     Thank you all for reading my Group of 5 Conference predictions! My predictions on the Power 5 Conference predictions will be posted soon, so be watching and GO BIG RED!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando