Hey everyone, I've been a little busy with school starting up, but the long wait for college football is nearly over! In just over a week that time of year we all wait for will be upon us again. This post will be my thoughts about how each conference will shake out at the end of the year, who the favorites are to win, and who needs help. We'll start from the bottom and work our way up to the top!
The weakest conference in Division 1 College Football is definitely the Sun Belt. However, I always believe that any team can beat anyone on any given weekend, so don't always expect a cakewalk down there. Last year, Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Title with a perfect conference record of 8-0 (9-3 Overall). They did get lucky though, not having conference powerhouses Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette on their schedule. Louisiana Lafayette finished in second with a 7-1 conference record (9-4 Overall), and Appalachian State finished third with a 6-2 conference and 7-5 overall record. I expect Georgia Southern to continue their year 1 success and make a run for back to back conference titles. Their biggest challenge will be rival newcomer Appalachian State. They picked up a lot of momentum once in conference play and won six straight last year, including victories over both ULL and Arkansas State. Georgia Southern and Appalachian State face off in mid-late October which could make a big difference in the final few weeks of conference play. Lafayette isn't quite out of the mix though. They did lose their superstar QB Terrance Broadway, who threw for nearly 3,000 yards last year and ran for another 800. The good news is that they do return their leading rusher, Elijah McGuire who ran for nearly 1300 yards and 14 TDs last year as a Sophomore. I think that his Junior campaign will give the Ragin' Cajuns a good chance to compete for a Sun Belt Conference Championship.
Next we'll go to the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Although this conference isn't always known for big-time football programs, they have been gaining a lot of strength the past few years. Four main teams are the big competitors in this season, but a few others have a prime chance to surprise people. Three of those four major players, Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan, are all from the West division. Bowling Green is the heavy favorite in the East. With three conference powerhouses in one division, things could get heated pretty quickly. NIU is probably the favorite heading into a season where they are looking to reach their 6th straight conference title game. However, the Rockets from Toledo have one of the top backs in the nation in Kareem Hunt, so their running game will be tough to stop this year. Last year Hunt ran for over 1,600 yards averaging 8 yards per carry. The Broncos return 16 starters from last season, but have a very difficult schedule. Playing both Michigan State and Ohio State in their non-conference lineup, and finishing their last 3 weeks of the season with Bowling Green, and then away at both NIU and Toledo. They'll have a lot of work to do with that rough of a schedule. My prediction is a Bowling Green vs. Toledo MAC Championship Game with Toledo winning it all this year. I think Hunt will explode this year and be too much to stop.
Now over to the Mountain West Conference. Very much like the MAC, there are four major players this year, and three of them are in the Mountain Division. San Diego State is favored in the West Division. They return their leading rusher Donnel Pumphery who rushed for over 1,800 yards and 20 TDs. Boise State is once again top dog in the Mountain Division, but they have a lot of ground to make up after losing both their starting QB and star RB Jay Ajayi. However, Colorado State is looking to knock off the Broncos from the top of the mountain. Biletnikoff Award Finalists Rashard Higgins is headed into his Junior year after a stellar 1750 yard, 17 TD performance in his Sophomore campaign. The biggest setback for CSU is the loss of their head coach as he moved down to Gainesville to coach the Gators. The third powerhouse team in the Mountain Division is Utah State. They've had a number of injury problems over the last few seasons that have held them back, but superstar QB Chucky Keaton is back and in good health headed into his Senior year. He's a proven threat in the league and in my opinion is one of the most underrated Quarterbacks in the nation. My prediction is that Utah State will finally get through the season in pretty decent health and knock of the Broncos to claim the crown.
Next up, Conference USA. Western Kentucky looks like the team to beat this year. Returning Senior QB Brandon Doughty is huge for the Hilltoppers. He's back to lead an offense that averaged nearly 45 points per game last season. Marshall is their biggest threat in the East, but they have to replace the deadly passing duo of Rakeem Cato and Tommy Shuler. I don't think they'll have enough firepower to keep up with WKU on November 27th. I'm giving the East to the Hilltoppers. Over in the West Division, Louisiana Tech is still way out front compared to the rest of the division. With RB Kenneth Dixon back to tear up the backfield, and Florida QB transfer Jeff Driskel, the Bulldogs could have an explosive offense this year. I think they will meet WKU in the Conference Championship, but the experience Doughty has will lead the Hilltoppers to the crown.
The American Athletic Conference looks to be kind of tricky this year. Cincy and Houston are the favorites to meet in the inaugural Conference Championship Game, but I think that newcomer Navy and the high-powered Memphis Tigers might cause some trouble. Cincy has a pretty good lock on the East with a juiced offense and not much competition. Their struggles on defense may need to be fixed before the championship game though. The West is a different story. Houston is the early favorite, but my prediction is that Navy will show up early in their conference debut. Memphis could make some waves, but I personally don't think they have enough defense to keep them in the running for long. My prediction is a Cincy-Navy championship with the Midshipmen upsetting the Bearcats to take the first ever American Athletic Conference Championship game.
Now into the Power 5; I'll start with the ACC. Florida State is looking for their fourth straight Conference Title, but losing their star QB will make that tough. They did however, acquire Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson and named him the starter about a week ago. He should help FSU reload quickly. As usual, Clemson is FSU's biggest challenge to achieve their four-peat. The Tigers have a lot to replace from one of the best defenses last year, but with Sophomore stud QB Deshaun Watson and a whole crew of weapons returning on offense, they will definitely contend. The Coastal Division is a little more open. Georgia Tech is the favorite as they return experienced QB Justin Thomas, but they still lost a good portion of their backfield. Down south, the Canes are starting to cause some ripples. Even with losing RB Duke Johnson from last year, Miami has a good chance to compete in this division. Sophomore QB Brad Kaaya has a year under his belt and played well in some tough games as a Freshman. Look for him to step up this year. My prediction is that Miami and FSU will meet in the title game with FSU getting their four-peat.
The infamous Big XII is next on the list. They are the only Power 5 Conference to not have a Championship Game, and are quite bitter after being left out of last year's playoff. Two teams dominate the conference as of now, and they are the Bears from Baylor along with their arch rival the Horned Frogs from TCU. A lot of people have been mentioning Oklahoma as the true top dog and some (Kirk Herbstreit) have even put them into the upcoming College Football Playoff! I honestly don't see it. Everyone was saying the same thing a year ago, and look where they ended up, 7-5. I think that they will have a very similar record this year and once again be no where near the playoffs. I predicted it last year, and I just don't see it with their team right now. Especially with their final 3 games being at Baylor, home for TCU, and at Oklahoma State. This year's Big XII Champion will once again come down to the Baylor-TCU showdown during rivalry weekend. It's possible that both could have the same record again and both be crowned champions again, so we'll just say that it depends on that game right now. This is a very tough choice, but I think that the Horned Frog will pull it out in another high-scoring shootout between these high-powered offenses.
Out west, the Pac12 is shaping up to be a good conference to watch, especially in the South. Oregon and Stanford are obviously top dogs in the North, and that division could be decided by that game. I would love to see Stanford pull it out, especially with returning QB Kevin Hogan at the helm, but I still see Oregon running away with the North Division. The South however, that's a completely different story. USC has the early predictions as favorites, but crosstown rival UCLA is still looking to compete. Plus, you can't forget about the teams in the desert, the Wildcats and Sun Devils are going to be teams to watch this year. Arizona State has a favorable schedule with 8 home games, but must replace QB Taylor Kelly and WR Jalin Strong. The Wildcats are looking stable on offense, but could use a big push from their defense if they want to compete against the other offenses in the conference. My prediction is that USC will pull out of the South and have a rematch against the Ducks. The Ducks are going to continue their winning though, and take the crown.
Now down south to the SEC. Often called the toughest conference in College Football. Somewhat of a loose term to me, but nonetheless, there are some good games down there. The natural favorite, Alabama, has a lot to replace, but still remains at the top. However, I don't think that their run in the west will be so easy. LSU, Auburn, and Mississippi State will make it another tough road for everyone in that Division. Dak Prescott is back and ready to rewrite the script from last year's incredible start. The bulldogs are looking to finish it this year. It'll be a tough road for them, but it's always possible in College Football. I think that they might surprise some people like they did last year. However, Alabama will somehow emerge victorious out in the west, just as they always do for some unknown reason. Auburn and LSU both have a chance to stop them once again, but I don't think they'll quite make it. Hopefully they prove me wrong. Out East, only one team is being called out, UGA. The Bulldogs have the talent to win the SEC title, but do they have the health? This has been the big question in the past few seasons, it seems like they lose at least half of their starters to major injuries every year! If they can avoid the injury bug, I think they could easily go all the way into the Playoff. Two time defending champ Mizzou might have something to say, but with the talent they've lost, it may take them another year to say it. My sleeper in this conference is Tennessee. The Vols have been getting sneakily good out there at Rocky Top. Look for them to compete this year. My prediction is Georgia winning the conference, if they can stay healthy.
Finally, the best for last, the BIG 10. Obviously, there's only one team to really know about, the Buckeyes, last year's national champs. They return not 1, not 2, but 3 superstar QBs that could start anywhere else in the nation. Braxton Miller took himself out of the QB showdown by switching to WR, but the question remains to be answered on who will be QB1. J.T. Barrett, or Cardale Jones? The East isn't a complete lock for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes though; steady power Michigan State is primed for a break out season. They return a good number of starters from one of the nation's top defenses, and 3rd year QB Connor Cook has his eyes set on a Championship. Lots of people think that Jim Harbaugh and Michigan will have an immediate impact in the East, but I think it will take a year before that happens. The East will be decided between OSU & MSU. I think Ezekiel Elliot will help OSU win the Division, most likely the Conference, and possibly another National Title. Out West, it's all up for grabs. Wisconsin is the favorite, but my beloved CornHuskers are not far behind. Both schools have new coaches in Paul Chryst and Mike Riley, and both schools lost one of their best offensive weapons in school history. I doubt that Wisconsin's game plans will change much, so I think it will depend on how quickly the Huskers can catch on to Riley & staff's new system. I always have to root for Nebraska, but I do honestly think that they will win the West. The defense has potential to be one of the best in the nation, and 3rd year starter Tommy Armstrong now has a QB coach that brings in a diverse new offensive system. Watch out for my Huskers, GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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