Week 2 Predictions

      After an eventful Week 1, I'm sure we can expect more of the same for Week 2! There's a great slate of games to look at this weekend and I've got my breakdown from the Huskers' win over Ohio. I'll also give some thoughts on a few other games and teams that stood out to me in Week 1. Let's get to it!

     Nebraska came alive in the second half to defeat Ohio 49-21. Despite the slow start in the first half, Nebraska's offense put up 35 points in the second half to go with 523 yards of total offense. I've got my GOOD, EXPECTED and BAD break down for the Huskers performance.

GOOD - Jamal Rule. After the opening game performance, I've seen enough to make him RB1. I'm sure the Huskers will still operate under the guise of a committee in the backfield, but Rule was clearly the best playmaker of the bunch. He racked up 169 total yards with 3 TDs, bursting through the line with great vision and speed. I'm excited to see what spark he continues to bring and hope the Huskers feed him 12-15 times per game minimum.

EXPECTED - Slow start and Colandrea's legs. Starting with the slow start, Nebraska started a bit sluggish in this game, going into the half with just a 1 point lead. Defensively, they gave up a big pass on the opening play and a score two plays later. Hit in the mouth quick, the Blackshirts gave up three straight scoring drives to start the game and let Ohio's QB Poulos be the Bobcats' leading rusher with 70 yards on the ground. Offensively it took a bit for the receivers to get in synch with Anthony Colandrea, and they need to clean up some drops. However, I chalk that up to first game rust and should get better over the nex couple of weeks. The other thing I expected was Colandrea's legs being a key factor in extending drives. His scrambling ability not only extended plays, but picked up multiple first downs. This is something that will be crucial for the Huskers all season long.

BAD - Pass rush & penalties. The Blackshirts are still struggling up front and lack a stellar pass rush. The defense did settle in late in the first half and were lights out for a majority of the second half. However, Poulos had plenty of time to survey the field on pass plays and easily broke contain when he wanted to scramble. The lack of pass rush will continue to be an issue in BIG 10 play, so I expect Rob Aurich to get creative with blitz packages later this year. Last but not least, the Huskers again struggled with penalties. They had 9 compared to Ohio's 2, and while some of those should get cleaned up from week to week, it's never a stat you want to lead in.

Week 1 CFB thoughts:

- Western Michigan beat Michigan, no time should've been added back just like in 2009 when no time should've been added back for Texas

- Louisville needs to clean up penalties and they would've beat Ole Miss without much trouble, can't shoot yourself in the foot

- SMU survived despite shooting themselves in the foot, should've won that game by double digits

- Baylor snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, but kudos to Auburn and their tackling

- Very impressive win by UCLA on the road at Cal, Bob Chesney will make them dangerous

- LSU dominated Clemson and Dabo might be cooked and Lane is the Evil Villain you just can't stop watching

Week 2 Predictions:

#23 Missouri at Kansas (Boarder War)

     A 14-year hiatus of one of the most hated rivalries, the Tigers and the Jayhawks meet again for the Boarder War. Kansas didn't hold back any punches on social media, highlighting the rivalry history dating back to the civil war roots and pointing out very clearly which side of the line Mizzou was on. Both teams dominated lesser competition in their openers, so this will be a true test of who they are. The Jayhawks play host for this game, and Sophomore QB Isiah Marshall leads the offense now. His dual threat ability should help extend some drives and counter Mizzou's Austin Simmons at QB. Turnovers are key in this one and both teams were in the negative last season. We'll go for the upset here, Rock Chalk Jayhawks beat the Tigers 27-24.

Arizona State at #10 Texas A&M

     The Sun Devils travel to Aggie Land as they take on the 12th Man at Kyle Field. Again, neither team was tested in Week 1, so we'll find out a lot more about Cutter Boley and Arizona State as takes on the Aggie defense. Marcel Reed is always dangerous with his legs, as long as he keeps the sticks moving Texas A&M should be fine. I think their defense is too much to handle for the Sun Devils and they win at home 35-17.

#11 Oklahoma at Michigan

     It was difficult to imagine having more hatred for Michigan going into Week 1, but after an additional second was added back to the game clock (from a secret clock that is somehow now existing), the Wolverines stole one of the great upsets of the young season. Michigan honestly looked abysmal outside of their opening drive, and Bryce Underwood struggled throughout the game. The defense was solid, but now have to host a dominant Oklahoma team with experience across the board. John Mateer is healthy and looks ready to put up big numbers this season after throwing for 225 yards and 3 TDs in the opener. Most importantly, the Sooner defense is about to completely wreck the Michigan O-line and it's going to be one of the best sights of the weekend. I say this with a full nation of football fans backing me, Boomer Sooner for a big win in the Big House 35-10.

#12 Alabama at Kentucky

     Wildcat head coach Will Stein wants Kroger field rocking as the Tide roll in for an early season SEC battle. Bama QB Keelon Russell makes his first road start and is looking for a big win to start his career. He certainly looked dynamic in the opener against ECU, utilizing his dual threat ability for 86 yards and a TD on the ground in addition to his 256 yards through the air. We'll see how Kentucky handles his legs, needing an extra defender to hang in the box and spy on Russell. Ex-Notre Dame QB (and Husker Portal Recruit) threw for 301 yards with 4 TDs in their opener against Youngstown State. I'm not sold on the Tide this year, but I do think they handle the Kentucky Wildcats. Roll Tide 34-17.

Arizona at #15 BYU

     The Cougars host the Wildcats in what should be a very entertaining game. Both teams have dynamic QBs leading the way in Bear Bachmeier and Noah Fafita. Tune up games went well, so this one will quickly show us how dangerous both of these teams are. I am a big fan of Noah Fafita, but the BYU rushing attack is difficult to contend with, especially at home. Give me LJ Martin for a big game and BYU wins 31-20. Arizona did just add two key players who are now cleared for competition from last year's team with reeligibility. Ismail Mahdi was their leading rusher and Max Harris was third on the team in tackles. We'll se how much playing time they get in with their first game back on the roster.

Mississippi State at Minnesota

     The SEC vs BIG weekend features a hidden gem between lower tier teams in Mississippi State and Minnesota. The Bulldogs travel North as the Gophers look to row the boat to a home victory. Minnesota is an underdog at home, but have veteran leadership with Drake Lindsey back under center. The Junior threw for 264 yards and 1 TD in the opener, but he had just 6 picks all of last season, doing well to take care of the ball. Mississippi State is lead by Sophomore Kamario Taylor, who threw for 354 yards and 4 TDs in their opener against Louisiana Monroe. He'll face a much tougher secondary up North, and look for Minnesota to apply pressure, they ranked 9th in the nation with 39 sacks last season, averaging 3 per game. I'll wave my BIG 10 flag here and go with the Golden rodents to beat the Bulldogs 23-17.

UCF at Pitt

     The Panthers demolished Miami (OH) in the opener with Sophomore QB Mason Heintschel throwing for 453 and 7 TDs. One can only hope he'll put up similar numbers on the Scott Frost-led Knights of UCF. The boys from Orlando put up a strong rushing attack in Week 1, and I'm a big fan of QB Alonza Barnett III. However, I don't think they'll be able to keep pace with Pitt and I love watching Scott Frost lose. Bit win at home for the Panthers 41-20.

Cal at Syracuse

     The Golden Bears' debut under Tosh Lupoi did not go well as the Bruins spoiled it with a 21-point fourth quarter. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looked like the star he's been known to be at times, but had two costly interceptions where he tried to play some hero ball. The Golden Bears were also 0/3 on 4th down, giving up a number of short fields to UCLA. Syracuse is glad to have Steve Angeli back after he missed a majority of last season from a torn achilles. I really like the weapons available to JKS on the Cal offense, but traveling across country is no easy task. This is one I thought they'd take at the beginning of the season though, so I'll go with the Golden Bears in a close one 30-28.

Duke at Illinois

     The Blue Devils are coming off a 17-3 victory over a rebuilding Tulane where they held the Green Wave to just 3/14 on 3rd down and 0/2 on 4th down. Sophomore Running Back Nate Sheppard racked up 227 on 35 carries and added two touchdowns. We'll see if he's given a similar workload at Illinois, but the Illini defense isn't what we'd typically expect form looking at their opener against UAB. The Blazers put up over 400 yards, converted over 50% of their third downs and had 23 points on the boad by the end of the night. While not enough to win, certainly enough to put dents in the armor. Look for the Blue Devils to build a similar gameplan. Offensively, ECU transfer QB Katin Houser looked solid and should shine on this team. I'll go with the Illini at home 27-17.

Memphis at Boise State

     Two of the top G6 teams square off on the blue turf. Memphis dismantled UNLV in Week 0 with a tremendous pass rush and the Broncos just fell short on the road against the Ducks last week. I think the Tigers are looking to make a statement on the road yet again, but Boise is a tougher environment than UNLV. The running back battle is the feature of this game, with Boise's Sire Gaines and Memphis' Jaylin Carter. Whoever can keep the rushing attack consistent throughout the game will have a big advantage. It's hard to beat the Broncos on the smurf turf though, so I'll take Boise State at home 34-24.

#18 Tennessee at Georgia Tech

     Freshman QB Faizon Brandon makes his first road start as the Vols head to Atlanta to take on the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech has had extra time to sit on their last minute loss to Colorado last Thursday night, hoping to make amends from their blocked field goal that would've won the game. Alberto Mendoza wasn't anything spectacular, and the Georgia Tech offense stalled to just 288 total yards and was 5/13 on third down. Tennessee didn't have any issues in the opener against Furman, but Georgia Tech's defense should pose a stronger threat. I said Tennessee wouldn't finish better than 7-5, so I'm throwing down the "prove it" gauntlet and taking the Ramblin' Wreck to bounce back at home. GT 24, UT 21.

Iowa State at #21 Iowa (Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy)

     Iowa and Iowa State meet in Iowa City as they battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy. The Cyclones are rebuilding after most of their team followed former head coach Matt Campbell to Penn State, but Jimmy Rodgers does have some experience on his squad with Arkansas State transfer Jaylen Raynor at QB. Raynor has more than 10,000 total yards and 71 total touchdowns in his career, so we'll see how he handles the Hawkeye defense. Iowa is still trying to figure out their QB situation, but the weapons look to be plenty. Senior RB Kamari Moulton ran for 183 yards in the opener and transfer wideout Tony Diaz hauled in 7 catches for 84 yards and a TD. Some impressive numbers that Iowa fans aren't used to in the passing game. They should handle business as Iowa State rebuilds. Hawkeyes at home 23-13.

#1 Ohio State at #4 Texas

     The big game of the week takes place in Austin as the Horns rematch with the Buckeyes. Arch is a year older, a year wiser and has better weapons. At least, that's what all the storylines are about. Ohio State's offense is as good as ever, but the defense lost multiple top picks in the draft, so how quickly can they reload? I think they have plenty of talent to slot in, so I'm looking for which QB makes the big plays. Both Arch and Julian Sayin are two of the best in the nation, surrounded by the best talent money can buy. However, who makes more mistakes? This game will quickly be determined by turnovers and missed opportunities. Opposing defenses will provide a tough test for each QB in this one, but I think the Buckeyes prevail. While Sayin may not be the best player on his team, he does well to keep things clean and moving in that offense. Feed Jeremiah Smith and watch the fireworks. Should be a good one in Austin, but I'm putting the horns down (always) as Ohio State defeats Texas 27-17.

Bowling Green at Nebraska

     The Huskers host Eddie George and the Falcons for a night game in Lincoln for Week 2. Nebraska started slow against Ohio, but found their groove in the second half, putting up 35 points and working in multiple offensive weapons to get the rock. Anthony Colandrea's legs are proving to be a great tool in extending drives, so look for the Huskers to continue running him. Bowling Green is searching for answers after losing at home to Division II Tarleton State. Despite holding the Texans to 1/10 on third down and owning time of possession, the Falcons were out-gained by nearly 100 yards and gave away two turnovers. Let's hope the Huskers have similar success and are able to work some kinks out from the first game. I expect a heavy dose of Jamal Rule complimented by Nelson and Mozee, but would love to see some bigger plays with downfield passing. Husker defense needs to apply pressure and force more turnovers. Nebraska should win this easily 56-7.

Quick Hit Predictions:

#6 Oregon at Oklahoma State - The Pokes looked anything but put together in their loss against Tulsa and now face an Oregon team in need of a get right game after squeaking out against Boise. Ducks big 45-7.

Washington State at Kansas State - Colin Klein had his offense drop 71 points in their opener against Nicholls, but Wazzu's defense poses a much tougher threat. The Cougars fell short in the Apple Cup thanks to some missed field goals and 3 turnovers. If they clean things up it could be a different story, so look for Kriby Moore to get his team back on track. I think they put up a strong fight, but it's hard to win in Manhattan. K-State defeats Wazzu 33-17.

Wake Forest at Purdue - The Boilermakers tend to drag the BIG 10 down on the P4 stage, but have an opportunity at home with the Demon Deacons. Both teams had no issue in the opener, but certainly a bigger test awaits with a P4 opponent. I'd love to see the BIG 10 represent well here, but I like Wake Forest to win 34-21.

Old Dominion at Virginia Tech - A rematch from the big upset a year ago. This ODU team is talented and experienced, but James Franklin doesn't lose these types of games, just the important ones. Hokies handle business 38-10.

USF at Army - The Bulls struggled to get their offense in gear against the FIU Panthers in Week1, while Army racked up 569 rushing yards. The competition was minimal, but the ground game for Army could put USF in a bind, especially as they take control of the clock. Give me the Black Knights at home 24-17.

SDSU at UCLA - Bob Chesney had the Bruins flying around on defense and running the rock on offense. Look for another big game from RBs Anthony Woods and Wayne Knight as UCLA beats the Aztecs 30-17. Those two put up 179 yards and 5 TDs together against Cal.

#13 Texas Tech at Oregon State - Don't go sleeping on my Beavers now. Despite falling to Houston in Week 1, new HC JaMarcus Sheppard had the Cougars struggling. Oregon State hung around late in the 4th after forcing 2 turnovers and balancing the time of possession. Playing back at home could keep things close for a while. Regardless, Guns Up & Wreck 'Em. Texas Tech wins 38-21.

Arkansas at #20 Utah - The Hogs travel West to Salt Lake City as the Utes host an SEC opponent. A late night kick and two new coaches at the helm, I'll go with Utah to win 30-14.

Thanks for reading my Week 2 Predictions and enjoy Gameday. Don't forget to check out my second episode of Inside Heart Football. GO BIG RED!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

Week 1 Predictions

      After a soft launch of the season last week we are set for a full five day slate of College Football heading into Labor Day Weekend. This post will have all the games from Thursday to Monday that you need to know about. Clearly I need to shake off the rust after going .500 in Week 0 and missing on all the big games. Luckily this week there are so many games to cover, so let's get to the predictions. Enjoy five days of college football!

Week 0 Results: 4 - 4

Week 1 Predictions:

Akron at Wake Forest

     You might wonder why I'm kicking off Week 1 predictions with Akron at Wake Forest, but for those unaware, the Zips ran one of the most unique fan promotions leading into the season. Season ticket holder for Akron were entered into a competition where a winner was selected and they got to work with the Akron coaching staff to design playcalls for the opening drive. Truly every armchair quarterback's dream, and I hope this first drive is nothing short of perfection. I do think Wake comes away with the victory, but you'll want to tune in for Akron's first drive no matter what! Demon Decons beat the Zips 30-14.

Colorado at Georgia Tech

     Deion returns to Atlanta as the Buffaloes open the season with the Yellow Jackets. The Rambllin' Wreck of Georgia Tech will be looking to run over around and through Colorado's defense, one that ranked second to last (135th) in the nation last year. Star QB Haynes King is gone, but GT still has RB Justice Haynes to lean on while Alberto Mendoza finds his footing from the transfer portal. Despite some big roster shifts on both sides, I like Georgia Tech to dominate the line of scrimmage and utilize the run gmae effectively. I'm not sure Colorado will be much better against the run this season either. Georgia Tech 34, Colorado 10.

#7 Miami at Stanford

     The national champion runner-ups start their season with a cross country road trip to the Farm. Stanford is coming off a stellar win against Hawaii featuring a big lead lost, late game heroics and a scoop and score for the win. The Hurricanes are likely to be much tougher of an opponent, but I'm hoping Stanford can make things interesting for at least a little while. I expect QB Darian Mensah to put up some big numbers in the Miami offense this year, especially with weapons like RB Mark Fletcher Jr. and WR Malachi Toney. Anxious to see the revamped Miami defense after losing a lot of talent, but they should have enough to defeat the Cardinal. Miami over Stanford 38-14.

Liberty at James Madison

     In honor of my former student Tyler Hurst who is now the creative director at Liberty, I wanted to put this game on the big board. The Flames had a rough go of it last season, mustering just 4 wins and ending the season with 4 one-score losses, including 3 straight overtime losses. JMU is reloading after Bob Chesney moved to LA, now in charge of the Bruins. The Dukes lost a number of players in the transfer portal, so very little experience returns. They're a program that doesn't lose often though, and always have a tough environment for opponents to play in. The rebuild is on for Liberty, but it may have to wait a week as I'm picking the Dukes. In an odd history book twist, Liberty itself is defeated by James Madison 33-21.

Boise State at #2 Oregon

     The Broncos are the favorite in the (new) PAC-12, just like the Ducks used to be. Boise State and Oregon square off for an exciting Week 1 matchup. The Ducks are a heavy favorite as one of the top teams in the nation, so I can't wait for this one. If Boise can put up a fight, they'll certainly look the part of a playoff potential team. Dante Moore is looking for a big year after passing on the NFL, and the Ducks have arguably the best defense in the nation with 8 returning starters on defense. Hard to beat an experienced defense at home, sco Ducks for a 37-17 win.

Baylor vs Auburn

     Auburn has a fresh start with Alex Golesh in as head coach, and DJ Lagway has a fresh start with the Bears. Baylor is in desparate need of a big season, so an opening win against an SEC team would certainly help. Alex Golesh brought along his QB with Byrum Brown following him to Auburn, and the Tigers should look a little more lively on offense. It may take a game or two to fully get in gear, and I think Dave Aranda has a big season in him for Baylor. Sic 'Em with a statement win 31-21.

Oklahoma State at Tulsa

     An instate matchup that has a little more flare to it after Tulsa pulled the upset in Stillwater last season. A very different Pokes team lines up across from the Golden Hurricanes though, as 92 new players will don the orange behind new head coach Eric Morris. This one should feature a fun QB battle between OSU's Drew Mestemaker and Tulsa's Baylor Hayes. Mestemaker led the nation in passing last year, and I expect him to be near the top with another year in the Morris system. While I do think Tulsa is a dangerous team and should be in the post season, the Cowboys will have a quick turnaround under the new regime. Pokes get revenge and win 35-20.

Wyoming at Colorado State (Boarder War)

     One of the oldest rivalries out west, we're kicking off Week 1 with the 118th meeting between Wyoming and CSU in the Boarder War. Wyoming brings back some key pieces on offense, but have to rebuild a defense that gave up just 20.5 points per game last year. Jim Mora is now the head man at Colorado State after rebuilding UConn. This was one of my favorite hires during the offseason and I think the Rams will certainly be dangerous in the new PAC-12. Wyoming has won 8 of the last 10 in this series, including a 28-0 victory last year. I hope this rivalry continues despite CSU changing conferences, but for this game I like the Rams to get it done. Colorado State beats Wyoming, starting to flip the script in this rivalry.

Western Michigan at #16 Michigan

     A new era starts in Ann Arbor as long-time Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is now wearing the maize and blue. The ground and pound approach shouldn't change too much for the Wolverines, but developing the passing game is a major priority for OC Jason Beck. The Broncos are a top team in the MAC, posing a uniquely quiet upset opportunity. Western Michigan brings back 7 starters on offense including QB Broc Lowry who has tremendous dual threat ability, accounting for 23 total touchdowns last year with 1,800+ through the air and another 900+ on the ground. The Wolverine defense is always a strength, but they will be tested in this one. I like Michigan to handle business at home, but don't be surprised if the Broncos hang around for a while. Michigan wins in the Big House 30-14.

UNLV at Hawaii

     Both the Rebels and Rainbow Warriors are in need of a bounce back game, unfortunately they have a tough conference opponent on the schedule. Two of the top teams in the Mountain West looking for a leg up in conference play. Jackson Arnold started hot for UNLV last week, but showed old tendencies as the pressure of Memphis wore them down. UNLV's protection became a serious concern after watching their opener last week. As for Hawaii, they didn't seem to realize a football game was happening against Stanford until the 4th quarter. The fierce comeback fell short after a strip sack led to a scoop and score for the Cardinal. Playing at home is always nice for a bounce back game, so I'll ride with Hawaii to win 33-27. Especially since I picked them to make the Mountain West Championship game.

UCLA at Cal

     Two new head coaches square off as old PAC-12 rivals clash out in Cali. UCLA brought in Bob Chesney from James Madison and Cal hired one of their own in Tosh Lupoi. Both head coaches inherit star QBs with Nico Iamaleava and Jaren-Kawe Sagapolutele for the Bruins and Golden Bears respectively. I think the Calgorithim has a better structure for Lupoi to build from, but Bob Chesney will have UCLA winning some big games later this season. It's a bit anti-BIG 10 in this case, but I like Cal to win their home opener behind a sensational showing from JKS. Golden Bears defeat the Bruins 34-21.

Clemson at #11 LSU

     All the talking stops Saturday night when the lights come on in Death Valley. While we're still waiting to see if any NFL players will be suiting up for LSU as the battle in the courts continues, two Tiger teams will clash on Saturday night. Dabo has thrown some shade and Lane Kiffin has quickly become a top tier villain in college football. LSU is expecting big things from Kiffin, but meshing all of these new players together could take some time. Clemson brings in a very experienced team with tremendous talent, but can they handle the toughest environment in College Football? This should be a fantastic game and as difficult as it is to pick against LSU in a night game, I think Dabo has one more big season in him. Clemson wins a thriller on the road to get revenge and reclaim the Death Valley title 26-23.

Washington State at #17 Washington (The Apple Cup)

     Wazzu is starting with a new coach for the thrid straight season as Kirby Moore takes over after Jimmy Rodgers departed for Iowa State. The Huskies are entering year three under Jedd Fisch, and have a dangerous roster matched with a manageable schedule up until the last couple of weeks. Star QB Demond Williams nearly left the team after being enticed by some extra money in the transfer portal, but ultimately decided to stay in Seattle. He leads an offense that brings back six other starters and averaged 34.1 points per game last year, tied for 17th best in the nation. Huskies get the dub in the Apple Cup 35-17.

Wisconsin vs #4 Notre Dame

     The Badgers and the Irish square off at Lambeau Field to start the season as Luke Fickell tries to cool off his seat. A win against a top 5 team to start the year would do wonders for his reputation in Madison, but the Irish won't be going down easy this season. After narrowly missing out on the Playoffs last season, Notre Dame is built for a championship run this year. CJ Carr could be a Heisman finalist when the dust settles, and while he doesn't have Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to lean on any more, he'll be well protected in the pocket, giving him plenty of time to throw. Defensively, they should be one of the best in the nation. Wisconsin has a stout defense as well, but the offense will need to be much improved after mustering just 12.8 points per game last year, second worst in the nation. I don't think they'll quite match up to the Irish, so give me Notre Dame to win 38-14.

#24 Louisville vs #9 Ole Miss

     Arguably the most intriguing game of the weekend takes place in Nashville as the Cardinals take on the Rebels. Louisville is a dark horse to win the ACC and will be led by ex-Buckeye QB Lincoln Keinholz. He should feel very comfortable in a Jeff Brohm offense, likely putting up big numbers this season. On the other side, Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss proved himself to be one of the best in the nation last year after taking over for the injured Austin Simmons and leading the Rebels to the CFP Semi-finals. They're working with a lot of new pieces on the coaching staff, so we'll see if the offense clicks as well as last year. Both teams will also be relying on some talented running backs. Kewan Lacey had over 1,500 yards with 24 TDs for the Rebels last year, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown averaged 8.8 and 7.3 yards per carry respectively, and both could be 1,000+ yard rushers this season now that they're healthy. I think Ole Miss is still a very strong team, but don't sleep on Louisville this year. Give me the Cardinals for the upset win 36-27.

#19 SMU at Florida State

     The Ponies will always be one of my favorite teams to watch and they're primed for a big year 3 in the ACC. They fell just short of back-to-back ACC Championships (and likely CFPs) due to the Calgorithim last year, so they spent the offseason building up the roster. Heisman hopeful QB Kevin Jennings is back with six of his closest friends on the offensive side of the ball. SMU racked up an average of 416 yards per game on offense last season, so look for them to push that number a little higher in 2026. Florida State needs this win probably more than any team in the nation. They've got a big opportunity with hosting in Tallahassee, but after last week's mediocre performance against New Mexico State, red flags are still up around the FSU program. I don't think Mike Norvell has the juice within this team any more, and I've got SMU in the playoffs. Pony up for a 34-13 win.

Ohio at Nebraska

     Nebraska opens the season with the Ohio Bobcats coming to Lincoln and both teams will be greeted at mid-field by a familiar friend for the coin toss. Former Husker & Bobcat head coach Frank Solich will do the honors and a new chapter of Husker football will begin. Lots of new faces for the Huskers, but none more talked about than QB Anthony Colandrea. The reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year transfers to Nebrsaka in hopes of finally pushing this offense to score more than 30 points per game on average. A veteran offensive line should provide good protection and some running lanes, but no RB has broken out of the pack from fall camp. Colandrea is expected to utilize his legs quite a bit, so this offense should be more dynamic to watch than previous seasons. On the defensive side of the ball, Nebraska needs to get a push up front. The Bobcats have some new pieces as well, but this is a team that ranked 9th in the nation for rush offense last season. The Blackshirts struggled mightily against the run last year, so new DC Rob Aurich has his work cut out for him with Husker fans watching the front seven closely. I'm hoping we don't see this game stay competitive much beyond halftime, so give me a big Husker win for the opener with 40-17 over the Bobcats. GO BIG RED!

Quick Hit Predictions:

Toledo at Michigan State - Both teams are rebuilding, but I think Pat Fitzgerald rebuilds faster and will have the Spartans ready for week 1. Sparty over the Rockets 30-14.

Fresno State at #14 USC - The Trojans looked strong in their opener, but gave up some points late. Fresno brings in a better squad than San Jose State, so look for USC to tighten things up. Solid win 38-17.

ECU at #13 Alabama - I doubt Bama will have issues here, but don't sleep on the Pirates much this season. They're a fun team to watch and could provide a headache or two for a few drives. Roll Tide 33-10.

Oregon State at #23 Houston - The Beavers have a new staff and the rebuild has begun. Unfortunately they open the season with back-to-back games against two of the best from the Big XII. Not enough firepower to keep pace here, Cougars win it at home 45-17.

Coastal Carolina at West Virginia - The Mountaineers were just short of a bowl game last season, but I think Rich Rod has an interesting team this year. The Chanticleers are rebuilding with a new head coach, but I don't think it will take Ryan Beard too long to get things going. WVU wins 30-20.

Boston College at Cincy - Two programs that desperately need a win and to start the season strong. BC brings back multiple secondary players while Cincy brings back 3 of their starting Oline. I'll give the nod to the Bearcats at home. Cincy 27, Boston College 10.

Tulane at Duke - Not as dramatic of a game as last season after Darian Mensah had to face off against the team he transferred from, but new chapters for both schools start now. Manny Diaz and the reigning ACC Champions have a solid defense, but need to find new answers on offense. Tulane as been at the top of the American for the last 4 seasons, but have a new head coach in Will Hall. Duke wins 24-13.

FIU at USF - The Panthers and the Bulls meet in Tampa as Brian Hartline makes his head coaching debut. His talent for recruiting top tier wideouts should play well in the sunshine state, but don't overlook FIU. This team made a bowl game last season in year 1 with Willie Simmons. I like the Panthers with an upset 27-24.

Central Michigan at New Mexico - Unfortunately for the Lobos (my G6 Playoff pick), they've lost starting QB Jack Layne for the season after he needed another elbow surgery. Layne threw for over 2,400 yards and 13 TDs last year, so we'll see how the QB battle for the Lobos goes. Central Michigan brings in an experienced offense, so the Chippewaes should push this game late into the second half. I'm not backing off my Lobos pick though and New Mexico wins 31-21.

Thank you all for reading my Week 1 Predictions and enjoy a new college football season! Also, be sure to check out my new show Inside the Heart Football where I analyze all the teams in the Heart of America Athletic Conference in the NAIA. Watch weekly on Thursdays at 6 PM.

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

Oddly Specific Husker & Week 0 Predictions

      We've finally reached the promise land my friends, College Football is BACK! We've got Week 0 games kicking off today and a full slate coming next week. It's truly one of the best times of the year, so let's celebrate. I've got an in-depth look at the Huskers with some Oddly Specific Predictions and a look back at how I did with my predictions last year. Then I'll have predictions on all the Week 0 games. Enjoy!

2025 Oddly Specific Husker Predictions Results: 4.5/10

     A couple of half points for Dylan's improvement on the TD/INT ratio, but lack of yards and the huskers having a 600+ and two 400+ receivers, but not an 800+. Emmett Johnson cleared 1,000 total yards quite easily and racked up an extra 5 TDs over my prediction. I was very happy to be proven wrong on my turnover margin prediction, the Huskers went positive for the first time since 2016 with +2. Jacory Barney Jr. was electric as a punt returner, but Marques Watson-Trent was not a top tackler in the BIG 10 or on the team. My main predictions focused on the Husker offense improving and the defense falling back a bit. Overall those were right, but the Huskers fell just short of my 30 points per game prediction.

2026 Oddly Specific Husker Predictions

1. We see all 3 Husker QBs play this season.

Ideally, this will happen in the first three weeks of the season, but the Huskers have one of the more unique QB rooms in the nation. All 3 of the Husker QBs have P4 playing experience. Both Colandrea and Kaelin played at Virginia and TJ Lateef finished off the season for the Huskers last year. With that much experience, Husker fans should feel confident that the offense will keep running should anything happen. Hopefully we're dominating so much and everyone gets to play, but I think all 3 QBs will play this season.

2. Huskers don't have a 1,000+ yard rusher.

I do think the Husker offense will have a lot fun elements to it, but with so many weapons, it will be difficult for one single player to break 1k. Emmett Johnson accounted for 37.8% of Nebraska's offense last season, amassing over 1,800 total yards including 1,451 on the ground. Those are extremely big shoes to fill for an unproven backfield. Plus, I think the Husker rushing attack will be run more by committee this year, especially with Colandrea's dual-threat ability. This offense has weapons, but not a superstar to break 1k with on the ground.

3. Nyziah Hunter & Jacory Barney Jr. have big seasons with 60+ receptions, 650+ yards & 5+ TDs.

While these stats aren't a major stretch from the numbers they put up last season, the Huskers top two targets should see their volume and production increase. Both scored 5 TDs a piece last year, but Hunter was the only one to break 600 with 617. Barney had 484 and caught 45 passes while Hunter caught 43. I think Holgersen will have some new wrinkles in the offense thanks to Colandrea. He brings a new dynamic with his dual threat ability and loves to fire downfield. There could be a lot more improvising which could provide opportunities for these top wideouts to make big plays.

4. Huskers pass rush struggles yet again.

Unfortunately, not all my predictions are very fun to make. I hope the Huskers prove me wrong on this one, but the Blackshirt's pass rush has been steadily declining over the past few seasons. In 2023, Nebraska racked up 32 sacks, ranking 39th in the nation. In 2024, the Huskers totaled 30 sacks and ranked 44th in the nation. Then, last year, Nebraska mustered just 22 sacks, good enough for 93rd in the nation. The defensive front has been an area of concern since Matt Rhule's first season, and I'm concerned the Huskers won't put much pressure on opposing QBs again this year. I'm hoping they crack 20 sacks, but don't be surprised if they fall short. The secondary will need to be the strength of the Blackshirts.

5. Nebraska improves their 3rd down conversion rate.

One of the most surprising stats to me from last season was what Nebraska was able to accomplish on 3rd down. The Huskers ranked 27th in the nation with a 45.68% conversion rate. This rate has increased each year since Matt Rhule came to Lincoln. In 2023 the Huskers converted 37.91% and in 2024 they converted 42.37%, steadily moving up in the rankings. While it may be a smaller jump in 2026, I'll say the Huskers raise their 3rd down conversion rate again.

6. Jacory Barney Jr. HOUSES one on a return.

We saw a few big returns from Barney last season and his electrifying speed has him on the brink of bringing one back. The Special Teams unit may falter a bit early without Mike Eckler on the sidelines, but I think Barney has enough juice in him to make something special happen. Let's finally get a punt run back for 6!

7. Opponent red zone conversion rate drops below 85%.

I could've gone for the easy one and said the Blackshirts improve on their opponents' red zone conversions, but it's not terribly difficult to move up from 2nd to last in the nation. Yes, you read that right. Nebraska ranked 135th out of 136 teams in opponent red zone conversion rate, meaning that when opposing teams crossed inside the 20 yard line, they scored 97.37% of the time. The only team worse than Nebraska in this stat was Rice, who had a perfect 100% for opponents scoring in the red zone. This is arguably one of the most important stats to improve upon, and exactly why Nebraska hired Rob Aurich from San Diego State. The Aztecs ranked 3rd in the nation for this category last season, allowing just 68.97% of red zone trips to be scored on. I don't think the Huskers will make a 30% jump in this statistic, but a 12-15% jump seems reasonable.

8. Colandrea accounts for 3,000+ total yards and 25 TDs.

The reigning Mountain West offensive player of the year accounted for more than 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns last season with UNLV. All of his highlights showcase his dual-threat ability and creativity to extend plays. If he can keep a similar level of play through a BIG 10 schedule, the Huskers will have a very special season. Even if Colandrea is a step off what he did in the Mountain West, it could be a very productive year for the Husker QB. If he stays healthy, I think he'll total over 3,000 yards and at least 25 TDs through both the air and on the ground this season.

9. Nebraska plays Ohio State closer than Indiana.

We've reached the schedule part of my predictions, and this is where it gets a bit ugly. Nebraska draws the BIG 3 of the BIG 10 with Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State all on the docket for conference play. The Ducks will host Nebraska in Autzen stadium, and with the nature of Nebraska's road game performances, I'm staying away from that one. However, the Sea of Red has a opportunities to support the Huskers at home against the defending national champs and the previous year's defending national champs, yay -__-. Regardless, it's always fun to have a shot at a top ranked team in your home stadium. Indiana has quickly shown they are looking to steamroll over everyone, and the Huskers found that out quickly in Curt Cignetti's first season with a 56-7 beat down in Bloomington. The Hoosiers will put up points, and continue to do so until the game is over, regardless of how out of hand it gets. Ohio State has the ability to, but often doesn't look to run up the score. Plus, in recent history, Nebraska seems to fair somewhat well against the Buckeyes. In 2024 the Huskers lost 21-17 in the Horseshoe, and suffered a 26-17 loss last time Ohio State visited Lincoln in 2021. I say the Huskers keep it closer with the Buckeyes than they do the Hoosiers. Let's hope they just go ahead and pull some upsets too.

10. No place like home, Nebraska still struggles on the road.

I'm recycling a prediction from last season, but until the issue gets fixed I'm going to keep bringing attention to it. Under Matt Rhule, the Huskers are 4-10 on the road. They went 2-2 last season since the opener against Cincy was a neutral site and honestly was 95% Husker Fans. There are always extra challenges when playing away, but Nebraska always seems to compound them. Nebraska travels to Michigan State, Oregon, Illinois, Rutgers and Iowa. All of the "experts" around Lincoln are saying Nebraska will be fine on this road schedule and go 3-2 at worst. Trust me, that's not the floor, it may only be the ceiling. Sparty has a new head man in Pat Fitzgerald, who holds a 6-6 record all time against the Huskers. Yes, there's rebuilding to do in East Lansing, but don't sleep on Sparty. I would also caution Husker fans on the Friday night in Champaign. Illinois has a number of new faces on their roster, but they bring back multiple weapons on offense for a proven QB in Katin Houser out of East Carolina. Nebraska is 1-2 on Friday night games under Matt Rhule. I truly hope this team changes the script and proves me wrong, but until I see legitimate progress in this area, I'm calling it out. Huskers are sub .500 again on the road.

Thank you for reading my 2026 Oddly Specific Husker Season Predictions, this should be an exciting year for Nebraska. Now, onto our Week 0 games. COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!

2025 Prediction Record: 247-106 (70.0%)

Week 0 Predictions

North Carolina vs TCU

     The annual Dublin, Ireland kickoff at Aviva Stadium features the Tar Heels and the Horned Frogs. For the opening drive of last season, Bill Belichick's squad looked top notch. Then the wheels feel off and TCU beat them 48-14. UNC has built up a bit since last season, and Billy Edwards Jr. brings some veteran experience to an offense that mustered just 19.3 points per game last year. While the defense did improve throughout the season, I think TCU's offense has too many weapons to stop. Plus, how can you not love the Horned Frog with a 4-leaf clover on the helmet?! TCU beats UNC 33-17.

San Jose State at #14 USC

     The Trojans are one of my playoff teams and Jayden Maiava is primed for a Heisman-caliber season. The schedule ramps up quickly after the Spartans, but I'd expect Lincoln Riley to put up some style points in this one. The San Jose State defense gave up over 400 yards per game last year and don't bring back a single starter on that side of the ball. Trojans roll 45-10.

NC State at Virginia

     An ACC battle to start the year between two sneaky members. Virginia rampaged to an 11-win season and nearly found themselves in the College Football Playoff if they hadn't fell short in the ACC Championship. NC State is one of the few models of consistency in the nation, with HC Dave Doeren starting his 14th season as a member of the Wolfpack. He's got one of the best QBs you haven't watched in CJ Bailey, and the defenses from Raleigh are always ready to rumble. Beau Pribula is the new QB for Virginia after his one-year stint at Missouri, but Tony Elliot has to get this new offense to gel quickly with only 3 returning linemen from that side of the ball. I love both of these coaches and think both will push toward the top of the ACC standings later in the season, but give me a road upset by the Wolf Pack 24-17.

Jacksonville State at NDSU

     The Bison welcome in Jacksonville State as their first official game as FBS members in College Football. This is a historic moment for the storied program and I can't wait to see what they do this season. A potential playoff dark horse if they get hot in the Mountain West, the Fargo Dome will be rocking tomorrow afternoon. Look for a heavy run game and smothering defense. Jacksonville State brings in some experience on the roster, but not many teams come out of the Fargo Dome with a win unless you're wearing Green & Yellow. North Dakota State makes a statement in their first FBS game 34-14. GO BISON!

Sac State at Eastern Michigan

     The other FBS newcomer has a bit more difficult of an opening test, traveling 3 time zones for a MAC conference game to open the season. New head man Alonzo Carter takes over for the Hornets as they move up. Eastern Michigan is not the most intimidating of opening opponents, but I'll give them the edge for playing at home. You don't want to let the new guy in the conference come in and beat you week 1 right? Eagles over the Hornets 26-14.

Hawaii at Stanford

     A new man is on the sidelines for Stanford as Tavita Pritchard returns to his alma mater to work with his good friend Andrew Luck. The Cardinal have an opportunity to start off on the right foot this season, but Timmy Chang and the Rainbow Warriors won't let that happen easily. This could be one of Hawaii's best teams since the Colt Brennan show in the mid-2000s. Sophomore QB Micah Alejado is looking to build on a stellar freshman season where he threw for over 3,100 yards with 24 TDs and just 9 picks. I think he lights up the Stanford defense in a win to set the tone for the season. Hawaii 31, Stanford 17.

New Mexico State at Florida State

     No one needs to have as flashy of a season as Mike Norvell and Florida State. The seat for the Seminoles head man is extremely hot, meaning he needs to win and win big. This one should be over based on talent alone, but the 'Noles will still have a lot to prove this season. FSU wins at home 38-10.

Memphis at UNLV

     Our night cap features two programs looking to raise the G6 bar with Memphis and UNLV. Charles Huff is the new head man at Memphis and has a lot of roster turnover to deal with being at his 3rd school in 3 years. Dan Mullen has provided some stability at UNLV and the Rebels are looking to claim that elusive Mountain West title now that Boise is off to the PAC-12. I've always been a fan of Dan Mullen and he can always get production out of his players. Being at home is the cherry on top, but I think it will take a bit for Charles Huff to get things rolling in Memphis. Rebels beat the Tigers 38-21.

Thank you for reading all my predictions. Now kick back and relax, we've got football on our TVs!

Kicked off the Heart of America Football Season this past Thursday with a live pre-game show of Inside the Heart Football with our Clash of the Week between William Penn & Graceland.'

#CFBKnowItAll🏈🧠

Alex Fernando

Oddly Specific 2026 Season Preview

      Hello everyone! Thank you for joining me as we look ahead to a brand new college football season. It's the best time of the year as team camps wrap up and we are just a couple weeks away from College Football on our TVs. As always, I will be here throughout the season to help you stay up to date on all the news, stats and insights for the 138 teams of division 1 college football. Two new teams join the FBS ranks with North Dakota State and Sacramento State moving up, so we've got even more teams to keep tabs on this year. Of course, my Huskers will be a primary focus on this blog, but if you have questions or want insights on any team, please comment, reach out and let me know. We're going to kick off this season by looking back at my Oddly Specific 2025 Preview and lay out my predictions for 2026. Here are my scores for the 2025 predictions.

2025 Oddly Specific Prediction Results: 15/46

Sun Belt Conference: 2 out of 4

Conference USA: 1 out of 3

Mid America Conference: 2 out of 5

Mountain West Conference: 3.5 out of 6 (0.5 for Boise winning the MW Championship)

American Conference: 1 out of 7 (So close on my Navy predictions, but not quite enough)

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC): 0 out of 4 (Cal won 2 East Coast road games, kudos)

Big XII Conference: 1 out of 5 (0.5 for Texas Tech in the Playoffs and 0.5 for Colorado regression)

Southeastern Conference (SEC): 3 out of 6 

(0.5 for Bama in the SEC Title Game & 0.5 for Arch not being a Heisman Finalist)

BIG 10 Conference: 1.5 out of 6 (0.5 because the BIG 10 & ACC tied at 27.8 ppg as a conference)

     Clearly I need to work on these oddly specific predictions. Back-to-back seasons with only about 1/3 of the predictions correct. We'll see if we can find some success with my third season of oddly specific predictions. Enjoy!

Oddly Specific Sun Belt Predictions

1 & 2. Louisiana wins at least 8 games behind 2,500+ total yards and 25+ total TDs from Lunch Winfield.

Why not start off with a multi-level prediction for the first one? The Ragin' Cajuns reeled off 4 single-digit wins to end the season and get bowl eligible in 2025. They return star QB Lunch Winfield who is gearing up for a big jump in his Junior season after throwing for 1,555 yards with another 667 on the ground and 20 total TDs. I think he bumps those numbers up a bit, leads Louisiana to 8+ wins and has them in competition to win the West. They have both Arkansas State & Troy at home while avoiding ODU, JMU and Marshall from the East.

3. Only 2 RBs cross the 1,000 yard mark on the season in the Sun Belt.

Last year there were 4 RBs from the Sun Belt conference who racked up 1,000+ on the ground. Graduation and the transfer portal has decimated the leading rushers of the conference, and the highest returning running backs are RB Devin Roche of ODU (14th last year with 630 yards) and Jaquari Lewis of Appalachian State (15th last year with 618 yards). There are some experienced Oline units throughout the conference, but there are a lot of new RB faces. I think only 2 RBs will break 1,000 yards as many offenses will likely use a running back by committee approach.

4. ODU wins 9 games and the East Division.

The Monarchs finished last season at 10-3 with a bowl game win over USF. They were within 2 touchdowns of Indiana to start the season, beat Virginia Tech on the road, and blanked Troy (West Division winners) 33-0. There are pieces to replace, but this team has a lot of momentum and a proven RB to lean on with key pieces form a Dline that ranked 2nd in the league last year. This will be a fun team to watch in 2026.

Oddly Specific CUSA Predictions

1. Delaware is the top offense in the conference for yards and scoring in 2026.

This team has a tremendous opportunity to win the conference title if they can put together some stops on defense. This offense was 2nd in points and 1st in yards for CUSA last year, averaging 29 points and 411 yards per game. I think they'll take top spot in both categories this year, returning 7 starters on offense including their QB, RB, WR, TE and 3 Offensive Linemen.

2. 4/10 teams go bowling this year.

The conference lost some members and some talent, so expecting more than half the conference in the post-season isn't easy. An argument can be made for 5 teams, but that depends on how quickly Kennesaw State can reload, and Missouri State can rebuild after losing their coach.

3. Florida International upsets Jax State, Liberty or Delaware at home.

Oddly enough, each of these teams host FIU the week after a road trip to Kennesaw State. Not entirely sure how the schedules lined up that way, but it's a unique coincidence. The Owls are reloading, but still very talented coming off a CUSA crown in 2025. They can certainly wear a team out enough for FIU to pounce the next week. The Panthers are loaded on offense with a deep backfield, an experience QB out of the portal and three of their top four receivers back. They ranked 3rd in scoring and 5th in yards for CUSA last year, so watch them pull an upset, maybe two!

Oddly Specific MAC Predictions

1. Falcons go Bowling.

Bowling Green is headed into year 2 with Eddie George at the helm, and I believe they're primed for a big jump in 2026. After finishing 4-8 last season with 3 games decided by one score, the Falcons have a good looking pathway to 6 wins. Hopefully they don't upset my Huskers in non-conference play, but both Iowa State and USF are rebuilding with new coaches and rosters. They have 4 favorable home games in conference play, so they'll need to pull an upset on the road against one of the top teams. The offense should have firepower with Oregon Transfer QB Austin Novosad and RB Austyn Dendy is back from injury after racking up 493 yards and 5 TDs in just 5 games last season. I say Bowling Green gets to the post season!

2. Sac State wins 2 conference games in their inaugural FBS season.

The Hornets of Sacramento State have jumped up to FBS and find themselves in the Mid-American Conference... on the West coast. With a new coach, this team has high hopes, but a lot of hill to climb if they want to make a name for themselves. They draw three different Ohio-based teams to the West and host the Minutemen of UMass as well. I think they can pull 2 conference wins in their first season.

3. MAC teams win at least 6 games against other G6 teams in non-conference play.

There are 16 games against G6 opponents for MAC teams in the non-conference. While they may not stack up too well against their BIG 10 opponents (please let Nebraska beat Ohio and BG), I think this conference can have a strong showing against G6 competition. There are quite a few teams in second years with their coaches, starting to turn things around. There's a few challenging teams like Boise State, NDSU and New Mexico in the mix, but I think the MAC will take a step forward this year and represent themselves well outside the conference.

Oddly Specific Mountain West Predictions

1. Top 4, Bottom 6. Hawaii, New Mexico, UNLV and NDSU carry the conference banner.

The new-look Mountain West are extremely top heavy. Only three of the returning members from last season made a bowl game, and while NDSU has pedigree, the move to FBS won't be the easiest. The Bison have road games against each of the other top teams mentioned, and I think these are the only four teams from the Mountain West to make a bowl game.

2. Hawaii plays for the Mountain West Championship.

The Rainbow Warriors have been on an upward trend the past few seasons under Timmy Chang, and have been a focal point of my Oddly Specific Mountain West Predictions each year. They're coming off a 9-4 season with an offense that averaged 31.6 points per game last year. They return QB Micah Alejado who threw for over 3,100 yards with 24 TDs and just 9 picks. He brings back a favorite target in Polefe Ashlock and has Washington transfer Audric Harris to help stretch the field. The defense will need to gel quickly with only a few returning starters, but the Rainbow Warriors host New Mexico, UNLV and NDSU out in the Pacific. Great opportunity for Hawaii to play for a Mountain West Championship.

3. Bison go bowling and win one against Hawaii, UNLV or New Mexico.

The North Dakota State Bison are officially division 1, and they come in ready to rock. This is a storied program with 10 National Championships since 2011 and just 20 losses since 2014. It's not likely they'll come in and stomp on everyone, but they certainly have potential to turn heads. I think they will be bowling in their first season, and despite being on the road against the three toughest conference opponents, they'll steal one. A special salute to my former Dean & supervisor who are now up in Fargo, GO BISON!

4 & 5. The Lobos offense is top 2 in the conference & are in Playoff talks after beating UNLV on Nov. 14.

Jason Eck did a phenomenal job to turn things around in New Mexico during his first season. Finishing 9-4 and barely missing out on the conference title game because of weird tie-breakers despite having head-to-head wins over both UNLV & SDSU. The Lobos bring back 14 players including 8 on the offense. They averaged 27.1 points per game and 356 yards per game, ranking 6th & 7th respectively in the Mountain West. With the conference shuffled up, they now sit as one of the top teams and apart from a trip to Norman, Oklahoma in the non-conference, they should be favored in most every game. Don't sleep on the Lobos!

Oddly Specific American Conference Predictions

1. Tulsa goes bowling for the first time since 2021.

The Golden Hurricanes have not performed well in the last few seasons, but last year's 4-8 record showed hints of promise. As Tre Lamb heads into year two. The Portal House and other culture building aspects of the program have been a big hit on social media, but can they turn the corner and reach the post season for the first time in 5 years? They return 6 starters on defense that improved by 14 points per game allowed from 2024 to 2025 last season, and rising star QB Baylor Hayes returns to lead an offense with new weapons from the transfer portal. While their toughest conference opponents (USF, UTSA & Navy) are all road games, they have good opportunities at home and could be primed for an upset. Let's see Tulsa make it to a bowl game!

2. The American is still the top scoring G6 conference.

Despite losing the offensive juggernauts of North Texas & USF, with both of those coaches and pieces of their respective offenses moving up to P4 schools, I think the American has enough firepower to stay atop the G6 scoring list. Last year they averaged 29.3 points per game as a conference. The next highest was the Sun Belt at 26.9. Conference realignment gives the Mountain West and new PAC-12 an opportunity, but don't sleep on the offenses throughout the American. I think they have the best scoring rate among G6 schools at the end of the year.

3. Blake Harrell moves up to the P4 from East Carolina.

If you haven't watched the Pirates in the last couple of years, I strongly suggest tuning into a couple of their games. Blake Harrell (HC) has a 14-5 record since taking over part-way through the 2024 season and nearly had this team in the American Conference Championship last year. Star QB Katin Houser is now with the Fighting Illini, but some portal running backs should help the ground game stay strong. Harrell is replacing both coordinators, but if he can put together another strong season, I think he'll get some serious looks from P4 schools as I predict a number of openings in the ACC.

4. Defense wins Championships.

The past few years, Tulane has played for 4 straight conference titles, and only won 2 of them. They ranked 2nd in scoring defense from 2022-2024, and then dropped to 5th last season. They also ranked 7th in total defense last season but were still able to come away with the crown. Despite the high-powered offenses I predicted above, I think the conference crown has to be won with a top 3 conference defense this year.

Oddly Specific PAC-12 Predictions

1. SDSU slips up before Boise.

The Aztecs might go unbeaten through their non-conference play, and their schedule lines up well for a potential heavy weight showdown with the Broncos on the smurf turf late in the season. Conference title hopes may still well be on the line, but I think the Aztecs could find a tripping hazard before seeing the Broncos in late November. A road game to Colorado State looks especially dangerous to me, but I think someone in the conference will pull an upset on them before they play Boise State. Who will it be?

2 & 3. Texas State extends bowl streak to 4 years with a top 15 offense (again).

The Bobcats have a dynamic offense with 7 returning starters including QB Brad Jackson and two 1,000+ yard wideouts. The defense will have to shore up a bit, but this team could cause some havoc in the new-look PAC-12, maybe pushing for title contention. Regardless, this is a team that will be in the post-season yet again, extending to 4 years and keeping the momentum building. They ranked 5th in total offense and 12th in scoring last season. Maintaining those ranks while moving to a new conference won't be easy, but I think they get it done.

4. Maddux Madsen has a big year.

The Broncos' Senior signal caller regressed a bit last season, but with returning RBs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines back to support, I think his numbers could boost again this season. He's got a veteran offenseive line, and while the receiver room is being restocked, Madsen should have plenty of options. After throwing for over 3,000 with 23 TDs in 2024, he was limited to just 2,334 and 18 TDs this past season. I think he'll get back over 2,700 with 20+ passing TDs.

5. Oregon State wins a road game.

This prediction may be a bit from the heart, but I think the Beavers can pick up a road win under first year head coach JaMarcus Shephard. I got to visit the Beavers' stadium this summer and there is certainly some good energy in that building with the coaching change. Oregon State has not won on the road since September 7th, 2024 when they defeated San Diego State 21-0. They were winless away from Corvallis last season, but opportunities are available to get things rolling in the right direction for 2026. Houston, UTEP, Colorado State, Fresno State and Boise State are all on the road docket. No cake walks (other than maybe UTEP), and especially tough conference opponents in their respective stadiums, but I like the Beavers to steal one.

Oddly Specific Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Predictions

1. Miami STILL doesn't win the ACC Title.

All signs point to the Hurricanes finally winning the conference, something that has never been done despite being members for over 20 years. The 'Canes are loaded with talent, played for the National Championship last season and should be a favorite contender yet again. However, this is a sneaky dangerous conference. Road trips to Wake Forest and Clemson early in the year are certainly tripping hazards, and hosting the James Franklin-led Hokies late in November won't be a game to overlook. I think Miami could again be a playoff team, but they could easily stumble at the wrong time and I don't think they win the ACC, they might not even play in the game!

2. The ACC has 2 Heisman finalist.

I'm going to hedge this prediction slightly and include Notre Dame players since they play an ACC heavy schedule. It's also my blog and I can do what I please. Regardless, I think this conference has a lot of talent that people aren't talking about. The obvious picks are Miami QB Darian Mensah, SMU QB Kevin Jennings (one of my favorites) and ND QB CJ Carr. However, don't forget to watch NC State's CJ Bailey or Cal's Jaren-Keawa Sagapolutele. Both should have breakout seasons and will give this conference QB depth it hasn't seen in a while. I'd keep an eye on RB Isaac Brown from Louisville too!

3. Cal wins 2/3 games in the Eastern time zone.

The Golden Bears won 2/3 games in the Eastern time zone last season, despite my doubts. A new man is in charge as Tosh Lupoi comes in, bringing back the most important piece in star QB Jaren-Keawe Sagapolutele. The Golden Bears travel to Syracuse early in the year, NC State and Virginia. All very solid teams, but that's part of why I thought Cal would fall short last year. An overtime upset against Louisville beat my prediction last year, but a double OT loss at Virginia Tech did show the flaws. I think Cal could be a dangerous team in this conference, but they need to keep winning on the road.

4. 12 ACC teams go Bowling.

It's a big conference, so there's certainly room for error. Last year, the ACC sent 11 teams to the post-season. Adding 1 more team to that list may not seem like a big jump, but of the teams that made it last year, Cal has a new coach, Virginia is reloading with only 8 total returning starts and the only 3 on offense are on the line, and Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Duke all have new QBs. Virginia Tech should level up with James Franklin, and I think both Syracuse & FSU should bounce back a bit. Give me 12 out of 17 teams to go bowling.

5. ACC goes .500 or better against other P4 teams in the non-conference.

This prediction excludes Notre Dame, and the ACC has 18 games against other P4 teams in the non-conference slate. This conference is often overlooked, but has performed well against other P4 opponents. The ACC had 7 wins against P4 opponents in the 2025 post-season. There are some difficult games and easy games in non-conference play among these 18, but I think the ACC will find a way to win a majority of these games.

Oddly Specific Big XII Predictions

1, 2 & 3. BYU makes the playoff. Bear Bachmeier & LJ Martin put up big numbers.

I really thought it would happen last year, but the Cougars just missed out due to their subpar performances against Texas Tech. Even though they miss the Red Raiders in the regular season this year, I think the schedule could be a bit tougher than 2025. Road games at TCU and Utah provide tripping hazards while the Cougars still have to contend with hosting Notre Dame in the middle of the year. That will be a pivotal game, because I think the Cougars could be a 1-loss or even unbeaten team when the year is done. Sophomore QB Bear Bachmeier threw for over 3,000 yards with 15 TDs and added another 11 TDs on the ground with 500+ yards. It's hard to say I'm expecting more from him after that, but I think he racks up more yards and TDs than he did last season. His partner in crime will be LJ Martin, arguablly one of the best backs in the nation. Martin averaged over 5 yards per carry with over 1,300 yards and 12 TDs. Adding another 200+ receiving yards, his total is over 1,500. I think he pushes all of these totals up and has 15+ TDs to go with it. Look out for the Cougars this years.

4. Texas Tech stumbles in November.

The Red Raiders are heavy favorites yet again in this conference, but there are some gaps in this team. Most notably is the QB situation with Will Hammond coming off an ACL tear to be QB1 after the Brenden Sorsby debacle this summer. A productive ground game will help support Hammond, but there is danger lurking in the schedule. I fully expect Texas Tech to dominate a majority of their opponents, but the November slate could bring some adversity. Starting with a sneaky West Virginia team at home, Rich Rod isn't one to shy away from a big game. Then Joey McGuire's squad has to navigate back-to-back road games against improved Oklahoma State & Baylor teams. Finally, the Horned Frogs come to Lubbock for a rivalry showdown to end the year. I think one of those games causes a "Wreck 'Em" for the Red Raiders.

5. Baylor, K-State and WVU go Bowling while Cincy, Colorado and UCF do not.

Some of it is a bit personal with this pick, but I honestly don't think the coaching and rosters are very strong for the Bearcats, Buffaloes and Knights. Cincy has a solid O-line but has to reload on weapons. UCF is breaking in JMU transfer Alonzo Barnett III while trying to patch a defense which had a 0.7 scoring margin last season. Colorado has a number of new faces, including coordinators. I think this could be a long season for each of these teams, potentially leading into some coaching changes. On the other side, I don't know where my blind faith in Dave Aranda comes from, but hearing him speak earlier this year at the AFCA Coaching Convention, I was thoroughly impressed. I do want things to work out for him at Baylor and the Bears could start the season hot with DJ Lagway at QB. Their final 3 games are at BYU, home against Texas Tech and at Houston though, so it won't be an eay finish. K-State brings home one of their own with Colin Klein now the head man. A manageable schedule with 6 returning starters on offense should get them to the post-season. Last but not least, the Mountaineers nearly went bowling in year 1 under Rich Rod. He's got an abudnance of new roster pieces and could pull some upsets this year.

6. 2 Big 12 Teams are top 10 in Scoring & Total Offense again.

Last year Utah and Texas Tech carried the banner for the conference, lighting up opposing defenses and the scoreboard. I think the conference has enough firepower to keep those offensive numbesr at impressive levels. Keeping two teams in the top 10 and maybe pushing a third in the top 15 for scoring and total yards per game.

Oddly Specific SEC Predictions

1 & 2. The SEC doesn't win the Natty again. I don't think they'll play for it either.

Recent history suggests this is not that bold of a prediction, but with how off-season media days went, you'd think Hell has frozen over because of the lack of championships in the south. The SEC has extremely talented teams. I'm not now and never have disagreed with that. The conference is extremely deep and should produce 3 or 4 playoff teams this year. They finally play 9 conference games, which has been a complaining point in the offseason. I think this will enhance their season, despite some teams being left out. It will help us see who truly carries the big stick in this conference. They don't have the cupcake game in November as protection any more. With all of these factors, and recent playoff performances, I think the Natty stays out of reach, and the game itself may still be without an SEC team.

3. Tennessee at best, has a 7-5 record, but might not even make a bowl game.

This could be one of the boldest takes I have this season, but I don't think the Vols make the post season. This team did not beat a single opponent with a winning record in 2025, yet somehow is ranked to start the year. They do not have an established QB and unfortunately have lost multiple defensive stars to injury. I love the run game with DeSean Bishop and one of the nation's best offensive lines. They also hired ex-Penn State DC Jim Knowles to shape up a defense that gave up 33.6 points per game in conference play last year. I think Josh Heupel is a good coach and they've done all the right things, but something doesn't sit right with me for this year. They do get Texas, Auburn, Bama and LSU all in Knoxville, but I'm not sure they're going 4-0 in that run. Plus road trips to Georgia Tech, South Carolina and College Station set up major stumble spots. We'll see if they prove me wrong, but I think this Tennessee team is not as good as advertised.

4. Alabama has 3 losses and misses the playoffs.

While I believe Kalen Deboer is a great coach, I have hesitation with his Bama teams thus far. I do not think they should have made the playoffs last year, especially after their performance in the SEC Championship. They had an impressive win in the rematch against Oklahoma, but while watching that game I felt OU let it slip a bit more than Bama went and took it. Regardless, this season the Tide have some tricky opponents and are breaking in a new QB yet again. Keelon Russell has tremendous upsdie, but the talent depth around him isn't the same. Most notably with the lack of run game to support the freshman QB, the schedule does not offer too many games where they can rely solely on Russell's arm. Alabama ranked 125th in rush offense last year. Bama does get to host Georgia and A&M, but they travel to Knoxville, Baton Rouge and Nashville. I think they could be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

5. Oklahoma makes the SEC Championship.

Texas and Georgia are heavy favorites, but don't sleep on the Sooners. The defense brings back 6 starters and 8 starters on offense, including all 5 offensive linemen and star QB John Mateer. A tremendous amount of experience will help Brent Venables make another CFP run. The Red River Rivalry game is key for this prediction, but I think Oklahoma could turn some heads in the SEC this year.

6. Texas A&M has the opportunity to knock Texas out of the playoffs.

I'm hedging just a bit, rather than saying A&M knocks Texas out of the playoffs, because those Aggies always find a way to mess it up. I think Texas will come into College Station in November with 2 or 3 losses. A&M should be around the same and the winner could be playoff bound, but that 3rd or 4th loss would be devastating. I don't know if A&M is quite playoff material this season, but they are a dangerous team and their game against Texas will determine if the Longhorns make it in or not. We'll see if they make the most of it unlike the last two years.

Oddly Specific BIG 10 Predictions

1. The BIG 10 sends 4 teams to the playoffs.

I had this prediction last year and just fell short. With 9 conference games in the SEC, the door opens a bit wider for another BIG 10 team to get in. We'll worry about the SEC bias when the rankings come out, but for now, I think the BIG 10 shows more depth than is originally thought. Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State & USC are my picks.

2. USC wins 2 out of the big 3.

The Trojans have all 3 of the other BIG 10 heavyweights on their schedule, but get both the Ducks and Buckeyes at home. I do struggle to trust Lincoln Riley, but Jayden Maiava is primed for a phenomenal season and some key offseason additions (Gary Patterson & Mike Eckler) on the coaching side will help the defense tighten up. This is a show up or get out type of year for Riley, and I think the Trojans respond by beating two out of the three with Indiana, Oregon or Ohio State.

3. Wisconsin is looking for a new coach before the season ends.

Again a prediction I bring back from last year. My prediction is that Luke Fickell will be done before November, which is not all that bold. However, the Badgers may be the first P4 team in the nation to start their search, much like Penn State last year. Jason Eck from New Mexico is an obvious choice as a Badger alum, but we'll see how they feel mid-season. I'm not sure Luke Fickell has the squad to keep him the job.

4. BIG 10 has 5 top 20 QBs in passing yards.

The conference had 3 players in this category last season, but QBs #16 (Josh Hoover) & #17 (Anthony Colandrea) now play on BIG 10 rosters. Combine that with UCLA's new head coach Bob Chesney inheriting Nico Iamaleava, there's a lot of great arm talent around the conference. Rocco Becht from Iowa State also joins Matt Campbell at Penn State, so this could be the conference of QBs this season, perhaps better as a whole than the SEC QBs.

5. Top 5 BIG 10 QBs have higher efficiency than the top 5 QBs of other P4 Conferences.

Building on my last prediction, I think the QB efficiency ratings continue to highlight the talent in this conference. Here are the national rankings with each conference player from last year (ND included in ACC). I think the BIG 10 takes the crown again.

SEC: #4 Diego Pavia (87.7), #5 Trinidad Chambliss (86.0), #6 Gunner Stockton (85.8), #7 Taylen Green (83.1), & #15 Marcel Reed (77.9)

ACC: #8 CJ Carr (82.7), #11 Carson Beck (80.6), #13 CJ Bailey (78.1), #14 Darian Mensah (78.0), & #17 Haynes King (77.7)

Big XII: #9 Devon Dampier (82.0), #10 Brendan Sorsby (81.4), #20 Bear Bachmeier (76.7), #26 Kaidon Salter (73.2), & #27 Josh Hoover (73.2)

BIG 10: #1 Jayden Maiava (91.2), #2 Julian Sayin (89.6), #3 Fernando Mendoza (88.4), #12 Luke Altmeyer (79.4) & #18 Dante Moore (77.4)

SEC Top 5 QBR Average: 84.1

ACC Top 5 QBR Average: 79.4

Big XII Top 5 QBR Average: 77.3

BIG 10 Top 5 QBR Average: 85.2

6. Indiana repeats as BIG 10 Champs.

While this may not be the boldest of takes, the repeat path for the Hoosiers is not easy. I don't fully understand why they're being overlooked coming into this season as the defending national champs, I think they've reloaded the team quite well. Josh Hoover was top 20 in passing and top 30 QBR. Now he has a better offensive line, receivers and defense to lean on. Plus Cignetti does not seam like someone who is going to slow down. The schedule has challenge, look out for a late November road game to Seattle along with a trip to Ann Arbor while also hosting both the Buckeyes and the Trojans. However, this team is very well built and I think the Hoosiers are here to stay.

College Football Playoff Predictions

1. Indiana    2. Notre Dame    3. Georgia    4. Oregon

5. BYU    6. Oklahoma    7. Ohio State   8. SMU

9. Miami    10. USC    11. Texas A&M    12. New Mexico

Thank you for reading my 2026 Oddly Specific Predictions and get excited because we've got football this week! Enjoy some photos from Oregon State, Wyoming and Colorado State as I stopped at all of those stadiums on our road trip this summer. Definitely will be watching these three teams closely this year. Looking forward to keeping you updated throughout the season and look for my Oddly Specific Husker Predictions and Week 0 Predictions later this week. Thank goodness football is back!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

College Football Playoff - National Championship

      Hello Football friends and welcome to the National Championship! We've reached the end of our 2025-2026 season journey and it's brought us to Miami, Florida where the hometown Hurricanes take on the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers. It still seems impossible to say Indiana has a shot at going 16-0 in football with a National Championship victory, but here we are. The Hoosiers and Hurricanes have shown nothing but toughness throughout the entirety of both the playoffs and the season as a whole. This post will give my prediction of the game along with some transfer portal thoughts, highlights from my first ever AFCA Coaches Convention and some thoughts on potential playoff expansion being discussed. As always, there's so much going on in college football, so let's dive right into it.

     Starting with my recent trip to Charlotte, NC, I attended my first American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Convention. This was a great experience to connect and learn from coaches all around the United States and even some from international programs. As I continue to look for opportunities to expand my career into college football, this was a great first step in building those all-too-important connections. I was also able to attend multiple sessions where coaches at various levels talked through some X's and O's. There were some very unique systems and fantastic drills I plan on using in my coaching career. A special shoutout to Coach Zacharias from Richmond as his presentation on how DBs can decipher WR stems off the snap was so much fun, especially for myself who played both positions back in the day. Appreciate all the coaches that presented and took the time to connect with me.

     Throughout the convention, one message was very clear from the coaches, the transfer portal and NIL dealings are a mess right now. This convention was actually a bit thin in some of the higher level coaches attending because of the transfer portal over lapping. I also had the chance to meet with some fellow journalists who cover college football for the Athletic. A great group of writers that everyone should go look up if they have the chance, starting with David Ubben, co-host of my favorite College Football Podcast: Bunch Formation. While talking with the sports writers, we were approached by an FCS head coach who gave us quite the story about a typical interaction in the portal. I'll leave the specifics out of the blog as it wasn't a formal interview, but the story he gave explained how an athlete he was recruiting for his program was offered a walk-on position with $100,000 NIL deal at a Power 4 FBS school. The head coach talked with the athlete between visits as he was supposed to visit the FCS school next, explaining that his school would be giving him a scholarship, room and board along with a smaller NIL package. Highlighting how that $100k would be split up for various expenses including school, housing, food, insurance and taxes, he encouraged the athlete to still visit his program before making a final decision. The athlete ultimately decided to cancel his flight (and effectively his visit) to the FCS school, but because he was in between visits the Power 4 school was no longer allowed to pay for him to fly back to their campus or to home. The FCS school was expected to pick up the next air fare tab for the athlete's official visit, but because the athlete canceled, they had no obligation. So the athlete effectively stranded himself in whatever airport hub he was at while between visits and the compliance office of the P4 school was calling the FCS school trying to get them to pay the bill to fly that kid home. I wonder if they used some of his NIL deal to buy his tickets.

     In addition to the large dollar signs being thrown around, many coaches explained to myself and others how most of these athletes are getting bad advice from family members or makeshift agents who were looking for a quick pay day. Another FCS coach who spoke on a panel explained that any player with the opportunity to play college football at the D3, D2, NAIA or D1 levels of any kind are in roughly the top 8% of all football players, if you make it to D1, you're in the top 4%. So athletes looking to jump around from one division to another for a big pay day, are not appreciating what their current opportunities are. We saw a good example of that in this cycles as well over 1,000 players at each level were left stuck in the portal. Some likely pushed toward the promise of a bigger payday by an agent. Another head coach from the D2 ranks explained that while his school has become very portal heavy in their recruitment, he refuses to discuss NIL packages with athletes until later in the recruitment processes - "If your first conversation with me involves asking how much money we have for you or telling me to talk to your agent, we're done. I can't call your agent when you drop a pass." Also on that panel was Baylor head coach, Dave Aranda. He explained how finding the right type of player is just as important as spending the money in the right areas. It can be difficult to have more of your money on the sideline because guys aren't developed enough, and you have to find the difference between a kid who wants to play and who wants to win. "Guys who want to play [football] are focused on money, gear and attention. Guys who want to win are focused on development and football." Truly a great experience at AFCA and I loved all the new perspectives shared around so many unique parts of this sport.

     Shifting my thoughts to the current playoff expansion discussions going on, I have very little to say other than LEAVE IT BE! The reports of a 16-team or 24-team playoff are extremely frustrating when you have seen the success of the 12-team playoff in just the two years of existence. I think an adjustment needs to be made with the committee and a BCS type computer system should be brought in for extra metrics, but the 12-team playoff has been phenomenal. Over the past two seasons, you've had 20 different teams in the playoffs overall, 13 different teams in the quarterfinals, 8 different teams in the semifinals and 4 different teams playing for the National Title. The 12-team playoff has enhanced the regular season and it gives a pathway for all 136 teams in Division 1 FBS football. We finally have a system that can squeeze out whatever parity is available in this sport, despite some of the biases pushing certain teams and conferences forward. I get the money game and how all the conferences and big wigs want to make more money, but sacrificing more passion and integrity of this sport for a few more games is ridiculous. The SEC does not have 7 teams capable of winning a national title, same for the BIG 10. As a Husker fan and football analyst, I study the BIG 10 a lot. The three best teams (Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon) got into the field, USC, Michigan and others were not good enough. The regular season games have to matter. There has to be a consequence for losing an October or November game instead of saying "no big deal, we'll still be in the top 24 teams for the bracket". Expanding the playoffs does nothing in terms of getting higher quality games, it's simply for larger amounts of money. I'm the last person who would want to see fewer football games, but at the cost of minimizing the importance of what these game mean in unacceptable. I believe the playoffs should stay at 12, this system has proven to be a good one with providing a pathway for every team, while ensuring every game you play has both rewards and consequences.

College Football Playoff National Championship

#10 Miami Hurricanes vs #1 Indiana Hoosiers

     After three straight wins on the road and outside their home state, the Hurricanes get to play for the National Title at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Rugged play on the line of scrimmage and smart decisions by veteran QB Carson Beck have led the 'Canes back to the promised land under alumni Head Coach Mario Cristobal. Miami's revived run game is led by Junior RB, Mark Fletcher Jr., who's racked up nearly 400 yards on the ground in the playoffs alone. Beck has been patient in the pocket and does well to take what the defense gives him with underneath throws. His legs proved to be a difference-maker against Ole Miss, scrambling for first downs and the winning touchdown at key points in the game. They'll look to get the ball in to the hands of star wideout Malachi Toney early and often. Toney is one catch away from his 100th of the season and already has over 1,000 yards to go with his 9 touchdowns.  Defensively, the Hurricanes love to create havoc in the backfield as Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor combining for 19 total sacks on the season, helping Miami rank 1st in the nation with 47 sacks overall. They have been able to get pressure on everyone this season, but can they do it against Indiana? The Hoosiers have steamrolled every team in their way, boasting a national best +473 scoring margin. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza executes this offense flawlessly behind a star-studded offensive line, and always seems to make the right decision with the ball. Miami's secondary is likely to struggle against Indiana's wide array of pass catchers, especially with multiple injuries and a first half targeting suspension in that sector of the field for the Hurricanes. Mendoza and his wideouts have been so good this season many people overlook the true power of this Indiana offense, running the ball wherever and whenever they want. The Hoosiers rank 12th in the nation with nearly 220 rush yards per game and average 5.3 yards per carry. The 1-2 punch of Roman Hemby and Kealon Black is hard to understate when there's more than 2,000 yards of turf behind their cleats this season, but the violence and vision these backs run with will certainly put Miami's 6th ranked run defense to the test. Indiana's defense is one of the nation's best as well, especially when forcing teams off the field on third down. Just over 30% of those conversions have been made this year and Miami could be in for a rude awakening if they get behind the chains. I do believe this could be an entertaining game for a while, but Indiana has looked completely dominant all season long, especially in the playoffs. Miami has the talent, they've shown their toughness in these Playoffs, but I don't think Carson Beck will be able to handle this defense. I don't think Mario Cristobal will out coach Curt Cignetti, and I don't think the U of Miami is tough enough to hang with the Indiana Football Hoosiers. As weird as it is to say, Indiana is your 2025-2026 National Champion as they defeat the Hurricanes 34-17. What an amazing college football season this has been. Thank you all for sticking with me throughout it and I'll have more thoughts to come after the game. Enjoy the Natty!

My first AFCA Coaching Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

College Football Playoff Semi-Finals

      We're nearing the end of our College Football season as there are just 3 games left until we crown a new champion! Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon and Indiana are the 4 teams that remain, meaning we will be witnessing some history with Miami being the only team to win a national title (most recently in 2001) and Ole Miss claiming 1960 for a national title with a 10-0-1 record. Both BIG 10 representatives have never won a national title although Oregon has been close on a few occasions. We'll break down each game and what to expect from our semi-final matchups. These should be two great games, so let's dive in!

Bowl Game/Postseason Record: 26 - 14

College Football Playoff Semi-Finals:

#10 Miami vs #6 Ole Miss - VRBO Fiesta Bowl

     The Hurricanes and the Rebels meet in the desert for our first semi-final matchup. These are two teams with conflicting styles as Ole Miss is ready for a shoot out any day of the week, but Miami plans to suffocate their opponents on the line of scrimmage. The Hurricanes did just that in their win against Ohio State, racking up 5 sacks on Julian Sayin for -42, 7 tackles for loss and dominating time of possession by nearly 7 minutes. The Buckeyes gave a strong push late in the second half, but ultimately the power of Miami's front from both sides of the ball won them this game. Carson Beck has been playing very well the last month and a half, throwing just 1 picks since the loss to SMU. He hasn't had to make many big throws, thanks to the emergence of their ground game under a healthy Mark Fletcher Jr. who is averaging 7.3 yards per carry throughout the playoffs. The Rebels' defense played very well against Georgia, allowing just 124 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs haven't been great at running throughout the season, but the dual-threat abilities from Gunner Stockton did give Ole Miss some headaches on 3rd down. They'll need to contain Carson Beck and try to keep Miami in 3rd and long situations so he can't nickel and dime them up the field with short passes. Ole Miss does have the ability to get pressure though, recording 2 sacks and 9 tackles for loss against Georgia. I was very impressed at how the Landsharks pursued the ball carrier, stretching Georgia's run game horizontal more often than not. That aggressive pursuit on the ball gives me hope they can compete on the lines with Miami. If they handle their business up front, Trinidad Chambliss could have yet another big game. In their two losses, Miami struggled to contain Miller Moss and Kevin Jennings in the pocket. Both of those players, along with Chambliss, are fantastic at extending plays and creating some magic during the scramble drill. The Ole Miss receivers are very much on the same page with Chambliss, even when he goes off script. This will put a lot of pressure on the Hurricanes' secondary. Be sure to watch how often they give up a chunk play because of Chambliss evading pressure. If Ole Miss starts fast, this is their best chance to win. Put Miami in a hole and make Carson Beck the feature player, not Mark Fletcher Jr. You cannot let the Hurricanes dictate the tempo and script of the game. We all know Ole Miss is playing with a lot of pride, their situation with Lane Kiffen might be the most motivating among all teams left in the field. However, the dominance on the line of scrimmage shown by Miami in the first two rounds has been eye-opening. If Ole Miss can't get the jump, I expect the Hurricanes to slowly suffocate them and Chambliss will be under a lot of heat from Reuben Baine Jr. and Ahkeem Mesidor. Look for them to be in the backfield a lot and I'll go with Miami 30-24.

#1 Indiana vs #5 Oregon - Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl

     A BIG 10 rematch is set for semi-final number two as the Indiana Football Hoosiers take on the Mighty Ducks of Oregon. The first round went to Indiana as they got one of their statement wins on the season, defeating Oregon at Autzen Stadium 30-20. It's the only blemish on another great season from the Ducks, but can they finish the job this time? Oregon did their best to make a statement last week in the quarter-finals, shutting out Texas Tech 23-0. While the defense was on display, the Red Raiders did limit Oregon to just 64 yards rushing and 309 total yards. I wouldn't expect the Hoosiers' defense fall far from that as Alabama didn't even reach 200 total yards. In the last meeting Indiana racked up 6 sacks and 8 tackles for loss, keeping Dante Moore under constant pressure. The Hoosiers are great about keeping opponents behind the chains, allowing just 28% conversion rate. The Ducks rank 27th in the nation with 45% conversion rate for third downs, but they aren't afraid to go for it on fourth if necessary, converting 18/30 for 60%. I trust both of these coaches to build fantastic game plans, especially for a semi-final game. However, Dan Lanning's squads always seem to miss the right play at the right time in these big games. Oregon has had a few games where they looked a little flat this season, and Indiana seems ready to smash anyone in their path. This will be a phenomenal battle in the trenches, and don't forget Oregon can rush the passer well too with 29 sacks on the season. However, this Indiana team seems like they're destined to dance in some confetti, so I'm calling the Indiana Football Hoosiers to win this game 27-17. Watch how the Indiana Oline moves people around late in the game. They get stronger as the game goes on and that's hard to match.

Thank you for reading my semi-final playoff predictions and enjoy the games!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando