College Football Preview: Post-Season Predictions

BIG TEN

EAST

Michigan State 11-1

Ohio State 10-2

X-Penn State 9-3

Michigan 8-4

Maryland 5-7

Indiana 5-7

Rutgers 4-8

WEST

Iowa 11-1

Wisconsin 10-2

Nebraska 7-5

Northwestern 7-5

Minnesota 5-7

Illinois 5-7

Purdue 3-9

Championship: Michigan State over Iowa

            With the Braxton Miller news I do not think that it will change the overall record much for the Buckeyes, but I definitely will flip them and the Spartans.  J.T. Barrett is a Texas kid that has played in a system like Urban Meyer’s since he was at Wichita Falls Rider.  He will definitely be the freshman of the year, but I do not think he can get Ohio State past Michigan State.  I would give the Hawkeyes more of a chance against the Spartans, but still like Michigan State to take the conference.

Offensive Player of the Year: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

            Another pick that is changed by the Miller decision, Gordon will be the best offensive player in a league completely devoid of offensive superstars.  This pick should probably be Brandon Schreff since he is the best overall player in the league, but I doubt an offensive lineman can win the award.  Connor Cook and Jeremy Langford from Michigan State should put up some stats, but I think that the Spartans will be in a lot of blowouts, decreasing their overall output.  Gordon might sneak himself into the Heisman conversation with a full workload.

Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

            This defense has even more pressure now and I think Bosa steps up and leads the league in sacks.  Because of the depth on the Buckeyes’ defensive line, Bosa will not face many double teams and he will eat up opposing offensive lineman whether he’s on the outside or inside at DT.

PAC-12

NORTH

Oregon 11-1

Washington 10-3

Stanford 8-4

Oregon State 8-4

Washington State 6-6

California 2-10

SOUTH

UCLA 11-1

USC 10-2

Arizona State 7-5

Arizona 7-5

Utah 4-8

Colorado 3-9

Championship: Oregon over UCLA

            UCLA seems like an even safer bet with the drama going on down the highway with the Trojans, and the more I look at the Ducks the more I think they might run the table.  With a healthy Mariota, they will be a very hard team to catch on a bad day. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

            As I just said, I think Mariota is due for a monster year.  I think he will seriously challenge a zero-interception season, especially since he will only face the best corner in the league in practice, and the second best corner is jumping off of balconies instead of in passing lanes. 

Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Jack, LB, UCLA

            Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and USC’s Leonard Williams are better NFL prospects and players at this point, but I think QB’s avoid Ekpre-Olomu and opposing O-lines double/triple-team Williams giving Jack the most opportunity.  Mora has said that Jack will focus on defense and if he does I think he terrorizes other offenses.

ACC

ATLANTIC

Florida State 12-0

Clemson 9-3

Louisville 9-3

Syracuse 6-6

North Carolina State 6-6

Boston College 4-8

Wake Forest 4-8

COASTAL

Duke 10-2

North Carolina 9-3

Virginia Tech 9-3

Miami 9-3

Pittsburgh 7-5

Georgia Tech 7-5

Virginia 2-10

Championship: Florida State over Duke

            I am probably buying too much into Duke’s surprising run last year, but I just really want Duke to be good again.  It was almost comical to see the Blue Devils with 10 wins.  They will definitely get trounced by the Seminoles, but at least they get there, right?  I mean, what if Winston, Edwards, Greene, Williams X 2, and Ramsey all get suspended for the game? Oh yeah, Florida State’s backups could probably be a top-25 team.

Offensive Player of the Year: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

I think the numbers will be even better.  I mean, Jimbo Fisher put up EIGHTY on someone last year, what’s to stop him from trying to get a 2-time Heisman winner?  Imagine the sway that would have with recruits.

Defensive Player of the Year: Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State

Another Texas kid not playing for a Texas school, the Denton Ryan product has as much talent as any defensive player in the nation.  He is legitimately in the same tier as Jadaveon Clowney (albeit at the bottom while Clowney is at the top).  I could see him threatening 20 sacks.

SEC

WEST

Alabama 11-1

LSU 11-1

Auburn 10-2

Mississippi 8-4

Mississippi State 8-4

Texas A&M 7-5

Arkansas 3-9

EAST

South Carolina 11-1

Georgia 10-2

Missouri 8-4

Florida 7-5

Vanderbilt 6-6

Tennessee 4-8

Kentucky 3-9

Championship: Alabama over South Carolina

            This pick could blow up in my face if the Aggies pull the upset tonight, but I just feel like this could be Spurrier’s year… at least until he has to face Alabama.  You never know though, whoever starts at QB for the Tide could not be ready for the big games and Ol’ Ball Coach could surprise everyone one more time.  I wouldn’t bet it on it, but I would like to see it.

Offensive Player of the Year: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU and Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

            I know, kind of a cop-out, but I just couldn’t leave either of them out.  If I had to bet on one, it would be Gurley, but I truly believe that Fournette is the real deal and will get some Heisman-buzz.

Defensive Player of the Year: Landon Collins, S, Alabama

            Collins will get plenty of opportunity as Alabama will control the ball with its ground game and teams will have to throw to catch up.  The junior safety was all over the field last year and is now the unquestioned leader on the defense.

BIG XII

Oklahoma 10-2

Baylor 10-2

Kanas State 8-4

Texas 8-4

Oklahoma State 7-5

Texas Tech 7-5

TCU 7-5

West Virginia 3-9

Kansas 3-9

Iowa State 3-9

Champion: Oklahoma

            With no championship game, the de facto champion will be crowned at the OU/Baylor game.  I don’t think either will get through unscathed and since the game is in Norman I lean towards the Sooners. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

            This is about as big of a lock as any other post-season prediction.  Petty is as efficient as they come at QB, and he is in the most efficient system ever created for mass amounts of yards.  Davis Webb should be right on his heels as far as passing yards, but that will be because Tech will be behind a lot more.

Defensive Player of the year: Sam Carter, SS, TCU

            I really wanted to be a homer and take Kenny Williams, the converted RB playing outside linebacker for the Red Raiders, but I think Carter continues his ball hawking in the league’s best defense. 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

SEMIFINALS

#1 Florida State over #4 Michigan State

The fourth spot was definitely Ohio State’s before the Braxton Miller injury.  Now, I would not be surprised if LSU sneaks in ahead of the Spartans.  Either way, I think Florida State has too much offense for those two defenses.

#3 Oregon over #2 Alabama

The matchup that has somehow always eluded us: the best offensive team of the past decade against the best defensive team.  Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend stole this game from us a few years ago (yes, I know, I was fooled by him too) but we finally get it as a National Semifinal.  I think ‘Bama’s defense will slow down the Ducks somewhat, but it will be the Crimson Tide’s offense not able to do much against an under-rated Oregon defense that leads the Pac-12 Champs to the Final.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

#3 Oregon over #1 Florida State

            It is just too hard to repeat now, especially with a quarterback who has been known to be distracted with off the field issues.  Marcus Mariota will look to cement himself as the top quarterback in the draft and this would be the first game that the Seminoles face such a high-tempo offense.  Also, would it not be fitting that in the first year of a 4-team tournament that the #3 team takes it down?

AWARDS

Doak Walker: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

Fournette and Gordon should be right on his heels, but it is Gurley’s to lose if he stays healthy.

Fred Biletnikoff: Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor

This could be a runaway and Goodley could pass the 2,000-yard mark.

Jim Thorpe: Landon Collins, S, Alabama

This one is a little tougher because you never know who opposing quarterbacks just completely avoid.  Carter, Ekpre-Olomu, and any of the Seminoles’ DB’s could jump into the conversation.

Davey O’Brien: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

This seems like a four-horse race between Mariota, Winston, Hundley and Petty.  I think Petty gets overlooked as a system quarterback, and Mariota ends up with the best numbers of the other three.

Heisman:

5. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

4. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

3. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

2. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

            Like I said earlier, Mariota is a man on a mission.  The kid is 6’4’’, 219 pounds, and has thrown for 63 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions in the first two seasons as a starter.  When you factor in that he has almost 1,500 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns with his breakaway speed, what you have is Colin Kaepernick with a much better arm.  I’m pushing all-in with Mariota and the Ducks to show that it wasn’t just Chip Kelly, but the system in place.