2016-2017 NCAA Football Predictions

Another glorious football season is upon us. Fall is practically here and our favorite sport will be played before you know it. Since it is so close, that can only mean that it is prediction time again. So my predictions for the 2016-2017 football season are what this entry is all about. Last week, I focused on ACC predictions and this week it will focus on the national predictions as a whole

After another championship run, most people are on the Alabama bandwagon, but not this guy. Despite their manageable schedule and incredible amount of talent returning, they are losing more than people realize and it is very difficult to repeat. Something can and will go wrong for the Tide. Who does that leave us to compete? Let's start with some teams that nobody is talking about that could have an impact on the College Football Playoff that I have outside of my playoff and most people have outside their top 10 teams.

The Darkhorse Teams

5. Utah Utes
The Pac 12 seems wide open, especially in the South. That opens the door for defending South co-champ Utah, a team nobody is talking about. Utah has their offensive line returning and most of their defense. A defense that typically is one of the best in the Pac 12. I am not sold on UCLA and should the Bruins stumble, that opens the door for a talented Utah team to play for the Pac title. These defending champs are not getting nearly enough credit as most outlets have them outside the top 25.

4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
As mentioned in the ACC preview, nobody is talking about the yellow jackets. Nobody! Now, they won't win the ACC, but they will be much improved over last year's team in my opinion and will make a mark in the top 25. They are being picked near the bottom, so they are definitely a darkhorse to do some damage in my view.

3. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Picked by many outlets to finish 3rd in the Big 12, I can easily see the Cowboys winning the Big 12 and crashing the college football playoff. The Cowboys won 10 games last year and have 16 starters back including their QB. Honestly, I am shocked that they are not being talked about more. 9 wins seems a lock and 10+ is a near lock. Road Trips to TCU and Oklahoma could be all that is standing in OK State's way of making a playoff bid.

2. Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats have fallen short of a bowl bid the past few seasons with 5-7 finishes. This year will be different. They are picked to finish 4th in the SEC East at best and lower in some outlets. However, these guys can finally start to rise up the ladder in the SEC this season. They now boast the brilliant offensive staff from Cincinnati and they have the overwhelming majority of their offensive starters returning. Additionally, they get to play South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State at home this year. The Wildcats will go to their first bowl game since 2010 this season, the question is how good of a bowl game it will be.

1. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers are predicted to finish 3rd in the Big 10 West. They are predicted 30th overall. These guys are predicted to not be a factor at all, but they are a powerhouse. They do lose a QB and a defensive coordinator, but they are in a wide open Big 10 West. Good Wisconsin teams are really known for grueling offensive lines and they return 7 offensive lineman with starting experience. Their starting runningback, Corey Clement, is also back after missing most of last season due to injury. A healthy Clement behind an experienced offensive line should make the Badgers running game quite formidable again in 2016. The running game lacking last year is a reason the program dropped off a bit last year, but it won't be an issue in 2016. We can find out early how formidable Wisconsin is with a Week 1 match-up against LSU. Should they win that one, the Badgers are a legit playoff threat.

5 Burning Questions Around the Country

5. Does the Big 12 get a playoff bid?
Short answer to this question is no, but I will give a longer answer. Oklahoma is strongly favored in the Big 12, but they likely won't go undefeated in conference doing so. They have non-conference games against Houston and Ohio State as well. This information leads you to believe that the Sooners will lose at least 2 games and the Big 12 will be on the outside looking in come playoff time. No conference championship game hurts the conference a lot and unless Oklahoma or Texas have an equal or better resume than other contenders they will be left out. Other Big 12 teams won't get as much benefit of the doubt as Oklahoma or Texas and will have to have resumes much better than other contenders to get in.

4. Is Tennessee The Favorite In the SEC East?
Most are predicting Tennessee around the country, but I just don't see it the more I look. As bad as the SEC East is, Georgia is better than Tennessee. Kirby Smart is a better coach than Butch Davis and Tennessee has to play Alabama. I just can't see Tennessee besting Georgia in the East.

3. Can Michigan State reload quickly?
Michigan State has been one of the most consistently great teams in college football. They have been excellent for several years now. Last season they parlayed their success into a college football playoff berth. However, this season they lost two starters on the offensive line including one of their best offensive lineman in school history (Jack Conklin), their number 1 receiver, and one of the best quarterbacks in school history (Connor Cook). Are 5 returning starters on defense enough to keep them in the race in a tough Eastern division?
They could be a factor, but I'd expect them no better than 3rd with Michigan and Ohio State in the mix.

2. How Much Will Washington Breakout?

Washington looks like they are headed in the right direction and they are trending upward. How far upward though? Are they contending for a division title, winning their division, or winning their conference?
You will see shortly that I am bullish on the Huskies and expect them to win the Pac. They are a team I expect to make a lot of noise in 2016. Their excellent coach Chris Peterson is a big reason why.

1. Will Texas take a step forward in 2016?
Texas is a team that many people are unsure of this season. It seems they have some talent now in place and could take a leap forward under Charlie Strong. Most people are predicting around 7 wins for the Longhorns and a finish around 50 in the country. My prediction is that they will take a step forward and win 8 or 9 games. They will finish 4th in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and TCU.

10 Teams Most Likely to Win the Title

10. Louisville Cardinals

Louisville edges out Houston for my #10 team most likely to win the title. Houston will also have a shot, but has a tough nonconference schedule and is still a Group of 5 team. There is a lot for Houston to overcome, but they will be formidable and likely win the American Conference. Houston needs to run the table to get in tough and Louisville can get in with one loss if they win the ACC. I do not expect Louisville to beat either FSU, or Clemson, but it is possible. The #1 thing working in Louisville's favor is that they get FSU early and on short rest @ home.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State has a lot of pieces to replace, but as much as I do not like him, Urban Meyer is a winner. Additionally, Ohio State is a powerhouse program that reloads. They very well could compete for a title again in 2016.

8. Oklahoma Sooners

Winning the Big 12 would get them in the conversation. I think they fall just short, but they certainly have the talent to win it all. They have to have better resumes than the other conference champs due to no conference title game. The name brand doesn't hurt them like other big 12 schools though.

7. Stanford Cardinal

The most consistent Pac 12 team with one of the best coaches and best players in the nation certainly deserves mention. I expect them to finish 2nd to another Pac 12 school, but would not be surprised if they won the Pac.

6. Michigan Wolverines

I am picking Michigan to win the Big 10, but believe they will lose to either the SEC or ACC Champ. Getting to the playoff vaults them up the list.

5. Washington Huskies

Take what I said to Michigan, but apply it to the Pac 12. I do believe though that these guys are going to be a force this year. This is my ultimate sleeper and they will be a major threat to the national title.

4. Clemson Tigers

I expect the Tigers to be left out of the playoffs, but they could easily not only get in, but win it all. These guys are super talented and DeShaun Watson is an incredible player. Don't be shocked if they win it all. That Clemson-FSU game is the game of the year.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide

I am picking LSU over Alabama and that seems blasphemous. Alabama has been the class of college football this decade. They have won 4 of 7 National Championships. It would surprise nobody if they won again this year. I suspect they will fall short having to replace some key pieces. Just remember though that Alabama does not rebuild they reload. This school has incredible athletes.

2. LSU Tigers

Behind one of the best players in the nation, LSU will be back in 2016. They will compete and could easily win the national championship. Do not let it surprise you if they pull it off.

1. Florida State Seminoles

Florida State is returning every single offensive starter from 2016 including the explosive Dalvin Cook. Every single starter from one of the most talented rosters in the country. From a team that went to a New Years 6 bowl and had Clemson on the ropes last year on the road. They get Clemson on the road and have the opportunity to make a statement against the SEC in Week 1. Florida State is my pick to win the national championship and I love their roster. Their coach is not too shabby either!

The Playoff Teams
This is not just the same as the teams most likely to win. I expect the ACC or SEC Champion to take home the crown, but only one team from each league will likely make the playoffs. It has only been conference champions to date, and I expect that trend to continue.

4. Michigan Wolverines

3. Washington Huskies

2. LSU Tigers

1. Florida State Seminoles
I told you what I thought would happen in the previous section, but still thought you should see the actual playoff teams I am predicting. I believe that FSU will win it all! It would not surprise me to see either 2 ACC teams or 2 SEC teams depending on their records. I would be shocked though if either conference is left out of the playoffs. Due to the depth at the top of each, they should compete.

5 Best Regular Season Matchups

5. 9/17 Florida State @ Louisville ABC Noon Eastern

4. 9/30 Stanford @ Washington   ESPN 6PM Pacific

3. 11/26 Michigan @ Ohio State

2. 11/5  Alabama @ LSU

1. 10/29 Clemson @ Florida State

5 Best Week 1 Matchups

5. Saturday 9/3 Alabama v. USC (AT&T Stadium) 8PM ET ABC

4. Saturday 9/3 North Carolina v. Georgia (Georgia Dome) 530PM ET ESPN

3. Saturday 9/3 LSU v. Wisconsin (Lambeau Field) 330PM ET ABC

2. Saturday 9/3 Oklahoma v. Houston (NRG Stadium) Noon ET ABC

1. Monday 9/5  Florida State v. Ole Miss (Citrus Bowl) 8 PM ET ESPN

Heisman Darkhorses NOBODY is Talking About

5. Boom Williams      RB     Kentucky
The Kentucky runningback is starting behind an offensive line returning 4 of 5 starters in an offense that is destined to have better play-calling than in the past. Many people will not see it coming, but he will be a contender for the All-SEC team and thus could make a push into the Heisman picture. A favorable schedule by SEC standards helps.

4. John O' Korn    QB    Michigan

O' Korn has not even officially won the job yet. Quarterback is the biggest question on Michigan's roster. So how is he a Heisman darkhorse?
I expect him to be the quarterback in an explosive offense of a team that makes the playoffs. Should Michigan be as good as I think they will be and should he win the job, then he will likely be in the race. The Houston transfer has 34 touchdowns as a college quarterback already and looks to double that amount this season. He very well could be one to watch.

3. James Washington   WR   Oklahoma State
Should Oklahoma State sneak into the playoff picture or make it in, this becomes a real possibility. Washington is predicted to be an All-American by me, but it is possible he can be more. With Mason Rudolph at QB in the offensive friendly Big 12, I expect this offense to be quite explosive. Washington will be the star and could emerge as a Heisman candidate. This certainly could happen. It is just tough for a receiver to receive this honor.

2. Corey Clement   RB   Wisconsin
The talented Clement is back behind a great offensive line and the Badgers are my darkhorse this season so naturally he appears on this list. Most people are not to high on Clement or the Badgers, but an early match-up with LSU can certainly get Clement some early Heisman looks. A breakout game against the Tigers could vault him up the Heisman list.

1. Jake Browning     QB   Washington

There seems to be a trend with the Washington Huskies. There will be much more on Jake Browning to come in this post....

My Heisman Top 5

5. Jake Browning    QB    Washington
You already have seen how high I am on the Washington Huskies this year. I expect them to win the Pac and for Browning to be a major reason why. He will have a breakout year in his second year and look to improve upon his 63% completion percentage. As a freshman, Browning threw for 2,955 yards and I would expect that total to jump over 4,000 in year 2 of Chris Peterson's offense.

4. Baker Mayfield     QB     Oklahoma

Mayfield will be back in the conversation again this season. Expect Oklahoma to be back in the thick of the playoff race, making it likely Mayfield has a strong shot at the award.

3. Christian McCaffrey    RB   Stanford

You could argue that McCaffrey should have won the award last year, and that he is the favorite this year. He certainly is one of the top contenders. It likely will come down to these three backs that have been outstanding, but I have the other two edging him out.

2. Dalvin Cook     RB    Florida State

IMO, Dalvin Cook should have won the award last year. The season he had with that injury and the negative press was otherworldly. This guy is an absolute machine. However, the fact that he was left off so many All-American teams last year and that he was not invited to New York makes me think he will get passed up again. It seems that the voters simply will not vote for him for whatever reason. It is a shame because he will possibly deserve it again, but the numbers will have to be insane for him to get it.

1. Leonard Fournette       RB    LSU

Fournette will be aided by 2 factors
1) LSU will be tremendous this season
2) Dalvin Cook is hated nationally
Those factors + the fact that he is excellent and plays in the SEC is why I predict Fournette to be our next Heisman trophy winner.

Offensive All-Americans

QB Jake Browning     Washington

RB Dalvin Cook           Florida State

RB Leonard Fournette   LSU

WR Calvin Ridley        Alabama

WR James Washington  Oklahoma State

TE Bucky Hodges         Virginia Tech

OT Roderick Johnson  Florida State

OT Cam Robinson        Alabama

OG Billy Price               Ohio State

OG Dan Feeney             Indiana

C  Ethan Pocic               LSU

Defensive All-Americans

DE Jonathan Allen    Alabama

DE Chris Wormley    Michigan

DT Charles Walker   Oklahoma

DT Lowell Lotuleli    Utah

LB Ben Boulware      Clemson

LB Devontae Fields   Louisville

LB Raekwon McMillan Ohio State

CB Desmond King   Iowa

CB Sidney Jones      Washington

S   Derwin James     Florida State

S   Jamal Adams      LSU

Specialist All-Americans

K Andy Phillips          Utah

P  Hayden Hunt          Colorado State 

KR Evan Berry           Tennessee
PR William Likely      Maryland

Coach of The Year

Jimbo Fisher!!!!

Again, Fisher probably should win this award that he has never gotten, just like he has never gotten the ACC Coach of the Year, but he won't. I would actually assume this award will go to Chris Peterson if the Huskies are as good as I think they will be this year. The Huskies making the playoffs should get Peterson to win the award. Should the Oklahoma State Cowboys make it though, Mike Gundy could easily win. 10+ wins down in Texas will win Charlie Strong the award.

It will again be a wonderfully exciting football season indeed.

-Noland

2016-2017 ACC Football Predictions

We are almost there, it is almost football season!!!
It's about time and I am once again excited to watch with my family. Once again, I will be making predictions and getting them written down and doing them the same as last year. 2 college football prediction posts, with the main one next week, and one pro prediction post.

These predictions, will be of what will happen in Florida State's conference and they will be focused on Florida State.  Being honest, Florida State has ran the ACC on the football side since their inclusion in 1992. Even last year in a rebuilding year, FSU took national runner-up Clemson to the wire. A game that FSU could have easily pulled out. Since 1992, FSU has won 15 conference championships out of 23 seasons. That means that 65% of the seasons Florida State has played in the conference, they have won! Incredible! It is even more incredible when you consider that rival Miami has been to 0 conference championship games since joining the conference. With this information, the questions start at who can challenge FSU?

The obvious answer in challenging for the ACC Championship is the Clemson Tigers. Many experts have both Clemson and FSU making the playoff. It seems that the majority feels that it is 50/50 who wins that FSU-Clemson game which is in Tallahassee this year. A strong Louisville team could also challenge. The Seminoles though return every single offensive starter and despite losing #5 overall pick Jalen Ramsey, look to be even better on defense as well. Florida State is locked and loaded for a national championship run. Let's look at the threats in greater detail though.

Biggest Threats to FSU

The top threat is Clemson for obvious reasons. The Tigers return the Heisman favorite and were national runner-up last year. Clemson rolled through the ACC schedule and really only struggled with Florida State on the way to an undefeated regular season. With Watson and many other key players returning, it is easy to see how the Tigers can be National Championship contenders again.

Right behind Clemson and I mean right behind Clemson is a dangerous Louisville Cardinals team. These guys will be the trendy sleeper pick in the conference, but they are no sleeper at all. The Cardinals could easily give the ACC Atlantic 3 Top 10 teams. They could also be so dangerous that they cost the ACC 2 playoff teams and possibly wipe the ACC from the championship picture all together. Playing Louisville on the road early in a 12 pm kickoff as a 3rd game in 19 days terrifies me. If FSU drops a regular season game, this one to me is the most likely. QB Lemar Jackson is a Heisman Trophy sleeper and Louisville absolutely is good enough not just to win the ACC, but the national championship. Louisville is loaded for the 2016 season. Watch out!

ACC Darkhorse

Last year, my dark horse started out 3-0, but then they lost everything, so it has to get better for 2016. Still I will not make an easy pick like Louisville, because as stated earlier, Louisville is not and should not be a dark horse. For my darkhorse to compete in the coastal, I am actually going with Georgia Tech who disappointed in 2015. They were able to knock off Florida State though which shows they still have the chops to make a run. With Justin Thomas returning for his senior season, I could easily see the Jackets competing for a title on the Coastal side. That being said, I believe that the Atlantic is much better than the Coastal this season because of the three teams that I mentioned earlier. The Yellow Jackets though will go bowling at least this season and finish better in the Coastal than their predicted finish which is last in some outlets and 5th or lower in most.

Who Wins the Conference?

As you might expect, I am picking the Seminoles in the ACC. I do realize the threats that the other teams possess, especially Clemson and Louisville, but at the end of the day, Florida State just has too much talent. I think people underestimate the hits Clemson took to the NFL on the defensive line as well. When in doubt, it is prudent to pick the Seminoles anyways as they have won the conference more than 50% of the time since they joined. The Seminoles win the ACC and perhaps the National Championship due to their incredible talent and the amazing job that Jimbo Fisher does with that talent. Florida State looks to have a strong 2016.

5 Questions and Answers

1) How many wins will Mark Richt get in year one at Miami?

Miami will easily start 3-0 before a showdown with Georgia Tech and could be 4-0 before the rivalry contest with Florida State. However, I expect them to drop both of those games and 3 others (Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and one more). That would put Miami at 7-5 and in a winable bowl game. It is possible that Miami finally makes it to an ACC Championship behind brilliant QB play from Brad Kaaya, but don't think he has enough around him to pull it off.

2) Who is the most talented player in conference?

The most talented player in conference may surprise some of you, but not everyone. His name is Derwin James and he is a sophomore safety at Florida State. Derwin started as a true sophomore last year and Jimbo Fisher and co. said he was the best true Freshman they have coached. Given who has come through that program in recent years, that is pretty high praise.

3) How many ACC teams will make the playoff?
It is pretty safe to say that the ACC will get at least one team in the playoff with how strong Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville are supposed to be. The conference should easily get one unless each ends up with a loss or more and the other P5 conferences all have undefeated teams. I don't see that happening in the other P5 conferences though. There is an outside chance of 2 if one of the aforementioned teams loses a close game to the conference champ and finishes with 1 loss while other conference champs have 2+ losses. If I were betting I'd say Florida State makes it and the others miss. It would not surprise me to see either Clemson or Louisville in the playoff though. 

4) Who will be the top newcomer in 2016?
The top new face in the ACC will be FSU QB DeAndre Francois. It is widely expected that Francois will beat out returning starter Sean McGuire and lead the Seminoles on a national championship run. If that does not come to fruition, then I expect the top newcomer to be Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente. The Hokies will be much improved under Fuente's watch.

5) Who will be the most disappointing team in 2016?
The Miami Hurricanes seem to be the perennial ACC team to disappoint. Since joining the conference in 2005, the Hurricanes have failed to even make an ACC Championship game appearance. Anything less than that at this point is still a disappointment. With Georgia Tech coming back into the fold, a talented UNC squad, Pittsburgh emerging and the rebirth of Virginia Tech, I just can't see it for Miami. The Hurricanes could easily finish 4th or 5th in the ACC Coastal.

1st Team All ACC Predictions

Offense

QB Lemar Jackson   Louisville

RB Dalvin Cook       Florida State

RB Elijah Hood        North Carolina

WR Jamari Staples   Louisville

WR Travis Rudolph Florida State

TE Bucky Hodges   Virginia Tech

OT Roderick Johnson Florida State

OT Mitch Hyatt        Clemson

OG Dorian Johnson  Pittsburgh

OG Danny Isidora    Miami

OC Jay Guillermo    Clemson

Defense

DE DeMarcus Walker Florida State
DE Ken Ekanem         Virginia Tech
DT Derrick Nnadi       Florida State
DT BJ Hill                  North Carolina State
LB Ben Boulware       Clemson
LB Devontae Fields    Louisville
LB PJ Davis                Georgia Tech
CB Marquez White     Florida State
CB Trumaine Washington  Louisville
S Derwin James           Florida State
S Quin Blanding          Virginia

Specialists

PK Ricky Aguayo        Florida State

P  Justin Vogel             Miami

KR Artavis Scott         Clemson
PR Bra'Lon Cherry      North Carolina State

Players of the Year

Offensive: Louisville QB Lemar Jackson
Defensive: Florida State S Derwin James
Dalvin Cook should have been player of the year last year, and I believe we will be in a similar position this year. I just can't see the media giving it to him unless his numbers are otherwordly. They just don't want him getting this award and see him as a tainted individual. It is an incredibly wrong perception, but they won't give it to Cook. This award will likely go to Jackson or Watson, but a strong senior season from Justin Thomas could push the award in that direction. Brad Kaaya is another big contender here. James is the best player in the conference on the defensive side and will win the award on that side. His top competition could come from his teammates. Josh Sweat, DeMarcus Walker, and Marquez White will all vie for the award.

Coach of the Year
Jimbo Fisher!!!

Much like I said last year, Fisher will likely deserve the award and not win. This is because that is what happens every year. He has never won ACC Coach of the Year which is a crime for a national champ and a top 5 coach in the country. I believe that Paul Johnson will actually win again, due to Georgia Tech exceeding expectations in 2016 after a disappointing 2015 campaign.

Stay Tuned Next Week for My College Football Preview

- Noland

Looking Back @ Football Predictions 2015

It is important for anybody who makes predictions to go back and truly assess how they did. In this post, I look to do just that for the past football season 2015-2016, before making new predictions for this year. Some of these predictions were pretty accurate, but some were horrifically bad. This seeks to give us some perspective on what I have gotten right and wrong before any predictions are made for the 2016-2017 season. I had four prediction pages for last football season. Last year I had an ACC preview, a preview for the rest of the country, an NFL preview, and a preview of Noles in training camps. Each of those will be looked at in great detail on this post.

Let's start with the Noles in training camps post. This post was the least predicting out of these posts, but was still informative and had some predictions in there. I said that it was put up or shut up time for EJ Manuel in Buffalo and that it was about time for him to win the job. I may have picked him to win Super Bowl MVP in another post (embarassed face) which was by far my worst prediction. Manuel of course was beaten out by Tyrod Taylor and even I think the lofty expectations I (and the Bills) had for him will never be fulfilled at this point. I was too much of a homer in the case of EJ. I will continue to root for the guy though. Sticking with the Bills, injuries forced Karlos Williams into the starting lineup and he exceeded my expectations. This guy did much better than anticipated and had a great rookie season. Another error in this post was not being bullish enough about Devonta Freeman, who ended up in the MVP conversation. He blew everyone away. Finally, Kelvin Benjamin did not start because of the ACL injury, but looks to be strong heading into this season. Everything else in this post is 100% accurate on where they were heading into the 2015-2016 season. You could write pretty much the same stuff for each player heading into 2016-2017, but you will need to include some new teams.

Now onto the NFL season predictions. As bad as the Bills Super Bowl pick was and subsequent EJ Manuel pick as described above, I actually hit on a lot here. You have to forgive me some as well, because the Bills pick was an opportunity pick based partially on the expected suspension of Tom Brady. That suspension was overturned after these selections. I had the Cardinals and Texans winning their respective divisions when few others did. I also had the Cardinals going all the way to the Super Bowl, which possibly could have happened without the Tyrann Mathieu injury. They still made the NFC Championship as I predicted. Three of my bold predictions were right in that Marcus Marriota did not start every game due to injury, the Titans would finish with the #1 pick, and Jameis Winston would be rookie of the year. I was a little too bullish record wise on the Bucs though who I gave 5 extra wins. The Ravens was another big miss for me as they too missed the playoffs. My biggest miss, was probably my continued hope for Sam Bradford. I had him leading the Eagles to a division title and an NFC Championship Game appearance and he again came up short on my expectations. Take out those bullish predictions for Bradford and Manuel and these predictions look solid. Will not make that mistake again for those two. This time I will hope to be wrong in their favor for once. Just keep rooting for the good injury prone guys to catch a break.

The NCAA preview went considerably better for me than the NFL did. I got 2 of the 4 playoff teams correct, including going against the grain and picking Michigan State to win the Big 10 over Ohio State. Nearly everyone had the Buckeyes at least making the playoff while I said the pressure to repeat would eventually catch up to the talented Buckeyes. Another favorite though, TCU, is another team I had in the playoff and they fell short. My worst prediction in here was Arizona winning it all. Yikes! So maybe not so great with the picks. The darkhorses I had were all pretty weak too, especially Georgia Tech, but more on that later.
On the Heisman trophy front, I had weak darkhorses, but my main guys were threats for at least a while other than the injured Wright. The eventual winner, Derrick Henry, was my #3 contender coming into the season. Henry was one of four offensive All-Americans I hit on (using the AP list), the other three were Spencer Drango, Jack Allen and Landon Turner. I hit on three defensive players in A'Shawn Robinson, Jaylen Smith, and Vernon Hargreaves. These numbers were pretty low as I look to hit on half of the picks this upcoming season.

Finally, is the ACC preview I did. I thought it would be interesting to do a preview of the conference FSU is in, and that proved to be true. It comes as no surprise that the Seminoles were my pick to win the conference. That was wrong, but I did say the biggest threats in conference to that happening were Georgia Tech and Clemson. The only regular season losses for FSU were to Georgia Tech and Clemson. Those Jackets really only showed up for the FSU game though unfortunately for them and the conference. Clemson had a very impressive season winning the conference and helping Dabo Swinney to win coach of the year over the ever-deserving Jimbo Fisher. I stated that Jalen Ramsey was the most talented player in the conference and that proved true as he was the #1 player on many teams draft boards a few weeks ago. Ramsey was the #5 overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Now, for how accurate I was picking the all-conference team....
Between not knowing if Dalvin Cook would be eligible and James Connor's injury, I missed on the RBs, but hit on many other positions. I hit on 4 of 11 on the offensive side. Correctly selecting Matt Skura, Landon Turner, Roderick Johnson, and Artavis Scott. On defense I hit on 3 of 11, correctly selecting Jalen Ramsey, Nile Lawrence-Stample, and Stephen Daniels. Some injuries hurt me in other spots including the FSU LB core and Kendall Fuller. The 1st team specialist was also correct as I selected the automatic, Roberto Aguayo. Every one of my selections that was not injured made one of the 3 all conference teams with the exception of Jacoby Brisett, Derwin James and George Campbell, so there is that. My worst selection was certainly Campbell as he barely saw the field in 2015. 8 people correctly selected on the 1st team All-ACC is a number that will improve for 2016.

Stay tuned for more takes on the latest news in sports and of course, more predictions....

-Noland

2015-16 NCAA Football Predictions

Another glorious football season is upon us. Fall is practically here and our favorite sport will be played before you know it. Since it is so close, that can only mean that it is prediction time. So my predictions for the 2015-2016 football season are what this entry is all about.

After their surprising run last season, most people are on Ohio State to win, but not this guy. Despite their incredibly manageable schedule and incredible amount of talent returning, it is just an entirely different animal to repeat. Something can and will go wrong for the Buckeyes. Who does that leave us to compete? Let's start with some teams that nobody is talking about that could have an impact on the College Football Playoff that I have outside of my playoff and most people have outside their top 10 teams.

The Darkhorse Teams

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Irish lately have seemed to be the team that provides just enough to make you believe they are a contender before eventually fading away. Last year, they had that incredible almost win in Tallahassee where they came closest to ending Florida State's winning streak. They had a lot of injuries late in the year that contributed to their late slide. You better expect this team to compete though and if they lose a game or less, they will be in the hunt.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions
I can't believe I am writing this team as a darkhorse playoff contender a few years after crippling sanctions, but they are just that. Bill O'Brien did a fantastic job keeping this program afloat and was succeeded by another incredible coach in James Franklin. The Nittany Lions have a guy that is arguably the best QB in the country and a lot of returning talent. They also play in a conference that behind the top two teams of Ohio State and Michigan State is fairly weak. The opportunity is there for Penn State with a giant bullseye on Ohio State should Michigan State falter. Do not be shocked if this team surprises the majority of the country.

3. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State demonstrated last year that they have an incredible amount of young talent. They also saw injuries derail part of their season, but were still able to beat rival Oklahoma. The Cowboys return talented QB Mason Rudolph who was able to lead that upset over the Sooners. Perhaps more importantly, the Cowboys get to play Big 12 powers Baylor, Oklahoma, and TCU in Stillwater. Mike Gundy could follow-up his worst season since 2007 with a playoff appearance.

2. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are being talked about by practically nobody to be a player on the national scene, but it is quite possible that they can achieve just that. There is only one legitimate threat in the Coastal division and should they dispose of Virginia Tech and somehow finish 13-0, they have a real legitimate shot at competing for a National Title. Almost the entire Yellow Jacket defense is back and they have 6 starters returning on offense including quarterback Justin Thomas. Do not be surprised if these guys shake up some things nationally and not just in the ACC.

1. Arizona State Sun Devils

USC was picked by practically everyone to be the PAC representative in the College Football Playoff this year. I though had a hard time deciding between two other PAC South teams for the spot. USC to me has a lot of talent, but most of it is overrated as is QB Cody Kessler. Add in that they lost to Boston College last year have a lot to replace up front and I am not a believer. That is especially true when several in conference coaches are superior. One of those superior coaches is Todd Graham who has led Arizona State to 20 wins the last two seasons. This team has a lot of returning talent this season. They do not have their QB returning though which is why I chose another team to represent the conference. However, I am not that concerned because QB Mike Bercovici had three great starts at QB last season.

The Playoff Teams

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

Assuming Coker is the starter, I think that Alabama makes it here despite losing a great deal of talent. He could have the best arm out of any QB Saban has coached. Notice I didn't say be the best QB (although perhaps he will develop into that), but best arm. I am unsure how they will do should Coker not get the nod. If he does not get it, my pick is Auburn to get this last spot.

3. Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans were not far off the playoffs last year and a lot of people seem to forget that they beat trendy pick Baylor in one of the best games in years. They also have a serious amount of talent returning led by QB Connor Cook who I will have more about later. I think the pressure to repeat will be too much for Ohio State and that Michigan State will be the team to take advantage of that.

2. TCU Horned Frogs

This is the one team that everyone else is picking that I agree with. It is hard not to. The coaching and talent for the Horned Frogs are incredibly elite. However, how do they deal with being the favorites all year long, it is a new role for them. Do not be surprised at all if Oklahoma State plays spoiler in the big 12 and knocks either TCU or Baylor out of the championship race. Perhaps, they can knock both teams out and head to the playoff themselves.

1. Arizona Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats led by Rich Rodriguez are my pick to be National Champions this season. They have 7 returning starters on offense including QB Anu Soloman. They also have all their skill position players returning for Rodriguez's explosive offense. On defense, they have 6 starters returning including All-American Scooby Wright. Do not forget either that these guys beat Oregon by 21 last season @ Oregon. This is a very capable team with a lot of returning talent. 

5 Best Regular Season Matchups

5. 11/7 TCU @ Oklahoma State

4. 11/28 Penn State @ Michigan State

3. 11/27 Baylor @ TCU

2. 11/21 Michigan State @ Ohio State

1. 11/21 Arizona @ Arizona State 

5 Best Week 1 Matchups

5. 11/5 3:30 PM BYU @ Nebraska

4. 11/5 7PM Arizona State v. Texas A&M (NRG Stadium in Houston)

3.11/5 8PM Wisconsin v. Alabama (AT&T Stadium)

2. 11/7 8 PM Ohio State @ Virginia Tech 

1. 11/5 3:30 PM Louisville v. Auburn (Georgia Dome)

Heisman Darkhorses NOBODY is Talking About

5. Mario Pender RB Florida State

Nobody is talking about Mario Pender even at Florida State University, but perhaps they should be. Pender was on a roll before suffering an injury early and would be in line for the majority of the carries should Dalvin Cook be unable to play. Florida State has had a 1,000 yard rusher each of the last three seasons and it isn't something that is likely the change. The question is who gets the most carries. If it is Pender, than he very well could be invited to New York.

4. Mason Rudolph QB Oklahoma State
Should the Cowboys have the season I am expecting and should they knock off multiple Big 12 powerhouses, it will be hard to deny Rudolph the big stage. He is a very capable quarterback with a great quarterback coach. With several favorable matchups in marquee games, he will have plenty of opportunity to shine as well.

3. Jacoby Brissett QB North Carolina State
Last week, I posted in my ACC preview, that Brissett is my selection for ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Should he pull that off, he will likely be a Heisman candidate, especially if he does it in leading the Wolfpack to the ACC Championship.

2. Malik Zaire QB Notre Dame
The talented sophomore quarterback will surely be invited to New York and will likely be the favorite to win the award should he lead the Irish to an undefeated regular season. He has a better arm and more talent than the departed Evert Golson, the question is whether he is able to put all of that raw talent into production on the field.

1. Mike Bercovici QB Arizona State
He has only had 3 career starts, but in those starts Bercovici has played quite well. The Arizona State QB leads one of the most consistent teams in the Pac 12 and a team that I expect to compete for the national championship.

My Heisman Top 5

5. Taysom Hill QB BYU

He was one of the favorites last season before going down with a devastating injury and there was even some talk that BYU could make the playoff. That injury ended that talk and his Heisman campaign, but there is no reason to think it can't be queued back up for this season.

4. Trevoyne Boykin QB TCU

This will be most people's pick to win the Heisman and it isn't for nothing. He is the quarterback of the team that is favored to win the title. However, I think that the weaknesses of defenses in the Big 12 will hurt Boykin as will his comparisons to Taysom Hill for that reason. 

3. Derrick Henry RB Alabama

While I'd like to think that this will be Coker if there is an Alabama Heisman candidate, chances are that they will still rely more on the ground game. History shows us that a dominant Alabama runningback has a very good chance at coming away with the Heisman trophy.

2. Scooby Wright LB Arizona

Scooby has a legit chance to make history should Arizona do what I am predicting them to do and he dominate on the field as expected. There will be a defensive player invited this year, the question is whether it will be him, Joey Bosa, or Shawn Oakman. I expect it to be Wright.

1. Connor Cook QB Michigan State

Cook is the best quarterback in the country and he will play for one of the best teams in the country. Especially if he takes down the Ohio State Buckeyes, this is his award to lose. He already has some Heisman hype and it won't be going anywhere.

Offensive All-Americans

QB Connor Cook Michigan State

RB Derrick Henry Alabama

RB Nick Chubb Georgia

WR DJ Foster Arizona State

WR Laquon Treadwell Ole Miss

TE Bucky Hodges Virginia Tech

OT Spencer Drango Baylor

OT Ronnie Stanley Notre Dame

OG Landon Turner North Carolina

OG Pat Elfein Ohio State

C Jack Allen Michigan State

Defensive All-Americans

DE Emmanuel Ogbah Oklahoma State

DE Joey Bosa Ohio State

DT A'Shawn Robinson Alabama

DT Anthony Zettel Penn State

LB Scooby Wright Arizona

LB Terrance Smith Florida State

LB Jaylon Smith Notre Dame

LB Myles Jack UCLA

CB Vernon Hargreaves Florida

CB Jalen Ramsey Florida State

FS Quin Blanding Virginia

SS Eddie Jackson Alabama

Specialist All-Americans

K Roberto Aguayo Florida State

P Austin Rehkow Idaho

KR/PR Deandre Reaves Marshall

Coach of The Year

Mike Gundy Oklahoma State
Gundy will once again show off his coaching chops by having a team that is not expected to go anywhere, competing for a national title. This time, he will be rewarded for his effort.

It should be a wonderfully exciting football season indeed.

-Noland

2015-16 ACC Football Predictions

It is football season! That time of year is upon us and I for one am excited to watch this season with my family. This year I decided to do things a little differently and expand on my previous football predictions. Typically, I have done one college football preview and one NFL preview. This year I am going to do 2 college previews and my pro football preview. In addition to this ACC preview, I will do an overall college football preview. For the professional ranks, I will just do my overall

The ACC has long been dominated by the Florida State Seminoles. Since entering the ACC in 1992, the Seminoles have won the conference 15 times. Out of 22 seasons, 15 times is an incredible accomplishment. That means FSU has won the ACC 68% of the time since it has been in the conference. It has to be some kind of record. Florida State has won the conference the last 3 years and has not lost a conference games since 2012. So the obvious question is, can any team that can challenge FSU for the ACC crown in 2015?

The Seminoles have their own issues in replacing a record 29 drafted NFL prospects in a 3 year period. They also have to replace one of the most productive quarterbacks in NFL history in Jameis Winston. That guy never lost a regular season game and was 26-1 as a starter. However, when considering this fact, remember that FSU is recruiting at a national championship level. Also consider that the last time FSU had to replace 10+ draft picks and a 1st round QB, they had one of the greatest teams ever and set the NCAA scoring record. That can't be expected this time, but can't be discounted either. Jimbo will have the boys ready to go, but they will have plenty of competition from the other schools in conference play.

ACC Darkhorse

The team that can and will surprise everyone by being a conference threat is Boston College. There actually is a way that this could break and make the Eagles a national contender. This team is incredibly well coached and has been overachieving for years. It could all be put together now that they have some athletes. All this talk seems crazy as BC lost the most players and is picked in the lower half by most analysts. However, Addazio has been terrific for BC and this team had some terrific wins against Southern Cal (a national contender) and others. They also have given Florida State fits since joining the conference and get to play them on a Friday Night this year early. Just getting FSU early in the season and being able to have the opportunity to possibly knock them off is enough to list them as a darkhorse team.

Biggest Threats To FSU

The top threat to FSU is Georgia Tech based on scheme alone. They also host the Seminoles in 2015. Based on a weak Coastal Division, they likely will ease into the conference championship game again against the Seminoles. If GT can beat FSU or Clemson 2x, this team could be headed to the college football playoff. They are quite capable of pulling this thing off.

Another top threat to FSU is obviously Clemson, who will be the trendy pick to win the conference. Clemson has incredible talent and it starts with super QB Deshaun Watson. The most dynamic playmaker in the league is Watson and he will look to lead the Tigers behind an all new offensive line. The Tigers have the talent to pull a conference championship off, but they are replacing nearly all their starters on both lines. Clemson also lost a starting tackle recently as they are entering the supplemental draft.

Louisville lost more NFL talent than every team in conference other than Florida State, but with one of the best coaching staffs in the country, will likely be a force as well.

Finally, Virginia Tech with a young improving offense and an always impressive defense will also be a bit of a threat to win the conference.

Who Wins The Conference

Despite losing all the talent they have lost, you have to believe that the Florida State Seminoles will repeat as ACC Champions. They have owned this conference and the rest of the conference has questions just like the Seminoles do. I do not expect Florida State to have another undefeated season or roll through the competition like they have been doing, but these guys are my pick to win it. They will be my pick to win it until somebody shows me otherwise.

5 Questions and Answers

1) What will happen to the Seminoles running game with Dalvin Cook's legal issues?

If Dalvin Cook is guilty then he will be kicked off of Florida State's team and they will have to turn to Mario Pender and Jacques Patrick to carry the load. Both are very capable backs and will have fine seasons, but there is no doubt the loss of Cook will hurt. Assuming Cook is innocent, he will be on the field next season and he will be more dominant than ever. If Cook is able to play, then Florida State has arguably the best running game in the country.

2) How many regular season games will Florida State lose?

Florida State has not lost a regular season game since losing to the Florida Gators at home in 2012. That is one incredible stretch of excellence that likely comes to an end this year. My guess is that they will lose one or two games this season and if I had to pick which opponent will beat them, I'd probably go with Boston College.

3) Is Everett Golson now the best quarterback in the conference?

No, at best Golson is third best in the conference behind Watson and Brissett. There is also no guarantee that Golson will even start at FSU at this point. He is a Heisman candidate and will likely be a force with Jimbo Fisher, but not the best QB in conference.

4) Who is the most talented player in the conference?

Jalen Ramsey is the most talented player in the conference and maybe in the entire country. He is an All-American track athlete and will be All-American in football this year. Ramsey will be a Top 5 pick in next April's draft. He is a rare talent.

5) How will the new coaches fare in 2015?

Pat Narduzzi was a fantastic hire for Pitt and will improve the team each year. He doesn't have too much talent though and it is hard to see him winning much more than 8 games this season. Narduzzi is the only new head coach in the ACC this season.

Offense All Conference Picks

QB Jacoby Brissett   NC State

RB James Connor     Pittsburgh

RB Jon Hillman        Boston College

WR Artavis Scott      Clemson

WR George Campbell Florida State

TE Bucky Hodges      Virginia Tech

C Matt Skura              Duke

G Landon Turner       North Carolina

G Dorian Johnson      Pittsburgh

T Roderick Johnson   Florida State

T Bryan Chamberlain Georgia Tech

Defense All Conference Picks

DE Demarcus Walker  Florida State

DE Sheldon Rankins    Louisville

DT Adam Gotsis           Georgia Tech

DT Nile Lawrence-Stample  Florida State

LB Steven Daniels         Boston College

LB Terrance Smith       Florida State

LB Reggie Northrup     Florida State

CB Kendall Fuller         Virginia Tech

CB Jalen Ramsey           Florida State

S Quin Blanding             Virginia

S Derwin James              Florida State

All Conference Specialists

K Roberto Aguayo          Florida State

P Justin Vogel                 Miami

KR/PR Tyler Boyd         Pittsburgh

Players of the Year

Offense Jacoby Brissett    NC State

Defense Jalen Ramsey      Florida State

Coach of the Year

JIMBO FISHER!!!!!!!!

Fisher actually probably won't win because he never does, but he should. He has Florida State playing at an absolutely incredible level and doesn't show any sign of slowing down anytime soon. I think it will actually be Steve Addazio who deserves the award as well.

Stay tuned next week for my College Football Preview.

-Noland

Looking Back At My Football Predictions

For the 2014-2015 season, my original predictions for college can be found here and for the NFL can be found here. I also made a pick of the bowl games and the playoffs. We will look at all of these predictions because it will give some perspective on what I have gotten right and wrong heading into any predictions about the NFL draft and the upcoming season. Then at the end of this post, I will examine my draft grades from last year's draft as well (in the next post). The first thing you will notice about the link is that the college football playoff link is missing. It is missing because I was horribly wrong on it. I had both teams losing that won their games. That was the low point of my football predictions, but I really did well elsewhere in my picks especially when it came to the draft, but like I said that draft post is next week...

Let's start with the college football preview..I said that FSU would win the ACC and Alabama would win the SEC and was right about both of those selections. However, I said Pittsburgh would win the ACC Atlantic and was very wrong. I also happened to be wrong about the other major conference winners. Jake Coker did not start for Bama as I predicted and they lost 2 games (I predicted they would lose 3 without Coker). In my defense on the SEC prediction, Alabama was getting a lot of favorable calls in SEC action. I was wrong on the Heisman winner, but had the right conference and was right about Winston not being top 3. I was correct in assuming that Winston would be expected to do far too much to win the award. My 5 under the radar games to watch were all fantastic other than the Oregon-Wyoming game. Those games were picked out quite well. Where I missed the mark in these games is that Pittsburgh and Miami was not for the ACC Atlantic crown as predicted. Another home run I hit was with my prediction of Ohio State. I expected Ohio State to lose one of their first two games and they did lose to Virginia Tech. Ohio State nearly lost to Navy as well. It did not knock them out of the title picture as predicted, but the loss to the Hokies came very close to eliminating the Buckeyes. Navy entered the Notre Dame game at 4-4 while I predicted it to be 7-1. However, Navy did win all of their games after Notre Dame and was a very strong team as predicted. Every loss they had was a game they were in for at least a half.

In that first article I predicted that FSU and Alabama would both make the college football playoff and was right. I also said that if I had to pick a team to win it would be FSU, but it was too close to call. I mentioned Oregon as another team that could easily make it and win. The Ducks made it over my pick of UCLA. My bowl picks were about as successful as my other predictions. I had some big hits and some big misses. One deadly accurate score was Central Michigan and Western Kentucky. I got the game wrong, but I picked it Central Michigan 49-Western Kentucky 47. It was Western Kentucky 49-Central Michigan 48. Overall in bowl games I went 17-19 for one I my worst records ever. Like I said though that one game I had pretty accurately counted as a loss and I picked West Virginia before Trickett's injury and I actually switched it after hearing about it, but still counted it as a loss because on the site I picked WVU. Still, I was off last year in college football on my picks.

Now, on to the NFL predictions for last season....
I predicted that Matt Stafford would be MVP banking on Calvin Johnson's continued production and the addition of Golden Tate for Detroit. Tate made a huge difference, but Megatron was hurt for most of the year and that prediction failed as a result.
I predicted 4 of the 6 playoff teams in the NFC correctly. I missed on Green Bay and Dallas, instead choosing New Orleans and Philly.The AFC had the same result for me as I hit 4 of 6 there. I predicted San Diego and Houston over the actual participants in Cincinnati and Indy.
Coach of the Year I was off because Houston wasn't quite as good as I anticipated they would be. The quarterback play did hold this team back.
Kelvin Benjamin was not offensive rookie of the year despite a fantastic rookie season. Odell Beckham's catch highlighted a fantastic finish for the Giants wideout.
Houston's defense finished 19th in sacks when I predicted they would be #1. Clowney's injury is what I am blaming, but I was disappointed in the performance of the Texans other than Watt last year. JJ Watt is an absolute beast and arguably the best player in the league.
Andre Ellington was banged up all season eventually ending up on injured reserve and dooming his pro bowl chances.
Johnny Manziel was 0-2 as a starter and a complete joke as a rookie, so I was right about that prediction.

Now, on to my draft grades to see what I have right so far. For those results check in with me next week. This will be followed by my long awaited post on Jameis Winston the following week.

-Noland

2013 College Football Predictions

This is just a prediction of the order of finish with some awards picked at the end. Other than that, I will not be predicting how each individual team will do or give team previews. However, if I am asked to do a team preview I will see if I can get one done real quick.
For now I can just say that I am excited for a great season and FSU looks to be tough. Coming off a 12 win season, I am excited for this year. They didn't quite finish undefeated last year, but it was close. This will be our last controversial championship (in theory) as the playoffs start after next year.

End of Regular Season Top 25
25. Michigan (8-4)
24. Notre Dame (8-4)
23. Kansas State (8-4)
22. Michigan State (9-3)
21. Oklahoma (8-4)
20. Arkansas (8-4)
19. Utah State (11-1)
18. Wisconsin (9-3)
17. Ohio State (10-3)
16. TCU (9-3)
15. Oregon (10-2)
14. LSU (10-2)
13. Texas A & M (10-2)
12. Virginia Tech (11-2)
11. Georgia (10-2)
10. Texas Tech (10-2)
9. Alabama (11-2)
8. South Carolina (12-1)
7. Clemson (11-1)
6. Oklahoma State (11-1)
5. Louisville (12-0)
4. Florida State (13-0)
3. Stanford (13-0)
2. Nebraska (13-0)
1. Texas (12-0)

Heisman: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
No straight up defensive player has ever won the Heisman, but no defensive player has been as hyped as Jadeveon. If South Carolina stays in the championship mix, his chances are very good. I think Clowney has a really good shot and I can guarantee that Manziel won't repeat his win. I think his top competition for the award will be Taylor Martinez, Tajh Boyd, Teddy Bridgewater, and David Ash.

Coach of the Year: Bo Pelini
If Nebraska gets to the title game as I have predicted, I think its a safe bet that Pelini wins. However, if it is a more widely predicted matchup like Alabama vs. Ohio State; the race is wide open. I think Pelini has a pretty good chance of exceeding expectations and winning this award. Needless to say, I don't think Pelini will be on the hot seat after this season.

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Ohio State
Sugar Bowl: South Carolina vs. Clemson
Fiesta Bowl: Louisville vs. Oklahoma State
Orange Bowl: FSU vs. Alabama
National Championship: Texas vs. Nebraska
National Champions: Texas Longhorns

I could explain the many scenarios I see possibly playing out, and will upon request. However, there are just so many that it takes a lot of space and this is a lot to digest already. Therefore, I just thought I would keep it simple. Should be interesting to see what people have to say about those picks. Let the controversy begin.

-Noland

More College Football Picks

I was running some errands this morning and we are anxiously awaiting the little one. These predictions are a little later than usual considering some games are in progress, but most of the ones I am picking are after the noon start anyway. Also the current scores have no effect on my predictions.

 

Georgia Tech over Middle Tennessee

Army over Stony Brook

NC State over Miami

Wake Forest over Duke

Texas A&M over Arkansas

Georgia over Tennessee

Clemson over BC

UNC over Idaho

UVA over Louisiana Tech

Navy over San Jose State

 

Virginia Tech over Cincinnatti

The Hokies are playing at Fed Ex Field in a very interesting game. These Cincinnatti Bearcats beat Pittsburgh by 24. The same Pittsburgh team that upset the Hokies a few weeks back. This is a huge game for the ACC. Cincinatti is a very strong team. In fact, I would not be disappointed in the Bearcats joined the ACC as the 16th team. Do not sleep on the Bearcats. I got the Hokies in an extremely close game. This could easily be the game of the day.

The only game more important for me is...

Florida State over USF

The game is in Tampa. I now live in the Tampa area. However, the baby is coming at any moment, so I will not be attending this game. Luckily for me, I do not think USF stands much of a chance. I mean how could they USF is just FSU backwards. They are not in our league. The only way this one is close is if our players bought into the hype to much. That is not impossible to believe given our recent history, but we should win big. Go Noles!

Upset Special

New Mexico over Boise State

No blue field. No bs. New Mexico is not expected to win this game. Boise coming off a tough game. Just a hunch. Trap game in the Mountain West.

 

LSU over Towson

South Carolina over Kentucky

Alabama over Ole Miss

College Football Picks For Today

Today Gameday is live from Tallahassee, Florida. It is the game of the year for the Seminoles. #4 vs. #10. This is it. This will define if the Noles are back. We need this win. I will pick it later, but this is quite the exciting day for Seminole Fans.

Now the rest of the picks

West Virginia over Maryland

I still haven't figured out this Maryland team yet, but I believe West Virginia will win big today.

 

Florida over Kentucky

Virginia Tech over Bowling Green

Ole Miss over Tulane

Wake Forest over Army

 

TCU over UVA

I think this will easily be the best game at the start of the day. This one could be very good, especially if TCU is looking ahead. Could be an upset here, but TCU has more talent and should pull it out in the end.

 

Georgia Tech over Miami

 

Upset Special: Missouri over South Carolina

Missouri will make a statement today that they are ready for the SEC. They score the huge upset over the #7 Gamecocks.

 

UNC over ECU

Navy over VMI

Alabama over FAU

Duke over Memphis

NC State over The Citadel

LSU over Auburn

Miss State over South Alabama

 

Rutgers over Arkansas

Everyone is dumping on Arkansas now, but remember who said they would go nowhere first. Who also was mighty high on Rutgers preseason. I think you know where I am going in this one. Rutgers beats the Razorbacks here.

 

Georgia over Vanderbilt

 

Florida State over Clemson

The ninth top 10 matchup in ACC history. #4 takes on #10. Is FSU back? Can Clemson show it belongs among the Nation's elite. Is Manuel ready to lead the Noles to the title? Are the Noles able to win a close game? Will it be close?

I don't think it will be that close and I think FSU makes a statement tonight that they are back. Make it happen Noles.

-Noland



9/15 College Football Picks

Let me start with the most important game for most of you.

Florida State over Wake Forest

This Demon Deacon team has been a pain in the neck to us Seminole fans. This team has really given us problems recently. Including their upset win last year, most of us want no part of Wake Forest. However, this year we should have too much talent for them to compete. I think their upset last year will have us focused as well. Jim Grobe does have great counters to our schemes though and as you know by now I have a tremendous for Jim Grobe. Today I think we win no problem, Jimbo has these boys focused.

Virginia Tech over Pittsburgh

Northern Illinois over Army

Miami over Bethune Cookman

 

Maryland over UCONN

Big game for Maryland with Randy Edsall facing off against his old school. Fresh off an upset win over Temple, the Terps should move to a surprising 3-0 record.

 

Auburn over LA Monroe

This game has a lot more attention after the latter team knocked off Arkansas last week. It seems unlikely that Monroe will knock off a second SEC team in a row and move Auburn to to 0-3 though.

 

Vandy over Presbyterian

Clemson over Furman

 

Alabama over Arkansas

Alabama will absolutely curbstomp Arkansas. I am calling for a huge margin of victory. We are talking 50 points maybe. Alabama is looking to make a statement and Arkansas is looking like a pile of garbage this year. John L.Smith was such a terrible coaching decision as I said on this blog at the time. That was the worst coaching hire made in an extremely long time and Arkansas will have a rough year because of it.

 

Georgia Tech over UVA

Georgia Tech has looked better this year from what I have seen. Love Mike London as a coach, but they looked pretty horrible last week.

 

Upset Special #1

Boston College over Northwestern

So not much of an upset, but Northwestern is 2-0 and coming off a huge win over Vandy. BC looks ready to go. They did lose to Miami though, so I am not super confident in this pick.

 

Louisville over UNC

Louisville looks tough. UNC doesn't. This one might not be close.

 

Penn State over Navy

Penn State looked good last week and Navy has not looked to great this year. Penn State gets their first win since 1998 in this one.

 

Upset Special #2

SMU over A&M

Coming off a hard fought loss to the Gators, SMU welcomes the Aggies. These guys want to prove they can play with the big boys and that they are back.

 

NC State over South Alabama

 

Tennessee over Florida

The Vols want to prove they are a threat again in the SEC East and this is a statement game for them.

Missouri over Arizona State

Arizona State is one of the few teams that I have not seen this season. I have seen Missouri and they looked good for most of the game against a great Georgia team. Think Missouri wins a close game today.

 

South Carolina over UAB

Miss State over Troy

Georgia over Florida Atlantic

LSU over Idaho

 

Texas over Ole Miss

The Longhorns look to prove they are legit and make a statement today against the SEC.

 

Bonus Pick: Upset Special #3

Notre Dame over Michigan State

The Fighting Irish against Sparty looks like a toss up game to me. This game definitely could go either way. It will be interesting to see how the Irish do as the competition heats up. This is the game of the day for me.

 

-Noland