This past weekend kicked off an unceremonious start to the college football season with Cal routing Hawaii 51-31. Even if it was hardly watchable, one thing was for sure: College football is back and thank God it is. I love baseball as much as the next guy, but there is nothing like a Saturday packed with upsets and excitement.
This season is shaping up to be as wide open as ever with every team having its share of flaws. That makes predicting the playoff field even more difficult. As we’ve seen just about every year, going chalk with the top 4 will almost never come to fruition. With that being said, I decided to go a little outside the box with my predictions (sort of).
4th Seed: Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish are going to have a strong run game this year with Josh Adams and the addition of Tareen Folston back from injury is huge. They also have two high level quarterbacks in Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer who will make the Irish a serious passing threat as long as they avoid the same mistake Ohio State made last year and just choose one. They boast a great front line on defense and even with the dismissal of safety Max Redfield, Kelly has recruited well enough to have depth behind him.
The real question mark for this team will be experience.With so many starters leaving for the NFL or graduation, it leaves this years squad with a lot to learn on the fly. Luckily for them they have a much easier schedule this time around. If they can get through those early growing pains then they have a serious chance to be the first independent in the College Football Playoff.
3rd Seed: LSU
Les Miles was given a new life at LSU, but he knows that he is on the hot seat this season. Luckily for him he has one of the most talented rosters in the nation. Years of great recruiting has really paid off and with a strong offensive line blocking for the country’s best player in Leonard Fournette the offense will seemingly be unstoppable. Couple that with one of the best defenses in the SEC and loads of experience and this may be LSU’s year. I would have them as the #1 seed but…well I’ll get to that.
2nd Seed: Michigan
I love Jim Harbaugh; can you blame me? Look what he has done in just one year in Michigan. On and off the field he has shown he isn’t afraid of anyone and that is exactly how Michigan played last season. Coming into this year they have an incredible defense headed up by the ultra-talented Jabrill Peppers. On the offensive end they have the best Tight end in the country with Jake Butt. The only question mark is at quarterback for the Wolverines, but Harbaugh has the pedigree to take any quarterback and make them effective. With the Big-10 on a down year, look for Michigan to make the jump into the playoffs.
1st Seed: Alabama
You’re lying to yourself if you don’t think Alabama will be in this come season’s end. Even with a roster most thought wasn’t as good as years past, Alabama went on to win the title in 2015. Effective on offense and suffocating on defense, Nick Saban just has this whole thing figured out. It’s going to be hard to stop them even with a lot of inexperience. They will look to be the first team to be number one start to finish since the 2004 USC Trojans.
#4 Notre Dame vs. #1 Alabama
Bigger, stronger, faster. That will be the story as it was in the 2013 BCS Championship. Alabama cruises past ND Alabama 31 – Notre Dame 14
#3 LSU vs. #2 Michigan
Big game inexperience gets to Michigan in this one. The game is tight all the way through, but a few Michigan turnovers and a heavy dose of Fournette down the stretch allow LSU to hold off Michigan. LSU 28 – Michigan 21
Championship Game: #3 LSU vs. #1 Alabama
I see redemption for Les Miles and LSU in this one. I know it is always a bad bet to go against Nick Saban, but there is something about this LSU team that is special. The surprise star of the game is Brandon Harris, who will open up the field with 3 touchdown passes. Fournette runs out the clock late and the Mad Hatter gets his first title since 2007. LSU 24 – Alabama 14
So that is the field the way I see it, but as we all know college football is as unpredictable as it gets. Come back next Wednesday to check out my updated top 25 for week two! And, I’ll say it again: Thank God college football is back.
