HI CFB FANS!

hi ALL, with the recent power outage, I am embarrassed to say that I lost what I had typed out and saved to my flash drive. It’s that annual 70-plus page packet which is my version of a Lindy’s or Athlon’s preseason college football magazine. But here is what I have t o say!
I know these news stories are 3-4 weeks old now. I am DEAD-SET against college football having a 12-team playoff system. We are good where we are with a four-team playoff and using two major bowl games (such as the Cotton and Orange Bowls this season). I don’t like Oklahoma and Texas leaving the Big 12 for the SEC in a few years. I heard a rumour that the SEC wants to become the first super conference and tried to get Clemson (ACC) and a few other schools to name jump ship. Like the Big Ten, 14 teams are just enough for the SEC to have. With adding those two teams from the Big 12, they will be forced to do a realignment. Since those two schools from Alabama are next to Georgia, Alabama and Auburn will have to move from the West to the East Division. I hate to admit it but I think college football will start to SU((. No need to fix things that aren’t broken. Sincerely, RICH

HERE ARE SOME PREDICTIONS:

-Alabama will play Clemson in the playoff final. Ohio State will be one of the teams playing in a semi-final bowl game. Likely, the Buckeyes will play the Tigers in a semi-final bowl game (likely the Cotton Bowl) for a fourth time (including a third straight season).

-Expect teams like Boston College (6-5),East Carolina (3-5), Kansas State (4-5), LSU (5-5), Louisville (4-7), Miami (8-3), Mississippi (5-5), Penn State (4-5), UCF (6-4), West Virginia (6-4), Western Kentucky (5-7) will be better than their record from last season. 

-Defending National Champions Alabama could still go undefeated for a second straight season. The Crimson Tide, who are on a current 14-game winning streak (including a 13-0 mark from last season), have a chance to have back to back undefeated seasons for the first time since 1925-26. If anyone could beat ‘Bama this year, it could be Auburn, who will have a home game against the Tide on Nov.27. The Tigers have won their last two home games against Alabama. If the Tide go undefeated, ‘Bama will earn that #1 seed and play whoever gets that #4 seed.

-Michigan State will not play in a bowl game.-East Carolina will end a current streak of having six straight losing seasons (2015-present) and will play in a bowl game. 

-Head Coaches on the hot seat include Nebraska Head Coach Scott Frost, Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers, Purdue Head Coach Brian Brohm, and New Mexico State Head Coach Doug Martin and they are favored to be relieved of their current job after this 2021 season is over.

-Teams that could surprise are Florida, Fresno State, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon State, San Diego State, South Carolina, Tulane, TCU, and Wyoming.

-Don’t expect teams such as BYU (11-1), San Jose State (7-1), and Texas A&M (9-1) to be better than last season. These teams will have 2 losses.

-A player from Alabama, Clemson, and Oklahoma will have a player win a national individual position award. If Iowa State has 10 wins and get to play in the Big 12 Championship Game, don’t be surprised that a defensive player (i.e: DE Will McDonald, LB Mike Rose, or S Greg Eisworth) win Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors or win a national individual honor for being the best player of their position they play. I don’t know of any Cyclone that has won a national individual honor.

-If Louisiana gets a season-opening road win over Texas, consider all doors to open for the Ragin’ Cajuns. An undefeated regular-season should be in the cards before the SBC Championship Game. Should that happen, Louisiana will have a home game against the winner of the Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State game (East) (Oct.20)..-Alabama (West) will defeat Georgia (East) in the SEC Championship Game.

-Ohio State (East) will defeat Wisconsin (West) in the Big Ten Championship Game.

-Oklahoma will win the Big 12 Championship for a seventh straight, including a fifth-straight season with a win in the Big 12 Championship Game. It will likely be the Sooners (as the 1st place team) play Iowa State (as the 2nd place team).  If we don’t get a rematch for a second straight season between these teams, Oklahoma will play in-state rival Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.

-Oregon (North) will play the winner of the USC at Arizona State game  (South on Nov.6) in the Pac-12 Championship Game (at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV).

-Clemson (Atlantic) will defeat Miami (Coastal) in the ACC Championship Game.

-Cincinnati will play UCF not once but twice in the AAC Championship Game. The UC Bearcats will have a regular-season home win over the Golden Knights on Oct.16. Cincy will be the first-place team and UCF will be the second place team in the AAC Championship Game.  I can’t count UCF out but Cincinatti will win that rematch (in the AAC Championship Game), which will be a better game than that regular season game, to win their second straight AAC Championship and possibly play in a New Year’s Six major bowl game. 

-I think we could have a rematch between Buffalo (East) against Ball State (West) in the MAC Championship Game. If we do, I predict the Bulls will win this rematch over the BSU Cardinals. If not, we could Western Michigan (West), Toledo (West) or Miami (OH-from the East) play in the MAC Championship Game.

-Boise State will still rule the MW Mountain Division after losing previous Head Coach Bryan Harsin, who resigned to accept the Auburn head coaching job. The Broncos will play the winner of the Nevada at San Jose State game (West on Nov.6) in the MW Championship Game. 

-Marshall is expected to win the C-USA East Division even after letting previous Head Coach Doc Holliday go (by opting not to renew his contract). The Thundering Herd will defeat UTSA (West) in the C-USA Championship Game.

-As far as national individual awards go, I don’t know who will win one or be a finalist. Here is something I will tell you. I do predict a PK from the ACC or SEC will be a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. The AAC has a great collection of PKs in their conference.
Questions, Comments, Concerns, and Objections

ARE MORE THAN WELCOME!!!!
Feel free to pass this email along to other college football experts, writers, and broadcasters you know of.
PS: In case any one of you are wondering, the SBC stands for the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt has become a better conference than you would expect and last season was living proof because of Coastal Carolina falling short of going undefeated and Louisiana having 10 wins, including a season-opening upset home win over Iowa State. The AAC stands for the American Athletic Conference, which will kickoff it’s ninth season since that conference was established. A lot of people refer to them as The American. I wish the MW could be called the MWC (as in Mountain West Conference) but their official acronym is referred to as the MW. I hope all that helps any of you all out there.