Clemson
fans are still basking in the glow of their national title win, but it’s
already time to start making bold predictions for the 2019 season.
Every college fan base outside of Clemson is ready to
turn the page and start to focus on the 2019 season. The Tigers are still
celebrating their dominant victory over Alabama to polish off their undefeated
season, but everyone else is ready to work on knocking them off.
Of course, not everyone is going to improve next year. An
equal number of teams are going to play worse. Part of the fun is trying to
figure out which school is going in which direction.
In this piece, we’ll walk you through 15 crazy predictions
for next season. These prognostications aren’t for the faint of heart. We’re
being intentionally bold. Projecting Alabama to qualify for a bowl game is a
great prediction, but there’s nothing crazy about it. Claiming Clemson will go
0-12 is crazy, but we’re not doing that either.
Without delay, let’s jump right into things with a bold
call that might upset Nick Saban.
15.
ALABAMA WILL LOSE TWICE
The Crimson Tide have made a solid habit of shredding
opponents during the regular season as of late. I’m not predicting a vast
departure from that habit, but I think it’s going to be a relatively rocky year
in Tuscaloosa.
At some point, the machine is going to stop churning out
NFL talent right? We all know the offense is going to be electric next year,
but it’s possible the defense is going to take a small step back. If they do,
the schedule is primed to pounce on ‘Bama.
For the record, I’m only projecting one regular season
loss. Specifically, I think the Crimson Tide are going to trip up on Oct.
12 in College Station. Add that with an additional loss in the College
Football Playoff and it’s going to be a disastrous two-loss season for Saban
and Alabama.
14.
JUSTIN HERBERT’S DRAFT STOCK WILL PLUMMET
I have no issue with Herbert’s decision to stay at Oregon
for another season. He clearly enjoys being the big man on campus in his
hometown of Eugene and he’ll get the chance to play with his younger brother.
Anyone criticizing him for making the decision he feels will make him happy
needs to rethink their own life.
That doesn’t mean it’s going to work out for Herbert in a
financial sense. Playing one more year with the Ducks is going to give NFL
scouts a lot more tape to pick apart. As a result, Herbert’s draft stock is
going to take a serious hit. He could have been the first quarterback taken
this year, but don’t be surprised if he falls out of the first round in the
2020 Draft.
This prediction also doesn’t mean that Herbert won’t be a
good NFL quarterback. I like his athleticism and arm strength. It might take him
a year or two to adjust to the pro game, but I’d be inclined to bet on his
long-term possibilities. Falling in the draft could allow Herbert to land in a
situation that will improve his chances to build a long career.
It will, however, cost him a lot of money up front. Guys
picked in the top-10 make a lot more money than players who slip into the
second round. Herbert will have plenty of chances to make it up in subsequent
contracts, but he’s not going to cash in as a rookie.
13.
UCF WILL LOSE AT LEAST TWO REGULAR SEASON GAMES
UCF dominated the AAC the last two years, but they are
going to run into more trouble than normal next year. In fact, UCF could easily
lose two of their first five regular season games.
Their year begins with what should be a layup at home
against Florida A&M. Fans should enjoy that romp because games will get
interesting in a hurry. Their second game is a dangerous trip to Boca Raton to
take on Lane Kiffin’s FAU squad. UCF should have enough talent to overcome the
Owls, but it’s definitely not a lock.
After that, Stanford will make the cross-country trip to
Orlando. The physicality of the Cardinal team is going to pose issues for the
Knights. Don’t be surprised if Stanford finds a way to simply grind out a
victory on the ground.
Road trips to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati round
out the challenging opening stretch for Josh Heupel’s team. This is not the
start you want when you have uncertainty at quarterback. If Notre Dame transfer
Brandon Wimbush can’t master the offense early or if Darriel Mack Jr. who
played in place of the injured McKenzie Milton doesn’t develop, UCF could get
off to a really ugly start.
12.
JALEN HURTS WILL LOSE HIS JOB AT OKLAHOMA
No one should blame Hurts for choosing to play the rest
of his college football career away from Tua Tagovailoa. He worked really hard
to help Alabama win a national championship two years ago and now he wants to
play.
Unfortunately, Hurts may have picked the wrong school.
He’ll get every opportunity to win the starting job at Oklahoma, but I don’t
think he’s going to hold on to it for the full season. Lincoln Riley is going
to see the same flaws in Hurts’ game that caused Saban to sour on him as his
starting quarterback.
Hurts’ hope is that Riley will be willing to scheme
around his weaknesses. That’s certainly possible. If any coach in America can
make Hurts look like a star, it’s the Sooners’ head man. The question is
whether incoming five-star freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler can force Riley
to make a change.
My suspicion is Hurts keeps the job until he loses a
game. Once that happens, look for an open competition to be held. That will
cause Hurts to experience the same disappointment at Oklahoma that he handled
so gracefully at Alabama.
11.
TRAVIS ETIENNE WILL GET MORE HEISMAN VOTES THAN TREVOR LAWRENCE
Trevor Lawrence is arguably the most talented quarterback
in college football. That doesn’t mean Dabo Swinney is going to let him throw
the ball 50 times per game next season. Instead, look for Clemson to lean
heavily on Travis Etienne and the ground game.
It’s going to be particularly important for the Tigers to
run the football effectively to help out next year’s defense. Remember, Clemson
is losing an insane amount of talent in the front seven. The players behind
that group are definitely talented, but they’re going to make mistakes.
Controlling the football should help limit their mental errors.
Giving the ball to Etienne also happens to be a really
good game plan. He ran the ball 204 times for 1,658 yards and 24 touchdowns
last year. That comes out to an astounding average of 8.1 yards per carry.
There’s nothing conservative about handing a player the football who is that
productive.
Etienne has a great chance to lead the nation in rushing
next year. If he does that, look for him to finish pretty high in the Heisman
balloting. He should even be in a position to beat his talented teammate to New
York.
10.
ARMY WILL FINISH IN THE TOP 25
In fairness, this isn’t a crazy prediction for fans who
have kept a close eye on the Black Knights recently. This team did finish 11-1
last season and ranked in the top 25. Todd Monken’s group has a lot of talent
coming back and should be in line for another really good campaign.
In fact, you should go ahead and make plans to watch Army
take on Michigan early in the season. The two teams will match up in Ann Arbor
on Sept. 7. I’m not calling for an Army upset, but I do think they’ll give the
Wolverines an absolute fit.
Outside of the Michigan game, Army’s schedule is pretty
soft. They could be favored in every other game they play. Rivalry games
against Air Force and Navy will always be tricky, but there’s no reason to
think this team can’t go 11-1 once again. The real question is whether that
will be good enough to land them a New Year’s Day bowl game.
Of course, one loss to a relatively unheralded opponent
will end those hopes. Army’s margin for error is really small. Perhaps the
administration should consider upgrading their schedule now that Monken has
drastically improved their product on the field.
9.
PENN STATE WILL WIN THE BIG TEN
As usual, you can safely expect Ohio State and Michigan
to begin the season as favorites in the Big Ten. I think both have big
questions to answer though. That is going to open the door for James Franklin’s
Penn State team to crash the party.
Keep a really close eye on quarterback Tommy Stevens. He
has big shoes to fill in replacing Trace McSorley, but he’s got a lot of
weapons to leverage. Receiver KJ Hamler, in particular, should have a big year
as the focal point of the Nittany Lions’ passing game.
It’s very possible the Big Ten race will come down to
Penn State’s trip to Columbus late in the season. That does assume they’ll get
by Michigan at home in mid-October, but that’s a prediction I’m willing to
make.
In the end, Ohio State is going to struggle to knock off
Penn State when the heat is on without Urban Meyer on the sidelines. Ryan Day
will be fine in time, but this season he’s going to give way to Franklin. Back
Penn State to win the Big Ten and possibly find their way into the College
Football Playoff in the process.
8.
TEXAS A&M WILL WIN THE SEC
Penn State isn’t the only team that’s going to pull off a
surprise victory in a major conference. I am calling for the Aggies to make a
massive step forward in the SEC as well.
If the schedule was tilted more in their favor this
wouldn’t be all that crazy of a prediction. Quarterback Kellen Mond looked
terrific last season in his first year playing for Jimbo Fisher and he should
be even better in 2019. This offense is going to put up a ton of points.
The challenge is the Aggies close their regular season
with games at Georgia and at LSU. I’m not calling for them to sweep that
stretch, but a split should be enough to get them into the SEC title game in
Atlanta.
If Fisher’s team is going to make this leap, the defense
will need to take a big step forward. That’s not necessarily his specialty, but
the talent level is on the rise in College Station. Look for Fisher’s defense
to be just disruptive enough to let the offense outscore opponents on a weekly
basis. It’s not going to be a wrecking crew, but it will wreck enough plays to
bring home an SEC title.
7.
FLORIDA STATE WILL FIRE WILLIE TAGGART
No first-year college football coach endured a more
difficult season than Willie Taggart did at Florida State. He did the
unthinkable in Tallahassee, failing to take the Seminoles to a bowl game,
snapping their 36-year streak.
If he even flirts with a losing record this year the FSU
administration is going to send him packing. Taggart would be well served to
get off to a fast start in his second season.
That means he absolutely needs to win four of his first
five games. The ‘Noles open against Boise State in Jacksonville before playing
host to ULM. Then a dangerous trip to Virginia will provide Taggart’s team a
big test. That’s quickly followed by a home game against Louisville that FSU
should win. After that looms a really important game against NC State at Doak
Campbell.
The real challenge for Taggart is he needs to find a way
to win with some style too. Seminoles fans are used to crushing opponents with
overwhelming offensive talent. The FSU offense struggled mightily to move the
ball against quality opposition last season. Combine that with some serious
losses on the defensive side of the football and it’s easy to see things
falling apart for Taggart. It’s possible he won’t even survive the entire
regular season.
6.
MEMPHIS WILL GO UNDEFEATED
If you’re looking for the next team to pull a UCF and run
the table in the regular season, you don’t have to look outside the AAC to find
it. Memphis is well-positioned to take over as the league’s dominant team in
2019.
They may have come up short against Wake Forest in last
year’s Birmingham Bowl, but their offense was prolific all season long. There’s
no reason to think Mike Norvell’s team won’t be even better in his fourth
season in charge of the Tigers.
Their schedule isn’t easy, per se, but they aren’t
playing the country’s most difficult schedule either. Memphis opens up with a
home game against Ole Miss that should test the ability of the scoreboard at
the Liberty Bowl. Assuming the Tigers can get past the Rebels, they should be
favored in almost every game remaining on their schedule. Trips to Houston and
Temple might be tricky, but the Tigers offense can score enough points to knock
off anyone.
5.
MIKE LEACH WILL LEAVE WASHINGTON STATE FOR ARKANSAS
Mike Leach has done an incredible job with the Cougars,
but it’s hard to see him really settling in for the long haul at Washington
State. A move to a school with a bigger budget and a warmer climate seems
inevitable.
Arkansas endured a horrific season last year under
first-year head coach Chad Morris. It’s possible he can build some legitimate
momentum in his sophomore campaign, but I think it’s more likely he continues
to struggle. If that happens, the Razorbacks may need to pull the plug on him
after just two seasons.
Remember, part of Arkansas’ rationale for hiring Morris
is they wanted to build an up-tempo, air-raid offense that could help attract recruits
to Fayetteville. No one does that better than Leach. He may not be a perfect
coach, but it’s hard to argue with the results he puts on the field.
This is definitely a crazy prediction, but it’s one that
makes a lot of sense. Enterprising Arkansas fans might want to start brushing
up on their knowledge of piracy while their team is suffering blowouts this
season.
4.
FLORIDA WILL WIN THE SEC EAST
It’s safe to say Dan Mullen’s return to Gainesville went
pretty well. The Gators didn’t have enough talent to challenge for a national
title, but winning the Peach Bowl was a really good accomplishment for his
first year back at Florida. More importantly, Mullen has Florida poised to be
even better in 2019.
That doesn’t change the fact that Georgia will be everyone’s
preseason pick to win the SEC East. Kirby Smart’s program certainly deserves
that honor. A ton of talent is returning to Athens next season.
However, Florida’s issue has never been a lack of talent.
Instead, it’s been the lack of a head coach capable of putting it all together.
Mullen is that guy. You only need to look back at his results at Mississippi
State to see what he’s capable of. His second year in Florida could yield
massive results for the Gators.
I firmly expect the World’s Greatest Outdoor Cocktail
Party to be the decider in the SEC East once again. With all due respect to
Kentucky, they aren’t going to be nearly as good after losing Benny Snell and
Josh Allen to the NFL. If Mullen can continue to elevate the play of Feleipe
Franks at quarterback, the sky is the limit for the Gators.
3.
JIM HARBAUGH WILL FINALLY BEAT OHIO STATE
Harbaugh has done a lot of really good things during his
tenure in Ann Arbor, but he’s never defeated Urban Meyer and Ohio State.
Fortunately, Meyer is out of the picture now which means Harbaugh only needs to
overcome Ryan Day. That should give Michigan the edge they need to end their
hex against the Buckeyes.
Some fans may not see this as a crazy prediction, but
Ohio State has managed to dominate the rivalry against the Wolverines, winning
seven straight and 14 of the last 15. If Michigan really wants to reestablish
themselves as a national title contender, they’re going to have to overcome
their bitter rivals.
The return of Shea Patterson under center should give Harbaugh’s
team a measure of consistency this season. That will be the key to knocking off
the Buckeyes. Having the edge at quarterback would be a new feeling for
Michigan.
The fact that the game will be played in Ann Arbor also
swings the momentum in Michigan’s favor. Strange things can always happen in a
rivalry game, but this should be the year Harbaugh finally gets over the hump.
The question is whether Michigan will be playing for a chance at a national
title when Ohio State rolls into town.
2.
A.J. DILLON WILL WIN THE HEISMAN
Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence are the betting
favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Certainly, both players have
a great chance to win, but I believe Boston College running back A.J. Dillon
has a real chance to steal it from the talented quarterbacks.
He isn’t entirely off the betting radar, but he’s listed
at +2000 to win. Suffice it to say, I really like the potential value of a
wager on the Boston College running back. He’s my “crazy” pick to shock the
world and win the Heisman.
Dillon was limited by injuries last year and still
managed to grind out 1,108 yards and 10 touchdowns on 227 carries for BC.
Obviously, my prognostication is based on the assumption that he’ll enjoy a
healthy 2019 season.
If he can stay healthy, look for him to get the ball a
ton. That, combined with his ability to both grind out yards after contact and
break away from defenders in space gives him a chance to have a truly special season.
It’s not out of the question that he rushes for more than 2,000 yards and 20
touchdowns for a Boston College team that emerges as a legitimate ACC
challenger to Clemson. If that happens, look for Dillon to crash the Heisman
party.
1.
BOTH TEXAS AND TEXAS A&M WILL MAKE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
I’m calling for a massively successful season for the two
top college football programs in the state of Texas. My prediction that Texas
A&M will win the SEC makes it pretty obvious I think they’re headed for a
spot in the College Football Playoff. The idea that a winner of college
football’s toughest conference wouldn’t get an invitation is almost
unthinkable.
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger really came on down the
stretch last season and could be among the Heisman Trophy invitees. After
thoroughly dominating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, Tom Herman’s club has a lot of
momentum heading into the offseason and are primed and ready to dethrone
Oklahoma in the Big 12.
Expect Oklahoma to be the preseason favorite in the Big
12 now that Hurts has transferred there, but Texas beat them in their regular
season meeting last year before losing in the Big 12 Championship Game. There’s
simply too much talent on the Longhorns roster to ignore despite the loss of
Lil’Jordan Humphrey to the NFL Draft. The presence of so many NFL prospects on
both sides of the football makes them a legitimate national title contender
this year. Maybe the Aggies and Longhorns can even meet in the National
Championship Game.
Crazier things have happened.
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