Predictions for 2018 Season

[Reboulet'sStache]

With fall practice about to start, figured I'd get my predictions in for the 2018 Season.  

Big XII: 

OU v. Texas, with OU winning it.  

I'm going to keep riding that Texas bandwagon because I guess it has to hit some year.  But I really like them this year.  Darkhorse playoff contender. 

Big Ten: 

Ohio State v. Wisconsin, Ohio State winning it.  

Nebraska is probably a year away from running through the cornfield teams of the West.  Penn State is probably another recruiting class away from really making you have to think about penciling in OSU every year. 

SEC: 

Bama v. UGA, Bama taking it. 

There really isn't an argument for any other team out of the East.  I guess you could argue Auburn out of the West.  But if Tua wins the job at Bama, good luck with that.  

ACC: 

Miami v. Clemson, Clemson taking it. 

I really like FSU to bounce back this year.  I think Taggart's simplified, uptempo offense and simple, aggressive defense is tailor made for Florida talent.  I wouldn't be shocked if they won it, but Clemson is probably a top 2 or 3 talent team in the country this year.  Miami is probably a year away recruiting before they are really ready to compete with national powers, but I think they have pulled away from the Coastal to the point where you have to pencil them in every year for the Coastal. 

PAC 12: 

Oregon v USCw, Oregon taking it. 

The PAC 12 North is probably the toughest division to predict this year because I don't think Oregon, Washington, or Stanford are that far away from each other.  There's not really that elite recruiting power in the division whose talent you just defer to.  And I didn't want to go all chalk in the predictions, so I'm going Oregon.  

 

G5: 

Has to Boise State.  Although I like Arkansas State with that schedule and Houston with Kendall Briles now calling plays. 

Playoffs:  

Ohio State, Bama, OU, Clemson.  

Bama takes it, although Trevor Lawrence might be the X factor in all of this.  

[BamaOsFan]

Hard to argue. There will be a surprise team along the way.

 

Bama

Clemson

Ohio state

Surprise team

[ChrisP]

Word on the radio in OKC is that OU has a REALLY good offense. I think you're picks look pretty good. Clemson has the easiest path to the playoffs, IMO. 

[Reboulet'sStache]

5 hours ago, ChrisP said:

Word on the radio in OKC is that OU has a REALLY good offense. I think you're picks look pretty good. Clemson has the easiest path to the playoffs, IMO. 

See I'd say OU does. 

OU out recruits everybody but Texas in the Big XII.  I'm obviously banking on Texas getting it together this year, but if they are still a year away, OU's recruiting classes dwarf everybody else's on their schedule.

Talent is how you overcome those bad games.  Talent is how you overcome the bad luck games.  It gives you a certain amount of slack.  It allows Alabama to get outplayed by Miss. State last year, and still win.  

Nobody else in the country has the advantage that OU has in the Big XII. 

[mrbig1]

Well I was going to pick Ohio state to win it all. Urban Meyer will be gone in the next few days. So there goes that pick.

[SteveA]

Can't disagree with too much in the original post.

Wonder if Penn State can give the Buckeyes a run for their money in their division of the Big 10.   They get OSU at home.

[Reboulet'sStache]

On 8/6/2018 at 5:45 PM, SteveA said:

Can't disagree with too much in the original post.

Wonder if Penn State can give the Buckeyes a run for their money in their division of the Big 10.   They get OSU at home.

Penn State has very good front end talent.  Starters, and some of the two deep.  But you saw it last year in the Ohio State game.  Ohio State just sent waves of talent at them.  And Penn State buckled as the game went on because they didn't have the roster to go blow for blow over an entire game.  

Franklin is just owning the entire Mid-Atlantic in the recruiting world, and will have them as an elite team in the future.  But I don't think they have the roster yet.  Give them one more recruiting class. 

[mrbig1]

I can't believe Maryland beat Texas again!!! I thought this was going to be The longhorns break out year.

[Reboulet'sStache]

VT's lost to ODU is the kind of loss that just kills a staff.  Year 3, trying to build recruiting momentum, and you lose to Old Dominion.  For a staff that wasn't exactly known for being great salesmen on the recruiting trail, that's just brutal. 

[SteveA]

22 hours ago, Reboulet'sStache said:

VT's lost to ODU is the kind of loss that just kills a staff.  Year 3, trying to build recruiting momentum, and you lose to Old Dominion.  For a staff that wasn't exactly known for being great salesmen on the recruiting trail, that's just brutal. 

And followed it up this morning by kicking one of our few excellent veteran defensive players off the team for some undisclosed act.   (Notably it's the 3rd high performing player that Fuente has kicked off the team for academics or other non-specified violations... and all 3 were Beamer recruits).   He obviously is trying to send some kind of message about what type of player he wants.

[Reboulet'sStache]

Texas kinda came through for me this past weekend. 

[mrbig1]

Can't believe Michigan when down yet again.