NCAA 2021 Week 1 picks

 The 2021 season kicks off a little early, and so some teams will appear TWICE in this column, as they play this Saturday (Aug 28) and then during the first official week of the NCAA Football, over Labor Day Weekend.

Let's start with two games from our "early Saturday":

Sat Aug 28

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Illinois Fighting Illini:  The Bret Bielema returns to the Big Ten Conference, this time to helm the Illlinois squad.  His emphasis on the running game might help the Illinois, as they have a capable but not dynamic quarterback, so mixing in some running plays will help.  He has the offensive line to make that work, and they have the advantage of a struggling Nebraska team to start the season.  ILLINOIS by ten

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at UCLA Bruins:  The Rainbow Warriors often struggle away from home, and a 12:30pm local start time doesn't help, as most of these players wouldn't even be awake yet in their home time zone.  Hawaii always has a pass-happy offense, so this will be an early test of the Bruins defensive secondary.  A poor Hawaii defense gives UCLA a good chance to win this game.  UCLA by four

Wed Sept 1

UAB Blazers at Jacksonville State (FCS) Gamecocks: Most teams this week face FCS opponents, and UAB is part of that.  This might be the easiest game of the season for UAB to win.  UAB (I do not pick margins for FCS v FBS games)

Thurs Sept 2

Temple Owls at Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  Rutgers gets a nice easy game to start, as Temple looks pretty weak this season.  Great way to crack off the dust from the long off-season.  RUTGERS by 17

Boise State Broncos at UCF Golden Knights:  Talk about opening with a tough opponent!  This one was probably scheduled when UCF was unbeaten.  Unfortunately, that won't be the case this season, and I don't think the Knights will win their home opener.  BOISE STATE by 13

South Florida Bulls at NC State Wolfpack:  The ACC likes to think they are stronger than they are, and this game might be an excellent example.  Although South Florida will be a bit weaker than usual, especially on defense, the Wolfpack is a very young team that has spent almost no time playing together.  I predict disaster.  SOUTH FLORIDA by 16

Ohio State Buckeyes at Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Buckeyes begin their trek for another unbeaten Big Ten season.  OHIO STATE by 24

Fri Sept 3

North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Tech Hokies:  The Big Ten isn't the only conference to open with a conference showdown, and this game will highlight why the Hokies are my favorite to win their division.  Although the Tar Heels are well-rounded on both sides of the ball, they will simply be outmatched.  VIRGINIA TECH by 17

Michigan State Spartans at Northwestern Wildcats:  This will be a long and tough season for the Spartans, as demonstrated by this game.  It will be low-scoring, as the Wildcats defense just shreds the fragile line of the Spartans.  NORTHWESTERN by ten

Sat Sept 4

Big Ten:

Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Wolverines:  The Broncos have a decent team, and they will threaten the Wolverines opener.  I think Coach Harbaugh will find a way to win, but it will be sloppy and lethargic, which might be a good way to describe Michigan all season long.  MICHIGAN by three

Penn State Nittany Lions at Wisconsin Badgers:  Ooh, definitely the best matchup of the conference this week!  Both teams have strong defenses, but the Badgers have the edge on the offensive side of the ball.  I'm also not sure that Penn State plugged some of the holes that were exposed on their squad last year.  If they did, they might surprise the Badgers.  WISCONSIN by five

Fordham (FCS) Rams at Nebraska Cornhuskers: The Cornhuskers will bounce back from their opening loss to Illinois by destroying the Rams.  NEBRASKA by 21

Indiana Hoosiers at Iowa Hawkeyes: The Hawkeyes are having to break in too many new starters on defense to hold back the dynamic Hoosiers offensive surge.  With too many newbies on Iowa's offense, they won't be able to keep pace, either.  INDIANA by 17

West Virginia Mountaineers at Maryland Terrapins:  Maryland is an interesting team.  They typically do very well against non-conference opponents and then struggle in conference play.  Their conference play was a little better last year, but they are still a force to contend with if you are not a Big Ten team.  MARYLAND by 13

Oregon State Beavers at Purdue Boilermakers:  Ah well, it was a nice idea to open against a Pac-12 team.  OREGON STATE by 18

UTSA Roadrunners at Illinois Fighting Illini:  The Illini get to start 2-0, a feat they have rarely achieved in the last 20 years.  ILLINOIS by 18

Other Games of Interest:

Stanford Cardinal at Kansas State Wildcats:  Okay, I give Kansas State credit, they are starting to play more competitive teams among their non-conference opponents (the Wildcats have historically played patsies to open the season).  This one, however, may not have been the best idea.  STANFORD by 17

Fresno State Bulldogs at Oregon Ducks:  On the other hand, Oregon didn't exactly pick an easy opponent to start with, either.  The Bulldogs have a stiff defense, which is always an advantage for the road team.  Oregon's offense often needs a week or two to really get started, too, so things don't look too good for the Ducks to open the season.  FRESNO STATE by 11

Alabama Crimson Tide at Miami Hurricanes:  Really?  Do I really need to publish this pick?  OK, just call me "Captain Obvious".  ALABAMA by 23

Miami Ohio RedHawks at Cincinnati Bearcats:  Cincinnati's expectations are so high that the national analysts actually gave them a Top Ten preseason ranking!  If these college kids can prevent that from going to their heads, they should have a fairly easy time against the RedHawks.  CINCY by 24

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Mississippi State Bulldogs:  The Battle of the Bulldogs may not end the way the SEC thinks.  Mississippi State does not look like a good team, and you should not expect every Conference USA team to be a pushover.  In fact, this might be the best Conference USA team this year.  LOUISIANA TECH by 23

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Houston Cougars:  Neither team looks quite up to form.  At least Houston has a reasonable defense, enough to shut down the still building Red Raiders.  HOUSTON by six

Georgia Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers:  THIS might be the most exciting game of the entire weekend!  A powerful Georgia team comes into town to face a Trevor Lawrence-less Clemson team that has gotten a lee-ee-tle to cocky for their own good.  GEORGIA by eight

Northern Illinois Huskies at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets:  This will be a real test of how sturdy the Yellow Jackets will be this season.  Northern Illinois won't be their toughest opponent, but they are solid enough to press Tech.  This won't be an easy contest for either team, whoever wins.  GEORGIA TECH by four

LSU Tigers at UCLA Bruins:  High off their victory over Hawaii, the Bruins get brought back to earth by the stiff LSU defense.  LSU by eight

BYU Cougars at Arizona Wildcats:  Arizona doesn't seem to have enough quality players on their roster.  That might grow over the season, but it'll be telling to start.  BYU by eleven

Sun Sept 5

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Florida State Seminoles:  Notre Dame opens with a chance to shellack long-time rival Florida State, a team in a bit of a restructuring mode.  NOTRE DAME by 24

Mon Sept 6

Louisville Cardinals at Ole Miss Rebels:  No team has a longer developmental road than Louisville.  These kids have a lot of heart but very little else to start the season.  OLE MISS by 16

NCAA Football 2021 Preview - Group of Five

 Now it's time for me to finish my prognostications for the upcoming college football season.

American Conference

1. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-0/10-2) : This team has the best set of players in the conference.  Their offense is experienced and powerful, and their defense isn't too far behind.  It is impressive that the national sports analysts, who normally ignore the Group of Five, recognize that power and have placed them in many preseason Top Tens.
2. UCF Golden Knights (6-2/9-3) : They have a great offense, although their slate of receivers are a bit inexperienced.  Their defense has been shifted a bit, which may take their players some time to get used to.
3. Navy Midshipmen (5-3/8-4) : Navy has a young quarterback, but since this team spends most of their plays running the ball, that's not a major concern.  Their young defense is a larger concern.
4. South Florida Bulls (5-3/7-5) : This team has a sturdy offensive line, and they will have their work cut out for them, as they have to protect an offense with many new pieces.  As always, their defense is the strength of this team.
5. Houston Cougars (5-3/7-5) : Houston's offense is nearly the reverse of the Bulls, with an offensive line with some question marks but the rest of the offense sturdy.  Their defense is stable, but they need to improve from their performance last season.
6. Memphis Tigers (4-4/6-6) : Plenty of youth on both squads, but the new faces have some talent.  Let's see how quickly they can gel.
7. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4-4/5-7) : Tulsa has a good offense, but there are inconsistences among key defensive positions.  It's hard to say exactly how well they will perform, but given the strength of so many other teams in the conference, they won't excel.
8.  SMU Mustangs (2-6/3-9) : Aside from an inexperienced backfield, they have a good offense.  They aren't overly fast, though, and they face some quick defenses.
9. Temple Owls (1-7/2-10) : Lots of youth on this squad.  This is a learning year.
10. East Carolina Pirates (1-7/2-10) : The highlight of their offense is their line.  Their defense has a decent squad of linebackers, but not much else.
11. Tulane Green Wave (0-8/1-11)

Conference USA

East Division:

1. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (6-2/7-5) : An inexperienced offensive line and receiving corps is balanced by an exceptionally stiff defense.  That defense will give the new offensive players time to develop.
2. Florida Atlantic Owls (5-3/7-5) : Their young quarterback has a tremendous amount of support from the rest of the offense.  A strong group of linebackers bolster a young defense.
3. Florida International Panthers (5-3/7-5) : Despite a young corps of wide receivers, this team shows great promise.  An experienced defense will keep games close and help the new offensive players develop.
4. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (4-4/7-5) : An inexperienced offensive line will have a hard time protecting their young quarterback, so the offense will struggle.  The defense is a little better, but this won't be a great year for the Raiders.
5. Marshall Thundering Herd (4-4/6-6) : Most of the offense is new, so this team has much developing to do.  The defense is slightly better, but they need work, too.
6. Old Dominion Monarchs (3-5/5-7) : Most of this team is new, so they face a "learning curve" season.
7. Charlotte 49ers (2-6/3-9) : Not much of an offense, and the defense needs work

West Division:

1.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (6-2/8-4) : The Bulldogs have a great offense, marred only by a line that has some young players.  Their defense has some new faces, but they are talented and hungry.
2. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (5-3/8-4) : Aside from a slate of young linebackers, this team is strong and poised for a great run.
3. UTSA Roadrunners (4-4/5-7) : There's a lot of youth on this team, but early practices have shown promise.
4. North Texas Mean Green (3-5/5-7) : A new quarterback, combined with mostly new offensive players, means this team will not light up the scoreboard.  A good defense might help keep games close, but they will fall short.
5. UAB Blazers (2-6/5-7) : A strong offense supports a new quarterback, but the defense doesn't look good.  This team will face early and large deficits, too much for the young field general to overcome.
6. Rice Owls (2-6/3-9) : A young team all around
7. UTEP Miners (2-6/2-10) : Their linebackers are their best position.  This team has some growing to do.

Independents

 Notre Dame and BYU were discussed in the last blog entry, and they will end up #1 and #2.  How do the others stack up?

3. Army Black Knights (5-7) : The offense has some promise, especially in the backfield and along the edge, but they few tight ends and a weak offensive line.  Their defensive line is strong, but the defensive backfield needs work.

4. New Mexico State Aggies (5-7) : A young quarterback and thin slate of runners is supported by a strong offensive line and talented tight ends.  And why are they playing Hawaii twice?

5. UConn Huskies (2-10) : A young offense eager to learn and a porous defensive line, but a sturdy squad of linebackers will make them an interesting opponent, even if not an effective one.

6.  Liberty Flames (2-10) : It'll be a learning year for this young squad

7.  UMass Minutemen (1-11) : Tough year

MAC

East Division:

1. Buffalo Bulls (6-2/8-4) : An inexperienced offensive backfield is compounded by a young line.  They may be passing a lot, so they need to make sure their tight ends stay healthy, as they are a bit thin at that position.  At least they have a strong defense to help.
2. Ohio Bobcats (5-3/7-5) : Their quarterback better stay healthy, as they have no experienced backups.  Strong offense and defense, but tough schedule.
3. Miami Ohio RedHawks (5-3/6-6) : A young offensive line and young slate of receivers puts some pressure on the offense.  The defense has some questionable spots, too, especially among the linebackers.
4. Kent State Golden Flashes (3-5/4-8) : Strong defense, but a mostly young offense.  Not a good year for the Flashes.
5. Bowling Green Falcons (2-6/4-8) : The most experience on this offense is among the runners, but a questionable defense may force this team to have to score more, which will stretch their newbies.
6. Akron Zips (2-6/4-8) : Another very young team

West Division:

1.  Western Michigan Broncos (7-1/9-3) : Strong offense and defense, although they need to keep their starting quarterback healthy, as they lack any experience among the backups.
2. Toledo Rockets (6-2/9-3) : Good offense, but the defense has a bit more youth than they'd like.
3. Northern Illinois Huskies (5-3/6-6) : A young receiving corps and young defense means this team will start slowly, but the talent among those newbies will show up stronger as the season progresses.
4. Eastern Michigan Eagles (3-5/5-7) : Fairly inexperienced offense.  Defense is better, but the returnees must improve on their performances from last year.
5. Ball State Cardinals (3-5/4-8) : The defense looks pretty good, but the offense has too many holes.  If they develop this year, there might be hopes for next year.
6. Central Michigan Chippewas (2-6/3-9) : A learning year for this very young squad

Mountain West Conference

 Mountain Division:

1. Boise State Broncos (7-1/9-3) : Aside from a young offensive backfield, this is a solid team.  Definitely the most powerful team in the conference.
2. Air Force Falcons (5-3/8-4) : Nice offense.  Their most vulnerable position is quarterback, which is thin.  Defense looks good, although their backs are young.
3. New Mexico Lobos (5-3/8-4) : Two experienced squads makes this one of New Mexico's better years.
4. Utah State Aggies (3-5/5-7) : A young offensive line and offensive backfield means this offense will struggle.  Defense is much better, but I don't think they can hold back some of the potent offenses in this conference.
5. Colorado State Rams (3-5/4-8) : A young receiving corps, that is also thin, bodes ill for a team that loves to pass the ball.  Inexperienced linebackers may mean that they won't be too successful at preventing their opponents from passing, which likely means they will find themselves behind quickly.
6. Wyoming Cowboys (2-6/5-7) : A very young team all around

West Division:

1.  Fresno State Bulldogs (5-3/8-4) : Strong defense, but some new players on offense prevents them from being the best team.
2. San Diego State Aztecs (4-4/6-6) : They have a decent offense, but a young and inexperienced offensive line may limit their output.  Defense is decent, but it has some questionable spots, especially in the secondary.
3. Nevada Wolf Pack (4-4/6-6) : The offense is good, although they have to break in a new quarterback.  Defense has lots of juniors, so there is a good mix of playing experience and strength for the next year.
4. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (4-4/6-7) : They have a good offense, but their defense is too porous to seriously compete in this conference.
5. San Jose Spartans (3-5/5-7) : Decent offense, but a weak defense makes them vulnerable.
6. UNLV Running Rebels (1-7/3-9)

Sun Belt Conference

East Division:

1. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (6-2/10-2) : Strong and experienced squads.  This team even gets preseason respect from the national analysts.
2. Appalachian State Mountaineers (6-2/9-3) : Their only weakness is their offensive line.  Another strong group for this team.
3. Troy Trojans (3-5/5-7) : Big dropoff here.  A mostly young squad on both sides of the ball makes this a learning and training year for the Trojans.
4. Georgia Southern Eagles (3-5/4-8) : They have an experienced defense, but that defense wasn't so great last year.  Offense has some promise, but a young squad of receivers leaves this team limited in their offensive schemes.
5. Georgia State Panthers (3-5/4-8) : Few quarterback backups for an inexperienced, and a weak offensive line, bodes ill for this offense.  At least they have a capable, albeit not quick, defense.

 West Division:

1. Arkansas State Red Wolves (6-2/9-3) : This is a solid team with only one problem -- they only have two quarterbacks!  Preserving their health will be a major priority for this offensive line.  If they lose them both, they are sunk!
2. Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (6-2/9-3) : I think the Cajuns are actually hoping that the Red Wolves' quarterbacks get injured.  They have a solid defense that should carry over into next year.  Their offense has added some new faces, but there is enough of a foundation that they will fit in quickly.
3. Texas State Bobcats (4-4/6-6) : The offense is mostly new and inexperienced.  They have a strong defense, so that should help them.
4. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (2-6/4-8) : Mostly young team.  Learning year.
5. South Alabama Jaguars (0-8/1-11)

 

 

NCAA Football 2021 Preview - Power 5

 For the first time in two years, it's time to start preparing for a full NCAA football season.  At least, we hope so, but since many of the nationally-focused teams are in the south, where stupidity still reigns, masks are rarely used, and the Delta variant runs rampant through a population that really doesn't seem to care about their own health and the health of their community, it's hard to say whether this season will actually progress appropriately.  As a college educator, we sees first hand the irresponsibility of the average 18- and 19-year-olds, I am highly skeptical.

Regardless, I forge ahead with my predictions.  It's really hard to gauge, as last year's performances were not very good indicators of how newer players will gel and perform.  Any preseason ranking is complete guesswork (even more than any other year, which is why I don't do them), and any prediction of team performance isn't much more logical than that.  For most of the teams, I have determined who has a strong mix of experienced (pre-COVID) and inexperienced, and what coaches do the most with new talent.  But, again, anything can happen.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Atlantic Division:

1.  Clemson Tigers (8-0/11-1) : Okay, this one was an easy pick.  The team has a strong slate of players.  Their biggest concern may be the number of players who have signed advertising and endorsement deals.  Will they be too distracted with those, and the public appearances that are required of those, to sufficiently practice?  Clemson may be the best test of this new willingness to let college players profit from such deals (proving once and for all that the NCAA cares NOTHING about the education of their players), and it might be the best way for Clemson's dominance of the ACC to be crumbled.

2.  Florida State Seminoles (5-3/7-5) : In an unusual move, the Seminoles have set themselves up with a tough schedule.  Given some of the uncertainty around their defensive backfield, that might not have been a good idea.

3.  North Carolina State Wolf Pack (3-5/5-7) : This team has a total of three seniors among all of their squads.  They are young but hungry (not unlike the animal who serves as their mascot).

4.  Boston College Eagles (2-6/4-8) : Their defense is relying heavily on fifth-year seniors.  We'll see how that works out.

5.  Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-6/3-9) : Their roster is still being determined.  This team will start behind everyone else.

6.  Syracuse Orange (1-7/3-9) : Definitely a rebuilding year for this young squad.  They could set themselves up for a couple of good years in 2022 and 2023 if some of these youngsters pan out.

7.  Louisville Cardinals (1-7/1-11) : If Delta hits this team, they may not even be able to field a team.  They have a small roster with few replacements at some key positions.

Coastal Division:

1.  Virginia Tech Hokies (6-2/8-4) : Possibly the most experienced squad in the division, this team should do quite well.

2.  North Carolina Tar Heels (6-3/8-4) : Proving that they can play more than basketball, the Tar Heels have one of the best defenses in the conference.  They have some new players in key offensive positions, but they have an easy early schedule to let those players gain some experience before facing the toughest conference opponents.

3.  Pittsburgh Panthers (5-3/8-4) : They have some decent experience on this team, and they will take advantage of the weaknesses of many of the teams in the conference.

4.  Miami Hurricanes (5-3/6-6) : Their offense is in good shape, but the focus of this team in recent years has been the defense, especially the linebackers and their "turnover chain".  Unfortunately, that squad is fairly new, and the chain may not see much action this year.

5.  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-4/6-6) : Their offense is light on seniors, but they have a lot of talent.  The problem is that they may have one of the worst defenses in the conference, and I'm not sure they can outscore many of their opponents, especially with an inconsistent quarterback.

6.  Virginia Cavaliers (3-5/4-6) : Another tough year for the Cavs, who (like Louisville) has a thin squad.

7.  Duke Blue Devils (2-6/5-7)

Big XII

This conference plays with a cloud over its head, knowing its days may be numbered.  With Texas and Oklahoma fleeing to the SEC in 2025 (or sooner if the conference implodes), the players have to wonder what they are playing for?  And where will they go?  They are too far east to interest the Pac-12, they are not academically-inclined enough to interest the Big Ten, and they aren't interested in merging with a Group of Five conference (unless that action lifts the conference in question to the Power Five).  Their only hope is if the ACC, desperate to increase the Q rating of their conference in general, will pick up many of the teams, in an effort to match their old rivals the SEC as a 16-team superconference.

1.  Texas Longhorns (8-1/11-1) : With squads filled with juniors and seniors, this team is charged to make a run this year.

2.  Oklahoma Sooners (7-2/10-2) : Another strong squad, but they have enough questions at key positions to believe they'll make a championship run.

3.  Baylor Bears (7-2/9-3) : Interesting team, with a large number of fifth year (and even sixth year!) players to support a large number of newbies (freshmen and sophomores).  This could go very well, or it could go disasterously wrong.  I'm counting on Coach Aranda, with his experience at LSU, to hold it together.

4.  Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-4/7-5) : Lots of youth on the defense and on the offensive line, but this team can still intimidate.

5.  TCU Horned Frogs (5-4/7-5) : This team has a great slate of receivers, but an inconsistent quarterback makes you wonder how well they will be utilized.  Their young defensive backfield makes them susceptible to big pass plays.  

6.  Kansas State Wildcats (5-4/7-5) : A very experienced defense will result in some low-scoring games (a rarity in this conference!), which will help develop a young offensive backfield.

7.  Iowa State Cyclones (4-5/6-6) : Another strong defense with an offensive support squad that needs to develop.

8.  Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-5/6-6) : Good experience, tough schedule

9.  West Virginia Mountaineers (1-8/2-10) : A year of development for a young squad

10. Kansas Jayhawks (0-9/1-11)

Big Ten

East Division:

1.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0/12-0) : With Justin Fields lighting up the Bears, eyes turn to what the Buckeyes will provide this year.  Once again, they will dominate the conference, as they continue to have one of the best talent development processes in the nation.

2.  Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3/9-3) : They have plenty of returning starters, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage.  They have played together and know what to expect, but they need to improve on some key problems from last year.

3.  Indiana Hoosiers (6-3/9-3) : Lots of players return from the team that impressed last season.  With one of the best means to prevent COVID from striking, they might be also be the most intact team this season, making them a tough opponent.

4.  Maryland Terrapins (5-4/8-4) : Once again, a strong defense to complement a dynamic offense.  The offensive line has to replace some key pieces, though, so it might a bit harder in the beginning of the season for them.

5.  Michigan State Spartans (4-5/6-6) : Their usually strong defense has way too many new faces to believe they will do well, but they may improve as the season progresses.  At least they have a good slate of runners and receivers to support a new quarterback, and a strong offensive line to protect him.

6.  Michigan Wolverines (3-6/5-7) : This might be the final year for Jim Harbaugh, as his offensively-challenged Wolverines will suffer worse problems.  A fractured offensive line will make it hard for the quarterback, who does not have a great slate of runners to help him.  At least a talented and experienced defense will keep them from being blown out of games.

7.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (0-9/2-10) : Another tough season for the Jersey boys

West Division:

1.  Wisconsin Badgers (8-1/10-2) : Once again, the Badgers will control the ground game and chew up clock as they churn out the rushing yards.  A strong defense makes them a tough force to combat.

2.  Northwestern Wildcats (7-2/10-2) : While they have some new faces in the defensive backfield, their offense might be the best in the division.

3.  Illinois Fighting Illini (5-4/8-4) : With lots of players returning from last year's impressive squad, this could be a great year for the Illini.  They won't surprise teams this time, but they will compete.

4.  Iowa Hawkeyes (4-5/7-5) : Their offensive is filled with new players, which is not good for a team that has relied on their offensive firepower.  

5.  Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-6/5-7) : QB Martinez will be under even more pressure this year than last year, as the offensive line has to be patched and rebuilt again.  With a young defensive squad on the opposite end of the ball, the Cornhuskers will be playing "catch up" all season.

6.  Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-7/4-8) : Great lines, both offensive and defensive, but that's about the best positions they have.

7.  Purdue Boilermakers (1-8/1-11)

BYU Cougars (6-6) : The first of our independents (most of whom will be discussed in the Group of Five column preview column) will have a tough year.  They have a schedule of great teams, but they face the difficulties of having a fairly inexperienced offense.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-2) : Clearly the tops of the independents, the Irish field a strong team who have a huge goal, feeling they fell short last year.  This will be a year to regain their pride.

Pac-12

North Division:

1.  Stanford Cardinal (7-2/9-3) : Powerful defense.  The offense has some new faces, but the defense will slow down opponents enough for the newbies to get comfortable.

2.  Washington State Cougars (6-3/9-3) : Another strong defense, but more concerns on offense than Stanford.

3.  California Golden Bears (5-4/8-4) : A potential gold mine in Wisconsin transfer QB Jack Coan, he will revitalize the Bears offense.  Unfortunately a weak defense will mean Coan and his offense will have to work harder.

4.  Oregon Ducks (5-4/6-6) : A mostly young squad, although they have tremendous experience in the linebackers and wide receivers.  At least it's a place to start.

5.  Oregon State Beavers (4-5/7-3) : They have a good defensive squad, but a young offense means they may have trouble putting points on the board.

6.  Washington Huskies (3-6/6-6) : Way too much of the team has new starters.  It will take them most of the season to gel.  They might have a good 2022 if these players develop.

South Division:

1.  USC Trojans (6-3/7-5) : They have a new quarterback but plenty of talent to support him, and a strong line to protect him.  A speedy cast of linebackers makes their defense a threat.

2.  Arizona State Sun Devils (5-4/8-4) : Herm Edwards fields a strong defensive squad.  The offensive line and tight ends need some work, but Coach Edwards has some talent to work with.

3.  UCLA Bruins (5-4/6-6) : A good offense, although they welcome many new receivers to the roster.  A weak defensive line causes concern, but their defensive backfield can be fierce.

4.  Utah Utes (4-5/5-7) : A fairly young team, but the talent is there.  They will start off slowly, but they will improve as the season progresses.

5.  Colorado Buffaloes (5-4/6-6) : Another young team, but Colorado doesn't tend to develop players as quickly.

6.  Arizona Wildcats (3-6/5-7) : They have a decent defense, but the offense has way too many holes and question marks to believe they will contend.

SEC

East Division:

1.  Florida Gators (7-1/10-2) : While their receiving corps is a little young, they stiff defense will give them the time to develop.  

2.  Georgia Bulldogs (6-2/9-3) : Their lines, both offensive and defensive, are their weakest points.  Since they like to run the ball, that offensive line will hamper their game plan.

3.  Tennessee Volunteers (5-3/9-3) : Look out for the Vols!  They have a strong team with many players who have played together for a while.  They could surprise.

4.  Kentucky Wildcats (4-4/8-4) : A tough defense and strong offense, the Wildcats will be a competitor in many games.  Unfortunately they have trouble close games, fading in the fourth quarter.  If that continues, they will struggle.

5.  Missouri Tigers (4-4/7-5) : A new quarterback and young receivers may limit their offense early on.  Their defense is stable, but not especially quick.

6.  South Carolina Gamecocks (2-6/5-7) : A mostly young team, they may threaten teams with a strong corps of linebackers.

7.  Vanderbilt Commodores (1-7/3-9) : Good offense but an inexperienced (and slightly undersized) group of runners, and a questionable defense, means this will be a long year for Vandy.

West Division:

1.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0/12-0) : Another powerful squad and dominating year for the Tide.

2.  Ole Miss Rebels (6-2/10-2) : The Rebels have a great chance for a strong year, as they have a very experienced and talented team available to take advantage of some of the weaknesses in other teams in the conference.

3.  Auburn Tigers (6-2/9-3) : QB Bo Nix has a great slate of players around him.  The defensive line has been restructured, so it will take a little time for them to gel, but this team will likely be a force by the end of the season.

4.  LSU Tigers (4-4/7-5) : The future is not so bright for the other team of Tigers, as a large number of new players will require time to build this ragtag squad into a real team.

5.  Texas A&M Aggies (3-5/6-6) : Another young team, they won't get a chance to gel, as Delta has already taken out two potential starters.  They'll be moving players in and out of the lineup too much to get any consistency out of this team.

6.  Arkansas Razorbacks (2-6/5-7) : This team has some young raw talent.  They'll spend this year figuring out what they have, and perhaps they can compete next year.

7.  Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-6/4-8) : Too much young and thin bench for some key offensive positions bodes ill for the Bulldogs.