With football season finally upon us, I wanted to consolidate and chronicle some high-level thoughts and my official predictions for the 2018 College Football season.
I’ve collected predictions from ShakintheSouthland.com readers, writers, and the media and analyzed them alongside my own conference picks in a piece you can read here. My picks are listed more succinctly below:
ACC Atlantic: Clemson
ACC Coastal: Miami
ACC Champion: Clemson
SEC East: Georgia
SEC West: Alabama
SEC Champion: Alabama
Big 10 East: Ohio State
Big 10 West: Wisconsin
Big 10 Champion: Ohio State
Big 12 Championship Game Appearance : Oklahoma
Big 12 Championship Game Appearance: TCU
Big 12 Champion: Oklahoma
Pac-12 North: Washington
Pac-12 South: Arizona
Pac-12 Champion: Washington
Conference Prediction Commentary
- Although I didn’t pick them to win their division, I like the upside for both Michigan State in the Big 10 East and Georgia Tech in the ACC Coastal.
- My only upset pick for divisional winners is Arizona, who returns QB Khalil Tate. Meanwhile, Pac-12 favorite USC with start freshman JT Daniels.
- For more detail, you can see my full ACC preview, Big 12 Preview, and Pac-12 Preview.
ACC Preview Video on Mark Rogers TV
College Football Playoff Picks (Not Seeded)
- Alabama
- Clemson
- Ohio State
- Washington
Playoff Prediction Commentary
- Auburn plays Washington in week 1. The winner will shoot up in the polls and have a great shot to make the playoff. While Auburn is favored, I picked Washington to make the playoff because their path after that game is so much easier. Auburn still faces Georgia and Alabama, plus the SEC East Champion if they are to win the West.
- Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, Oklahoma, and Stanford are also significant playoff contenders.
- If you stretch a bit more, you could make a case for TCU, West Virginia, Florida State, Notre Dame, and USC. That’s 18 total teams including my four picks that are legitimate playoff contenders entering the season.
RyanKantor.com 