The College Football season is almost upon us, with most having their first game within the next two weeks. The 2016 season is shaping up to be a crazy one, with many perennial top 10 teams losing key members, and the potential for Alabama to win the championship for the 5th time since 2009. The season is going to be a wild, unpredictable one as always, so naturally, I'm here to predict it all.
1) Alabama will not win the National Championship
Alabama has put together a dynasty unlike any other in the history of the sport. Love them or absolutely hate them, the consistent greatness they put on the field is undeniable. in the past 7 years, they've won the national championship game 4 times. But not this year. The curse of preseason poll number 1 will hit them, and it will hit them hard. They'll still be a good team, but championship hopes will be all but gone by week 6.
2) Tennessee will win the SEC East
Tennessee has struggled to put a complete season together in recent years, and this will finally be the year they do it. Last year they blew 3 different huge leads against conference competition. If they can successfully learn to close games out, then they'll have a fantastic year behind their hyper-experienced squad.
3) Royce Freeman will finally get the respect he deserves
For the past two years, Oregon RB Royce Freeman has been quietly one of the greatest in the country. Unfortunately, he hasn't gotten the recognition that other RB's have. That's all about to change. He followed up his Freshman campaign of 1,365 yards with an even better Sophomore year of 1,836 yards. Meanwhile, Leonard Fournette and Derrik Henry got far more attention, and it's always been because of who was standing next to Royce. It's hard to get attention when you're working behind Marcus Mariota, who stands on the edge of being an NFL great, and Vernon Adams. So why will he suddenly get all this attention?
4) Dakota Prukop will be a pretty big step down at Quarterback
Oregon has an incredibly lucky history at the Quarterback position. A few years after the great Joey Harrington, only an injury kept Dennis Dixon from winning the Heisman. Jeremiah Masoli led the Ducks to the Rose Bowl, and Darron Thomas led them to the BCS Championship game. After Thomas left, a lowly redshirt freshman became one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. After Mariota, a one-year step in Vernon Adams performed quite admirable. Can that idea work two times in a row? This time, Montana State QB Dakota Prukop, and the result will be quite different. I'd love to see him succeed wonderfully, but it's time to start worrying about the QB position if you're a Duck fan, for the first time in a decade.
5) 5 AP Top 10 teams will finish outside the Top 10
Specifically, Oklahoma, Florida State, Ohio State, Stanford, and Notre Dame. Some of these teams have just lost too much talent, and others have had their conference get better around them, but for various reasons, they will not finish the season ranked as high as they are right now.
6) Deshaun Watson will win the Heisman trophy
Deshaun came close last year, and he'll clinch it this year. The best Quarterback in the country has high hopes for this season, and after coming so close to it all last year, he certainly has his eyes set on a different trophy. Which is why...
7) Clemson will win the National Championship Game
8) University of Michigan will make the title game.
Jim Harbaugh works magic on teams, for at least a few years. Michigan is currently in that honeymoon period. Harbaugh's first year transformed Michigan immediately into a contender, and in his second year, he'll have them playing as one of the best teams in the country.
9) The PAC-12 will again be left out of the playoff
The PAC-12 will be forced to re-evaluate it's conference scheduling after once again, it's the cause of them not sending a team to the Playoffs.
The PAC-12 plays by far the toughest conference schedule of any conference in the country, and taking it back a notch is nothing to be ashamed of.
10) At least 1 high profile game will end on a last second field goal
Probably Alabama versus LSU. Probably.
11) Controversy will be plenty, as always.
