Wasn’t it just a couple weeks ago that Michigan won the National Championship, as Jim Harbaugh slithered off to San Diego?

Time flies, and here we are again. The start of the 2024 season is a mere four days away. Florida State got kicked in the groin by the selection committee last year, so it goes to figure they will kick off the new season. In Dublin, Ireland, of course.

Only four power conferences to preview, so away we go.

ACC

ACC

I think the ACC title will run through the state of Florida.

Hold on Seminoles fans. There is another team in Florida who will have something to say about this conference title. I know I am going to regret this, but I think Miami will win this conference. This is already different from my podcast pick(Check out the Wall2WallFootball podcast). Mario Cristobal has been a disastrous game day coach. He has always been a good recruiter but game day always brings misery. He capped his game day disasters last year with the now infamous no kneel down turned game losing turnover against Georgia Tech.

Enter Cam Ward at quarterback. I am a big fan. He will do for Miami what Jordan Travis did for Florida State.

Cristobal can be counted on for blowing games, but check out the Hurricane schedule and tell me 12-0 is out of the question. The toughest road game is at Louisville, they get Florida State at home, and avoid Clemson, NC State, and Pitt. Seeing if you are paying attention. Nobody cares if Pitt is on the schedule.

There is a ton of talent on this team, and they now have a dynamic quarterback. An ACC title seems like a reasonable expectation. The real question is how long before the ten Hurricanes fans realize they are actually good.

After thinking about it, I think Florida State has too much talent to replace. The big change is going from Jordan Travis at quarterback to DJ Uiagalelei. Uiagalelei is now on team three. Probably because he just isn’t that great. He already failed in the ACC with Clemson. I am not saying he will fail, but navigating a schedule that includes at SMU, at Miami, at Notre Dame, and Clemson at home is a lot to ask. With the loss of talent all over this roster, two losses seems like a likely outcome.

Clemson just kept hanging around last year, but Mr. Overrated, Dabo Swinney, won’t use the portal. The talent has dropped off, Cade Klubnick is an average quarterback, and did I mention Swinney is overrated? The Tigers get NC State and Louisville at home but have to travel to Florida State and Virginia Tech. Clemson can send a message right away in a neutral site game against Georgia next weekend. Two losses seem like a lock.

Jeff Brohm got things right at Louisville in a hurry. He proceeded to do well in recruiting and the portal. Louisville plays at Notre Dame in September, home for Miami in October, and at Clemson in November, with all other games looking very winnable. Another 10 win season is not out of the question.

NC State has quarterback Grayson McCall, which could be the thing missing for the Wolfpack. SMU has the element of surprise and could pull some upsets. Virginia Tech is turning Lane Stadium back into an Enter Sandman land of fear for opponents. 

The only other question left in this conference is how long Pitt allows that buffoon Pat Narduzzi to weigh down their football program. Pitt doesn’t have to be a national title contender, but they should always challenge 9 wins. Narduzzi talks all big and hard but has performance issues.

ACC Title: Miami

Playoff contenders: Florida State, Clemson, Louisville

Big 12

12

This smells like a one bid league, with a lot of balance but not a lot of great teams. Plus, you may need a road map to find all the new teams in this conference.

One of those new teams is my favorite to win the conference. Utah has the best coach in the conference in Kyle Whittingham. The Utes benefit from the return of quarterback Cam Rising, tight end Brant Kuith, and the transfer addition of wide receiver Dorian Singer. The defense is always solid in Utah, and the schedule is not difficult. The Utes avoid the state of Kansas and get Arizona at home. The toughest road game is at Oklahoma State. Amazingly, 11 wins could be in the cards.

Kansas State should be better on offense with stud sophomore Avery Johnson taking over at quarterback. Chris Klieman isn’t exactly chopped liver when it comes to coaching either. The defense returns a lot of talent from a year ago, so solid defense should be expected. Many of the Wildcats tough games are at home. They do go on the road for West Virginia and Iowa State. There is a realistic chance this is a dead heat between Utah and K-State.

Arizona returns quarterback Noah Fafita. Kansas returns quarterback Jalon Daniels. Oklahoma State returns running back Ollie Gordon. Iowa State returns quarterback Rocco Becht. West Virginia returns quarterback Garrett Greene and runner C.J. Donaldson. All of those players are dynamic and could make their respective teams a contender. West Virginia has a chance to boost the conference perception with an early upset of Penn State.

The rest of the conference is a mishmash of mediocrity, with Texas Tech having the best chance at a breakthrough. The big question is how many reporters will Deion Sanders be speaking to by season’s end?

Big 12 Title: Utah

Playoff contenders: Kansas State

SEC

SEC

I know many of us have SEC fatigue. Brace yourself, because now that ESPN has the TV rights we will be inundated with SEC bluster and Paul Finebaum may actually orgasm right on live TV.

Having placed that horrifying image in your head, I must admit this conference is absolutely loaded.

You could pick Georgia. You could pick Alabama. You could pick Texas. You could pick Old Miss. The  there is LSU, Missouri, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Tennessee that could potentially step up. On paper all these teams have New Year’s Day bowl floors and national champ ceilings.

So much comes down to schedules starting this year with the expanded conferences. In my opinion Texas wins the scheduling prize this year. The Longhorns have to travel early to overrated Michigan, then get Georgia at home in the middle of October. Texas avoids Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and Ole Miss. Their next toughest games are against rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M, not automatic wins but much easier than what it could have been. I am well aware that head coach Steve Sarkisian sometimes chokes. I am also well aware that he recruits like crazy and has a loaded roster. Quinn Ewers may win the Heisman Trophy this year. I think Texas goes undefeated.

Georgia doesn’t get the cakewalk schedule they have in the past. However, the Bulldogs are, as usual, !ultra talented. The Dawgs face Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas all on the road. They still have Tennessee and Auburn at home and Clemson at a neutral site. Even as talented as Georgia is, no way they make it out of this unscathed. Still, a trip to the SEC Championship is likely.

I am not convinced there won’t be a drop off in Tuscaloosa with a coach not named Saban. Kalen DeBoer is a good coach, but he brings an all new system. Lots of talent still litters the roster, including star quarterback Jalen Milroe. Trips to LSU, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin won’t be easy. Home tilts against Missouri, Georgia, and rival Auburn won’t be a walk in the park. The question will be whether Alabama can avoid losing too many games to make the playoffs.

Ole Miss won the portal. Now, can Lane Kiffin shed the average coach image and earn a playoff spot. He will lean on senior Jaxson Dart, who I am not sure is a big game quarterback. The rest of the roster is really good. The fun doesn’t start until mid October for the Rebels. The three toughest games are on the road at LSU and home for Georgia and Oklahoma. Anything less than 10 wins would seem like a fail. I think it is safe to board the Lane Train.

I want to doubt Missouri, but Eli Drinkowicz is a really good coach. The schedule is very, very doable. At Texas A&M and at Alabama are the big hurdles. The offense promises to be fantastic, but the defense looks like a work in progress. That is not what you want in this conference. The Tigers will still be good.

Tennessee has potential stud Nico Iamaleava at quarterback and a ton of weapons. Rocky Top will play a lot this season. LSU should be good, but how good will depend on new quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. Oklahoma also has a new quarterback in Jackson Arnold. Hugh Freeze can coach and has Auburn on the rise on the field and in recruiting. Mike Elko arrives in College Station to lift Texas A&M out of the rubble. All of these teams could step up to that first tier of teams.

I think Sam Pittman and Billy Napier are on borrowed time at Arkansas and Florida. Shane Beamer should survive at South Carolina. It is tough to rise up the ranks in this conference.

SEC Title: Texas

Playoff contenders: Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, LSU

Big Ten

Ten

Go West young man. USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon join the Big Ten to literally make it a coast to coast league. And it means the best league promo gets even better.

 

 

I think you will see a blend of old and new at the top of this conference.

Ohio State, and more importantly head coach Ryan Day, got sick of Michigan smacking them around. Day added a ton of new talent to an already strong roster. Chip Kelly may not be a head coach but he knows offense. With Kelly running the offense in Columbus, look out. The biggest question is whether or not new quarterback Will Howard can handle the spotlight. Columbus on Saturdays is a far cry from Manhattan, Kansas. Everything will be a warmup leading to the trip on October 12 to Eugene, Oregon. The clash with the Ducks will most likely be the game of the year in the Big Ten. Three weeks later a trip to Happy Valley awaits the Buckeyes. Everything else should not be that difficult. I am calling for an undefeated season in Columbus.

Oregon is loaded on offense, led by transfer QB Dillon Gabriel. I am not as high on Gabriel as others but the Ducks will still score a ton of points. I have them losing at home to Ohio State, but aside from a trip to Michigan the schedule is rather easy. Will Dan Lanning choke like he usually does in a game they are clear favorites? A rematch in the Big Ten Championship Game with Ohio State seems more than likely. And with the money they have been handing out to recruits, anything less would be disappointing.

Penn State will go 10-2, with losses at USC and home to Ohio State. It is what James Franklin does. The next big game Franklin wins will be the first. It is hard to go all in on the Nittany Lions. Quarterback Drew Allar has yet to look like the five star stud he was supposed to be. The receiving corp continues to look bleak, and some new faces on the offensive line could cause some shaky days. The strength on offense is the two headed monster in the backfield of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki must find ways to get them the ball. Tom Allen takes over as defensive coordinator, and it will be hard for him to duplicate Manny Diaz’s success. With the easy schedule, anything less than 10 wins is a Big Game James failure.

I am a USC fanatic, so this may be a biased viewpoint. I like the Trojans chances in the Big Ten better than most. Lincoln Riley didn’t suddenly forget how to coach offense. Miller Moss waited his turn and now takes over at quarterback, and Riley is a QB whisperer. Riley finally stopped the stubbornness and ridded the team of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. D’Anton Lynn takes over with a tremendous defensive staff at his disposal. The talent is better, the confidence should be better, and the scheme will definitely be better. Thus, the results should be significantly better. If USC and all of its offensive weapons can handle Penn State at home and Michigan on the road the season may come down to the bookend games. The opener in Vegas against LSU and the finale at home against rival Notre Dame. A playoff berth is within reach, as is a Big Ten Championship. Don't tell Finebaum I said that.

I look for drop off in Ann Arbor. Sherrone Moore is not Jim Harbaugh. The quarterback position is unsettled. The roster took quite a few hits. There is a potential cloud over the program thanks to the Connor Stallions fiasco. Maybe Michigan keeps rolling, or more likely the Wolverines drop at least three of the games against Texas, USC, Oregon, and Ohio State.

Dont ask me to trust Iowa’s offense to get markedly better. Luke Fickell will get Wisconsin back to upper echelon levels, but not this year. PJ Fleck continues to be overrated while rowing his boat to nowhere. Washington changed coaches and lost a ton off the runner up team from a year ago. Rutgers is better but still has a subpar quarterback. Indiana will eventually be on the rise with new coach Curt Cignetti. Nebraska, however, is the team that could be interesting out of all the bottom 11 or 12 teams. Matt Rhule can coach. Can Dylan Raiola match the hype at quarterback?

Big Ten Title: Ohio State

Playoff contenders: Oregon, USC, Penn State

The other team I haven’t previewed —and don’t want to because they still think they are special— is Notre Dame. Even though Notre Dame fans accuse others of “buying players” in the portal, the Irish once again go with a transfer at quarterback. Riley Leonard enters from Duke, and has way more hype around him than is warranted. Head coach Marcus Freeman has recruited well and should have some good skill people. The line is a question mark. Defensively, the Irish always seem to be solid. Their schedule boils down to four games: at Texas A&M in the August 31 opener, Louisville and Florida State at home, and on the road at USC in the finale. Will 10-2 be good enough for an independent to squeeze in the playoffs? Notre Dame may very well test those waters.

Playoffs

Wow, this is going to be interesting. I am not sure who to pick. I may need to get some help. Yep, I know exactly who to call for help.

Ball

 

Fresh out of witness protection after his last two seasons of predictions, my buddy Two Cent Cracked Crystal Ball(#TCCCB) is looking to get back on track. Before the last two seasons, my guy picked three in a row correctly —LSU, Alabama, Georgia— failing to predict a Georgia repeat in 2022 and refusing to pick a Harbaugh in 2023.

So, here is OUR 2024 playoff predictions.

  • Byes: (1) Ohio State (2) Texas (3) Miami (4) Utah

 

  • (5) Georgia over (12) Boise State
  • (6) Oregon over (11) Florida State
  • (7) Alabama over (10) Penn State
  • (9) USC over (8) Ole Miss

 

  • (1) Ohio State over (9) USC
  • (2) Texas over (7) Alabama
  • (6) Oregon over (3) Miami
  • (5) Georgia over (4) Utah

 

  • (1) Ohio State over (5) Georgia
  • (2) Texas over (6) Oregon

 

  • National Championship Game: (1) Ohio State over (2) Texas
  • National Champs: Ohio State Buckeyes

 

 

Two Cent Takes

My Takes are taking a break this week, as I had to focus much of my time in getting my son off to college. It was a tough couple of days mentally and emotionally, but I am now required to say, “Go Eagles!”

Juniata

The Juniata football team practices and plays its games at Knox Stadium named for legendary NFL coach Chuck Knox. Knox was a Juniata alum and briefly an assistant coach in 1954 before becoming an NFL head coach.

The Weekly Shiny Penny

Well, college football fans, you made it.

 

 

 

A Penny For My Final Thought…

I hate when summer ends.

I will be starting my 35th year at my day job as a school teacher. So the end of summer always means back to work for me. One of the things that always eases the pain is the start of football season. I still enjoy going to a high school game or two, and I always look forward to the Steelers and NFL season.

The thing that charges up my battery the most is college football. The pomp and circumstance. The fight songs and mascots. The uniform colors and helmet emblems. Cheers and jeers. Gus Johnson yelling with joy. Even Lee Corso donning the headgear.

 

 

Yep, college football is the remedy to my end of summer blues.

This year the landscape has changed. NIL has become part of the lexicon in the sport, and it isn’t really NIL. Name, image and likeness was intended for the superstars of the sport to get compensated through advertising, public appearances, sale of jerseys, or images being used for profit. It should have been a good thing. The other guys would still be getting a free education, which shouldn’t be sneezed at. With the snap of a finger NIL quickly became pay for play. Amateurism is out the window.

Funny how that is on the minds of the common fan all the time. Rarely do I talk college football with somebody who doesn’t bring up NIL. Just the other day, while on the Juniata campus with my son, a lady asked me what I thought of USC —of course I had my USC gear on— joining the Big Ten. I told her I liked having a chance to see them in person back East now but that I was old and liked the original smaller conferences. She laughed and said, “Yea, and without this NIL nonsense.” NIL is something that could drive some fans away from the sport.

Another bothersome issue with college football, and all sports for that matter, is squeezing every penny out of the TV contracts. That means fans have to find and/or purchase ABC, ESPN, CBS, NBC, FOX, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, CW, Peacock, FS1, CBS Sports Network. It is insane, and worse when you factor in other sports on Prime, Netflix, Roku, and Apple to name a few.

Most fans don’t have an unlimited TV budget. The powers that run college football don’t seem to care. Squeezing out every penny from the networks for coverage rights is the only factor that matters to them. It is infuriating and will cause some fans to walk away.

Finally, maybe what amounts to an unintended result because of expanded conferences and expanded playoffs.

Let me run a scenario by you: Ohio State beats Oregon on the road and goes undefeated. Oregon loses just that one game and earns a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State loses the rematch with Oregon, and now drops from the potential top seed in the playoffs and a bye to the fifth or sixth seed and a first round matchup.

So, what incentive does Ohio State have to play in the Big Ten Championship Game in that scenario? Nothing positive can come of it. Win and you maintain your top seed. Big deal. They had that to begin with. But lose the game and all kinds of bad stuff happens. And if the Buckeyes beat Oregon on the road, why should the loss on a neutral site count for more?

What I am getting at —certainly for the SEC and Big Ten— is the championship games will be meaningless. They can only hurt those conferences’ best teams. It is idiotic.

Maybe voting for the champ, like they did when I was growing up, wasn’t so bad.

On top of that nonsensical scenario I mentioned, it will add an extra game for teams that most likely are already going to have to play three(or four) more games to win a championship. So, after years of preaching about protecting the players we now want them to play the equivalent of an NFL season.

These kids aren’t profess….oh wait, I guess maybe they are. Well, sort of. Some are paid millions. But they are still kids, yet not amateurs. But 16 or 17 games? The players will want more money. Some players may possibly still opt out of games.

What a mess this could turn into.

I still itch for the start of college football season, but it sure was nicer when things were less complicated.

Just my two cents…