Photo Credit: Chris Asbrock/FTI Sports

by Chris Asbrock

The college football season is here. The season technically kicked off last weekend with the Cal Golden Bears knocking off the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in Australia. However, the season will kick off in full swing tonight, with numerous games from around the country. Tonight’s slate of games is headlined by #19 Louisville and #9 Tennessee in action. The action on Friday night will be headlined by #12 Michigan State and #8 Stanford. The Rocky Mountain Showdown will also kick off the season for both Colorado and Colorado State on Friday night. This opening weekend will set the tone for what should be a great season.

There are many questions that will be answered by the end of 2016. Can Jim Harbaugh surpass his memorable first season in Ann Arbor? Can Urban Meyer keep Michigan from overtaking the Buckeyes? Can Alabama continue to stay atop the college football world? Those are just a few of the questions that will be answered at the end of the season. As in previous years, we here at FTI Sports have come up with our preseason top 10 and our four playoff teams as we look ahead as to what to expect this season in college football.

Preseason Top 10:

  1. Clemson
  2. Alabama
  3. Oklahoma
  4. Florida State
  5. LSU
  6. Michigan
  7. Stanford
  8. Ohio State
  9. Tennessee
  10. Notre Dame

The preseason top 10 is once again littered with the big name programs as the usual suspects are making their presence known early on. Defending National Champion, Alabama, has once again reloaded but is still relatively inexperienced. Clemson, who lost to Alabama in the championship, comes in with arguably the premier quarterback in the country, Deshaun Watson. Watson comes off a solid 2015 season, where he helped lead Clemson to the college football playoff. This season will be much of the same for Clemson as they will have to navigate some tough tests but will be there in the end.

Barring any crazy scenario, the Pac-12 conference really has only one hope this season with Christian McCaffrey and Stanford leading the pack out west. The return of Michigan to the ranks of the best in college football, certainly helps the Big Ten and will push Urban Meyer to continue to keep his Buckeyes on top. Oklahoma, who was in the playoff last season, will look to stay atop the Big 12 and return to playoff this year.

    Conference Champions:

    ACC: Clemson
    American: Houston
    Big Ten: Michigan
    Big 12: Oklahoma
    Conf USA: Western Kentucky
    MAC: Western Michigan
    Mountain West: Boise State
    Pac-12: Stanford
    SEC: LSU
    Sun Belt: Appalachian State

    The conference champion prediction list has some familiar faces and some names that can be surprising. The biggest conference battles will be in the ACC, Big Ten and the SEC. The Florida State Seminoles will have a say in what goes on in the ACC. The marquee matchup in the ACC will take place on October 29, when Clemson will travel to Tallahassee to take on the Seminoles. That game will determine the cream of the crop in the ACC. The Houston Cougars are the class of the American Athletic Conference and will be on top at the end of the season. Tom Herman is one of the premier young coaches in the country and will show why his Cougars could make a play for the playoff. They face a very stiff test out of the gate as they open the season against the Sooners in Houston.

    The Big Ten is a five horse race with Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Nebraska and Iowa all in the mix. Yes, Iowa is in the mix. Do not sleep on the Hawkeyes. They can make some noise this season and they have their hardest games at home. Don’t expect the Buckeyes to on top at the end with their recent NFL departures, coupled with the resurgence of the Wolverines under Harbaugh. You can never count Urban Meyer out The Big 12 doesn’t seem to be much of a battle this season, like in years past. Oklahoma and Heisman candidate, Baker Mayfield should take care of business this season. Oklahoma does have a very tough schedule, especially early in the year when they play Houston and Ohio State in the first three weeks of the season. With Mayfield under center, Coach Bob Stoops won’t have much to worry about with his Sooners.

    Western Kentucky will make some noise in the cluttered Conference USA. The must replace one of the best unknown quarterbacks in the country, Brandon Doughty. Marshall, Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech should be competing for the top spot in CUSA. Look for the Hilltoppers to stake claim of the best of CUSA. The MAC is always one of the better non power five conferences. A few years ago Northern Illinois made a then BCS Orange Bowl, losing to Florida State 31-10 in 2013. Can a team from the MAC make a run at the college football playoff? That pressure will be placed on the shoulders of Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. While seeing a non power five team in the playoff would be great, don’t expect one to come from the MAC. However, the MAC champ will come from the much better West division and look for that to be P.J. Fleck’s Broncos of Western Michigan.

    Transitioning to another Broncos team who will be in a conference battle. The Mountain West conference will come down to two teams, Boise State and San Diego State. As the saying goes, defense wins championships. This case could be different as Boise State will use their overall talent, led by the best quarterback in the conference, Brett Rypien, to take down the experienced Aztecs of San Diego State. The Mountain West should be a fun conference to watch this year as Boise State and San Diego State will look to make a push for a New Years six bowl. Staying out west, Stanford should once again be standing atop the Pac-12 at the end. However, with the college football playoff still at four teams, there is a very good chance the Cardinal will be on the outside looking in. UCLA will be there in the end but the Bruins just don’t have enough to get over the hump. That is saying something as they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Josh Rosen. Rosen will battle it out with Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey to see which team is the best in the west.

    The SEC is traditionally the premier conference in college football. This year is no different. The reigning National Champion, Alabama Crimson Tide lost a lot of talent again this past year but as you know, Nick Saban just reloads. Alabama will battle it out with LSU and Ole Miss for the SEC West division crown. The winner of the West will be the SEC representative in the college football playoff. Some of the nations top talent seems to reside in the SEC as well. One of the best running backs in the country, Leonard Fournette, returns from a 2015 season where he rushed for 1953 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Heisman trophy candidate will look to help carry the LSU offense again this season. The Sun Belt is the one conference that seems to be left out of all talk on the national stage. The biggest name in the league, Appalachian State, will win the Sun Belt this year. Quarterback Taylor Lamb, is the best in the conference and will lead the Mountaineers to a Sun Belt championship.

    Heisman hopefuls:

    1. Deshaun Watson (QB – Clemson)
    2. Dalvin Cook (RB – Florida State)
    3. Christian McCaffrey (RB- Stanford)
    4. Leonard Fournette (RB – LSU)

    This year will be a lot of fun to watch, in terms of the Heisman race. Deshaun Watson is the frontrunner for the Heisman but you can look past the three running backs listed. McCaffrey made his name last year with his play. Fournette burst onto the national scene last year but the name to watch out for is Dalvin Cook. If Cook can stay healthy, he could help lead Florida State to an ACC championship and a Heisman Trophy.

    College Football Playoff:

    1. Clemson
    2. LSU
    3. Oklahoma
    4. Michigan 

    Championship prediction: Clemson over LSU for National Championship

    Clemson will return back to the championship game against another SEC foe. The leadership and play of the best player in the country, Deshaun Watson will see the Clemson Tigers take home the championship.

      Key Games:

      9/3/2016 – (3) Oklahoma v (15) Houston @ NRG Stadium in Houston
      9/3/2016 – (16) UCLA @ Texas A&M
      9/3/2016 – (5) LSU v Wisconsin @ Lambeau Field
      9/3/2016 – (18) Georgia v (22) North Carolina @ Georgia Dome
      9/3/2016 – (22) USC v (1) Alabama @ AT&T Stadium in Dallas
      9/4/2016 – (10) Notre Dame @ Texas
      9/5/2016 – (11) Ole Miss v (4) Florida State @ Camping World Stadium in Orlando
      9/15/2016 – (15) Houston @ Cincinnati
      9/17/2016 – (4) Florida State @ (19) Louisville
      9/17/2016 – (1) Alabama @ (11) Ole Miss
      9/17/2016 – (6) Ohio State @ (3) Oklahoma
      9/17/2016 – (12) Michigan State @ (10) Notre Dame
      9/17/2016 – (20) USC @ (8) Stanford
      9/24/2016 – (8) Stanford @ (16) UCLA
      9/24/2016 – (18) Georgia @ (11) Ole Miss
      9/24/2016 – (25) Florida @ (9) Tennessee
      9/30/2016 – (8) Stanford @ (14) Washington
      10/1/2016 – (19) Louisville @ (2) Clemson
      10/1/2016 – (22) North Carolina @ (4) Florida State
      10/1/2016 – (9) Tennessee @ (18) Georgia
      10/1/2016 – (3) Oklahoma @ (13) TCU
      10/8/2016 – Texas v (3) Oklahoma @ Cotton Bowl in Dallas
      10/8/2016 – (5) LSU @ (25) Florida
      10/8/2016 – (14) Washington @ (24) Oregon
      10/15/2016 – (1) Alabama @ (9) Tennessee
      10/15/2016 – (8) Stanford @ (10) Notre Dame
      10/15/2016 – (6) Ohio State @ Wisconsin
      10/22/2016 – (11) Ole Miss @ (5) LSU
      10/29/2016 – (2) Clemson @ (4) Florida State
      10/29/2016 – (7) Michigan @ (12) Michigan State
      11/5/2016 – (1) Alabama @ (5) LSU
      11/5/2016 – Nebraska @ (6) Ohio State
      11/12/2016 – (5) LSU @ Arkansas
      11/12/2016 – (11) Ole Miss @ Texas A&M
      11/12/2016 – (20) USC @ (14) Washington
      11/12/2016 – (8) Stanford @ (24) Oregon
      11/12/2016 – (23) Baylor @ (3) Oklahoma
      11/12/2016 – (7) Michigan @ (17) Iowa
      11/17/2016 – (19) Louisville @ (15) Houston
      11/19/2016 – (3) Oklahoma @ West Virginia
      11/19/2016 – (21) Oklahoma State @ (13) TCU
      11/19/2016 – (6) Ohio State @ (12) Michigan State
      11/19/2016 – (20) USC @ (16) UCLA
      11/24/2016 – (5) LSU @ Texas A&M
      11/25/2016 – Nebraksa @ (17) Iowa
      11/26/2016 – (10) Notre Dame @ (20) USC
      11/26/2016 – (7) Michigan @ (6) Ohio State
      11/26/2016 – Auburn @ (1) Alabama
      11/26/2016 – (25) Florida @ (4) Florida State
      11/26/2016 – Mississippi State @ (11) Ole Miss
      11/26/2016 – South Carolina @ (2) Clemson
      12/3/2016 – (21) Oklahoma State @ (3) Oklahom

      There will be many eyes on the top 25 teams and which teams will be making moves. With big games early on in the season, you can expect some big teams to fall and some others to move up. Urban Meyer and Ohio State proved last season that an early season loss isn’t the be all, end all. With some of the big name schools returning to prominance, one thing is certain, this will be another exciting college football season. As fans from all around the country know, there will be a lot of ups and downs for all programs. The teams that can survive the early season onslaught and can stay healthy will be the ones at the end, standing victorious.

      Chris Asbrock is a staff writer and analyst for FTI Sports and can be followed on Twitter  and