Miami QB Malik Rosier (Photo Credit: Allen Eyestone / The Palm Beach Post)
by Chris Asbrock
This is the best time of the year as the college football season is here. As usual, the season technically kicked off last weekend, week zero, with a few games but the reason really gets going, in full swing this week. Friday nights Rocky Mountain Showdown will kick off the season for Colorado, while Colorado State heads into this rivalry game off a tough conference loss to Hawaii last weekend. There are some big matchups this weekend so this opening weekend will set the tone for some teams for what should be another fantastic college football season.
The college football season will see a some great teams and great games. The season will also give us heartbreak. One thing is certain, college football gives us moments of absolute brilliance and some of the most exciting moments in sports. This season will once again deliver some great football. With the season about to head into full swing, we here at Impact Sports have come up with our preseason top 10, Heisman hopefulls and our four playoff teams, as we look ahead as to what to expect this season in college football.
Impact Sports Preseason Top 10:
- Alabama
- Clemson
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Oklahoma
- Miami
- Penn State
- Auburn
Another year, another preseason poll loaded with the usual suspects. Once again, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide head into the season as the team to beat. Saban and his crew have dominated the college football landscape and this season could be just the same. Clemson and Ohio State look to be two of the most likely to knock Alabama off their throne. The three game suspension that Urban Meyer is facing at Ohio State, should do nothing to derail the Buckeyes early in the season. There are a few teams that could make things interesting at the end. Both Miami and Penn State are certainly capable of threatening Clemson and Ohio State, respectively, for conference supremacy. The Big 10 will show why it is the top conference in the country. Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and possibly Michigan, will be serious players when all is said and done.
Conference Champions:
ACC: Clemson
American: UCF
Big Ten: Ohio State
Big 12: Oklahoma
Conf USA: Florida Atlantic
MAC: Northern Illinois
Mountain West: Boise State
Pac-12: Washington
SEC: Alabama
Sun Belt: Arkansas State
This year, the conference champions will be very familiar names to college football fans. Clemson shouldn’t experience much resistance in the ACC, while UCF should run away with the AAC. The most wide open conference is the Big 10, as any one of four to five teams could come away with the championship. Even without Baker Mayfield, the Oklahoma Sooners come into 2018 with a loaded team. Both TCU and West Virginia should put up a solid fight with the Sooners on who will claim the conference championship.
Lane Kiffin and Florida Atlantic are an intriguing bunch to watch. They have the potential to make a lot of noise and are capable of knocking of. FAU can start the season off with a bang if they can knock off the Oklahoma Sooners. The MAC and Mountain West look to be won by teams who are familiar with winning. Both Northern Illinois and Boise State are some of the strongest teams, year in and year out. Great seasons by both could put them into one of the New Years six games.
The biggest surprise comes out west with the Washington Huskies taking the PAC 12 crown. The Huskies made it into the playoff last year but fell well short of a chance at playing for a national championship. The Huskies return a supremely talented team and should once again make it into the college football playoff. Another year and another Alabama SEC championship. That is at least what is expected from the Crimson Tide. Nick Saban comes into the season with one of the best recruiting classes and loaded teams in the country. The SEC is always a tough conference and Alabama will have to battle it out with LSU and Georgia for a spot in the college football playoff.
Heisman hopefuls:
- Bryce Love (RB – Stanford)
- Will Grier (QB – West Virginia)
- Khalil Tate (QB- Arizona)
- Trace McSorley (QB – Penn State)
The Heisman race is always one to watch. This year will be no different with Senior running back, Bryce Love leading the charge. Love has the potential to run away with the Heisman if he starts the season off on a roll. If Love should stumble, look for Will Grier, Khalil Tate and Trace McSorley to step up and take the Heisman away from Love. Grier is the one to watch with the most curiosity. Grier leads the 17th ranked and highly talented, Mountaineers. With a great season, Grier is capable to carrying West Virginia to a Big 12 championship.
Coach of the Year:
- James Franklin (Penn State)
- Dabo Sweeney (Clemson)
- Lane Kiffin (Florida Atlantic)
- Paul Chryst (Wisconsin)
College Football Playoff:
- Clemson
- Alabama
- Penn State
- Washington
Championship prediction: Clemson over Penn State for National Championship
As with every season, this one will be no different in the aspect that it will be very tough to pick a solid four teams for the college football playoff. With the SEC and Big 10 wide open, any one of a couple teams could represent the conferences as one of the final four teams. With Ohio State having to travel to Penn State, the edge will go to the Nittany Lions to win the Big 10. Alabama is always one of the top teams in the country but early injuries could halt the Crimson Tide hopes of winning another national championship. Washington looks to be the strongest team out west in the PAC 12 and will once again edge out the Big 12 as a representative in the playoff. Clemson looks to be the strongest team with the easiest path to the championship. The ACC doesn’t have the top-end talent like they have in years past, to challenge the Tigers and keep them from winning the conference.
Key Games:
8/31/18 – Colorado State v Colorado
9/1/18 – Oregon State @ #5 Ohio State
9/1/18 – #6 Washington v #9 Auburn
9/1/18 – Tennessee v #17 West Virginia
9/1/18 – #14 Michigan @ #12 Notre Dame
9/2/18 – #8 Miami v #25 LSU
9/3/18 – #20 Virginia Tech @ #19 Florida State
9/8/18 – #3 Georgia @ South Carolina
9/8/18 – #10 Penn State @ Pittsburgh
9/8/18 – Cincinnati v Miami U
9/8/18 – #15 USC @ #13 Stanford
9/15/18 – #25 LSU @ #9 Auburn
9/15/18 – #17 West Virginia @ NC State
9/15/18 – #22 Boise State @ Oklahoma State
9/15/18 – #1 Alabama @ Ole Miss
9/15/18 – #5 Ohio State v #16 TCU
9/15/18 – #15 USC @ #23 Texas
9/15/18 – #6 Washington @ Utah
9/22/18 – Texas A&M @ #1 Alabama
9/22/18 – #13 Stanford @ #23 Oregon
9/22/18 – Nebraska @ #14 Michigan
9/22/18 – #16 TCU @ #23 Texas
9/27/18 – North Carolina @ #8 Miami
9/28/18 – UCLA @ Colorado
9/29/18 – Tennessee @ #3 Georgia
9/29/18 – #5 Ohio State @ #10 Penn State
9/29/18 – #13 Stanford @ #12 Notre Dame
10/6/18 – #1 Alabama @ Arkansas
10/6/18 – Nebraska @ #4 Wisconsin
10/6/18 – #23 Texas v #7 Oklahoma
10/6/18 – #19 Florida State @ #8 Miami
10/6/18 – #9 Auburn @ #18 Mississippi State
10/6/18 – #12 Notre Dame @ #20 Virginia Tech
10/6/18 – Navy @ Air Force
10/13/18 – #3 Georgia @ #25 LSU
10/13/18 – #4 Wisconsin @ #14 Michigan
10/13/18 – Tennessee @ #9 Auburn
10/13/18 – #11 Michigan State @ #10 Penn State
10/18/18 – #13 Stanford @ Arizona State
10/19/18 – Colorado State @ #22 Boise State
10/20/18 – #7 Oklahoma @ #16 TCU
10/20/18 – #14 Michigan @ #11 Michigan State
10/20/18 – #15 USC @ Utah
10/20/18 – #18 Mississippi State @ #25 LSU
10/20/18 – #24 Oregon @ Washington State
10/26/18 – Wyoming @ Colorado State
10/27/18 – #2 Clemson @ #19 Florida State
10/27/18 – Iowa @ #10 Penn State
10/27/18 – Florida v #3 Georgia
10/27/18 – #22 Boise State @ Air Force
11/3/18 – #1 Alabama @ #25 LSU
11/3/18 – Louisville @ #2 Clemson
11/3/18 – Nebraska @ #5 Ohio State
11/3/18 – #13 Stanford @ #6 Washington
11/3/18 – Texas A&M @ #9 Auburn
11/3/18 – #10 Penn State @ #14 Michigan
11/3/18 – #17 West Virginia @ #23 Texas
11/3/18 – Air Force @ Army
11/7/18 – Ohio @ Miami U
11/10/18 – #18 Mississippi State @ #1 Alabama
11/10/18 – #9 Auburn @ #3 Georgia
11/10/18 – #4 Wisconsin @ #10 Penn State
11/10/18 – #5 Ohio State @ #11 Michigan State
11/10/18 – Oklahoma State @ #7 Oklahoma
11/10/18 – #16 TCU @ #17 West Virginia
11/10/18 – Kentucky @ Tennessee
11/10/18 – #19 Florida State @ #12 Notre Dame
11/17/18 – #8 Miami @ #20 Virginia Tech
11/17/18 – #11 Michigan State @ Nebraska
11/17/18 – #13 Stanford @ California
11/17/18 – #15 USC @ UCLA
11/17/18 – #17 West Virginia @ Oklahoma State
11/17/18 – Utah @ Colorado
11/22/18 – Colorado State @ Air Force
11/22/18 – #18 Mississippi State @ Ole Miss
11/23/18 – #24 Oregon @ Oregon State
11/23/18- #7 Oklahoma @ #17 West Virginia
11/23/18 – #6 Washington @ Washington State
11/24/18 – #9 Auburn @ #1 Alabama
11/24/18 – South Carolina @ #2 Clemson
11/24/18 – #12 Notre Dame @ #15 USC
11/24/18 – #13 Stanford @ UCLA
11/24/18 – Oklahoma State @ #16 TCU
11/24/18 – Florida @ #19 Florida State
11/24/18 – Arizona State @ Arizona
11/24/18 – BYU @ Utah
11/24/18 – #14 Michigan @ #5 Ohio State
12/8/18 – Army v Navy
As we all know, the college football season is like trying to navigate a mine field. Just like every year, the eyes on the top 25 teams and the teams that will be rising up the rankings, looking to make a push for a spot in the college football playoff. There are numerous big games throughout this season and a loss could trip up a team, costing them a chance at a conference championship, and possibly more. College football has seen a resurrection of some of the top names in the game. College football is great when the top teams are relevant and that is certainly the case this year. The teams that can survive the early season upset, will hopefully ride their momentum into the bowl season. As with every year, sit back and buckle up because it is going to be a fun ride.
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