College Football Playoff Prediction Thread
Though in the back of our minds we're all thinking Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Ohio State will be left standing at the end, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict only one of those 4 (the Buckeyes, unfortunately) will make it. Joining them will be Iowa State, UNC, and Georgia.
Who you got?
August 21st, 2021 at 3:51 PM ^
UGA Clemson OU Oregon
August 21st, 2021 at 3:54 PM ^
Clubber Lang, Genghis Khan, the Kraken and jibbroni
August 21st, 2021 at 4:33 PM ^
Substitute Khan Noonien Singh for jibbroni (whoever or whatever that is?!) and I'll subscribe to your newsletter.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:41 PM ^
Go watch it’s always sunny in phildelphia and it will become clear what a jibbroni is.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:31 PM ^
I'm also doing this thing where I call people bozos .
You hear me bozo
Its pretty awesome
August 21st, 2021 at 9:01 PM ^
I prefer fonzanoon.
August 21st, 2021 at 10:06 PM ^
Just make sure you give them an ocular patdown before they go anywhere,
August 21st, 2021 at 11:22 PM ^
Oh, I know what a jibbroni is. But I had to find a way to get team Khan reunited.
August 21st, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^
Iowa state and UNC will not make it. I will predict that UM will be ranked higher than those two at the end of the year.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:12 PM ^
ISU should be better than their top-10 finish last season. Campbell has them showing up against quality opponents. They return their star QB and legit Heisman caliber RB, 2 all-conference members of an experience OL, and the D is solid. Lots of upperclassmen. They've got to get by OU of course, but a 10-win season is well within their grasp, and they'll likely face OU for a shot at the B12 championship.
UM would likely need at least10 wins - a few being quality, so I do hope your prediction holds! If Cade shows up this year, and I think he does, then anything's possible, and Saturdays may actually be exciting - or at least not so depressing.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:40 PM ^
Michigan will definitely finish the season unranked.
August 21st, 2021 at 9:32 PM ^
Consistency will be a step in the right direction since we're starting the season that way.
August 22nd, 2021 at 1:16 PM ^
If we finish unranked with losses to : Wisconsin, penn state, Indiana and/orMSU and OSU for the 7-5/8-4 I’ve seen predicted Harbaugh has got to go.
That’s a season with mostly empty wins. Finishing 4th in Big Ten East in year 7 is a fireable offense.
August 21st, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
Alabama, OSU, Clemson and Oklahoma.
I like the ISU dark horse pick though...but it I were betting actual money, you pick the teams that have been there previously.
August 21st, 2021 at 5:19 PM ^
I definitely have to go with OSU, Clemson and Alabama but in the back of my mind I keep thinking Iowa State upsetting OK.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:02 PM ^
not michigan
August 21st, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
Lol Iowa State, what?
come on, at least be serious.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
lmao right
August 21st, 2021 at 4:53 PM ^
Um, they're ranked #7 and have a fifth year QB, the nation's leading rusher, the reigning Big 12 defensive player of the year, an All-American tight end, good WRs, an experienced O-line, playmakers at all three levels of the defense, and the most returning starters of anyone in the conference.
Oh, and they have this guy too...
August 21st, 2021 at 5:33 PM ^
They play in the Big 12. A conference that should be G5. They might do well in the conference but when they play a good team from a real conference they will get beat like a drum
August 21st, 2021 at 8:23 PM ^
It's Iowa State...just having them in playoff contention is nothing short of a miracle. Theyre literally one of the worst programs overall in FBS. The hate is laughable.
August 22nd, 2021 at 12:01 AM ^
Typical Michigan fan... dunking on another conference when Michigan cannot finish better than 3rd in their own freaking division.
In the Big 12:
OU
another OSU
ISU
Texas
Would all kick Michigan's ass right now.
August 21st, 2021 at 5:50 PM ^
They will have at least 3 losses this year. Texas, OK and UNLV (this one is after the emotional game against Iowa).
August 21st, 2021 at 8:14 PM ^
I don't understand the hate for ISU on this board, if they will make it I have no idea but they do have a shot IMO
August 21st, 2021 at 8:22 PM ^
They hate them because they dont want to admit Campbell is a better college coach than Harbaugh.
August 21st, 2021 at 9:35 PM ^
Personally speaking, I like Matt Campbell. I believe this year he will prove once again that he is a very good college football coach by winning the Big 12. And I still believe that when Harbaugh hangs it up at Michigan, Matt Campbell should be Warde's first phone call.
August 22nd, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I do not hate them. They punched above the weight during an unusual season. Other teams are going to circle games against them. They are a good team, but I think they will lose 3 games this season.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:39 PM ^
Alabama
Clemson
OSU
Someone in the annual Oklahoma / ND / UGA rotation, who will get blasted in the semifinals.
Alabama wins again. Wash, rinse, repeat. The playoff only further widened the gap between the haves and have nots.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:48 PM ^
If Iowa St and UNC make the playoff I’ll Venmo you $100.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:54 PM ^
Deal.
August 21st, 2021 at 5:06 PM ^
Love the UNC and Iowa St picks. But they'd both have to go undefeated, IMO.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:53 PM ^
Can I get in on some of that action? As long as I don't have to pay anything if they don't make it.
August 21st, 2021 at 4:57 PM ^
You've got some big rubles Vlad.
August 21st, 2021 at 5:01 PM ^
I'll say it.
Michigan.
It's gonna be Michigan. Michigan, again!
Oklahoma. Oregon. alabama.
Go Blue!
August 21st, 2021 at 5:19 PM ^
Predict? What predict when the turmoil is fossil. The winds of whispers only change what one could see in the static. For there is none.
August 21st, 2021 at 5:31 PM ^
Don’t bet on that. Alabama Clemson and OSU will be in the playoff like always and there will be a battle for the 4th spot of who gets killed in the semi final game. Most likely will be Georgia. There is no intrigue in college football anymore
August 21st, 2021 at 5:47 PM ^
It'll be Alabama and Oklahoma for sure, then maybe a team like LSU or Georgia and then the Oregon/OSU winner, most likely. I think Iowa St. got a bit lucky last year and wouldn't be shocked if they finished with 2-3 losses during the regular season. UNC is a team that has a lot of pretty good talent but doesn't quite have the playmakers to jump any of those other teams, and Clemson is still probably the class of the ACC even if I think they'll be worse than their championship-level squads.
I'll actually amend this to add that a dark horse would be PSU. I'm not remotely sold that Wisconsin will be anything more than okay this year and Auburn is breaking in a new coach going on the road. So their season basically comes down to road games at Iowa and OSU, and if win those or split them they'll be in good shape heading into a closing stretch of home vs. UM and Rutgers followed by a trip to MSU. I don't think it'll happen because I don't think Franklin has figured out his QB situation but the Nittany Lions always seem to get better luck against OSU than UM ever does and they basically don't leave Happy Valley for the month of September so they've got a chance to figure some stuff out.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:08 PM ^
It won't be LSU. They lost their starting QB to a broken arm (preparing for a fishing trip). The starter might be OK, but nothing more. But behind him their only other QB on scholarship is a true freshman, so they better pray that they don't have any injuries at that position. To make matters worse, their O-line is a potential trouble spot. The starting left tackle entered the portal and their 6th lineman is a true freshman early enrollee.
August 22nd, 2021 at 10:08 AM ^
Sure. But OSU is turning over a new QB and their running game was somewhat mediocre last year if you factor out Fields. Oregon saw their starting QB leave and they still have a battle going on, plus for all the hoopla last year they lost something like 3 of their last 4 games. Georgia has talent but they've had it before and struggled to get over the hump, plus some depth concerns in the defensive backfield. My larger point is that other than Alabama and OU it feels like a lot of teams that need to get some breaks.
August 22nd, 2021 at 10:41 AM ^
Yeah, I was just pointing out that LSU is going to have a difficult season ahead of them. That first game at UCLA isn't going to be easy. Then I could see them dropping 4 other games (Florida, @Ole Miss, @Bama, TAMU). They could go 7-5 this year.
But I agree with your larger point Bama is probably the only team without any major question this season. Even with OU, I'm not sold on Rattler but, just based on their recent history, he'll probably turn out to be a great QB for them.
I think the Georgia-Clemson game in week 1 is going to be really interesting. Georgia has some key injuries mounting up, so if Clemson wins that game even relatively easily we might walk away without really knowing too much about them. And UG could be a completely different team 2-3 weeks later when they get their injured players back. ?♂️
August 21st, 2021 at 7:10 PM ^
Not necessarily the Oregon/OSU winner. If Oregon wins and osu runs the table and goes 12-1 after winning the Big Ten, but Oregon stumbles somewhere along the way, OSU could very easily wind up back in the mix.
August 21st, 2021 at 5:52 PM ^
Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Clemson.
Georgia takes a seat at the table of the elite and wins it all.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
OSU, Bama, and Oklahoma. Rinse and repeat. No point to really pay attention anymore.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:25 PM ^
It’ll be at least 75% the same as almost every other year, because college football is broken and the power brokers don’t give a shit.
Locks 1-3: Alabama, Oklahoma, Clemson
Spot 4: OSU, Oregon, or some random SEC team that gets love (like Georgia - especially if they beat Clemson) despite losing against Alabama at some point gets that last spot.
Alabama wins out through the regular season and the SEC Championship Game.
Oklahoma stumbles once on their schedule but wrecks enough teams to get in.
Clemson cakewalks through their schedule after the Georgia game. That will be their regular season super bowl. Even if they lose that game, they’ll probably dominate enough during the regular season/ACC Championship Game to get back in the playoffs.
The final team will be OSU if Stroud is even average. If Oregon pulls it together this year, they can potentially make it as well. Finally, some team like UGA or another SEC could sneak in.
Its hard to even enjoy a sport where the ending is 99% written before the first snap of the year.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:28 PM ^
The same teams every year. Boring
August 21st, 2021 at 6:32 PM ^
Vanderbilt, Boston College, Oregon State, and Purdue
August 21st, 2021 at 11:24 PM ^
Cinci, Carolina Coastal, TCU, Western Kentucky
With the Bearcats mauling the Hilltoppers before getting clawed by the plucky Chanticleers after they licked the horned frogs for the whole enchilada.
August 21st, 2021 at 6:40 PM ^
Though in the back of our minds we're all thinking Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Ohio State will be left standing at the end
Yup. More like the front of my mind though.
August 21st, 2021 at 7:17 PM ^
Same as every other year: who cares. If Michigan is not in, I don’t watch. I lose interest once Michigan is done.
August 21st, 2021 at 7:30 PM ^
Last year minus ND. Just pencil in whomever that'll lose in the first round. Although I do think Clemson might not be as successful this year.