4 years of Alabama-Clemson dominance have made the school soccer season appear to be a foregone conclusion.
The Crimson Tide and Tigers have break up the final 4 nationwide championships and 4 Faculty Soccer Playoff conferences. They begin this season ranked 1-2 once more. The plot twist is Clemson is top-ranked for the primary time and Alabama is No. 2 – which so far as plot twists go is admittedly boring.
Including to the been-there-done-that really feel on the high of school soccer is the current sustained excellence of No. Four Oklahoma and No. 5 Ohio State. The Buckeyes have received three Huge Ten titles within the final 5 years and one of many seasons they did not win the convention they made the CFP anyway. Oklahoma has received the Huge 12 4 straight seasons, making the playoff 3 times.
These 4 groups have taken up 14 of the 20 playoff spots within the system’s first 5 seasons, and it will be stunning – if not surprising – if any lower than two of them make the playoff this season. And, actually, what are the possibilities that one among their quarterbacks would not win the Heisman Trophy?
All of it appears actually predictable, however past the highest of the rankings there’s nonetheless loads of potential for surprises.
And who is aware of? Possibly this season, simply when most faculty soccer followers have resigned themselves to the inevitability of Alabama-Clemson, there shall be an ending we by no means noticed coming.
However do not guess on it.
On to the predictions for the upcoming season:
TOP 25
Three groups ranked within the AP preseason ballot that won’t end the season ranked: No. 17 UCF, No. 19 Wisconsin, No. 23 Washington State.
Three reams not ranked within the AP preseason ballot that may end the season ranked: Missouri, Miami, Memphis.
CONFERENCE WINNERS
American Athletic Convention: Memphis (West) over Temple (East). The Tigers lastly break by means of after two straight title sport losses however do not get the prospect to avenge these losses to UCF.
Atlantic Coast Convention: Clemson (Atlantic) over Miami (Coastal). The U. has a methods to go earlier than actually being again, however a division title is a pleasant method to begin the Manny Diaz period.
Huge Ten: Ohio State (East) over Iowa (West). We picked Michigan final 12 months to win the Huge Ten and regarded fairly sensible proper up till the purpose the Buckeyes dropped 62 on the Wolverines. We cannot get fooled once more.
Huge 12: Iowa State over Oklahoma. Bear in mind when the Huge 12 was the convention almost certainly to supply loopy convention title sport outcomes?
Convention USA: North Texas (West) over FAU (East). A convention title for the Imply Inexperienced means much more suitors for head coach Seth Littrell.
Mid-American Convention: Ohio (East) over Western Michigan (West). The Bobcats win the MAC for the primary time since 1968 and 74-year-old coach Frank Solich rides off into retirement.
Mountain West: Boise State (Mountain) over San Diego State (West). The Broncos are the favorites yearly, however have solely received the convention twice in six seasons there was a championship sport.
Pac-12: Washington (North) over Utah (South). The Huskies make it three convention titles in 4 seasons in a rematch of final 12 months’s Pac-12 title sport and break the convention’s playoff drought.
Southeastern Convention: Alabama (West) over Georgia (East). The Tide retains the Bulldogs out of the playoff once more.
Solar Belt: Appalachian State (East) over Arkansas State (West). With a brand new coach (Eliah Drinkwitz) however most of the identical gamers, the Mountaineers make it two straight convention titles.
HEISMAN TROPHY
1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama. Final 12 months’s runner-up closes the deal this season.
2. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson.
3. D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia.
4. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma.
5. Adrian Martinez, QB, Nebraska.
COACHING CAROUSEL
All eyes shall be on Southern California, the place Clay Helton wants a giant season towards a tricky schedule to save lots of his job. USC will transfer on from Helton and AD Lynn Swann, however that is no shock.
The attention-grabbing half is who would not take the job: City Meyer stays in broadcasting. The following Trojans coach? Possibly Iowa State’s Matt Campbell. Possibly Utah’s Kyle Whittingham. Possibly Penn State’s James Franklin. Possibly another person. However not Meyer.
NEW YEAR’S SIX/COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
The Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinals are Dec. 28 this season, then greater than two weeks earlier than the nationwide championship sport in New Orleans on Jan. 13.
Peach Bowl semifinal: Clemson vs. Washington. (The Huskies get in with one-loss over Georgia with two, leaving the Bulldogs seething once more).
Fiesta Bowl semifinal: Alabama vs. Ohio State.
Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Utah.
Sugar Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Iowa State.
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Georgia.
Cotton Bowl: Memphis vs. Michigan.
NATIONAL CHAMPION
Yep, Clemson-Alabama once more. Repeating is troublesome. Spherical 5 goes to the Tide.