That's right Ed, WE'RE BACK
By: Nick Hornburg
The time has come. Here we stand on the eve of another season of College Football. There will be laughter, tears, ecstasy, upsets, dumb narratives, overreactions, less-than-genial fan behavior, and everything else we’ve come to expect from this lunacy that we love so dearly.
This means that it is also time for me, because I have no life, friends, or other commitments sufficient to take up all of my time, to take a crack (well, 130 cracks actually) at predicting how the season is going to go...for everybody. And now, all of you have the privilege (misfortune) of being able to read my unbelievably prescient (woefully inaccurate) tale of the 2018 College Football season.
A few notes before we get started:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2018 PREDICTIONS
SUN BELT
WEST
Arkansas State 10-2 (8-0)
Louisiana-Monroe 5-7 (4-4)
South Alabama 5-7 (4-4)
Louisiana Lafayette 4-8 (2-6)
Texas State 3-9 (2-6)
EAST
Appalachian State 10-2 (7-1)
Troy 9-3 (7-1)
Georgia Southern 6-6 (3-5)
Georgia State 4-8 (3-5)
Coastal Carolina 4-8 (3-5)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Arkansas State over Appalachian State
CONFERENCE USA
WEST
Louisiana Tech 7-5 (5-3)
UAB 7-5 (4-4)
North Texas 6-6 (4-4)
Southern Mississippi 6-6 (4-4)
UTSA 5-7 (4-4)
Rice 4-9 (3-5)
UTEP 1-11 (0-8)
EAST
FAU 9-3 (7-1)
Marshall 8-4 (6-2)
Middle Tennessee 7-5 (6-2)
Western Kentucky 6-6 (4-4)
FIU 5-7 (4-4)
Old Dominion 6-6 (3-5)
Charlotte 3-9 (2-6)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
FAU over Louisiana Tech
MID-AMERICAN
WEST
Northern Illinois 7-5 (7-1)
Toledo 8-4 (6-2)
Eastern Michigan 7-5 (5-3)
Western Michigan 6-6 (4-4)
Central Michigan 4-8 (3-5)
Ball State 3-9 (2-6)
EAST
Ohio 8-4 (6-2)
Buffalo 7-5 (5-3)
Bowling Green 5-7 (4-4)
Miami (Ohio) 5-7 (4-4)
Akron 4-8 (3-5)
Kent State 2-10 (1-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Northern Illinois over Ohio
MOUNTAIN WEST
MOUNTAIN
Boise State 11-1 (8-0)
Wyoming 8-4 (6-2)
Colorado State 7-5 (5-3)
Utah State 7-5 (5-3)
Air Force 4-8 (3-5)
New Mexico 2-10 (0-8)
WEST
Fresno State 9-3 (7-1)
San Diego State 9-3 (6-2)
UNLV 6-6 (4-4)
Hawaii 4-9 (2-6)
Nevada 4-8 (2-6)
San Jose State 2-10 (1-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Boise State over Fresno State
AMERICAN
EAST
Central Florida 11-1 (7-1)
Temple 8-4 (5-3)
South Florida 9-3 (5-3)
Cincinnati 6-6 (4-4)
East Carolina 3-9 (1-7)
Connecticut 2-10 (0-8)
WEST
Memphis 10-2 (7-1)
Houston 8-4 (5-3)
Southern Methodist 6-6 (4-4)
Navy 8-5 (4-4)
Tulsa 4-8 (3-5)
Tulane 4-8 (3-5)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Central Florida over Memphis
INDEPENDENT
Notre Dame 10-2
BYU 7-5
Army 7-5
Massachusetts 5-7
New Mexico State 5-7
Liberty 3-9
PAC-12
NORTH
Washington 11-1 (9-0)
Stanford 9-3 (7-2)
Oregon 7-5 (4-5)
Washington State 7-5 (4-5)
California 5-7 (3-6)
Oregon State 1-11 (0-9)
SOUTH
USC 9-3 (7-2)
Utah 8-4 (5-4)
Arizona 8-4 (5-4)
UCLA 6-6 (4-5)
Colorado 3-9 (2-7)
Arizona State 3-9 (2-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Washington over USC
BIG 12
Oklahoma 11-1 (8-1)
TCU 9-3 (7-2)
Oklahoma State 10-2 (7-2)
Texas 8-4 (6-3)
West Virginia 7-5 (4-5)
Kansas State 6-6 (4-5)
Iowa State 6-6 (4-5)
Texas Tech 6-6 (4-5)
Baylor 4-8 (1-8)
Kansas 2-10 (0-9)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Oklahoma over TCU
BIG TEN
EAST
Ohio State 11-1 (8-1)
Michigan 10-2 (7-2)
Penn State 10-2 (7-2)
Michigan State 10-2 (7-2)
Rutgers 4-8 (2-7)
Indiana 5-7 (2-7)
Maryland 3-9 (1-8)
WEST
Wisconsin 10-2 (7-2)
Iowa 8-4 (5-4)
Northwestern 7-5 (5-4)
Purdue 5-7 (4-5)
Nebraska 6-6 (3-6)
Minnesota 5-7 (2-7)
Illinois 3-9 (1-8)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Ohio State over Wisconsin
ATLANTIC COAST
ATLANTIC
Clemson 12-0 (8-0)
Louisville 8-4 (5-3)
North Carolina State 9-3 (5-3)
Florida State 7-5 (4-4)
Wake Forest 6-6 (3-5)
Boston College 6-6 (3-5)
Syracuse 5-7 (3-5)
COASTAL
Miami 11-1 (8-0)
Virginia Tech 8-4 (5-3)
Duke 6-6 (4-4)
Pittsburgh 5-7 (4-4)
North Carolina 5-7 (3-5)
Georgia Tech 6-6 (3-5)
Virginia 5-7 (2-6)
CHAMPIONSHIP
Clemson over Miami
SOUTHEASTERN
EAST
Alabama 12-0 (8-0)
Auburn 10-2 (6-2)
LSU 9-3 (5-3)
Mississippi State 9-3 (5-3)
Texas A&M 8-4 (5-3)
Ole Miss 6-6 (3-5)
Arkansas 5-7 (1-7)
WEST
Georgia 11-1 (7-1)
Florida 8-4 (5-3)
South Carolina 7-5 (4-4)
Missouri 7-5 (3-5)
Tennessee 5-7 (2-6)
Kentucky 4-8 (2-6)
Vanderbilt 4-8 (1-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Georgia over Alabama
The time has come. Here we stand on the eve of another season of College Football. There will be laughter, tears, ecstasy, upsets, dumb narratives, overreactions, less-than-genial fan behavior, and everything else we’ve come to expect from this lunacy that we love so dearly.
This means that it is also time for me, because I have no life, friends, or other commitments sufficient to take up all of my time, to take a crack (well, 130 cracks actually) at predicting how the season is going to go...for everybody. And now, all of you have the privilege (misfortune) of being able to read my unbelievably prescient (woefully inaccurate) tale of the 2018 College Football season.
A few notes before we get started:
- Parentheses () denote conference record.
- I have not picked a Top 25, nor have I selected the playoff teams, as those both involve variables other than the game results and team records.
- These predictions were made before Week 0
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2018 PREDICTIONS
SUN BELT
WEST
Arkansas State 10-2 (8-0)
Louisiana-Monroe 5-7 (4-4)
South Alabama 5-7 (4-4)
Louisiana Lafayette 4-8 (2-6)
Texas State 3-9 (2-6)
EAST
Appalachian State 10-2 (7-1)
Troy 9-3 (7-1)
Georgia Southern 6-6 (3-5)
Georgia State 4-8 (3-5)
Coastal Carolina 4-8 (3-5)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Arkansas State over Appalachian State
CONFERENCE USA
WEST
Louisiana Tech 7-5 (5-3)
UAB 7-5 (4-4)
North Texas 6-6 (4-4)
Southern Mississippi 6-6 (4-4)
UTSA 5-7 (4-4)
Rice 4-9 (3-5)
UTEP 1-11 (0-8)
EAST
FAU 9-3 (7-1)
Marshall 8-4 (6-2)
Middle Tennessee 7-5 (6-2)
Western Kentucky 6-6 (4-4)
FIU 5-7 (4-4)
Old Dominion 6-6 (3-5)
Charlotte 3-9 (2-6)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
FAU over Louisiana Tech
MID-AMERICAN
WEST
Northern Illinois 7-5 (7-1)
Toledo 8-4 (6-2)
Eastern Michigan 7-5 (5-3)
Western Michigan 6-6 (4-4)
Central Michigan 4-8 (3-5)
Ball State 3-9 (2-6)
EAST
Ohio 8-4 (6-2)
Buffalo 7-5 (5-3)
Bowling Green 5-7 (4-4)
Miami (Ohio) 5-7 (4-4)
Akron 4-8 (3-5)
Kent State 2-10 (1-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Northern Illinois over Ohio
MOUNTAIN WEST
MOUNTAIN
Boise State 11-1 (8-0)
Wyoming 8-4 (6-2)
Colorado State 7-5 (5-3)
Utah State 7-5 (5-3)
Air Force 4-8 (3-5)
New Mexico 2-10 (0-8)
WEST
Fresno State 9-3 (7-1)
San Diego State 9-3 (6-2)
UNLV 6-6 (4-4)
Hawaii 4-9 (2-6)
Nevada 4-8 (2-6)
San Jose State 2-10 (1-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Boise State over Fresno State
AMERICAN
EAST
Central Florida 11-1 (7-1)
Temple 8-4 (5-3)
South Florida 9-3 (5-3)
Cincinnati 6-6 (4-4)
East Carolina 3-9 (1-7)
Connecticut 2-10 (0-8)
WEST
Memphis 10-2 (7-1)
Houston 8-4 (5-3)
Southern Methodist 6-6 (4-4)
Navy 8-5 (4-4)
Tulsa 4-8 (3-5)
Tulane 4-8 (3-5)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Central Florida over Memphis
INDEPENDENT
Notre Dame 10-2
BYU 7-5
Army 7-5
Massachusetts 5-7
New Mexico State 5-7
Liberty 3-9
PAC-12
NORTH
Washington 11-1 (9-0)
Stanford 9-3 (7-2)
Oregon 7-5 (4-5)
Washington State 7-5 (4-5)
California 5-7 (3-6)
Oregon State 1-11 (0-9)
SOUTH
USC 9-3 (7-2)
Utah 8-4 (5-4)
Arizona 8-4 (5-4)
UCLA 6-6 (4-5)
Colorado 3-9 (2-7)
Arizona State 3-9 (2-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Washington over USC
BIG 12
Oklahoma 11-1 (8-1)
TCU 9-3 (7-2)
Oklahoma State 10-2 (7-2)
Texas 8-4 (6-3)
West Virginia 7-5 (4-5)
Kansas State 6-6 (4-5)
Iowa State 6-6 (4-5)
Texas Tech 6-6 (4-5)
Baylor 4-8 (1-8)
Kansas 2-10 (0-9)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Oklahoma over TCU
BIG TEN
EAST
Ohio State 11-1 (8-1)
Michigan 10-2 (7-2)
Penn State 10-2 (7-2)
Michigan State 10-2 (7-2)
Rutgers 4-8 (2-7)
Indiana 5-7 (2-7)
Maryland 3-9 (1-8)
WEST
Wisconsin 10-2 (7-2)
Iowa 8-4 (5-4)
Northwestern 7-5 (5-4)
Purdue 5-7 (4-5)
Nebraska 6-6 (3-6)
Minnesota 5-7 (2-7)
Illinois 3-9 (1-8)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Ohio State over Wisconsin
ATLANTIC COAST
ATLANTIC
Clemson 12-0 (8-0)
Louisville 8-4 (5-3)
North Carolina State 9-3 (5-3)
Florida State 7-5 (4-4)
Wake Forest 6-6 (3-5)
Boston College 6-6 (3-5)
Syracuse 5-7 (3-5)
COASTAL
Miami 11-1 (8-0)
Virginia Tech 8-4 (5-3)
Duke 6-6 (4-4)
Pittsburgh 5-7 (4-4)
North Carolina 5-7 (3-5)
Georgia Tech 6-6 (3-5)
Virginia 5-7 (2-6)
CHAMPIONSHIP
Clemson over Miami
SOUTHEASTERN
EAST
Alabama 12-0 (8-0)
Auburn 10-2 (6-2)
LSU 9-3 (5-3)
Mississippi State 9-3 (5-3)
Texas A&M 8-4 (5-3)
Ole Miss 6-6 (3-5)
Arkansas 5-7 (1-7)
WEST
Georgia 11-1 (7-1)
Florida 8-4 (5-3)
South Carolina 7-5 (4-4)
Missouri 7-5 (3-5)
Tennessee 5-7 (2-6)
Kentucky 4-8 (2-6)
Vanderbilt 4-8 (1-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Georgia over Alabama
