NCAA Football Kicks Off
With quite a few games already completed...the 2014 NCAA football season will go into full swing on Saturday with varying degrees of difficulty for teams as some have "soft" openers and some will be testing themselves with inter-sectional tilts.
But before I predict any games later today....I'll will go through a quick "ChuckView" of the upcoming season.
This year will hopefully be more intense as teams vie for one of the four coveted end of season playoff spots.
American Conference
Last season, the conference featured Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater with Central Florida taking the inaugural league title. With the aforementioned two quarterbacks now playing for pay, this year the AAC will be exciting.
Prediction wise....Houston, Cincy or Central Florida seem to be the vogue choices here...who am I to disagree....
American Conference Champion:
Central Florida
Additional Bowl Teams:
Cincinnati, Houston, East Carolina, South Florida
Atlantic Coast Conference
The reigning National Champions reside in the ACC ... the fact that it is in football as opposed to basketball that makes it interesting!
Atlantic:
Pretty much Florida State and the rest here ... although the rest having Clemson, newcomers Louisville and possibly NC State among them as bowl contenders.
Atlantic Winner:
Florida State
Coastal:
Every team in this division has some sort of shot at facing Florida State for the title except maybe Virginia.
All of the teams are on the improve or have a few early season question marks. Duke will not surprise as many people this year, Va Tech is hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2013 season but dangerous, Miami is on the way and North Carolina is solid.
Coastal Winner:
Miami
ACC Champion:
Florida State
Additional Bowl Teams:
Clemson, Louisville, NC State, Duke, Va Tech and UNC
Big 12
Many prognosticators have Oklahoma winning this conference and making it into the Football Four while others have them in a cage match with Baylor for the Big 12 championship.
Kansas State is on the next tier on their own with the remaining teams looking to find themselves and go forward.
Big 12 Champion:
Baylor
Additional Bowl Teams:
Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State
Big 10
There are changes in the Big 10 this season, we have East and West Divisions replacing the Leaders and Legends....good move. The conference also welcomes Maryland and Rutgers to the fold, giving the Big 10 more East/Atlantic Coast exposure along with geographical rivals for Penn State.
The division races will be interesting, especially in the East where Ohio State lost their starting QB in the last week of preseason training. Still the Buckeyes are not a one man team and will contend.
East:
Michigan State has a slight edge over Ohio State going in with Michigan, Penn State or even Maryland capable of spoiling the party.
East Winner:
Michigan State
West:
Wisconsin is slightly above the rest with Iowa and Nebraska challenging.
West Winner:
Wisconsin
Big 10 Champion:
Wisconsin
Bowl Teams:
Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern and possibly Maryland
Conference USA
Division Winners:
Marshall and Texas-San Antonio
Conference USA Champion:
Marshall
Additional Bowl Teams:
Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Rice and North Texas
Mid-American Conference
http://mac-sports.com
Northern Illinois will be the class of the crop again this season. In the East division...Bowling Green should come out on top.
Division Winners:
Northern Illinois, Bowling Green
Mid-America Conference Champion:
Northern Illinois
Additional Bowl Teams:
Bowling Green, Ohio, Toledo, Ball State, Kent State
Mountain West Conference
You can pretty much always throw Boise State into the conference championship mix here from the Mountain Division with Utah State chasing this season.
From the Wes look for Fresno State and Nevada to battle for supremacy.
Division Winners:
Utah State, Fresno State
Mountain West Champions:
Utah State
Additional Bowl Teams:
Fresno State, Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada and San Diego State
Pac 12 Conference
After two losses to Stanford last season among their four total, Arizona State will look to stay atop the South Division with USC and UCLA chasing.
The Northern Division once again will be left to either Stanford or Oregon.
North Division:
You pretty much go with Oregon here...Stanford could surprise if there is a letdown from the Ducks.
Division Winner:
Oregon
South Division:
Most are saying UCLA here but ...remember the look of USC at the end of last season...you've been warned!!
Division Winner:
USC
Pac-12 Champion:
Oregon
Additional Bowl Teams:
USC, UCLA, Stanford, Washington, Arizona State and Oregon State.
SEC
There will be the usual death matches between rivals here, this season though, hopefully the in fighting will not keep a conference team out of the Football Four if the come out of the fray with 2-3 losses.
East Division:
South Carolina has already learned that you can't take anyone for granted after being blown out by a post Manziel Texas A&M to open the season. Expect them to tussle with Georgia and Florida for the division title.
Division Winner:
Florida
West Division:
Possibly the best "Division" in college football?? Alabama should win it pending the performance this years quarterback at game management. Auburn will challenge again and Ole Miss could shock them all. LSU will hope to avoid three losses in conference play this season but who knows?
Division Winner:
Alabama
SEC Champion:
Florida
Additional Bowl Teams:
Alabama, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia and Ole Miss.
Sun Belt Conference
http://www.sunbeltsports.org
Newcomers Georgia Southern and Appalachian State join the Sun Belt for 2014 and will contend straight away. Defending champions Louisiana-Lafayette will look to stave them off along with Arkansas State and South Alabama.
Sun Belt Champion:
Louisiana-Lafayette
Additional Bowl Teams:
South Alabama, Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe
Independents
None of the four independent teams will challenge for the national title but all four may gain bowl bids this season.
Best of Independents:
Notre Dame
And now....Chuck's ultimate prediction for the 2014 season
Football Four:
1 - Florida State
2 - Oregon
3 - Wisconsin
4 - Florida
National Champs:
Wisconsin
Parting Shot:
Before the critics and other armchair experts start giving their opinions....my rationale with a lot of my picks was to go with worse case scenarios (injuries, etc) for the usual favourites and look for alternative teams that may build momentum through the season...
Enjoy the season folks and as always....it's all about "The U" with me....it is truly a Canes Thing y'all!!
