OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH (Not named Jameis Winston. Because that’s a given.) – Duke Johnson, RB, Miami (FL)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson
ATLANTIC CHAMP – Florida State
COASTAL CHAMP – Miami (FL)
CONFERENCE CHAMP – Florida State
Michigan State is the unquestioned best team in the conference after Braxton Miller was ruled out for the entire season. Losing Miller (along with their offensive line and RB Carlos Hyde) should signify a down year for the Buckeyes, but who knows? Wisconsin is also quite good, and should be in play for a playoff spot should they beat the Spartans. Iowa and Nebraska will also contend for the West division crown, but no team in the B1G should beat Sparty. They’re good enough on both sides of the ball to win the whole thing, and an early season matchup with Oregon may very well be the game of the year (outside of the Iron Bowl rematch).
OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH (Not named Christian Hackenberg. Because that’s a given.) – Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State
EAST CHAMP – Michigan State
WEST CHAMP – Wisconsin
CONFERENCE CHAMP – Michigan State
OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor (really, the whole conference. Expect points. Lots of points)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Lol. The Big 12 doesn’t play defense.
CONFERENCE CHAMP – Baylor
OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH (Not named Marcus Mariotta or Brett Hundley. Because they’re both a given.) – Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
OFFENSIVE / DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Myles Jack, LB/RB, UCLA (he plays both sides of the ball! Watch the Runningbacker!)
NORTH CHAMP – Oregon
SOUTH CHAMP – UCLA
CONFERENCE CHAMP – Oregon
OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH (Not named Todd Gurley. Because that’s a given.) – Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU (trust me on this one, Fournette is INSANE. Don’t trust me? Fine. Trust this. Even as a true freshman, he’s getting legitimate SEC OPOY hype and is the best bet at the Heisman if a third consecutive freshman wins it. He’s that good.)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH – Dante Fowler, DE, Florida
EAST CHAMP – Georgia
WEST CHAMP – Alabama
CONFERENCE CHAMP – Alabama
DARK HORSES: Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg (call me a homer, whatever. The kid can throw the football. If PSU can get someone to catch it, he'll have a monster year), LSU RB Leonard Fournette (he expects to win it. He’s been called the Michael Jordan of college football. Confidence is not lacking here. If he does happen to win the trophy, he'd be the first true freshman to ever win it since Winston and former Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel were both redshirt freshhman during their Heisman campaigns.)
FINALISTS: Florida State QB Jameis Winston, Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, UCLA QB Brett Hundley, Georgia RB Todd Gurley, LSU RB Leonard Fournette (seriously. Just watch him.)
WINNER: Georgia RB Todd Gurley. If he’s healthy, he’s the best back in the country. I like Georgia to run the SEC East, and a lot of that has to do with Gurley. I want to pick Fournette, and if LSU can come out of the loaded SEC West, he’ll have a truly legitimate case, but Gurley is a beast.
#1 Florida State vs. #4 Oregon
I have the Ducks at #4 because I think Michigan State beats them in week 2 (even though the game is being played at the Autzen Zoo. Seriously, that game will be incredible. Watch it. Mark your calendars. September 6, 6:30 PM on Fox. Thank me after the game). This could be Florida State’s first true test of the season, whereas this Oregon team will be battle tested through a brutal Pac-12, as well as the Michigan State game. Both offenses are prolific, and it should be a fantastic showdown between the two preseason favorites for the Heisman (Winston and Mariota).
FINAL SCORE: Florida State 38, Oregon 34
#2 Alabama vs. #3 Michigan State
If this game scores half the amount of points as FSU-Oregon, both offensive coordinators will be thrilled. Two of the top defenses in the country meet with a chance to go to the national title. For Alabama, they look for their fourth national title of the Nick Saban era (2009, 2011, 2012). For Michigan State, it’s a chance to validate their Rose Bowl win last year and a chance to finally breakthrough for the Big Ten.
FINAL SCORE: Michigan State 24, Alabama 21
Championship Game
#1 Florida State vs. #3 Michigan State
Claim B1G bias. Claim whatever you want. Michigan State wasn't supposed to win the B1G last year either. They weren't supposed to beat Stanford in the Rose Bowl either. MSU is a legitimate threat to win the whole thing this year. With 15 starters back from the 13-1 Rose Bowl Champs of 2013, Michigan State has the experience and the playmakers on both sides of the ball to play with and beat the defending national champs and become the inaugural winners of the College Football Playoff. It won’t be easy to beat Winston and the Noles, but MSU has as good a chance as anyone. Get ready for the Sparty Party. Sparty On.
FINAL SCORE: Michigan State 31, Florida State 27