2021 College Football Predictions

There are more important things than football going on in the world. Some of the best parts of sports is their ability to bring folks together, bring joy to players, coaches, and fans, and help young people learn valuable life lessons. So because of the importance of sports, I will continue my annual preseason college football predictions, and as always I welcome your jokes and disagreements.

Playoff Teams:

Alabama

Oklahoma

Ohio State

Clemson

Georgia, Iowa State, Oregon, and UNC can all win their way in too. I don’t see any other team competing except for Notre Dame but who takes them that seriously anymore? Looking at the schedule, the playoff teams will likely play themselves in and out with (hopefully) little drama. While I am a proponent of the automatic entry model, until that comes I think this season will be one of the easiest to figure out. The Georgia/Clemson week 1 winner can slip up somewhere in the season and still make it. Same situation if Georgia/Alabama are both undefeated in the SEC Championship. The Oregon/Ohio State winner sits pretty because the rest of their schedules are very manageable, same with the Oklahoma/Iowa State winner, although they might play twice due to the Big 12 system. UNC has FSU, Miami, and ND three straight games, but if they can weather that stretch and beat Clemson in the ACC they’ll have a chance at the playoff. While I love Georgia’s talent and potential, it’s hard to ignore Alabama’s returning roster and experience, along with potentially a better QB in Bryce Young. Alabama is my favorite until Saban is gone, but by no means is Georgia out of the SEC race. Plus, LSU will be better this year and Florida will take a step back without their offensive monsters. Oklahoma started to play defense late last season for the first time in a decade, so if they maintain that growth they will be a dangerous team. There are many unknowns with Ohio State, but their competition is lacking and they have a solid program. Clemson is a similar situation to Ohio State, although they will be challenged earlier and more often. Even with a loss to Georgia, Clemson could run the table and find themselves back in the mix. Georgia is the ultimate wild card, and it’s very possible to see them play Alabama twice this year (SECCG and playoffs), but I won’t get my hopes up too much. Good news for the Dawgs is this year there are multiple quarterbacks capable of winning games on the roster, which is something that was wildly missing for most of last season.

The Heisman Trophy race will be exciting this year, but it will come from one of the teams already mentioned. Last year’s non-QB winner is an anomaly, and with full seasons this year and more offseason time to prepare, these quarterbacks are going to light it up. I believe Sam Howell is the best QB in the country, but his supporting cast isn’t as good as the other candidates. Spencer Rattler, DJ Uiagalelei, and JT Daniels all have substantial weapons and maintain their offensive coaching staffs, so I expect big seasons from each. Bryce Young has incredible potential, but teams up with a coach that drove the Texans into the dirt with who I believe are the most talented QB and WR in the NFL. The best bet is Rattler based on the system and the opponents, but any of these young men are exciting options. If you’re looking for some under-the-radar players to watch out for, check out Purdue WR David Bell and UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Both will be the focal point for their offenses and have schedules and systems that allow them to shine.

Other than Tennessee, my sleepers did extremely well last year, particularly UNC and Miami. Both those teams I expect to do good things, but can’t really be sleepers this season. My sleepers now are not typical sleepers, especially since each of them won national championships in the last 20 years. Florida State, Louisiana State, and Southern Cal are all teams to watch. They all struggled lately, but they recruited well over the years and have way too much talent to be bad much longer. FSU and USC benefit from weaker schedules too, and LSU still has players with rings that know how to win, including next year’s top defensive player in Derek Stingley. I don’t think any of the three teams will be playoff contenders, but could throw a wrench or two into some contenders’ seasons. 

I only have one bold prediction for the season because it would bring me so much joy: Auburn will finish dead last in the SEC West. To be fair, there isn’t much shame in last place in the SEC West. That team is still better than half the country. Auburn consistently has one of the toughest schedules in the country and recently fought through some of the most dramatic and petty coaching cycles I ever saw. The loudest alarm there is the offensive line that was awful last year and they continue to field Bo Nix based on his name and legacy rather than his ability. He would be a great slot receiver or tight end though, and I would definitely take a chance on him outside of the QB room. Mississippi State has a tough defensive front and a budding QB in Will Rogers, and Sam Pittman’s Arkansas will continue to play tough ball. While Auburn is still better than the East dwellers of Vandy, Carolina, and Tennessee, they deal with Georgia every season and the rest of the west can score points like crazy. 

And finally I turn to my pride and one day when I’m older my place of employment as a Player Development coach… the Dawgs. Georgia can win it all this year, and there are reasons to be particularly excited about this team such as multiple, talented quarterbacks, lots of offensive depth at every position, quality returning special teamers, and many returning starters on defense, specifically the defensive line. I am cautious with my optimism for JT Daniels because he had a bad knee injury and had some poor throws last season, but overall he played very well, showed tremendous courage and talent, and has demonstrated an incredible amount of leadership this offseason. Below is a high school picture of his, and you’ll notice the Blue Diamond on his jersey. JT went to high school just north of my current home and represented the most lethal and proud military division in history, and since that just so happens to be the division I am in, it must be a sign that it is our year (For the record, Bryce Young went to the same school and wore the same patch…). Regardless of that wild connection, Georgia has a tough schedule, a history of underperforming one game every year, and some bad injuries including the loss of a first-round receiver, so it’s hard to bet too much on the Dawgs even though I want to and know they have the talent and leadership to do so. Either way, I look forward to another season of Kirby, who should forever be the coach at Georgia, and another season of big Ken leading the Midshipmen.