An early preview of potential Divisional winners. Injuries, suspensions, and other happenings can change all of this:
ACC Atlantic. Clemson may not lose a game in 2019-20. Only Syracuse, who had a great 2018, and always plays Clemson tough, and gets them at home, has a shot at upsetting them.
ACC Coastal. Wide open between Virginia, Va. Tech and Miami. Miami hosts both Virginia teams in 6 days but finish with 4 out of their last 5 on the road. UVA has lost 15 straight to Va. Tech and 19 out of the last 20.
Big 10 East. Michigan must defeat Ohio State sometimes, right? (See UVA-Va Tech). One of these two should edge out Penn State for the East Title. QB's will play an important role, a will the Defenses. I give the edge to Ohio State. Harbaugh will figure out a way to lose to them again.
Big 10 West. This will be wild. Iowa has a very tough schedule as does Wisconsin. Nebraska has the softest schedule, but has yet to defeat a solid team. Northwestern can defeat anyone at any time. Purdue woke up last season. Minnesota can surprise and returns the most starters by far (16). Your guess is as good as mine.
Big 12. OU against Texas again to decide it all? Probably. Both go to Baylor. Both have a shot to win 11 games. Both also have a shot to lose 2 games and eliminate themselves from National Playoff contention. I will give a slight edge to OU. Something is just not right with Texas.
Pac 12 North. Oregon has their entire offense returning and 7 on defense. Their problem is the schedule, with away games at Auburn (neutral site) Stanford, Washington, USC and Arizona State. Washington loses 9 starters on defense, Stanford and Washington State may be a step behind the first two, and Cal could be a factor.
Pac 12 South Utah, with 15 starters returning, look to be the class of the South. They also miss Oregon and Stanford. Only a trip to Washington is a major question mark on the schedule. Arizona State brings back 13 from the surprise team, but goes to Michigan State, Cal, and Utah an UCLA back to back. USC may have a new HC by their 10/12 game in South Bend. A murderous early season schedule is there, but the talent is deep, if untested. UCLA was a major disappointment last season. 17 players return, but games at Cincinnati, Washington State, Stanford, Utah and USC (back to back) and a home game against Oklahoma my mean another losing season.
SEC East. Georgia has a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. The schedule has Notre Dame and Texas A&M at home and the rest of the usual suspects. Unless someone pulls a major upset, UGA is the class of the East. Florida cannot be overlooked. A solid defense should lead this team, but games at Kentucky, LSU, and South Carolina could present problems. Kentucky showed improvement last season and both South Carolina and Tennesse can improve. Mizzou is on probation, so who knows about them.
SEC West. Alabama goes to Texas A&M and hosts LSU and the rest of the schedule can be mailed in. 12-0 certainly is doable for this team in the regular season. LSU has games at Texas and Alabama, and also hosts Florida and A&M. Orgeron has 15 starters returning. A&M will return 7 on offense. Coach Jimbo will need all the help he can get with away games at Clemson to start September, and Georgia and LSU to end the season. Oh yea, there is a home game against some team named Alabama also.
ACC Atlantic. Clemson may not lose a game in 2019-20. Only Syracuse, who had a great 2018, and always plays Clemson tough, and gets them at home, has a shot at upsetting them.
ACC Coastal. Wide open between Virginia, Va. Tech and Miami. Miami hosts both Virginia teams in 6 days but finish with 4 out of their last 5 on the road. UVA has lost 15 straight to Va. Tech and 19 out of the last 20.
Big 10 East. Michigan must defeat Ohio State sometimes, right? (See UVA-Va Tech). One of these two should edge out Penn State for the East Title. QB's will play an important role, a will the Defenses. I give the edge to Ohio State. Harbaugh will figure out a way to lose to them again.
Big 10 West. This will be wild. Iowa has a very tough schedule as does Wisconsin. Nebraska has the softest schedule, but has yet to defeat a solid team. Northwestern can defeat anyone at any time. Purdue woke up last season. Minnesota can surprise and returns the most starters by far (16). Your guess is as good as mine.
Big 12. OU against Texas again to decide it all? Probably. Both go to Baylor. Both have a shot to win 11 games. Both also have a shot to lose 2 games and eliminate themselves from National Playoff contention. I will give a slight edge to OU. Something is just not right with Texas.
Pac 12 North. Oregon has their entire offense returning and 7 on defense. Their problem is the schedule, with away games at Auburn (neutral site) Stanford, Washington, USC and Arizona State. Washington loses 9 starters on defense, Stanford and Washington State may be a step behind the first two, and Cal could be a factor.
Pac 12 South Utah, with 15 starters returning, look to be the class of the South. They also miss Oregon and Stanford. Only a trip to Washington is a major question mark on the schedule. Arizona State brings back 13 from the surprise team, but goes to Michigan State, Cal, and Utah an UCLA back to back. USC may have a new HC by their 10/12 game in South Bend. A murderous early season schedule is there, but the talent is deep, if untested. UCLA was a major disappointment last season. 17 players return, but games at Cincinnati, Washington State, Stanford, Utah and USC (back to back) and a home game against Oklahoma my mean another losing season.
SEC East. Georgia has a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. The schedule has Notre Dame and Texas A&M at home and the rest of the usual suspects. Unless someone pulls a major upset, UGA is the class of the East. Florida cannot be overlooked. A solid defense should lead this team, but games at Kentucky, LSU, and South Carolina could present problems. Kentucky showed improvement last season and both South Carolina and Tennesse can improve. Mizzou is on probation, so who knows about them.
SEC West. Alabama goes to Texas A&M and hosts LSU and the rest of the schedule can be mailed in. 12-0 certainly is doable for this team in the regular season. LSU has games at Texas and Alabama, and also hosts Florida and A&M. Orgeron has 15 starters returning. A&M will return 7 on offense. Coach Jimbo will need all the help he can get with away games at Clemson to start September, and Georgia and LSU to end the season. Oh yea, there is a home game against some team named Alabama also.
