SteveDeace
Well-Known Member
I published my annual college football preview back in July. Unlike other preseason previews, mine is actually a set of predictions for how I think the regular season will turn out through the release of the final BCS rankings in December. Every year at that point I like to go back and reconcile my predictions with how things eventually turned out to see how I did.
2010 Crystal Ball
Below are 25 predictions I made for the 2010 season. Let’s find out how I did.
1. Joe Paterno will not retire at the end of the season.
Correct, Paterno has already announced he will return in 2011.
2. Steve Spurrier will retire at the end of the season.
Could still happen, but with 15 starters returning and the Gamecocks likely the 2011 preseason favorites in the SEC East I doubt it will.
3. Mark Ingram will not join Archie Griffin as a two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy.
Correct, Ingram was never his dominant himself after an early knee injury.
4. Not only will Terrelle Pryor not win the Heisman Trophy, but he won’t even be one of the finalists invited to the ceremony.
Correct, Pryor had a solid season but was not the star he was expected to be.
5. The winning coach in the Connecticut-Michigan game the opening week of the season will end up coaching the Wolverines in 2011.
Could still be correct, but I don’t think either of these two men will be coaching Michigan next season when it’s all said and done.
6. Boise State will be the only undefeated team at the end of the season, allowing the Broncos to become the first BCS buster in the national championship game.
Incorrect
7. Frank Beamer will announce that this will be his last season at Virginia Tech, and the school will appoint heralded defensive coordinator Bud Foster his successor.
Could still happen, but I doubt it.
8. The streak of national champions from the SEC will end at four.
At this point I would predict I’ll be incorrect and Auburn will stretch the SEC national title streak to five straight.
9. Brian Kelly will win more games in his first season at Notre Dame than Charlie Weis won his last year in South Bend.
Correct, the Irish were 6-6 in Weis’ final season and 7-5 in Kelly’s first.
10. For the second year in a row the NFL draft will be flooded with talented underclassmen looking to declare prior to the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement since the next one is likely to include a rookie salary cap.
I’ll be shocked if this one doesn’t turn out to be right.
11. West Virginia’s Noel Devine will win the Heisman Trophy.
Just a bit outside…
12. At least three players on North Carolina’s defense will be named All-Americans.
Unless those three players happen to be ruled ineligible prior to the season for a violation of NCAA rules.
13. Oklahoma will snap its four-game losing streak in BCS bowls.
I’m thinking this will turn out to be right when the Sooners beat UCONN in the Fiesta Bowl.
14. Baylor will end the nation’s longest bowl drought by qualifying for the postseason for the first time in 15 years.
Correct, thanks to a healthy Robert Griffin.
15. ESPN will say goodbye to longtime College Gameday co-host Lee Corso at the end of the season and replace him with Lou Holtz.
Unfortunately it looks as if the worldwide leader is intent on allowing a past his prime Corso embarrass himself every Saturday.
16. USC Coach Lane Kiffin will not commit any minor NCAA violations.
Correct, as far as we know.
17. USC will not win its appeal to the NCAA Infractions Committee.
This appeal had no shot until the Cam Newton situation, which puts the NCAA in a bind here.
18. The results of the season’s seven most hyped non-conference games will be:
Boise State 35, Virginia Tech 31
Ohio State 23, Miami 17
Oklahoma 27, Florida State 21
Washington 24, Nebraska 20
TCU 24, Oregon State 13
North Carolina 17, LSU 14
Alabama 27, Penn State 10
I went 5-2 picking these games.
19. The August announcement of the Big Ten’s new divisional alignment for 2011 will only be relevant for that season.
TBA, but Michigan A.D. David Brandon has said he believes there will be further Big Ten expansion.
20. Most of the specific details of the lucrative “new deal†that supposedly saved the Big 12 will still not be known.
Correct
21. Pittsburgh, Georgia, and Georgia Tech will start the season ranked in the top 25 but won’t finish there.
Correct, all three of these teams were ranked in the preseason AP Poll and none of them finished there.
22. Arizona, Connecticut, and South Carolina will begin the season outside the top 25 but will finish there.
All three of these teams were unranked in the AP’s preseason poll. Arizona spent most of the season ranked before struggling late. Connecticut ended up earning the Big East’s BCS berth. South Carolina finished the season ranked.
23. The following first year coaches will lead their teams to bowl games this season: Butch Jones (Cincinnati), Skip Holtz (South Florida), Jimbo Fisher (Florida State), Sonny ***** (Louisiana Tech), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), and Tommy Tuberville (Texas Tech).
Four of these six rookie coaches did guide their teams to bowl games.
24. Liquidate on these teams that will lose at least two more games than they lost last season: BYU, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma State.
The only one of these teams I missed on was Oklahoma State, which exceeded expectations. The other six teams struggled more than expected as I predicted.
25. Buy low and sell high on these teams that will win at least two more games than they won last season: Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, North Carolina, San Diego State, Texas A&M, and Washington.
I got four of these eight teams correct: Maryland, Michigan, San Diego State, and Texas A&M.
2010 Top 25
Here’s how I predicted the teams to finish in the BCS standings back in July.
1. Boise State
2. Oklahoma
3. Ohio State
4. Alabama
5. TCU
6. Iowa
7. Miami, Fla.
8. Texas
9. North Carolina
10. Wisconsin
11. South Carolina
12. Florida
13. Oregon State
14. Florida State
15. Oregon
16. Nebraska
17. Arkansas
18. Auburn
19. Connecticut
20. Virginia Tech
21. West Virginia
22. Texas A&M
23. Arizona
24. Missouri
25. LSU
2010 Big Ten Predictions
Predicted order of finish:
Iowa (7-1, 10-2)
Ohio State (7-1, 11-1)
Wisconsin (6-2, 10-2)
Penn State (5-3, 8-4)
Michigan (4-4, 8-4)
Michigan State (4-4, 8-4)
Northwestern (4-4, 7-5)
Purdue (3-5, 6-6)
Illinois (2-6, 4-8)
Indiana (1-7, 5-7)
Minnesota (1-7, 2-10)
Predicted 2010 Big Ten Honor Roll
Offensive Player of the Year—John Clay, Wisconsin
Defensive Player of the Year—Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
Lineman of the Year—Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
Offensive Newcomer of the Year—Taylor Lewan, Michigan
Defensive Newcomer of the Year—William Gholston, Michigan State
Coach of the Year—Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
Coach Most Likely to be Fired—Ron Zook, Illinois
Game of the Year—Ohio State at Iowa
Conference Upset of the Year—Northwestern over Penn State
Non-Conference Upset of the Year—Michigan over Notre Dame
Best Non-Conference Win—Ohio State over Miami, Fla.
Buy Low—Michigan
Sell High—Penn State
Projecting BCS/Big Ten Bowl Matchups
This is where I think the bowl bids are going Sunday
BCS National Title Game—Oregon vs. Auburn
Rose Bowl—TCU vs. Wisconsin
Sugar Bowl—Ohio State vs. Arkansas
Orange Bowl—Stanford vs. Virginia Tech
Fiesta Bowl—Connecticut vs. Oklahoma
Capitol One Bowl—Alabama vs. Michigan State
Outback Bowl—Penn State vs. Florida
Gator Bowl—Michigan vs. Tennessee
Insight Bowl—Nebraska vs. Iowa
Texas Bowl—Illinois vs. Baylor
Ticket City Bowl—Texas Tech vs. Northwestern
Bonus—Coaching Carousel 2010
Just for fun, I’ll close this out by predicting who is coaching where when the 2010 BCS conference coaching carousel stops spinning in the next 30 days or so.
Clemson—Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
Colorado—Jon Embree, Redskins
Indiana—Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma
Miami, Fla.—Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
Michigan—Jim Harbaugh, Stanford
Minnesota—Brady Hoke, San Diego State
Mississippi State—Larry Fedora, Southern Mississippi
Stanford—Greg Roman, Stanford
Vanderbilt—Randy Shannon, Miami
Washington State—Robb Akey, Idaho
2010 Crystal Ball
Below are 25 predictions I made for the 2010 season. Let’s find out how I did.
1. Joe Paterno will not retire at the end of the season.
Correct, Paterno has already announced he will return in 2011.
2. Steve Spurrier will retire at the end of the season.
Could still happen, but with 15 starters returning and the Gamecocks likely the 2011 preseason favorites in the SEC East I doubt it will.
3. Mark Ingram will not join Archie Griffin as a two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy.
Correct, Ingram was never his dominant himself after an early knee injury.
4. Not only will Terrelle Pryor not win the Heisman Trophy, but he won’t even be one of the finalists invited to the ceremony.
Correct, Pryor had a solid season but was not the star he was expected to be.
5. The winning coach in the Connecticut-Michigan game the opening week of the season will end up coaching the Wolverines in 2011.
Could still be correct, but I don’t think either of these two men will be coaching Michigan next season when it’s all said and done.
6. Boise State will be the only undefeated team at the end of the season, allowing the Broncos to become the first BCS buster in the national championship game.
Incorrect
7. Frank Beamer will announce that this will be his last season at Virginia Tech, and the school will appoint heralded defensive coordinator Bud Foster his successor.
Could still happen, but I doubt it.
8. The streak of national champions from the SEC will end at four.
At this point I would predict I’ll be incorrect and Auburn will stretch the SEC national title streak to five straight.
9. Brian Kelly will win more games in his first season at Notre Dame than Charlie Weis won his last year in South Bend.
Correct, the Irish were 6-6 in Weis’ final season and 7-5 in Kelly’s first.
10. For the second year in a row the NFL draft will be flooded with talented underclassmen looking to declare prior to the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement since the next one is likely to include a rookie salary cap.
I’ll be shocked if this one doesn’t turn out to be right.
11. West Virginia’s Noel Devine will win the Heisman Trophy.
Just a bit outside…
12. At least three players on North Carolina’s defense will be named All-Americans.
Unless those three players happen to be ruled ineligible prior to the season for a violation of NCAA rules.
13. Oklahoma will snap its four-game losing streak in BCS bowls.
I’m thinking this will turn out to be right when the Sooners beat UCONN in the Fiesta Bowl.
14. Baylor will end the nation’s longest bowl drought by qualifying for the postseason for the first time in 15 years.
Correct, thanks to a healthy Robert Griffin.
15. ESPN will say goodbye to longtime College Gameday co-host Lee Corso at the end of the season and replace him with Lou Holtz.
Unfortunately it looks as if the worldwide leader is intent on allowing a past his prime Corso embarrass himself every Saturday.
16. USC Coach Lane Kiffin will not commit any minor NCAA violations.
Correct, as far as we know.
17. USC will not win its appeal to the NCAA Infractions Committee.
This appeal had no shot until the Cam Newton situation, which puts the NCAA in a bind here.
18. The results of the season’s seven most hyped non-conference games will be:
Boise State 35, Virginia Tech 31
Ohio State 23, Miami 17
Oklahoma 27, Florida State 21
Washington 24, Nebraska 20
TCU 24, Oregon State 13
North Carolina 17, LSU 14
Alabama 27, Penn State 10
I went 5-2 picking these games.
19. The August announcement of the Big Ten’s new divisional alignment for 2011 will only be relevant for that season.
TBA, but Michigan A.D. David Brandon has said he believes there will be further Big Ten expansion.
20. Most of the specific details of the lucrative “new deal†that supposedly saved the Big 12 will still not be known.
Correct
21. Pittsburgh, Georgia, and Georgia Tech will start the season ranked in the top 25 but won’t finish there.
Correct, all three of these teams were ranked in the preseason AP Poll and none of them finished there.
22. Arizona, Connecticut, and South Carolina will begin the season outside the top 25 but will finish there.
All three of these teams were unranked in the AP’s preseason poll. Arizona spent most of the season ranked before struggling late. Connecticut ended up earning the Big East’s BCS berth. South Carolina finished the season ranked.
23. The following first year coaches will lead their teams to bowl games this season: Butch Jones (Cincinnati), Skip Holtz (South Florida), Jimbo Fisher (Florida State), Sonny ***** (Louisiana Tech), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), and Tommy Tuberville (Texas Tech).
Four of these six rookie coaches did guide their teams to bowl games.
24. Liquidate on these teams that will lose at least two more games than they lost last season: BYU, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma State.
The only one of these teams I missed on was Oklahoma State, which exceeded expectations. The other six teams struggled more than expected as I predicted.
25. Buy low and sell high on these teams that will win at least two more games than they won last season: Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, North Carolina, San Diego State, Texas A&M, and Washington.
I got four of these eight teams correct: Maryland, Michigan, San Diego State, and Texas A&M.
2010 Top 25
Here’s how I predicted the teams to finish in the BCS standings back in July.
1. Boise State
2. Oklahoma
3. Ohio State
4. Alabama
5. TCU
6. Iowa
7. Miami, Fla.
8. Texas
9. North Carolina
10. Wisconsin
11. South Carolina
12. Florida
13. Oregon State
14. Florida State
15. Oregon
16. Nebraska
17. Arkansas
18. Auburn
19. Connecticut
20. Virginia Tech
21. West Virginia
22. Texas A&M
23. Arizona
24. Missouri
25. LSU
2010 Big Ten Predictions
Predicted order of finish:
Iowa (7-1, 10-2)
Ohio State (7-1, 11-1)
Wisconsin (6-2, 10-2)
Penn State (5-3, 8-4)
Michigan (4-4, 8-4)
Michigan State (4-4, 8-4)
Northwestern (4-4, 7-5)
Purdue (3-5, 6-6)
Illinois (2-6, 4-8)
Indiana (1-7, 5-7)
Minnesota (1-7, 2-10)
Predicted 2010 Big Ten Honor Roll
Offensive Player of the Year—John Clay, Wisconsin
Defensive Player of the Year—Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
Lineman of the Year—Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
Offensive Newcomer of the Year—Taylor Lewan, Michigan
Defensive Newcomer of the Year—William Gholston, Michigan State
Coach of the Year—Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
Coach Most Likely to be Fired—Ron Zook, Illinois
Game of the Year—Ohio State at Iowa
Conference Upset of the Year—Northwestern over Penn State
Non-Conference Upset of the Year—Michigan over Notre Dame
Best Non-Conference Win—Ohio State over Miami, Fla.
Buy Low—Michigan
Sell High—Penn State
Projecting BCS/Big Ten Bowl Matchups
This is where I think the bowl bids are going Sunday
BCS National Title Game—Oregon vs. Auburn
Rose Bowl—TCU vs. Wisconsin
Sugar Bowl—Ohio State vs. Arkansas
Orange Bowl—Stanford vs. Virginia Tech
Fiesta Bowl—Connecticut vs. Oklahoma
Capitol One Bowl—Alabama vs. Michigan State
Outback Bowl—Penn State vs. Florida
Gator Bowl—Michigan vs. Tennessee
Insight Bowl—Nebraska vs. Iowa
Texas Bowl—Illinois vs. Baylor
Ticket City Bowl—Texas Tech vs. Northwestern
Bonus—Coaching Carousel 2010
Just for fun, I’ll close this out by predicting who is coaching where when the 2010 BCS conference coaching carousel stops spinning in the next 30 days or so.
Clemson—Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
Colorado—Jon Embree, Redskins
Indiana—Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma
Miami, Fla.—Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
Michigan—Jim Harbaugh, Stanford
Minnesota—Brady Hoke, San Diego State
Mississippi State—Larry Fedora, Southern Mississippi
Stanford—Greg Roman, Stanford
Vanderbilt—Randy Shannon, Miami
Washington State—Robb Akey, Idaho
