Tag: Preview 2022

College Football Playoff: Top 20 Ranking Of Teams With A CFP Path

Ranking the top teams in the College Football Playoff chase. Here’s our ranking of the 20 with a chance, and what has to happen.

Going into the 2022 season, which teams have the most realistic shot of making the College Football Playoff? Here’s our ranking of the 20 teams with a path to the playoff and what has to happen for each.

CFN Predictions of Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
CFN Preview 2021: All 131 Teams
2022 Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings 1-131
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It’s really hard to make the College Football Playoff.

Just winning your conference championship isn’t enough, and if you’re a Group of Five program, going undefeated doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything.

What have we learned since the start of the CFP experience in the 2014 season? You win your Power Five conference and finish with one loss, you’re a mortal lock to get in. You go 11-1 with that one loss to the eventual powerhouse conference champ, and you’ve got a shot.

You lose two games, and there’s a fun bowl game somewhere with a delightful array of goods, services, and prizes waiting before your glorified exhibition, but you’re not going to the show.

What’s the path to the College Football Playoff for all of the top contenders? Below are the key games that matter for each team that can reasonably dream about being among the top four, along with whether or not they’ll make it in.

Before diving in, some ground rules …

– Again, one loss and a Power Five championship, or unbeaten and a Group of Five title. Outside of a few special circumstances – SEC Championship loser, Notre Dame – two losses ends the run.

– Schedules mean almost everything. Take just about anyone in the SEC West and put it just about anywhere else but the Big Ten East, and it would be a contender to get into the CFP. Oklahoma’s path is a whole lot different than Texas A&M’s.

– Getting into the College Football Playoff and winning it require two very, very, very different skill sets. A team might have the schedule and magical formula to be one of the top four, only to find a two-piece of Alabama reality waiting behind the door.

The consensus odds to win the College Football Playoff are listed, but the goal is to find the teams that can get there. Here’s our ranking from the least likely among the top realistic options to make the College Football Playoff to the most likely.

This isn’t based on how good the teams are. This is about who controls their destiny, what has to happen, and the pecking order of 20 teams with the most realistic chances, starting with …

20. Cincinnati

Odds To Win the College Football Playoff: +20000
Must Win Game: at Arkansas, Sept. 3
Landmine To Sidestep: at SMU, Oct. 22
Where It Could All Go Wrong: at UCF, Oct. 29

Bottom Line: The College Football Playoff repeat appearance dream could be over right away with a trip to Arkansas. However, win that, and it’s Game On. Going to SMU and UCF in late October is a bear, but everything else – including the home date against Indiana – is doable. One loss, though, and the CFP is out. There will likely be more than one loss.

Will Cincinnati Make the College Football Playoff? No. The Bearcats will be great, but they’re not recreating the 2021 magic.
UC Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule

19. Tennessee

Odds To Win the College Football Playoff: +10000
Must Win Game: at Georgia, Nov. 5
Landmine To Sidestep: at South Carolina, Nov. 19
Where It Could All Go Wrong: at Pitt, Sept. 10

Bottom Line: It’s a HEAVY lift, but if the Vols somehow go 11-1 and get into the SEC Championship, the respect given to the schedule might be enough to keep them in the playoff hunt even with another loss. They’ll be good, but at Pitt, Florida, at LSU, Alabama, at Georgia, Kentucky, at South Carolina … that’s too nasty.

Will Tennessee Make the College Football Playoff? No, but they’re going to screw up someone’s CFP hopes.
UT Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

18. Florida

Odds To Win the College Football Playoff: +9020
Must Win Game: Georgia (in Jacksonville), Oct. 29
Landmine To Sidestep: South Carolina, Nov. 12
Where It Could All Go Wrong: Utah, Sept. 3

Bottom Line: Florida will be much, much better under new head coach Billy Napier, but it’s not beating Utah, and Kentucky, and LSU, and South Carolina, and getting by Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Florida State away from Gainesville. The College Football Playoff is too tough a goal, however, beat Georgia and the SEC East race gets interesting.

Will Florida Make the College Football Playoff? Ehhhhhhhh, Florida will be better than everyone thinks, but no. The schedule is too tough.
Florida Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

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17. Penn State

Odds To Win the College Football Playoff: +9100
Must Win Game: Ohio State, Oct. 29
Landmine To Sidestep: Minnesota, Oct. 22
Where It Could All Go Wrong: at Purdue, Sept. 1

Bottom Line: Considering the Big Ten East is much tougher than the West, if the Nittany Lions can get by Auburn on the road early on and split the dates against Michigan and Ohio State, they’ll be favored in the Big Ten Championship. It’s all too daunting for an elite Penn State team, but this version doesn’t appear to be close to that. However, if Michigan could do it last year …

Will Penn State Make the College Football Playoff? No. The team isn’t strong enough to go 12-1 and win the Big Ten title.
Penn State Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

16. LSU

Odds To Win the College Football Playoff: +7520
Must Win Game: Alabama, Nov. 5
Landmine To Sidestep: Tennessee, Oct. 8
Where It Could All Go Wrong: Mississippi State, Sept. 17

Bottom Line: Welcome to the SEC, Brian Kelly. Yeah, LSU might be able to stun Alabama if everything goes right, but can it go at least 12-1 with road games at Auburn, Florida, Arkansas, and Texas A&M, and home dates against Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State? No, and all of that – and Alabama, too – comes with a season-opener against Florida State and whatever happens in the SEC Championship if everything goes right.

Will LSU Make the College Football Playoff? No. Kelly will have a good first year, and the team is good, but the schedule is too tough.
LSU Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Top 15 College Football Playoff Chase Rankings

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5 College Football Power Five Rebound Teams For 2022

Which teams in the Power Five conferences should rebound from a mediocre 2021 and make a whole lot of noise?

Which teams in the Power Five conferences should bounce back big after a disappointing 2022? Here are five teams that should rebound.

You just knew 2021 would bounce back to normal – and it did, at least until the bowl season.

2020 was such an insane outlier of a year in every possible way thanks to the imbalanced schedules, teams that had to tap out, and with the transfer portal starting to take off.

Into the void stepped Iowa State and Indiana as they got a whole lot of preseason love and affection, and then … pffffffffft. The air quickly went out of the balloon for them and several other programs.

On the flip side of that were the teams that fizzled in 2020 but went back to their normal selves, and in some cases, were better.

For the most part, last year’s 5 Teams That Will Rebound was close to the pin.

Louisville? Not so much in a 6-7 season, but Tennessee (compared to the expectations and the 3-7 2020, boom), Penn State (smaller bang), Wisconsin (medium boom), and Michigan (an earth-shattering, illudium Q-36 explosive space modulator producing ka-BOOOM)? Yeah, they all improved.

Here are five teams that should rebound from a relatively down 2021. The list is based on last year’s preseason ranking going from the bottom up, starting with …

CFN Predictions of Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
CFN Preview 2021: All 131 Teams
2022 Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings 1-131
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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College Football Teams That Will Rebound

Texas Longhorns

2021 Preseason Ranking
AP (21), Coaches (19)
Final Record: 5-7

What Went Wrong? 

Texas continued its long-standing policy of being a tackling-optional football school.

The offense was good enough – even if it was a tad inconsistent – but the defense finished eighth in the Big 12, Oklahoma QB Caleb Williams took away the run D’s purpose in life, and meaningful third down stops were a rumor.

Things aren’t exactly working out when you’re giving up 57 points at home in a loss to Kansas.

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Why 2022 Will Be Better: Returning Talent

Steve Sarkisian’s second year should be a whole lot stronger for one big reason – the offense might be Texas defense-proof.

The Longhorn D will be better. The linebacking corps has experience to go along with a nice transfer portal get in Diamone Tucker-Dorsey from James Madison, the line at least has guys who look the part of big-time talents, and the secondary could be one of the team’s hidden gems.

But it doesn’t matter because the O should go ballistic.

Don’t discount the concept that Ohio State transfer QB Quinn Ewers might be everything Longhorn fans are hoping for Arch Manning – he’s not coming aboard until next year – to be and more.

Getting WR Isaiah Neyor from Wyoming to go along with Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington is almost unfair, and RB Bijan Robinson should be in an NFL camp right now.

Why 2022 Will Be Better: Schedule 
Texas Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

The schedule really wasn’t the issue last season, and this time around there’s the Week 2 two-piece coming from Alabama. However, the Baylor game is in Austin, the first seven games of the year are in the state of Texas, and having to go to Kansas State and Kansas isn’t that bad.

It’s not like having to go to Georgia and LSU, which the program might have to do in the near future.

NEXT: Washington Huskies

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WKU Hilltoppers Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

WKU College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

WKU Hilltoppers Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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WKU Hilltoppers Preview
Head Coach: Tyson Helton, 23-16, 4th year at WKU
2021 Preview: Overall: 9-5, Conference: 7-1
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
WKU Top 10 Players | WKU Schedule

WKU Hilltoppers Preview 2022

You’ll have to forgive WKU for being a wee bit miffed.

UTSA won the Conference USA championship. It’s got a big school in the San Antonio market, and it’s going to the American Athletic Conference next year.

So is Charlotte, and it seemingly just entered Conference USA five minutes ago. So is Rice, and it has an enrollment of around 19 students. Florida Atlantic, North Texas, and UAB also got the call.

All WKU has done is go to seven bowl games in the last eight years, play in three Conference USA championship games during that span, and it brings an enrollment of well over 20,000 students along with one of the funkiest mascots in all of sports.

And it might just have the offense that’s good enough to send all those other schools out with their tails between their legs.

This might not be the No. 2 attack in the nation like it was last year, but the system is still in place, holes were filled, and this should once again be a very, very fun team that should make a lot of noise.

And now you made it mad.

WKU Hilltoppers Preview 2022: Offense

Well that worked. For years WKU struggled to put points on the board – it only came up with more than 24 points twice in 2020 and got more than 38 three times from 2017 through 2020. Last year the offense averaged 44 points and 535 yards per game – second in the nation in both categories.

It all worked because the program brought in the key parts of the great Houston Baptist attack, but offensive coordinator Zach Kittley is now working his magic at Texas Tech, and star quarterback Bailey Zappe is looking to stay employed as a New England Patriot.

The offense will try to keep everything going with Josh Crawford and Ben Arbuckle going from key assistants to co-offensive coordinators, and …

Jarret Doege came in to try to bomb for for a bazillion yards. The former West Virginia starter brought a ton of experience and great career stats, but he shockingly entered the transfer portal late in fall camp. In comes Austin Reed, a big-time bomber for D-II national champion West Florida. He knows how to push the ball deep.

The loss of Zappe is big, but the passing game also lost the 150 catches, 1,902 yards, and 17 touchdowns from Jerreth Sterns – another Houston Baptist transfer who’s now with Tampa Bay. 87-catch, 14-touchdown playmaker Mitchell Tinsley is also gone, leaving for Penn State.

Michael Mathison made 56 catches at Akron last year and now should do a whole lot more, Daewood Davis averaged close to 18 yards per catch and eighth scores, and Malachi Corley is the leading returning receiver with 73 catches for 691 yards and seven scores.

Dalvin Smith is also back after making five touchdown catches as a freshman, and tight ends Joey Bejan and Joshua Simon will play big roles.

The running game was the least productive in Conference USA, but that’s because the passing attack was so amazing. The Hilltoppers, though, were okay when they did try to run, averaging over four yards per carry.

Leading rusher Noah Whittingham is in the transfer portal, so it’ll be up to the combination of Kye Robichaux and Jakairi Moses to try carrying the load when they get their chances.

The offensive line will be fine. There might be a few key losses, but getting Vinnie Murphy from South Carolina at guard helps, Rusty Staats is an all-star center, and Quantavious Leslie is one of the best guards in Conference USA.

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WKU Hilltoppers Preview 2022: Defense

You have to grade the WKU defense on a curve. Teams had to throw, keep throwing, and take a lot of chances to try keeping up the pace, but the secondary could’ve been better and the run defense was lacking.

Some of the mainstay stars – like pass rusher DeAngelo Malone and leading tackler Antwon Kincade – will be missed. There are enough parts back to at least maintain the production, but …

There are positives.  The secondary that helped load up on takeaways with 21 picks gets back AJ Brathwaite at safety coming off a 64-tackle season, and Kahlef Hallassie makes a whole lot of plays at corner. Coming in is Upton Stout from North Texas at one corner and Rome Weber is a veteran from Wyoming who’ll step in at safety.

There’s no instantly replacing Malone as a pass rusher up front, but Juwuan Jones is a veteran hybrid edge rusher at one end, DT Darius Shipp is one of the league’s better interior playmakers. There’s little size up front, but there’s enough experience up front to come up with a good rotation.

Will Ignont is a good-tackling linebacker on the inside, and Jaden Hunter is the leading returning tackler with 67 stops last season – he can play inside or out. Both can get behind the line.

Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
WKU Top 10 Players | WKU Schedule

WKU Hilltoppers: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

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SMU Mustangs Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

SMU College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

SMU Mustangs Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the SMU season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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SMU Mustangs Preview
Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee, 0-0, 1st year at SMU
2021 Preview: Overall: 8-4, Conference: 4-4
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
SMU Top 10 Players | SMU Schedule

SMU Mustangs Preview 2022

Let’s put it this way.

If Rhett Lashlee was named the bright young new head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs instead of the bright young new head coach of the SMU Mustangs, would it seem the least bit shocking?

Former SMU head coach Sonny Dykes took over the TCU gig, and the 39-year-old Lashlee will take the leap from interesting offensive coordinator to first time head man.

He was the SMU OC in 2018 and 2019 before being plucked away by Miami, and now it’s his job to take the program up another level.

Things have been fine at SMU, but there’s been a hard ceiling on how high it’s been able to get over the last few years. The winning seasons have been nice, but the Mustangs finished sixth in the AAC last year and fifth the year before in the division-less format.

And yes, the focus will be on Lashlee and the staff growing into the job as the AAC reboots next year without Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF – and adds a slew of fine-not-amazing programs to Moneyball its way to replace the stars – but this team should be good enough to be in the mix in 2022, too.

The biggest games are at home, the experience is there, and the expectations will be set at bowl-not-AAC-title level. This team should be good enough to exceed that.

Lashlee might just be the catalyst to turn SMU into the AAC’s power program going forward – at least that’s the hope.

SMU Mustangs Preview 2022: Offense

It’s a Rhett Lashlee-coached team. It’s going to throw the ball – he’s a former SMU offensive coordinator under Sonny Dykes – and it’s going to crank up the production.

The offense is loaded with experienced parts, good skill guys, and the line to make it all work from the No. 1 AAC attack last year.

It led the league with 466 yards and 38 points per game, but it couldn’t rise up and come through down the stretch of a rough second half of the season.

Lashlee and offensive coordinator Casey Woods have their veteran quarterback to make it all go. Former Oklahoma transfer Tanner Mordecai threw for over 3,600 yards and 39 touchdowns with 12 picks in an All-AAC season, and Preston Stone is a rising talent who’ll get every shot at the gig.

The receivers are there to make it all rock, even with Danny Gray, Reggie Roberson, and TE Grant Calcaterra – three of the team’s top four targets – done.

Leading receiver Rashee Rice – 64 catches with nine scores – is back – he’s the No. 1 guy – and the corps landed a few great parts with All-Conference USA target Jake Bailey from Rice, Beau Corrales from North Carolina, and Kelvontay Dixon from Texas.

The running game should be like it was last year. It might not blast away for a gazillion yards per game, but as long as it’s averaging around 4.6 yards per carry again, it’ll be doing its job.

Longtime all-around factor Ulysses Bentley is off to Ole Miss, but former North Texas transfer Tre Siggers is back after averaging five yards per pop with nine scores, and with a team-high 727 yards.

TJ McDaniel is back after suffering an injury, and ready to roll is Alabama transfer Camar Wheaton. The talent is there from Wheaton and the rest of the backs to do the job.

The SMU line will play around with the veteran parts – four starters are expected back from the end of last year – but Alan Ali is off to TCU and the depth will have to come from the transfer portal. Overall, the group that was the best in the AAC in pass protection should be fine once the staff comes up with the right starting five.

SMU Mustangs Preview 2022: Defense

If the Mustangs could get any more consistency out of the defense, and if it could somehow step up against the better teams, this could and should be a ten-win team.

The Mustangs allowed 415 yards and 28 points per game, doing a nice job against the run but having lots and lots of problem against the better passing games, giving up 200 yards or more against everyone but Navy.

The front three should be the early strength. Leading pass rusher DeVere Levelston is back at one end after coming up with 6.5 sacks, Elijah Chatman is an all-star who can get into the backfield from the other side, and it all works around 324-pound Terrance Newman – a big presence in the interior who has to hold up.

The outside linebackers will be factors again, too. Turner Coxe has been a solid four-year producer, and Jimmy Phillips was second on the team with 60 tackles.

Isaac Slade-Matautia was a good three-year tackler at Oregon State and should bring the size and thump again in the middle of the Mustang linebacking corps. The transfer portal is bringing in a ton of help for the depth, at the very least.

Now the secondary has to do its part. The corners will be figured out in fall camp, but there are options to play around with. The safeties can hit, and new to the mix is ULM veteran Nick Roberts, a good tackler who’ll find the field in some way.

Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
SMU Top 10 Players | SMU Schedule

SMU Mustangs: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

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South Carolina Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

South Carolina College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

South Carolina Gamecocks Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the South Carolina season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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South Carolina Gamecocks Preview
Head Coach: Shane Beamer, 7-6, 2nd year at South Carolina
2021 Preview: Overall: 7-6, Conference: 3-5
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
South Carolina Top 10 Players
South Carolina Schedule & Analysis

South Carolina Gamecocks Preview 2022

You see that?

It’s one of the hardest things in sports to spot, but it you look off in the distance, way out there, you might be able to catch a quick glimpse.

It’s an SEC football fan base that actually appears to be sort of … happy? Without winning a national championship?

After going a combined 6-16 in two years before the breakthrough 2021, you can understand why the Gamecock base is excited. That’s what happens when you get a good season that no one saw coming.

These things are gone in a snap, and certainly South Carolina football fans are going to want a whole lot more out of head coach Shane Beamer – losing 30-0 to Clemson is never going to sit well – but there’s real, reasonable anticipation now for a program and team that should be dangerous.

There’s a theory that there’s no better time to be a sports fan of a team than when it’s just on the verge of being really good.

South Carolina is still building, and it’s not going to be easy with a nasty schedule that would bury most teams, but there’s a ton of experience, it has a good young head coach, and with the addition of Spencer Rattler, an argument could be made that no one outside of the Denver Broncos did more to upgrade a quarterback situation.

Is South Carolina going to beat Georgia? Almost certainly not, and it probably won’t beat Texas A&M or Clemson, either, but at least the team is good enough that an upset in any of those three games wouldn’t be insanely crazy – that’s a far cry from where the program was at last year at this time.

And that’s the next step. In 2021 it was the blowout win over Florida that came out of nowhere – along with the rocking of North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl – and this year there needs to be another surprise or two considering how good this starting 22 should be.

SEC fan happy time goes away when the expectations start to become outsized, and that’s coming for South Carolina soon enough.

But for right now, the fan base has a team to get jacked about for the next several months.

Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
South Carolina Top 10 Players
South Carolina Schedule & Analysis

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Wyoming Cowboys Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Wyoming College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Wyoming Cowboys Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Wyoming season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Wyoming Cowboys Preview
Head Coach: Craig Bohl, 45-50, 9th year at Wyoming,
20th year overall, 149-82, 2021 Preview
2021 Record: Overall: 7-6, Conference: 2-6
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Wyoming Top 10 Players | Wyoming Schedule

Wyoming Cowboys Preview 2022

Head coach Craig Bohl hasn’t been able to take all of the success he had at North Dakota State and turn Wyoming a dominant force, but the program is in a nice groove.

Mountain West championships would be nice, but pushing for winning seasons and bowl games on a regular basis is okay. This year, though, might be a tad more challenging.

A slew of key parts left through the transfer portal or are done, but there’s a good base of players on both sides, and the schedule isn’t all that bad – and least until the last three weeks of the conference slate.

This is a year of overall transition, though.

The program has to figure out how to at least be transfer portal neutral – it can’t be a farm system going forward – but it’s a testament to Bohl that he knows how to find the right players and coach them up.

He’ll have work to do, but he has succeeded with far less.

Wyoming Cowboys Preview 2022: Offense

The offense is all but starting over when it comes to the skill parts, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all doom and gloom.

Yes, some very, very talented players are gone, but the offense averaged just 374 yards and 25 points per game, failing to get past 21 points seven times. But when the attack was rolling, it was all but unstoppable in a feast-or-famine way.

Sean Chambers led the team in passing, and now he’s off to Montana State. Levi Williams is gone to Utah State, and in a flip, in comes Andrew Peasley from the Aggies. He isn’t all that accurate, but he has a little experience being a key backup over the last four years, and he can run.

There is no positive in losing Isaiah Neyor to Texas – he averaged 20 yards per catch with 12 scores – but Joshua Cobbs is a decent midrange threat finishing second on the tea with 25 catches, and Trenton Welch is a decent pass catching tight end. However, the depth has to rise up fast, and the recruiting class – particularly DeShawn Woods – will play a big role.

The Cowboy running game always gets production out of its backs, but it still hurts to lose Xazavian Valladay to Arizona State. Titus Swen fits the offense, too – he ran for 785 yards and seven scores – and there are a few options behind him.

The O line should be great again. It’s missing a few parts from the group that was among the best in the Mountain West in pass protection and in keeping defenses out of the backfield.

The starting five should be okay, but there’s no depth – freshman DeShawn Woods will have to play a huge role.

Wyoming Cowboys Preview 2022: Defense

The defense was hit by the transfer portal, too. It’s not quite as dramatic as the losses on offense, but it’s a factor.

The D wasn’t anything special – allowing 370 yards per game – but it didn’t do a whole lot of breaking allowing 24 points per game and that many or fewer nine times.

The biggest concern is the secondary with lost corners CJ Coldon (Oklahoma) and Azizi Hearn (UCLA). On the flip side, Deron Harrell is coming in from Wisconsin and Jakorey Hawkins is in from Ole Miss to help at corner. Isaac White is a veteran starting safety, but the depth and rotation are a bit lacking.

The line has a great interior pass rusher in Cole Godbout on the nose, and Jordan Bertagnole is a good part of a solid tackle rotation – but they all have to hold up better against the run. the ends have to rise up, but there’s size and quickness in the mix.

Losing leading tackler Chad Muma and his 142 tackles from the linebacking corps is a problem, but second-leading tackler Easton Gibbs can get all over the place on the outside. The combination of Shae Suiaunoa and Michigan State transfer Cole DeMarzo will try taking over for Muma.

Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Wyoming Top 10 Players | Wyoming Schedule

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Clemson Tigers Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Clemson College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Clemson Tigers Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Clemson season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Clemson Tigers Preview
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney, 150-36, 15th year at Clemson
2021 Preview: Overall: 10-3, Conference: 6-2
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Clemson Top 10 Players | Clemson Schedule & Analysis

Clemson Tigers Preview 2022

Clemson finished with a double-digit win season.

The bar has been set so unreasonably high under Dabo Swinney that 10-3 seems like a disappointment, and it is to a certain extent.

The same talking points over several years held true for last season, too – there’s the break of playing an ACC schedule and not being in the SEC. However, the Tigers more than earned their stripes in the College Football Playoff under Swinney.

There’s been nothing fluky about this run. So let’s take a wee step back here for a moment and take a breath.

No, Clemson didn’t win the national championship. It didn’t go to the College Football Playoff, and it didn’t win the ACC title.

It did come up with a double-digit win season for the 11th straight season. That might not be the run Alabama is on, and that might not be there yet compared to the height of Bobby Bowden’s powers at Florida State, but come on.

Clemson lost three games. It’s okay.

The team struggled on offense, suffered a slew of injuries to its NFL-caliber defensive line, finished dead last in the ACC in passing efficiency, second-to-last in total offense, stalled countless times, and even with all of THAT, it took the eventual national champion (Georgia), a road game against the eventual ACC champion (Pitt), and a double-overtime road loss to one of the league’s best teams (NC State) to bring knock this program down.

By the way, you want crazy greatness? The previous regular season loss by more than nine points – up until the 27-17 loss to Pitt last year – was 28-6 in 20-freaking-14 on the road against Georgia Tech. The last home loss by double-digits? 2013 to the eventual national champion Florida State Seminoles.

Yes, Clemson showed signs last year that it was possibly mortal. Yes, the stability of the coaching staff was shaken after losing a few key parts, and yes, Dabo Swinney isn’t exactly all in on the new world of college athletics.

Yeah, but if Clemson can be merely okay on offense, it’s a College Football Playoff and ACC Championship team again, and 2021 will be nothing more than a quirky blip.

Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Clemson Top 10 Players | Clemson Schedule & Analysis

Clemson Tigers Preview 2022: Offense, Defense NEXT

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Ohio State Buckeyes Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Ohio State College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Ohio State Buckeyes Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Ohio State season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Ohio State Buckeyes Preview
Ryan Day: 34-4, 4th year at Ohio State
2021 Preview: Overall: 11-2, Conference: 8-1
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Ohio State Top 10 Players | Ohio State Schedule & Analysis

Ohio State Buckeyes Preview 2022

Oh great. Now you made it mad.

As rough as last year’s 42-27 loss to Michigan might have been for Ohio State and the program’s pride, if that serves as the motivation for something bigger, go for it.

Remember what the 2020 Buckeyes did after the loss to Clemson in the 2019 season College Football Playoff?

That team wouldn’t be denied by a global pandemic, Big Ten rules, or a banged up Justin Fields when it came to the desperate need to get back to the CFP and right the perceived wrong from the previous season.

That’s going to be the 2022 version, but first, don’t just dismiss how good 2021 was.

11-2 was fantastic. It was a great season, and it was impressive in so many ways – it’s always a good season if you win the Rose Bowl.

You can say 99 nice things about someone and the only thing remembered is that one comment six months ago about how the shoes didn’t go with a certain shirt …

Or if you mention that one loss to that one team. Again, on the flip side, now Ohio State should be on even more of a mission than it normally is.

The offense wasn’t a problem in 2021. It was the best in the nation, it was breathtaking no matter who was on the field, and it’s about to be even better.

The defense wasn’t quite as bad as everyone made it out to be. It started rough and ended badly, but in the middle it was a force at times. However, the perception that the D needs to be fixed – and the problems against That Team Up North – is enough to make that happen.

If that loss helps focus things so the pass defense is sharper and the D can come up with a third down stop, perfect.

If it helps slow down all the penalties, get better in the big games against the run, and if it cranks up the intensity that much more, great.

Pressure is built into the cake, so there’s no way to add any more than what’s already there, so …

This team is good enough to roll through the schedule, rip apart Michigan, and at least get to the national championship – and no one knows that better than Ohio State.

That one extra little bit of juice might be enough to go that one extra step.

Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Ohio State Top 10 Players | Ohio State Schedule & Analysis

Ohio State Buckeyes Preview 2022: Offense, Defense NEXT

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SEC Coaches Against The Spread: Ranked From Best To Worst. Who Covers?

SEC Football Coaches Against The Spread: Who are the best and worst SEC coaches when it comes to covering?

How good are all of the SEC head coaches against the spread? Going from best to worst, here’s who covers and who doesn’t.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @RichCirminiello

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Nick Saban might be the greatest college football coach of all-time – or close to it – but do his teams cover the spread?

How do all the SEC head coaches do against the spread, and on the road ATS, and going over on the point total?

If you like to invest, here’s everything you need to know about all 14 current SEC head coaches and how they do against the lines.

One important note, all of these stats only reflect how all the coaches have done on their current SEC teams. Two exceptions for the new guys – Billy Napier’s time at Louisiana and Brian Kelly’s era at Notre Dame are counted.

Who covers – and sometimes more importantly – who doesn’t?

1. Sam Pittman, Arkansas

ATS Record (since 2020)

ATS Overall: 15-7-1 (67.4%)
On Extra Rest: 4-1
vs. Ranked: 8-3
After Win: 7-3-1
After Loss: 6-4
Home: 7-5
Road: 6-2-1
Favorite: 4-3-1
Underdog: 11-4
Home Favorite: 3-3
Home Dog: 4-2
Road Favorite: 0-0-1
Road Dog: 6-2
vs. Conference: 11-6-1
Non-conference: 4-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 11-12
On Extra Rest: 3-2
vs. Ranked: 6-5
Home: 5-7
Road: 6-3
Favorite: 4-4
Underdog: 7-8
Home Favorite: 4-2
Home Dog: 1-5
Road Favorite: 0-1
Road Dog: 6-2
Conference: 8-10
Non-conference: 3-2
Arkansas Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

2. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

ATS Record (since 2018)

ATS Overall: 29-19 (60.4%)
On Extra Rest: 4-6
vs. Ranked: 9-8
After Win: 18-12
After Loss: 7-6
Home: 17-8
Road: 10-6
Favorite: 23-14
Underdog: 6-5
Home Favorite: 14-7
Home Dog: 3-1
Road Favorite: 7-2
Road Dog: 3-4
vs. Conference: 17-16
Non-conference: 12-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 21-26-1
On Extra Rest: 3-7
vs. Ranked: 8-8-1
Home: 14-10-1
Road: 5-11
Favorite: 14-22-1
Underdog: 7-4
Home Favorite: 10-10-1
Home Dog: 4-0
Road Favorite: 2-7
Road Dog: 3-4
Conference: 13-19-1
Non-conference: 8-7
A&M Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

3. Kirby Smart, Georgia

ATS Record (since 2016)

ATS Overall: 47-34 (58%)
On Extra Rest: 7-5
vs. Ranked: 22-13
After Win: 35-27
After Loss: 8-4
Home: 15-20
Road: 18-8
Favorite: 40-30
Underdog: 7-4
Home Favorite: 13-20
Home Dog: 2-0
Road Favorite: 17-6
Road Dog: 1-2
vs. Conference: 32-23
Non-conference: 15-11

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 35-45-1
On Extra Rest: 4-7
vs. Ranked: 12-22-1
Home: 13-22
Road: 15-11
Favorite: 30-39-1
Underdog: 5-6
Home Favorite: 12-21
Home Dog: 1-1
Road Favorite: 14-9
Road Dog: 1-2
Conference: 25-29-1
Non-conference: 10-16
UGA Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

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4. Billy Napier, Florida

*ULL ATS record since 2018

ATS Overall: 29-23-1 (55.7%)
On Extra Rest: 4-5
vs. Ranked: 2-3
After Win: 20-18
After Loss: 6-4-1
Home: 12-10-1
Road: 15-10
Favorite: 17-18-1
Underdog: 12-5
Home Favorite: 9-10-1
Home Dog: 3-0
Road Favorite: 7-6
Road Dog: 8-4
vs. Conference: 17-17-1
Non-conference: 12-6

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 21-31-1
On Extra Rest: 2-6-1
vs. Ranked: 3-2
Home: 6-17
Road: 12-13
Favorite: 13-22-1
Underdog: 8-9
Home Favorite: 5-15
Home Dog: 1-2
Road Favorite: 7-6
Road Dog: 5-7
Conference: 10-25
Non-conference: 11-6-1
UF Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

6. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

ATS Record (since 2020)

ATS Overall: 12-10-1 (54.3%)
On Extra Rest: 1-5
vs. Ranked: 3-5
After Win: 7-4-1
After Loss: 4-3
Home: 6-5-1
Road: 4-4
Favorite: 7-6-1
Underdog: 5-4
Home Favorite: 4-3-1
Home Dog: 2-2
Road Favorite: 2-2
Road Dog: 2-2
vs. Conference: 8-9
Non-conference: 4-1-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 9-14
On Extra Rest: 3-3
vs. Ranked: 3-5
Home: 6-6
Road: 3-5
Favorite: 6-8
Underdog: 3-6
Home Favorite: 4-4
Home Dog: 2-2
Road Favorite: 2-2
Road Dog: 1-3
Conference: 7-10
Non-conference: 2-4
Ole Miss Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

7. Brian Kelly, LSU

*Notre Dame ATS record since 2010

ATS Overall: 81-70-3 (53.6%)
On Extra Rest: 15-13
vs. Ranked: 26-23
After Win: 57-48-3
After Loss: 18-16
Home: 39-36-2
Road: 27-23-1
Favorite: 59-55-3
Underdog: 22-15
Home Favorite: 33-33-2
Home Dog: 6-3
Road Favorite: 17-17-1
Road Dog: 10-6
vs. Conference: 0-0
Non-conference: 81-70-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 67-86-1
On Extra Rest: 11-17
vs. Ranked: 20-29
Home: 32-45
Road: 24-26-1
Favorite: 51-65-1
Underdog: 16-21
Home Favorite: 30-38
Home Dog: 2-7
Road Favorite: 17-17-1
Road Dog: 7-9
Conference: 0-0
Non-conference: 67-86-1
LSU Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

T8. Shane Beamer, South Carolina

ATS Record (since 2021)

ATS Overall: 6-6-1 (50%)
On Extra Rest: 2-0
vs. Ranked: 1-1
After Win: 1-4-1
After Loss: 4-2
Home: 4-3
Road: 1-3-1
Favorite: 2-1-1
Underdog: 4-5
Home Favorite: 2-1
Home Dog: 2-2
Road Favorite: 0-0-1
Road Dog: 1-3
vs. Conference: 3-5
Non-conference: 3-1-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 6-7
On Extra Rest: 2-0
vs. Ranked: 2-0
Home: 1-6
Road: 4-1
Favorite: 0-4
Underdog: 6-3
Home Favorite: 0-3
Home Dog: 1-3
Road Favorite: 0-1
Road Dog: 4-0
Conference: 5-3
Non-conference: 1-4
USC Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

T8. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

ATS Record (since 2021)

ATS Overall: 6-6 (50%)
On Extra Rest: 1-0
vs. Ranked: 1-2
After Win: 0-2
After Loss: 6-3
Home: 2-5
Road: 4-1
Favorite: 0-2
Underdog: 6-4
Home Favorite: 0-2
Home Dog: 2-3
Road Favorite: 0-0
Road Dog: 4-1
vs. Conference: 5-3
Non-conference: 1-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 5-7
On Extra Rest: 0-1
vs. Ranked: 1-2
Home: 4-3
Road: 1-4
Favorite: 1-1
Underdog: 4-6
Home Favorite: 1-1
Home Dog: 3-2
Road Favorite: 0-0
Road Dog: 1-4
Conference: 3-5
Non-conference: 2-2
Vandy Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

T8. Mike Leach, Mississippi State

ATS Record (since 2020)

ATS Overall: 12-12 (50%)
On Extra Rest: 2-4
vs. Ranked: 6-4
After Win: 6-4
After Loss: 5-6
Home: 4-8
Road: 7-3
Favorite: 4-6
Underdog: 8-6
Home Favorite: 2-4
Home Dog: 2-4
Road Favorite: 1-1
Road Dog: 6-2
vs. Conference: 9-9
Non-conference: 3-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 10-14
On Extra Rest: 2-4
vs. Ranked: 6-4
Home: 4-8
Road: 5-5
Favorite: 4-6
Underdog: 6-8
Home Favorite: 3-3
Home Dog: 1-5
Road Favorite: 0-2
Road Dog: 5-3
Conference: 7-11
Non-conference: 3-3
Miss St Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

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11. Mark Stoops, Kentucky

ATS Record (since 2013)

ATS Overall: 53-58-1 (47.8%)
On Extra Rest: 7-11-1
vs. Ranked: 16-12-1
After Win: 32-22-1
After Loss: 18-30
Home: 30-33
Road: 20-22
Favorite: 23-25-1
Underdog: 29-33
Home Favorite: 20-19
Home Dog: 9-14
Road Favorite: 3-4
Road Dog: 17-18
vs. Conference: 34-40
Non-conference: 19-18-1

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 57-55
On Extra Rest: 7-12
vs. Ranked: 13-16
Home: 39-24
Road: 15-27
Favorite: 29-20
Underdog: 28-34
Home Favorite: 26-13
Home Dog: 13-10
Road Favorite: 2-5
Road Dog: 13-22
Conference: 31-43
Non-conference: 26-12
UK Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

12. Bryan Harsin, Auburn

ATS Record (since 2021)

ATS Overall: 6-7 (46.2%)
On Extra Rest: 1-1
vs. Ranked: 3-4
After Win: 3-3
After Loss: 2-4
Home: 4-3
Road: 2-3
Favorite: 3-3
Underdog: 3-4
Home Favorite: 3-2
Home Dog: 1-1
Road Favorite: 0-1
Road Dog: 2-2
vs. Conference: 4-4
Non-conference: 2-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 5-8
On Extra Rest: 0-2
vs. Ranked: 1-6
Home: 4-3
Road: 1-4
Favorite: 4-2
Underdog: 1-6
Home Favorite: 4-1
Home Dog: 0-2
Road Favorite: 0-1
Road Dog: 1-3
Conference: 2-6
Non-conference: 3-2
Auburn Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

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13. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

ATS Record (since 2020)

ATS Overall: 9-14 (39.1%)
On Extra Rest: 4-2
vs. Ranked: 3-5
After Win: 4-7
After Loss: 3-6
Home: 6-7
Road: 2-7
Favorite: 3-7
Underdog: 6-7
Home Favorite: 2-5
Home Dog: 4-2
Road Favorite: 1-2
Road Dog: 1-5
vs. Conference: 8-10
Non-conference: 1-4

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 12-11
On Extra Rest: 3-3
vs. Ranked: 3-5
Home: 8-5
Road: 4-5
Favorite: 7-3
Underdog: 5-8
Home Favorite: 5-2
Home Dog: 3-3
Road Favorite: 2-1
Road Dog: 2-4
Conference: 9-9
Non-conference: 3-2
Missouri Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

14. Josh Heupel, Tennessee

ATS Record (since 2021)

ATS Overall: 5-8 (38.5%)
On Extra Rest: 1-1
vs. Ranked: 1-4
After Win: 1-6
After Loss: 4-1
Home: 3-5
Road: 2-2
Favorite: 4-3
Underdog: 1-5
Home Favorite: 3-2
Home Dog: 0-3
Road Favorite: 1-0
Road Dog: 1-2
vs. Conference: 3-5
Non-conference: 2-3

Over/Under (to the over)

Overall: 10-3
On Extra Rest: 2-0
vs. Ranked: 3-2
Home: 6-2
Road: 3-1
Favorite: 6-1
Underdog: 4-2
Home Favorite: 4-1
Home Dog: 2-1
Road Favorite: 1-0
Road Dog: 2-1
Conference: 6-2
Non-conference: 4-1
UT Preview | Top 10 Players | Schedule Analysis

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– 2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams

North Carolina Tar Heels Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

North Carolina College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

North Carolina Tar Heels Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the North Carolina season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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North Carolina Tar Heels Preview
Mack Brown: 90-63-1, 14th year at North Carolina
34th year overall (265-139-1), 2021 Preview
2021 Record: Overall: 6-7, Conference: 3-5
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
North Carolina Top 10 Players
North Carolina Schedule & Analysis

North Carolina Tar Heels Preview 2022

Oh sure, the recruiting has been great, and the games have been wild fun, but 21-17 in three seasons isn’t exactly how this was all supposed to go considering the hype going into last season, but …

It’s been lost in a big hurry that North Carolina was 5-20 in a 25 game run before the guy took over.

He’s Mack Brown.

He’s in the College Football Hall of Fame with 265 total wins and a national championship at Texas as part of a phenomenal stretch of nine straight seasons with ten or more wins in the 2000s. But there was always the knock that his teams had all the talent in the world and couldn’t quite come through outside of that one magical 2005 season.

Since taking over the North Carolina in 2019 after leaving Texas in 2013, he has put together teams as talented as any in the ACC outside of Clemson, and …

21-17. Again, the Tar Heels went 2-9 the season before Brown stepped in, but the bar was set a bit higher after what he was able to do to turn things around.

It’s been 13 years since Colt McCoy got knocked out of the BCS Championship game loss to Alabama.

Throw that 13-1 Texas team’s defeat into the mix, and Brown is now 51-39 in his last seven seasons as a head coach. That’s hardly awful, but for a guy who went 14 straight years in Austin with only one season with more than three losses, going seven campaigns in a row with four or more defeats doesn’t exactly scream trend up.

To make matters even more interesting, his defense is coming off an abysmal year and his offense is undergoing a personnel overhaul just when this is all supposed to be hitting its stride. But there’s one giant positive coming from the dud of a 2021 – there aren’t any major expectations in 2022.

Last year’s team was overhyped, and it fizzled with the tone set from the start in a sad trombone 17-10 clunker to Virginia Tech, and with double-digit losses to bad Florida State and Georgia Tech teams,

And then, with a chance to end on a high note to crank up a little momentum going into this year, out came another bad performance in a loss to South Carolina. All that did was hand Brown just his second losing season since 1989.

But his team still has a ton of talent, he changed some things up with his coaching staff – bringing aboard Gene Chizik as the Assistant Head Coach for Defense was an interesting move – the schedule couldn’t possibly be more favorable, and …

He’s still Mack Brown, and that means this team with no Clemson on the slate should set the bar at ACC Championship appearance or bust.

Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
North Carolina Top 10 Players
North Carolina Schedule & Analysis

North Carolina Tar Heels Preview 2022: Offense, Defense NEXT

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