Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 53 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 24th). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (53 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

On Tuesday, the tribe that Kyrie Irving’s mom is a member of invited the Celtics point guard. The tribe celebrated the heritage of Kyrie and his sister, Asia, as they welcomed the siblings as members of the Standing Rock Sioux. The tribe gave Kyrie a traditional Lakota name of “Little Mountain”. He has been a vocal opponent of the Dakota Access Pipeline in the past, and the tribe based in North Dakota wanted to honor him for being outspoken about his heritage.

In other news, Jayson Tatum turned some heads when he said he would be okay with the idea of coming of the bench. “I understand how deep our team is,” he said. “I just care about winning and doing what I can while I’m on the floor.” On a team loaded with talent, fans had to have been wondering about who would see their role reduced. It’s great to hear Tatum taking on the team-first mindset.

Tatum

: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On This Date

Apparently nothing happened on August 24 in previous years.

Stats (2017-18)

  • Daniel Theis averaged 5.3 points for the team. He did so while shooting 54% from the field before a season ending injury.
  • Jaylen Brown averaged 5.3 made shots per game. He took 11.5 each game, shooting 49 percent from the field.

Fun Facts

  • Four players have worn the number 53 for the Celtics. The most notable is Rick Robey, who wore it in his time with the team from 1979-1983.
  • The 1953 Celtics went 46-25 and finished third in the East.

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to check back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

Preview of the Red Sox last meeting with the Rays in 2018.

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After dropping the first two games against Cleveland, the Red Sox offense would wake up and storm back to split the four game series. David Price absolutely dominated on Thursday throwing 8 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts. Price is now 16-2 in his last 18 starts. Boston will now go face the Rays at the Trop. 

The first game in this series will most likely consist of Hector Velazguez starting once again with Sale being out. Velazguez has been a good reliable option to give you 3, 4 or 5 innings and handing it off to the bullpen. As far as the Rays go, they don’t have any scheduled starters for this series. As we all know they’ve been doing that bullpen game situation all year, so it will be interesting to see how Kevin Cash will match up against our starters this weekend at the Trop. 

Rick Porcello will toe the rubber on Saturday night. Porcello has a career 3.44 ERA against the Rays with 155 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP. Porcello has also pitched to a career 2.72 ERA with 80 Ks and a 1.12 WHIP at Tropicana. He has had overall success against the Rays lineup throughout the years and there are no signs of this changing. 

The matinee game will take place on Sunday with Nathan Eovaldi on the bump. Eovaldi has only pitched a career 24.2 innings against the Rays in 4 starts. He has a 4.01 ERA with 24 strikeouts and a 1.22 WHIP in those 4 starts. Before Nathan Eovaldi played for the Red Sox, he in fact played for the Rays, meaning he started several games at Tropicana field as part of the home squad. Overall, he owns a 2.97 ERA at the Trop. Even though he didn’t face the Rays lineup much there, its still good to see his success in that ballpark. 

The Red Sox have not struggled against the Rays this season unlike some other team in the AL East..(Yankees cough cough) Boston is 11-5 against the Rays this season, with 5 of those wins coming at the Trop in the 7 games they’ve played there. The last time the Red Sox were in Tampa, Hanley was on this team. Thats pretty crazy to think. This will be the last time the Red Sox visit the Rays this season and the last time the two meet in general this year. 

Bruins Winter Classic Logo Announced

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Bruins show logo for 2019 Winter Classic

Photo courtesy:
Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins gave everyone a sneak peek of this season’s Winter Classic logo. The team published a large block “B” in black and gold on their various social media platforms. The Bruins wore a similar version during the NHL’s 75th anniversary celebrations during the 1992 season.

Boston first wore this logo in brown and gold during the 1932 season.

The version they chose for this year is an updated B from their current jerseys, instead of the logo that was worn in the 1930’s and used for the 75th Anniversary.

The 2019 Winter Classic will be played on January 1, 2019 at the home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. There has not been an announcement pertaining to the release of the actual jersey itself, but expect one coming soon.

Here is a possible concept for the jersey, courtesy of sportslogos.net

B-Mer concept per Sportslogos.net

 

Follow on Twitter: @SOURCEFRIAS

Sox Split With Indians In Potential October Preview

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A few thoughts on the Red Sox series split with the Cleveland Indians right after I dig up my road trip fedora…

Man, that four-game set had an October feel, didn’t it? The Sox were able to roar back after dropping the first two games, including yesterday’s near-flawless 7-0 victory. It was the first meeting of the season between the two teams, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a rematch in the postseason.

The Sox dropped the first game on Monday, after Rick Porcello allowed 3 HR (and 5 ER) over 7 innings. It’s been a weird season for the righthander out of Morristown, NJ. On one hand, it feels like he’s been far more consistent than in 2017 or 2015. On the other, his 4.14 ERA is more in line with those seasons than his 2016 Cy Young award-winning campaign. His August has made even less sense. He’s 2-2 over 4 starts this month, with a 4.67 ERA. But, opponents are only hitting .156 against him over that stretch. Go figure, right?

There’s one smoking gun here: Porcello can’t seem to keep the ball in the yard. Last season, he gave up a league-leading 38 round-trippers. This year, those struggles have resurfaced. Porcello has already given up 22 big flies in 2018, tying him for 12th in the majors. However, 8 of those have come over his last 5 outings, at a rate of 2.2 per 9 innings. For reference, Dylan Bundy‘s MLB-worst HR/9 is 2.19.

The Sox lost game two thanks to a stellar outing from Indians rookie Shane Bieber. Bieber shut down the best offense in baseball for 6 innings, before the Sox tagged him for 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th. It tied the longest losing streak of the season for Boston (3 games), and prompted plenty of “the Red Sox can’t beat a real team” social media activity from Indians fans (who conveniently ignore the trainwreck that is the non-Cleveland part of the AL Central standings) and Yankees fans (whose team is currently 11-10 in August).

Boston bounced back to even the series and escape with a split thanks to two total team efforts on Wednesday and Thursday. However, a pair of players deserve special mention. Xander Bogaerts and David Price.

Bogaerts went 6-19 across the four game series, collecting at least one hit in each contest. He also continued to rake with runners in scoring position, driving in 8 men. On Wednesday night, Bogey erased a 2-1 4th inning deficit by launching a slider onto the Mass Pike:

He followed that dinger up with another in the bottom of the 7th (this time to right-center), to increase the Sox lead to 5 runs:

Two weeks ago I wrote about how the biggest thing holding Bogaerts back from true superstardom is his tendency to trail off in the second half of the season. Since then, the Red Sox shortstop is batting .348/.411/.717, with 3 HR and 14 RBI. Seems like this is the year where he finally asserts himself down the stretch.

Price was masterful on Thursday afternoon, while the Sox plated 6 runs in the 5th en route to an easy win. The 32-year-old lefty posted 8 scoreless innings with 7 Ks, allowing only 3 hits and no walks. He capped it all off by blowing a fastball by Indians catcher Roberto Perez, a cherry on top of a shutout sundae:

https://twitter.com/takeyourbasepod/status/1032717906717671426

For all of the negative press Price has managed to get during his Red Sox career (some warranted, some less so), he’s been tough to criticize recently. He’s won 5 of his last 7 starts, a stretch where his ERA has decreased with each outing. Over those 7 starts, he’s 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 48 innings. Opposing batters are only mustering a .200 batting average against him, and he’s throwing nearly 70% of his pitches for strikes. Price’s season ERA has dropped from 4.44 on July 7th to its current mark of 3.50…pretty good.

With Chris Sale on the shelf for the time being, the Sox have needed their $30+ million man to step up. He’s done that and more over the last month and a half.

The Red Sox won’t see Cleveland again until Sept. 21, another matchup that will have a decidedly October vibe, as well as October implications. If that series is anything like this one, it’ll be appointment viewing for both sides.

Alex Guerrero Back on Board

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ALEX GUERRERO BACK IN BILL’S CIRCLE OF TRUST?

Alex Guerrero has boarded the Patriot’s plane for the team’s first road game to Carolina. This is quite a change from last year, which begs the question-what happened to allow Alex back in the mix?

Alex Guerrero on the sideline

Alex Guerrero looks on from the sideline, Courtesy of The Boston Globe

Last year, Alex Guerrero became a distraction in the Patriot’s locker room. He started to undermind the trainers and team physicians.

 Guerrero was telling players that lifting weights and doing squats were a waste of time. He often spoke against the way the team’s trainers were handling and preventing injuries. Bill Belichick had seen enough, leading to Guerrero losing access to the locker room.

ALEX GUERRERO BACK IS A GOOD SIGN

Courtesy of (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)

After Alex Guerrero lost his locker room and sideline access in 2017, Brady made it clear he wasn’t happy. This summer he’s been around the building and at training camp much more. He is working his way back into the mix slowly but surely.

Brady’s contract was made out to be a huge issue for a number of reasons. The glaring focal point was the incentives. As Pats fans know, Tom has never stressed the money. He wants respect, appreciation and Alex Guerrero.

Tom knows that being the top paid QB won’t help his chances at a sixth ring. He does however know that Alex has helped keep him at the top of his game. I believe that Kraft, Belichick, and Brady worked Guerrero into his new contract.

Guerrero flew with the team to Carolina, but don’t expect to see him on the sidelines tomorrow. Bill’s taking baby steps.

 

Benfica Keeps Rolling in LIGA, Missed Opportunity in Champions League

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Benfica had two strong games but had to settle for a victory and tie.

Liga NOS battle versus Boavista 

Photo courtesy:
Benfica.com

Benfica started this week by defeating Boavista 2-0 on the road. In a match that was an away contest but felt like a home game for the Eagles, Ferreya began the scoring in the first half to get the team in the right direction. Adding to his goal streak, Pizzi once again found the back of the net to put it away in the second half. It felt like most of the crowd was in red as Benfica supporters traveled in droves for this game.

Benfica and PAOK look to advance in UEFA

Photo courtesy:
Benfica.com

In the UEFA Champions League qualifying stage PAOK was their next opponents. They were able to get an important away goal as they tied the team from Lisbon 1-1 in the first leg of the games. Pizzi, after missing on many chances, was finally able to score on a penalty right before the first half ended. SLB should have run away with this game in the first 30 minutes, but many chances were missed. All they can do now is hope it doesn’t come back to bite them on aggregate goals.

The Eagles’ next Liga NOS game is a derby versus Sporting on Saturday. The game between these rivals is expected to be intense as usual. It could also affect the standings as the season goes on, with the two expected to battle for the title with Porto.

Their next matchup against PAOK is on the road Aug. 29th.

Follow on Twitter: @BenficaSource

Kenny Britt Released. What it Means for New England’s Receiving Corps

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Kenny Britt released

With the release of Kenny Britt the Patriot’s receiving corps has gotten even weaker. It was clear Britt wasn’t getting the Patriots offense. He even said on Sunday he was behind. Overall not a good sign when they are in week three of the preseason. With Edelman out for a month the only reliable receiver right now is Chris Hogan. That clearly isn’t good enough.

The Patriot’s receiving corps is weak

The Patriots signed Eric Decker but he’s having a hard time connecting with Brady. Friday’s game will be a test to see which receiver will come through other than Hogan. Dez Bryant is still a free agent receiver waiting to be signed. Brady has to be frustrated but is Bryant really the answer to the problem? He can get open and catch the ball yes, however he does come with a lot of baggage. Between his attitude and wanting the ball all the time. I’m also waiting to see what Patterson can do to help this offense. This is arguably Brady’s worst group of receivers since 2006.

 

Tom Brady when asked if he worked with Britt in the off-season repeatedly said “I wasn’t here.” Even away from Foxborough Brady said he wasn’t here. He usually goes to Montana and take receivers up there to practice with him. Last year he took Edelman and Danny Amendola. It was reported he worked with Edelman during the off-season but not with Britt or anyone else.

Brady already connects well with Hogan and Gronkowski. Now he needs to connect with Decker, Patterson, Dorsett, McCarron, Berrios, and Lucien. Beyond Edelman and Hogan not one other Patriots receiver has caught a touchdown pass from Tom Brady.

There may be more cuts coming for the Patriots receivers too if some don’t shape up. That might even include Eric Decker who’s a year younger than Edelman. It’s going to be hard trying to replace last year’s receiving corps that could connect with Brady.

 

Looking Back at the Kyrie Irving Trade

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One year ago today the Celtics and Cavaliers pulled off a blockbuster trade. Kyrie Irving requested a trade from Cleveland, and Danny Ainge pulled off another heist a few weeks later. The Celtics traded Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, Ante Zizic, a 2018 1st round draft pick (Collin Sexton was later selected) and a 2020 2nd round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving. (2020 2nd-rd pick from BOS to CLE is MIA’s pick, and was added as compensation for Isaiah Thomas’s injury). Let’s take a look back at each player’s last 365 days.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving did not disappoint in his first year in Boston. He averaged 24.4 points, 5.1 assists, shot 49.1% from the field and showed improvement on the defensive side of the floor. After Gordon Hayward went out on opening night, Irving proved that he can lead a team by himself. He was obviously the second option in Cleveland but shined as the man in control in Boston. He worked very well with Al Horford and did a great job getting Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown involved in the offense. These were simply things IT could not accomplish in Boston. He needed the ball in his hands and is not nearly as good of a facilitator as Irving.

However, everything took a turn for the worst on March 11th against the Pacers. He suffered a knee injury, which led to surgery that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The Celtics ending up falling in seven games to the Cavs and the consensus opinion is that the Celtics would have won that series if Kyrie were playing. Kyrie will be back for the Celtics next year, but rumors about his upcoming free agency next summer are already swirling. The Celtics need to resign Irving next year to ensure that they win the trade.

Maddy Meyer

Jae Crowder

Crowder averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 total rebounds per game with Cleveland. These numbers were a step down from his final season with the Celtics. The Cavs made the decision to flip Crowder to Utah before the trade deadline when they blew everything up and completely revamped their roster. Crowder ended up shining alongside Donovan Mitchell in Quin Snyder’s system. Crowder improved in points per game, rebounds, and assists while he was with the Jazz. However, the biggest knock on him is that he wasn’t very efficient. He got worse in field goal%, three-point%, two point%, and effective field goal%. In Boston, Crowder took a lot more shots than he should have which led to distaste between him and the fans.

Isaiah Thomas

It has been an interesting 365 days for Isaiah Thomas. He was on the Celtics, then traded to the Cavs, flipped to the Lakers, and signed the veteran minimum with Denver. After being out until January with a hip injury, IT played in just 15 games with the Cavs. It was a disaster. His style of play and personality just did not fit with LeBron’s. They are both egomaniacs and need the ball in their hands at all times. Thomas was hated by Cavs fans during that time, and clubhouse craziness was reported.

LeBron James, the former owner, coach, and general manager of the Cavs traded Thomas to the Lakers as part of the roster overhaul at the trade deadline. Thomas settled in nicely and played well off the bench. He averaged 15.6 points and exactly five assists in 17 games played. The offseason and free agency process were very frustrating for Thomas. After telling the Celtics to back up the Brinks truck, he ended up signing a one year, two million deal with Denver.

Collin Sexton

The biggest unknown in this deal is rookie guard Collin Sexton. He was selected eighth overall in this year’s draft. Sexton was a superstar at Alabama and single-handedly dragged Alabama to the round of 32 before they were stopped by eventual champion Villanova. Sexton is a rookie, so nobody really knows what the Cavs are getting. He could be a franchise-altering player or a bust. He is all the Cavs have left over from the trade, so it is up to him to save the deal. To make the deal a win for the Cavs, Sexton has to be better than Kyrie and win championships in Cleveland. He needs to fill the shoes that Kyrie left in Cleveland

Bottom Line

So far, it is obvious that the Celtics won the trade. Irving was great in his first year. The Cavs got rid of two of the three main pieces of the deal, and now they are counting on Sexton. If Sexton is better than Kyrie, then the Cavs will win the trade. Should Kyrie stay in Boston and wins championships, the Celtics will remain winners of the trade. If Kyrie leaves in free agency and Sexton does not turn into a superstar, then the trade is a wash. It is possible that Ante Zizic or the second round pick turns into something, but that is extremely unlikely. If Crowder and Thomas shine on their new teams, Cleveland may regret shipping them out.

Comparing The 2003 Red Sox to The 2018 Red Sox

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While nearly 15 years has separated these two teams, there are a lot of similarities between them. With what appears to be two different ages of baseball, what can we take away from the ages?

The opening day lineups.

In 2003, The opening day lineup looked like this. 1. Johnny Damon CF, 2. Todd Walker 2B, 3. Nomar Garciaparra SS, 4. Manny Ramirez LF, 5. Kevin Millar 1B, 6. Shea Hillenbrand 3B, 7. Jeremy Giambi DH, 8. Trot Nixon RF, 9. Jason Varitek C Starting Pitcher Pedro Martinez.

This lineup had it all.  They had key veteran players to build around. They had speed, raw power, and most of all talent. This team was poised to make a deep October run until the rival Yankees ended it on a sour note. The 2004 team would eventually reverse the 86 year long drought. After that “The Curse of The Great Bambino” was over.

This season, the Opening Day lineup consisted of 1. Mookie Betts RF, 2. Andrew Benintendi LF, 3. Hanley Ramirez 1B ( not on the team anymore.) 4. J.D Martinez DH, 5. Xander Bogaerts SS, 6. Rafael Devers 3B, 7. Eduardo Nunez 2B, 8. Jackie Bradley Jr. CF, 9. Christian Vazquez C. Starting Pitcher Chris Sale. 

The Similarities.

This team also has raw power and speed. Their ace Chris Sale is most comparable to Pedro Martinez in his intensity and competitiveness. Both teams had a multitude of different ways to scare opponents offensively.

By the numbers: Both teams led the league in runs batted in, hits, OPS, total bases, and extra base hits. Both teams were leading their division up to this point in the season (2018 season isn’t 100% over yet). These teams were offensive power houses that American League teams were scared to pitch against.

Both teams provided some serious defense as well. It wasn’t always about amazing run support. The pair of teams had a stud patrolling in right field (2018 Betts, 2003 Nixon). Both teams had a perennial shortstop (Bogaerts, Garciaparra). Both teams had a highly regarded designated hitter (Martinez, Giambi). Finally, both teams made a very questionable move during the season (2018 cutting Hanley, 2003 signing David Ortiz).

In both cases they had their first seasons with an incredible duo. After the signing of David Ortiz to pair with Ramirez the tandem would go on to ravage pitchers for years. Most would regard the two as the best 3 and 4 hitter combo of all time. In 2018, the J.D and Mookie combo offers hope of a new duo equal to that of the deadly 2003 pair. Offering up a different approach to the game, this duo can hit, work the count, and launch home runs with the best of them.

Some differences that should be highlighted.

One of the biggest differences were the managers. Grady little led the team in 2003. After a controversial ending to their season he was heavily blamed for not cruising by the Yankees. This led to his timely firing by Theo Epstein and company. Which led to the hiring of legendary manager Terry Francona.

In 2018 the Red Sox are led by Alex Cora, the former bench coach of the defending World Series Champion Houston Astros. He is way ahead of his time. In implementing his system, his bench coaches and assistants utilize new forms of measurements in the game. Using new revelations such as: launch angle, statcast, war, and other forms of saber metrics. He is one of the main reasons why this 2018 team is on the verge of making history.

Comparing managers and General managers.

As for the general managers, they too take separate approaches. Theo was a free agent build type of guy, along with an incredible farm system. That’s how he also made the Chicago Cubs a world series champion. He is also one of the youngest general managers to win a World Series, as well.

On the other hand, Dave Dombrowski also has a winning approach. Dombrowski arrived after the departure of former GM Ben Cherington. He built the franchise into a winning culture in a matter of two seasons. While most people note the demolition of the farm system, it is slowly building itself back up with great draft additions such as Tristan Casas. Dave has also won a title with the then Florida Marlins, who now are called the Miami Marlins.

Even the fact that it seems like a different era of baseball is very prevalent. Pitchers are throwing harder, while also not staying in the game as long as they used to. Guys like Nolan Ryan and Greg Maddox were pitching a lot more innings a season.

The MLB commissioner office seems like it is always trying to speed up the game, while not being as concerned with more pressing matters such as PEDs and off the field incidents. As long as the commissioner can stay focused on the most important matters the sport can continue to grow and be more fun for generations to come.

Conclusion.

While both teams are strikingly similar, the differences stand out well. The 2018 team is more aggressive on the base paths, and are much faster. That comes with the evolution of the game. This team is also a lot younger than Red Sox teams of years past. This 2018 team looks very hungry, but hopefully the outcome will differ from the fate of the 2003 team.

While the 2018 season is still heating up, how it will be written among the other Red Sox teams will soon come into fruition. Keep it here for the best coverage of all your favorite Boston teams and players. Only at Bostonsportsextra.com

2018 College Football Season Preview and Predictions

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The college football season is getting closer by the minute. With the first games coming on August 25th, a lot of things have changed. Teams like Alabama, Notre Dame, and Clemson will have to decide who will play QB while teams like Wisconsin and others return many of their key players from last year. We will also get to see how Oklahoma, Penn ST, and USC will fare without their best players from last season.

In this article I preview every single conference in the FBS. I will also make my final top 25 predictions and new year’s six bowl game predictions while predicting every single conference winner.

American Athletic Conference:

The American Athletic Conference is most likely the best group-of-five conference in the FBS. They were home to the only undefeated team in the FBS last year with UCF going 13-0 overall. However, UCF will look a lot different without head coach Scott Frost, and defensive leader Shaquem Griffin. Houston will look to improve this year to what they were in 2015 when they beat Florida ST in the Peach Bowl. They will be bringing back defensive tackle, Ed Oliver, who is likely the best player in college football. Navy is always a team to look out for with their option run game being the best in college football. Teams like Memphis, USF, and Temple have slim chances to win the conference this upcoming year. UConn, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Tulsa, SMU, and Tulane will fight for a bowl game.

Standings:

East

  1. UCF*
  2. Temple
  3. USF
  4. UConn
  5. Cincinnati
  6. East Carolina

West

  1. Houston*
  2. Navy
  3. Memphis
  4. Tulsa
  5. SMU
  6. Tulane

Conference Title Game: UCF VS Houston

I believe that the American Athletic Conference title game will feature defending champs, UCF, and 2015 champs, Houston. UCF brings a high-powered offense into the game led by quarterback, Mckenzie Milton. Milton had over 4,000 passing yards for the knights last year while throwing 37 touchdowns and 9 INT. Houston enters with the best player in college football, Ed Oliver. It is unlikely that defensive tackle leads a team to the title game, but Oliver is just that good. I believe Houston will win this game 23-20 mostly because of Houston’s defense and the loss of Scott Frost for UCF.

ACC:

The ACC has claimed that it is the best conference in college football. They are home to powerhouse, Clemson, who will look to avenge their loss to Alabama last year, and win the National championship. Clemson has the second best odds to win the National championship, trailing only Alabama. Quarterback, Kelly Bryant, looks to improve from last year, while the entire front seven, excluding Dorian O’Daniel returns next season. Even though Virginia Tech has lost a lot of starters, they have a favorable schedule. They do not play Clemson, and play Miami very late in the season in Blacksburn. They are a sneaky team to make the ACC title game.

Other teams like Florida ST and Miami are expected to have big years with expectations being ACC title or bust. Boston College is probably the biggest dark horse in the entire FBS. They went on a surge late in the season beating Louisville 45-42, beating Florida ST 35-3, and Virginia 41-10. BC will bring back Heisman hopeful, A.J. Dillon, and most of their team from a year ago.

Standings:

Atlantic

  1. Clemson*
  2. Boston College
  3. Florida ST
  4. Louisville
  5. Wake Forest
  6. North Carolina ST
  7. Syracuse

Coastal

  1. Virginia Tech*
  2. Miami
  3. Georgia Tech
  4. Duke
  5. Virginia
  6. Pittsburgh
  7. North Carolina

Conference Title Game: Clemson VS Virginia Tech

This conference title game will be a rematch of the ACC championship from 2016. Clemson won that game 42-35 en route to a national championship. This Virginia Tech team is a lot worse than the one from 2016 though. With the high-powered offense and stacked front seven for Clemson, this game could get ugly. I believe Clemson will win by a score of 49-13 to advance to the college football playoff.

Big 12:

The Big 12 is a very interesting conference this year. Players like Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph were drafted into the NFL, so it will be fun to see how those teams fare without them. Texas will be looking to live up to high expectations under head coach Tom Herman, and win the conference for the first time since 2009. They were dissapointing last year under Herman, but they have a very solid recruiting class and have a chance of winning this conference. There are other recognizable teams in the Big 12 like West Virginia, Oklahoma, and TCU who will all also battle for a shot in the Big 12 title game. West Virginia has arguably the best QB in the whole country in Will Grier, while Oklahoma has to fill the void of Baker Mayfield.

Standings:

  1. Texas*
  2. West Virginia*
  3. Oklahoma
  4. TCU
  5. Iowa ST
  6. Kansas ST
  7. Oklahoma ST
  8. Texas Tech
  9. Baylor
  10. Kansas

Conference Title Game: West Virginia VS Texas

My prediction for the Big 12 conference title game is Tom Herman’s Longhorns versus Will Grier’s Mountaineers. Texas has a few things to work out on the offensive side of the ball, specifically at QB. However, their defense can compete with anyone in the Big 12, and Tom Herman is a mastermind at head coach. On the other hand, West Virginia will look to have the best offense in the country. I see this game leaning towards West Virginia, as Will Grier puts on a note-worthy performance. West Virginia beats Texas 31-28.

Big Ten:

The Big Ten seems to have the highest amount of quality teams this upcoming college football season. Michigan has disappointed under Jim Harbaugh, but they have always had a top defense, and now bring in Ole Miss transfer, Shea Patterson, at QB. Ohio ST is in a little bit of trouble with head coach Urban Meyer under investigation from the NCAA. They have probably the best team in the Big Ten talent-wise, but they have a dark-cloud hanging above them which could be a distraction. Penn ST loses Saquon Barkley, but brings back most of their team including Heisman candidate, Trace McSorley. Michigan ST brings a top defense to the table, and Rutgers look to finally show that they belong with a strong showing this season.

On the other side of the conference there is Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Purdue. Wisconsin got some love from the AP as they are ranked #4 to start the year which is their highest since 2000. They are bringing back almost their entire team including running back Jonathan Taylor and QB Alex Hornibrook. They also make the case for the best offensive line in the country. Purdue and Nebraska will look to fight it out for the second spot in the division. They both have some of the best head coaches in the nation in Scott Frost and Jeff Brohm.

Standings:

East

  1. Michigan*
  2. Ohio ST
  3. Penn ST
  4. Michigan ST
  5. Rutgers
  6. Indiana
  7. Maryland

West

  1. Wisconsin*
  2. Purdue
  3. Nebraska
  4. Northwestern
  5. Iowa
  6. Minnesota
  7. Illinois

Conference Title Game: Michigan VS Wisconsin

This title game will be the first for Michigan under the Jim Harbaugh era. They will look to finally overcome Ohio ST in the last game of the season since they have a legit QB in Shea Patterson. Michigan also brings in one of the best defenses with Rashan Gray holding down the d-line while Devin Bush continues to add to his defensive highlight reel. Wisconsin has all the makings of going undefeated in the regular season with most of their starters returning. I see this game being a defensive battle with Wisconsin running back being the deciding factor in a 24-17 win for the Badgers.

C-USA:

The C-USA has one of the most fun teams to watch in college football in FAU. Lane Kiffin has turned FAU into a group-of-five powerhouse, and they only look to get better. Running back Devin Singletary will look to lead the offense while the ball-hawking defense does what they do best. Marshall has a QB problem with the loss of Chase Litton. However, they still have many ways to win on both sides of the ball. The other side of the conference is razor thin with Louisiana Tech, UTSA, North Texas, UAB, and Southern Mississippi. Louisiana Tech brings in the best defense in the West division, but the running game will be a problem they will have to resolve.

Standings:

East

  1. FAU*
  2. Marshall
  3. Middle Tennessee
  4. Western Kentucky
  5. FIU
  6. Charlotte
  7. Old Dominion

West

  1. Louisiana Tech*
  2. UTSA
  3. North Texas
  4. UAB
  5. Southern Mississippi
  6. UTEP
  7. Rice

Conference Title Game: FAU VS Louisiana Tech

The C-USA conference title game will be a matchup between Louisiana Tech and defending champs, FAU. FAU is just so good under Lane Kiffin that it is hard to pick against them. They won last years C-USA championship by a score of 41-17 against North Texas, and will look to do the same here. I believe FAU beats Louisiana Tech 52-16.

Mid-American Conference:

The MAC has been one of the funnest conferences to watch in college football. They have most of their games early in the week which is a fun gimmick to have to get a wider audience than playing on Saturday with no coverage. This year will be very competitive in the MAC. Starting off with Northern Illinois they have the best offensive and defensive lines in the entire conference. However, they do lack in skill positions on offense. Toledo has seemed to be the powerhouse of this conference, but this year they will be without QB Logan Woodside, but they have a great wide receiver group.

Miami (OH), Ohio, Akron, and Buffalo will all battle for a spot in the title game. Ohio brings one of if not the best offenses in the MAC, but their defense is shaky. Miami is coming in with two QBs that can play right away, and James Gardner at wide receiver.

Standings:

East

  1. Miami (OH)*
  2. Ohio
  3. Akron
  4. Buffalo
  5. Kent ST
  6. Bowling Green

West

  1. Northern Illinois*
  2. Toledo
  3. Eastern Michigan
  4. Western Michigan
  5. Central Michigan
  6. Ball ST

Conference Title Game: Miami (OH) VS Northern Illinois

My prediction for the MAC title game is Northern Illinois versus Miami of Ohio. Northern Illinois have a glaring hole on offense, but defense is the reason they are in the title game. Miami is an offensive powerhouse which will be a nice contrast of styles in this game. I see Northern Illinois beating Miami 23-20 to claim their fourth conference title.

Mountain West Conference:

The Mountain West Conference is home to the best group-of-five team since the 2000s. Boise ST is the front-runner for a New Year’s Six Bowl with QB Brett Rypien and RB Alexander Mattison. They also have a great secondary, and a defensive line that is not far behind. Wyoming will have to deal with the loss of Josh Allen, but still bring back a great defense led by safety Andrew Wingard. San Diego ST is Boise ST’s biggest threat in the conference this year. They always produce great running backs, and it will be no different this year with Juwan Washington. The Aztecs also have the best o-line in the conference, and a great defense.

Standings:

Mountain

  1. Boise ST*
  2. Utah ST
  3. Colorado ST
  4. Wyoming
  5. New Mexico
  6. Air Force

West

  1. San Diego ST*
  2. Fresno ST
  3. Nevada
  4. Hawaii
  5. San Jose ST
  6. UNLV

Conference Title Game: Boise ST VS San Diego ST

This conference title game will be one of the best in Mountain West history. Both Boise ST and San Diego ST are group of five powerhouses, and have a legit shot in a New Year’s Six Bowl game. In the end, Boise ST’s defense will be able to stop San Diego ST’s running attack as the Broncos win 27-20.

Pac-12:

The Pac-12 is wide open this year. Washington is the favorites to win it all with no major holes for the Huskies. Their backfield is the best in the conference, and both offensive tackles are NFL-caliber. They also have one of the best defenses in the league even with the loss of Vita Vea, but there is not a lot to complain about. Oregon brings in what could be the first overall pick come 2019 in Justin Herbert, while Stanford brings back Heisman runner-up, Bryce Love. USC will bring a great defense, but will have to fill the Sam Darnold void with an 18 year-old QB. Utah is a team to look for as they have a high-powered offense led by QB Tyler Huntley, and a solid defense.

Standings:

North

  1. Washington*
  2. Oregon
  3. Stanford
  4. Washington ST
  5. California
  6. Oregon ST

South

  1. Utah*
  2. USC
  3. Arizona
  4. UCLA
  5. Arizona ST
  6. Colorado

Conference Title Game: Utah VS Washington

The Pac-12 conference title game looks to feature a great defense versus a great offense. A story as old as time as Washington will take on Utah. Washington at this time will be looking to get into the CFB playoffs with an emphatic win against the Utes. Utah’s up tempo offense is no match for the Huskies top defense as Washington wins 26-7.

SEC:

The SEC has long been the powerhouse conference in football. They even had two teams in the National Championship last year as Alabama beat Georgia in overtime. Georgia will look to repeat as SEC champions as Jake Fromm will enter his second year, and they have a loaded offense. Missouri really came into their own last year under potential top pick, QB Drew Lock. South Carolina has one of the best offenses in the conference, but defense could come back to bite them. The Gators look to rebound after an abysmal season as they bring in head coach Dan Mullen to reinvigorate their offense.

On the other side of the conference their is Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi ST, and LSU. Alabama has run the college football world for years, but they will have a tough decision to make at QB between Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Their defense will also be great as always. Their secondary is a cause of concern with the losses of Ronnie Harrison and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Auburn looks to beat Alabama again with returning QB, Jarrett Stidham. Their defensive line competes with the best in the country led by Derrick Brown.

Standings:

East

  1. Georgia*
  2. Missouri
  3. South Carolina
  4. Florida
  5. Kentucky
  6. Tennessee
  7. Vanderbilt

West

  1. Alabama*
  2. Auburn
  3. Mississippi ST
  4. LSU
  5. Texas A&M
  6. Arkansas
  7. Ole Miss (Ineligible for Postseason Play)

Conference Title Game: Alabama VS Georgia

The SEC title game looks to be a rematch of the 2017 National Championship between Georgia and Alabama. Alabama will enter this game without missing the playoffs so far since its induction. Meanwhile, Georgia will look to get revenge from the National Championship. In the end, I believe Georgia’s high-powered offense is enough to beat Alabama’s hard-nosed, gritty defense.

Sun Belt Conference:

The Sun Belt conference is probably the worst conference in the FBS in terms of depth. However, Appalachian ST, Arkansas ST, and Troy are no joke in the college football world. Appalachian ST has the best cornerback group in the entire group of five, and an offense led by running back, Jalin Moore. Troy will look to repeat as conference champs as they bring back their great defense from a year ago. Arkansas ST is hands down the best team in the Western division. The offense is one of the most fun in the nation led by QB Caleb Evans, but their defense won’t stop anyone.

Standings:

East

  1. Troy*
  2. Appalachian ST
  3. Georgia Southern
  4. Coastal Carolina
  5. Georgia ST

West

  1. Arkansas ST*
  2. South Alabama
  3. Louisiana
  4. Texas ST
  5. Louisiana-Monroe

Conference Title Game: Troy VS Arkansas ST

The Sun Belt title game will feature defensive-minded, Troy versus offensive minded Arkansas ST. I believe Troy’s defense will be too much for Arkansas ST to handle as they bring home their second consecutive Sun Belt title.

FBS Independents:

The FBS Independents feature nation-wide powerhouse, Notre Dame, and other bowl-worthy teams. Notre Dame will look to finally make the CFB playoff after many years. Their offense is led by Brandon Wimbush, with a great backup QB option in Ian Book. Their defense is some of the best in college football. They are strong at all three levels with Jerry Tillery on the d-line, Te’Von Coney at linebacker, and All-American Julian Love at corner. Another team to look for in the Independents is UMass Amherst. UMass played in 8 games that were decided by 8 points or less last year including almost upsetting Tennessee and Mississippi ST. Their offense is dangerously good led by QB Andrew Young, but they have a bad defense.

Standings:

  1. Notre Dame
  2. UMass Amherst
  3. New Mexico ST
  4. Army
  5. BYU
  6. Liberty

Top 25

At the end of the year I believe the Top 25 in college football will look like this:

  1. Georgia*
  2. Clemson*
  3. Wisconsin*
  4. Notre Dame*
  5. Alabama
  6. Washington
  7. Michigan
  8. West Virginia
  9. Auburn
  10. Texas
  11. Michigan ST
  12. USC
  13. Oklahoma
  14. Ohio ST
  15. Boston College
  16. Boise ST
  17. Florida ST
  18. Penn ST
  19. TCU
  20. Stanford
  21. Utah
  22. Miami
  23. Houston
  24. Virginia Tech
  25. Oregon

The four playoff teams for the upcoming season are SEC champions Georgia Bulldogs, ACC champions Clemson Tigers, Big Ten champions Wisconsin Badgers, and the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish from the Independents. This would mean that Alabama would not make the playoff for the first time ever. It also means that even though Washington and West Virginia won their conferences, they still do not make the playoffs.

Non-Playoff New Year’s Six Bowls:

Rose Bowl: #6, Washington VS #7, Michigan

The Rose Bowl will look to feature Pac-12 Champion Washington Huskies against Big Ten runner-ups, the Michigan Wolverines. Both of these teams are very balanced on both sides of the ball, but Washington’s defense will be too much to handle for Michigan’s offense as the Huskies win 30-17.

Sugar Bowl: #5, Alabama VS #8, West Virginia

Alabama will be playing in their first non-playoff New Year’s Six Bowl game since the playoffs were introduced. They will take on one of the best offenses in the country led by QB Will Grier. Overall, I believe Alabama will look to make a statement in this game by beating Big 12 champions by a score of 42-20.

Peach Bowl: #9, Auburn VS #10, Texas

The Peach Bowl will feature SEC powerhouse, Auburn versus Big 12 runner-up Texas. Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham is one of the best in the country as he takes on the best defense in the Big 12. I believe Auburn vs Texas will be one of the best bowl games as Auburn wins 43-42.

Fiesta Bowl: #11, Michigan ST VS #16, Boise ST

The Fiesta Bowl will feature Michigan ST vs Boise ST. These teams met once before where Michigan ST won 17-13 in 2012. Now they meet with a lot more on the line. Boise ST will look to place themselves at the top of the group-of-five college football world with a win while Michigan ST’s top defense tries to shut them down. I see this game going a lot like the last time these teams played as Michigan ST wins 21-17.

College Football Playoffs:

Cotton Bowl (CFP Semi-Final): #1, Georgia VS #4, Notre Dame

In the first playoff semi-final game, SEC champ, Georgia takes on FBS Independent Notre Dame. These teams met in a thriller in 2017 with Georgia edging out the win. This year is different as Notre Dame has improved a lot on defense, and Georgia has developed more on offense. I see this game going in Notre Dame’s favor with them winning 34-31, and advancing to the National Championship.

Orange Bowl (CFP Semi-Final): #2, Clemson VS #3, Wisconsin

In the second playoff semi-final game, ACC champ Clemson takes on Big Ten champ Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl. Clemson has made the CFB playoffs the last three years with them winning one under head coach Dabo Sweeney. This is Wisconsin’s first trip to the playoff as they are led by running back Jonathan Taylor. I believe this game will be won by Wisconsin due to their defensive ability, and ability to chew the clock with Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin beats Clemson 17-16 to advance to the National Championship to play Notre Dame.

National Championship: #3, Wisconsin VS #4, Notre Dame

The 2019 National Championship will feature Wisconsin against Notre Dame. Notre Dame is arguably the biggest brand in college football history, and Wisconsin will look to prove that they are the best in the country for the first time in their long history. This game is between two very evenly matched teams on both sides of the ball. Both QB’s are good, both o-lines are good, both defenses are good, so it will come down to a few key players for each team. I believe Notre Dame’s defense, specifically Te’Von Coney, will lead Notre Dame in stopping Jonathan Taylor en route to their first National Championship win since 1988. Notre Dame beats Wisconsin by a score of 22-19.

This will wrap up my college football season preview and predictions. A lot has changed as Ohio ST, Alabama, Washington, and Oklahoma did not make the playoffs, and Notre Dame finally won. Be sure to watch this upcoming college football season, and see how correct I am in my predictions.