Storyline: Here are my picks of the top five college football games of 2016.
College football is finally here! To celebrate, I’ve identified the biggest games to watch this year, including making predictions about who I think will win each contest.
Courtesy: outkickthecoverage.com
#1: November 5, Alabama at LSU: As far as crucial conference games go, there’s none more pivotal than when Alabama makes its all-important trip to Cajun Country on the first Saturday of November. If Saban and the Tide leave Baton Rouge with a victory, you can pretty much bet your last dollar that Alabama will win the division. But a loss will drop the Crimson Tide to third place. That’s because LSU will win the SEC West and upstart Arkansas will be right behind the Tigers. It’s very simple: the winner of this game will be in Atlanta on December 3 playing for the SEC crown.
Prediction: The crazy Cajuns will just be too much for Bama to take. LSU 21, Alabama 17.
Grayson Miller (44) celebrates MSU’s dramatic 2015 victory against Michigan (ABC7Chicago.com)
#2: October 29, Michigan at Michigan State: Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has probably had this date circled, starred, highlighted, and underlined on his calendar since October 17, 2015. Anybody who follows a lick of college football knows what happened on that date. Michigan led the entire game and had a 23-21 lead—and the ball—with just 10 seconds to play. The Wolverine punt team just had to boot the ball down the field. But punter Blake O’Neill bobbled the snap and Spartan DB Jalen Watts-Jackson took it 38 yards to the house for the improbable victory in a play now known as “The Big House’ Blunder.” Just this revenge factor alone is reason enough to tune-in to this game. But there’s more. The teams will meet in East Lansing this year in a game with the Big Ten East implications at stake. The game is especially important for Michigan, as the Wolverines will face the Spartans right before a crucial stretch that includes road games at Iowa and hated rival, OSU. Harbaugh and his team need something to give them momentum for what could be a brutal November.
Prediction: Michigan will take the Paul Bunyan Trophy back to Ann Arbor. Michigan 31, Michigan State 27.
Courtesy: FSU
#3: October 29, Clemson at Florida State: The matchup in Tallahassee will be the most interesting game, by far, in the ACC this season. It will pit one of the ACC’s most explosive offenses (Clemson) against one of the conference’s most stifling defenses (FSU). The game is extremely crucial for both teams, too, as the SOS for both teams is low in the month of November. The toughest game for either team will be when FSU hosts overrated SEC rival, Florida. So there won’t be very many opportunities to impress the Football Playoff Committee after this game. And if both Clemson and Florida State take care of a pesky Louisville, then this game’s level of importance will skyrocket: a trip to Charlotte in December for the ACC title will be at stake.
Prediction: The war chants from Seminole fans won’t faze Deshaun Watson and the Tigers. Clemson 24, Florida State 21.
Courtesy: FoxSports
#4: October 15, Alabama at Tennessee: The Vols led almost the entire game last year in Tuscaloosa, only to see an upset bid squandered by the Tide’s fourth quarter rally. Well, this year Butch Jones and the Vols will get revenge on the defending SEC and national champs. While Alabama lost its biggest playmakers in Derrick Henry and Jake Coker, the Volunteers return several starters, including versatile QB Joshua Dobbs and explosive RB Jalen Hurd. Tennessee is no longer “young brother’ in this rivalry. The Volunteers are just as good—if not better—than Bama this season. The Crimson Tide have never lost in “the third Saturday in October” under Saban. But, hey, there’s always a first for everything.
Prediction: A sea of gaudy orange will happily sing the most annoying fight song in the history of the sport, “Rocky Top.” Tennessee 17, Alabama 14.
Courtesy: USAToday
#5: September 17, Ohio State at Oklahoma: Even though this game comes in at #5 overall, it’s definitely the top non-conference game of 2016. The Sooners and Buckeyes will play each other in a game that seems fit for a BCS stadium on New Year’s Eve—rather than in Norman on a mid-September night. The teams are currently ranked number #3 and #6 in the AP poll, respectively. The game is going to be an epic QB battle between the Sooners’ Baker Mayfield and the Buckeyes’ J.T. Barrett. Mayfield had a breakout season last year, completing 269-of-395 passes for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns, while tossing just seven INTs. Mayfield also finished fourth in the Heisman voting. Barrett also has Heisman mentality in him. The redshirt junior was in Heisman talks during the 2014 season before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the home finale versus Michigan. He had respectable numbers last year, too, completing 93-of-147 passes for 992 yards. Barrett just may have a remarkable season just like he had in 2014.
Prediction: Mayfield and the Sooners will outduel the Buckeyes in a good ole’ fashioned shootout in The Sooner State. Oklahoma 42, Ohio State 35.
