Six meetings have been scheduled to play elementary school football this fall, and a series of playoffs is underway for January.
Making predictions for a most unpredictable season is a challenge, but everything in football is more complicated than usual.
And, really, even in general circumstances, predicting what will happen in a school football season is a futile exercise. Except for choosing Clemson to win the Atlantic Coast Conference. It’s pretty simple.
Some other possible options as the season progresses:
TOP 25
Let’s start with the rankings. In past seasons, we chose 3 groups that started the season ranked in the top 25 pre-season APs that would be outdoors in the final standings. We also predicted 3 outdoor groups in the Top 25 at the start that eventually be classified.
It’s more complicated this season because the Top 25 preseason included groups playing in the fall. When the first Top 25 of the regular season comes out on Sunday, the Big Ten, Pac-12, Mid-American Conference and Mountain West groups will. not be eligible for votes. With 40% of the FBS out of play, there will be groups ranked this season that would not have been successful in a general year.
That said, 3 groups that might not live up to their preseason expectations: No. 6 LSU, No. 15 Oklahoma State, and No. 18 North Carolina.
Three that will be bigger than expected: Kentucky (got 20 problems in the Top 25 preseason), SMU (3 issues); Pittsburgh (0 numbers).
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
ACC – Clemson in Miami. Eriq King’s quarterback brings the new Hurricane offensive to life, but for the sixth consecutive season, the Tigers are on top.
American Athletic Conference – UCF in Cincinnati. The American has never had a better chance of pushing a team into the playoffs, but the intensity of the league can make it harder for the champion to come out unscathed.
12 Grands: Texas in Oklahoma. The Sooners have won back-to-back titles of the 12 grand, but it turns out Texas has returned to communicate a year earlier.
United States Conference – Western Kentucky at UAB. The two defensive groups of the convention are betting on the title.
Southeastern Conference – Alabama in Georgia. This will be the two-game game for Crimson Tide and Bulldogs. It’s a tidal sweep.
Sun Belt – Louisiana in appalachian state. Ragin’Cajuns and Mountaineers made three consecutive appearances on Sun Belt. App State the first two.
HEISMAN TROPHY
The two-way race between Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields went out the window when the Big Ten postponed the game. Maybe the Big Ten will return to the game early enough for Fields to be considered? Or is Heisman’s vote suspended until everyone plays?
For now, let’s move on to what we know.
Clemson’s dominance worked against Lawrence and teammate Travis Etienne in Heisman’s vote last year, however, the ACC can provide more challenging demanding situations by 2020, adding Notre Dame. The quarterback will have more credits for shining with an organization of talented but untested pass recipients.
Heisman’s five most sensible selections:
Lawrence
Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
D’Eriq King, QB, Miami
Dillon Gabriel, QB, UCF
COACHING CARRUSEL
We were all ready to say that coaches were in danger of getting a mulligan this season, as schools struggle with exhausted earning streams. Then Southern Mississippi broke away from tactics with coach Jay Hopson after the first game.
It’s more than likely to be an anomaly. The economic recession will lessen the appetite for paying giant buybacks. For a coach like Will Muschamp of South Carolina, what is a decisive season is much less likely to unfold that way.
SIX BOWL / NEW YEAR’S PLAYOFF
Not involving two Power Five meetings can be a blessing for the 3 Group of Five meetings that are still ongoing. The top-ranked Group of Five champion is still guaranteed a place in a New Year’s Six match. Can the shortage of groups open the door?Or take the first player in the G5 playoffs?
Orange Bowl – Miami vs. Georgia.
Peach Bowl – Florida vs. Louisiana.
Cotton bowl – Texas A
Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma Notre Dame.
Rose Bowl Semi-Finals – Clemson No. 2 vs. No. Texas.
Sugar Bowl Semi-Finals – No. 1 Alabama vs. No. Ucf.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
In a season of uncertainty, move on with things Alabama vs. Nick Saban’s national name, six with The Tide.
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Follow Ralph D. Russo on https://twitter. com/ralphDrussoAP and pay attention to http://www. westwoodonepodcasts. com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/
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More advanced school football: https://apnews. com/Collegefootball and https://twitter. com/AP_Top25