BIG 12: Conference champion Kansas State, runnerup Texas Tech Call me crazy because I might possibly be, but I had Kansas State as my conference champion before their week zero loss to Iowa State and I’m sticking with it. I believe in the Wildcats Head Coach Chris Klieman; he seems to always field a good defense and have this team in Big 12 Championship contention. Along with that, junior quarterback Avery Johnson is surrounded by experience at the offensive skill positions. This team can run the table and redeem their opening loss with a Big 12 championship and a CFP spot. Now as far as Texas Tech is concerned, there’s also a lot to like but the reason I didn’t pick them is the unknowns surrounding the Red Raiders. With the top-rated transfer portal class, the roster is now loaded with talent at every position. The question is, how it will come together on the field? Head Coach Joey McGuire referenced in a press conference this week that this is as close of a group as he’s ever had and that team chemistry is as high as ever, and I’ll take his word for it. They have an elite senior quarterback in Behren Morton and immense roster depth, which leads me to believe they’ll compete for a Big 12 championship and maybe even a playoff spot.
SEC: Conference champion Texas Longhorns, runner-up Alabama Crimson Tide I’m about as bought in on Texas and Alabama as anybody. I greatly respect the culture and turnaround that Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian has built and orchestrated. They’ve made the playoffs two straight seasons and yet, Sarkisian has said multiple times that the program has been building towards this year. Texas not only returns a significant portion of their team full of impact players, but Arch Manning now takes the reins. Some people think it’s all hype and a last name, but I believe the highly touted prospect’s ability elevates Texas from national title contenders to national title favorites. Alabama may not have Arch, but they do have one of the best coaches in the country in Kalen DeBoer and a Heisman trophy favorite in sophomore wide receiver Ryan Williams. Coming into his second season, DeBoer has now been able to establish his own culture, rules and roster. In a transition year last season, he still won nine games and beat the SEC champion head-to-head, so the man knows how to coach. If you look at his coaching resume, it’s impossible to believe that he can’t turn a team with Alabama’s talent level into a championship favorite. His coaching philosophies equal winning football, and with players like Ryan Williams, who’s arguably college football’s best receiver, I foresee a big year. The only reason I gave Texas the slight advantage is the difference in quarterback capabilities. Junior Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is obviously skilled as a former five-star recruit, but he doesn’t bring the running ability dynamic like Arch.
BIG 10: Conference champion Penn State, runner-up Ohio State Truthfully, I was extremely hesitant to pick Penn State. They’ve consistently shown the inability to win the big games against teams with equal talent. Whether that be in head-to-head matchups with Ohio State, Michigan, or in the Big 10 Championship, or specifically against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal last season. But if you watched Penn State last year, you know they could’ve easily come out on top of all three of their losses. That team almost went to the National Championship in 2024 and now they return most of those players. They also added great receivers via the transfer portal, eliminating what was a weak point last year. Senior quarterback Drew Allar will be one of CFB’s best, and he can thrive in the pass game as teams target the dominant running back duo of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. And the Nittany Lions who always have a great defense, improved, adding arguably the best Defensive Coordinator in the country, Jim Knowles, from Ohio State. All of this goes to say, they can win the Big 10 and the National Championship. It was hard to put the reigning National Champions as the conference runners-up, but Ohio State is starting sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin, who’s a first-time starter. Along with that, they lost Knowles defensively. But to counter both of those things, they did lack an elite quarterback last season and still went on to win it all, and even without Knowles, Head Coach Ryan Day has always fielded elite defensive units. The reason I’m so high on the Buckeyes though is the fact they have maybe the two best players in the country in sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and junior safety Caleb Downs. Smith is a generational talent and can single-handled shred defenses, while Downs ability to cover and fit the run is the best in the country at his position. Combine them with the never-ending roster of talent and an elite Head Coach, and Ohio State is certain to contend this season.
ACC: Conference champion Clemson, runner-up Georgia Tech There is so much to like about Clemson as this season approaches, starting with their senior quarterback Cade Klubnik being a Heisman favorite. Klubnik had an awesome 2024 statistically and he consistently showed up in the big games, which gives me confidence in his ability to take Clemson far this year. The team around him is also a huge factor in my belief because Clemson probably has the best receiving core and defensive line in all of college football. They also legitimately utilized the transfer portal for the first time in program history. The Tigers should not only win the ACC but also make a serious run at the National Championship, the only downside I’m hearing about them is a potential lack of depth in comparison to some of the other contenders. I think Georgia Tech will give Clemson a run for their money in the ACC though and just maybe even earn a playoff spot regardless of a conference championship or not. Head coach Brent Key is coming off a season where his team upset two top 10 ranked teams and almost took down the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs in a game that went to eight overtimes. They went 7-6, but all their losses were to teams that were ranked nationally at some point in the season, and notably all but one was a close loss. The Yellow Jackets return pivotal pieces from last season this year in senior quarterback Haynes King, along with their leading rusher and second leading receiver last season in senior running back Jamal Haynes and senior wide receiver Malik Rutherford. They also acquired bunches of talent in the transfer portal, which leads me to believe that Coach Key will have his squad competing for an ACC Championship.