By: Mike Huesmann
Can Ryan Day beat Michigan? Yes
I believe this is the year it happens. The Buckeyes roster is loaded, they return ample talent, filled holes through the portal and look to be a Top 2 team entering the season. Michigan will be – by their standards – down a bit, but how can they not be after last year and what they lost in terms of players and coaches? I expect Ohio State to beat Michigan and be a playoff team.
Can Dabo adapt to the portal era? No
Clemson was one of four FCS teams to not add a player via the transfer portal this offseason. The other three, you might ask? Army, Navy and Air Force. This shows a lack of ability to modernize and grasp the way roster acquisition happens today. If Dabo were going to succeed in this area, he’d have done it by now. Clemson may still succeed in the ACC, but this is a hindrance not admirable for doing it the traditional way.
Can James Franklin beat a blue blood? Yes
But … that’s not saying he will. I don’t think PSU beats Ohio State. They don’t play Michigan this year. They do go on the road to Southern Cal, who have been a historical blue blood but have hardly lived up to it in the Lincoln Riley years. The Nittany Lions may have to make the CFP to beat a blue blood, which they have the roster to do.
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Billy Napier will keep his job? No
I do expect Florida to be better this year, but not win the 8-9 games it might take for Billy to keep his job. There isn’t a more difficult schedule in America – it’s an absolute gauntlet. I think Napier is a good coach – he was awesome at ULL – but he has not performed for the Gators. Expectations may have been too high considering the schedule, but at Florida you need to do better than what he has. The Jaden Rashada lawsuit could only complicate things.
Will Colorado be better this season? Yes
Colorado went 4-8 last year in Deion’s first season. Despite the backlash, that was a significant improvement over the 2022 season where they went 1-11. I expect realistic growth and marginal improvements, but a season of more wins than last year. Qualifying for a bowl game should be the goal, it certainly could happen.
Iowa’s offense will be better this season? No
Kirk Ferentz doesn’t need us to tell him the offense is bad. He knows. He’s also alright with it because minimizing offensive risk and playing elite defense and special teams got them to double-digit wins last year and two Big Ten West titles in a row. I wasn’t a fan of the Tim Lester hire at offensive coordinator, but regardless of who it was they won’t take the training wheels off. Ferentz will win his 200th game this season. Very few coaches have done that.
LSU’s defense will be better this season? Yes
I was a fan of the Blake Baker hire at DC. He did a solid job at Mizzou, knows the conference well and the talent should be there. Harold Perkins not being played out of position like he was last year will go a long ways toward helping this. Letting him play on the edge and wreak havoc on opposing QBs is what he’s best at, not having to drop in coverage like traditional OLBs.
Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss will be a Playoff team? Yes
If you’re an SEC or Big Ten team, nine wins gets you in the playoff. I think Ole Miss gets to that number this year. No divisions mean they don’t play Alabama. While they do have Georgia, the rest of the schedule is manageable considering the conference. This team is elite on paper, filled gaps well in the portal and looks tough in both trenches.
TCU gets their 2022 form back after a disappointing 2023? No
The schedule is doing them no favors. With nine conference games, the Frogs will play Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Arizona. That’s probably four of the top five preseason teams. A non-conference rivalry game against SMU is no walkover either. They might be better than the 5-7 of last year, but I don’t see Sonny Dykes repeating 2022.
A first-year head coach will be a conference champion? Yes
I think Jon Sumrall was a great hire for Tulane and I’d pick them to win the AAC right now. The conference lost SMU and Sumrall inherited a good situation from Willie Fritz. Brent Brennan at Arizona also has a fighting chance here, though I don’t know if I’d bet on the Wildcats today. Alabama fans might scoff at me for not including them, but I am not picking them to win the SEC this year.
Always good to visit with @GroupOfFiveGuys
🌊 🏈 https://t.co/DbE92grqDf— Jon Sumrall (@CoachJonSumrall) May 14, 2024
