This article covers predicted College Football top 5 games to watch and top 5 upsets. Labor Day is right around the corner and that means college football is starting. Time to get into a weekly cadence of highlighting the best games to watch. Also determining the potential upsets lurking below the radar. Hard part about doing this exercise in 2021, is trying to determine if any of the 2020 trends will continue. 2020 was the season of partial team schedules due to Covid-19 impacts, all players getting an extra year of eligibility and transferring schools without having to sit one season.
2020 Season Recap
Alabama defeated Ohio State 52-24 in the national championship game held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Nick Saban has now won seven national titles during his college coaching career. Clemson and Notre Dame were the other participating schools in the four team college football playoff. Twenty six bowl games were played and thirteen cancelled due to the pandemic. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide won the Heisman Trophy with 117 receptions, 1856 yards and 23 touchdowns.
2021 Off-Season News and Notes
Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns were formally approved to join the SEC starting play in 2025. This seismic shift in college football power conferences caused the ACC, Big Ten and PAC-12 to form an “alliance” that will shake out scheduling details and bowl game commitments prior to the 2025 season. The new alliance will focus on football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. Jim Harbaugh took a pay cut to remain the head coach at the University of Michigan and he’s officially on the daily hot seat.
College Football Top 5 Games to Watch
5. Penn State vs. Wisconsin
Early kickoff (12:00 PM EDT) on 9/4/21 from Madison, Wisconsin. Both teams historically start seasons strong and the victor will have a leg up in their respective Big Ten division race. If karma intervenes, both teams could have a rematch in the Big Ten Championship game on 12/4/21. The Badger student section will definitely be jumping around on cue before the fourth quarter starts.
Prediction: Wisconsin wins by 6 points and quietly marches towards another Big Ten West division title
4. LSU vs. UCLA
SEC vs. PAC-12 matchup should be a cake walk for the Bayou Tigers, but Chip Kelly might have a decent team in Westwood, CA this season. Late kickoff (8:30 PM EDT) on 9/4/21 allows all television viewers to see a beautiful sunset at the Rose Bowl stadium.
Prediction: Game is close into the fourth quarter and then LSU wins by 14 points
3. Notre Dame vs. Florida State
Hard to believe its been 28 years since ESPN College Gameday road broadcast from the Notre Dame athletic hall. Lee Corso incorrectly picked Charlie Ward and the #1 ranked Seminoles. Times have changed, but this matchup always delivers an entertaining game. Notre Dame returns to independent status in 2021 and Florida State is still in shambles as a program. Lack of QB talent and team depth is a bad recipe for the Seminoles opening weekend.
Prediction: Game isn’t close in the third quarter and Notre Dame rolls to a 17 point win
2. Alabama vs. Miami
SEC vs. ACC is typically a mismatch unless Clemson is playing. Alabama comes into this game sky high after winning the 2020 national title and reloading with talent at every position. Miami hasn’t been a competitive team since the 2017 season, but they do have a senior QB (D’Eriq King). Mid-day kickoff (3:30 PM EDT) on 9/4/21 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. Has become a home away from home stadium for Alabama since the 2008 season, with the Tide winning ten consecutive neutral-site season openers.
Prediction: Alabama will be 11-0 in neutral site season openers, winning by 21 points or more and all of their QBs will get some playing time
1. Georgia vs. Clemson
Pre-season #5 vs. #3 in Charlotte, NC. Another SEC vs. ACC matchup, but this game should be hard hitting and close scoring for sixty minutes. Hard to pick against Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff, but the SEC seems to have the ACC’s number in early season games. This game will most likely come down to special teams play and which team makes the fewest mistakes.
Prediction: Georgia wins by three points and all college football talking heads will discuss two SEC teams being in the college football playoff yet again
College Football Top 5 Upsets that might happen
5. Northern Colorado vs. Colorado
Buff fans have tried to forget the home game played on 9/2/06 against Montana State in Boulder. Montana State won 19-10 and was a 1-AA team brought in to fill a twelve game schedule. The Buffs program never recovered from that loss, until a breakout season in 2016 that now seems like an outlier. Northern Colorado is from the same conference as Montana State (Big Sky). Game will also be the Eddie McCaffrey family reunion, with his son Dylan starting at QB for UNC. To quote the best line from Star Wars, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this game.”
4. North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
Tarheels were a feel good story going 8-4 in 2020, during Mack Brown’s second season in Chapel Hill, NC. Most fans forget that Texas A&M ran a clinic on them in the Orange Bowl and lost 41-27. The Hokies have been up and down under Justin Fuente since Frank Beamer retired after the 2015 season. 2020 was a throw away season due to going 5-6. Home crowd advantage at Lane Field in Blacksburg, VA will be felt during this game. Hokies have a chance to be a special team in 2021.
3. Michigan State vs. Northwestern
Spartans have a modest two game winning streak against the Wildcats. A new coach (Mel Tucker) with SEC and Pac-12 ties may have just enough trick plays to hang with an underrated coach (Pat Fitzgerald). This game will look like a Big Ten game played in the winter, with a ton of running plays and some crossing patterns to the TEs. Time for the Spartans to get some lucky breaks on the road.
2. Louisiana vs. Texas
Ragin’ Cajuns are a solid and talented football team that has bought into their head coach’s plan (Billy Napier). Longhorns typically start every season slowly due to the sheer amount of turnover with their head coach. Steve Sarkisian is the latest candidate in Austin, TX and I’m just not convinced he’s the guy to turn around a big name program that has fallen behind in the Big 12. This should be a high scoring game and if its close in the fourth quarter, do not change the channel.
1. Boise State vs. UCF
The little engine that could program of the early 2000s (Boise State) travels to play the little engine that could program of the late 2010s (UCF) on 9/2/21. Should be an even matchup on the field and will highlight an up and coming head coach (Andy Avalos) and an established coach (Gus Malzhan). Have a gut feeling the Broncos will play hard under a rising moon in Florida and will keep the score close.
Same bat time, same bat channel next week. I’ll review the results of College Football Top 5 week #1 and try again in week #2.
Never walk away from the table when you’re on a heater in Vegas!
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