2021 College Football Preview
Here is my thoughts on how the college football season will unfold, including rankings, award predictions and more
My College Football Top 25 Rankings:
1. Ohio State
2. Alabama
3. Clemson
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
6. Notre Dame
7. Florida
8. Cincinnati
9. USC
10. Miami
11. Texas
12. Indiana
13. Oregon
14. Iowa State
15. Texas A&M
16. UNC
17. Penn State
18. Washington
19. Wisconsin
20. Michigan
21. Coastal Carolina
22. Liberty
23. Louisiana
24. UCF
25. LSU
Just Missed the Cut: Arizona State, Oklahoma State, UCLA, Kent State, Marshall, Iowa, Utah, Auburn, Ole Miss, Ball State
Heisman Watch:
1. D.J. Uiagalelei
2. Spencer Rattler
3. C.J. Stroud
4. Bryce Young
5. Casey Thompson
6. J.T. Daniels
7. Malik Willis
8. Breece Hall
9. Kedon Slovis
10. Dustin Crum
11. Kayvon Thibodeaux
12. Chris Olave
13. Justyn Ross
14. Bijan Robinson
15. Desmond Ridder
—Let me explain my reasoning: I think Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei is in the best position to win the Heisman going into week zero. IF they beat Georgia in week 1, it will be extremely hard to usurp him as the Heisman leader because Clemson has one of the easiest schedules in college football, which will allow him to put up monster numbers, but he might not even need to play the last quarter in most games if they are blowing out the cupcakes on their schedule.
I don’t think Clemson will be close to as good as last year, but they are still the 3rd best team in my opinion. Their running game is in good hands with stud freshman all-purpose back Will Shipley. They do get Justyn Ross back, that will be huge. One thing that DJU needs to work on is his ability to control the pace of the game, which he struggled with against Notre Dame and Boston College. But that will easily come with time, he’s only started two games. His upside is scary. That is why I am picking him to win the Heisman Trophy.
Making the top 4 on this list was easy, those will probably be the consensus top 4 in the race for most of the season. (I hope to roll out weekly rankings and award predictions.) It was choosing 5 and 6 that were hard decisions.
*Casey Thompson is my Heisman Darkhorse this year. I have him finishing fifth, but I could easily see him being higher if he breaks out like I think he will. I know it was just a bowl game against Colorado, but he and Bijan Robinson lit them up. The tools are there. Playing for a team that might lose a few games will hurt him though. Not many people trust new Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian, but after seeing what he did with Mac Jones, I am confident Casey Thompson will have a breakout year. He has some solid playmakers around him and Bijan is such a good all-purpose back*
I’m not just saying this because I go to Kent State, but QB Dustin Crum is in store for a huge season. I think he has a decent chance to be in the top 10 (towards the back end) of the Heisman voting, as he will throw for gaudy numbers in Sean Lewis’ FlashFast offense, which was ranked no. 1 in points per game and yards in last year’s COVID shortened season. The KSU offense will be great again and should be near the top in the same metrics. Sean Lewis just got rewarded with a contract extension for his work in turning around the Kent State football program. With the way things are trending, he is likely going to get poached by a power-five school sometime within the next two or three years because he is such a good coach.
CFP PREDICTIONS:
(1) Ohio State 38 - (4) Oklahoma 31
(2) Alabama 42 - (3) Clemson 28
Championship Prediction: Ohio State beats Alabama 45-38
I am confident that Ohio State and Alabama are going to meet again in the CFP Championship Game. This time the teams will be more equal. I will never get over Trey Sermon getting hurt on the first drive last year, that’s a large reason the score looked so out of hand. With Sermon, we would have been able to run better and control the game easier, which we could not do with Master Teague. I’m not saying Ohio State would have won, but the score would have been way closer. Yes, I know DeVonta Smith torched THE worst defensive scheme I’ve seen touch a football field for 215 yards in the first half, but the final score was not as lopsided as people think it was. It was 38-24 before Alabama scored 2 touchdowns in the 4th to pull away.
This year, OSU and Bama are easily the most talented teams, but they are both going to be starting QB’s with no real experience (Stroud and Young). I have faith that both will finish top 5 in the Heisman voting because all they have to do is get the ball out quickly and efficiently. One of them could very well win it, whoever’s team has the better offense.
Last year, Bama easily had the most talented team. Things are different this year. That title belongs to Ohio State. Yes, Bama will be the preseason #1 in every poll but they lost Jones, Smith, Waddle and Najee. That production will be impossible to replace. They were the 2nd best offense of all time behind the Joe Burrow LSU team. John Metchie is the next man up, he is a top five WR in college football. But other than him, the Tide don’t have a proven star #2 yet. (I think Agiye Hall will be that guy). Slade Bolden is solid.
The reason I think the Buckeyes will win the championship is because they have the most talent returning. They have the best receiver room and the best offensive line in the country. CJ Stroud just has to come in, do his thing and they will be just fine. He just has to be efficient. Stroud will be named the starter sometime in the next week or so. Day has said that “it will take a village to win it this year.” The Buckeyes always embrace the next man up mentality. They will be fine whoever is leading the team, whether that’s CJ, Kyle McCord or god forbid Quinn Ewers (99.99% chance he won’t play).
The OSU defense is already significantly better than last years, it would be hard to be worse honestly. It starts with the trenches, that is how you dominate games. The defensive line is downright scary. They haven’t had this much talent since 2019 and we only got to see Chase Young and Nick Bosa for a few snaps together. Trying to block Tyreke Smith, JTT, Jack Sawyer and Zach Harrison will be next to impossible. Haskell Garrett is one of the best defensive tackles in the country, the Buckeyes are lucky to have a guy like him with all that he has been through, he deserves to get the Block O Jersey. The OSU linebackers will be much better. Kourt Williams is a name I keep hearing, DC Kerry Coombs said he is the most “diligent” player he’s been around, that is saying something. Lathan Ransom will step up at Safety. Ryan Watts is who I am most excited about in the CB room. Cam Brown is back, he got hurt in the Penn State game last year, he is a very good starting cornerback. The Buckeye defense will be a strength of the team once again and that is a large part of why I think they are the best team going into the season.
Sleeper teams to watch out for:
Texas — They have to start off the year with a win against Louisiana, but that will be no easy task considering they are arguably the top Group of Five team. They should be able to win that, I couldn’t imagine how their fanbase would feel about Sarkisian if he lost his first game. Personally, I think Texas will be 11-1 with their only loss being a close one to Oklahoma, that game is basically a coin flip. They do play Iowa State and Arkansas, those will be their other toughest games, but I think they win those. I believe Casey Thompson will breakout and finish in the top 10 of the Heisman. The combo of him and Bijan Robinson will prove to be very dynamic.
UCLA — They are on the come up. I am expecting a breakout year from Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The UCLA defense has some solid players that can make plays, they are led by Qwuantrezz Knight. I looked at their schedule and I expect 7 or 8 wins, which would be a great season. They do play LSU on September 4, but that game is very winnable with Myles Brennan being out. If they win that, then they will ride that momentum into 7+ wins. Fourth-year HC Chip Kelly has to make a bowl game this year and I think he will behind the play of DTR. They do have a very tough schedule as they play USC, LSU, Oregon and Washington.
Michigan — I am confident they will look much better than last year. Cade McNamara is probably going to look like the best QB of the Harbaugh era and that bodes well for them. If they beat Washington in week 2, which I think they will, then their hype train will start rolling. They do play Wisconsin, Indiana and Penn State and those will be tough tests, but if they can get through those three unscathed, then I say Harbaugh’s extension was worth it. I am predicting a 10-2 season, with the only losses to OSU and Wisconsin (they should be able to beat the Badgers but Harbaugh always drops a game he shouldn’t).
Florida — The Gators went 8-4 last year despite having one of the best offenses. I think they will be better than that this year. Don’t sleep on Emory Jones, his running ability will allow them to control games better than with Kyle Trask back there. And they got Clemson transfer RB Demarkcus Bowman, they will have a much improved run game with him and Jones back there. Their defense was always gassed last year. They have the players to be good, but we’ll just have to wait to see if they can put it together, last year was just filled with so many mistakes. They do play Bama on Sept. 18, which will likely be a loss, but of all year’s this game is the most winnable. They also face LSU, Georgia and Florida State but I think they will win at least 2 of those three. I see a solid 10-2 season for Florida with tough losses to Georgia and Alabama.
Boston College — Phil Jurkovec is that guy, his poise in the pocket is mesmerizing. Looking at their very favorable schedule, I see 8 or 9 wins. 2nd year HC Jeff Hafley is already turning the program around. A defensive minded head coach who has a QB with has the tools to become a first round pick seems like a recipe for success.
Arizona State — I am a huge fan of Jayden Daniels, he is dynamite. They have such an easy schedule this year, the only teams I can see them losing to are USC and Washington and maybe UCLA. So they should be 9-3 at worst or 10-2. It’s a bummer that they are under investigation for recruiting violations, I really would love to see them great again. Herm is building something and I hope he won’t get fired because of the cloud of smoke around the program right now. Jayden Daniels is a first round talent, it pops off the screen.
Georgia Tech — I am a huge Jeff Sims fan. Although I find it hard to see them winning more than 7 games with the tough schedule they have, they will be much improved. Last year they made huge strides with the product on the field and they will only get better.
Liberty — As long as Hugh Freeze and Malik Willis are at Liberty, they will be great. I think Malik Willis will be a top 10 pick in the next draft, he has one of the strongest arms in CFB and is already the best running QB in the nation. They do play Louisiana and Syracuse, those will be tough games, but they can easily end up running the table. Sadly, there’s a really good chance they actually go undefeated and miss the playoff. I think that’s what happens.
Georgia — I have to put Georgia on this list because they have such a good chance of making the CFP. They essentially just have to beat Clemson or Bama and they will probably be in the playoff. If they beat Clemson in week 1 then their odds to make the CFP will skyrocket and they would likely be able to afford a loss to Bama in the SEC Title Game. But they also still have to play Florida and Auburn. It’s honestly hard for me to see them missing the playoffs. It’s championship(s) or bust for Georgia. I see them going 11-1 then losing to Bama in the SEC Title Game.
Kent State — The Golden Flashes are returning a large portion of their number 1 ranked offense last year. Dustin Crum is in store for a massive season. The KSU defense was the issue last year (I will never get over Jarrett Patterson going for 400+ and 8 TD’s). They should be much better this year on that side. KSU has a grueling out of conference schedule as they open the year with Texas A&M, then they play at Maryland and at Iowa (nothing tougher in sports than a night game at Kinnick Stadium. I know that feeling all too well as an OSU fan). I think they will probably drop those three, but the latter two are winnable, the Aggies also won’t be as good as last year so that could be closer than some might think. Kent State is in a really good spot to win the MAC this year and they are the favorites, I think they will get it done. If the Flashes keep doing so well, which I think they will, HC Sean Lewis won’t be in Kent much longer.
Marshall — They started out 7-0 last year before falling apart in the last few games. I loved what I saw from freshman QB Grant Wells. I think he breaks out this year under former Bama assistant Charles Huff, who was one of their best recruiters. They have a really easy schedule on paper, no marquee top 25 teams. Their hardest game will be App State. There’s a really good chance they go 11-1 or 12-0 and end up ranked for the majority of the season.
HM: Utah, Coastal Carolina, Miami (the hype will be insane if they beat Bama)
Teams who are getting too much hype:
Iowa State — Let me just say that nobody is doing as impressive a coaching job as Matt Campbell, well maybe Indiana’s Tom Allen. I just think Iowa State won’t be as good as they were last year. They do have a very favorable schedule but I don’t see them beating Oklahoma again or Texas for that matter. Iowa will be a tough test but they should win that. I see a 10-2 or 9-3 season, which is still good but they have Big 12 title aspirations now. Breece Hall is one of the best backs in the country. They will be good, but I think the hype they are getting is just too much, they are not a top 10 team in my opinion. But Campbell has truly built a 5-star culture.
Texas A&M — There is zero chance the Aggies are as good as they were last year (I always thought they were fake good, any team in the top 15 would have beat them). They will be starting a new QB and they will see major growing pains. Jimbo is a great coach but that can only take them so far. They do have a great defensive line and Isaiah Spiller is one of the best RB’s in the SEC/the whole country, but they lack star power at QB and WR. I see an 8-4 season. They open the year with Kent State, which will actually be a great barometer to see how good they are. If they struggle then they are not a top 25 team but if they blow them out then they are.
Indiana — There is no way Indiana can be as good as they were last year. They had the best performing secondary and overall defense. They should be top 10 again. They better hope Penix stays healthy. Tom Allen will always have these boys ready to go to war. They do get to host Cincinnati and Ohio State, so that’s huge for them but both of those teams are better than Indiana in my opinion. But I still think Indiana is a top 20 team. I just have them going 9-3 or 8-4 with the toughness of their schedule. They play Cinci, OSU, Michigan, Iowa and Penn State.
North Carolina — I think UNC is in for a massive offensive regression as they lost Michael Carter, Javonte Williams and Dyami Brown. Sam Howell is very good, but I don’t think he can do it all by himself. The good thing is that they won’t have to play Clemson unless they both make the ACC Championship Game, but I don’t think UNC will even beat Notre Dame or Miami this year. I see a 10-2 season.
Cincinnati — They play at Indiana and at Notre Dame and I expect them to win only one of those, probably the Indiana one, but that’s no small task. But the good thing is that if they win those two and then win out, then they will likely be the first ever G5 team to make the 4 team CFP. UCF will be their toughest regular season conference matchup and they might play them again in the conference championship game. I put them on this list because it would just be very hard for them to go 12-0/13-0 with their schedule. I do think they are a top 10 team to start the season. Coach Luke Fickell is a defensive mastermind and the Bearcats returned almost every key player from last year, I know they will win at least 10 games, but not making the playoff is considered a disappointment for them. In a way that’s a good thing, it shows that Luke Fickell has raised the standards so high and that they are a top 10 team going into the year. It’s just a matter of if they can live up to these crazy expectations.
Oregon — I have Oregon on this list because I think they will lose by a few scores to the Buckeyes in week 2 and that will be demoralizing. They do have a fairly easy schedule after that. They should be able to go 11-1. They will have arguably the toughest defense in CFB, it’s the QB spot that I am worried about. I think Ty Thompson will come in and eventually light it up, but for now the job belongs to Anthony Brown, who is OK but he is limited. I see them going 10-2 with a loss to Washington and OSU.
LSU — There is a glaring weakness at QB for the Tigers with Brennan being sidelined for most of the season. Max Johnson is average at best. They do have some really good playmakers at WR but they lack the starpower they had at nearly every position just two years ago. Stingley and Ricks are the two best CB’s in the country, but how far will that get them. Their offense is so limited. I see them going 8-4, which will be big letdown for them. That could lead to Coach Orgeron getting fired, especially with the way he handled all of their off the field allegations, his seat is only getting hotter. I don’t think he will be able to handle the pressure. Even with Myles Brennan, they aren’t that much better.
Notre Dame — I just wonder if Notre Dame will ever get an elite QB. Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan is next up. He is just another game manager. He isn’t even better than Ian Book. They will always be well coached, but that can only take them so far. ND does have an easier schedule than just about any year. But, I still see them losing a game they shouldn’t. USC, UNC, Wisconsin and Florida State are their hardest games but they have more talent than all of those teams. I see them going 11-1 and missing the playoff, but they should remain a top 10 team all season. Kyren Williams is special. I’m just worried about the QB spot, Coan does not move me.
TRUE FRESHMAN WHO WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT:
-Jack Sawyer (OSU)
-Will Shipley (Clemson)
-Korey Foreman (USC)
-J.T. Tuimoloau (OSU)
-Agiye Hall (Alabama)
-Sam Huard (Washington)
-TreVeyon Henderson (OSU)
-Ty Thompson (Oregon)
-Donovan Edwards (Michigan)
-Kingsley Suamataia (Oregon)
-Xavier Worthy (Texas)
-Emeka Egbuka (OSU)
-Corey Kiner (LSU)
-Billy Bowman (Oklahoma)
-Andrew Mukuba (Clemson)
-Tommy Brockermeyer (Alabama)
-Marvin Harrison Jr. (OSU)
-Maason Smith (LSU)
-Smael Mondon (UGA)
-JoJo Earle (Alabama)
-Ceyair Wright (USC)
My Top QB’s in the Country (in order):
CJ Stroud - amazing skill, awareness, touch and accuracy with solid running ability
Bryce Young - amazing skill with great touch and great accuracy, amazing pocket presence
Malik Willis - top arm talent in CFB with the best running ability of any QB in CFB
Spencer Rattler - one of the best arm talents in CFB
JT Daniels - great poise in the pocket and really good timing and accuracy
Jayden Daniels - crazy good dual threat (he will keep rising)
Phil Jurkovec - great poise, leadership, skill and touch
Kedon Slovis - very good accuracy and skill
Casey Thompson - stellar dual threat QB
Sam Howell - great accuracy and fluidity
Dustin Crum - amazing leadership and good skill, great efficiency
Dillon Gabriel - great accuracy and touch
Desmond Ridder - very good leader/winner
Grayson McCall - one of the best running QB’s in CFB, great leader
DJ Uiagalelei - great arm talent
D’Eriq King - very good dual threat
Matt Corral - the skill is there, he just needs to make better decisions
My Top RB’s in the Country:
Kyren Williams
Tank Bigbsy
Breece Hall
Bijan Robinson
Zamir White
Eric Gray
Deuce Vaughn
Isaiah Spiller
Mohamed Ibrahim
Brian Robinson
CJ Verdell
Kennedy Brooks
Chris Rodriguez
Keaontay Ingram
Jerrion Ealy
My Top WR’s in the Country
Garrett Wilson
Kayshon Boutte
Chris Olave
John Metchie
Marvin Mims
Jahan Dotson
Justyn Ross
Treylon Burks
Jameson Williams
Ty Fryfogle
Drake London
JaQuarii Roberson
David Bell
My Top Defensive Players in the Country (proven)
1. Kayvon Thibodeaux (He is in his own league)
Derek Stingley Jr.
Eli Ricks
Kyle Hamilton
Daxton Hill
Aidan Hutchinson
Will Anderson
Ahmad Gardner
Haskell Garrett
Nik Bonitto
DeMarvin Leal
Myles Murphy
Bryan Bresee
Josh Jobe
Kaiir Elam
Noah Sewell
COACH RANKINGS:
Nick Saban
Ryan Day
Dabo Swinney
Jimbo Fisher
Lincoln Riley
Mack Brown
Brian Kelly
Matt Campbell
Kirby Smart
Dan Mullen
Tom Allen
Luke Fickell
Mario Cristobal
Kyle Whittingham
Ed Orgeron
Paul Chryst
Pat Fitzgerald
Jamey Chadwell
Sean Lewis
Manny Diaz
P.J. Fleck
James Franklin
Lance Leipold
BREAKOUT WATCH:
Casey Thompson
Tank Bigsby
Dustin Crum
Kayshon Boutte
Jeremy Ruckert
John Metchie
Eric Gray
Treylon Burks
Jameson Williams
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Arik Gilbert
Bijan Robinson
Cade McNamara
Emory Jones
Charleston Rambo
Marvin Mims
Jayden Daniels
Julian Fleming
Rakim Jarrett
Deuce Vaughn
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tony Grimes
Drake London
Mookie Cooper
Lathan Ransom
Joseph Ngata
Kevin Marks
Wan’Dale Robinson
Malachi Moore
Zach Harrison
Andrew Booth Jr.
Jahan Dotson
Hassan Haskins
Grant Wells
Parker Washington
Brian Asamoah
Carson Strong
Jahleel Billingsley
Taulia Tagovailoa
Grayson McCall
Evan Neal
Adam Anderson
Tiawan Mullen
Devon Achane
Miyan Williams
Clark Phillips III
Brian Robinson
Ty Fryfogle
Jalen Berger
Noah Cain
Ryan Watts
Brandon Joseph
Paris Johnson
AWARD PREDICTIONS:
HEISMAN: D.J. UIAGALELEI
BILETNIKOFF: CHRIS OLAVE
DOAK WALKER: BREECE HALL
THORPE: ELI RICKS
BEDNARIK: KAYVON THIBODEAUX
NAGURSKI: KAYVON THIBODEAUX
BUTKUS: WILL ANDERSON
MACKEY: JEREMY RUCKERT
RIMINGTON: TYLER LINDERBAUM
OUTLAND: NICHOLAS PETIT-FRERE
COY: LINCOLN RILEY
If you liked this, please type in your email so you don’t miss out on content. I will be releasing a weekly top 25 and Heisman Watch. And I will also talk about other sports. Stay tuned for the college basketball preview. Hope to even use this as a platform to publish exclusive stories as well. Eventually, I hope to start a college sports podcast.