Trenton Corn’s complete guide to the 2024 college football season
With a new era in college football fast approaching with conference realignment and the expansion of the college football playoffs, I’ll break down how it will all unfold.
Listen. I’m OBSESSED with college football. I’ll root on my Dallas Cowboys and Dwayne Wade made me fall in love with the Miami Heat, but I’m WAY too emotionally invested in my Sooners.
Only Psychopaths buys Athlon’s college football magazine and predicts EVERY SINGLE power conference game, but that’s exactly what I did.
In this article, I’ll break down my predictions for how the regular season will unfold, give you guys my playoff predictions and will throw in some of my bold predictions along the way. Buckle up, this will be a lengthy and wacky ride.
ACC:
Boston College: 4-8
California: 5-7
Clemson: 10-2
Duke: 6-6
Florida State: 9-3
Georgia Tech: 3-9
Louisville: 9-3
Miami: 11-1
North Carolina: 7-5
NC State: 10-2
Pittsburgh: 6-6
SMU: 8-4
Stanford: 5-7
Syracuse: 5-7
Virginia: 4-8
Virginia Tech: 9-3
Wake Forest: 5-7
Welcoming in some former PAC-12 members and SMU from the American conference, there’s a lot of change for the ACC this season.
Although many think the top of the league will be no different and that Florida State will repeat as champs, I beg to differ. Replacing too much production from last year’s squad, I have the Seminoles losing three games to Miami & Notre Dame on the road and Florida their last game of the season at home.
Although I believe that the Gators will go 5-7 and lose four of their first five games, firing Billy Napier mid season, I believe Dan Enos will step in as their interim head coach and turn things around, which will ultimately allow him to keep the job.
With such a favorable schedule and Cam Ward under center, I have the Miami Hurricanes finishing 11-1 on the season, with their only loss to Louisville in the road.
Keep an eye on the Cardinals, as their rebuild under Jeff Brohm is moving faster than expected, as I have them finishing 9-3 with losses to Notre Dame, Clemson and Kentucky. They’re a Quarterback away from potentially winning the league next year.
Speaking of Quarterbacks, the arrival of Grayson McCall from Costal Carolina puts NC State in a win now window, as I have the program going 10-2 next year, with losses to Tennessee and Clemson.
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik is going to breakout in year two and prove to be among the upper echelons at the position in college football this season. I have the Tigers finishing 10-2, with losses to Georgia week one and Florida State on the road. Additionally, I have them beating Miami in the ACC title game and clinching a first round bye in the expanded playoff, but more on that later.
Big-12
Arizona: 9-3
Arizona State: 6-6
Baylor: 3-9
BYU: 5-7
Cincinnati: 5-7
Colorado: 6-6
Houston: 3-9
Iowa State: 8-4
Kansas: 9-3
Kansas State: 10-2
Oklahoma State: 9-3
TCU: 8-4
Texas Tech: 6-6
UCF: 5-7
Utah: 10-2
West Virginia: 9-3
One word to describe the new-look Big-12 after the departure of Oklahoma and Texas? Depth. The additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah meshes well with last year’s additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.
Quarterback play will be the key to success here and there’s a lot of talented guys in the league.
Utah’s Cam Rising is amongst the most experienced and best in the sport and will lead Utah to a 10-2 record (Losses to Oklahoma State and Colorado) and a Big-12 Championship.
Kansas State’s Avery Johnson will be a fun name to watch, as I have the Wildcats finishing 10-2 as well with losses to West Virginia and Iowa State on the road.
West Virginia’s Garrett Greene could be one of the best players in college football next season if he takes a step up. I have him leading the Mountaineers to a 9-3 record, with only one conference loss (at Arizona). The other two will come early to the hands of Penn State and Pittsburgh.
The Cyclones and Matt Campbell have done it again. The 2023 Big-12 Freshman of the year in Rocco Becht broke school records for a Freshman last season and will look to build off of that this year. Their losses will come by the likes of Iowa, West Virginia, Kansas and Utah.
Other names to mention is Noah Fifita and Jalon Daniels leading their teams to respectable 9-3 records and Shedeur Sanders and Prime Time improves to 6-6, although they have a devastating loss to North Dakota State week one. That’s one of my first bold predictions along the way.
Big-10
Illinois: 4-8
Indiana: 6-6
Iowa: 8-4
Maryland: 7-5
Michigan: 10-2
Michigan State: 5-7
Minnesota: 5-7
Nebraska: 9-3
Northwestern: 6-6
Ohio State: 12-0
Oregon: 11-1
Penn State: 11-1
Purdue: 5-7
Rutgers: 7-5
UCLA: 4-8
USC: 7-5
Washington: 6-6
Wisconsin: 6-6
Out goes Jim Harbaugh and in comes Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington from the PAC-12.
Of all the new arrivals, I have the Oregon Ducks being the most ready to have success in the league, going 11-1 and beating Michigan, with their only loss to Ohio State.
Speaking of new arrivals, bold prediction number two is USC losing FIVE games in their first year in the Big-10. I understand Lincoln Riley has left scars on me in the past, but trying to look through an un-biased lens here, the Riley experiment hasn’t exactly worked out. He’s 19-8 through two years at the school, had five losses last year with Heisman Quarterback Caleb Williams and now has to replace him this season. I’m not even going to mention how shockingly bad recruiting is going for him out west as well. Their five losses will be against Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Nebraska and a shocking loss to UCLA.
New arrival and first ranked QB coming out of High-School in Dylan Raiola will help lead the Cornhuskers to a 9-3 record. Which is bold prediction number three. No doubt about it, Matthew Rhule is an amazing head coach and should’ve never left college football for the NFL. All the man does is re-build programs. Their three losses will be against Colorado, Indiana and Ohio State, but look for them to contend in year three under Rhule next year.
Three Big-10 teams will make the college football playoff in Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State (who also went 11-1 with an easy schedule, but a loss to Ohio State).
Independent:
Somewhere between being an ACC or Big-10 Program in the future in my opinion, I have the independent Fighting Irish shockingly dropping three games this season and missing the 12 team playoff. Bold prediction four is Notre Dame heading to Purdue September 14th and losing their second of their first three games, as I also have them losing their season opener at Texas A&M as well. Their comfortable home schedule allows them to rebound, but I also have them dropping their finale against USC in LA as well, which will ultimately keep them from making the playoffs. If Notre Dame can’t make it with Riley Leonard at Quarterback, I don’t know if the Marcus Freeman will be the right guy for the job.
SEC:
Alabama: 11-1
Arkansas: 6-6
Auburn: 6-6
Florida: 5-7
Georgia: 12-0
Kentucky: 8-4
LSU: 8-4
Mississippi State: 4-8
Missouri: 9-3
Oklahoma: 9-3
Ole Miss: 10-2
South Carolina: 5-7
Tennessee: 8-4
Texas: 7-5
Texas A&M: 9-3
Vanderbilt: 3-9
SEC! SEC! SEC! It feels so weird saying that after rolling my eyes in years past when Arkansas Razorback fans yelled that from the rooftops, while hanging onto Alabama and Georgia’s coat tails.
With Oklahoma and Texas now in the SEC and Nick Saban out at Alabama (Washington’s Kalen DeBoer now head coach), the new look SEC is as exciting as ever. Especially when you mention Missouri and Ole Miss and their arrival thanks to their commitment to the NIL. We’ll get the answer to the question: “Can you buy yourself a national championship?”.
We’ll start off with the elephant in the room…get it? How good will the Crimson Tide be with Saban gone? Many are projecting a 2-3 loss season, but I’m still standing firm on the fact that their roster is still loaded with talent and considering that DeBoer’s success with Quarterbacks will allow Jalen Milroe to take the step forward. I have them going 11-1 with their loss coming against Georgia.
One of those key wins for Alabama will be on the road against LSU, a program many are high on, but I have them going 8-4. With Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr gone, I believe they missed their championship window. Not saying Brian Kelly can’t win one in Baton Rouge, but he’s going to have to build that thing back. Especially defensively, considering their defensive front is very soft up the middle. They’ll lose to USC in their season opener (In Las Vegas, so expect a good USC home crowd), along with conference losses at Arkansas and Florida along with their Alabama defeat.
Another bold prediction of mine and another potential playoff team in many’s eyes is Texas, who I have going 7-5 this season. Their early season matchup matchup against Michigan will tell us a lot, but with that game being in Ann Arbor, I’m not projecting a victory. Outside of Steve Sarkisian only having ONE ten win season in his ten year career and Texas winning just THREE of their last ten meetings against Oklahoma, I’m also projecting the Sooners to beat them in the Cotton Bowl. They’ll lose to Georgia the week after that as well, which sets up a perfect time for Arch Manning to step in as the teams QB on October 26th against Vanderbilt. They’ll go 3-2 with him under center, with their next two losses being against Kentucky and Texas A&M in their finale.
That sets up Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas A&M to all finish 9-3 and each have a compelling argument as to who should be the fourth SEC team to make the 12 team playoff.
The Aggies will have key victories against Notre Dame and Texas, but their three defeats will come by the hands of Arkansas at a neutral site, Missouri and LSU.
Missouri has the head to head matchup against A&M, but finishes their season losing three of their last five games, with losses to Alabama, Oklahoma and then a devastating loss at South Carolina.
My Sooners will start off hot, but their lack of experienced depth and the grind of SEC play will catch up to them late, as they also will lose three of their last five games. They’ll win the head to head against Missouri, but drops games to Ole Miss, Alabama and LSU.
Playoff predictions:
Georgia (12-0, SEC champions)
Ohio State (12-0, Big-10 champions)
Clemson (10-2, ACC champions)
Utah (10-2, Big-12 champions)
Alabama (11-1)
Oregon (11-1)
Miami (11-1)
Ole Miss (10-2)
Penn State (11-1)
Oklahoma (9-3)
Boise State (11-1 Mountain West champions)
Liberty (12-0)
I have Boise State going 11-1 and winning the Mountain West, thus giving themselves an opportunity to play in the very first ever twelve team playoff format. They are returning a lot of talent from last seasons 8-6 roster, with the addition of former five star Oklahoma commit and USC transfer Quarterback, Malachi Nelson. Along with former five star wideout, Chris Marshall. Their only loss of the season will be against Oregon, with wins against former PAC-12 opponents in Oregon and Washington State helping their case to be “in”.
Liberty made a New Years six bowl last year and could make the playoffs this season if they go undefeated, thanks to playing in a weak Conference USA. The winner of their matchup against Appalachain State mid season could arguably get this 12th spot, but I’ll give the Flames the edge thanks to their star studded QB, Kaidon Salter. He very well could finish within the top five in the Heisman voting.
So how does the 12 team playoff format work?
The five highest rated conference champions automatically get bids, with the top four teams getting first round byes. In this instance, I have Boise State being the 5th highest rated conference champion. The remaining seven bids are at-large bids.
First round: *Winners in bold
(12) Liberty vs (5) Alabama
(11) Boise State vs (6) Oregon
(10) Oklahoma vs (7) Miami
(9) Penn State vs (8) Ole Miss
Second round:
(8) Ole Miss vs (1) Georgia
(5) Alabama vs (4) Utah
(6) Oregon vs (3) Clemson
(7) Miami vs (2) Ohio State
Semifinal:
(4) Utah vs (1) Georgia
(6) Oregon vs (2) Ohio State
Championship:
(2) Ohio State vs (1) Georgia
I have 4th ranked Utah pulling off the likely betting “upset” over Alabama and 6th ranked Oregon knocking off Clemson as well to get the semifinal round. In the championship, I have an unstoppable force and an immovable object, with two undefeated behemoths in Georgia and Ohio State, with the Bulldogs taking home the gold.
Matthew 21:22
“22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”