Prediction Time

[Buzz Killington]

If they don't quit, we will have to taunt them a second time.

Tell them their mothers were hamsters

[Snakebite]

Everyone locked in on your predictions?  Or is there growing optimism as we approach the season?  Is there going to be a Battle for the Crown in 2023?

[Buzz Killington]

I am not going to start the BFTC this season...if anyone else wants to do so, please take it ovah.

[Snaggletiger]

I'll start a Pre-Dick-Shuns Thread next week.  As many times as I won BFTC, I never saw a drop.  I might have been too drunk to know if someone sent it or not.  But, that's beside the point.

[wesfau2]

Everyone locked in on your predictions?  Or is there growing optimism as we approach the season?  Is there going to be a Battle for the Crown in 2023?

11-1 SECW Champs, baby.

[Snaggletiger]

11-1 SECW Champs, baby.

No way Bama is 11-1 this season.  Without a proven QB???  Pffffft.....

[Snakebite]

I'll start a Pre-Dick-Shuns Thread next week.  As many times as I won BFTC, I never saw a drop.  I might have been too drunk to know if someone sent it or not.  But, that's beside the point.

Thank you, Zir.

[WiregrassTiger]

11-1 SECW Champs, baby.

I want to apologize for all of the name calling, by the way. You are the man. At least for the moment.

I really, really love ❤️ this post.

[Snaggletiger]

Prediction time.  I've seen several of the "experts" put USC in the playoffs this year, including Rece Davis, who has FUGA, USC, Meatchicken and FSU in his Final 4.  Not too far off from a lot of them I've seen.  I think FUGA and The Fighting Harbaughs are pretty much unanimous picks this year. 

FSU?  Yeah, they could sneak in if they get past Clemson this year.  I'm not predicting it.  I just think they've got the best group they've had since 2013. 

USC is the one I think is way overrated.  Caleb Williams is legit. His Heisman was no fluke.  Dude is a baller.  However, it stops there with me.  The Trojans were putrid against the run last year, and didn't do much to fix that.  The problem is, the first half of the season, that won't matter, and they'll look like world beaters.  We're talking:

San Jose State  7-5 in 2022

Nevada  2-10

Stanford  3-9

Arizona State  3-9

Colorado  1-11

Arizona  5-7

So, we're talking 6-0 and probably top 4.  They're preseason #6.  Then, it gets a little more interesting:

@ #13 Notre Dame

#14 Utah

Cal

#10 Washington

@ #15 Oregon

UCLA

That's a rough F'n stretch for anyone in the country.  I don't think USC has the horses to navigate it.  We shall see.

[Snakebite]

11-1 SECW Champs, baby.

I think our defense has some holes.  We will need a scary good offense and some favorable calls, with a few lucky bounces mixed in to achieve this I think.  More amazing things have happened for this beautiful program, so it can't be completely discounted.

11-1 might get K back on board.

[djsimp]

10-2
Auburn punishes Cal...
Aggies loss to Auburn at College Stations sends #fireJimbo into orbit...
4-0
Back to back losses (GA/LSU)...
Auburn wont lose the rest of the season including bowl game...
LSU thanks Auburn next year with a loss at Jordan Hare...
Coach Pretty Boy gets rejected...
The Iron Bowl becomes another classic with Freeze outsmarting Saban...

[Snaggletiger]

I really need to get with some of you boys to score a dime bag of whatever you're smoking.

[Kaos]

I'm still out.  Only peripherally followed any of this shit since we were Freezed about a year ago.  Still don't like the guy and never will. 

This is what my guts tell me, though. 

LSU is overrated. Won't catch anybody unawares this year.  They're thinking 11-1, 12-0.  I think 8-4 is more likely.

Bama is Bama and I hate them. As bad as their QB situation is likely to be, three losses is likely the max and two is more probable. Remember they went 12-2 with Blake Sims and won the NC with Jake freaking Coker.  LSU won't beat them in Tuscaloosa. Neither will Tennessee or Texas.  If they lose, it'll be some kind of weird thing at A&M or Ole Miss or maybe even Kentucky.

Arkansas - No thank you.  I'm not buying the "pitboss" hype.  I think the ceiling for this team is seven wins

Ole Miss - Probably wrong but have decided Kiffin isn't a prime time player.  Another up and down mediocre season with a surprise win or two.

Mississippi State - No pirates. Would not be surprised to see the Bulldogs slide into a three or four win type season

Auburn - Still thin talent wise.  Thorne will be better than Ashford was.  I have zero confidence in Freeze's offensive strategy and despite all huzzahs to the contrary figure this will be a team fighting to make a bowl by the time New Mexico State comes to town. 

I give less of a shit about the SEC East. 

Georgia wins that followed by Florida, KY, UT and then whoever the hell else is over there.

[Snakebite]

I'm still out.  Only peripherally followed any of this shit since we were Freezed about a year ago.  Still don't like the guy and never will. 

This is what my guts tell me, though. 

LSU is overrated. Won't catch anybody unawares this year.  They're thinking 11-1, 12-0.  I think 8-4 is more likely.

Bama is Bama and I hate them. As bad as their QB situation is likely to be, three losses is likely the max and two is more probable. Remember they went 12-2 with Blake Sims and won the NC with Jake freaking Coker.  LSU won't beat them in Tuscaloosa. Neither will Tennessee or Texas.  If they lose, it'll be some kind of weird thing at A&M or Ole Miss or maybe even Kentucky.

Arkansas - No thank you.  I'm not buying the "pitboss" hype.  I think the ceiling for this team is seven wins

Ole Miss - Probably wrong but have decided Kiffin isn't a prime time player.  Another up and down mediocre season with a surprise win or two.

Mississippi State - No pirates. Would not be surprised to see the Bulldogs slide into a three or four win type season

Auburn - Still thin talent wise.  Thorne will be better than Ashford was.  I have zero confidence in Freeze's offensive strategy and despite all huzzahs to the contrary figure this will be a team fighting to make a bowl by the time New Mexico State comes to town. 

I give less of a shit about the SEC East. 

Georgia wins that followed by Florida, KY, UT and then whoever the hell else is over there.

Keep on dippin' that toe in the water.  It's mighty refreshing.  I am not advocating for you to like CHF, but I do want you to enjoy winning with the rest of us.

I think that happens this year more than "experts" predict.... and if I am wrong, you get to do what you did with Chizik & Malzahn in saying "I told you so". 

Thank you for adding to the topic, sir.

[Kaos]

Keep on dippin' that toe in the water.  It's mighty refreshing.  I am not advocating for you to like CHF, but I do want you to enjoy winning with the rest of us.

I think that happens this year more than "experts" predict.... and if I am wrong, you get to do what you did with Chizik & Malzahn in saying "I told you so". 

Thank you for adding to the topic, sir.

Nah.  I'm 100% out. 

Definitely don't like Freeze and I'm not sure I like the NCAANIL very much either.  All the conference realignment, all the free agents jumping from place to place.... it's rapidly becoming a game I don't recognize or really enjoy a whole lot. 

Freeze cemented that for me with his recent decision to weigh in on the Michael Oher situation by babbling about "the fine Christian people who took that poor ol' boy into their lives."  That told me he hasn't really learned, still wears the robes of the sanctimonious, and doesn't know when to mind his own business. 

The immolation of the Pac-12 and the re-imagined makeups of other conferences lost me, too.  USC, Oregon, UCLA and Washington in the Big-10?  Ridiculous. Utah and Arizona in the Big 12?  The hell. Stanford and Cal essentially independents within a dead conference?  Jeeeez. Florida State and Clemson badgering to get out of the ACC (both should have joined the SEC before Missouri, A&M, Texas or OU if we're moving things around)? 

I think it's a lot due to age.  It's not what I remember it being and it's not what I want it to be.  Unless there's some compelling reason to change my way of thinking?  I think this whole thing will slowly fade into irrelevance for me. Casually, occasionally check scores and go "hmmm..."   That's about it. 

[Buzz Killington]

Since nobody asked, I figured I would enlighten the rest of you with my bold predictions.

vs UMASS - Thorny gets rolling early, Ashford gets some playing time and Gernier plays most of the 4th quarter as the Tigres coast to a most ripping opening day victory...but the QB competition is just warming up.  Defense shows that it is susceptible to the run and gets caught with their pants down more than we would like against an opponent from the conference of whatever.   W 63-21

@ Cal - Things get a little thorny for Payton as da Bears hang around much longer than expected.  Ashford comes in late and saves the team from blowing a Hugh load all over the turf in Cali.  QB competition is really on now.  Defense comes up with a late turnover to seal the win after playing dead most of the day.  W 38-30

vs Samford - The mighty bulldogs come calling with their back to back National Championship trophies in tow.  Oh wait...wrong bullies.  Ho hum, Thorne gets back on track, giving Gernier enough PT in the 2nd half to show that the QB race really is 3 wide in the turns.  Defense gets a little more opportunistic and gets a couple scores as well.  W 52-10

@ aTm - The defense makes the Bobby Petrino experiment look like a good idea, giving up 150+ on the ground and way too many points.  Luckily the offense is starting to gel in game 4 and keeps it close, but in the end it's too much to overcome as the aTm backs get winded from all the open field running.  L 31-34

vs Jawga - Hue and the Freezes make this one interesting early with a little trickeration (no, not the twirlybird) and get the crowd at a fever pitch for the whole game.  Unfortunately, the defense still hasn't figured out that the QB could actually hand the ball to one of those guys standing in the backfield with him.  The bullydogs run for 200+ and control the clock in the end, stopping the offense's upset bid.  L 24-38

@ Ellis Hugh - Offense is clicking now and the Thorneford dual threat is starting to pile up the points.  Defense finally learned that the QB could hand it off, but forgot that he could actually run it himself...thus allowing another 200+ yard rushing day for Go Tigah.  Something happens in deaf valley though and the ghost of Bo Nix carries the good Tigers to a last second win.  W 38-35

vs Ole Miss - Kiffin has something to prove in this one.  Mainly that he's not quite ready for the time of prime.  Judkins and company run until they get winded, but it's not enough as the Thorneford offense runs and throws at will all day.  It stays close until mid-3rd quarter, but the home team pulls away late.  W 41-28

vs Miss State - The Ground Raid still hasn't quite caught on in Starkville and the bullpups limp in reeling.  Gernier gets more PT in the 2nd half of this one, as the Tigres run the ball at will because will can't tackle.  W 48-17

@ Vandy - This ain't your great-grandfather's Vandy, and they have played great all year, especially at home.  Luckily Thorneford is primed and ready for this one.  Defense helps keep them in it most of teh game, but the special teams gets in on the scoring in this one as well.  W 52-28

@ Arkansas - Uh oh...another QB that can run.  On the road, the offense struggles just enough to let the piggies control the clock and score just enough to make it 2 in a row over the University of Auburn.  L  24-27

vs NMSU - Gernier gets the entire 2nd half to show other teams what they will be getting in their next QB from the transfer portal and the running game goes for 250+ as Auburn coasts to a nice pre-IB week win.  W 70-24

vs alabama - Home crowd vs one-dimensional offense!  Too bad that is the one dimension the defense hasn't figured out how to stop yet.  However, they find coach Kline's green notebook, giving them a distinct advantage for the day.  Tough sledding on offense though, so this one ends up as a low scoring affair.  Luckily, Thorneford has a few new wrinkles to unleash late and a late score stops the current IB streak.  W 27-21

If my gazintas are correct, that would make this a 9-3 season.

[Snaggletiger]

I've been in "Get the hell off my lawn" mode for a while.  But, I've also come to accept that change is not going to stop happening with college football.  When you think about where we are as compared to even 3 years ago, it's staggering. NIL, the port hole, OU and Texas to the SEC, half the Pac 12 to the Big 10, several Group of 5 teams filling out the Big 12, the PAC 12 counting the days until it no longer exists, and a 12 team playoff. 

WTF just happened???

The sad thing is whenever you hear interviews with coaches, administrators, analysts etc. they can no longer even try to keep a straight face when asked why all this is happening.  Money.  Plain and simple!  The game we love, the traditions we've grown up with, the rivalries we covet, are pretty much out the window so that more monster TV deals can be made.

The next steps will be, and this is not a prediction, it's coming.  "Student athletes" will no longer exist.  They will be employees of the Universities.  There will be player unions, hold outs and stoppages of play because of player strikes.  The NCAA will be abolished, and one super conference, consisting of about 50 teams will be formed.  They will not be playing Group of 5 or FCS teams, and many of those schools will shut down their athletic programs entirely.  Without TV deals, or paychecks from games against D1 programs, and having to pay their new "employees", they won't be able to survive. 

This will all come to pass well within the next 5 years.  But, those 50 or so teams, will be getting a really nice paycheck every year.  Rece Davis said something the other day when addressing all this.  Paraphrasing, he said despite all of this going on, we still have those few hours on Saturday to focus on just the game.   

[wesfau2]

The sad thing is whenever you hear interviews with coaches, administrators, analysts etc. they can no longer even try to keep a straight face when asked why all this is happening.  Money. 

Fuck the coaches.  They started this shit with their astronomical salaries.  Getting $10MM a year to coach football?  Figure out the fucking portal, then, and quit bitching about it.

[Snakebite]

  Rece Davis said something the other day when addressing all this.  Paraphrasing, he said despite all of this going on, we still have those few hours on Saturday to focus on just the game.

This is what I am holding on to.  And Auburn will always be Auburn.  Don't care about any other team, unless my nephew gets his college paid for with an offer to play somewhere.

Eventually, there will be 2 super conferences I think.  Similar to the AFC & NFC.  Each conference will have their own playoff and the top 2 will play for championships.

[wesfau2]

@ Cal - Things get a little thorny for Payton as da Bears hang around much longer than expected.  Ashford comes in late and saves the team from blowing a Hugh load all over the turf in Cali.  QB competition is really on now.  Defense comes up with a late turnover to seal the win after playing dead most of the day.  W 38-30

Just read that Cal is breaking in a transfer QB.  Guy from TCU.

https://twitter.com/ShehanJeyarajah/status/1694749073230688441