2013 NCAA College Football Outlook
July 5th, 2013
After a crazy 2012 season where the SEC once again proved to be the most dominant conference out there, the 2013 season is creeping up on us!
ACC:
With Syracuse and Pittsburg arriving, the 14-team ACC will be slightly stronger than the 2012 version.
Clemson is definitely the front runner to win the ACC, and a pre-season national title contender.
Florida State, also in the Atlantic division, is another pre-season national title contender, albiet more of a darkhorse contender. The winner of the Clemson FSU game should once again determine the ACC Champion, as it has for the past few seasons.
Miami is the favorite in the Coastal division, but nobody from the Coastal is expected to compete with FSU or Clemson.
Big East:
The conference that nobody ever seems to want to win. Big East newcomers Boise State and San Diego State are the clear favorites, although the level of respect for SDSU is less than for BSU. Boise State should win the BCS automatic qualifying spot, although one must wonder if they will be undefeated..
Big 10:
Ohio State, after a 12-0 campaign in 2012 is clearly the team to beat, although Penn State will make it's presence known also. Michigan and Nebraska are trying to get back to their former level of excellence, but nobody looks to be on OSU's level. Expect another perfect season from the Buckeyes, although the percieved weakness of the Big 10 might keep them out of the national championship.
Big 12:
Take your pick. TCU/Oklahoma/Oklahoma State all look capable of winning the Big XII, especially with Pachall and Boykin fighting for the starting QB job at TCU. Texas is still loaded with talent, but with Mack Brown on the ropes. Texas could go 12-0 or 8-4, that's the kind of swing he is on the past few years. Although the current UT team is more talented then most teams in the nation, they are ranked #4 in the conference.
Kansas State is a bit of a wild card, but Bill Snyder has worked magic before, and one can only wonder what he will cook up next. Never count out Synder's Wildcats.
C-USA:
The early line is for Tulsa to win C-USA. They are the clear front-runners.
MAC:
Oh my. After one of the best years ever for the conference, including their first ever team into a BCS Bowl game, one must wonder how 2013 will look. Kent State and Ohio are the favorites in the East, while Toledo and Northern Illinois are the strengths of the West. NIU and Kent State look to repeat their divisions and meet again for the conference championship, and hopefully a BCS spot. One can only wonder..
MWC:
The Mountain West once featured TCU, Utah, BYU. They lost those teams, added Boise State, and now lost them and SDSU.
Utah State is a welcome addition, but Fresno State looks to be the team to win the MWC in 2013. Utah State will be a solid addition, and a possible conference title contender. Nevada's offense will be flying, but can their defense keep the pressure off the offense?
Fresno State is sure to be on the pre-season rankings.
PAC-12:
Oregon, Stanford, Oregon State, UCLA, USC. Take your pick.
Oregon looks to be a pre-season top 5, and Stanford and UCLA both pre-season top 10's.
USC could be great, and so could Oregon State.
Stanford is probably the most reliable pick, if they can maintain their momentum from the 2012 season that included their 3rd straight BCS appearance, they might just be headed to the last BCS National Championship.
SEC:
Love it or hate it the SEC is the most dominant conference in college football.
Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. 6-preseason national title contenders. All 6 are SEC teams, and they will finished with just 1 or 2 losses last year.
Alabama has a favorable schedule, they skip out on Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. LSU plays both Florida and Georgia, while Texas A&M also skips all the top SEC East teams. A&M and Alabama face in College Station on September 14th, and that game should tell who the top team in the SEC West is. That's the division everyone talks about, afterall since 2007 the SEC West has averaged 1 team in each BCS National Championship. That's dominance.
Texas A&M and Alabama are the favorites to win the SEC, but Georgia is a close 3rd, and you can never count out the other 3.
Sun Belt
The Arkansas State Wolves are the early favorites as the Sun Belt has lost a lot of teams and won't be much in the way of competition. Arkansas State should go 12-0 or 11-1, but even 12-0 they won't make a BCS bowl. Not with the schedule they have.