Well, the 2017-18 College Football Season
is about to come to an end with the Bowl Games and the College Football
Playoff. I didn’t do this last year but now it’s back. Here are my Annual
2017-18 Biggest Surprising and Disappointing Teams of College Football along
with my Predictions for each Bowl Game. Here’s how I usually do it. I go by
every conference listing teams that Surprised me in a good way by overachieving
expectations that many College Football Analysts thought they would be early to
begin the season. I will also list the most disappointing team of each
conference and how they missed their mark completely, not even coming close to
what I or any other expert thought they would do this season.
http://dmoneystwocents.blogspot.com/2017/08/2017-d-moneys-college-football.html
I will start from the Non Power 5 Conference and work my way down towards the Power 5 Conferences.
http://dmoneystwocents.blogspot.com/2017/08/2017-d-moneys-college-football.html
I will start from the Non Power 5 Conference and work my way down towards the Power 5 Conferences.
First
off
Sun Belt
Conference
If you look at my last blog most of these teams have met or finished around what I thought they would so lets move on.
Conference USA
Surprise Teams of the Year: I Have a few UAB (8-4), Florida Atlantic (10-3) & North Texas (9-4)
UAB didn't even have a football program the last 2 season but with some transfers and nice young core HC Bill Clark far exceeded the whole country's expectations and got them to 8 wins. MOST Surprising Team of the year in College Football.
Florida Atlantic and North Texas didn't make it to Bowl Games last year and both of them won their divisions and played in the Conference USA Championship Game with Florida Atlantic winning.
Disappointing Teams of the Year: Rice (1-11) & UTEP (0-12)
Both of them are Bad. Enough said!!! Moving On
Mid American ConferenceConference USA
Surprise Teams of the Year: I Have a few UAB (8-4), Florida Atlantic (10-3) & North Texas (9-4)
UAB didn't even have a football program the last 2 season but with some transfers and nice young core HC Bill Clark far exceeded the whole country's expectations and got them to 8 wins. MOST Surprising Team of the year in College Football.
Florida Atlantic and North Texas didn't make it to Bowl Games last year and both of them won their divisions and played in the Conference USA Championship Game with Florida Atlantic winning.
Disappointing Teams of the Year: Rice (1-11) & UTEP (0-12)
Both of them are Bad. Enough said!!! Moving On
Surprise Teams of the Year: Central Michigan (8-4) & Northern Illinois (8-4)
I thought both teams would struggle but they both made it back to Bowl Games.
Disappointing Team of the Year: Miami OH (5-7)
Mountain West
Surprise Team of the Year: Fresno State (9-4)
This was Jeff Treford's first year as Head Coach as he previously coached California (2002-12) & played at Fresno State back in the day. Fresno State finished 1-11 last year and with many starters back he lead them to the West Division but losing to Boise State in the Conference Championship. Still a big turnaround.
Disappointing Team of the Year: Hawaii (3-9)
After a 2-0 start Hawaii stuggled in Coach Nick Rolovich's 2nd year finishing 3-9.
American Athletic Conference
Surprise Team of the Year: Central Florida (12-0)
Scott Frost has done a wonderful job as Head Coach. 2 years ago the Knights were winless but Frost tookover last year and went to a bowl game but lost to finish 6-7. This year led by QB McKenzie Milton the Knights torn through the Conference including classic shootouts between rival South Florida (49-42) & Memphis (62-55) in the Conference Championship earning them a Peach Bowl invite their 2nd Major New Years Six Game in 5 year. Scott Frost will leave to coach his alma mater Nebraska, but no doubt he made an impact from where this team was 2 years ago.
Disappointing Team of the Year: Tulsa (2-10)
Rough year for the Golden Hurricane after losing QB Dane Evans to graduation they went from 10-3 to 2-10. Hopefully with experience they will bounce back next year.
Big 12 Conference
Surprise
Team of the Year:
Iowa State (7-5)
The
Cyclones had a huge turnaround under 2nd Year Coach Matt Campbell
from finishing 3-9 to 7-5. The Middle point of the season for them was fun to
watch upsetting Oklahoma on the road, and beating TCU at Home, both of those
teams went to the Big 12 Championship game. Though they lost 3 of their last 4
they hope to finish the season with a win in the Liberty Bowl and continue to
be competitive in the Big 12.
Disappointing
Team of the Year:
Baylor (1-11)
The
fallout from the Baylor Football
Sexual Violence Scandals I believe starting to finally catch up with
recruiting and players transferring. First Year Coach Matt Rhule has his work
cut out for him. Last year they were 6-0 to start the season before losing
every game to finish 6-7. They were 1-11 this season meaning they lost 18 out
their last 19 games :P
Surprise Teams of the Year: Both Arizona teams: Arizona (7-5) & Arizona State (7-5)
Both of them finished above my expectations for the year and are going to bowl games. But the shocking thing is 7-5 was not enough for Arizona State Head Coach Todd Graham as he was fired even though he beat rival Arizona the last game of the year.
Disappointing Teams of the Year: Oregon State (1-11) & UCLA (6-6)
I didn't think Oregon State would make it to a bowl but I thought they would be a little more competitive but it was bad. Their only win this year was to FCS Portland State but barely 35-32. Gary Anderson was let go midway thru the season
UCLA should have done more especially with QB Josh Rosen under Center. Jim Mora Jr. was let go and now Chip Kelly returns to coaching CFB and hopes to bring the same excitement as he did while at Oregon.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Surprising Teams of the Year: Duke (6-6) & Virginia (6-6)
Both teams exceeded my expectations and made it to Bowl Games. HC Bronco Mendenhall has Virginia going forward after finishing 2-10 the previous year and HC David Cutcliffe keeps has had Duke in Bowl games 5 out of the last 6 seasons.
Disappointing Teams of the Year: Florida State (6-6) & North Carolina (3-9)
North Carolina had a downyear due to the fact of replacing guys from last year that included QB Mitch Trubusky who now plays in the NFL.
Florida State was my pick to go to the playoff but injuries piled up including losing QB Deondre Francois the first game of the year against Alabama and it went downhill from there. They had to reschedule a game against Louisiana-Monroe in December in order to finish 6-6 to maintain 36 straight years going to a Bowl Game & HC Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M. They were close of being named the Most Disappointing Team in College Season but one other team on this list beat them to it.
Big Ten Conference
Surprise
Teams of the Year: Tie = Michigan
State (9-3) & Purdue (6-6)
First
off, Michigan State was one of the most disappointing teams last season
finishing 3-9 after going to 3 consecutive New Years Six games (One of them
being in the CFB Playoff). With an early season win over their rival Michigan,
and upsetting Penn State’s CFB Playoff Hopes, Sparty finished 9-3.
Meanwhile,
Purdue had first year coach Jeff Brohm take over. I thought they would miss out
on a bowl, but be competitive in the future but they got 6 wins including
against their rival Indiana to be going to a bowl game in Brohm’s first season
as coach.
Disappointing
Team of the Year:
Nebraska (4-8)
Last
season Nebraska was 7-0 & # 7 in the country at point. But lost 4 of the
last 6 including their Bowl Game. This year things were not much better.
Getting upset at home to Northern Illinois and having both Ohio State &
Iowa score over 50 points on them in both games at home. Mike Riley was fired
and now Former Nebraska QB and Central Florida’s Coach Scott Frost hopes to
come home and turn around Nebraska next year.
Southeastern Conference
Surprise Team of the Year: Missouri (7-5)
In his 2nd year Coach Barry Odom lead the Tigers back to a bowl games from 4-8 to 7-5 beating Florida & Tennessee along the way.
Disappointing Team of the Year: Tennessee (4-8)
I would put Florida and Arkansas here as well for finishing below .500 and firing their coaches as well but Tennessee disappointed most of all. Finishing 9-4 last year to 4-8 while losing 7 out of the last 8 games of the year with losses to every one of your rivals (Florida ,Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky & Vanderbilt). Don't get me started on how they handled their coaching search saying yes to OSU Defensive Coordinator Greg Schiano then backing off because of something he wasn't involved with and that was the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky Friasco. Other coaches it turned down & Tennessee fired their AD then hired Alabama DC Jeremy Pruitt. They are the MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM OF THE 2017 College Football Season.
Note: I honest think with Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas A&M firing their coaches and Ole Miss on Probation, The SEC is not the conference they were 8-10 years ago. It's pretty much Alabama along with some others (Georgia, LSU, & Auburn) I would have to argue.
Post Season Awards:
In his 2nd year Coach Barry Odom lead the Tigers back to a bowl games from 4-8 to 7-5 beating Florida & Tennessee along the way.
Disappointing Team of the Year: Tennessee (4-8)
I would put Florida and Arkansas here as well for finishing below .500 and firing their coaches as well but Tennessee disappointed most of all. Finishing 9-4 last year to 4-8 while losing 7 out of the last 8 games of the year with losses to every one of your rivals (Florida ,Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky & Vanderbilt). Don't get me started on how they handled their coaching search saying yes to OSU Defensive Coordinator Greg Schiano then backing off because of something he wasn't involved with and that was the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky Friasco. Other coaches it turned down & Tennessee fired their AD then hired Alabama DC Jeremy Pruitt. They are the MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM OF THE 2017 College Football Season.
Note: I honest think with Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas A&M firing their coaches and Ole Miss on Probation, The SEC is not the conference they were 8-10 years ago. It's pretty much Alabama along with some others (Georgia, LSU, & Auburn) I would have to argue.
Post Season Awards:
Offensive Player of the Year: Baker Mayfield QB Oklahoma
Defensive Player of the Year: Josey Jewell LB Iowa
Coach of the Year: Scott Frost Central Florida
Game of the Year : Ohio State 39 Penn State 38 on October 28th
BOWL GAME
PREDICTIONS
BOWL
GAME Winner
New
Orleans Bowl: North Texas vs Troy Troy
Cure
Bowl:
Georgia State vs Western Kentucky Western
Kentucky
Las
Vegas Bowl:
Boise State vs Oregon Boise
State
New
Mexico Bowl:
Colorado State vs Marshall Colorado
State
Camellia
Bowl:
Arkansas State vs Middle Tennessee Arkansas
State
Boca
Raton Bowl: Akron
vs Florida Atlantic Florida
Atlantic
Frisco
Bowl:
Louisiana Tech vs SMU SMU
St.
Petersburg Bowl:
Florida International vs Temple Temple
Bahamas
Bowl:
UAB vs Ohio Ohio
Idaho
Bowl:
Central Michigan vs Wyoming Central
Michigan
Birmingham
Bowl:
South Florida vs Texas Tech South
Florida
Armed
Forces Bowl:
Army vs San Diego State San Diego State
Dollar
General Bowl:
Appalachian State vs Toledo Toledo
Hawaii
Bowl:
Fresno State vs Houston Houston
Heart
of Dallas Bowl:
Utah vs West Virginia Utah
Quick
Lane Bowl:
Duke vs Northern Illinois Duke
Cactus
Bowl:
Kansas State vs. UCLA Kansas
State
Independence
Bowl:
Florida State vs Southern Miss Florida
State
Pinstripe
Bowl
: Boston College vs. Iowa Iowa
Foster
Farms Bowl:
Arizona vs. Purdue Purdue
Texas
Bowl:
Missouri vs Texas Texas
Military
Bowl: Navy
vs Virginia Navy
Camping
World Bowl:
Oklahoma State vs Virginia Tech Oklahoma
State
Alamo
Bowl:
Stanford vs TCU Stanford
Holiday
Bowl:
Michigan State vs Washington State Washington
State
Belk
Bowl: Wake Forest vs Texas A&M Texas A&M
Sun
Bowl:
Arizona State vs NC State NC
State
Music
City Bowl:
Kentucky vs Northwestern Northwestern
Arizona
Bowl:
New Mexico State vs Utah State Utah
State
Tax
Slayer Bowl:
Louisville vs Mississippi State Louisville
Liberty
Bowl: Iowa
State vs Memphis Memphis
Outback
Bowl:
Michigan vs South Carolina Michigan
Citrus
Bowl:
LSU vs Notre Dame LSU
NEW YEARS SIX BOWL
GAMES Winner
Cotton
Bowl:
Ohio State vs Southern Cal Ohio
State
Fiesta
Bowl:
Penn State vs Washington Penn
State
Orange
Bowl:
Miami (Fla) vs Wisconsin Wisconsin
Peach
Bowl: Auburn vs Central Florida Auburn
Rose
Bowl (Playoff Game): Georgia
vs Oklahoma Georgia
Sugar
Bowl (Playoff Game):
Alabama vs Clemson Clemson
College Football
Playoff National Championship Game Winner
Clemson
vs Georgia Clemson
Well there it is. I should've been a College Football Analyst. May not go a whole lot of running like I want but I would make more money. Happy Bowl Watching, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Festivus & GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!! (PS who wants to watch the game with me on December 29th?? 😀🏈
Well there it is. I should've been a College Football Analyst. May not go a whole lot of running like I want but I would make more money. Happy Bowl Watching, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Festivus & GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!! (PS who wants to watch the game with me on December 29th?? 😀🏈
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