By: Kurt Andrews (@DeloKill)
As the next season of CFSL Football approaches we all find ourselves asking the same question: who will win this season’s CFSL National Championship? While I won’t be able to travel forward in time to tell you who won, I will be able to tell you who I think will win based on my analytical analysis of the upcoming season. This week I dive deep into that and more in the first edition of Delo’s Corner.
Delo’s Season 18 Preseason Top 10
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Oklahoma State |
| 2 | Michigan |
| 3 | Miami |
| 4 | Alabama |
| 5 | Notre Dame |
| 6 | Kentucky |
| 7 | Florida State |
| 8 | Georgia |
| 9 | Oklahoma |
| 10 | Ohio State |
Delo’s Preseason MAC Rankings
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Toledo |
| 2 | Eastern Michigan |
| 3 | Ohio |
| 4 | Northern Illinois |
| 5 | Kent State |
| 6 | Bowling Green |
Will the Struggle Continue?
New season, new me. That is what everyone would like to think to start a new campaign. However, for one team this may not come to fruition. Last season the Oregon Ducks finished the season (1-7) overall. The team started Season 17 with a 34-16 loss to Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo. This game would pretty much dictate the rest of Oregon’s season that year. The Ducks would find a win that season. However, it came against a much inferior MAC bottom-dweller Kent State.
Season 18 recruiting was not kind to Oregon as they only added five members to their roster. Now the question for Oregon is can they improve on their record from last season or will it end up being the same? It’s very possible the Ducks could finish the season winless as EMU and Kent State have both improved since last season. If they can manage to beat their two MAC opponents what will be in store for Oregon in the Power 2?
Dark Horses?
Right now I am looking at two teams that I think could have great success in Season 18 that aren’t getting any hype. First on my list is the Ohio Bobcats.
The Bobcats are stuck in the shadows of a recruiting masterclass by Eastern Michigan this offseason. A recruiting season so good many think that EMU will take their team from a 0-7d finish last season to the playoffs in Season 18. While I’m not going to say that EMU can’t win the MAC (because they most certainly can), I do not believe EMU has quite what it takes just yet to win the conference. In my eyes, the Ohio Bobcats are the ones to look out for. While Ohio did finish the season 2-5 they added a good deal of talent this offseason. So my pick in the MAC and as a major dark horse this season is Ohio.
Second on my list is The Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes had a disappointing finish last year going only 2-6 on the season. They weren’t a very competitive team at a top level winning their two games over easier opponents. Their shortcomings certainly weren’t a talent issue. It was a problem with depth. Depth is an issue that Ohio State has most certainly filled this year as well as a few key positions on the defensive side. Elite MLB Jon Lee’s transfer out of Ohio is a big example of that. Now the question is will the Buckeyes be able to take their deep roster and translate it into a playoff run this season? Most importantly will Ohio State be able to accomplish a victory over their bitter rival Michigan who is coming off of a national championship appearance? I guess we will have to wait and find out, but it should be one of the most anticipated games of the season. Speaking of…
Top 10 Games of Season 18
There will be many great games this season, but these are the ones I believe will be the biggest matchups.
| Rank | Matchup | When |
| 1 | Oklahoma State @ Michigan | Week 4 |
| 2 | Kentucky @ Oklahoma State | Week 3 |
| 3 | Michigan (N) Florida State | Week 1 |
| 4 | Miami (N) Oklahoma State | Week 1 |
| 5 | Alabama @ Miami | Week 7 |
| 6 | Florida State @ Miami | Week 8 |
| 7 | Kentucky @ Alabama | Week 4 |
| 8 | Michigan @ Ohio State | Week 8 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma | Week 8 |
| 10 | Toledo @ Eastern Michigan | Week 5 |
Delo’s Playoff Predictions
This season 16 teams will make the playoffs. Here are my predictions for who those 16 teams will be.
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Oklahoma State |
| 2 | Miami |
| 3 | Michigan |
| 4 | Alabama |
| 5 | Notre Dame |
| 6 | Florida State |
| 7 | Kentucky |
| 8 | Georgia |
| 9 | Boise State |
| 10 | North Carolina |
| 11 | Oklahoma |
| 12 | Florida |
| 13 | Pittsburgh |
| 14 | Ohio State |
| 15 | Illinois |
| 16 | Ohio |
When It’s All Said and Done
To wrap us up I would like to go ahead and make my prediction for the S18 National Champions. I have to go with Oklahoma State. They have been the team to beat the past three seasons. They became the first to go to three straight championship appearances and won two of them. This season will be extra special as they will make their fourth straight appearance and win their second straight National Championship, making them only the second team to do so. Once this season is over I can honestly say I believe Oklahoma State will surpass Notre Dame as the greatest team in CSFL history. Make sure to keep an eye out as the CFSL kicks off Season 18 and a new chapter in the history books is written!
