By: Ryan Moreland (@ryanmoreland)
Season 18 is less than a week from kicking off and I know we are all hyped. Before the season starts I wanted to talk about the storylines that I am most excited to watch this season. Let’s get into it.
The Battle for the Florida Cup
The three-way rivalry between the Florida schools has provided the CFSL with an endless amount of entertainment over the years. However, there may not have ever been a year when all three teams were this good. I think all three are truly in the contender category. The best part? They all play each other. Here is a quick breakdown of when you will see these games:
| Miami | Florida | Florida State |
| Week 4 vs Florida | Week 4 at Miami | Week 7 at Florida |
| Week 8 vs Florida State | Week 7 vs Florida State | Week 8 at Miami |
These games will not only decide who wins the Florida Cup, but they will likely decide who wins the SEC Title. And that is not to mention the playoff implications. This is going to be an exciting season in the Sunshine State.
Battle for Ohio
While the Battle for Ohio is less exciting than the Battle for Florida, it is still worth noting. The Buckeyes will open up their season by hosting the Ohio Bobcats. And the fans in Athens are excited about the opportunity to beat Big Brother. And you know what? I think they have a real chance.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams. Ohio State has won every meeting, but the Bobcats have been competitive. Two of the three previous meetings were one-possession games. If you want to watch (and you should) this game will be played next Thursday at 8:30 P.M. on YouTube.
All Portals Lead to the MAC
There have been many fantastic players who got their start in the MAC and then transferred to a Power Two program. Legends like Harrison Murray, Thor Savage, Quincy Meyers, Joey Cass, DJ Blackmon, and many more have roots that trace back to the Mid-American Conference. Now, however, we are seeing a new trend. Great players are leaving the Power Two in favor of the MAC.
This season big names like Cillian MacBride, Holly Jax, Cristiano Valentine, Toby Kneer, and Sam Dobbins have made the journey to the MAC from Power Two teams. Now, many reasons could lead someone to make this move and I don’t want to speak for anyone. But I am about to wildly speculate.
In the last few seasons, we have seen a couple of MAC players win some pretty important awards. In Season 16 Ludwig Friedman won Freshman of the Year after his great run with Eastern Michigan. We all remember McKade Alber winning Most Improved and Offensive Player of the Year last season. Now that we all know that you can play in the MAC and still be firmly in play for postseason awards.
So why not jump to the MAC? Especially if you are on offense. You get to play easier defenses and still win postseason awards. Perhaps this is the cause of the MAC shift. But again, this is just me speculating.
The Art of Opening Strong
Opening week is the opportunity to start the season off right. This got me thinking; Which teams have been the best (and worst) at season openers? Below you will find a complete list of how every team has fared in Week One in league history. Best of luck to each team this coming week.
| Team | Record | Win % |
| Oklahoma State | 8-1 | .889 |
| Clemson | 11-4 | .733 |
| Texas | 11-4 | .733 |
| Florida | 9-4 | .692 |
| Alabama | 8-4 | .667 |
| Illinois | 2-1 | .667 |
| North Carolina | 2-1 | .667 |
| Auburn | 11-6 | .647 |
| Miami | 8-5 | .615 |
| Oregon | 9-7 | .563 |
| Notre Dame | 9-8 | .529 |
| Boise State | 5-5 | .500 |
| Ohio State | 8-9 | .471 |
| Florida State | 6-9 | .400 |
| Kentucky | 2-3 | .400 |
| West Virginia | 2-3 | .400 |
| Michigan | 6-10 | .375 |
| Georgia | 1-2 | .333 |
| Ohio | 2-4 | .333 |
| Pittsburgh | 1-2 | .333 |
| Toledo | 2-4 | .333 |
| Oklahoma | 2-6 | .250 |
| Kent State | 1-4 | .200 |
| Bowling Green | 1-5 | .167 |
| Northern Illinois | 1-6 | .143 |
| Eastern Michigan | 0-6 | .000 |
The Adieu Haiku
Twenty-six to one.
The race begins on Monday.
Who will win it all?
