Midseason Conference Predictions
By: Kade Padgett (@kadepadgett)
We are officially halfway through Season 20, so it is time to see where the conferences shake out, and who is looking to make a late push to get into the Postseason. For these predictions, we will be looking at where each team currently stands in their conferences, and which team on the fringe might have a shot to back door their way in. Let’s begin:
ACC
| North Carolina | 2 | 2 |
| Syracuse | 2 | 2 |
| Miami | 2 | 2 |
| Clemson | 2 | 2 |
| Florida State | 2 | 2 |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 4 |
Far and away the tightest conference race, 5 of the 6 ACC teams are tied at 2-2. North Carolina leads the Conference because their 2 wins are both conference wins. Syracuse also has 2 conference wins, but 1 conference loss as well. Miami and Clemson are both 1-1 in conference play, while Florida State and Notre Dame are winless.
North Carolina stands ahead of the pack and has the best chance to remain the top the conference. With 3 remaining games in the conference, they can sweep the table but fall the hardest. Syracuse only has 2 conference games remaining, meaning their week 1 matchup against the Tar Heels may loom large later in the season. Both Miami and Clemson have 3 conference games remaining, which could see them finish top in the conference, or near the bottom.
Although they are 0-1 in conference, Florida State seems to have the most potential to make a late push. With all 4 of their final games this season being in conference games, they control their destiny. Should Florida State win out, they will finish top 2, or tops in the ACC. Will the Seminoles right their ship and win the ACC?
Notre Dame sits 0-4, and 0-2 in conference. While 3 of their final 4 games are against conference opponents, they have a hill to climb to get there. Games against Syracuse, Clemson, and Florida State will all be tough matchups. However, they will find themselves in the postseason if they win out.
Prediction:
- North Carolina
- Florida State
- Clemson
Big XII
| Texas | 2 | 2 |
| West Virginia | 3 | 1 |
| Baylor | 2 | 2 |
| Cincinnati | 2 | 2 |
| Colorado | 2 | 2 |
| Texas A&M | 1 | 3 |
Much like the ACC, the Big 12 is a tight race from top to bottom. Texas leads the conference at 2-2 over 3-1 West Virginia, mainly because Texas is 2-0 in conference play and West Virginia is 2-1. 3 Teams are at 2-2, with Baylor, Cincinnati, and Colorado. Baylor and Cincy are 1-1 in conference play, while Colorado is 0-1. The new team Texas A&M is racing out the conference, sitting at 1-3 on the season and 0-2 in conference play.
It seems like it is a 2 team race between Texas and West Virginia at this point, but there is still a lot of ball to be played. Texas has the step over West Virginia with 3 conference games remaining versus 2, and Texas has the head-to-head matchup. Should Texas take care of business the rest of the way, which they have done thus far in conference, they will win the title. West Virginia will need Texas to slip up twice to jump them. While they may not win the title, they look good for the postseason.
Baylor and Cincinnati are both 1-1 in conference with 3 conference games remaining. Their head-to-head matchup in week 6 will likely determine who makes the postseason as a top 3 seed, and who will need the help of the voters to get in as a vote-in team.
Colorado and Texas A&M are both winless in conference, but Colorado has 4 conference games remaining, and A&M only has 3. They meet up in week 5. Colorado can effectively knock Texas A&M out of any postseason talks, and give themselves a step in the right direction with a win. Texas A&M needs a win to remain competitive these last 4 weeks, and if they want any chance at the postseason, it needs to start now.
Prediction:
- Texas
- West Virginia
- Cincinnati
BigTen
| USC | 4 | 0 |
| Michigan | 3 | 1 |
| Penn State | 3 | 1 |
| Oregon | 2 | 2 |
| Illinois | 1 | 3 |
| Ohio State | 1 | 3 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 4 |
The separation is more apparent here than it is in the other conferences. USC and Michigan stand at the top of the Big 10 at 4-0 and 3-1 respectively, and both teams are undefeated in the conference. Right on their tales are Penn State and Oregon, who both have 2 conference wins, but also at least 1 conference loss (2 for Oregon). Illinois is the only other conference team that has a conference win, while both Ohio State and Michigan State are winless in the conference.
USC and Michigan are clashing in week 5, and that could very easily seal the conference winner. Should USC win, they will be 5-0 on the season, and 4-0 in conference play with the head-to-head over the team that poses the greatest threat to them. Should Michigan win, they will become 3-0 in conference, tie their overall record with USC, and will have a few conference games remaining to maintain their lead. This is going to be a very pivotal week for the Big 10.
Penn State only has 2 conference wins at the moment, but also only has 1 conference loss (Michigan). Much like the teams above them, they control their destiny in terms of making the postseason. They need a lot of help if they want to win the Big 10 title, but the playoffs are well within reach. Oregon and Illinois are both on the outside looking in right now, as both teams have 2 conference losses. Oregon has 2 wins which puts them in a better spot right now than Illinois, but they also have fewer conference games remaining. Should either of these teams hope to make the postseason, they will need things to go their way with the teams above them losing more than we expect them to.
Ohio State and Michigan State are both winless in the conference. Ohio State sits better because they are in the win column at least, and they have 4 conference games remaining. Ohio State isn’t where it wants to be right now, but they do control its destiny for potentially making the postseason, either as an automatic bid or as a vote-in team. Michigan State is a different story. At 0-3 in conference, they are going to need a lot of things to go their way if they want to make the playoffs in their first year. However, 3 of their 4 final games are against conference opponents. Should they win out, and finish the year 4-4, it would be hard to leave them out as a vote-in team.
Prediction:
- Michigan
- USC
- Penn State
SEC
| Auburn | 4 | 0 |
| LSU | 3 | 1 |
| Alabama | 3 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 1 |
| Georgia | 2 | 2 |
| Florida | 1 | 3 |
| Tennessee | 0 | 4 |
This is going to be the most exciting finish in the CFSL for a conference race. Auburn stands at the top right now at 4-0, 2-0 in conference play. LSU, Alabama, and Kentucky are all 3-1. LSU has only played conference opponents, giving them only 2 conference games remaining. Alabama is 2-1 in conference, while Kentucky is 1-1 in conference. Georgia and Florida are both 1-2 in the conference, while Tennessee is winless.
Auburn is undefeated right now, and they have all conference games remaining. Auburn is firmly in the driver’s seat of the SEC, and they are in full control of their destiny. LSU has done what it needed to do in the conference thus far, but with only 2 conference games remaining, and Auburn having the head-to-head tiebreaker, they will need some help from the rest of the SEC if they hope to win the conference.
Alabama still has 3 games in the conference remaining, making their matchup with Auburn later in the season that much more important. Still in charge of their destiny as well, the Crimson Tide are looking to get back to the postseason.
Reigning champs Kentucky stumbled last week against Georgia, losing a game that no one thought they would lose (except those in Athens). Their next two weeks against Alabama and Auburn can propel them to the top of the conference, or knock them out of the race altogether.
Georgia got their first win against a conference opponent last week against Kentucky, which will go a long way for them if they make the playoffs as a top 3 team, or as a vote-in, that game will carry weight throughout the season. Georgia also has 3 conference games remaining. While they currently stand 5th in the conference, there is no reason they can’t finish top 3 if they take care of business the rest of the season. Florida also stands 1-2 in conference play, and while they will need more help than Georgia, there is still a way for them to back door their way into the postseason.
Tennessee is winless in the conference, winless in the league, and hasn’t won a game in over 4 seasons. The Volunteers have 3 conference games remaining, and should they win, can get a lot of attention as a vote-in team. With games against Auburn, Georgia, and Kentucky, they can win out and control their destiny as far as a potential vote-in team.
Prediction:
- Auburn
- Kentucky
- LSU
There has been a lot of good football that has been played thus far, and there is a lot of good football left to go. No one is knocked out of the postseason yet, and no one has locked a spot in either. These next few weeks are going to be crucial for seeding, top 3 automatic bids, voting in teams, and building for Season 21. Buckle up, it is going to be an exciting ride.
