2016 preseason Crystal Ball: Picks for the playoff, Heisman, hot seat, more
The start of the 2016 college football season is finally upon us (and not just an early tease in Australia). It's been a long seven months of speculating and analyzing without actual games, but that all changes this weekend. Soon, Alabama will get a chance to prove whether it can replace starting quarterbacks again and win another national championship. Stanford's Christian McCaffrey will get his shot to show he deserved last year's Heisman Trophy and claim this year's award. And of course the bumpy road to the College Football Playoff will unfold once again.
With games set to kick off, it's time for SI's college football experts to make their final preseason predictions. Here are their picks for the playoff, the Heisman and other burning questions whose answers will define the season.
writer | Peach Bowl Semifinal | Fiesta Bowl Semifinal | National champ. game | NATIONAL champion |
Andy Staples | Florida State vs. Oklahoma | Alabama vs. Clemson | Florida State vs. Alabama | Florida State |
Pete Thamel | Clemson vs. TCU | Stanford vs. Ohio State | Clemson vs. Ohio State | Clemson |
Lindsay Schnell | Clemson vs. TCU | Michigan vs. Stanford | Clemson vs. Michigan | Clemson |
Brian Hamilton | Florida State vs. Alabama | Oklahoma vs. Clemson | Florida State vs. Oklahoma | Florida State |
Joan Niesen | Clemson vs. Alabama | LSU vs. TCU | Clemson vs. LSU | Clemson |
Colin Becht | Alabama vs. Notre Dame | Ohio State vs. Florida State | Alabama vs. Florida State | Alabama |
Gabriel Baumgaertner | Ohio State vs. Oklahoma State | Alabama vs. Florida State | Ohio State vs. Florida State | Ohio State |
Chris Johnson | Alabama vs. Michigan State | Florida State vs. LSU | Alabama vs. Florida State | Florida State |
• Conference primers: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | Group of Five
writer | Orange Bowl | Cotton Bowl | Rose bowl | Sugar Bowl |
Andy Staples | Louisville vs. Michigan | Houston vs. Texas A&M | Ohio State vs. Stanford | Oklahoma State vs. Georgia |
Pete Thamel | Florida State vs. LSU | Houston vs. Georgia | Michigan vs. Oregon | Oklahoma vs. Alabama |
Lindsay Schnell | Florida State vs. Notre Dame | Houston vs. Alabama | Michigan State vs. Washington State | Oklahoma vs. LSU |
Brian Hamilton | Louisville vs. Tennessee | Houston vs. Michigan | Ohio State vs. Stanford | Oklahoma State vs. LSU |
Joan Niesen | Florida State vs. Ohio State | Houston vs. Michigan State | Michigan vs. Stanford | Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss |
Colin Becht | Clemson vs. Tennessee | Boise State vs. TCU | Michigan vs. Stanford | Oklahoma vs. LSU |
Gabriel Baumgaertner | Clemson vs. Michigan State | Houston vs. Georgia | Michigan vs. Stanford | TCU vs. LSU |
Chris Johnson | Clemson vs. Ohio State | Boise State vs. Oklahoma | Michigan vs. Stanford | TCU vs. Tennessee |
