2016 Midseason Crystal Ball: Picks for the playoff, Heisman and more

Alabama is the consensus pick to win the national championship this year, while several writers expect Baylor to flop in the second half of the season.

The 2016 college football season begins its second half this weekend, and the stakes are only getting higher each Saturday. Eleven teams remain undefeated while plenty of other teams with one loss are still in the hunt for conference titles and College Football Playoff berths.

Who will shine in crunch time to make the playoff, win the Heisman or rescue a season on the brink of disaster? And who will collapse when it matters most? SI’s college football experts have made their bold predictions for the second half of the season, including for the national championship, the Heisman, this year’s biggest playoff controversy and more.

	Peach Bowl	Fiesta Bowl	National Championship Game	National Champion
Andy Staples	vs.	vs.	vs.
Pete Thamel	vs.	vs.	vs.
Brian Hamilton	vs.	vs.	vs.
Lindsay Schnell	vs.	vs.	vs.
Joan Niesen	vs.	vs.	vs.
Colin Becht	vs.	vs.	vs.
Gabriel Baumgaertner	vs.	vs.	vs.
Chris Johnson	vs.	vs.	vs.
Ben Estes	vs.	vs.	vs.

	Second-half surprise team	Second-half flop team	Heisman Trophy winner	Next to fall out of Heisman race	Coach of the year
Andy Staples			Lamar Jackson	Deshaun Watson	Nick Saban
Pete Thamel			Lamar Jackson	Deshaun Watson	P.J. Fleck
Brian Hamilton			J.T. Barrett	Greg Ward Jr.	Urban Meyer
Lindsay Schnell			Lamar Jackson	Christian McCaffrey	Dana Holgorsen or Chris Petersen
Joan Niesen			Lamar Jackson	J.T. Barrett	Bobby Petrino
Colin Becht			Lamar Jackson	Dalvin Cook	Urban Meyer
Gabriel Baumgaertner			J.T. Barrett	Deshaun Watson	Chris Petersen
Chris Johnson			J.T. Barrett	Donnell Pumphrey	Urban Meyer
Ben Estes			Lamar Jackson	Dalvin Cook	Urban Meyer