Seven Teams and their Fates, Fall 2022 - What Could Go Right?

Seven FBS Teams and their Fates, Fall 2022 - What Will Happen?

Does it matter, any of it? Maybe not. Will it add up to anything? Possibly not. However: 

I like this. I find it compelling.

    I am going to track seven teams, with some predictions and hopes. It doesn't take me too long, and I tend to think about these things whether I record them or not. So I will jot a few impressions and things down. Like last season. I may publish last season's reports, too, just for kicks, and more proper reflection.

Yeah.

    First, the teams to be previewed with a few short weeks till opening games on August 27. A through G.

I will put what Linday's (x) and Athlon [y] have rated them pre-season, which magazines I own.

A) Texas A & M ....... (5), [5] Disparity: 0

B) Utah ..................... (7), [8] Disparity: 1

C) BYU....................(19), [27] Disparity: 8

D) Virginia...............(33), [68] Disparity: 35 (!!!)

E) Fresno State.........(35), [35] Disparity: 0 

F) Indiana................ (71), [82] Disparity: 11

G) James Madison...(110),[98] Disparity: 12

What about CBSPORTS? That will probably be the guide I go by the rest of the season. I will list the first opponent that they have, and a brief assessment of that matchup.

A) Utah (4) at Florida (30). Decent test.

B) Texas A & M (9) v. Sam Houston (FCS, lower tier). Cake walk.

C) BYU (26) at South Florida (110). If the Bulls are really that bad, fine. The Y has never won in the state. Out of about 7 tries.

D) Fresno St. (39) v. Cal-Poly (FCS, lower tier). Should be a blow out, Dogs.

E) Virginia (59) v. Richmond (FCS, lower tier). Good warm up for Cavs - Wahoos.

F) Indiana (88) v. Illinois (82). Big test. IU's season may depend on a win here. Staying healthy, gaining experience and confidence. Go Hoosiers! Athlon has Illini 15 ranks better (67 to 82), and Lindy's 7 ranks worse (78 to 71). Let's hope Lindy's is more accurate. If IU is as bad as CBSSports thinks, it will be a sad season.

G) James Madison (110) v. Middle Tennessee State (112). Toss up, but I think the emotions will be with the newly FBS-christened Dukes. Making it the 131st in the club.

    I have hopes that Utah can run the table, and Texas A & M would be a cool run as well. BYU has a rather deeper team than normal, we think, so if they show up against their power opponents and the rest, why not all three? That seems unlikely, because the Big Ten and the SEC would surely have another team. Alabama and Ohio State, likely.

    What would happen if we had, by this December:

    Utah Utes                 13-0

    Texas A&M Aggies  13-0

    BYU Cougars          12-0 (no conference championship)

    Alabama                  11-2 (loses twice to Aggies)

    Ohio State                13-0

    We would need two losses by the vaunted Crimson Tide for the Cougars to get in to the CFP (final four), even undefeated in Provo. Then again, if someone else beat Alabama, and the Aggies of College Station were 12-1 (winning the SEC championship), this could potentially line up a dream semifinal scenario for me:

Ohio State versus BYU, Utah versus Texas A & M. Imagine! 

These are pipe dreams, but we can dream. Until that first loss...

Most magazines are picking Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Georgia, or Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia.

    Very southern centric, with soon to be OK Sooners part of the Southeastern Conference. The PAC-12 has received short shrift all these years, plus no team has been dominant enough to crack the Semifinal code. Combination bad luck and not good enough. 

    It would be sweet to see Utah run it. And, of course, the less likely Cougars. I am the same unrealistic Hoosier homer that thinks the men of Bloomington could go 7-5. 

    WE SHALL SEE. That is why we play the games!

    And the Cougs may pass up some programs in all time winning percentage.

To be determined. Stay tuned. More on each team next time. Talents, win projections, hopes.