by Matt Fischer
I love football. It’s my favorite season of the year. I can’t wait for August 29, 2013 when play begins! These are the questions running through my mind as I await the start of the 2013 college football season:
-Will the SEC win another BCS National Championship?
I think they’re the odds on favorite again. Alabama has the best group of skill position players of the Saban era. Georgia is my sleeper team. The Bulldogs return Aaron Murray at QB and Todd Gurley at RB. The defense lost a lot of talent but they’ve recruited well and should fill the void. Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, South Carolina will all be very good and just an upset away from vaulting into a spot at the BCS Championship. The BCS again will run through the SEC.
-Will Johnny Football be an in-season distraction at A&M?
Johnny Manziel had an unbelievable season last year as he lit up opposing defenses on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy. His offseason has had some controversy with his social media posts and this weekend getting asked to leave the Manning Passing Camp. The spotlight is burning bright on him and will get even brighter each week this season. Does stay cool or get burned by it? That will have a huge impact on the Texas A&M Aggies success in 2013.
-Can Arizona State win the Pac-12 South?
I’m an ASU fan so call me a homer but I think the Sun Devils win the Pac-12 South this year. Taylor Kelley was 9th in passing efficiency last year and I expect him to be even better in year 2 under Todd Graham. Marion Grice is also one of the best running backs most people have never heard of. That combo will make ASU one of the most high-powered offenses in the country. Will Sutton is a top 10 NFL pick in waiting and will lead the defense. If they beat USC September 28 it could propel them to a big season and spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
-What happens to Mizzou football after this season?
I live in Columbia just minutes away from Faurot Field. I’m informing Tiger fans again that it’s going to be a disappointing season. Last year I warned fans they were in for a new breed of football. Most scoffed at me and said Missouri could handle the best the SEC had to offer. Well I turned out to be right and Mizzou got beat down week after week in the SEC. This season I think will be tougher in conference than last year. Alabama is off the schedule but Tennessee and Kentucky are going to be better than they were last year. I see a losing record in store for Missouri again. With stadium upgrades happening, do they make a change at the top?
-What realignment news will break during the season?
The musical chairs of college athletics doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. I’m just waiting to see who makes the next move. I expect one conference to poach the Big 12 and steal away 2-4 teams. I’m just not sure who will do it. Will the Pac-12 come in and try to pry away Texas and Oklahoma? Will the SEC try to grab Oklahoma and Oklahoma State? Maybe it’ll be the Big Ten coming in and pulling Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State? Who knows but the Big 12 will be folding sooner rather than later. The Dan Beebe fiasco killed this conference and they simply will never recover.
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