Power 5 Conference champions predictions
These are my predictions for the Power 6 conference champions for the 2022 football season. I will have a trend that runs through all of the champs: a returning head coach and QB. These are the two most essential pieces for the team and can significantly impact the outcomes of games. There will also be something that each team didn’t get last year and be the carrot at the end of a stick to drive them to get it this year.
ACC: North Carolina State – This was the most complicated conference to pick, but the Wolfpack being set at QB in Devin Leary will help them. He passed for over 3400 yds and 35 TDs at a 65 percent rate. They play at Clemson early in the season on Oct. 1 and Wake Forest at home on Nov. 5, which will be their two most significant tests. NC St also has the best mix of offense and defense this year and will look to get over the hump by finally winning a conference championship. Clemson, Wake Forest, and Miami were other possibilities. They will each have their chance at the title, with Miami having the advantage of being in a different division than the other three. This will be the last year of division for the ACC.
Big 12: Oklahoma State – Spencer Sanders returns but will be missing his top WR and RB and they must be replaced but I believe that the talent is there and did some playing time e last year. The other big departure is the Defensive Coordinator, Jim Knowles, leaving for Ohio State, along with several defensive starters graduating or transferring. Derek Mason is the new DC for OSU and was the head coach at Vanderbilt and should continue what Knowles had started with defense being a top-ranked unit in the Big 12. I was not impressed with Blake Shapen at Baylor last year in his limited playing time, six games in 2021. He did have a high completion rate but low productionduring the Big 12 Championship game, in which he was 23 of 28 for 180 yds and 3 TDs, but the scoring drives were from 11, 37, and 47 yds on 12 drives. He only had one other full game played against Texas Tech and did have better numbers but against a not-as-tough defense. Shapen did not have an interception during the season but also averaged less than 100 passing yards. Baylor will also need to fill important skill positions with the departure of Abram Smith and Tyquan Thornton. Oklahoma will have a first-time Head Coach and new QB to go along with several departures through the transfer portal.
Big Ten: Ohio State – C.J. Stroud returns, and Jim Knowles comes over to fix the defense. They also get Michigan at home and look to make up for last year’s loss to their archrival. Ohio State could also have the best offense in the entire nation. Look for Michigan to challenge for the title but there are not many other teams
Pac 12: Utah - Cam Rising and a defense that played several freshmen last year returning, although they lose stud, LB Devin Lloyd. Kyle Whittingham has now been at Utah for 17 seasons which ties him for the second longest-serving Head Coach at one school with Mike Gundy. Oregon and USC each have new head coaches and QBs, which can take some time to settle in. USC also had a questionable defense last year, and Lincoln does not have a good track record on that side of the ball. He did bring the Defensive Coordinator, Alex Grinch, from OU to go with a couple of transfers in QB Caleb Williams and WR Mario Williams, but none for the defense, which was the biggest issue for USC and Lincoln Riley as a head coach. Utah plays USC at home and Oregon on the road, but the no divisions this year to get into the championship game.
SEC: Alabama - BAMA is king until they are dethroned, especially after the national championship game losing to Georgia and returning to Bryce Young at QB along with several defensive starters returning. Nick Saban also comes back. The chance of an SEC and National Championship games with Georgia will be high and the team split with UGA getting the ultimate prize. Alabama will want to get back to the top but winning the SEC will be the first task.
