50 Wild, Off-the-Wall College Football Predictions for 2012

With only a few bowl games left in the postseason, it is time to make some bold predictions, and yes, I am already talking about the next college football season.

Conference expansion is crazy right now since even Geno Smith did not know for sure if his Mountaineers were officially leaving for the Big 12 after their Orange Bowl thrashing.

Still, nothing is technically official yet, which makes these predictions that much more exciting to make.

At last, here are your 50 boldest predictions for the 2012 college football season!

The Heisman Could Have Another Dark-Horse Winner

Matt Barkley, Landry Jones and Denard Robinson may be the favorites, but Aaron Murray, Tyler Wilson, Zach Mettenberger and a few other quarterbacks could go off in the 2012 season.

Casey Pachall, E.J. Manuel, Geno Smith, Tajh Boyd and Logan Thomas will be legit, and the list just goes on and on at the quarterback position.

However, Denard Robinson Will Win the Heisman

I will admit it is a small stretch since guys like Landry Jones and Matt Barkley will have just as many, if not more, spotlight games, but Robinson has Michigan relevant once again.

How relevant, you ask?

Well, we will find out against Alabama in the opener, and then games against Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State will determine a lot. If he can find a way to go bonkers and carry the Maize and Blue on his back, "Shoelace" should be your next Heisman winner.

Florida Will Improve and Win Double-Digit Games After January

The offense is too talented to not improve, and the defense will still be productive. Will Muschamp has a big season upcoming to prove to people that he can take this program in the right direction, and winning most of the games against the SEC East should not be too daunting.

Missouri Will Only Go 8-5

I will give the Tigers the benefit of the doubt in their bowl game, but they open up at home against the very talented Georgia Bulldogs next season.

That is not exactly the type of dream home matchup they were hoping for.

Then again, they should want to face the top-tier teams, but they better play lights out and keep James Franklin healthy, or else they could fall flat on their faces.

The Big Ten Gets Shut out Against SEC on New Year’s

Well, we can count Michigan as a victory, but that will not be against the SEC. Is it really bold to pick the Big Ten to not beat the SEC?

Well, no, but they found a way to win a game this past season, and the SEC is getting stronger, whereas the Big Ten will be weaker without Ohio State in a bowl game next season.

Michigan State Gets Better Despite Brutal Schedule

I foresee Sparty having another three-loss season and feel they will likely come up short of Pasadena.

However, their defense will be loaded, and this squad could reach the promised land if the offense gets better despite the losses of Kirk Cousins, Joel Foreman, Keshawn Martin and B.J. Cunningham.

Urban Meyer Gets Nine Victories

I think this is fairly bold because I was disappointed in what I saw against the Florida Gators in the Gator Bowl. Sure, Ohio State allowed two non-offensive touchdowns, but it could not get over the 10-point mark until the closing moments of the game.

Braxton Miller should excel in his second season, and TOSU has eight home games! I think Michigan and another Big Ten opponent (MSU) may beat the Buckeyes, and throw in a road loss to give them a 9-3 record in year one under Urban Meyer.

Iowa Hawkeyes Reach 10-Win Mark

Iowa has an extremely favorable schedule, as it does not have a true road game until the middle of October against Michigan State. It is coming off a bye week, whereas Sparty will have already had games against Boise State, Notre Dame and Ohio State!

The Hawkeyes could be sitting pretty heading into their trip to Ann Arbor, which may decide who reaches the Big Ten championship game. Even if they lose, do not be shocked if the Hawkeyes crack the Top 10 at some point during the season or at the worst the Top 15.

Note: Double-digit wins includes bowl game.

Wisconsin Wins Leaders Again

Ohio State technically could or should win the division, but remember that it will not eligible, which only leaves two realistic possibilities.

Wisconsin and Penn State will battle it out for the Leaders because Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois will be fighting just to reach bowl status. Don’t forget having that Montee Ball guy back will make this team nationally relevant once again.

Nebraska Will Be Hardest Team to Figure Out

Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead have proven to be solid players, though the inconsistency of the passing game has really limited this offense.

Husker nation is hopeful of maintaining Jordan Westerkamp since he could make a world of difference right off the bat for them.

Still, the defense needs to improve even more, or else they will fall short of a BCS bowl again.

ACC Will Finally Gain National Recognition

The conference has been a nightmare to follow in terms of showing up against the elite competition, but it has a ton of stars coming back.

The majority of the star signal-callers are returning and Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State should all be Top 10-caliber teams next season.

Florida State and Virginia Tech Will Face off in ACC Championship Game

The decision of David Wilson may change the perspective of the Hokies, but Florida State will not be picked by every expert in the ACC. The 'Noles host Clemson, which should be one of the more exciting games to look forward to in 2012.

The Middle of the ACC Will Be One of the Best in the Nation, Minus SEC

NC State has a chance to knock off Tennessee, and the likes of Miami, Georgia Tech and Virginia can all win eight games if they take care of their non-conference slates.

NC State and Clemson Will Clock the SEC in Their Openers

Auburn should keep it fairly close with Clemson, but NC State could hammer the Volunteers if they do not find a running game. These SEC teams are nothing to brag about, but the ACC has to make a national statement sometime soon, right?

Miami FL Won’t Improve Much

Kansas State, Notre Dame, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and NC State are all capable of knocking off the Hurricanes because they are all returning the majority of their teams.

Miami loses Lamar Miler, who was one of the most explosive backs in the country, and I am not sure Al Golden will be able to turn the tide in just his second season.

Clemson Will Lose Just One Game All Regular Season

The Tigers have a tough schedule that includes a season opener against Auburn (Georgia Dome), home dates against Virginia Tech and South Carolina and a road trip to Tallahassee against the Seminoles.

Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins will be a fierce pass-catch combo, and they simply will not be stopped very often next season.

West Virginia and Louisville Will Be Legit

Geno Smith and Teddy Bridgewater are two stud signal-callers, and there is a great chance that both teams could run the table in the Big East outside of playing each other.

Of course, West Virginia is expected to leave for the Big 12, so (they say) it may no longer be in the Big East. Still, these two teams would be the favorites in the Big East if WV returns, and they should be factors and catch several people by surprise.

Geno Smith Will Be the Heisman Dark Horse Regardless of Conference

It will not matter if he plays in the Big East again or in the Big 12—Smith will go bonkers just like he did against Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

It will be one of the more intriguing stories to look for. Tavon Austin, Ivan McCartney and Stedman Bailey may wreak havoc on every team they play.

Florida State Hosting West Virginia Ends Up as Best Non-Conference Game

The only secondary that features as many stars as the West Virginia receiving corps (at least on the WV schedule) would be the Seminoles secondary. Xavier Rhodes, Greg Reid and LaMarcus Joyner will give us one fine matchup on September 8th.

West Virginia Will Not Win the Big 12

Maybe I am doubting West Virginia (I picked it in the Orange Bowl), but I feel the Big 12 is still too strong for the Mountaineers.

People may get carried away with this Orange Bowl victory over Clemson, but WV played its best game in ages. It was near perfect in all three stages of the game, and I am not sure it will make Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas State look nearly as bad as it did Clemson.

TCU Will Be Great in the New Big 12

Some are still expecting West Virginia to leave for the Big 12, but we do know that TCU is already ready to go. Casey Pachall is a stud and has several speedy options to throw the ball to. Tank Carder will be gone, so TCU needs other stars to shine, but in Dick Bumpas and Gary Patterson we trust.

Louisiana Tech Will Be Sleeper of the Year

Louisiana Tech has the soft schedule with the WAC, but it has a tough non-conference slate that includes trips to Champaign and Charlottesville. I could easily see the Bulldogs winning one or both possibly of those games. If that happens, this team has a shot to become the 2012 BCS buster.

Blake Bell Will Rush for 25 Touchdowns

Tim Tebow ran for 23 touchdowns during his sophomore season, but he won the Heisman and went on to have one of the greatest careers in recent history.

Still, Blake Bell is nicknamed the “Belldozer” for a reason, and he is the goal-line vulture that steals everything away from the OU backs.

Texas Longhorns Will Slowly Be Back

I am not buying this team to win the Big 12, but it will come darn close. The defense is ferocious up front, and we know the offense will not be half as bad.

Count on the Longhorns to win a minimum of nine games, and don’t be shocked if they crack the Top 10 at some point during the season.

Kansas State Will Win 10 Games and Get Left out of BCS Again

Collin Klein will be back, and so will the majority of his teammates, but there is a great chance that the Wildcats will get left out of the BCS once again.

There are way too many attractive options out there for the BCS, and if Notre Dame, Boise State or another non-AQ goes undefeated, then it will automatically get in over an underrated Bill Snyder squad.

Charlie Weis Will Not Stop the Bleeding

The Jayhawks should improve and win four or five games, but they will not go bowling even with Dayne Crist as Charlie Weis' quarterback. Maybe it is not a bold statement, but the Jayhawks are still a few more years away from becoming relevant.

Derek Dooley and Randy Edsall Will Get Put on the Scorching Hot Seat

Tennessee and Maryland both come off disappointing seasons, and there is a chance they fail to reach the postseason again. If that ends up being the case next season, there is no doubt that both coaches will be on thin ice. I would look for both teams to come up short of expectations once again.

Notre Dame Will Play in the BCS

Here is your bold statement that may question my intelligence, but let us have some fun here.

The Irish start off the season in Ireland against Navy before they get Michigan at home. Then they go to Oklahoma and USC, which could be a death trap waiting to happen.

Still, a nine-win season gives them a chance to play in a BCS bowl, and a 10-win season would likely lock it up. Hey, it could happen.

Everett Golson Will Win the Musical Chairs of Quarterback for Brian Kelly

It would not be funny if Brian Kelly has a heart attack, but he nearly had several this past year with the Irish. He needs to pick a quarterback and hopefully not change one other than for certain packages.

Everett Golson is an electric runner and has a solid arm, but the hope is that he can become a spark plug for this program. This is a bold statement because the Irish would have used all of their quarterbacks if they were not concerned about the youngsters redshirting.

Boise State Will Play in a BCS Bowl

Nobody will be expecting much from the Broncos next season, and Chris Petersen just received a five-year extension.

However, he is arguably the best coach in the nation for more than just a few reasons. They reload as well as any team in the nation, and I look for the Broncos to spread the wealth among all of the solid wide receivers they will return.

Their defense will not get much love, but jump on the bandwagon before the trip to East Lansing because the Broncos have proven for years that they have what it takes to compete with most of the big boys.

Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans Will Be Most Exciting Teams to Watch

Throw in these two teams as the best offenses in the country with a star quarterback, wide receivers and running backs. Also, we can throw in a speedy defense with lights out special teams, and these two Pac-12 teams will dazzle us more than any team in 2012.

Stanford Will Lose Four Games but Will Not Fall off the Map

Andrew Luck’s departure will certainly take its toll, but David Shaw and the Cardinal will still have a solid defense at the end of the day. David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin are also gone to the NFL draft, and that in itself will be tough to overcome.

LSU’s Defense Will Have Company in Terms of Being the Best

Georgia will be much improved, and so will USC’s defense, but Florida State may end up having the best defense in the entire country for next season with Brandon Jenkins returning.

The Seminoles were top-five overall this past season and will be returning all of their stars.

The superstar defensive end will get more help from Bjoern Werner, and the interior of the line will be improved as well. Throw in a star-studded secondary along with a few legit linebackers, and this could be the most talented (most productive) defense in the nation.

Marcus Lattimore Will Have Reservations for Six, Early and Often

This superstar back will be an incoming junior next season, and it probably will be his final season on Columbia. I would bank on 25-plus touchdowns if he stays healthy, and the Gamecocks should be relevant in the SEC once again even though the slate is tougher than this past season's schedule.

Steve Spurrier Will Post Consecutive Double-Digit-Win Seasons

This is bold because South Carolina just put together its first 11-win season in the program’s history. It has never had consecutive double-digit-win seasons, and I look for that stat to change.

The Gamecocks defense is loaded up front, and Marcus Lattimore will be a beast, assuming he returns at 110 percent.

Even one of the tougher SEC slates (UGA, at LSU, at UF, vs. ARK) and a brutal non-conference trip to Clemson will be no match for this improved South Carolina program. I look for a 9-3 season and another bowl victory, which would put it at double-digit wins again.

Georgia Will Be the Team to Knock off LSU

Many will still think Alabama is the second-best team in the country, especially if it beats LSU.

However, Aaron Murray and the Dawgs will return a boatload of superstars on both sides of the ball.

This is clearly bold since LSU returns the majority of its team that recently punked UGA by four touchdowns.

Still, the Dawgs will be a team I look at to make a somewhat shocking national championship run.

Georgia Will Go Undefeated Pre-Postseason

In case you thought I was going to leave an SEC school out of the BCS title game, think again.

This is a pretty bold statement because I seriously doubt anybody on the planet outside of Athens will be picking these Dawgs to go undefeated after a tough three-overtime loss to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl.

Forget the somewhat SEC schedule (is that possible?); UGA’s defense will be scary good, and the receivers will be able to torch the opposition.

The Upsets Will Happen Before Late October

This past season all the madness happened late in the season, and there is no shot that happens again. LSU and the SEC beasts will beat up on each other in late September, and there will be some upsets right away in October.

Auburn Will Upset LSU

There, I said it, and I don’t mind if you laugh, honestly. Boldness always spices things up for the landscape of college football, but this LSU team cannot possibly go undefeated for two whole seasons, can it?

Alabama Will Beat Michigan and Still Be Legit

Nick Saban will refuse to have a bad season, ever. The backups on defense could play for most teams in the country, and A.J. McCarron will only get better.

Alabama may not reach a BCS bowl, but it will reach double-digit victories and will be one of the most talented teams in the country again.

Knile Davis Will Be All-SEC

This is bold, especially since Knile Davis is coming off major ankle surgery and he plays in a passing offense.

However, I look for Davis to break off a boatload of yards, as he should reach pay dirt over 20 times. He is expected to weigh his options for the upcoming NFL draft, but we should be shocked if he does leave early.

The Oregon Ducks-USC Trojans Game of the Century

You heard it here first—the Trojans and Ducks will battle on the third of November, and they will be atop the rankings. That would mean that an SEC team such as LSU would have a loss, and as you read earlier, I foresee that actually occurring.

Eric Page and Toledo Will Rule the MAC

I would be shocked if Toledo loses more than one game next season, and that includes a road trip to Tucson against Rich Rodriguez and the ‘Cats.

Life Will Go on Without Kellen Moore, Andrew Luck and RGIII

College football develops superstars every single season, and I would never doubt the stars in a season.

The ACC has a few youngsters, and the Big 12 develops superstar quarterbacks like nobody’s business. Throw in the best conference in America with the SEC, and there will be no lack of star power in 2012.

Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods Will Put on Clinics

This will be the year of the receiver alongside quarterbacks because teams are just chucking it NFL Blitz style, and these defenses are getting torched.

We saw what teams can do in the postseason, and I look for these two young receivers to go insane with their two stud quarterbacks.

Matt Barkley looks like the next Andrew Luck perhaps, and Tajh Boyd has shown how much talent he has. Bank on one of these receivers winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award with their superstar athleticism and wide-open, spread offenses.

De'Anthony Thomas Wins the Doak Walker Award

Dubbed the “Black Mamba” by Snoop Dogg, this speedster is arguably the fastest playmaker in the country and could be well on his way to greatness.

LaMichael James is expected by most to leave for the NFL draft, which would mean only Kenjon Barner would be taking some carries away from De'Anthony Thomas.

Both are solid slot receivers, but they are so explosive that Chip Kelly can have them anywhere on the field.

Only De'Anthony could have two carries in the Rose Bowl and find a way to rush for two touchdowns and 155 yards. Look for the sensational sophomore to become a superstar next season.

The SEC Will Feature Five Top 10 Teams at Some Point of the Season

LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama and South Carolina will crack the Top 10 at some point during the season. In fact, some may argue that all five of the above teams will make the preseason Top Five in August.

South Carolina, Georgia and Arkansas may not all get a ton of love from the media, but their defenses could all be better next season. LSU returns most of its team, and Alabama will just reload everywhere to notch another double-digit-win season.

The Defenses Will Be Dominant in the SEC

Just take a look at all of the stars returning in this conference. Alabama may be losing the majority of its core players, but we know it will be a Top 10 defense. Auburn should be much improved, and Florida will be solid again.

Arkansas has some decent upside, and Georgia is the team that could really shock us in my eyes.

Throw in South Carolina alongside the 2011 SEC champions in LSU, and you have yourself a conference loaded with future stars at the next level perhaps better than ever before.

The SEC Will Be Dethroned…Finally

I can’t give away my final slide, but I do think the SEC will get back to the BCS National Championship Game. This time, though, it will finally lose a game when it matters the most.

Look for another BCS conference champion to play lights out and at last knock off the dominance (for one night at least) of the SEC.

USC Will Win the BCS National Championship

Give me the Trojans in the 2012-2013 season, because their defense is loaded with future All-Americans and the offense already has present superstars.

Matt Barkley can do it all with Robert Woods, Marqise Lee and George Farmer. The backfield has Curtis McNeal, who has killer speed.

Plus, the schedule is beyond favorable, and the Trojans have already proven they can beat Oregon.

USC will likely see the Ducks twice next season, but its defense will be great, and it may average over 40 points a game. Bring on the SEC, says Trojan nation.