Predicting the Winners of Every Conference in College Football in 2013-14

Every year when the month of March rolls around, fans, spectators, coaches, players, announcers and even referees fill out their NCAA basketball tournament brackets. Some do it for fun while others do it in competitions to win either certain prizes or certain amounts of cash. 

In filling out any kind of NCAA tournament bracket, one predicts what they believe will happen and who they think will emerge on top in head-to-head matchups, based on the seedings of the particular teams. The lower the seed, the better the team's odds are at advancing in the tournament

So how do they determine what team gets what seed exactly? Well, by looking at what each team's overall record is, as well as its strength of schedule, the quality of each team it beat, what teams it lost to and examining each individual position battle.

Well, my friends, by using the same type of deductive reasoning that's used when filling out NCAA tournament brackets, in the next 11 slides I will break down which teams have the best chances to wind up being the champs of each and every conference in major college football this coming season. 

ACC: Clemson Tigers

2012 Record: 11-2

2012 Bowl Game/Results: Chick-fil-A Bowl Winners 

Returning Starters: 14 

Most Valuable Player: Quarterback Tajh Boyd 

Storyline

Despite losing their leading, 1,000-plus-yard rusher in Andre Ellington, the Tajh Boyd-led Clemson Tigers offense has the firepower to put a lot of points up on the board. Last season, the Tigers were eighth in the country in terms of total yards gained and put up a whopping 41 points per game!

The problem with this team lies on the defensive side of the ball, as it was ranked just 76th in the country in terms of total yards given up per game last season.

It should improve this coming season, though, as seven of the 11 starters from last year will return, being a more experienced bunch. 

Final Thoughts

Even though it has a lackluster defense, I think that this squad is primed and ready to win the ACC title in 2013 while earning a bid to play in a BCS  bowl game.

Big East: Louisville Cardinals

2012 Record: 11-2 

2012 Bowl Game/Results: Allstate Sugar Bowl Winners

Returning Starters: 14

Most Valuable Player: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater 

Storyline

Soon-to-be junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had the seventh-best QB rating in the country in 2012, en route to leading his team to its first Big East title since the 2006 season and its first-ever appearance/win in a BCS bowl game.

Pretty impressive, right?

The scary thing for the rest of the Big East is that Bridgewater will be back, as will 16 other returning starters. They will not only be eyeing another Big East title; they'll aim for the BCS National Championship Game! 

Final Thoughts

Louisville fans want to see their beloved Cardinals go undefeated while competing for a national title, and that very well might happen when you take into consideration the lack of strength in the teams on their schedule.

But I think that they'll stumble somewhere along the lines while still winning the Big East title and getting an invitation to play in another BCS bowl game. .  

Big Ten: Ohio State Buckeyes

2012 Record: 12:0

2012 Bowl Game/Results: N/A

Returning Starters: 13

Most Valuable Player: Quarterback Braxton Miller 

Storyline

In Urban Meyer's first year as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, he took what was a lackluster, 6-7 program in 2011, and created a team that was borderline immaculate in 2012, going 12-0, becoming just the fifth team in Buckeye football history to finish the season without a loss. 

With results like that, the expectations of the Ohio State fanbase worldwide are very high, Especially when considering that it has one of the most electrifying players in the country in dual-threat QB Braxton Miller.

Miller was named the Big Ten offensive player of the year in 2012, just like other Buckeye greats Eddie George, Orlando Pace, Joe Germaine and Troy Smith. 

I think this year's Ohio State squad has the potential to reach the 2014 BCS national-title game in Rose Bowl Stadium. 

Final Thoughts

From top to bottom, Ohio State has more talent on its roster than any other team in the B1G.

The Buckeyes just have to execute and show that their 12-0 season in 2012 wasn't a fluke.  

Big 12: Texas Longhorns

2012 Record: 9-4

2012 Bowl Game/Results: Valero Alamo Bowl Winners 

Returning Starters: 19

Most Valuable Player: Wide Receiver Mike Davis

Storyline

Texas head coach Mack Brown is one of quite a few coaches in college football who are on the hot seat right now. But I think that this coming season will "save his ass," so to speak. He will have a very skilled bunch of maturing players returning this coming season, and things are bound to change. 

As only a sophomore last season, Longhorns quarterback David Ash had the 20th-best QB rating in the country, completing 67.3 percent of his passes and throwing for 2,699 yards and 19 touchdowns. Because of his spectacular play, a lot of people overlooked the contribution of the Longhorn's tandem of running backs. 

Last year Johnathan Gray and Joe Bergeron collectively rushed for 1,268 yards on 276 carries while averaging 4.6 yards a pop and scoring 19 touchdowns. Keep in mind, Texas is a pass-heavy football team. 

Final Thoughts

If Texas wants to come away with the conference crown, it'll have to improve on the defensive side of the ball, as it ranked 67th in the country in terms of yards given up per game and 73rd in the country in scoring defense last season. 

Conference USA: East Carolina Pirates

2012 Record: 8-5 

2012 Bowl Game/Results: New Orleans Bowl Losers

Returning Starters: 14 

Most Valuable Player: Quarterback Shane Carden

Storyline

The lack of returning starters and veterans on the rest of the Conference USA teams' rosters makes East Carolina the favorite to win the conference title this coming season, despite the Pirates' losing 1,000-plus-yard rusher Vintavious Cooper indefinitely due to suspension.

An unquestionable leader will soon be found in junior quarterback Shane Carden, who completed 66.1 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,000-plus yards and 23 TDs in the 2012 season. Another spark for this squad is wide receiver Justin Hardy, who had 1,049 yards receiving last season and seven touchdown grabs..  

The true strength of this team, however, is found on the defensive side of the ball, where seven of the Pirates' 11 starters are returning 

Final Thoughts

With all the given information above, I can't think of any reason why this team won't win the Conference USA title in 2013-14.

MAC: Northern Illinois Huskies

2012 Record: 12-2

2012 Bowl Game/Results: Discover Orange Bowl Losers 

Returning Starters: 14 

Most Valuable Player: Quarterback Jordan Lynch

Storyline

The Huskies are in good shape to win the MAC title for the third straight year this coming season. After winning the conference crown last season, they were invited to play in the 2013 Orange Bowl, where they eventually lost against the Seminoles of Florida State 

But one problem with this squad is the fact that it's lived and died by the play of Jordan Lynch.

Take him out of the equation, and they're screwed.

Here are his numbers from the 2012 season: 238-of-394 (60.2 percent), 3,138 yards, 25 TD, six interceptions and a 144.9 QB rating while passing the ball and 1,815 yards on 294 carries (6.2 yards per carry) and 19 TDs on the ground. 

Final Thoughts

No team in the MAC will be able the slow the Huskies down enough to prevent them from winning the conference crown this coming season. 

Mountain West: Boise State Broncos

2012 Record: 11-2

2012 Bowl Game/results: Maaco Bowl Las Vegas winners 

Returning Starters: 12 

Most Valuable Player: Defensive End Demarcus Lawrence 

Storyline

The Broncos of Boise State have been known as "BCS  busters" in this past decade, They beat the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, as well as the same Oregon team that played Ohio State in the 2010 Rose Bowl, and the TCU Horned Frogs in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl. 

Led by senior quarterback Joe Southwick, they should have a great deal of success this coming season, as well. Look for running back Jay Ajayi to be a bright spot for this team, too. Sure, he only rushed for 548 yards as a true freshman last season, but keep in mind the fact that he averaged 6.7 yards per carry while playing behind senior running back D.J. Harper. 

Final Thoughts

This team has the potential to be just as good as it was in the years mentioned above.

PAC 12: Oregon Ducks

2012 Record: 12-1 

2012 Bowl Game/Results: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl winners

Returning Starters: 16 

Most Valuable Player:  Quarterback Marcus Mariota

Storyline

I know, I know the Stanford Cardinal were the Pac-12 champions last season, and they're loaded with talent, returning 17 of the same starters who beat Wisconsin in the 2013 Rose Bowl. I am also aware of the fact that they beat Oregon in Autzen Stadium last year and that they play them at home this coming season.

Is all of this relevant when considering who I think will win the 2013-2014 Pac-12 conference? Well, sort of, but not really. 

You see, Stanford has had the propensity to slip up versus Oregon. Before losing to Stanford last year, the Ducks won their 10 previous matchups versus the Cardinals while outscoring them 430 to 219 (21.1 points per game).

So I think that the Ducks will come away win the Pac-12 conference crown, and Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota will be a Heisman finalist by season's end. His 163.2 QB rating ranked sixth in all of college football, and he completed 68.5 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,677 yards, 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 2012.

Did I mention the fact that all of this was in Mariota's freshman season? Yeah, I said "wow" myself! I see Oregon winning the Pac-12 title this coming season and winding up in one of the BCS bowl games.

Final Thoughts

If things go Oregon's way this year, we may very well see them playing in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game next January.

SEC: Alabama Crimson Tide

2012 Record: 13-1

2012 Bowl Game/Results: BCS National Championship Winners 

Returning Starters: 16

Most Valuable Player: A.J. McCarron

Storyline

Wow, where shall I start? Hmm, how about we start with Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who seems to have everything figured out when it comes to winning college football games? Once again his team will be the favorites to win the SEC and national titles this coming season. 

It's a given that Saban's squad consists of a bunch of veterans who know how to dominate on both sides of the ball, but he also signed arguably the best 2013 recruiting class in the nation. I mean, it's amazing how this guy reloads year after year. 

According to most of the major recruiting websites (Rivals, Athlon, ESPN, etc.), Alabama's 2013 recruiting class ranks No. 1 in the country. 

Considering all of Nick Saban's success as a head coach, he has the type of legacy that will most likely earn him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame some day. 

Final Thoughts

The 2014 BCS national title is Alabama's to lose.

Sun Belt: Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns

2012 Record: 9-4 

2012 Bowl Game/Results: New Orleans Bowl champs 

Returning Starters: 13

Most Valuable Player: QB Terrance Broadway

Storyline

Having a stud like Terrance Broadway at his disposal, Ragin' Cajuns head coach and Louisville native Mark Hudspeth has to be excited about the potential of his team this coming season. 

While Broadway had the 19th best QB rating in the country in 2012, the junior-to-be playmaker out of Baton Rouge completed 65.4 percent of his passes while piling up 3,611 total yards and 26 touchdowns. If he had put up similar numbers in a tougher conference and his team had a moderate amount of success, he would most likely have been a Heisman finalist last year. 

A combination of Broadway and the Ragin' Cajuns' running-back tandem of Alonzo Harris and Effrem Reed alone should give this squad enough juice to win the Sun Belt conference, even if it has just a half-decent defense. 

Final Thoughts

The Broadway-lead Ragin' Cajuns seem to be on a different level than their conference foes. 

WAC: Utah State Aggies

2012 Record: 11-2

2012 Bowl Game/Results: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl winners 

Returning Starters: 14 

Most Valuable Player: QB Chuckie Keeton 

Storyline

Like the Ragin' Cajuns, the Aggies of Utah State have themselves a promising distributor of the football in Chuckie Keeton. Boy, did the 6'1", 200-pound Houston native have an excellent season in 2012? 

Upon completing 67.6 percent of his passes and throwing for 3,373 yards and 27 touchdowns, the sensational sophomore was just about as dependable as you could ask for out of a maturing 19-year-old young man. I'm sure Aggies head football coach Matt Wells would agree. 

When you consider Keeton's rushing game as well , along with the supporting cast he will have in running backs Joe Hill and Kelvin Lee, the offense should put up big numbers this coming fall. The only area of concern lies on the defensive side of the ball.

Final Thoughts

Despite having to play at both Utah and USC, I see this team taking its conference crown while cementing its spot in a more prestigious bowl game than last year's.