2015 College Football Preview and Predictions

Dec 30, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish platers celebrate after a win against the LSU Tigers in the Music City Bowl at LP Field. Notre Dame won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

OTHER NOTABLE TEAMS

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1) – No, I’m not simply buying into media hype. I’ve been high on Notre Dame all offseason, and firmly believe they will be in the final playoff discussion. The schedule is challenging, with road games at Clemson, Temple and Stanford, as well as home games against Texas, Georgia Tech, Navy and USC, but Malik Zaire and a talented offense will give the Irish a chance in every game they play. What gives them a real chance at contention is their defense. Yes, they allowed 404 yards per game in 2014, but that was because of mounting injuries late in the season. This year, the entire unit returns under second-year DC Brian VanGorder, and if the Irish can avoid injuries, both sides of the ball will be among the nation’s best. This team, talent-wise and depth-wise, is superior to the 2012 team that made the BCS National Championship Game.

Boise State Broncos (13-0, 9-0) – Boise State has showed no signs of slowing down in the post-Petersen era, winning 12 games (including the Fiesta Bowl) in Bryan Harsin’s first season. This year will see a new QB under center in sophomore Ryan Finley, but the rest of the offense returns intact, as does most of the defense. If the Broncos clear early hurdles against Washington and BYU, another major bowl appearance is likely. The only team capable of dethroning the Broncos in the Mountain West is Chuckie Keeton’s Utah State Aggies (30-11 since 2012, but winless against Boise State).

BYU Cougars (8-4) – Bronco Mendenhall enters his 11th season with BYU, which he has quietly built into a consistent winner. This season, star QB Taysom Hill returns from injury. The offense will be electrifying, but only 5 starters return from a defense that struggled at times last year. The Cougars’ first month is a gauntlet: at Nebraska, Boise State, at UCLA, and at Michigan. A 2-2 record would be an achievement. From that point on, however, the schedule is much lighter, with the lone tough games being Cincinnati, Missouri and Utah State.

AAC Champions: Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3, 8-1)

C-USA Champions: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (11-2, 8-1)

MAC Champions: Toledo Rockets (10-3, 8-1)

Sun Belt Champions: Appalachian State Mountaineers (8-4, 6-2)