General Preseason Predictions Thread

I think we're overdue for a predictions thread where we can immortalize great takes such as "Indiana will be terrible in 2024" and "Tommi Hill will be a first round draft pick."

My big non-Nebraska take is I think Arizona State is wildly overrated and will experience a similar slide to 2021 > 2022 Michigan State. 2021 MSU and 2024 ASU were both unexpected breakthrough years under 2nd year head coaches led by Heisman-caliber seasons from transfer RBs with big perceived leaps from young, unproven QBs. I do like Dillingham better than Tucker as a coach, and ASU plasy in a much weaker conference so even with some regression they'll make a bowl unlike 2022 MSU. ASU does return a lot, but I think people underestimate just how big an impact Walker/Skattebo had. ASU still has Jordyn Tyson, but MSU returned both Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman and still took a huge step back on offense. Maybe I'm just a hater, but I want to see Leavitt perform without a dominant RB.

It's a little tougher to come up with "bold" predictions for the Huskers (although that's not a requirement for this thread) because there's a lot of hype at the moment so it's not really bold to predict 3k yards and 20+ TDs for Raiola, or 1,500 all-purpose yards for EJ.
  • I do think as excited as people are for Jacory Barney year 2, he is going to be even better than most people expect. I think he breaks Trey Palmer's record of 1,043 receiving yards.
  • For the average fan, Mekhi Nelson is going to come out of nowhere and be pretty good but I think this board is pretty aware of him now.
 
As evidence that Nebraska has once again won the off-season, this article has Nebraska winning the Chaos Bracket national championship



One of the greatest attributes of college football is that just about any result is conceivable on any given Saturday. That’s the side effect of relying on 18- to 25-year-olds playing a game with an oblong ball and talent that gets dispersed all across the country so unevenly. This is what that looks like in bracket form if all hell breaks loose.

No. 9 Nebraska at No. 8 Notre Dame,

Matt Rhule has previously made big jumps into conference title contention in Year 3 at his past stops and is similarly aiming that high in Lincoln, Neb., after finally getting the Cornhuskers to their first bowl game since 2016.

No. 9 Nebraska vs. No. 1 Texas in Sugar Bowl

The Cornhuskers have been waiting 16 years to get some proper revenge against the Longhorns after there famously (and controversially) was one second left on the clock which allowed the burnt orange to kick a field goal to win the 2009 Big 12 title game.

No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Nebraska

For those of a certain age, the Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry was the defining game on the calendar back when it was a regular occurrence between top-five juggernauts. Conference realignment hasn’t really been kind to either side, but the Cornhuskers delivering the Big Ten’s third straight national title—over a newfound SEC team, no less—would mean quite a bit of chaos would have to transpire in 2025.
Mateer might be the ultimate chaos quarterback given his ability to scramble for yards, but he’ll benefit from not having to shoulder so much of the load on offense this season for the Sooners thanks to the addition of ex-Cal tailback Jaydn Ott in the backfield.

Winner:

No. 9 Nebraska​


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For the Huskers: OC DH has a major sideline chew out session with QB DR when DR goes into long ball mode a few too many times for DH's liking. Scratch this if the bombs are completed.
 
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