Dave Preston is an AP Top 25 voter. Read his ballots here.
Time to take a breath. The most compelling regular season in sports delivered plenty of excitement and angst as a Clemson kick knocked Alabama out of the expanded playoff field, while the league that was the Pac-12 had a pair of former schools win championships before the ink on the league divorce dried fully.
The College Football Playoff starts one week from Friday with Indiana visiting Notre Dame, allowing us to enjoy the between-course sorbet with spice that only Army-Navy can provide. Meanwhile, I look at the season that was from a Preseason Poll and Picks perspective:
What I got right: No. 1 Oregon was No. 3 on my ballot in August, while No. 2 Georgia was my Preseason No. 1 team. Eventual Playoff teams Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Clemson all were in my Top Ten, while Boise State was my selection to win the Mountain West (and an automatic bid).
What I got wrong: Utah was my pick to be the best of the Big 12 and the Utes finished 5-7. Eventual Playoff teams Arizona State and Indiana were nowhere on my radar in August, and my Preseason No. 12 was Florida State who went 2-10.
Local Lens: I was best at picking Virginia games, correct on nine of 12 occasions regarding the Cavaliers’ on the field result. I’m crediting Kippy & Buffy for the intel. I was correct on eight Maryland, Navy, and Virginia Tech games while my record picking James Madison was 7-5. As with any long season, there were bests and worsts.
Maryland: My pick that was closest to the eventual margin with a correct call came in the home finale against Iowa (I had them losing by 10 and they fell 29-13). Worst read was the Friday night game against Northwestern, where I picked a 31-17 win in what would wind up a 47-10 loss.
Navy: Closest to the pin came in week one when they beat Bucknell 49-21 after I projected a 35 point win. I saved my worst for last in projecting a 35-17 loss at East Carolina Thanksgiving weekend, a game they’d win 34-20.
Virginia: Twice I’d come within one point of the eventual margin in November, both in losses to eventual playoff teams Notre Dame (35-14 when I had 37-17) and SMU (33-7 when I had 38-13). Biggest whiff? I thought they’d beat North Carolina by 10 in a game they’d lose 41-14.
James Madison: What is it about November? I had the Dukes defeating Old Dominion by six and they’d win 35-32. What is it about UNC? I had JMU losing by 13 and they torched the Tar Heels 70-50.
Virginia Tech: Another close call in November, as the Hokies lost at Duke 31-28 after I picked them to fall 28-26. My biggest slice off the fairway came at Stanford when I had the Hokies losing by 10. They’d dominate 31-7 and I’m blaming the jet lag.
Saturday’s Game: No. 19 Army (11-1) vs. Navy (8-3), 3 p.m. on CBS. How good is this year’s matchup? The 19 combined wins are the most-ever in the history of this rivalry. The seeds to success for both team, as is usually the case when they’re good, is the ability to run the ball. Army leads the AAC in rushing (314 yards per game) while Navy’s second (247) in the conference.
While Black Knights quarterback Bryson Daily (AAC Offensive Player of the Year) is coming off a 126-yard and four touchdown performance on the ground in a Conference Championship game win, Midshipman QB Blake Horvath was sidelined by injury for most of the last two games of the season. He’s thrown one pass in the last month and the Black Knights defense (fewest yards and points allowed in the AAC) is used to seeing an option quarterback in action.
Presto’s Pick: Midshipmen sink after a defensive duel, 17-13.
Championship Weekend: 4-5.
Season: 80-43.
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