Which 2023 preseason CFB takes did you get right/wrong?
Many of us prognosticated over the year about various players and teams and their likely success or failure. Which ones did you call correctly? And which ones did you whiff on?
Best: Tanner Mordecai not a difference-maker in any meaningful way to Wisconsin.
Worst: Sam Hartman was certainly not who I thought he would be.
And also, Merry Christmas to all! Go Blue!
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:17 PM ^
Best: Michigan would go undefeated during the regular season
Worst: MSU would have a bounce back year
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
We need to talk more about MSU scoring less than Iowa.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:13 PM ^
Well, to be fair, Iowa got to play one more game than MSU. Oh, wait....NVM.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:16 PM ^
Nice work. Took me a second.
December 22nd, 2023 at 6:44 PM ^
I don’t know. In some ways your worst turned out for the best.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:17 PM ^
Worst: Before the season I didn't think other Big Ten coaches were a bunch of whiney bitches.
December 22nd, 2023 at 6:42 PM ^
Yeah, that kind of goes with one of mine, which if I had been asked (there's a reason no one asks me anything obviously), would have been that at least a couple schools in the conference were, at best, indifferent to us and wished us no specific harm at least.
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:04 PM ^
It's surprising that PJ Fleck seems to be the least douchey of the lot.
December 22nd, 2023 at 10:15 PM ^
Honestly, I'm not that surprised. Fleck is built from a similar mold as Harbaugh: seems to have a lot of energy, absolute nerd for football, and loves and respect the old, smash mouth style of the game, but he's also kind of a weird and quirky guy who will stand his ground if you press him against his principles (which may also sometimes be weird and quirky), which rubs some folks the wrong way because he doesn't always act just the way every other coach does.
December 23rd, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
Here's a long-term take I had that I'm surprised was wrong; I really thought Fleck was going to have more success at Minnesota than he has so far.
December 23rd, 2023 at 12:55 PM ^
He's had an 11-2 season at Minnesota. I think everyone expects him to be the face of the Big Ten west, because he kinda attracted a lot of attention with how he built WMU and now Minnesota, but he's had just as much success as say Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin did so far in his tenure minus the conference title back when you could share it.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
BEST: PSU's offensive line will remain a problem for them.
WORST: OSU's defense will remain a problem for them.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
Best: All and Cade would be injured at some point in the season.
Worst: Tanner Mordecai a difference-maker in any meaningful way to Wisconsin.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:23 PM ^
I was right in pretty much everything and wrong on nothing. That's the benefit of being someone who spends too much time on message boards.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:34 PM ^
In all seriousness, this season has gone pretty much how I predicted it in the beginning.
Michigan needs to win two more games and that will be my best prediction.
I thought Georgia would come back to the rest of the pack, while still being a top team. I didn't feel great about that prediction during the second half of the season, but it rang true in the end.
I really liked the veteran QBs in the Pac-12 and booked my ticket to see (what I thought would be) undefeated Oregon at undefeated Washington...which turned out to be a great game (and my first time in Seattle!)
I absolutely called MSU. They were destined to fucking terrible. Right now I'm thinking 6-6, 7-5 next year. A Rutgers type year (win the games you should...lose the games to the big dogs).
I had FSU as undefeated in my original CFP. Not my fault for that last part.
I saw Clemson having the year they did.
------------------------------------
On the flipside...I didn't see USC completely falling apart and I thought Tennessee would give UGA a run in the SEC East.
I also thought UNC would be better.
I absolutely didn't call Donovan Edwards having a down year. Hopefully he makes it up when the lights are the brightest.
Edit: I also thought NW would be a 1, 2, maybe 3 win team.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
staee has a pretty favorable schedule next year. Only Oregon of the new teams and a bunch of the lower tier regulars. They could go 6-6 but I hope not.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
FWIW...here was my preseason prediction. Found it in my Google Notes.
- Michigan (13-0)
- Florida St. (13-0)
- Georgia (12-1)
- Washington (12-1)
- Texas (12-1)
- LSU (11-2)
- OSU (11-1)
- Oregon (11-2)
- USC (10-2)
- Tennessee (10-2)
I thought Bama would have 3 losses this year (Texas, Tennessee, and LSU) and wind up in the 11-15 range with Penn St and Notre Dame.
Michigan over FSU in the National Championship Game. Hopefully half of that can still come true! 🙏
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:40 PM ^
Nice calls.
Just don't show FSU your list.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:04 PM ^
Northwestern was probably the biggest surprise in college football this year (for me). I was expecting them to go 2-10. So, even though I would have liked to see Harbaugh get Big 10 coach of the year it certainly made sense to award it to NW's interim (now permanent) coach whose name I still don't know.
Nebraska was worse than I expected (I had predicted 7-5) but they were legitimately close to finishing 7-5. They just had sooooo many turnovers this season resulting in many close losses...for what seems like the fifth season in a row.
USC only surprised me a little. I was expecting 8-4 for them this season and the only game they lost which I expected them to win was against UCLA. They were a paper tiger in 2022 because they missed BOTH Washington and Oregon. The best teams they beat in 22 were Oregon St and ND who both finished 8-4 in the regular season.
EDIT: I should point out that I was WAAAAY off on Wisconsin. I thought that they would win the Western division going 9-3 with a tiebreaker win over 9-3 Iowa. Wisco was so much worse than I expected.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:28 PM ^
Best: Regression would hit TCU. Wisconsin would be mediocre this year; needing time to adjust to the new offensive system and new coaching staff.
Worst: I thought Northwestern would be 1-11. But I also thought Illinois would improve after last year and finish around 9-3 and compete for the B1G West.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:29 PM ^
I was strongly on the side that Mel Tucker would NOT get caught whacking off via FaceTime with a rape survivor. Big miss on my part.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
You’ll get em next year champ
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:48 PM ^
I mean. The signs were there: TUCK COMIN was all over the place.
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:41 PM ^
I really don’t know why no one predicted this. All Sparty fans kept telling us Tuck coming. We should’ve just believed them.
December 22nd, 2023 at 11:28 PM ^
Keep tuckin along.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
Best: Michigan 3-peat title and OSU dub; M could still run the ball on PSU.
Worst: MSU would improve and cover their season total; LSU would make the playoff; Ryan Day would learn to be aggressive on 4th down against Michigan.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:35 PM ^
Best: Luke Fickell is in for a rough year trying to install the air raid at Wisconsin.
Worst: Donovan Edwards will have close to a 1000yds rushing.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
Best: the B1G West's glut of transfer QBs would be mediocre-to-bad
Worst: the OSU defense would continue to be a trouble spot for them
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
That ryan day was a pussy
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:37 PM ^
Was that what you got wrong or got right?
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:38 PM ^
Ohhhh I’m taking that as a 100 % right !!!!
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
Low hanging fruit :P
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:28 PM ^
Tough guy Ryan along with his 2 tough brothers from the mean streets of New Hampshire would probably win in a 3 on 1 fight with Lou Holthhppppthhpp.... if Lou was taking his afternoon nap at the time.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:37 PM ^
Best: Sparty would win only three games this season, even with Mel Tucker. They already had a huge roster turnover.
Worst: Ga Bull Dogs would face Michigan in CFP Championship game.
December 22nd, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
Is that the guy that stole the signs?
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:50 PM ^
Best: Ryan Day would continue to be a wholly owned subsidiary of Jim Harbaugh, Inc.
Worst: That the B1G would become the football conference version of Lord of the Flies.
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:52 PM ^
2 wrong ones:
Edwards and Corum as good as last year, with as good or better OL
defense would take a noticeable step back
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
Best: Mel Tucker wouldn't make it to the end of the year as MSU's coach.
Worst: The reason for the above
December 22nd, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
Best: Bert Bielema would get even fatter.
Worst: Bert Bielema would not publicly say the word "disgusting" unless he was describing himself.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:05 PM ^
Best- We would beat Ohio
Worst- We would lose on the road at PSU
I thought it was going end in the dreaded 3 way tie this year for the East.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:08 PM ^
Related to some other posts here .....
Worst: Most Big Ten schools have some self respect and would never carry water for a rival that beats the shit out of them and cheats more than anyone else in the conference.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:08 PM ^
Best: Drew Allar will not be an issue for us at all and we going to be very thankful Clifford is gone.
Worst: MHJ will not play the entire season. The first minor injury he will pull a JSN/N. Bosa.
I was wrong there, that kid is a dawg and played through multiple minor injuries.
December 22nd, 2023 at 9:13 PM ^
His talent is unreal. However, he did look disconnected and lackadaisical at times this season. I suppose I'd get frustrated when my QB is throwing at my feet or 10 yards over my head all the time.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
I had no pre-season predictions but I never would've thought an Ohio State quarterback who went 11-1 would enter the portal because of two interceptions in the Game and then end up at Syracuse. Just a really weird turn of events.
December 22nd, 2023 at 6:06 PM ^
It’s not just that he entered the portal at 11-1. It’s how he did it.
He thinks Ryan Day is a complete asshole. And I think the toxicity of losing to Michigan from that fan base is brutal.
I mean he is competing to lead an OSU team that can compete for Championships. He was one Marvin Harrison snag away from being an hero. Instead he says fuck it and goes to Syracuse.
Day seems to deflect the blame around and we may see some unraveling next year. They are talented but that exodus screams that team is not tight.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
Takes:
- Roman would be the top receiver.
- Team would score 40 ppg
- JJ would break the single season TD passing record
Results:
- Yards and TDs, yes. Receptions went Corn 42, Roman 41, Loveland 40.
- 36.7, close but no cigar
- Nope, only 19, sigh.
December 22nd, 2023 at 6:05 PM ^
RE: JJ and the TD passing record. It is crazy that he had 18 TD's after game 8 and only threw one more TD in the last 5 games.
Absolutely crazy.
(Obviously, this was a brilliant ploy by the staff to entice JJ to come back for his final season to set the record.)
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:18 PM ^
Worst: Trente Jones did not become the starting RT.
December 22nd, 2023 at 5:59 PM ^
But he did.