Well, it's officially 2016 and the start of a new sports year! The past year has been an amazing year in sports and this year looks to top that. Unfortunately for me, it will probably lack any of my favorites. The Broncos look like they will fall well short of a Super Bowl run, the Wolfpack basketball team looks like a 10 seed at best, Jeff Gordon will not be sitting in the driver's seat of the 24 in Daytona, the Atlanta Braves are building for the future and a new stadium, and I could care less about the NBA or NHL. Oh well, I guess I just get to be a spectator once again. Which means I can just sit back an enjoy!
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Here's how I think 2016 will play out in the major sports...
First, Major League Baseball is a mere 92 days away from getting started. It's an even numbered year; therefore, the San Francisco Giants should win another World Series title. Probably not. There have been a lot of movers and shakers this off season, but that shouldn't shift the balance of power too much. The Kansas City Royals will look to repeat as champs and the Nationals will play favorites yet again in the National League. Neither will make the playoffs this year! The National League should be represented by division winners Mets, Cubs, Giants and Wild Card Cardinals. The American League will send division winners Yankees, resurgent Tigers, Rangers and Wild Card Red Sox to the playoffs. All of the world will want to watch the World Series matchup featuring the Evil Empire of the New York Yankees and the Lovable Losers Chicago Cubs! The Cubs edge the Yanks in six games to break the century of heart break.
Next, NASCAR!!! No Jeff Gordon, no problem? Probably. It will be weird watching someone else navigate the high banks and straight aways of Daytona aboard the 24 Chevrolet. Chase Elliott will have his sights set on the Rookie of the Year award and a Chase spot during his maiden voyage at the sport's highest level of competition. He should find his way into the field of 16 with a win at one of the cookie cutter tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch had an unbelievable season in 2015 that started with a trip to the hospital following a horrendous crash at Daytona in the XFinity Series opener and ended with him hoisting the Sprint Cup at Homestead-Miami. Can you double dip this year? I don't see why not. Rowdy had found every way possible to lose the championship up until this past season where he found a way to win it all despite the cards being stacked against him. Jimmie Johnson seems to be in a valley and will find his way to make it to the final four along with Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick. But, another 1-2 between Busch and Harvick will have more M&Ms flying into the crowd from the championship stage!
What about college football? I mean this season isn't even over yet. We still have the Mega SEC Championship game featuring Clemson and Alabama in 9 days! That game looks to feature strength vs. strength and opportunities vs. opportunities. Alabama struggles against really good running QBs and Clemson has one of the best in the game. Clemson has yet to face a team with the depth and strength of the Crimson Tide, and you add that to the execution and ball control the Tide has you may have a potential deadly combination for the Tigers. On one sideline you have 3 head coaches leading a program (Saban, Kiffin and Smart) on the other you have the formidable duo of Swinney and Venables (probably the next HC in Tuscaloosa and one of the most highly coveted defensive coordinators in the country, respectively). If there's been a chink in the Clemson armor it has been on the defensive and special teams. They have lost the turnover battle (-1) on the year allowed 20 or more points 7 times and have allowed a couple of TD returns on kickoffs. The only chink in the offensive armor has been the turnover (26 total) and if you plan on beating Alabama, you can't do that. Alabama has strruggled on 3rd and long due to having a "game manager" at QB, but Russell Wilson has been called a game manager and he has a Super Bowl win under his belt. In the end everybody and their brother is picking Bama in this one. I say it's too close to call. Look for a game of the ages and the experience, both on the field and on the sidelines. Can Clemson put Bama in 3rd and longs and make them one dimensional? Can Bama contain Watson and limit the big plays down field off a scramble? It will be interesting, but I think the Tide wins one late on the shoulders of Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry.
What about next season? Well, it should be a monster year for college football. All signs point to a crowded field at the top of the College Football Playoff Rankings. Here is my way too early predictions!
1. Ohio State 13-0 (BigTen Champs)
2. LSU 12-1 (SEC Champs)
3. Stanford 12-1 (PAC12 Champs with regular season loss to USC and a win over the Trojans in the PAC12 Championship)
4. Michigan12-1 (1-loss to Ohio State)
On the outside looking in after the conference championship games: 5. Clemson (An early loss to a much improved Auburn on the road won't be enough for the ACC Champs), 6. Tennessee (SEC East Champs with losses to LSU in Atlanta nd an early shocker against Va Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway), 7. Baylor (2 loss BIGXII Champs) 8. Alabama (2 losses LSU & Tennessee) 9. USC (PAC12 South Champs; 2 losses to Oregon & Stanford) and 10. Boise St (an above average non-conference schedule featuring 2 Power Five schools and independent BYU push the Mountain West champs into the New Year's Six)...
Here's to another wonderful year in sports!
