2016 College Football Week 3: National TV Schedule

Here is the National TV Schedule for week 3 of the 2016 College Football season with announcers (if necessary.)
9/15- (6) Houston at Cincinnati; 7:30, ESPN: Dave Flemming, Jesse Palmer, Allison Williams
9/16- (21) Baylor at Rice; 8:00, ESPN: Adam Amin, Mack Brown, Molly McGrath
9/16- Arkansas State at Utah State; 9:00, CBSSN: Dwayne Ballen, Eric Davis, Cassie McKinney
9/16- Arizona State at UTSA; 9:30, ESPN2: Mark Neely & Ray Bentley
9/17- Ohio at (15) Tennessee; 12:00, SECN: Tom Hart, Andre Ware, Cole Cubelic
9/17- Iowa State at TCU; 12:00, FS1: Joe Davis, Brady Quinn, Jenny Taft
9/17- Akron at Marshall; 12:00, CBSSN: John Sadak, Randy Cross, Taylor Rooks
9/17- New Mexico at Rutgers; 12:00, ESPNEWS: Mike Corey & Rene Ingoglia
9/17- Middle Tennessee at Bowling Green; 12:00, ESPN3: Jeff McCarragher & Michael Young
9/17- South Carolina State at (5) Clemson; 12:00, ACCN: Wes Durham, James Bates, Jenn Hildreth
9/17- (2) Florida State at (10) Louisville; 12:00, ABC: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Samantha Ponder
9/17- Temple at Penn State; 12:00, BTN: Eric Collins, Glen Mason, Rick Pizzo
9/17- Kansas at Memphis; 12:00, ESPNU: Eamon McAnaney & John Congemi
9/17- North Dakota State at (13) Iowa; 12:00, ESPN2: Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht, Rocky Boiman
9/17- Georgia State at (9) Wisconsin; 12:00, BTN: Brandon Gaudin & Chuck Long
9/17- (25) Miami (FL) at Appalachian State; 12:00, ESPN: Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill
9/17- Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech; 12:30, ACCN: Tom Werme, David Archer, Roddy Jones
9/17- Virginia at Connecticut; 1:30, ESPN3: Eric Frede & Andy Gresh
9/17- North Carolina A&T at Tulsa; 2:00, ESPN3: Drew Fellios & Watson Brown
9/17- Idaho at Washington State; 2:00, Pac-12N: JB Long, Erik Coleman, Jill Savage
9/17- Florida Atlantic at Kansas State; 2:30, FSN: Mark Followill, Ben Leber, Lesley McCaslin
9/17- Eastern Kentucky at Ball State; 3:00, ESPN3: Jim Barbar & Mark Herrmann
9/17- UNLV at Central Michigan; 3:00, ESPN3: Dan Gutowsky & Dustin Fox
9/17- Fresno State at Toledo; 3:00, ESPN3: Mark Beier, Jordan Strack, Dan Cummins
9/17- San Diego State at Northern Illinois; 3:30, CBSSN: Ben Holden, Jay Feely, John Schriffen
9/17- Colorado at (4) Michigan; 3:30, BTN: Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
9/17- (22) Oregon at Nebraska; 3:30, ABC: Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams
9/17- (1) Alabama at (19) Ole Miss; 3:30, CBS: Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce
9/17- FIU at Massachusetts; 3:30, ESPN3:  Eric Frede & Andy Gresh
9/17- Monmouth at Kent State; 3:30, ESPN3: Michael Reghi & Jerod Cherry
9/17- Western Kentucky at Miami (OH); 3:30, ESPN3: Bob McElligot, Ryan Cavanaugh, Marisa Contipelli
9/17- James Madison at North Carolina; 3:30, ACCN: Matt Devlin & Takeo Spikes
9/17- Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State; 3:30, ESPN: Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer, Paul Carcaterra
9/17- South Florida at Syracuse; 3:30, ACCN: Doug Sherman & Al Groh
9/17- Boston College at Virginia Tech; 3:30, ESPNU: Anish Shroff & Ahmad Brooks
9/17- Western Michigan at Illinois; 4:00, ESPNEWS: Mike Couzens & Dan Hawkins
9/17- New Mexico State at Kentucky; 4:00, SECN: Taylor Zarzour, Jordan Rodgers, Kevin Weidl
9/17- East Carolina at South Carolina; 4:00, SECN: David Neal, Matt Stinchcomb, Olivia Harlan
9/17- Northern Colorado at Colorado State; 4:00, Root Sports: Marc Stout, Sherdrick Bonner, Brad Thompson
9/17- UC Davis at Wyoming; 4:00, MW Digital: Dave Walsh, Kevin McKinney, Reece Monaco
9/17- Idaho State at Oregon State; 5:00, Pac-12N: Guy Haberman, Evan Moore, Drea Avent
9/17- Eastern Michigan at Charlotte; 6:00, CUSA.tv: Matt Swierad, Kevin Donnalley, Bobby Rosinski
9/17- Old Dominion at NC State; 6:00, Pac-12N: Shawn Kenney & Forrest Conoly
9/17- Louisiana-Monroe at Georgia Southern; 6:00, ESPN3: Matt Stewart & Stan Lewter
9/17- Delaware at Wake Forest; 6:30, ACCN: Dave Weekley & Tom O’Brien
9/17- Maryland at UCF; 7:00, CBSSN: Dave Ryan, Corey Chavous, Melanie Collins
9/17- Navy at Tulane; 7:00, ESPN3: Mike Gleason, Derrick Lewis, Kathryn Pielech
9/17- Liberty at SMU; 7:00, ESPN3: Brett Dolan & Chad Brown
9/17- South Alabama at Louisiana-Lafayette; 7:00, ESPN3: Joel Meyers & Brian Kinchen
9/17- Louisiana Tech at Texas Tech; 7:00, FSN: Brendan Burke, Brian Baldinger, Christian Steckel
9/17- Troy at Southern Miss; 7:00, beIN: Matt Martucci, Brett Romberg, Jordan Daigle
9/17- Mississippi State at (20) LSU; 7:00, ESPN2: Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, Dr. Jerry Punch
9/17- (17) Texas A&M at Auburn; 7:00, ESPN: Dave Flemming, Brian Griese, Todd McShay
9/17- Army at UTEP; 7:00, ASN: Dave Armstrong & Richard Baldinger
9/17- Texas State at (24) Arkansas; 7:00, SECN: Roy Philpott & Clint Stoerner
9/17- North Texas at (23) Florida; 7:30, ESPNU: Clay Matvick & Dusty Dvoracek
9/17- (12) Michigan State at (18) Notre Dame; 7:30, NBC: Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie, Kathryn Tappen
9/17- (16) Georgia at Missouri; 7:30, SECN: Brent Musburger, Jesse Palmer, Laura Rutledge
9/17- (3) Ohio State at (14) Oklahoma; 7:30, FOX: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Shannon Spake
9/17- Duke at Northwestern; 8:00, BTN: Joe Beninati, J Leman, Michelle McMahon
9/17- USC at (7) Stanford; 8:00, ABC: Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe
9/17- Portland State at (8) Washington; 8:00, Pac-12N: Jim Watson, Yogi Roth, Cindy Brunson
9/17- Buffalo at Nevada; 9:00, CAMP: Ari Wolfe & Darius Walker
9/17- UCLA at BYU; 10:15, ESPN2: Allen Bestwick, Mike Bellotti, Kris Budden
9/17- Utah at San Jose State; 10:30, CBSSN: Jason Horowitz, Aaron Taylor, Jenny Dell
9/17- (11) Texas at California; 10:30, ESPN:  Mark Jones, Rod Gilmore, Paul Carcaterra
9/17- Hawaii at Arizona; 10:45, Pac-12N: Roxy Bernstein, Anthony Herron, Kate Scott

2016 College Football Week 2: Bowl Projections

Here are my bowl projections for week two of the College Football season.

College Football Playoff Projections
Chick Fil-A Peach Bowl- December 31st, 2016; 3:00 or 7:00, ESPN: (2) Alabama vs (3) Texas
BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl- December 31st, 2016; 3:00 or 7:00, ESPN: (1) Clemson vs (4) Ohio State

New Years Six Projections
Capital One Orange Bowl- December 30th, 2016; 8:00, ESPN: Florida State vs Notre Dame
Goodyear Cotton Bowl- January 2nd, 2016; 1:00, ESPN: Houston vs Michigan
Rose Bowl- January 2nd, 2016; 5:00, ESPN: Iowa vs Stanford
All-State Sugar Bowl- January 2nd, 2016; 8:30, ESPN: Oklahoma vs Ole Miss

Rest of the Bowl Schedule
Gidlan New Mexico Bowl- December 17th, 2016; 2:00, ESPN: Louisiana Tech vs Colorado State
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl- December 17th, 2016; 3:30, ABC: San Diego State vs USC
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl- December 17th, 2016; 5:30, ESPN: Central Michigan vs South Alabama
AutoNation Cure Bowl- December 17th, 2016; 5:30, CBSSN: Tulsa vs Arkansas State
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl- December 17th, 2016; 9:00, ESPN: Middle Tennessee vs Appalachian State
Miami Beach Bowl- December 19th, 2016; 2:30, ESPN: Connecticut vs Northern Illinois
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl- December 20th, 2016; 7:00, ESPN: Temple vs Marshall
San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl- December 21st, 2016; 9:00, ESPN: BYU vs Air Force
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl- December 22nd, 2016; 7:00, ESPN: Bowling Green vs New Mexico
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl- December 23rd, 2016; 1:00, ESPN: Toledo vs UTEP
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl- December 23rd, 2016; 4:30, ESPN: Navy vs FIU
GoDaddy Bowl- December 23rd, 8:00, ESPN: Western Michigan vs Georgia Southern
Hawaii Bowl- December 24th, 2016; 8:00, ESPN: Western Kentucky vs Boise State
St. Petersburg Bowl- December 26th, 2016; 11:00AM, ESPN: Memphis vs Wake Forest
Quick Lane Bowl- December 26th, 2016; 2:30, ESPN: Rice vs Arizona State
Camping World Independence Bowl- December 26th, 2016; 5:00, ESPN2: Georgia Tech vs South Carolina
Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl- December 27th, 2016; 12:00, ESPN: Arizona vs Southern Miss
Military Bowl- December 27th, 2016; 3:30, ESPN: Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech
Holiday Bowl- December 27th, 2016; 7:00, ESPN: Penn State vs Oregon
Cactus Bowl- December 27th, 2016; 10:15, ESPN: Utah State vs Washington State
New Era Pinstripe Bowl- December 28th, 2016; 2:00, ESPN: North Carolina vs Minnesota
Russell Athletic Bowl- December 28th, 2016; 5:30, ESPN: Louisville vs Oklahoma State
AdvoCare 1000 Texas Bowl- December 28th, 2016; 9:00, ESPN: West Virginia vs Auburn
Birmingham Bowl- December 29th, 2016; 2:00, ESPN: South Florida vs Texas A&M
Belk Bowl- December 29th, 2016; 5:30, ESPN: North Carolina State vs Mississippi State
Valero Alamo Bowl- December 29th, 2016; 9:00, ESPN: Baylor vs UCLA
AutoZone Liberty Bowl- December 30th, 2016; 12:00, ESPN: TCU vs LSU
Hyundai Sun- December 30th, 2016; 1:00, CBS: Pittsburgh vs Washington
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl- December 30th, 2016; 3:30, ESPN: Arkansas vs Northwestern
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl- December 31st, 2016; 11:00AM, ABC: Michigan State vs Georgia
TaxSlayer Bowl- December 31st, 2016; 11:00AM, ESPN: Miami (FL) vs Tennessee
Outback Bowl- January 2nd, 2016; 1:00, ABC: Wisconsin vs Florida
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl- TBD, CBSSN: Old Dominion vs Louisiana-Lafayette
Foster Farms Bowl- TBD, FOX: Nebraska vs Utah

2016 NFL Week 1 Picks

Here are my picks for week one of the 2016 NFL Season.

Thursday, September 8th
Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos; 8:30, NBC: Here we got a Super Bowl rematch to start the 2016 season. Peyton Manning has retired and taking his place as Broncos quarterback is Trevor Semien. It will be interesting to see how he performs in his first career start. The Panthers and Cam Newton will be motivated after losing the Super Bowl and getting shutdown by the outstanding Broncos defense. That same defense will be great again this season, but Newton will find a way this time around.
Prediction: Carolina 24, Denver 20.

Sunday, September 11th
Green Bay Packers vs Jacksonville Jaguars; 1:00, FOX: This should be a fun game between one of the NFC's best teams in the Packers and an up and coming team in the Jaguars. Expect Aaron Rodgers and the Pack to pull away late in this one.
Prediction: Green Bay 27, Jacksonville 17.

Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens; 1:00, CBS: This is an interesting game between two teams looking for bounce back seasons. The Bills have suspensions and injuries on the defensive end and Joe Flacco will take advantage of that and lead the Ravens to a win.
Prediction: Baltimore 26, Buffalo 19.

Chicago Bears vs Houston Texans; 1:00, FOX: This should be an interesting game as well. Brock Osweiler makes his Texans debut against a Bears team that's in a bit of a transition phase. JJ Watt is back from his surgery and he and Osweiler will lead the Texans to a week one win.
Prediction: Houston 27, Chicago 20.

Cleveland Browns vs Philadelphia Eagles; 1:00, CBS: This might be the worst game of week one although there are many storylines here. Carson Wentz will make his NFL debut after the team traded away Sam Bradford. Robert Griffin III makes his Browns debut in what he hopes to be a career rebirth. Expect a low scoring game and the Eagles defense to make plays to lead the team to a win.
Prediction: Philadelphia 20, Cleveland 16.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons; 1:00, FOX: This should be an interesting division game. Jameis Winston starts his sophomore season hoping for a breakout and the Falcons are hoping for a bounce back season as a team. I actually like Winston to lead the Bucs to a road win here.
Prediction: Tampa Bay 27, Atlanta 23.

Minnesota Vikings vs Tennessee Titans; 1:00, CBS: Sam Bradford makes his Vikings debut here after the team traded for him to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater. Marcus Mariota enters his sophomore season hoping for a breakout. The Vikings are still a decent team without Bridgewater and they still got Adrian Peterson running the football.
Prediction: Minnesota 24, Tennessee 16.

Cincinnati Bengals vs New York Jets; 1:00, CBS: This game could very well be the best one of week one. Andy Dalton returns from his season ending injury from a year ago and the Jets, who came very close to make the playoffs last season have a very tough schedule to begin the season. I like the Bengals here to get the week one win.
Prediction: Cincinnati 27, NY Jets 24.

Oakland Raiders vs New Orleans Saints; 1:00, CBS: This is an interesting matchup between the up and coming Raiders and Drew Brees and the Saints. The Raiders have gotten well deserved hype with all the blue chip young players they have on their roster and they all will contribute to a road win in week one.
Prediction: Oakland 30, New Orleans 20.

San Diego Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs; 1:00, CBS: This should be an interesting division matchup. San Diego is hoping for a bounce back season and better health and Kansas City is hoping to get back to the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. I like Jamaal Charles, who is making his return from injury, will lead the Chiefs to a win.
Prediction: Kansas City 33, San Diego 20.

Miami Dolphins vs Seattle Seahawks; 4:05, CBS: This is one of the least interesting games. Miami could end up as one of the leagues worst teams meanwhile Seattle is still a Super Bowl contender despite losing people via retirement or free agency. Russell Wilson will lead the way here and the Seahawks are my lock of the week.
Prediction: Seattle 34, Miami 16.

Detroit Lions vs Indianapolis Colts; 4:25, FOX: Matthew Stafford and the Lions are hoping for a bounce back season as well as Andrew Luck and the Colts. Luck is coming off an injury and he'll look like his old self this week and lead the Colts to a win.
Prediction: Indianapolis 27, Detroit 20.

New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys; 4:25, FOX: Despite Tony Romo being injured, this is still the best matchup of week one between what is arguably the leagues best rivalry. Dak Prescott will make his NFL debut and it will certainly help with Ezekiel Elliott running the football and playing behind the leagues best offensive line. The Cowboys defense is full of injured and suspended players and that's where Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr will take advantage and lead the way to a Giants win.
Prediction: NY Giants 30, Dallas 27.

New England Patriots vs Arizona Cardinals; 8:30, NBC: Despite Tom Brady being injured, this is still an interesting game from a standpoint of how Jimmy Garappolo will play in his first NFL start. The Cardinals have the leagues best roster and that will show in this game.
Prediction: Arizona 30, New England 13.

Monday, September 12th
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Washington Redskins; 7:10, ESPN: This should be an interesting game for sure between Pittsburgh, who many are picking to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl and Washington, who won the NFC East last season and many people believe they'll regress. This will be a fun game, but I like Ben Rothlisberger and Antonio Brown to lead the way to a Steelers win.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 33, Washington 24.

Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers; 10:20, ESPN: This was the toughest game to pick. Case Keenum will start for the Rams and Blaine Gabbert will start for the 49ers. I don't believe we'll see many points scored here, but give me the Niners to pull it out at home.
Prediction: San Francisco 17, Los Angeles 13.

2016 College Football Week 2: Picks

Here are my picks for week 2 of the College Football season.

Friday, September 9th
Maryland (1-0; 0-0) at FIU (0-1; 0-0)- 7:30, CBSSN
Pick: FIU

(13) Louisville (1-0; 0-0) at Syracuse (1-0; 0-0)- 8:00, ESPN2: This will be a closer game than the experts think, but Lamar Jackson will find a way to get the win for the Cardinals.
Pick: Louisville

Saturday, September 10th
Central Michigan (1-0; 0-0) at (22) Oklahoma State (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, FS1
Pick: Oklahoma State

North Carolina State (1-0; 0-0) at East Carolina (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, ESPNU
Pick: North Carolina State

Penn State (1-0; 0-0) at Pittsburgh (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, ESPN: This should be a fun game between these two in-state rivals. Expect James Conner to lead the way to a Pitt win.
Pick: Pittsburgh

UCF (1-0; 0-0) at (5) Michigan (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, ABC
Pick: Michigan

Cincinnati (1-0; 0-0) at Purdue (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, BTN
Pick: Cincinnati

Lamar (0-1; 0-0) at (6) Houston (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, ESPN3
Pick: Houston

Howard (0-1; 0-0) at Rutgers (0-1; 0-0)- 12:00, BTN
Pick: Rutgers

Indiana State (1-0; 0-0) at Minnesota (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, ESPNEWS
Pick: Minnesota

9/10- Rice (0-1; 0-1) at Army (1-0)- 12:00, CBSSN
Pick: Army

Boston College (0-1; 0-1) at Massachusetts (0-1)- 12:00, ESPN3
Pick: Boston College

Nicholls State (0-0; 0-0) at (9) Georgia (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, SECN
Pick: Georgia

Prairie View A&M (1-0; 1-0) at (20) Texas A&M (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, SECN
Pick: Texas A&M

Wyoming (1-0; 0-0) at Nebraska (1-0; 0-0)- 12:00, ESPN2
Pick: Nebraska

Charleston Southern (1-1; 0-0) at (3) Florida State (1-0; 0-0)- 12:30, ACCN
Pick: Florida State

Troy (1-0; 0-0) at (2) Clemson (1-0; 0-0)- 12:30, ACCN
Pick: Clemson

Stony Brook (1-0; 0-0) at Temple (0-1; 0-0)- 1:00, ESPN3
Pick: Temple

Georgia State (0-1; 0-0) at Air Force (1-0; 0-0)- 2:00, CAMP
Pick: Air Force

Utah State (1-0; 0-0) at USC (0-1; 0-0)- 2:00, Pac-12N
Pick: USC

Youngstown State (1-0; 0-0) at West Virginia (1-0; 0-0)- 2:00, Root Sports
Pick: West Virginia

Ohio (0-1; 0-0) at Kansas (1-0; 0-0)- 2:30, FSN
Pick: Ohio

Mercer (0-1; 0-1) at Georgia Tech (1-0; 1-0)- 3:00, ACCN
Pick: Georgia Tech

North Dakota (0-1; 0-0) at Bowling Green (0-1; 0-0)- 3:00, ESPN3
Pick: Bowling Green

Connecticut (1-0; 0-0) at Navy (1-0)- 3:30, CBSSN
Pick: Navy

Illinois State (1-0; 0-0) at Northwestern (0-1; 0-0)- 3:30, BTN
Pick: Northwestern

Tulsa (1-0; 0-0) at (4) Ohio State (1-0; 0-0)- 3:30, ABC
Pick: Ohio State

Eastern Illinois (0-1; 0-0) at Miami (OH) (0-1; 0-0)- 3:30, ESPN3
Pick: Miami (OH)

Wake Forest (1-0; 0-0) at Duke (1-0; 0-0)- 3:30, ESPNU
Pick: Duke

Old Dominion (1-0; 0-0) at Appalachian State (0-1; 0-0)- 3:30, ESPN3
Pick: Appalachian State

Akron (1-0; 0-0) at (10) Wisconsin (1-0; 0-0)- 3:30, BTN
Pick: Wisconsin

Nevada (1-0; 0-0) at (18) Notre Dame (0-1) 3:30, NBC
Pick: Notre Dame

Kentucky (0-1; 0-0) at Florida (1-0; 0-0)- 3:30, CBS
Pick: Florida

Western Kentucky (1-0; 0-0) at (1) Alabama (1-0; 0-0)- 3:30, ESPN2: Nick Saban's crew knows better to not look pass a solid C-USA in the Hilltoppers. Expect the Tide to roll away in the second half.
Pick: Alabama

SMU (1-0; 0-0) at (23) Baylor (1-0; 0-0)- 3:30, FS1
Pick: Baylor

Wofford (1-0; 0-0) at (19) Ole Miss (0-1; 0-0)- 4:00, SECN
Pick: Ole Miss

Ball State (1-0; 0-0) at Indiana (1-0; 0-0)- 4:00, ESPNEWS
Pick: Indiana

UTSA (1-0; 0-0) at Colorado State (0-1; 0-0)- 4:00, CAMP
Pick: Colorado State

Middle Tennessee (1-0; 0-0) at Vanderbilt (0-1; 0-0)- 4:00, SECN: The Blue Raiders are a very improved team from a year ago and I believe they'll pull it out against the Commodores.
Pick: Middle Tennessee

Portland State (1-0; 0-0) at San Jose State (0-1; 0-0)- 4:30
Pick: San Jose State

Idaho (1-0; 0-0) at (8) Washington (1-0; 0-0)- 5:00, Pac-12N
Pick: Washington

Idaho State (1-0; 0-0) at Colorado (1-0; 0-0)- 5:30
Pick: Colorado

Morgan State (0-1; 0-0) at Marshall (0-0; 0-0)- 6:00
Pick: Marshall

Elon (0-1; 0-0) at Charlotte (0-1; 0-0)- 6:00
Pick: Charlotte

North Carolina A&T (1-0; 0-0) at Kent State (0-1; 0-0)- 6:00, ESPN3
Pick: Kent State

Florida Atlantic (1-0; 0-0) at (25) Miami (FL) (1-0; 0-0)- 6:00, ACCN
Pick: Miami (FL)

Georgia Southern (1-0; 0-0) at South Alabama (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00, ESPN3: The Jaguars are coming off a huge upset win in Starkville. Will they follow it up with a win over a solid conference opponent or will they have a let down? I think a let down.
Pick: Georgia Southern

McNeese State (1-0; 0-0) at Louisiana-Lafayette (0-1; 0-0)- 7:00, ESPN3
Pick: Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Monroe (1-0; 0-0) at (14) Oklahoma (0-1; 0-0)- 7:00
Pick: Oklahoma

NC Central (0-1; 0-0) at Western Michigan (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00, ESPN3
Pick: Western Michigan

Maine (0-1; 0-0) at Toledo (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00, ESPN3
Pick: Toledo

Northern Illinois (0-1; 0-0) at South Florida (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00, CBSSN
Pick: South Florida

Bethune-Cookman (0-0; 0-0) at North Texas (0-1; 0-0)- 7:00
Pick: North Texas

SC State (0-1; 0-0) at Louisiana Tech (0-1; 0-0)- 7:00
Pick: Louisiana Tech

Savannah State (0-1; 0-0) at Southern Miss (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00
Pick: Southern Miss

UTEP (1-0; 0-0) at (11) Texas (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00, Longhorn Network
Pick: Texas

South Carolina (1-0; 1-0) at Mississippi State (0-1; 0-0)- 7:00, ESPN2: This is one of the more interesting games of the weekend considering the Gamecocks pulled off a week one upset in Nashville and the Bulldogs were upset at home against South Alabama. I like the Dogs to bounce back here and get the win.
Pick: Mississippi State

Arkansas (1-0; 0-0) at (15) TCU (1-0; 0-0)- 7:00, ESPN: The Hornfrogs better not overlook the Razorbacks, but expect the Frogs to pull away late.
Pick: TCU

Arkansas State (0-1; 0-0) at Auburn (0-1; 0-0)- 7:30, SECN: The Red Wolves are a decent Sun Belt team, despite losing last week so the Tigers better take them seriously.
Pick: Auburn

Iowa State (0-1; 0-0) at (16) Iowa (1-0; 0-0)- 7:30, BTN
Pick: Iowa

BYU (1-0) at Utah (1-0; 0-0)- 7:30, FOX: This is going to be a great game between two solid teams. The Utes are home and are very good defensively and they'll find a way to win.
Pick: Utah

Eastern Michigan (1-0; 0-0) at Missouri (0-1; 0-0)- 7:30, SECN
Pick: Missouri

Jacksonville State (1-0; 0-0) at (21) LSU (0-1; 0-0)- 7:30, ESPNU
Pick: LSU

North Carolina (0-1; 0-0) at Illinois (1-0; 0-0)- 7:30, BTN
Pick: North Carolina

Southern (0-1; 0-0) at Tulane (0-1; 0-0)- 8:00, ESPN3
Pick: Tulane

(17) Tennessee vs Virginia Tech; 8:00, ABC: This should be a fun game down at Bristol Motor Speedway. ESPN's College GameDay will be on hand for it as well. The Vols will get the win here thanks to the fact they have a bit of a home field advantage.
Pick: Tennessee

UNLV (1-0; 0-0) at UCLA (0-1; 0-0)- 8:00, Pac-12N
Pick: UCLA

New Mexico (1-0; 0-0) at New Mexico State (0-1; 0-0)- 8:00, ESPN3
Pick: New Mexico

Sacramento State (0-1; 0-0) at Fresno State (0-1; 0-0)- 10:00
Pick: Fresno State

Texas Tech (1-0; 0-0) at Arizona State (1-0; 0-0)- 10:00, FS1: This is actually a sneaky good game. I like the Aztecs to get it done since they are home although, the Red Raiders should keep it close.
Pick: Arizona State

Washington State (0-1; 0-0) at Boise State (1-0; 0-0)- 10:15, ESPN2: Wazzu lost their opener to a decent FCS team in Eastern Washington meanwhile the Broncos dominated last week against a decent Sun Belt team in Louisiana-Lafayette. The Cougars will keep it close, but I like the Broncos at home.
Pick: Boise State

California (1-0; 0-0) at San Diego State (1-0; 0-0)- 10:30, CBSSN: This should be an interesting game as well. I like the Aztecs here at home.
Pick: San Diego State

Virginia (0-1; 0-0) at (24) Oregon (1-0; 0-0)- 10:30, ESPN
Pick: Oregon

Grambling State (1-0; 0-0) at Arizona (0-1; 0-0)- 10:45, Pac-12N
Pick: Arizona

Tennessee-Martin (0-1; 0-0) at Hawaii (0-2; 0-0)- 11:59
Pick: Hawaii

2016 College Football Week 2: National TV Schedule

Here is the National TV Schedule for week 2 of the 2016 College Football season with announcers (if necessary.)

9/9- Maryland at FIU; 7:30, CBSSN: Sean Grande, Adam Archuleta, Cassie McKinney
9/9- (13) Louisville at Syracuse; 8:00, ESPN2: Adam Amin, Mack Brown, Molly McGrath
9/10- Central Michigan at (22) Oklahoma State; 12:00, FS1: Justin Kutcher & Petros Papadakis
9/10- NC State at East Carolina; 12:00, ESPNU: Dave LaMont & Tom Ramsey
9/10- Penn State at Pittsburgh; 12:00, ESPN: Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams
9/10- UCF at (5) Michigan; 12:00, ABC: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay
9/10- Cincinnati at Purdue; 12:00, BTN: Joe Beninati & Glen Mason
9/10- Lamar at (6) Houston; 12:00, ESPN3: Brett Dolan & N.D. Kalu
9/10- Howard at Rutgers; 12:00, BTN: Scott Graham & Ray Lucas
9/10- Indiana State at Minnesota; 12:00, ESPNEWS: Mike Couzens & Dan Hawkins
9/10- Rice at Army; 12:00, CBSSN: Ben Holden, Jay Feely, John Schriffen
9/10- Boston College at Massachusetts; 12:00, ESPN3: Eric Frede & Andy Gresh
9/10- Nicholls State at (9) Georgia; 12:00, SECN: Dave Neal, Matt Stinchcomb, Olivia Harlan
9/10- Prairie View A&M at (20) Texas A&M; 12:00, SECN: Roy Philpott, Clint Stoerner, Kevin Weidl
9/10- Wyoming at Nebraska; 12:00, ESPN2: Anish Shroff, Kelly Stouffer, Paul Carcaterra
9/10- Charleston Southern at (3) Florida State; 12:30, ACCN: Wes Durham, James Bates, Jen Hildreth
9/10- Troy at (2) Clemson; 12:30, ACCN: Tom Werme, Dave Archer, Roddy Jones
9/10- Stony Brook at Temple; 1:00, ESPN3: Doug Sherman & Matt Chatham
9/10- Georgia State at Air Force; 2:00, CAMP: Ray Crawford, Sherdrick Bonner, Stormy Buonantony
9/10- Utah State at USC; 2:00, Pac-12N: Roxy Bernstein, Anthony Herron, Kate Scott
9/10- Youngstown State at West Virginia; 2:00, Root Sports: Rob King, Marc Bulger, Meg Bulger
9/10- Ohio at Kansas; 2:30, FSN: Mark Followill, Ben Leber, Lesley McCaslin
9/10- Mercer at Georgia Tech; 3:00, ACCN: Matt Stewart & Al Groh
9/10- North Dakota at Bowling Green; 3:00, ESPN3: Mike Gleason & Brad Jackson
9/10- Connecticut at Navy; 3:30, CBSSN: John Sadak, Randy Cross, Sheehan Stanwick Burch
9/10- Illinois State at Northwestern; 3:30, BTN: Brandon Gaudin & Jim Miller
9/10- Tulsa at (4) Ohio State; 3:30, ABC: Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill
9/10- Eastern Illinois at Miami (OH); 3:30, ESPN3: Jim Barbar & John Gregory
9/10- Wake Forest at Duke; 3:30, ESPNU: Eamon McAnaney & John Congemi
9/10- Old Dominion at Appalachian State; 3:30, ESPN3: Jeff McCarragher & Michael Young
9/10- Akron at (10) Wisconsin; 3:30, BTN: Matt Devlin & Stanley Jackson
9/10- Nevada at (18) Notre Dame; 3:30, NBC: Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie, Kathryn Tappen
9/10- Kentucky at Florida; 3:30, CBS: Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce
9/10- Western Kentucky at (1) Alabama; 3:30, ESPN2: Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht, Rocky Boiman
9/10- SMU at (23) Baylor; 3:30, FS1: Tim Brando, Spencer Tillman, Bruce Feldman
9/10- Wofford at (19) Ole Miss; 4:00, SECN: Tom Hart, Andre Ware, Cole Cubelic
9/10- Ball State at Indiana; 4:00, ESPNEWS: Mike Corey & Rene Ingoglia
9/10- UTSA at Colorado State; 4:00, CAMP: Ari Wolfe & Darius Walker
9/10- Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt; 4:00, SECN: Mike Morgan, Jordan Rodgers, Tiffany Greene
9/10- Portland State at San Jose State; 4:30
9/10- Idaho at (8) Washington; 5:00, Pac-12N: JB Long, Glenn Parker, Jill Savage
9/10- Idaho State at Colorado; 5:30, Pac-12N: Greg Wolf, Erik Coleman, Kyndra de St. Aubin
9/10- Morgan State at Marshall; 6:00, beIN: Matt Martucci, Brett Romberg, Jordan Daigle
9/10- Elon at Charlotte; 6:00, CUSA.tv: Matt Sweirad, Kevin Donnalley, Bobby Rosinski
9/10- North Carolina A&T at Kent State; 6:00, ESPN3: Michael Reghi & Jerod Cherry
9/10- Florida Atlantic at (25) Miami (FL); 6:00, ACCN: Drew Fellios & Forrest Conoly
9/10- Georgia Southern at South Alabama; 7:00, ESPN3: Greg Mescall & Wayne Gandy
9/10- McNeese State at Louisiana-Lafayette; 7:00, ESPN3: Butch Alsandor & Buford Jordan
9/10- Louisiana-Monroe at (14) Oklahoma; 7:00, PPV: Brendan Burke, Brian Baldinger, Christian Steckel
9/10- NC Central at Western Michigan; 7:00, ESPN3: Dan Gutowsky & Marcus Ray
9/10- Maine at Toledo; 7:00, ESPN3: Dave Weekley & Dustin Fox
9/10- Northern Illinois at South Florida; 7:00, CBSSN: Dwayne Ballen, Corey Chavous, Melanie Collins
9/10- Bethune-Cookman at North Texas; 7:00, CUSA.tv: Dave Barnett & Hank Dickenson
9/10- SC State at Louisiana Tech; 7:00, CUSA.tv: Dave Nitz, Teddy Allen, Malcolm Butler
9/10- Savannah State at Southern Miss; 7:00
9/10- UTEP at (11) Texas; 7:00, Longhorn Network: Lowell Galindo, Ahmad Brooks, Keith Moreland, Dawn Davenport
9/10- South Carolina at Mississippi State; 7:00, ESPN2: Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, Laura Rutledge
9/10- Arkansas at (15) TCU; 7:00, ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe
9/10- Arkansas State at Auburn; 7:30, SECN: Brent Musburger, Jesse Palmer, Jeannine Edwards
9/10- Iowa State at (16) Iowa; 7:30, BTN: Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
9/10- BYU at Utah; 7:30, FOX: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Shannon Spake
9/10- Eastern Michigan at Missouri; 7:30, SECN: Mark Neely, Ray Bentley, Alex Corddry
9/10- Jacksonville State at (21) LSU; 7:30, ESPNU: Clay Matvick, Dusty Dvoracek, Kaylee Hartung
9/10- North Carolina at Illinois; 7:30, BTN: Eric Collins, J Leman, Rick Pizzo
9/10- Southern at Tulane; 8:00, ESPN3: Joel Meyers & Brian Kinchen
*9/10- (17) Tennessee vs Virginia Tech; 8:00, ABC: Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Samantha Ponder
9/10- UNLV at UCLA; 8:00, Pac-12N: Ted Robinson, Yogi Roth, Cindy Brunson
9/10- New Mexico at New Mexico State; 8:00, ESPN3: Jeff Siembieda & Danny Knee
9/10- Sacramento State at Fresno State; 10:00
9/10- Texas Tech at Arizona State; 10:00, FS1: Joe Davis, Brady Quinn, Jenny Taft
9/10- Washington State at Boise State; 10:15, ESPN2: Mark Jones, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessenich
9/10- California at San Diego State; 10:30, CBSSN: Carter Blackburn, Aaron Taylor, Jenny Dell
9/10- Virginia at (24) Oregon; 10:30, ESPN: Allen Bestwick, Mike Bellotti, Kris Budde
9/10- Grambling State at Arizona; 10:45, Pac-12N: Guy Haberman, Evan Moore, Drea Avent
9/10- Tennessee-Martin at Hawaii; 11:59, OC Sports: Robert Kekaula, Rich Miano, Scott Robbs

2016 NFL Award Predictions

Here are my award predictions for the 2016 NFL season.

MVP: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers- The reigning MVP is my pick to repeat as the leagues MVP because you can make a case he is the leagues best player from a standpoint of how much he does for his team. I also believe that the Panthers are one of the leagues best two teams and that will help Newton's cause as well.
Runner up: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Offensive Player of the Year: Newton. See above.
Runner up: Odell Beckham Jr, New York Giants

Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt, Houston Texans: Watt will have a lot of competition for this award, but it's still his to lose. Despite the fact he's coming off an injury, he'll still be dominant for a team that should make the playoffs.
Runner up: Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys: I doubt Tony Romo's absence will cost Elliott this award at all. Elliott will be running behind the leagues best offensive line that will create lanes for Elliott to run the football in.
Runner up: Sterling Sheppard, New York Giants

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Myles Jack, Jacksonville Jaguars: Coming off an ACL injury, Jack will be motivated to come back and play at the level he played at while he was in college. He will certainly help the up and coming Jaguars defense in a major way.
Runner up: Karl Joseph, Oakland Raiders

Coach of the Year: Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals: Arians is just outstanding and I always seem to pick him for this award every season. He always gets the best out of his team and he deserves this honor for that reason.
Runner up: Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders

Comeback Player of the Year: Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers: Nelson's absence last season left a gaping hole in the Packers offense. He'll come back strong and re-emerge as Aaron Rodgers's number one target.
Runner up: Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

2016 NFL Predictions

Here are my predictions for how the 2016 NFL Season will play out.

AFC East
Despite Tom Brady's four game suspension to start the season, this is still the Patriots division to lose. Rob Gronkowski's presence in that offense will help Jimmy Garappolo in his four games and Gronk is still the leagues best tight end. The Pats defense has lost some guys due to free agency and suspension, but Bill Belichick still has that unit playing hard. Brady will be back after his suspension and they'll still be the class of the division. The Jets have a brutal schedule even though they brought back Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has two very good receivers to throw to in Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall and has a good running game too with Matt Forte and Bilal Powell. The Jets still have a good defense, but their schedule is very brutal as I mentioned so they could be better than their record. The Bills had a tumultuous offseason with a lot of guys getting injured or suspended (on both sides of the ball) could lead to disappointment. Tyrod Taylor got paid this summer so he has a lot to prove this year. The Dolphins look like the safe bet to finish in the cellar of the division with a weird offseason and a new coach in town in Adam Gase. Ryan Tannehill has been inconsistent throughout his career so he has something to prove. Arian Foster replaces Lamar Miller as the running back and Tannehill has some receivers to work with such as DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry. The defensive line (despite the loss of Olivier Vernon) is still decent, but the rest of their defense is suspect.

1. New England Patriots (11-5)
2. New York Jets (8-8)
3. Buffalo Bills (7-9)
4. Miami Dolphins (5-11)

AFC North
This division is very intriguing to me for a lot of reasons. The Steelers should be the team to beat here which features perhaps the best offense in the league led by Ben Rothlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell (who is suspended for the first three games of the season). Martavis Bryant is suspended the whole season, but they can offset that loss with other guys such as Markus Wheaton and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Pittsburgh has gotten younger defensively and that will benefit them with guys like Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones. Cincinnati is flying under the radar because many people believe they'll take a step back due to some free agent departures. Andy Dalton is back from injury and he and AJ Green should lead the way on offense. Their defense is still very good with guys like Geno Atkins and Karlos Dunlap on the defensive line and Pac-Man Jones in the secondary. Baltimore is coming off a very disappointing season in which Joe Flacco tore his ACL. Flacco is back, but his receivers aren't as good as they once were. The Ravens defense hasn't been as good as it was the last few years as well. The Browns are still..... The Browns. Robert Griffin III should make them at least interesting to watch to see how he performs after sitting out last year due to the emergence of Kirk Cousins in Washington. Josh Gordon will be back on the field this season after missing the last two seasons. The Browns defense isn't really good either, although Joe Haden makes their secondary look somewhat decent.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) (Wild Card)
3. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-13)

AFC South
This should be an interesting division although it's somewhat down right now, it is on the rise. Houston is the team to beat here after winning the division last year and signing Brock Oswieler. Oswieler has weapons to work with in Lamar Miller and DeAndre Hopkins. The defense is decent led by JJ Watt, of course. Andrew Luck returns for the Colts after being hurt most of last season, but he doesn't have much help other than TY Hilton and his offensive line is a mess. The Colts defense isn't good either except for Vontae Davis in the secondary. The Jaguars are a team many people think will improve, but I personally believe they're a year away. Blake Bortles has shown a ton of promise and he has weapons to work with guys like Allen Robinson. Jacksonville's defense is on the rise with guys like Dante Fowler Jr and rookies Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey. The Titans are the team almost everyone has in the cellar in this division. Marcus Mariota has a good running game behind him this season with Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray, but his receivers aren't great. The defense in Tennessee is still a work in progress, but Jason McCourty is a good secondary piece.

1. Houston Texans (10-6)
2. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9)
4. Tennessee Titans (4-12)

AFC West
This division is arguably the best one in the league and it features defending Super Bowl champs, but they are not my pick to win the division. The Chiefs are a very good football team with a great home field advantage and they'll be my pick. Alex Smith brings stability at quarterback and he has a healthy Jamaal Charles this time around, which he didn't have last season. He also has Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce to throw to as well. Kansas City's defense is outstanding led by their defensive line that features Justin Houston (who'll miss the first half of the season), Tamba Hali, and Dontrai Poe. Their secondary is led by Eric Berry (who's exempt) and Marcus Peters. The Raiders are a team on the rise with a bunch of blue clippers. Derek Carr has a great offensive line behind him and great weapons too such as Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Oakland's defense should be improved with the free agent signing of Bruce Irvin to join Khalil Mack on the defensive line. Rookie Karl Joseph should improve the secondary. The defending champion Broncos are primed for a step back after some free agent departures. Trevor Semien won the starting quarterback job over Mark Sanchez and rookie Paxton Lynch. Semien has Demaryus Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders to throw to. Denver's defense with still be outstanding led by reigning Super Bowl MVP Von Miller. The secondary is still decent with guys like TJ Ward and Aqib Talib. The Chargers seem primed for the cellar this season although they will be healthier. Philip Rivers has Keenan Allen back to throw to and Melvin Gordon should be better than he was in his rookie season. Their defense is mediocre at best, but they got rookie Joey Bosa signed after a contract holdout so he should improve the defensive line.

Kansas City Chiefs (11-5)
Oakland Raiders (10-6) (Wild Card)
Denver Broncos (8-8)
San Diego Chargers (6-10)

NFC East
I was all set to pick the Cowboys to win the division until news broke that Tony Romo will miss 6-10 weeks due to another broken bone in his back. The offense with a healthy Romo is one of the best in the league with the likes of rookie Ezekiel Elliott, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten. The defense is shaky due to a lot of suspended players on that end such as Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence. I still believe this is a playoff team as long as Romo is back after their bye week. The Giants are my pick to win the division pretty much by default because they have the divisions best and most reliable quarterback in Eli Manning and arguably the leagues best receiver in Odell Beckham Jr leading their offense. The front seven of the Giants defense should be much improved with the additions of Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison. Washington will be interesting to watch and Kirk Cousins has a lot to prove. Cousins has some nice weapons such as rookie Josh Doctson, DeSean Jackson, and Jordan Reed. The Redskins defense isn't that great but the secondary should be improved with the addition of Josh Norman. After the trade of Sam Bradford, the Eagles seem poised for a last place finish. Carson Wentz should be the starter now, but he does have some nice weapons such as Darren Sproles, Jordan Matthews, and Zach Ertz. The Eagles defense gotten worse too, but the front seven is solid led by Fletcher Cox.

New York Giants (10-6)
Dallas Cowboys (9-7) (Wild Card)
Washington Redskins (8-8)
Philadelphia Eagles (4-12)

NFC North
I was so tempted to pick the Vikings here, but Teddy Bridgewater's torn ACL injury happened and now I'm forced to pick the Packers like everyone else. Aaron Rodgers is still a top-tier quarterback and he has his best receiver Jordy Nelson back from an ACL tear of his own. The Packers defense isn't that good but Clay Matthews is still around and he'll have his moments. Sam Bradford replaces Bridgewater for this season and he'll be reunited with college teammate Adrian Peterson, who is still the leagues best running back. Bradford also has rookie Laquon Treadwell, Stefon Diggs, and Kyle Rudolph to throw to. The Vikes defense is very good led by their front seven led by Linval Joseph. The secondary is pretty decent as well too led by Harrison Smith. The Bears should be improved, although their record won't show it. Jay Cutler quietly had a good year last season and he has Kevin White (who missed his rookie season) coming back from injury, so that should improve the offense. The defense isn't great but they have some promising young guys on that end such as Eddie Goldman on the defensive line and Kyle Fuller in the secondary. The Lions will take a step back on offense after the retirement of Calvin Johnson, but Matthew Stafford still has Ameer Abdullah, Golden Tate, and Anquan Boldin to work with. Detroit's defense isn't very good, but expect a big year from Ezekiel Ansah from their front seven.

Green Bay Packers (11-5)
Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
Chicago Bears (7-9)
Detroit Lions (6-10)

NFC South
The defending NFC champion Panthers are still the favorites in this division led by reigning MVP Cam Newton. Kelvin Benjamin returns from injury to only improve the Panthers offense. Carolina's defense is still very good, despite the departure of Josh Norman in the secondary. The front seven is still great with Luke Kuechly, Star Lotulelei, and Charles Johnson. The Buccaneers should be one of the leagues more improved teams led by Jamies Winston. Winston has a ton of weapons such as Doug Martin, Mike Evans, and Vincent Jackson. The Bucs defense should be better with Gerald McCoy and Robert Ayers in the front seven. Rookie Vernon Hargeaves will improve the secondary. Drew Brees is getting up there in age, but he'll keep the Saints in a lot of games. Brees still has some good weapons such as Mark Ingram, Brandin Cooks, and Coby Fleener. The defense is not that good, but rookie Sheldon Rankins should improve the front seven and if Jarius Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro are healthy, the secondary won't be that bad. Atlanta is just a mediocre team although they will score with the offense led by Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. Their defense should be improved with young guys like Vic Beasley in the front seven and rookie Keanu Neal in the secondary.

Carolina Panthers (12-4)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
New Orleans Saints (7-9)
Atlanta Falcons (6-10)

NFC West
This is a two-team race and it will be fun to watch. Arizona is absolutely loaded on both ends of the ball, despite an aging quarterback in Carson Palmer. Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, Chris Johnson, and Michael Floyd will make Palmer look younger. The defense is terrific led by Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson in the secondary and rookie Robert Nkemdiche on the defensive line. Seattle is still a very good team too despite free agent losses and the retirement of Marshawn Lynch. Russell Wilson is just awesome and he still has guys like Thomas Rawls, Doug Baldwin, and Jimmy Graham to work with. The defense is still good led by Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor in the secondary and Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett on the defensive line. The Rams have some talent, but they are mediocre. Jared Goff will have his moments as a rookie quarterback and having Todd Gurley rushing the ball will help, but other than Tavon Austin, he doesn't have much to throw to. Los Angeles's defense is very good led by Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald on the defensive line. The secondary gotten worse though, with the loss of Janoris Jenkins. The 49ers made a good coaching hire in Chip Kelly, but this team won't be good. Blaine Gabbert won the starting quarterback job over the polarizing Colin Kaepernick and Gabbert has guys to work with like Carlos Hyde and Torrey Smith on offense. The defense might actually be half decent with guys like Arik Armstead and rookie DeForrest Buckner on the defensive line and Eric Reid in the secondary.

Arizona Cardinals (12-4)
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) (Wild Card)
Los Angeles Rams (6-10)
San Francisco 49ers (4-12)

- NFL Playoffs

Wild Card
(6) Oakland Raiders vs (3) Kansas City Chiefs: This is a fun division rivalry, but the up and coming Raiders will fall short against a Chiefs team that is poised to go on a deep playoff run.
Pick: Chiefs

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs (4) Houston Texans: This should be a fun game, but Andy Dalton will finally win a playoff game.
Pick: Bengals

(6) Dallas Cowboys vs (3) Green Bay Packers: This should be a fun rematch of a playoff game from two years ago, but Aaron Rodgers leads the way over a Cowboy team that will make a run at a Wild Card after Tony Romo returns from injury.
Pick: Packers

(5) Seattle Seahawks vs (4) New York Giants: Eli Manning is known for his great play in the playoffs, but Seattle is the better team here and they can shut down the Giants offense.
Pick: Seahawks

Division Round
(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs (1) Pittsburgh Steelers: Here we have a playoff rematch from last years Wild Card round, but Big Ben and that explosive offense will be the difference in this one.
Pick: Steelers

(3) Kansas City Chiefs vs (2) New England Patriots: Here we have a rematch of last years divisional round game, but it's not ideal to bet against Tom Brady in freezing Foxboro.
Pick: Patriots

(5) Seattle Seahawks vs (1) Arizona Cardinals: This should be a great game between these two rivals, but home field advantage will factor here and the Cardinals will be in the NFC title game for the second straight season.
Pick: Cardinals

(3) Green Bay Packers vs (2) Carolina Panthers: This should be a fun playoff game to watch between arguably the leagues best quarterbacks. The Panthers defense and Cam Newton will be the difference here.
Pick: Panthers

Championship Round
(2) New England Patriots vs (1) Pittsburgh Steelers: This should be a classic game between two future hall of fame quarterbacks. The Steelers have more depth offensively and they'll be in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in Big Ben's career.
Pick: Steelers

(2) Carolina Panthers vs (1) Arizona Cardinals: Here we have a rematch of last years NFC title game. Both teams are great on both ends, but the Cardinals explosive offense will be the difference and Bruce Arians's team will go to the Super Bowl to set up a Super Bowl XLIII rematch.
Pick: Cardinals

Super Bowl LI
(A1) Pittsburgh Steelers vs (N1) Arizona Cardinals: This should be such a fun Super Bowl with two great offenses and two decent defenses. This was a tough call, but Big Ben's experience in these types of games will be the difference in this as he wins his third Super Bowl ring.
Pick: Steelers