With football season looming large, it’s time for the big predictions for college football and the NFL. Of course, Ben Love loves to put it on the books right before football season with his boldest predictions and records for LSU, the New Orleans Saints, and the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns.
College Football Predictions
1. Clemson RB Travis Etienne Wins the Heisman
You knew that Ben had to go local to start with his predictions. The Jennings native is listed as 20/1 odds over in Biloxi and having a running back winning a trophy that has predominately been awarded to quarterbacks in recent years makes it a bold prediction out of the gate.
2. Two SEC Teams Make Playoff Again
The PAC-12 misses out on the party once again and the LSU Tigers join Alabama at the big kid’s table in the College Football Playoff. A lot of it has to do with Georgia faltering late in the season and setting up LSU perfectly as a backdoor choice for the CFP.
3. Orgeon Beats Auburn in Opener; PAC-12 Gains Respect
While the PAC-12 won’t have a seat at the table when it comes to the playoffs, they take a step in the right direction to open up the season against Auburn with a victory. For too long, the PAC-12 Conference has been ignored as a contender and will gain a lot of respect for beating the Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen.
4. Ja’Marr Chase Leads LSU in Receiving YDs and TDs
There will be no sophomore slump for Chase in 2019 with the product out of Archbishop Rummel poised to surpass Justin Jefferson as the top WR in the Tigers locker room. However, he will be a second-team All-SEC WR because of the fact that the wideouts in the conference are some of the best in the country.
NFL Predictions
1. Pat Mahomes Throws Less Than 40 TDs
The NFL’s MVP last year will fall off a little bit this season throwing for 40 touchdowns after racking up 50 last year. All of the teams have more film on him headed into this season and defenses know what’s going on with the league’s new favorite player.
2. The Chicago Bears Finish as #1 Team in the NFC; David Montgomery ROTY
After a double-doink knocked the Bears out of the postseason, there’s a lot of hype surrounding them and we will see them live up to it. A stellar defense and another season of progress for Mitch Trubisky result in a #1 NFC seed. Don’t sleep on running back David Montgomery to win rookie of the year in what looks to be a much more improved offense with the former cyclone helping the run game.
3. Jacksonville with AFC South, Makes AFC Championship Game
Blake Bortles is out the door and Nick Foles is the new slinger for the Jaguars. After an absolute poor 2018 season, expect the Jags to take over an AFC South that is very wide open after Andrew Luck’s recent retirement.
4. Marcus Davenport and Trey Hendrickson Combine for 13 Sacks
The New Orleans Saints defense will get a lot of help from their young guns in the trenches and the key player will undoubtedly be Davenport in his second year.
LSU, Cajuns and Saints Records
LSU: 11-1
Saints: 11-5
Cajuns: 8-4