The Silver Bulletin’s Senior Editor Blake Biscardi unveils his Heisman Trophy, New Year’s Six and College Football Playoff Predictions for the 2023 college football season.
According to my analyses, a group of eleven teams can contend for a playoff spot this season, spanning all five power conferences. The SEC and Big Ten lead the way with three teams each, while the PAC-12 and Big 12 each have one. The ACC has two contenders, and its conference-adjacent member, Notre Dame, rounds out the list.
On paper, Georgia and Michigan shouldn’t have any hiccups outside the rivalry games and have less stressful paths than others around the sport. However, the Bulldogs and Wolverines will be challenged for the conference crowns, as Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Ohio State, and Penn State are embracing the chase.
USC and Florida State are fascinating teams in this top group of eight. The Trojans will be led by Heisman-winner Caleb Williams, surrounded by 17 familiar faces. Experience and defense were missing last year for Lincoln Riley, so 2023 is his best chance at the College Football Playoff as USC heads to the Big Ten next year.
Continuity is the message in Tallahassee for the Seminoles, piloted by Jordan Travis. He’s been in the system for years and has reliable units on both lines of scrimmage for the first time in his career. A win against LSU in the opener allows for an increased margin of error and provides the foundation for an excellent playoff resume. What a battle for ACC supremacy it will be between Florida State and Clemson this season!
Evaluating the Big 12 is a bit of an enigma outside of Texas. There are multiple unanswered questions for Oklahoma, Kansas State, Baylor, and the rest of the conference. The Longhorns boast one of the top rosters in the country, but can they finally put things together in Austin to get into the playoff mix?
Conference Championship Game Predictions
SEC
– Alabama vs. Georgia
Big Ten
– Ohio State vs. Wisconsin
PAC-12
– Washington vs. Oregon
ACC
– Clemson vs. Florida State
Big 12
– Texas vs. Oklahoma
Beginning with the Southeastern Conference, Georgia is trying to win its third straight national title. Typically, you have to win your conference, but not this year. If Georgia takes care of its regular season business, then the Dawgs will be all but penciled in on championship Saturday. Alabama finds a way to win a pesky SEC West thanks to most of its biggest games being played in Tuscaloosa.
Luke Fickell makes big moves in his first season in Madison, leading the Badgers back to the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time since 2019. Wisconsin draws the best schedule of its West division counterparts to earn a rematch with Ohio State. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes have the toughest draw from the East but find a way to get to Indy. Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. lead a stellar offense, but the defense becomes the real story for the 2023 Ohio State Buckeyes. There will be 5-7 first round NFL Draft picks wearing Scarlet and Gray this year.
No USC in the PAC-12 title game? That’s right. Despite a difficult schedule, Washington is one of my favorite teams heading into 2023, led by Michael Penix Jr. The Huskies battle through the unforgiving slate to find Bo Nix and the Oregon Ducks across the sideline in Las Vegas.
Since it is a two-team race, the ACC will be an underrated contest this season. However, it will not be short on fireworks or marquee matchups. Clemson and Florida State play major nonconference games against Notre Dame and LSU. Whichever team wins gets an inside track to the CFP, but the Tigers and Seminoles still have to conquer each other. They will likely split their matchups, so keep reading to find out who wins in the ACC Championship Game.
The Red River Rivalry gets one last edition as members of the Big 12. But that won’t be enough for Texas or Oklahoma to decide the Big 12. A rematch is in store for the two bluebloods before leaving for the SEC. Texas and Quinn Ewers win both matchups, but will it be enough to put the Longhorns in position for a playoff spot?
Heisman Trophy Predictions
The battle for the Heisman Trophy features supreme talent with elite play-making abilities. Texas reaches 11 wins this year behind an outstanding season from QB Quinn Ewers. Caleb Williams has another great year but unfortunately lacks marquee victories in a disappointing 10-2 season.
Jordan Travis and Florida State live up to the preseason hype and win the ACC on the back of a dynamic Heisman-caliber year from the QB. The Heisman Trophy likely comes down to The Game in Ann Arbor on Thanksgiving weekend between Marvin Harrison Jr. and Blake Corum. It will be another winner-take-all heavyweight bout for the ages between the century-old rivals.
- Marvin Harrison Jr
- Blake Corum
- Jordan Travis
- Caleb Williams
- Quinn Ewers
Dark Horse Candidates: Michael Penix Jr., Drake Maye, Sam Hartman, TreVeyon Henderson
New Year’s Six Bowl Predictions
Cotton Bowl (12/29): Washington vs. Florida State
These two teams will have tremendous seasons in 2023 and win their respective conferences. However, it will not be enough for a berth in the CFP. Nevertheless, Florida State and Washington will provide one of the best matchups of the bowl season with their elite quarterbacks and stout defenses.
Peach Bowl (12/30): LSU vs. Texas
The Peach Bowl was the proverbial National Championship Game last New Year’s Eve between Georgia and Ohio State. The thriller left the hearts of Buckeye Nation broken as Noah Ruggles’ FG missed left at the stroke of midnight.
LSU and Texas won’t deliver the same theatrics but will still provide an intense bowl contest—another dynamic quarterback battle and head-coaching chess match. Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns desperately need the victory for momentum heading into the SEC. They’ll begin a game early against Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers.
Orange Bowl (12/30): Clemson vs. Penn State
If Penn State finishes third in the Big Ten East, as I predict, it will be a disservice to the sport they’re not playing for something more. If they played in any other division or conference outside of the SEC, the Nittany Lions would be the favorites to win it. A matchup against Clemson bodes well for both schools in another excellent postseason clash. Two first-year starting QBs will go at it with potent running games as support. Both defenses are elite as well, so this matchup will come down to which team makes one more play.
Fiesta Bowl (1/1): UTSA vs. Oregon
Bo Nix and Oregon have what it takes to win the PAC-12 but fall just short. This will be a tricky matchup against the UTSA Roadrunners, which has a high-flying offense. Will a PAC-12 team fall to a Group of 5 Team for the second straight season in the New Year’s Six Bowl Games?
Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal, 1/1): Alabama vs. Michigan
This is Michigan’s best team in the Jim Harbaugh era, and maybe since 2006. JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Donovan Edwards are a punishing trio. We finally get the Jim Harbaugh vs. Nick Saban game, which will be good. Alabama enters as the top-ranked team in the nation, fresh off an SEC Championship victory over Georgia. This will be the first of two Big Ten vs. SEC for the ultimate conference supremacy before the sport heads for expansion.
Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal, 1/1): Ohio State vs. Georgia
Last year, Ohio State and Georgia gave us one of the games of the year. This year, expect an encore. After last year’s ending, Ryan Day, Marvin Harrison Jr., and the Buckeyes want this rematch. It will be another National Championship-caliber showdown between the Bucks and Dawgs.
New Year’s Six and College Football Playoff Predictions:
Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal, 1/1): Alabama vs. Michigan
Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal, 1/1): Ohio State vs. Georgia
Cotton Bowl (12/29): Washington vs. Florida State
Peach Bowl (12/30): LSU vs. Texas
Orange Bowl (12/30): Clemson vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl (1/1): UTSA vs. Oregon
National Championship (1/8): Alabama vs. Ohio State
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for Part III of my Preseason Series in early August.
Blake Biscardi, a native of Pickerington, Ohio, is The Silver Bulletin’s Senior Editor and the Creator & Host of the Saturday Cadence podcast, a national college football show. As a trusted voice on Ohio State, the Big Ten, and College Football Playoff since 2016, he has worked multiple ventures, namely FanSided (2018-2021) before TSB. Biscardi is a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a two-time Graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia.