âGameDayâ predicts CFP madness, Corsoâs upset and McAfeeâs wild Alabama-Georgia pick
If ESPN’s “College GameDay” has any say, the College Football Playoff will be nothing but pure madness.
The “GameDay” panel, along with comedian and podcaster Theo Von, made their predictions for conference championship Saturday, and it was pure madness.
“Iowa beats Michigan,” Lee Corso told Kirk Herbstreit before the crew went on the air. Corso pointed to the spread, so Herbstreit assumed Corso picked the Hawkeyes against the spread. Not so fast.
“No, I said Iowa’s going to beat them. You wanted a surprise,” Corso replied.
A loss by No. 2 Michigan would certainly wreak havoc on the CFP.
But the guys weren’t done.
Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee picked Louisville to upset No. 4 Florida State in the ACC Championship Game.
With potential upsets in the ACC and Big Ten title game, that leaves the door open for Texas in the Big 12 and a potential one-loss SEC Champion and, dare we say, one-loss SEC title game loser? SEC commissioner Greg Sankey certainly thinks so.
Howard was the only one to pick Oklahoma State over Texas in the Big 12 Game. That’s when McAfee turned the tables on Georgia fans in Atlanta.
“Twenty-nine straight wins, back-to-back national championships,” McAfee started. “What’s that coming down the track,” he sang. “It’s the mean machine and the men and black. Ain’t nothing finer in the land, than a drunk, obnoxious Georgia fan. Go Dawgs. Sic ‘em.
“Give me, Alabama. SEC Champions. … Roll Tide, Roll!
Howard was on board.
“Because of what happened a week ago against Auburn, Nick Saban was able to get that defense together,” Howard said. “They going to make some corrections, some changes. We don’t know about the physical condition of (Georgia’s Ladd) McConkey or (Georgia’s Brock) Bowers, so I’m going with the Tide. RTR!”
Herbstreit, on the other hand, believes in Georgia quarterback Carson Beck.
“It’s hard to see Nick Saban and Alabama show up as an underdog. Since ‘08, Nick Saban is 5-2 outright when questioned down and gets his team motivated to show up, play with a chip on their shoulder. You can see that trend continuing. He’s 3-1 against Georgia when he is put in that underdog role, but it’s Georgia, man. I’m believing in Georgia to win this game. Carson Beck gets the hero of the day.”
In the end, Corso went with the Georgia headgear.
“Alabama, this year, is hoping for a shot at the national title. Georgia’s here because they beat everybody else, and they are better. This is a neutral site, right? We’re still in Georgia. Give me the Dawg.”
Here are the picks:
Toledo-Miami (Ohio)
- Howard: Miami (Ohio)
- McAfee: Toledo
- Von: Toledo
- Corso: Toledo
- Herbstreit: Toledo
Boise State-UNLV
- Howard: UNLV
- McAfee: Boise State
- Von: Boise State
- Corso: Boise State
- Herbstreit: Boise State
Tulane-SMU
- Howard: Tulane
- McAfee: Tulane
- Von: Tulane
- Corso: SMU
- Herbstreit: SMU
Troy-App. State
- Howard: App. State
- McAfee: App. State
- Von: Troy
- Corso: App. State
- Herbstreit: App. State
Louisville-Florida State
- Howard: Louisville
- McAfee: Louisville
- Von: Florida State
- Corso: Florida State
- Herbstreit: Florida State
Michigan-Iowa
- Howard: Michigan
- McAfee: Iowa
- Von: Iowa
- Corso: Iowa
- Herbstreit: Michigan
Texas-Okla. State
- Howard: Okla. State
- McAfee: Texas
- Von: Texas
- Corso: Texas
- Herbstreit: Texas
Alabama-Georgia
- Howard: Alabama
- McAfee: Alabama
- Von: Georgia
- Corso: Georgia
- Herbstreit: Georgia
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.