College football predictions: DraftKings predicts Top 25 win totals for 2022 season
Summer is here, and with it comes the latest batch of predictions and projections for the coming football season.
The last few months have been very active, with the new transfer portal finding elite players on the move, and a few bombshell coaching changes to boot.
DraftKings recently announced its win total predictions for all 131 FBS teams for the 2022 season.
Let’s take a look at where things stand with the schools in the ESPN Top 25 preseason rankings.
25. Florida: 7 wins. Year 1 for Billy Napier opens up against Utah and has a long way to go before challenging Georgia for the SEC East title.
24. Mississippi State: 6.5 wins. Mike Leach brings back record-setting quarterback Will Rogers and the SEC’s fourth-best defense, but faces another brutal schedule.
23. Oregon: 8.5 wins. Mario Cristobal is out and Dan Lanning is in, and he brings on Auburn transfer QB Bo Nix and some elite defensive pieces and a mandate to make another run at the Pac-12.
22. North Carolina: 7.5 wins. Last season was one to forget for the Tar Heels, who now have to work out an offense that doesn’t include quarterback Sam Howell, but has recruited well defensively.
21. Wisconsin: 8.5 wins. The No. 1 total defense in college football last season has some replacements to find, while the Badgers, a Big Ten West contender, build their offense behind lead back Braelon Allen and hope Graham Mertz dramatically improves at QB.
20. Kentucky: 7.5 wins. UK has recruited well enough to make some noise in the SEC East, but might be looking at not having RB Chris Rodriguez because of a legal issue.
19. Baylor: 7.5 wins. Dave Aranda took the Bears from two wins to a Big 12 title and comes into Year 3 with enough returning experience, especially on defense, to make another run.
18. Miami: 8.5 wins. The U opens up the Mario Cristobal era with a solid fixture at QB in Tyler Van Dyke, but some surgery to do elsewhere on this roster, in particular at wide receiver.
17. Ole Miss: 7.5 wins. Much of an offense that placed top 10 in college football is gone, but Lane Kiffin worked the portal hard, adding Jaxson Dart at QB and Zach Evans at RB. That should keep the Rebs a team to watch in the SEC West.
16. Michigan State: 7.5 wins. Kenneth Walker is gone, but Payton Thorne (27 TDs in 2021) and Jayden Reed (1k+ yards, 10 rec TD) are back to keep Sparty in the mix, provided they can improve one of the worst pass defenses in college football.
15. Utah: 9 wins. The reigning Pac-12 champs bring back their 1-2 punch on offense, but have some holes to fill defensively after the NFL Draft.
14. Texas A&M: 8.5 wins. Fresh off signing arguably the greatest recruiting haul ever, the Aggies face off against another tough slate, including a midseason date at Alabama.
13. Oklahoma State: 8.5 wins. A lot of this great defense is gone (so is its coordinator) and the Pokes won’t have their top rusher, but QB Spencer Sanders returns with some valuable experience behind him.
12. Penn State: 8.5 wins. Sean Clifford returns at quarterback, but there are questions defensively and in the backfield before this team emerges as a true Big Ten East contender.
11. LSU: 7 wins. A new era under Brian Kelly has resulted so far in a solid recruiting class and a few choice transfers, but this coach has struggled against Southern teams and ranked opponents in his career.
10. Auburn: 6.5 wins. Bryan Harsin comes into Year 2 already on the hot seat and looking at a somewhat depleted roster after a tidal wave of outgoing transfers and assistant coaches who walked away.
9. Pitt: 8.5 wins. The loss of Kenny Pickett (to the NFL) and Jordan Addison (to USC) are tough for the ACC champs, but there are other pieces to move the ball, including transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis and some returning experience.
8. Oklahoma: 9.5 wins. Maybe no other college football power will look more different (aside from USC) this season, but the Sooners are still standing on solid ground after hiring Brent Venables as head coach and signing transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
7. Michigan: 9.5 wins. A lot of what got the Wolverines a win over OSU, the Big Ten title, and a College Football Playoff berth are gone, but Jim Harbaugh still has enough at the skill positions to make another push.
6. Texas: 8 wins. Steve Sarkisian comes into Year 2 on the heels of some bad losses (including at home to Kansas), but after signing some plush transfers, including QB Quinn Ewers and linebacker Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, among others.
5. Notre Dame: 8.5 wins. First-year coach Marcus Freeman has dominated the recruiting trail and returns arguably the best O-line in college football, but opens up at Ohio State in a game that could make or break the Irish season.
4. Clemson: 10.5 wins. Dabo is coming off a three-loss season, just lost both his coordinators, and needs much better play at quarterback from DJ Uiagalelei. This should be a strong defense, but QB play has defined Clemson in the playoff era.
3. Georgia: 10.5 wins. The defending national champions have some holes to plug on that historic defense, but return more than enough skill and experience to easily take the SEC East again and make another playoff berth.
2. Ohio State: 10.5 wins. The core of the No. 1 offense in college football returns, led by Heisman finalist quarterback CJ Stroud, but the Buckeyes’ hopes hinge on how well new coordinator Jim Knowles has tightened the screws defensively.
1. Alabama: 10.5 wins. Blue-chip talent out, blue-chip talent in. That’s been the story at Bama in the Nick Saban era, and after signing some major transfers, don’t be surprised if the Tide is undefeated going into the SEC title game.
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