John Clay: Call me crazy, but here are 10 predictions for the upcoming college football and NFL seasons

LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a couple of weeks we will embark on one of if not the craziest football seasons in the history of football seasons.

The Big Ten consists of 18 teams; the Big 12 has 16. USC and UCLA are in the same conference with Rutgers and Penn State. California and Stanford are in the same conference with Syracuse and Florida State. The College Football Playoff has tripled in size from four to 12. The NFL has a crazy new kickoff rule and more games on more platforms than consumers have credit cards.

With that in mind, here are 10 (maybe) crazy predictions and proclamations for the 2024 football season, both college and pro:

— 1. Call me crazy, but I think Kentucky football will end the season ranked in the top 25. Yes, the schedule is full of tough opponents. The Wildcats will face four of the top 15 teams — No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 15 Tennessee — in the AFCA coaches’ preseason poll released Monday. That also means the schedule is full of opportunities.

— 2. Call me crazy, but Kentucky may boast its best wide receiver room ever. Start with Barion Brown and Dane Key. Now add Ja’Mori Maclin, one of 25 players with more than 1,000 yards receiving last season at North Texas. And don’t forget Anthony Brown-Stephens, who made a spectacular catch in Saturday’s Fan Day practice, and Fred Farrier, the former Franklin County star who transferred back home from UAB.

— 3. Call me crazy, but I think Louisville will be 10-1 when the Cardinals visit Kroger Field for the Governor’s Cup on Nov. 30. Jeff Brohm’s club has a manageable schedule. The toughest tests will be at Notre Dame on Sept. 28 and at Clemson on Nov. 2. Says here U of L will lose one but not both.

— 4. Call me crazy, but I don’t think Alabama will suffer much of a slide under Kalen DeBoer. Nick Saban’s successor can coach. He proved that at both Fresno State and (especially) Washington. DeBoer will get the most out of returning quarterback Jalen Milroe.

— 5. Call me crazy, but I don’t think Texas will make the SEC championship game. Yes, the Longhorns made the CFP last season, are No. 4 in the preseason coaches’ poll for this season and have Heisman Trophy candidate Quinn Ewers back to quarterback. But the SEC is a meat-grinder and something Texas nor Oklahoma have experienced before. Expect a learning curve.

— 6. Call me crazy, but Texas A&M will be the surprise team of the SEC and make the College Football Playoff. (Yes, Kentucky can surprise, as well.) Jimbo Fisher left some talent. And though I think Mark Stoops would have done well in College Station, former A&M defensive boss Mike Elko is well-suited to get the most out of the Aggies. A healthy quarterback Conner Weigman will help.

— 7. Call me crazy, but the Bengals are my pick to make it back to the Super Bowl. That’s contingent on a healthy Joe Burrow at quarterback. But the guess here is that Lou Anarumo’s defense will return to its 2022 level and that second-year running back Chase Brown will be a more than adequate replacement for Joe Mixon. After all, the Chiefs can’t win the Super Bowl three years in a row, can they?

— 8. Call me crazy, but I think Will Levis will have a successful second season with the Tennessee Titans. Hiring former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as head coach will help. So will the fact that Tennessee added wide receiver targets Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to go along with DeAndre Hopkins.

— 9. Call me crazy, but I don’t think fans will warm to the new NFL kickoff rule. It does get the play back in the game, but the formations are off-putting, to say the least. And it takes the surprise element of the onside kick out of the equation.

— 10. Call me crazy, but I think Kentucky’s Deone Walker will be the first defensive player taken in the 2025 NFL draft. Pro Football Focus has Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham as the first overall player on its draft board, with Walker at No. 21. Don’t be surprised if by season’s end Walker is at the top of that list.