College football expert predictions for Playoff, Heisman

The 2022 FBS college football season kicks off this week. It's been more than seven months since Georgia won the national championship.

Alabama is the preseason No. 1 in Sports Illustrated's preseason top 25. The SI college football staff predicts the College Football Playoff, national champion, Heisman winner, biggest disappointment and more.

Pat Forde predicts that Alabama will be crowned national champion.

No. 1 Alabama will play No. 4 USC in the College Football Playoff. No 2 Ohio State will face No 3 Clemson.

No. 1 Alabama will play No. 4 Utah in the championship game. No 2 Ohio State will take on No 3 Clemson.

John Garcia Jr. predicts the winner of the college football championship game will be Alabama.

Forde predicts Alabama will win the national championship. He also thinks Ohio State can challenge the Crimson Tide.

Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr. and Henry To'oTo'O are the college football experts' predictions for the College Football Playoff. Johnson and Garcia predict a rematch of the 2020 national championship game between Alabama and Ohio State. Georgia and Alabama are going to play each other.

Forde is backing Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. for the Heisman Trophy. Anderson's 331 tackles for loss last year were 111 more than the second-highest total in the nation in 2021.

Bryce Young would be the second repeat winner of the Heisman. Caleb Williams is the favorite to win the award. Archie Griffin won the trophy in 1974 and 1975. Johnson recommends giving the prize to a defensive player. Garcia thinks Will Anderson Jr. will win it this year. He had 171 sacking last season.

Forde thinks Texas A&M is a year away from contention and set up to disappoint. He doesn't think the Aggies have a difference-maker at quarterback, the defensive line is talented but young, and their kicker is unproven.

Notre Dame starts the season at No. 5 in the AP poll. Michigan starts in 10th place. Auburn has a tough schedule. The Tigers have to leave home until the second week of October.  Garcia predicts more losses for Auburn after the weather turns.

Forde is projecting Tennessee at 7-1 when the first College Football Playoff rankings are revealed on Nov. 1.

Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC. NC State has a big challenge against Clemson. Texas is a contender in the Big 12.   The early lump Texas should take to Alabama will allow for adjustments. The Big12 has more wide-open feel this year thanks to Riley's departure.

Geoff Collins is 9-5 at Georgia Tech and could be on the hot seat by October. He has to beat Clemson, Mississippi, UCF and Pittsburgh in the first five games.

Georgia Tech's Geoff Collins is the college football expert's pick for the Heisman Trophy. Herm Edwards' ASU team has a tough schedule. Nebraska's loss in Ireland to Northwestern to open the season did not inspire optimism.

Nathaniel Dell had a big season for Houston in 2021 with 90 catches for 1,322 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dell is the primary target for Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune.

John Rhys Plumlee is the new starting quarterback at UCF. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a great receiver. C.J. Stroud is perhaps the best No. 2 receiver in the country. The UCf offense should be one of the most successful in college football.