As we head into week five of the 2019 college football season, we’re starting to see who is legitimate and who are the pretenders. Many teams started conference play last week but for others, Saturday was their first shot at a conference opponent. Here are my predictions for the upcoming conference games of the 2019 college football season: 

The ACC Champion: Clemson University

Clemson is 4-0 and survived an early test against the mediocre Texas A&M team. Clemson is head and shoulders above everyone in the ACC. The Tigers have some young players that might go through growing pains in the early part of conference play, but they return many key starters, including Heisman Trophy’s hopeful quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. The Tigers will finish the regular season undefeated and head to the College Football Playoffs for the fifth straight season.

BIG 10 Champion: Ohio State University

The Ohio State Buckeyes are off to a great start in their first season under head coach, Ryan Day. University of Georgia transfer, Justin Fields has looked great playing for his new team, throwing for 880 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. The buckeyes biggest test will be Oct. 26, against the University of Wisconsin. I do think that the Buckeyes will drop a game somewhere during conference play but will ultimately hold the Big 10 championship trophy in December. 

Big 12 Champion: University of Oklahoma

Lincoln Riley is entering his third season as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. He won’t be with Bakker Mayfield or Kyler Murray this season, instead he will be with University of Alabama transfer, Jalen Hurts. Hurts has led the Sooners to a 3-0 record, while logging 880 passing yards, and 373 rushing yards. New defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch, seems to have the defense playing slightly better already, forcing 5 turnovers, almost half of what they had last year to finish the season. I believe that it will be a repeat of what happened last year, losing to Texas in Red River Rivalry, and then turning around and beating them in the Big 12 championship game in Arlington.

SEC Champion: University of Alabama 

The Alabama Crimson Tide suffered a rare embarrassment in the national championship against Clemson last season. This season they bring back Tua Tagovailoa, along with wide receiver, Jerry Jerudy. The Crimson tide have arguably the best offense in the country. The defense may have more holes than usual especially with linebacker, Dylan Moses, likely being out for the season. Alabama has a brutal November as they host Louisiana State University and play on the road at Auburn. I look forward to see Alabama drop one of those two games but still win the conference title.

PAC 12 Champion: University of Oregon

The Oregon Ducks suffered a loss in their first game against Auburn University. Luckily for the Ducks, they won’t play a team as good as Auburn for the rest of the season. The Ducks are lead by quarterback, Justin Herbert. The Ducks have 3 more games against ranked opponents, I look forward to see them to lose one of them and beat Utah University in the conference championship.