FOX Sports College Football Analysts Make Playoff Predictions, Preview 2016 Season

FOX College Football lead game analyst Joel Klatt and studio analysts Matt Leinart and Robert Smith previewed the 2016 season made their predictions for this year’s College Football Playoff and the eventual national champion. Their predictions are:

Joel Klatt: Michigan, Oklahoma, Clemson, Alabama*
Matt Leinart: Michigan, Oklahoma, Alabama, Clemson*
Robert Smith: Ohio State, Alabama, Stanford, Florida State*

* indicates predicted national champion

Joel Klatt says Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is important to college football because he pushes boundaries:
“He’s a breath of fresh air for college football. I love college football more than anything, other than my own family. I love this sport. It oozes out of me, and I’ve become very passionate about it, but because of that, there are things within the sport that are maddening to me. And part of that, I believe at times we are some of the most archaic, stuffy and stodgy of any of the sports out there.

“Jim Harbaugh questions the establishment. He presses those buttons and he presses those boundaries, and we’re in desperate need of that as a college football entity. I believe that college football is in a precarious spot. It’s not necessarily the concussions or player safety issues, but the structure of college football right now is in a very precarious spot because there are lots of threats, whether that’s from a litigious side or whether it’s from a revenue standpoint. We’re in desperate need of a unifying governing body, and he is bringing up subjects constantly, whether it’s on the players’ behalf or the programs’ behalf, that need to be answered by a unifying governing body.”

Former Ohio State star Robert Smith says college football is more exciting when teams like Michigan are good:
“It’s great. He was born in the same hospital as Urban Meyer. He brings excitement, and quite frankly, college football is more exciting when Michigan is good and when the game is really competitive. His type of personality draws more attention to the game, and that’s something that we all love because we have the opportunity to cover the greatest sport at any level, in covering college football.”

Matt Leinart discusses former USC coach Lane Kiffin, now offensive coordinator at Alabama, who faces the Trojans on Sunday:
“I’m sure Lane Kiffin is excited for the matchup because of history and the past, but when that game starts, all he’s going to care about is winning.

“He’s very, very talented. He’s a very good play caller, and I think he’s in a perfect fit in Alabama, I really do. And I think he’s starting to get more credit. Because of all the stuff that’s happened and some of the distractions and some of the things he kind of stirs up, people lose sight of the fact that he’s an excellent, excellent play caller and an excellent offensive coordinator.”

Klatt discusses Oklahoma’s tough non-conference schedule:
“The non-conference slate overall in college football is as good as we’ve seen in a long time. Oklahoma’s is no different. I personally believe that we’re going see Oklahoma roll through that pretty well.

“Two things I think they have going for them. One is they’re at home against Ohio State, and Ohio State is the least experienced team in the entire country. I love Urban Meyer, but I think that’s going to be a lot to overcome for Ohio State.

“If [Oklahoma offensive coordinator] Lincoln Riley runs the ball with the same type of commitment as he did in the back half of last season, it’s going to be really tough for Houston to stand up and win that game. I think it’s a close game, but ultimately, even through that tough gauntlet, I think that Oklahoma has more of a chance to stumble in the conference than they do in the non-conference.”