College Football Preview: Cardiac Hill Staff Picks

Last year we projected the 2015 college football season ( I was the only one that had Alabama - just sayin’), and we are back to do it again this year. College football is kicking off tonight, (no Cal and Hawaii, your little Australia game doesn’t count). Like last year we have the current staff and some familiar faces with some Cardiac Hill alumni stepping out of retirement to give their picks as well. Here is the panel. Feel free to save this to your favorites and make fun of our picks along the way.

Welcome back college football, you have been missed.

Cardiac Hill active staff

• Anson Whaley - The boss, follow him @AnsonWhaley
• J.D. Schroderer - The internet bully himself, follow him @Sta7ic
• Aron Minkoff - Our basketball guru and resident Temple fan, follow him @AronMinkoff
• Corey Cohen - The host of Unscripted: The Cardiac Hill podcast, follow him @CoreyECohen
• Chris Bruno - Pitt basketball and football contributor, follow him @BrunoPittsburgh
• Jim Hammett - yours truly, a quick shameless plug to follow me @JimHammett

Cardiac Spill Staff

• PBS - ALL CAPS, ALL THE TIME. FOLLOW HIM @N_THEYSTAYTHERE
• Mike - WaWa enthusiast, follow him @85mf
• Spilly - The lego man himself, follow him @IAmSpilly

Former Cardiac Hill contributors

• Dan Sostek - Currently with The Pitt News, follow him @dan_sostek
• Adam Bittner - Currently with the Post-Gazette, follow him @fugimaster24
• Bryan - Co-founder of Pitt Script Blog, follow him @bryangm
• Mike Osterrieder - Longtime Cardiac Hill contributor, follow him @Mikeo90
• Pat - Former Cardiac Hill guy, follow him @The_Incline
• Jesse Irwin - The Host of “Pitt Tonight”, follow him @JesseIrwin_

ACC Coastal Division Pick

Anson - North Carolina
Aron - Pitt
JD - Miami
Chris - Miami
Corey - Miami
Jim - North Carolina

Dan - Miami
Adam - Miami
Bryan - Miami
Mike - Pitt
Pat - North Carolina
Jesse - Pitt

Spilly - *spins wheel* wow. UVA. Who saw that?
Mike - Pitt’s throwback jerseys
PBS - EVER SINCE SOMEONE FLOATED THE IDEA OF A 7-WAY TIE IN THE ACC COASTAL IT'S THE ONLY THING I'VE WANTED. I NEVER GET ANYTHING I EVER WANT THOUGH/SO/SO/BUT I STILL THINK THE TOP OF THE DIVISION IS A MULTIWAY TIE OF SOME KIND. AS A CRUEL TWIST OF A KNIFE, I SAY PITT AND UNC TIE FOR THE TOP, AND PITT LOSES OUT IN THE TIEBREAK

ACC Atlantic Division Pick

Anson - Clemson
Aron - Clemson
JD - Clemson
Chris - Clemson
Corey - Clemson
Jim - Clemson

Dan - Florida State
Adam - Clemson
Bryan - Clemson
Mike - Florida State
Pat - Louisville
Jesse - Louisville

Spilly - Clemson
Mike - Clemson, provided they rebound from losing to Pitt at home.
PBS - CLEMSON "CLEMSON'S" THIS SEASON, WHICH, TO ME, MEANS "WINS A BUNCH OF GAMES." (CLEMSON FANS BUY SHOES TOO)

ACC Offensive Player of the Year

Anson - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Aron - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
JD - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Chris - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Corey - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Jim - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson

Dan - Lamar Jackson QB Louisville
Adam - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Bryan - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Mike - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Pat - Dalvin Cook RB Floirda State
Jesse - James Conner RB Pitt

Spilly - Heart says Conner, brain and 95% of the internet says Watson
Mike - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
PBS - THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHETHER DESHAUN WATSON SURPASSES JAMEIS WINSTON ON THE "HOW BADLY DID I WRECK PITT DURING MY HEISMAN CAMPAIGN" POWER RANKINGS. LAST PLACE ON THOSE RANKINGS, BTW: 2007 PAT WHITE. AYYYYYY

ACC Defensive Player of the Year

Anson - Jordan Whitehead S Pitt
Aron - Jordan Whitehead S Pitt
JD - DeMarcus Walker DE Florida State
Chris - Devonte Fields LB Louisville
Corey - Jordan Whitehead S Pitt
Jim - Jordan Whitehead S Pitt

Dan - Derwin James S Florida State
Adam - Carlos Watkins DT Clemson
Bryan - Devonte Fields LB Louisville
Mike - Derwin James S Florida State
Pat - Jordan Whitehead S Pitt
Jesse - Reggie Mitchell S Pitt

Spilly - Jordan Whitehead was picked a lot by my colleagues who have done things like 'research' but I'm still gonna pick HB Blades until he wins the rare double Big East / ACC DPOY. I've got a good feeling this year.
Mike - Derwin James S Florida State
PBS - F**K IT, EJUAN PRICE!

Heisman Pick

Anson - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Aron - Josh Rosen QB UCLA
JD - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Chris - Christian McCaffrey RB Stanford
Corey - JT Barrett QB Ohio State
Jim - Christian McCaffrey RB Stanford

Dan - Baker Mayfield QB Oklahoma
Adam - JT Barrett QB Ohio State
Bryan - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Mike - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
Pat - Leonard Fournette RB LSU
Jesse - James Conner RB Pitt

Spilly - A quarterback who will flame out with the Browns. Again. Forever.
Mike - Deshaun Watson QB Clemson
PBS - I WAS READING A THING RECENTLY ABOUT HOW THE HEISMAN WINNERS ARE NEVER QUITE WHO YOU EXPECT, BECAUSE EXPECTATIONS KILL JOY, AND THE HEISMAN IS FOR THE PLAYER WHO GIVES THE MOST JOY IN A SEASON. SO I PREDICT (1) THAT EVERYONE HERE WILL BE WRONG AND (2) KENNY HILL, TCU.

National Champion Pick

Anson - Clemson
Aron - Temple, j/k Michigan
JD - Clemson
Chris - Clemson
Corey - LSU
Jim - Michigan

Dan - Oklahoma
Adam - Clemson
Bryan - Ohio State
Mike - Florida State
Pat - Ohio State

Spilly - Old Dominion, after resetting the game 5,000 times and simulating the season.
Mike - Bama (jinxjinxjinxjinxjinxjinxjinx)
PBS - Oklahoma

Pitt Offensive MVP

Anson - James Conner
Aron - James Conner
JD - James Conner
Chris - James Conner
Corey - James Conner
Jim - James Conner

Dan - Nate Peterman
Adam - Darrin Hall
Bryan - James Conner
Mike - James Conner
Pat - James Conner
Jesse - James Conner

Spilly - James Conner
Mike - James Conner
PBS - I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE CONNER, BUT I'M ALSO NOT GONNA PICK ANYONE ELSE, SO

Pitt Defensive MVP

Anson - Jordan Whitehead
Aron - Jordan Whitehead
JD - Jordan Whitehead
Chris - Jordan Whitehead
Corey - Jordan Whitehead
Jim - Jordan Whitehead

Dan - Jordan Whitehead
Adam - Jordan Whitehead
Bryan - Jordan Whitehead
Mike - Dewayne Hendrix
Pat - Jordan Whitehead
Jesse - Reggie Mitchell

Spilly - James Conner's withering sideline gaze upon lesser men
Mike - Ejuan "20 Sacks" Price
PBS - F**K IT, EJUAN PRICE!

Pitt Breakout Candidate

Anson - Quadree Henderson
Aron - Tyrique Jarrett
JD - Dewayne Hendrix
Chris - Dewayne Hendrix
Corey - Quadree Henderson
Jim - Dane Jackson

Dan - Scott Orndoff
Adam - Darrin Hall
Bryan - Quadree Henderson
Mike - Dewayne Hendrix
Pat - Quadree Henderson
Jesse - Tyrique Jarrett

Spilly - Blue Helmets
Mike - the kid who got stuck between Qdoba and Bruegger’s. Hang in there buddy!
PBS - LIKE IT OR NOT A RECEIVER IS GONNA HAVE TO EMERGE, IN THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE THAN ZERO COMPLETIONS A GAME PROBABLY, I MEAN WE COULD, I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THAT, IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT NOT REALLY, SO IT'S GOTTA BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS, SO OUT OF THEM, IF I LOOK AT THE NAMES, I GOTTA PICK CAREFULLY, MAN, I DON'T KNOW, ZACH CHALLINGSWORTH

Top Freshman (Note, many people selected Damar Hamlin prior to the news about his injury)

Anson - Amir Watts
Aron - Damar Hamlin
JD - Damar Hamlin
Chris - Damar Hamlin
Corey - Amir Watts
Jim - Keyshon Camp

Dan - Damar Hamlin
Adam - Damar Hamlin
Bryan - Damar Hamlin
Mike - Damar Hamlin
Pat - Damar Hamlin
Jesse - Tre Tipton

Spilly - Matt Canada
Mike - Chawntez Moss
PBS - ANDERSON .PAAK

Toughest Game

Anson - @ Clemson
Aron - @ Clemson
JD - @ Clemson
Chris - @ Clemson
Corey - @ Clemson
Jim - @ North Carolina (Clemson isn’t winnable, so just being logical here)

Dan - @ Clemson
Adam - @ Clemson
Bryan - @ Clemson
Mike - @ Clemson
Pat - @ Clemson
Jesse - The Peach Bowl

Spilly - You all say Clemson but you KNOW it's gonna be a 5-3 puntfest against Syracuse.
Mike - @ North Carolina
PBS - TOUGHEST FOR TEAM, CLEMSON; TOUGHEST FOR FANS, PENN STATE.

Final Record for Pitt

Anson - 8-4
Aron - 9-3
JD - 8-4
Chris - 7-5
Corey - 7-5
Jim - 8-4

Dan - 7-5
Adam - 7-5
Bryan - 8-4
Mike - 8-4
Pat - 8-4
Jesse - 9-3

Spilly - 9 Wins, 3 losses, 3 Technical Knockouts.
Mike - 8-4, and 1-0 in the only game that matters
PBS - 8-5, WIN TH' SUN BOWL AGAINST WASHINGTON STATE IN A WONDROUS BUGHOUSE OF A GAME