Hello Sandman Nation and welcome back to football season. That also means we welcome back our Sandman Legends for another year of picks, competition, and bragging rights.
Last year, Ken Wintermote walked away with the crown thanks to an impressive overall record, but overall the Legends finished above .500 and more than half of our Legends finished in the black. We’re back to help our readers and listeners make even more money this year.
During the season, we’ll normally pick 10 games each week against the spread, a mix of notable pro and college matchups, with the occasional special twist. But before we get into weekly action, it’s time for our annual preseason predictions: who we think will rise, who will stumble, and how the season may shake out.
A quick thank you to AJ Flanders and Ryan Harrington for their picks last year. Both have stepped away this season. In their place, we welcome two longtime Sandman Nation members, Jenny Butler and Keith Vesper. And this year we’re also introducing a brand-new twist: an AI pick. Thanks to Craig Phalen for setting that up. We’ll see if the machines can keep up with us so-called experts.
College Football Picks
Miami (FL) was the runaway choice as the top-10 preseason team most likely to fall out of the Top 25. Six of our experts flagged the Hurricanes as this year’s version of Florida State, a team with a lot of hype that could unravel.
Utah received the most love from outside the Top 25, with four Legends believing the Utes could crash the College Football Playoff conversation.
In the Big Ten, it looks like a two-horse race. Seven picked Penn State while four chose Ohio State. The SEC appears to be much more wide open with Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU all getting votes. The ACC is nearly unanimous for Clemson, with Jenny Butler as the lone wolf backing Georgia Tech to shock the league. In the Big 12, Utah once again shows up as the popular pick.
For national champion predictions, six different teams were listed, but Ohio State led the way with four votes. In Heisman picks, three votes went to Arch Manning and three to Cade Klubnik, leaving it as a dead heat.
NFL Picks
The AFC East was a clean sweep for Buffalo. The North is split between the Bengals and Ravens. In the South, ten picked the Texans while Eric Bierman stood alone in backing Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars. In the West, the Chiefs remain the popular choice, though Bierman and Pat Klett like Denver as a surprise winner.
In the NFC, the East is viewed as a battle between Philadelphia and Washington, while Tampa Bay is expected to dominate the South. The North is almost unanimous for the Lions to repeat, with Brandon Lewis going against the grain and picking the Packers. The West is mainly divided between the Rams and 49ers, though Seattle’s favorite son Bill Sanders gave his vote to the Seahawks.
Super Bowl champion predictions are divided, with three believing Philadelphia will repeat and three others seeing the Ravens bringing home the Lombardi. Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow dominate the MVP conversations. And in the race for worst team in the league, the Cleveland Browns picked up four votes.
Here’s how the Legends’ preseason predictions stack up across college football, the NFL, and beyond:
College & NFL Season Predictions - 2025
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Sanders | Eric Bierman | Pat Klett | Brandon Lewis | Nate Blackstun | Hakan Yumusaklar | Mike Paston | Ken Wintermote | Keith Vesper | Jenny Butler | AI Picks | |
| Preseason CFB Top 10 team to most likely fall out of the Top 25 | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | LSU | Miami (FL) | Oregon | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | LSU | Alabama | Georgia |
| Of non-ranked teams, most likely to make the CFB Playoff | Utah | Utah | BYU | Tulane | South Carolina | USC | Utah | BYU | Utah | Georgia Tech | Auburn |
| Big 10 Champion | Ohio St | Penn St | Ohio St | Penn St | Penn St | Penn St | Penn State | Penn St | Penn St | Ohio St | Ohio St |
| SEC Champion | Alabama | LSU | Texas | Georgia | Alabama | Georgia | Alabama | Texas | Texas | Georgia | Texas |
| ACC Champion | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Georgia Tech | Clemson |
| Big 12 Champion | Utah | Utah | Arizona St | Arizona St | Utah | Baylor | Utah | Texas Tech | Utah | Arizona St | Texas Tech |
| 2025 National Champ | Ohio St | Penn St | Ohio St | Georgia | Alabama | Penn St | Penn State | Clemson | Texas | Ohio St | Ohio St |
| Heisman Winner | Julian Sayin | Cade Klubnik | Arch Manning | Cade Klubnik | Janoris Sellers | Jayden Maiava | Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) | Cade Klubnik | Arch Manning | Jeremiah Smith | Arch Manning |
| AFC East Winner | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Buffalo Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills |
| AFC North Winner | Ravens | Bengals | Bengals | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Ravens | Bengals | Bengals | Ravens |
| AFC South Winner | Texans | Jaguars | Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Houston Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans |
| AFC West Winner | Chiefs | Broncos | Broncos | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Kansas City Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| NFC East Winner | Eagles | Commanders | Eagles | Commanders | Eagles | Commanders | Philadelphia Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Commanders | Eagles |
| NFC North Winner | Lions | Lions | Lions | Packers | Lions | Lions | Detroit Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| NFC South Winner | Bucs | Falcons | Bucs | Bucs | Bucs | Panthers | Atlanta Falcons | Falcons | Bucs | Bucs | Bucs |
| NFC West Winner | Seahawks | Rams | Rams | 49ers | Rams | 49ers | San Francisco 49ers | 49ers | Rams | Rams | 49ers |
| AFC Champion | Ravens | Bills | Ravens | Chiefs | Ravens | Ravens | Buffalo Bills | Ravens | Chiefs | Bills | Ravens |
| NFC Champion | Eagles | Lions | Lions | 49ers | Eagles | 49ers | Philadelphia Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Lions | Eagles |
| Super Bowl Champ | Ravens | Lions | Lions | Chiefs | Ravens | 49ers | Philadelphia Eagles | Ravens | Eagles | Bills | Eagles |
| 2025 NFL MVP | Lamar Jackson | Josh Allen | Joe Burrow | Lamar Jackson | Lamar | Jayden Daniels | Joe Burrrow | Lamar Jackson | Jalen Hurts | Josh Allen | Lamar Jackson |
| Will Finish With Worst Record | Titans | Browns | Jaguars | Browns | Titans | Saints | NY Giants | Browns | Titans | Browns | Saints |
What’s Next?
That’s the table-setting. Now the real fun begins. Each week we’ll bring you a new set of picks, breakdowns, and storylines as we track how the Legends, and the AI, stack up. Buckle up Sandman Nation. It’s going to be a season to remember.
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