3 bold predictions for the rest of the season

The 2016 college football season has been delightful in a wonderfully unexpected way. Michigan has undergone a resurgence, teams like Notre Dame have facepalmed in stunning fashion, while traditional programs like Texas are seemingly trapped in mediocre purgatory - for now.

And here’s the best part: there’s still plenty of football remaining. With that in mind, here's three bold predictions for the rest of the season:

Charlie Strong keeps his job after the season

Strong has done an excellent job building the foundation in Austin, and people are starting to see results. The Longhorns have won three of their past four games, including a 35-34 victory over Baylor. They're playing with momentum at the right time, and have the opportunity to finish with an 8-4 record. Considering how often their defense has struggled to “defend” the pass, this is a stunning turnaround that should give Strong another chance in Austin, with a much more experienced squad.

The winner of Michigan-Ohio State wins the national title

Even with the Buckeyes’ loss to an upstart Penn State squad, "The Game" will have plenty of significance this season. Michigan has been on a dominating roll, winning by an average of 37 points. Meanwhile, Ohio State has found its second wind after an impressive 62-3 victory over Nebraska. Both teams are playing with all the momentum, and their collision on Nov. 26 won’t just determine the Big Ten East Division winner - it will determine the national champion, as well.

Both teams are set up for great postseason runs. They feature top-five defenses nationally - Michigan is first in the FBS, Ohio State is fifth - and both are especially dominant against the pass. Those units are set up to stop high-powered attacks they'll likely encounter in the playoffs (from Washington or Clemson), while Alabama's lone weakness is its passing game. That could be a huge benefit for the Buckeyes or Wolverines down the road.

On the offensive side, both the Buckeyes and Wolverines feature bruising rushing attacks that average at least 250 yards per game. This balance between great defense and punishing offensive illustrate the physicality both teams possess, making their showdown a huge deal that could easily decide which team moves on to playoff contention, and potentially a national title.

The playoffs feature all undefeated teams

The safe bet is that Alabama, Washington, and Clemson make the playoffs. If Michigan beats Ohio State, it would be the fourth team in - and all four could be undefeated.

Washington might have the trickiest remaining schedule, with a showdown against USC, the Apple Cup, and the Pac-12 championship game on the horizon. Even so, the Huskies possess the offensive firepower to navigate their road, and to make the playoffs unblemished.

Meanwhile, Clemson’s main hurdle is the ACC title game. Alabama still faces Auburn, but the Crimson Tide have the best rushing defense in the country, and are more than capable of meeting the challenge. Then there’s Michigan, which has a tricky contest against Iowa this weekend, its showdown with Ohio State, and a possible rematch with Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. Still, the Wolverines are on a roll, and with all their goals ahead of them, they won’t lose focus now.