Football Odds and Storylines heading into the 2015 Season.

Written Wednesday July 8th at 2:45 PM

Well here are the 11 story lines heading into the 2015 season with the questions and the odds if or if not they will happen.

1. Can Southfield win a State Title?

When looking at the chances of the Blue Jays winning a State title and heading to Ford Field for the first time in school history, this team has a great chance led by elite talent in running back Matt Falcon and the arrival of quarterback Sam Johnson III along with other top notch players for coach Tim Conley. Southfield has a tough schedule to start the season with Detroit Cass Tech at Wayne State and games against Adams, Harrison, and Oak Park. I think the Blue Jays are a playoff team for sure, gave them a 98.6 percent chance at making the playoffs. Once they get to the playoffs they may have to deal with Detroit Martin Luther King, a team they beat last season and reloaded themselves with top elite transfers from Wayne and Macomb counties. Southfield has a great chance to do special things as next season they will merge with Lathrup to become a big high school.

2. Can West Bloomfield go deep into the Playoffs?

With five Division One prospects this Lakers team should have no problem going deep into the playoffs right, well here is the thing with West Bloomfield. The Lakers will be a playoff team with 99.8 chance of getting into the postseason with all of the tough teams they have coming to the Swamp but the question will always be location, if they go southeast they will play Detroit Cass Tech, in which I think they have a great shot of beating them. If they go north they will run into Orion and Clarkston but I think the best case is if they go south and west where they'd like to get revenge on Walled Lake Central for knocking them out of the playoffs last season after finishing 7-2, making the playoffs for the first time since 2008. I like the odds of West Bloomfield going forward at 85.7 percent.

3. Can Clarkston Three Peat?

The chances of the Wolves three-peating isn't good despite the fact they do return Nolan Eriksen at running back but there are too many problems that linger here. Clarkston has a two quarterback competition and have some holes they need to fill after losing a strong class that won two State titles. The schedule isn't good either with trips to Macomb Dakota and West Bloomfield in the first three weeks of the season. The Orion game will not be easy either despite the fact the last time the Dragons beat the Wolves was 2010 and Orion hasn't beaten Clarkston on the road since 2007 and then you have the crossover which will be tough. Odds of the Wolves making the playoffs are at 80.2 percent and odds of three peating is at five percent.

4. Can Orion return to the Playoffs?

Last season was very unusual for the Dragons to have a under 500 record (4-5), not make the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, and got destroyed on homecoming. Orion has a lot coming back from a team that was horrible the last two seasons on defense. The Dragons need to win at least two big games if they want to return to the playoffs. Orion has a favorable home schedule with Oxford, Stoney Creek, and the crossover coming to Dragon Country. The tough games will be at Clarkston, at West Bloomfield, and Chippewa Valley at Wayne State. The odds of the Dragons making the playoffs are 75.6 percent.

5. Can Groves win a Big Time Playoff Game?

The Falcons have made the playoffs three of the last four seasons since 2011 and is expected to be four of the last five seasons after they make the playoffs in 2015 but the question lingers is can Groves win a playoff game not in their division. They played Birmingham Brother Rice the last two seasons and lost. If the Falcons want to emerge as a top contender and not settle on winning Blue titles then they must win a district title and prove they can go far in the playoffs. Odds of Groves winning a big time playoff game against a good team not in their division is 10 percent.

6. Can Adams return to the Playoffs?

The Highlanders season thought 6-3 would get them into the playoffs but losing to Stoney Creek in week one, after being up 20-7 in the third quarter and losing 28-20 derailed those plans. Adams ended up missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. The Highlanders return a lot of talent and has a favorable home schedule despite having to go to Southfield and the crossover. Adams has the talent but can they get to the playoffs. Odds of making the playoffs for the Highlanders are 52.5 percent.

7. Can Harrison handle the Distractions?

With Khalid Kareem going to Alabama now he can focus on his Senior season but the question looms for the Hawks is what will happen to them in the future especially with the rumblings that Harrison could close as a school. The Hawks does have talent and the makings of a State title team but the question is can they handle the distractions that they can't control. Odds that Harrison handles the distractions are 85.8 percent.

8. Can Royal Oak turn things around?

The Ravens are 6-57 since 2008, which included four 0-9 seasons. Royal Oak hasn't made the playoffs since 2007, their first season as a merged school when Kimball and Dondero merged. The Ravens brought in Jim McMinn to replace Tim Chapman as coach in January and does know the city and community real well. Royal Oak moved back down to the Blue and will be playing the likes of Groves, Avondale, Berkley, Lathrup, Hazel Park, Ferndale, and Pontiac. I don't know if the Ravens are a playoff team this season knowing that Groves, Avondale, Berkley, Ferndale will be good teams. Odds of Royal Oak turning things around are 45.4 percent.

9. Will Oxford's gamble pay off when it comes to scheduling?

When Wildcats Athletic Director Mike Watson made the schedule giving his team five tough home games in 2014, Oxford won three of them on route to a 6-3 season with a playoff appearance. Now the schedule is reversed. The Wildcats have to travel to Romeo, Orion, Stoney Creek, West Bloomfield, and Clarkston in which those five games could be possible losses but they have the crossover at home which helps. Odds of Oxford making the playoffs with that vicious schedule are 51 percent.

10. Can Ferndale make the Playoffs?

The Eagles haven't made the playoffs since 2008 but this season could be different when it comes to the schedule. If Ferndale can win the games they are suppose to win because they won't be favored against Groves, Berkley, or Avondale then they will make the playoffs for the first time since 2008. It will be huge in Eric Lloyd's second season if his Eagles were to make the playoffs and get them confidence going forward. Odds of Ferndale making the playoffs 70 percent.

11. Can Berkley find Balance? 

The Bears were a playoff team last season for the first time since 2010 and there has been some hype surrounding Nolan Given and Austen Wood as there should be in Berkley but the question will be the depth and also can they find a running threat besides Wood and Given. Expect the Bears to have a strong passing attack but if that passing attack gets shut down, it could be difficult for Berkley to win games. Odds of the Bears finding balance are 78.6 percent.

Odds are made by the projections on how things will go. Stay tuned to OAA Now for complete coverage.