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Scott D. Pierce: My sure-fire Emmy predictions — ‘Thrones’ won’t win; Colbert will be great; and more

The 69th Primetime Emmy telecast host Stephen Colbert is interviewed during the 69th Primetime Emmy Red Carpet Rollout at the Microsoft Theater on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)

Here are two can’t-miss Emmy predictions. First, “Game of Thrones,” which won 12 Emmys last year and has a total of 38, won’t win any this year.

And, second, Stephen Colbert will be a great host for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (6 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2).

“GoT” can’t win because it didn’t air any new episodes this year’s during eligibility period.

As for Colbert, I feel confident about that. But then I’m a big fan.

Here are a few major categories and who will (probably) win:

Comedy Series

In this image released by HBO, Julia Louis-Dreyfus appears in a scene from "Veep." (AP Photo/HBO, Paul Schiraldi)

Nominees • “Atlanta,” “black-ish,” “Master of None,” “Silicon Valley,” “Transparent,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Veep”

“Veep” will probably win again, but it would be great if “Atlanta” pulled an upset.

Drama Series

(Ron Batzdorff | NBC) Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Mackenzie Hancsicsak as Kate, Milo Ventimiglia as Jack, Parker Bates as Kevin and Lonnie Chavis as Randall in "This Is Us."

Nominees • “The Americans,” “Better Call Saul,” “The Crown,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Stranger Things,” “This Is Us, “Westworld”

Part of me is rooting for “Westworld.” But “This Is Us” deserves to win.

Limited Series

This image released by HBO shows Shailene Woodley in "Big Little Lies." (HBO via AP)

Nominees •“Big Little Lies,” “Fargo,” “Feud: Bette and Joan,” “Genius,” “The Night Of”

• “Big Little Lies” will win, but “The Night Of” was better.

Variety Talk Series

(Timothy Kuratek | CBS) Stephen Colbert mocks Donald Trump's ties to the Russians on “The Late Show.”

Nominees • “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” “Real Time With Bill Maher,” “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”

• I could make a case for Maher (not a fan),  but it’s been a breakout year for Colbert. 

Variety Sketch Series

FILE - This Feb. 4, 2017 file photo released by NBC shows Alec Baldwin portraying President Donald Trump in the opening sketch of "Saturday Night Live," in New York. (Will Heath/NBC via AP, File)

Nominees •“Billy on the Street,” “Documentary Now!,” “Drunk History,” “Portlandia,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Tracey Ullman’s Show”

• It’s not even worth discussing, because “SNL” will win.

Actress — Drama Series

This image released by Hulu shows Elisabeth Moss as Offred in a scene from, "The Handmaid's Tale." Moss was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series on Thursday, July 13, 2017. The Emmy Awards ceremony, airing Sept. 17 on CBS, will be hosted by Stephen Colbert. (George Kraychyk/Hulu via AP)

Nominees • Claire Danes, “Homeland”; Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder”; Claire Foy, “The Crown”; Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”; Keri Russell, “The Americans”; Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

• This is easy. Moss will win.

Actor — Drama Series

This image released by NBC shows Sterling K. Brown in "This Is Us." Brown was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series on Thursday, July 13, 2017. The Emmy Awards ceremony, airing Sept. 17 on CBS, will be hosted by Stephen Colbert (Ron Batzdorff/NBC via AP)

Nominees • Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”; Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot”; Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”; Matthew Rhys, “The Americans”; Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”; Billy Bob Thornton, “Goliath”

• Brown will win a second Emmy in a row. (He won last year for “People v. O.J.”)

Actress — Comedy

This image released by Netflix shows Lily Tomlin in "Grace and Frankie." Tomlin was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series on Thursday, July 13, 2017. The Emmy Awards ceremony, airing Sept. 17 on CBS, will be hosted by Stephen Colbert. (Tyler Golden/Netflix via AP)

Nominees • Allison Janney, “Mom”; Ellie Kemper, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”; Sarah Jessica Parker, “Divorce”; Tracee Ellis Ross, “black-ish”; Lily Tomlin, “Grace & Frankie”

• Ho, hum. Louis-Dreyfus will probably win again. I’d love to see Tomlin win, but it won’t happen.

Actor — Comedy

In this image released by FX, Donald Glover portrays Earnest Marks in the comedy "Atlanta." Glover, Aziz Ansari and Issa Rae are among those who star in shows they also created or co-created, write and sometimes even direct. In return, they could reap Emmy nominations in a number of categories. The nominations will be announced Thursday. The Emmy Awards ceremony is set to air Sept. 17 on CBS, hosted by Stephen Colbert. (Quantrell D. Colbert/FX via AP)

Nominees • Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”; Aziz Ansari, “Master of None”; Donald Glover, “Atlanta”; William H. Macy, “Shameless”; Jim Parsons, “Big Bang Theory”; Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”

• Glover should win.