10 STORYLINES TO WATCH
1 Can Lamar Jackson win another Heisman Trophy?
Nine players have attempted to do it since Archie Griffin became the only player to win the Heisman twice, and all nine have failed. The Louisville quarterback certainly is a favorite to repeat, as the best dual-threat player in the country in a high-scoring offense, but the Cardinals may take a step back as a team this year, potentially diminishing his output. The numbers will be there, but the expectations have leaped, which is why it is such a difficult feat to accomplish.
2 Is Alabama as dominant as ever?
Is water wet? Alabama starts the year No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the second consecutive season and third time in five years, and unlike past years, quarterback isn’t a question mark. Jalen Hurts (right) returns after a record-breaking freshman season, and is joined by battering-ram tailback Bo
Scarbrough and playmaking wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The defense did lose six starters to the NFL, but in Tuscaloosa, the backups are better than most program’s starters. Junior safety Minkah Fitzpatrick
Jr. of Old Bridge, N.J., may be one of the premier defensive backs in the country.
3 Is the SEC still the premier conference in the country?
This may sound like heresy, but the SEC no longer sits atop the sport, at least not based on the past few seasons. Alabama remains the most consistent program in the country, reaching the College Football Playoff all three years, but the SEC lacks the depth of the ACC and the Big Ten. While it would be a shock to see the Crimson Tide not return to the playoff, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State are all strong contenders to win the Big Ten. Florida State is the expected ACC champion, but Clemson, Louisville, North Carolina State and Miami are legitimate playoff contenders. The same can’t be said of anyone in the SEC other than Nick Saban’s powerhouse.
4 Will a Big 12 title game make a difference, and get the conference in the playoff for the second time in four years?
After the game’s six-year hiatus, it can only help, with one more quality opponent for the Big 12’s top teams to impress the playoff committee. Only Oklahoma, in 2015, has reached the playoff in the three years of its existence. A conference title game gives teams a “13th data point,” a phrase the committee has mentioned as important. Nevertheless, sending a team to the playoff comes down to the league producing a premier team and scheduling well in non-conference games, as Oklahoma is doing this year with a trip to Ohio State.
5 Who is the new face of college football?
With Deshaun Watson and Christian McCaffrey in the NFL, the mantle is up for grabs. Odds are a quarterback will claim it. This is, after all, the year of the quarterback. There are so many elite signal-callers, from Jackson to top draft prospects Sam Darnold (USC), Josh Rosen (UCLA) and Josh Allen (Wyoming, bottom right), and impressive sophomores Hurts and Deondre Francois (top right) of Florida State. Don’t forget seniors such as Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and J.T. Barrett (Ohio State), either.
6 Which teams could make a surprise appearance in the College Football Playoff?
The ACC may be the best conference in the country this year, but North Carolina State, led by one of the best defensive fronts in the nation, could end up being the surprise team to emerge from the league. Eight starters return on offense, and the Wolfpack get two of their toughest games — against Clemson and Louisville — at home. Meanwhile, quarterback
Kenny Hill (right) and TCU can outscore any team in the Big 12, and may have the defense best equipped to make a stop in a shootout. Also, Notre Dame is a threat, overlooked after a four-win season that looked much worse on paper. It was only four years ago that Auburn was picked last in the SEC and fell seconds short of winning the national championship, and the Tigers shouldn’t be forgotten.
7 Can a team from outside the Power Five contend for a playoff spot?
Last season, Houston looked like it would make a strong case to break through, following its season-opening win against Oklahoma, but the Cougars fell apart late, failing to earn the opportunity to show what could have been on the biggest stage. No Group of Five team looks as strong this year — or possesses as many opportunities for marquee wins — but South Florida has the best chance, led by quarterback Quinton Flowers (right) and new coach Charlie Strong. BYU, the last non-Power Five school to win the national title, has the best opportunity, facing LSU and Wisconsin.
8 Oregon, Michigan State and Notre Dame all suffered through down seasons. Which is best suited to rebound?
The Fighting Irish return highly touted offensive linemen Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson, a potential stud in running back Josh Adams and middle linebacker Nyles Morgan, who led the team in sacks and tackles a year ago. The key is Brandon Wimbush, a junior quarterback out of St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City with a rocket launcher for an arm, but little experience to lean upon. Michigan State won’t finish higher than fourth in the loaded Big Ten East, and new Oregon coach Willie Taggart has a lot of work to do to get the Ducks back among the best in the Pac-12. Thanks to a relatively light early schedule, Notre Dame is the most likely to produce a major bounce-back season after last year’s 4-8 campaign.
9 Which transfer will make the biggest impact?
Jarrett Stidham (right) could put Auburn back atop the SEC, having transferred from Baylor after coach Art Briles was fired. The quarterback made just three starts as a freshman in 2015, but threw for 12 touchdowns and two interceptions, along with 1,265 yards. Other notable quarterback moves include Kyle Allen going from Texas A&M to Houston, Anu Solomon transferring from Arizona to Baylor and Will Grier moving from Florida to West Virginia. Defensively, Dee Delaney will be most interesting to watch, with the cornerback stepping up to Miami after leading the FCS in interceptions at The Citadel.
10 Which freshman will have the biggest impact?
Many five-star freshmen will start the season on the bench, but Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (right) should see action right away, joining a team that lost key downfield weapons. The 6-foot-3 receiver could quickly become the team’s go-to player. Later in the year, look for Florida State running back Cam Akers to fill Dalvin Cook’s spikes, becoming a major contributor on a team contending for a national championship.