ZACH BRAZILLER’S TWO-MINUTE DRILL
STORYLINES TO WATCH
1 Can anyone knock off Alabama?
Coach Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide start the year No. 1 and are the heavy favorite to finish that way after returning two of the premier players in the sport, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and defensive menace Will Anderson Jr. Their top challenger is likely Ohio State, which features a Heisman Trophy favorite in quarterback C.J. Stroud and a number of quality NFL prospects. Defending champion Georgia lost a large chunk of its record-setting defense, but remains one of the most talented teams in the country. Texas A&M, if it can find an answer at quarterback, could threaten Alabama in the SEC West, and Clemson is a potential sleeper, led by a robust defensive front.
2 Will there be more movement in
realignment? Oregon is the school to watch. The Ducks, one of the top brands not part of the Big Ten or SEC, have reportedly expressed interest in joining the Big Ten, and commissioner Kevin Warren has said he could see his league expanding to 20 teams in the future. The ACC — in particular Florida State, Miami and Clemson — could be poached, though its grant of rights — which gives every school’s media rights to the league — extends to 2036 with current members. That could be prohibitive to a move.
3 How will the transfer portal
impact the season? A number of schools, some of them contenders, are relying heavily on transfers. Alabama went to the portal to land top running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Georgia Tech) and cornerback Eli Ricks (LSU). USC did the same, in picking up quarterback Caleb Williams from Oklahoma, receiver Jordan Addison from Pittsburgh and running back Travis Dye from Oregon. Just look back to last year’s playoff teams, and how significant newcomers from other schools were — from Alabama star wideout Jameson Williams (Ohio State) to Cincinnati running back Jerome Ford (Alabama). It’s almost become as critical as high school recruiting.
4 Can Pac-12 and Big 12 contend?
The Pac-12 hasn’t reached the College Football Playoff since 2017. The Big 12 has been left out the past two years. Both would just love to be in the mix in late November, which is more likely for the Pac-12, particularly after the arrival of coach Lincoln Riley at USC and his blockbuster transfer class. Utah, which opens at Florida, is a possible contender, too. Oklahoma and Baylor could be darkhorse candidates, though both lack the kind of premier non-conference opponent to impress the committee.
5 Can the talentrich state of Florida return to relevance?
There are new coaches at two of the big three in the Sunshine State — Mario Cristobal at Miami and Billy Napier at Florida. Mike Norvell is in search of his first winning season in his third year at Florida State. Considering the level of prospects in the state and the rich history of all three programs, it’s stunning to see how far the three schools have fallen. They were a combined 18-19 last fall. Miami is the best bet for a breakthrough, buoyed by Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and quality transfer portal adds on defense by Cristobal.