Last year, Alabama made a valiant attempt to win its third national championship in the Nick Saban era before coming up short against Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff. And Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes overwhelmed Oregon in the first championship game of the post-BCS era.

But 2014 wasn’t all bad for the Ducks. Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy. And in the SEC West, both Ole Miss and Mississippi State flirted with winning the division before Alabama eventually took care of business and clinched a spot in the conference’s championship game, where it mashed Mizzou, which won its second straight SEC East title.

There’s no doubt that last season was filled with chills, spills and surprises, and this year promises to be no different. Were obviously all hungry for football, so let’s dig in and take a look at the Top 10 college football story lines entering the 2015 season.

1. Was the SEC West’s postseason performance a fluke or the start of a trend?

The top five teams in the 2014 SEC West standings went 0-5 last bowl season. The West’s only bowl victories were by Texas A&M and Arkansas, the division’s sixth- and seventh-place finishers.

True, last the SEC West’s bowl performance last season was definitely an aberration. But it’s important to remember the following: the division still went 39-4 against non-conference teams and the SEC East last season. Plus, in the Associated Press’ preseason rankings, every SEC West team is represented among the AP’s top 27 teams, which indicates that the division is returning a considerable number of talented players and has recruited well enough to make sure that last season’s pitiful postseason performance won’t happen again.

2. How long will it take Jim McElwain to get Florida’s offense back to what fans expect?

How quickly McElwain’s offensive influence will be felt is tough to tell. The Gators return only four starters on that side of the ball, and Florida struggled to pass the ball last season, ranking 12th out of 14 league teams with just 179.9 yards per game. Sophomore QB Treon Harris returns after throwing for 1,019 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions last season, but he’s being pushed by redshirt freshman Will Grier.

McElwain has taken over for Will Muschamp, who was fired after four seasons that were marked by an anemic offense. At this year’s SEC Media Days, McElwain said the current roster has talent, “We need to just pick up from that and move forward.”

McElwain has thrived as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and as Colorado State’s head coach, but he has to prove he can recruit in Florida and can compete favorably with his SEC rivals in terms of bringing in outstanding prospects. Until he proves how does in this area, the best thing Gators fans can do is trust that he will succeed. If his track record is any indication, chances are that he will.

3. Can Jim Harbaugh make an impact in Year 1?

Absolutely. The controversial coach is being asked to complete a major overhaul at Michigan, and the quarterback battle between graduate transfer Jake Rudock and Shane Morris hasn’t built up hope. But the true “Michigan Man” who engineered remarkable turnarounds with Stanford and the San Francisco 49ers clearly is not afraid of challenges and has a reputation for being an excellent recruiter, so the Wolverines have something to look forward to.

At the very least, Harbaugh’s arrival gives Ohio State’s Urban Meyer the perfect foil. And by the time the Buckeyes visit the Big House in November, Harbaugh’s Wolverines should have a complete new-and-improved look, and we’re not just talking about the coach’s khakis from Walmart.

4. Can anyone stop Ohio State?

Yes. The Buckeyes themselves. Ohio State will begin its national championship defense at Virginia Tech without four players, including star defensive end Joey Bosa and H-back Jalin Marshall. But even shorthanded, the Bucks should win in Blacksburg and might even run the table on their way to another CFP berth.

It’s true. Ohio State is the first consensus preseason No. 1 in the history of the AP poll. And yes, the Buckeyes are loaded nearly everywhere on their roster. But having a target on your back along with the complacency that usually follows a championship-winning season are two tough things to overcome.

Meyer, who probably did the best coaching job of his career last year, is the right guy to deal with those factors. But his players — especially the returning ones — will have even more pressure on them now that everyone expects them to repeat, and that will be the main reason why the Buckeyes will have a tough time winning their second straight national title.

5. Besides Harbaugh and McElwain, what are some of the best coaching/coordinator hires?

In addition to the new leaders at Florida and Michigan, here are our favorite head-coaching moves:

  1. Gary Andersen, Oregon State
  2. Tom Herman, Houston
  3. Chad Morris, SMU
  4. Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh
  5. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin

Here are our favorite top 5 coordinator hires:

  1. Will Muschamp, defensive coordinator, Auburn
  2. Gene Chizik, defensive coordinator, North Carolina
  3. Dan Enos, offensive coordinator, Arkansas
  4. Lincoln Riley, offensive Coordinator, Oklahoma
  5. John Chavis, defensive Coordinator, Texas A&M

5. Which Big 12 power — Baylor or TCU — will make the College Football Playoff?

This has been the top story line in this league since last season. And very little separates Baylor and TCU once again in 2015, which means this battle will go down to the wire or the conference title could be decided on Nov. 27 when these two teams meet in Fort Worth.

With Trevone Boykin returning, the Horned Frogs have a clear edge at QB, but the Bears have always seemed to find a suitable replacement under center since Art Briles has been in charge in Waco. New Baylor signal-caller Seth Russell has experience, and the junior inherits one of the nation’s top supporting casts, which includes a deep receiving corps and all five starters on the line. Nevertheless, defense could play a major role in how these two teams are separated this season, and with Gary Patterson at the helm for the Horned Frogs, that moves TCU slightly ahead.

6. What can we expect in Year 2 of the Charlie Strong era at Texas?

The Longhorns should be strong on defense once again in 2015, but standout tackle Malcom Brown will be missed, and two freshmen — albeit very talented players — might start at linebacker.

Strong is still trying to remake his roster while replenishing his team’s depth. Factor in Texas’ schedule — which includes road games at West Virginia, Baylor and TCU and non-conference matchups against Cal and Notre Dame — a 7-5 or 8-4 finish would be a good second season for the former Louisville coach. It would represent definite improvement over his 6-7 mark in year one in Austin.

7. Is USC once again the class of the Pac-12?

Even though the Trojans are still recovering from scholarship sanctions, they appear to have what it takes to contend for a CFP bid. USC, which closed last season by scoring 40 points in consecutive games, still has one of the best offenses in the Pac-12, led by senior QB Cody Kessler, an improving line and a talented set of wideouts.

But the Trojans’ defense will be under the microscope. Returning defensive players Su’a Cravens and Adoree’ Jackson will anchor the back seven, but the line has lost first-round draft pick Leonard Williams to the NFL. It will be interesting to see how the players and AD Pat Haden  handle coach Steve Sarkisian’s apparent drinking problem as the season progresses.

8. How will Oregon fare after losing Marcus Mariota to the NFL?

Replacing last year’s Heisman Trophy winner in won’t be easy for Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, but the arrival of Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams, the Ducks could soften the blow. A dynamic player on the FCS level, Adams will need time to adjust, and an early September game against Michigan will definitely be difficult. But an offensive line led by tackle Tyler Johnstone — as well as a deep backfield and receiving corps — will surely help Adams’ transition.

9. The SEC has a lot of big names returning from injury this season. Who are they?

Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama; Jonathan Jones, CB, Auburn; Alex Kozan, OG, Auburn; Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn; Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia; Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia; Antonio Morrison, LB, Florida; Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss; Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss; Denzel Nkemdiche, LB, Ole Miss; Marquez North, WR, Tennessee; Steven Scheu, TE, Vanderbilt.

10. Who are some freshmen who are expected to make an impact in 2015?

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA; Trent Thompson, DT, Georgia; Byron Cowart, DE, Auburn; Martez Ivey, OL, Florida; Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas; Canton Kaumatule, DL, Oregon; Iman Marshall, DB, USC; Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama; Kahlil McKenzie, DT, Tennessee; Breiden Fehoko, DT, Texas Tech.