We’re 80 days from the start of the college football season.
By now, most of you can cite the SEC storylines backward and forward — even after participating in one of those dizzy bat drills on a humid Southeastern day. But what areas will the national media give the most attention? Which stories will lead SportsCenter and College GameDay each week?
Here are some of the 2015 trends and areas of interest that you should hear about again and again.
- Ohio State’s quarterback competition: ESPN’s preseason magazine boldly declared that the three best quarterbacks in the entire Big Ten this season reside in Columbus, Ohio. (They’re way off, of course. Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg are potential NFL first-round picks.) But this fall, the entire country wants to know, coach Urban Meyer: Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller?
- The SEC is slipping/has returned to dominance: National interest in the narrative has waned since the conference’s streak of seven consecutive BCS titles ended following the 2013 season. But the SEC remains intensely polarizing, even in regions that aren’t known for getting riled up about college football. Whether the conference fails to win a national title for the third consecutive season or reclaims the crown, fan and media interest around the country will remain strong.
- How will Jim Harbaugh fare in his first season at Michigan?: Recognized as one of the best coaches at any level of football for his profound success at Stanford and with the San Francisco 49ers, the quirky, sometimes-grating Harbaugh has a proven ability to spark fast turnarounds. But Michigan has been mired in mediocrity for quite some time, as Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke both got pushed out of town. Expect intense national interest in the Wolverines’ 2015 season.
- USC’s return to prominence in the Pac-12: The Trojans are a trendy preseason pick to win the Pac-12 and contend for a College Football Playoff spot. QB Cody Kessler, WR JuJu Smith and a tremendous offensive line finally should have backing from a defense with depth. USC plays in a very difficult division, the Pac-12 South, but if the Trojans can best Arizona State, UCLA and Arizona, the team will get a ton of national love.
- Will the fire-starter offenses at TCU and Baylor be enough to make the College Football Playoff?: The Horned Frogs scored 46.5 points per game last year and return 10 offensive starters. The Bears will inject Bryce Petty at quarterback and remain one of the top offenses in the country, no problem. But will either of the Big 12 favorites be able to crack the CFP this year after feeling unfairly omitted in ’14?
- How will Florida State (Jameis Winston) and Oregon (Marcus Mariota) fare without the No. 1 and No. 2 overall NFL quarterbacks?: The Seminoles and Ducks no longer are clear-cut ACC and Pac-12 favorites, but you’ll still notice them in most preseason Top 10 rankings. Expect plenty of intrigue surrounding two of the most successful national programs in recent seasons.
- Which direction are Oklahoma and Texas headed?: After falling a notch below the national elite, the Sooners appeared prepared for another run prior to last season after knocking off Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, only to have the team disintegrate to a five-loss finish. Are coach Bob Stoops’ days in Norman, Okla., numbered? And will OU return to national contention any time soon? Texas faces some of the same questions, as Charlie Strong tries to recruit and develop a quarterback. Can his brand of tougher, more disciplined football elevate the Longhorns after an extended run of blah bowl appearances?
- Boise State is … Boise State again: Despite losing superstar running back Jay Ajayi to the NFL, the Broncos again are well-positioned to be the top Group of 5 powerhouse and challenge for a New Year’s Six bowl berth. Expect to see lots of highlights from that blue turf this fall.
- Uncertainty at quarterback among so many brand-name teams: It’s not just Ohio State that will enter the fall without a sure-thing starter at quarterback. We’re talking Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Florida State, UCLA and several other huge national brands. It’s a huge theme in the SEC, but this conference doesn’t have an exclusive on quarterback competition and uncertainty.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
