There are plenty of questions heading into this season, some of which we’ll get the answer to fairly quickly, while others won’t be answered until season’s end.

Here’s a look at 10 of the most significant ones entering 2016.

1. Can Alabama solidify its stance as college football’s greatest modern dynasty?

From 1983-91, Miami won four national championships, creating the modern standard for college football excellence. While Alabama hasn’t met the Hurricanes’ legacy of this era for producing star NFL quarterbacks, they have taken four national titles since 2009.

Four national titles in seven seasons has already exceeded Miami’s four national titles in nine seasons. Five national titles in eight seasons would be incredible, and with a preseason No. 1 ranking, the Crimson Tide has a shot.

Alabama will have to break in a new quarterback and overcome a rather tough schedule with possibly three or four ranked teams on the road. But even after losing a Heisman winner and top-notch defensive coordinator many feel this team is improved from last year. What’s scarier is it may start only seven seniors (two offense, five defense) this season.

2. Can Leonard Fournette win the Heisman that eluded him last year?

Fournette had rushed for 150 or more yards in LSU’s first seven games last year. His, at times, acrobatic 244-yard performance against then 3-0 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome established the back from the Lower Seventh Ward of New Orleans as the Heisman frontrunner. Donating his jersey from LSU’s 45-24 victory against South Carolina for auction to flood victims in the Palmetto State made him a humanitarian.

Then came Alabama on Nov. 7, and after Fournette gained only 31 yards on the ground in a two-touchdown loss, the Heisman focus changed from Fournette to Derrick Henry. It also started a three-game losing streak that took them from the SEC West’s top spot to the Texas Bowl.

Fournette just missed rushing for 2,000 yards last year. If he can exceed that mark this year, it will likely mean the Tigers are the top team in the SEC West, and that will make it tough for the voters to look elsewhere.

3. Is this the year Tennessee breaks its losing streaks?

Ever notice the Vols are a team of streaks? They always beat Vanderbilt and Kentucky (well, who doesn’t?) but always lose to Florida and Alabama.

With both teams visiting Neyland Stadium this year, and Tennessee entering the season as the AP’s No. 9 team in the nation, one or both streaks may end this year. If they do, the Vols will be in position to win their first SEC title since winning the 1998 national championship.

But Tennessee enjoyed fourth-quarter leads against both teams last year before falling, and their following’s traditional view through orange-colored glasses may have the Vols a bit overrated. The days of 5-7 records are over, but is the Big Orange championship caliber?

4. Can Nick Chubb come back from his knee injury?

Consider how the SEC changes if Chubb isn’t injured last year. Georgia likely has the running game to protect their three-touchdown lead against Tennessee, the Bulldogs’ struggles in the second half of the season aren’t as prominent, Mark Richt might still have his job and there’s even the possibility of an SEC East championship.

Now that Chubb is back, can he regain the form that had him gain more than seven yards a carry as a freshman and eight as a sophomore? If so, the Bulldogs are the dark horse contenders in the SEC East.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

5. Can any of the “Final Four” of the SEC East make a bowl?

Just three seasons ago, Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt were the only three teams that finished nationally ranked in the SEC East. This season, there is the very real possibility they may finish in the final three spots of the division standings.

Still, it’s hard to believe four teams in an SEC division will finish with losing records. Vanderbilt and Kentucky may be playing for their coaches’ jobs, but Vanderbilt does have a nice quarterback-running back combo in Kyle Shurmur and Ralph Webb to go with a fairly stout defense. Missouri could surprise if quarterback Drew Lock matures under new offensive coordinator Josh Heupel. South Carolina’s Brandon McIlwain is the most anticipated Gamecocks freshman quarterback since Steve Taneyhill.

If any of these four teams can sweep the games they have against the other three struggling programs, it’s likely that team will go bowling and establish themselves for future seasons in the division.

But that’s a big if.

6. How good is Chad Kelly?

His uncle started the Miami dynasty and is the only pro quarterback to win four straight conference championships. Now, Chad Kelly has a legitimate chance to do something even the sainted Manning family couldn’t do in Oxford: win the SEC championship and establish a three-year winning streak against Alabama.

He threw for more than 4,000 yards, 31 touchdowns and put 38 or more points on the board in eight games. He’s a natural athlete that used to excel in Punt, Pass and Kick competitions, but there have been issues with discipline that caused him to leave Clemson for junior college and even a disorderly conduct plea two years ago.

Is he another Jim or Johnny? If it’s the former, the sky is the limit for both quarterback and Ole Miss in what might be their last chance for championship glory before potential NCAA sanctions.

7. Which way for Texas A&M, Arkansas and Mississippi State?

These are teams on the bubble and could go either way in 2016. Can JUCO linemen protect Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight? Will they be able to avoid traditional late-season swoons against a schedule that features Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss and LSU? This team could contend or continue to regress from an 11-victory peak in 2012 to 8-5 the last two years.

How does Mississippi State replace Dak Prescott? You don’t, but his favorite target, Fred Ross, returns. A fun stat is the Bulldogs were the least-penalized team in the SEC last year. While trips to Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss will surely result in some defeat, A&M is likely the toughest game at home. With a road upset, the Bulldogs could be in the SEC West hunt when the Egg Bowl comes around. An early defeat to South Carolina or Auburn, and Mississippi State will likely return to also-ran status for a while.

To show you how unpredictable Arkansas is, the Razorbacks played in three games last year where the combined point total of the game reached at least 100. Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins are long gone, and the Allen behind center is Austin, not Brandon. But 14 starters return. One never knows with Arkansas; never the strongest team in the SEC but always capable of winning any game they play.

8. Can Sean White keep Auburn out of the cellar of the SEC West?

It’s where the Tigers finished last year. Auburn nearly lost to Jacksonville State for crying out loud, and Kevin Steele is The Plainsmen’s fifth defensive coordinator in six years.

Then again, Auburn lost six games last year to six quality SEC teams and enjoyed victories against Texas A&M and strong out-of-conference foes Louisville and Memphis.

Now, sophomore quarterback Sean White takes over the starting reins. It’s often been contemplated what Auburn could be with more of a downfield passing offense, and we will find out with White.

But he threw only one touchdown pass last year. Auburn had only one game last season in which it threw 30 passes in regulation, a 27-19 loss to Ole Miss that put White back on the bench.

Will it be a multi-quarterback system with Jeremy Johnson and James Franklin III also getting reps to keep defenses guessing? Or will that cause the offense to be more uncertain?

Stay tuned.

9. Who will be the top newcomers in the SEC?

Don’t bet against McIlwain at South Carolina getting serious playing time. He is likely the Gamecocks’ only cause for optimism this season.

Georgia fans are clamoring for Jacob Eason to start behind center, perhaps the top quarterback prospect of this year’s recruiting class.

The development of freshman wide receiver Nate Craig-Meyers and tight end Landon Rice is imperative if White is to succeed as Auburn’s quarterback. A third freshman, Eli Stove, might also make some big catches for the Tigers.

Missouri’s game this week against West Virginia may come down to a Tucker McCann kick.

Alabama will start true freshman Jonah Williams at right tackle.

10. Will a new college football attendance record be set at Bristol Motor Speedway?

The game has been announced as a sellout. Tickets on stubhub.com are going for more than $140 at press time. In attendance could be 150,000 fans, shattering the old record for patrons at a college football game by 35,000.

Or it could be many of the seats are held by people with season tickets to the NASCAR races at BMS and have no interest in a long trip to watch two teams they care nothing about from nose bleed seats. Hoping for maximum investment, they have purchased their seats in the hopes of selling them on the aftermarket. Ten days before the event, the lowest price for a ticket on StubHub has fallen by $15 from the previous day.

Attendance has fallen dramatically for the BMS NASCAR races, which is why this game is being played. The problem is it has the feel of forced rivalry, of asking scores of thousands of fans to effectively watch the game on a fancy scoreboard instead of on the field and of traffic nightmares that will likely have many local fans returning home at sunrise.

The likelihood is even if there are empty seats, BMS will announce they’ve set a record. Too much grits on their faces if they do anything less.