The 10 Biggest Storylines of the 2010 College Football Season

It's hard to predict what storylines will dominate during a college football season.

College football fans generally have a pretty good sense of which teams and players will be the main focus of the media's attention during the season. But there's always that unpredictable element that makes the sport so exciting.

Once the ball is kicked off on opening weekend, all bets are off. The speculation ends and the stories start to unfold. Still, there's always those few focus points that everyone around the country, no matter what their rooting interests are, will be keeping an eye on.

Here are 10 interesting storylines bound to unfold this season.

Florida and Texas, Say Hello to the New Guy!

Everyone seems to have an opinion about how Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow will fare in the professional ranks (I myself believe that neither will make a very substantial impact in the NFL). But no matter what you want to say about their respective professional futures, you most certainly cannot deny what both have done in the past.

Tebow and McCoy were two of the most successful and popular quarterbacks we’ve seen in the game of college football in quite some time. They were beloved legends at their respective schools, and trying to replace them will be no easy task. Colt and Tim had a combined seven years of starting experience between them.

Junior John Brantley will give it a go at Florida while sophomore Garrett Gilbert will make the attempt at Texas. Both have a stellar pedigree and some serious supporting casts, but only time will tell how adequate of a job each does at replacing their successor.

Mark Herzlich's Return

The Herzlich story is one that transcends sports and delves into the realm of human interest and sympathy.

With just one diagnosis last May, the Boston College linebacker went from preparing to dominate the ACC, to preparing for a battle with cancer. Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, which was news that shocked the sports world. He was forced to sit out the 2009 season why he bravely fought the disease.

When College Gameday came to Chestnut Hill in early October, Herzlich made the emotional announcement that he was indeed cancer-free after a five month long fight. Mark won the Disney Wide World of Sports Spirit Award for his courage.

Now the senior is ready to rejoin the Eagles in 2010 for what looks to be one of the most inspirational stories in college football history. Herzlich may not be the dominant force he was before the diagnosis, but his triumphant return back to the gridiron deserves much appreciation.

Will Jake Locker Live Up to the Hype?

He's already pretty much universally being crowned as the number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, but Washington senior QB Jake Locker still has yet to even lead his Washington Huskies squad to a winning season.

Locker has all the traits of a future NFL starter. At 6‘3" 225 pounds, the superior athlete has the foundation for success, but Jake hasn’t put it all together up to this point. That could be why the talented signal caller decided to return for his senior year, though that second round grade from the advisory committee probably played a part as well.

Under the tutelage of Steve Sarkisian, a molder of some talented QBs during his time at USC, Locker has an opportunity to flourish in 2010.

Because of his skill set, Jake is favorably compared to former 49er quarterback Steve Young.

If he really wants to make that comparison legitimate, Locker will have to accomplish something Young did while he was at BYU—win a bowl game.

Boise State

49-4

That’s Chris Peterson’s record as head coach at Boise State since taking over for Dan Hawkins four years ago.

Not too shabby.

With two undefeated seasons and two Fiesta Bowl wins already under his belt, Peterson now looks to lead his talented team to that one last elusive goal—a title game.

It’s hard to imagine the BCS could shut the Broncos out if they were able to run the table again. But a perfect season is easier said than done.

Now that they have top five type pressure weighing on their shoulders, will Boise wilt or step up to the task?

The Broncos have been notoriously cool headed in the past and they have a depth chart loaded with high quality talent led by QB Kellen Moore.

Will find out early how real Boise’s chances are at a title shot. They open with Virginia Tech in a Monday night primetime match up in Landover, Maryland.

The Lane Kiffin Era Begins

Whether this goes good or bad, it’s going to be entertaining to watch regardless.

It’s true, Kiffin has his fair share of haters, but so did Pete Carroll when he took over at USC at the beginning of the millennium. Kiffin is brash, pompous, and arrogant, which rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Yet all three of those traits seemed to work for Carroll during his tenure in LA.

Kiffin has a bit of a mess to clean up and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Trojans took a step back this season. But don’t doubt that the coach has a plan for success in place, and you'd better believe that no one will work as hard to prove the doubters wrong than Kiffin.

The Trojans probably won’t rule the conference year in and year out like they did under Carroll, but they’ll still be consistent contenders.

This Year's Underdogs

Every year there is always those handful of teams everybody underrates.

Last season, the Iowa Hawkeyes turned out to be the most prominent of the bunch as Kirk Ferentz’s boys went from fringe preseason Top 25 team to 11-2 Orange Bowl winners.

So which team is flying under the radar right now that could turn in a similar type run in 2010?

By Conference:

SEC: Auburn Tigers
Pac-10: Arizona Wildcats
ACC: Florida State Seminoles
Big 12: Texas A&M Aggies
Big Ten: Michigan State Spartans
Big East: Connecticut Huskies

Heisman Hopefuls

The campaigns and debating have already begun nationwide.

Every school has their Heisman contender that they are looking to market to the country this season. But when it comes right down to it, there are usually only a handful of players in the mix.

The criteria is pretty simple.

Usually one must be either a quarterback or running back and also play for a highly successful team to have a shot at winning the award.

Sometimes Heisman winners come out of obscurity as was the case last year when Alabama running back Mark Ingram took home the award. But there are also years when the winner is easily predicted like when Reggie Bush joined the club back in 2005.

My two favorites for the 2010 honor are Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett and Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor.

Both will put up the numbers, but it will probably ultimately come down to who belongs to the more successful team.

Will the Tide Roll Once Again?

It seems like just yesterday when every sports media member and journalist was lambasting Alabama coach Nick Saban for leaving the Miami Dolphins in the lurch to come to Tuscaloosa.

In hindsight, it doesn't really look like that bad of a decision.

All Saban has done in the last two seasons is lead ‘Bama to two consecutive undefeated regular seasons and bring the school its first National Championship in 15 years.

That’s all great, but the question on everyone’s mind is—can they repeat?

USC was “technically” the last team to pull off a repeat back in 2004, but it’s not something you see very often.

Saban has just two starters returning on defense from last year’s title run, but luckily for the coach, his up and coming guys are some of the most talented in the nation.

It will all come down to how quickly they can come together as a unit. Alabama has some crucial early tests in faceoffs against Penn State, Arkansas, and Florida.

Can Terrelle Pryor Lead the Buckeyes to Glory?

The stage is set and the expectations are through the roof; now it’s all up to Terrelle Pryor to deliver.

Pryor must now deliver a National Championship to Columbus.

The junior QB has fanned the flames from critics and performed admirably as the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes.

His career path up to this point has shadowed the man he is most often compared to, Vince Young.

Like Young, Pryor won a Rose Bowl in dominating fashion as a sophomore, and like Young, Terrelle has the chance to lead his team to a National Championship as a junior.

There’s a reason everyone praised the young man even back in the days when he was just an elite high school recruit. He has the type of talents you don’t see very often. Now he must take that ability and make the most of it.

Terrelle, this is officially your team, now it’s up to you to take them to the promised land.

The National Champion is......

We'll find out on January 10th.

That's when the ultimate victor will be crowned in the confines of University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

My Pick?

Bo Pelini's Nebraska Cornhuskers

This season is shaping up to be a wild one.

Let's have some fun in 2010!