College Football's 10 Can't-Miss 2013 Spring Games

Spring football has become college football’s latest phenomenon. It started with spring games becoming televised, but now it has become an extra game for the fans and programs. 

Fans are now traveling to spring games to save money as regular-season ticket prices continue to skyrocket. It is their chance to see their teams, but these 10 games are the ones that will draw the eyes of the country as well. 

Numerous coaching changes have brought about some interesting shifts in philosophy over the winter, but there are also teams that will attempt to replicate the previous regime's recipe for success. 

Here are the 10 games that will be the most story-filled of the spring. 

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Who doesn’t want to see how Bobby Petrino does this spring?

The eyes of the country will fall on Bowling Green, Ky. during the spring practice session as football fans everywhere are curious about the new era of Hilltoppers football with Petrino at the helm. 

The scandal that surrounded Petrino’s exit at Arkansas may have died down a bit now, but as spring rolls around, it will be mentioned again. 

This is a program that was on the rise under former head coach Willie Taggart, so it was a great situation for Petrino to step into. He should be successful, but the curiosity will be there as he works his way back into coaching this season.

Spring Game: TBD

Arkansas Razorbacks

The Bret Bielema era is set to begin in Fayetteville this spring, and how quickly this offense can find a rhythm will be the storyline out of the Razorbacks spring game. 

When the team takes the field for the spring game, eyes will focus in on the growth that is expected to happen on offense. This offense was prolific under Bobby Petrino, but it fell apart during John L. Smith's eight-month tenure. 

This team will focus on a smash-mouth style of football and will rely heavily on the backfield for yardage production. The players are on roster to make this a productive unit, and Bielema knows it. 

This team will be in the spotlight this spring while Bielema attempts to pick up the pieces of a once promising program. 

Spring Game: April 20

Nevada Wolfpack

Chris Ault, who stepped away from coaching after the 2012 season, leaves behind a legacy at Nevada. After taking over the program for a second time in 2004, Ault invented the Pistol offense and turned the program into a WAC powerhouse.  

He took the Wolfpack to seven consecutive bowl games and made the Pistol a national craze for teams looking for an offensive edge. 

Brian Polian was hired to take over for Ault. He's a first-time head coach who was previously the special teams coordinator at Texas A&M. 

Does Polian come in and try to change the winning ways of a coaching legend at Nevada, or does he try and follow the same blueprint?

Dumping the Pistol would seem stupid, but it wouldn’t be a surprise. This game will be one of the more interesting to follow this spring. 

Spring Game: TBD

Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes have struggled to find consistency over the past few years, and the faithful fans are beginning to get antsy. This program is reeling, and with the assets on hand, there is no excuse for it. 

Kirk Ferentz is the second-highest paid coach in the Big Ten, but his team was one of the worst in the conference in 2012. Changes are coming, whether it is with wins or losses. 

This spring is crucial for this program, as Ferentz is firmly planted on the hot seat. Without a promising spring that vaults this team into summer, the whispers of a coaching change will turn into a loud chatter. 

Spring Game: TBD

USC Trojans

The USC Trojans head into the spring with a major question facing the offense: Who will be the starting quarterback for the Trojans?

A less-mentioned question is, who will be the coach if Kiffin fails this year?

The quarterback question is the most pressing, and this spring will bring a lot of competition to the Trojans roster. Max Wittek finished the year as the starter, but he looked rough in the final games. 

Cody Kessler is on campus and Max Browne is an early spring enrollee. 

This will be an open competition that all three have the potential to win. This is one of the biggest storylines heading into spring.  

Spring Game: April 13

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Fighting Irish are coming off of a devastating loss in the national championship game with a few questions facing the program. 

This program appeared from nowhere as a national title contender last fall, and a lot of it had to do with the presence of game-changers in the backfield. Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood are now gone, and the Irish will be looking for replacements this spring. 

The quarterback position is another battle to watch, as a host of talent resides on the Notre Dame bench. It is practically a who’s who of top signal-callers. 

Everett Golson took the Irish to a title game last year, but that doesn’t mean he is a sure thing. This spring, the country will focus on South Bend, as a second run at a title is possible if these issues are resolved. 

Spring Game: April 20

Kansas State Wildcats

The Wildcats are looking to replace star quarterback Collin Klein this spring, as the reign over the Big 12 is now possibly over. This game will bring a lot of wandering eyes that are curious if Bill Snyder can keep up the success in Manhattan, Kan.

Daniel Sams is the expected replacement for Klein. 

Sams appeared in seven games last season looking every bit as good as Klein in his performances. He showed a more accurate arm and a much smoother delivery with the football, which could provide the Wildcats with an upgrade at the position. 

Still, how will Sams react to the starting role? We will see him this spring, regardless of whether or not he's ready to handle the role as the leader of the Big 12’s top program?

Spring Game: TBD

Auburn Tigers

Auburn has a laundry list of things that will be watched heading into spring, but the storyline that will take the most press time will be the arrival of Gus Malzahn back into the program. 

The Tigers will return to the hurry-up, no-huddle spread offensive system and will implement a 4-2-5 defense under new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. 

There will also be an open quarterback competition and a showdown in the backfield as Auburn looks for running backs that can contribute this fall. Tre Mason will draw eyes, but so will incoming JUCO transfer Cameron Artis-Payne. 

This spring is loaded with issues for Auburn, but Malzahn appears to have the program headed in the right direction. If he does, the spring game will be smooth and fast, creating one of the most fun games to watch during spring football. 

Spring Game: April 20

Oregon Ducks

What will the Ducks look like under new head coach Mark Helfrich? 

They will probably look the same as they did under Chip Kelly, but there is no guarantee. 

The Ducks have become a national program under Chip Kelly, as Oregon is now known for its fast offense and flashy uniforms. Those things should continue making for a fun spring game, but there has to be some slight changes.

Every coach puts his stamp on his program, and Helfrich will be no different. The country will watch this program's development closely this spring and will tune in for the fireworks and possible new lids. 

Spring Game: April 27

Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin is moving into the Gary Andersen era this spring. The Badgers are used to hard-nosed football that is based on a grind-it-out, pro-style offense. Andersen is going to mix it up. 

While at Utah State, Andersen adopted a lot of the Pistol offense from Chris Ault at Nevada. The offensive approach by Andersen is listed as multiple, but don’t be surprised to see a lot of new looks for the Wisconsin offense. 

That alone will make this spring game fun to watch. This offense was already very prolific, but when you add the schemes of Andersen, it will be one of the most dangerous in the Big Ten. 

Watching this offense develop will be one of the highlights of the spring this year. 

Spring Game: April 20

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