Biggest 2016 College Football Storylines 50 Days Away from Week 1
This week the media days circus opened across the college football landscape, from the four-day extravaganza in SEC country over to the tamer Pac-12 event on the West Coast.
Media days are often said to be the unofficial start of football season. But everyone knows they're nowhere close. The return of the real thing—college football in its truest form, a jam-packed Saturday of morning-to-late-night action—is just 50 days away.
College football's offseason is passing one of its biggest mile markers Friday, as we are seven weeks and an extra day from perhaps the greatest Week 1 Saturday in the sport's history.
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With 50 days left until Sept. 3—yes, we know there are a handful of games before that first true college football Saturday—here are the major storylines fans and pundits alike will discuss and dissect between now and that long-awaited game day.
Below you'll find the 20 biggest questions, the 10 most important quarterback battles, 10 of the most anticipated debuts and 10 individual matchups fans should already circle.
Add them all up, and you have 50 reasons to get even more excited for college football's grand return.
20 Biggest Questions for 2016
1. Can Alabama repeat? The Crimson Tide will always be in the national championship discussion, and they return several key pieces from their title run last season—a deep defensive front anchored by sack master Jonathan Allen (14.5 sacks in 2015), an experienced secondary and several star receivers. But the Tide also have major questions in their backfield, and everyone will be gunning for head coach Nick Saban's crown.
2. Will Clemson stay strong? The Tigers destroyed all notions of "Clemsoning" last season by going undefeated in the regular season, winning the ACC and taking Alabama down to the wire in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. There are zero questions about the strength of an offense led by quarterback Deshaun Watson—a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. But the Tigers only return three starters from an elite defense. Can head coach Dabo Swinney and his team continue to be a model of consistency and contend again?
3. Is Florida State national championship material? After a brief dip in form last season in which it still won 10 games, Florida State could return every starter from its offense and brings back the majority of its defense in 2016. Head coach Jimbo Fisher still has a major question to answer at quarterback, but there is ridiculous talent all over the field for the Seminoles, who will have to navigate through a treacherous schedule to get back to the playoff.
4. Can we trust LSU as a contender? On paper, the Bayou Bengals have everything they need to win it all, including perhaps the best player in the game in running back Leonard Fournette. We've seen this script from LSU before, though. The passing game must take a step forward with returning quarterback Brandon Harris or else LSU will fall well short of the increasing expectations placed on it in 2016.
5. Will any of the hot seats cool in the SEC West? LSU head coach Les Miles could be on his way out of Baton Rouge if the Tigers don't live up to the hype this fall—especially considering how his job was in jeopardy late last season. Elsewhere in the division, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin need better seasons to ease the pressure off them. That all starts with challenging Week 1 matchups against Clemson and UCLA, respectively.
6. Is Tennessee for real? For the second straight year, this is the year in Tennessee. The Volunteers couldn't make it happen last season, but they still return a lot of firepower from a team that won nine games. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs and his "Chain Moving Gang" in the backfield should pair well with new defensive coordinator Bob Shoop's unit. They've all got to get over the hump on Rocky Top.
7. When will Nick Chubb return for Georgia? New Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has plenty of weapons for what could be a strong 2016, and none is better than running back Nick Chubb. The superstar suffered a devastating knee injury against Tennessee last year, and it's unknown when he'll return to action for the Bulldogs. If doctors clear him for action Week 1 against North Carolina, watch out.
8. How much better will the ACC be as a whole this season? Speaking of North Carolina, the Tar Heels won the Coastal Division last season and should be contenders again in 2016. They'll have to battle the rest of a conference that is looking to close the gap. Louisville is dangerous in the Atlantic with all of its returning talent. Strong head coach hires have the Miami Hurricanes (Mark Richt), Syracuse Orange (Dino Babers), Virginia Cavaliers (Bronco Mendenhall) and Virginia Tech Hokies (Justin Fuente) all on the rise.
9. Is Michigan the team to beat in the Big Ten? Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach at his alma mater was a success both on and off the field. The Wolverines return the most experience of anyone in the loaded Big Ten East, boast new defensive coordinator Don Brown and are coming off a fantastic recruiting cycle. Can the likes of Jabrill Peppers, Jourdan Lewis and Jehu Chesson lead UM through a tough road slate and into the playoff?
10. Does Ohio State have too much inexperience? Head coach Urban Meyer will always have championship-caliber talent at Ohio State. But the Buckeyes return only six starters—fewer than anyone else in the country, according to Phil Steele—ahead of a challenging 2016 slate. Heisman contender J.T. Barrett and defensive star Raekwon McMillan will be tasked with paving the way for this massive youth movement in the Horseshoe.
11. Are repeats on the cards for Michigan State and Iowa? These two teams played an instant classic at the Big Ten title game last season. They both have the chance to follow the same blueprints in 2016. Michigan State has a tough defense and its ball-control offense in the East, while Iowa has established talent in quarterback C.J. Beathard and Jim Thorpe Award winner Desmond King, as well as a favorable schedule in the West. Michigan and Ohio State get most of the spotlight in the conference, but don't sleep on Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio and Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz's squads.
12. Does Notre Dame have what it takes to win it all? Notre Dame might be the national title contender that is getting the least amount of love this preseason. There are stars to replace in South Bend, including 2016 first-round NFL picks Ronnie Stanley and Will Fuller, and All-American LB Jaylon Smith, but the depth behind those departed players got plenty of experience in an injury-filled 2015. Head coach Brian Kelly's team also has a favorable schedule with only three true road games.
13. Can Oklahoma keep things going? Oklahoma rebounded in a huge way last season, bouncing back from a disappointing 2014 to win the Big 12 and make it to the College Football Playoff in 2015. The Sooners' rejuvenated offense still has Baker Mayfield under center as well as running back Samaje Perine and wide receiver Dede Westbrook. The secondary is also loaded with Jordan Thomas and Steven Parker returning. If OU can reload up front, another championship campaign is in the cards.
14. How will Baylor look on the field? Baylor will enter the 2016 season not as a title contender again, but as a giant question mark after the dismissal of head coach Art Briles and the exodus of several of its recent top recruits in the wake of its sexual assault scandal. No one knows what to expect from the Bears under interim head coach Jim Grobe. There's still plenty of talent, but some difficult days could be ahead.
15. Who will contend in the Big 12? If the Bears regress on the field in 2016, who will step in to challenge Oklahoma? While TCU needs to rebuild its high-powered offense, Gary Patterson's trademark 4-2-5 defense should be a strength again. Oklahoma State has a talented passing game led by Mason Rudolph and James Washington, but the running game and the defensive front need to find some answers. Watch out for the under-pressure talent of Texas and the wide-open aerial attack of Texas Tech.
16. Will Christian McCaffrey lead Stanford to a Pac-12 repeat? Stanford finished 2015 on top of a wide-open Pac-12 conference but fell short of a playoff bid. Christian McCaffrey and his jaw-dropping skills are back, but there's a void at quarterback after veteran Kevin Hogan's departure. The defense should be deeper in 2016. Head coach David Shaw must navigate through the major depth-chart changes and the added pressure to repeat with the Cardinal.
17. Is Washington really a contender? The Huskies might be a bigger preseason darling than Tennessee. They return a lot of young talent from a team that lost a number of close games in 2015 but turned it on late in the season to post some impressive victories. Head coach Chris Petersen knows how to build a surprise contender from his days at Boise State, and he has the tools to do it in Seattle with the sophomore combo of quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin, as well as the Pac-12's No. 1 defense.
18. Who will win CFB's battle of Los Angeles? The Pac-12 South looks like it will be a competition between the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans this fall. These two teams have the most talent in the division, and both retain stars. UCLA returns quarterback Josh Rosen and defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, while USC has wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Adoree' Jackson back in the fold, just to name a few. USC has more overall returning starters than UCLA, but it will have to deal with the toughest schedule in the country.
19. Can Houston prove it wasn't a one-hit wonder? Head coach Tom Herman's first season in Houston was nearly a perfect success, as the Cougars ran wild with a 13-1 record and a Peach Bowl victory over FSU. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. returns to lead Herman's high-flying offense, and some highly touted newcomers are set to fill in the gaps for an attack-minded defense. The road will be more difficult with an opener against Oklahoma and a matchup against a tougher Louisville team. Let's see if the takeover continues in H-Town.
20. Will any "Group of Five" team challenge Houston? Houston is far and away the favorite to take the Group of Five's lucrative berth in the New Year's Six bowl matchups. But Boise State is eyeing a bounce-back campaign after losing control of the Mountain West to what should again be a stout San Diego State program. Can USF and Cincinnati spoil the party for Houston in the AAC? Who will be the breakout program in the MAC? They will all be fighting for Houston's spot.
10 QB Battles to Watch During Fall Camp
21. Alabama: For the third straight year, Alabama will enter fall camp with a question at starting quarterback. Cooper Bateman is the only one with any substantial experience for the Crimson Tide, but promising young signal-callers Blake Barnett and Jalen Hurts have put themselves firmly in the competition along with David Cornwell. Bateman is the projected leader, but there might be room for an upset in a new-look backfield this fall.
22. Auburn: A productive dual-threat quarterback makes all the difference for head coach Gus Malzahn in his offense. JUCO transfer John Franklin III looks to follow in the footsteps of Nick Marshall with his run-first ways. However, 2015 starters Jeremy Johnson and Sean White are out to prove they deserve another chance to give Auburn's offense the teeth it had in 2013 and 2014.
23. BYU: Brigham Young won't contend for a national title this year, but its matchups against six Power Five teams in the first seven weeks of the season mean the country needs to pay attention to the enthralling battle between veteran QB Taysom Hill and 2015 breakout star Tanner Mangum. The 6'2", 230-pound Hill is a bruising force at quarterback when healthy, but Mangum stepped in to save the Cougars in a eye-popping freshman season.
24. Florida State: Sean Maguire didn't get a chance to secure his starting job at Florida State this spring as he recovered from a nasty Peach Bowl ankle injury. That opened the door for redshirt freshman Deondre Francois and true freshman Malik Henry to battle it out in practices and the annual spring game. Maguire will be ready to go in fall camp, when he'll go head-to-head with Francois for the chance to lead an FSU offense filled with experience into 2016.
25. Georgia: Kirby Smart wasn't the only new arrival at Georgia that made offseason headlines. Five-star quarterback Jacob Eason stayed true to the Bulldogs through the coaching change from Mark Richt and put on a show at a sellout spring game in Athens. This fall, Georgia must decide between the highly touted true freshman, returning starter Greyson Lambert and reserve Brice Ramsey. The decision might be the difference in a potential SEC East title run.
26. Michigan: Jim Harbaugh got a lot out of Iowa transfer Jake Rudock in his first season in Ann Arbor. This season, he could do the same with former Houston quarterback John O'Korn, who had a fantastic freshman campaign for the Cougars before switching schools. But Wilton Speight had the edge leaving spring practices, and Shane Morris won't go down without a fight, either. This a battle of the highest profile.
27. Notre Dame: Notre Dame will have to decide between two dual-threat passers with starting experience. Malik Zaire won the job in 2015 and was riding high until an early-season injury. DeShone Kizer stepped in and led a banged-up Irish team to a Fiesta Bowl berth. Kizer will likely keep his job in South Bend, but head coach Brian Kelly is keeping all of his options open as the Irish prepare for fall camp.
28. Stanford: David Shaw's biggest offensive weapon in Christian McCaffrey is back, but he'll have a new backfield partner this fall after the departure of veteran quarterback Kevin Hogan. The preseason Pac-12 favorite has to pick between Keller Chryst, who backed up Hogan last season, and Ryan Burns, an older reserve who has spent more time in the system. The two have similar size—Chryst is 6'5", 237 pounds, while Burns is 6'5", 233 pounds—and skill sets, so this battle will come down to who takes charge the most in Palo Alto, California.
29. Texas: Texas must improve on offense in order for head coach Charlie Strong to stick around in Austin, and a lot of that will come down to the quarterback for new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert's run-pass option scheme. True freshman Shane Buechele had the best spring of any of the Longhorns quarterbacks. But there's a chance a new system is just what former starters Jerrod Heard and Tyrone Swoopes need to get back on track.
30. USC: USC's quarterback battle seemed to be decided before spring practices started, as many expected Max Browne to take over for Cody Kessler. However, the younger Sam Darnold had a fantastic spring, and the Trojans exited spring camp without a clear-cut No. 1 guy under center. Browne will most likely get the nod for the season opener against Alabama, but the Trojans can be confident in Darnold's abilities as well.
10 Debuts We Can't Wait to See
31. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart: The former Alabama defensive coordinator is back at his alma mater, ready to see if he can get the Bulldogs to the title games it missed under Mark Richt. Defense shouldn't be a problem for this Saban disciple, but his squad will get a tough test in Week 1 with North Carolina's attack.
32. Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver: Ed Oliver was a top-10 recruit in the class of 2016 who decided to stay at home and become an instant-impact star for Tom Herman at Houston. He'll be one of the most talented Cougars from the moment he takes the field at NRG Stadium for the highly anticipated showdown with Oklahoma.
33. LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda: Dave Aranda built elite defenses out of overlooked and under-recruited players with the Wisconsin Badgers. Now he inherits a roster from former defensive coordinator Kevin Steele that's filled with blue-chippers at LSU, which wants to get back to its elite defensive form. And it just so happens that his debut with the Tigers will come against his former employer.
34. Miami (Florida) head coach Mark Richt: Mark Richt will start life at his alma mater easily with back-to-back games against Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic. But no matter the caliber of the Hurricanes' opponents, Richt's first contests at Miami are going to be quite a sight. Can he bring the swagger back to "The U"?
35. Michigan defensive tackle Rashan Gary: The nation's No. 1 recruit decided to join Jim Harbaugh's growing powerhouse at Michigan, and Rashan Gary will carve out a role on a deep defensive line from day one. The Wolverines begin the season against lowly Hawaii, so Gary will have a chance to shine brightly from the first snaps of his college career.
36. Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa: Opponents who got tired of seeing a Bosa line up at defensive end for Ohio State will have to endure at least three more seasons of it. Former Buckeyes superstar Joey Bosa's younger brother, Nick Bosa, will most likely make his collegiate debut in Week 1 against Bowling Green, and he has the talent to fill his brother's shoes.
37. Ole Miss offensive tackle Greg Little: Greg Little was the No. 3 recruit in the class of 2016, and he'll jump into an Ole Miss offensive line that lost a lot of talent, including elite left tackle Laremy Tunsil. There's a great chance he replaces Tunsil right away. His first matchup? The attack-minded defense of Florida State.
38. Oregon quarterback Dakota Prukop: Last season, Oregon had an FCS transfer quarterback in Vernon Adams Jr. who was electrifying when healthy. Dakota Prukop fits the mold of the dual-threat Ducks passer, and he should put up some huge numbers on opening weekend against the UC Davis Aggies before facing Virginia and Nebraska in back-to-back weeks.
39. TCU quarterback Kenny Hill: Remember Kenny Hill? The last time he played in a season opener, he torched South Carolina for Texas A&M. Now he's at TCU, where he was named the Preseason Newcomer of the Year in the Big 12 as the presumptive replacement for Trevone Boykin. He'll look to set the tone in Week 1 against FCS school South Dakota State before facing former SEC rival Arkansas.
40. Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight: And while we're on the subject of Texas A&M, the Aggies also picked up a talented transfer quarterback during the flurry of movement in the Lone Star State. Coach Sumlin already named former Oklahoma starter Trevor Knight the No. 1 signal-caller at Texas A&M, where he'll lead an offense searching for its mojo again under new coordinator Noel Mazzone.
10 Week 1 Must-See Matchups
41. Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley vs. USC cornerback Adoree' Jackson: As a true freshman last season, Ridley flashed Amari Cooper-like skills and led the national champions in receiving with 1,045 yards. The South Florida native will go up against USC to open his sophomore campaign, and the Trojans will look to counter with the ultra-athletic talents of do-it-all cornerback Jackson.
42. BYU's quarterbacks vs. Arizona's new defense: It will be worth watching how BYU uses both Hill and Mangum in new offensive coordinator Ty Detmer's scheme this fall. The Cougars open with Arizona, which will look to turn around its struggling defense from 2015 with the aggressive stylings of former Boise State coordinator Marcel Yates. This will be an underrated but awesome matchup.
43. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson vs. Auburn defensive end Carl Lawson: Watson will look to start his Heisman campaign for Clemson with a strong performance away from home at Auburn, which is eager to attack him with a healthy, edge-rushing Lawson. This will be a matchup between two stars Bleacher Report's Matt Miller thinks could be top-five picks at next year's NFL draft.
44. Florida State running back Dalvin Cook vs. Ole Miss' "Landsharks": The most explosive running back in college football is going up against one of the most recognizable defenses of the last few seasons. Cook will lead the way for an experienced FSU offense against Ole Miss and its swarming, physical Landshark defense. Expect speed, speed and even more speed.
45. Georgia running back Nick Chubb vs. North Carolina's defense: Chubb's spot here comes with an asterisk, as he might not be 100 percent healthy when Georgia takes on North Carolina inside the Georgia Dome. If he is, though, he'll meet a Tar Heels defense that improved across the board last season under coordinator Gene Chizik but gave up a bowl-record 645 rushing yards against Baylor to end 2015.
46. Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. vs. Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield: Two of the country's best dual-threat gunslingers will open the season in style at NRG Stadium. Ward Jr. is a touchdown machine who could put up massive numbers in 2016. Mayfield has his sights set on another title run for Oklahoma and, this time, a spot in the Heisman Trophy ceremony. This has the potential to be one of the best quarterback matchups of the season.
47. LSU running back Leonard Fournette vs. Wisconsin's defense: Can Fournette open 2016 on the same destructive streak that he had for most of 2015? In order to do that, he'll have to go through a stiff test from Dave Aranda's old defense at Wisconsin, which returns six starters from a top-10 unit. This matchup will be at Lambeau Field, which is fitting for a superstar running back who should be a star in the NFL for years to come.
48. Notre Dame's starting quarterback vs. Texas' defense: Whether it's Kizer or Zaire, the winner of the Notre Dame quarterback battle will want to put on a show from the start in the Irish's Sunday showcase against Texas. The Longhorns return eight starters on a Charlie Strong-coached defense, and linebacker Malik Jefferson should be making plays all over the place in Austin. It'll be a Texas-sized test from the opening kickoff for Notre Dame's starting signal-caller.
49. Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey vs. Kansas State's defense: Friday night of Week 1 will be McCaffrey's time to shine, as he'll take the field for Stanford in his first game since torching Iowa in a Rose Bowl rout on New Year's Day. Longtime head coach Bill Snyder always has Kansas State ready to play the underdog role, so don't expect this to be a breeze for the Cardinal superstar.
50. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen vs. Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett: Rosen flashed his elite skills from the first series of his college career, when he lit up Virginia. Now a sophomore, Rosen opens the season against a much different challenge—a Texas A&M defense coached by coordinator John Chavis that will look to wreak havoc with superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett. These two potential All-Americans will meet early and often in College Station 50 days from now.
Stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a national college football analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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