College Football 2011 Season Preview: This Year's 50 Biggest Storylines

College Football’s opening weekend is fast-approaching and in just a few more days, we’ll finally have the opportunity to get a good look at the teams and players we’ve been talking about all summer long.

The season is going to start off with a bang with huge early contests like Oregon-LSU and Georgia-Boise State both taking place on the first Saturday of the season.

You can throw out all the preseason polls and Heisman favorite lists, because the time has finally come to settle things on the field.

This scandal-filled offseason is certainly one to forget and thankfully after this weekend, we can put it behind us and enjoy the pageantry, excitement and action that our favorite schools provide.

Relax and rejoice, college football fans, the season is here!

Let’s have a look at some key storylines that will shape the 2011 season.

Will Oklahoma Live Up to the Hype?

Oklahoma got a taste of being the No. 1 team in the country for just a week last season and the Sooners quickly showed that they couldn’t handle having the target on their back, as they fell to Missouri.

Big Game Bob’s crew will get a chance to redeem themselves this year, as they enter the season as the top dog in both polls.

So, will they be able to handle the hype, or will they fail once again?

With offensive stars like QB Landry Jones and WR Ryan Broyles, along with 15 other returning starters, Oklahoma has the talent to make a run to the big game, but the Sooners will also have more than a few hurdles.

The team will be without its defensive leader, LB Travis Lewis, who suffered a toe injury and will miss the first few weeks of the season, and no one is quite sure what the deal is with emerging pass-rushing defensive end Ronnell Lewis, who could be deemed ineligible.

Oklahoma’s schedule, which includes bouts with five ranked teams, including crucial showdowns with Florida State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, does the Sooners no favors.

The offense will be good enough to outscore any challenger, but it’s fair to wonder if Oklahoma has the fortitude to handle every team’s best shot on a weekly basis.

Will Opponents Catch Up to Oregon’s Offense?

It’s no secret that the main reason Oregon was able to run the table and make it to the national title game last season was the Ducks’ explosive, fast-paced offense.

The Ducks' finished first in the country in both total offense and scoring offense, averaging a whopping 530 yards and 47 points per game.

Last year’s 3rd-place Heisman finisher, RB LaMichael James, and dependable QB Darron Thomas both return to lead the nation’s top backfield.

They’ll be accompanied by intriguing weapons Kenjon Barner and newcomer De’Anthony Thomas, who are both huge big play threats.

The problem is, Oregon loses some beef up front on the offensive line and the wide receiver group isn’t exactly loaded with proven commodities after the departures of Jeff Maehl and Drew Davis, last year’s top two receivers.

James and Thomas will still be a dangerous duo to try to stop but it wouldn’t be surprising if Oregon’s offense slows down a bit this season, especially since opposing coaches and defensive coordinators have had a full offseason to study and prepare for it.

How Will Auburn Fare Without Cam Newton?

Cam Newton went from unproven transfer to college football’s most captivating superstar in the span of just a few weeks last year, taking Auburn fans on a wild ride that culminated in an undefeated season, an SEC championship and a national title.

Just as quickly as Newton arrived, however, he departed, bolting for the NFL and becoming the top overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Newton leaves a huge hole that creative offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will have to fill with junior signal-caller Barrett Trotter, who has thrown a total of nine passes in his college career.

Trotter is lucky to have two outstanding running backs, Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb, to flank him, along with two reliable receiving targets, Emory Blake and Phillip Lutzenkirchen, to take some of the pressure off.

But his offensive line, which loses four starters, probably won’t give him too much time to think things through in the pocket.

Auburn won’t just have to replace Newton either. Standout DT Nick Fairley, who was taken with the 13th pick in this year’s draft, along with six of the top seven tacklers on defense, will have to be replaced.

In total, the Tigers lose 15 starters from last year’s title team, and a drop off is to be expected in the ultra-tough SEC West division.

Is This the Year Boise State Makes a Run to the Big Game?

Even if Boise State went undefeated last year, the Broncos wouldn’t have had the resume to overtake Oregon or Auburn and play in the big game.

Boise State didn’t even make the BCS powers sweat, since they lost a heartbreaker to Nevada in late November.

This year, the Broncos once again look like they have the talent to run the table and they have an opportunity to make a huge early statement against SEC foe Georgia on opening weekend.

If they win that battle, it’s sure to catch the attention of voters.

QB Kellen Moore, who is eyeing college football’s all-time wins record this season, is one of college football’s most consistent players and he’s got the talent around him to finally carry Boise to the big game this year.

Don’t be fooled by Boise State’s ‘Doing it with less’ reputation.

This team is loaded with top-notch talent.

DT Billy Winn, OT Nate Potter, RB Doug Martin, S George Iloka and defensive ends Tyrone Crawford and Shea McLellin will all be playing in the NFL next year, as will Moore.

Before they go to the pros, though, they’ll all be looking to guide the big blue machine down to New Orleans for a chance to take home the crystal ball.

If they can run the table, it’s going to be hard for the pollsters to deny the Broncos that right like they did in ‘06, ‘08 and ‘09.

Can Luke Fickell Steady the Ohio State Ship?

Ohio State should send Nevin Shapiro a thank you card for helping to shift the scrutiny of the sports media from Columbus down to Miami.

Even if they won’t enter the season as college football’s doghouse team, it doesn’t change the fact that the Buckeyes went through a tumultuous offseason that cost them their once esteemed head coach Jim Tressel and their star quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Add that to the fact that the team will be missing crucial pieces like WR DeVier Posey, OT Mike Adams and RB Boom Herron for the first five games of the season and you can see that new head coach Luke Fickell has his work cut out for him.

It’s been a while since Ohio State, the long-time powerhouse program of the Big Ten, has had this many question marks going into a season.

Ohio State’s defense will be a work in progress and that’s certainly not a good thing when you have to play in the same division as Wisconsin.

It doesn’t look like the Buckeyes will be able to compete for a Big Ten championship this year, but their ultimate success will depend on if the team buys in and responds to Fickell’s leadership or not.

Will Andrew Luck Solidify His No. 1 Pick Status?

Stanford QB Andrew Luck is probably the best pure pro prospect we’ve seen since the turn of the millennium and it helps that he plays the game’s most vital position.

After leading the Cardinal to a 12-1 season and their first ever BCS bowl game win last year, Luck has shown that he has all the tools NFL teams are looking for in a franchise quarterback.

He’s done enough to earn the distinction of being the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

The title of preseason No. 1 pick favorite isn’t an easy one to live up to, as we’ve seen recent high-profile preseason poster boys such as Jake Locker, Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart all falter under the pressure.

Luck is in his own class, though, and he has the type of mental stamina to stay focused and handle all the expectations.

Even if Luck and his Stanford team come back down to earth this year, there isn’t a quarterback out there (Sorry, Landry Jones and Matt Barkley) who can overtake him.

The only two players who I could even see challenging him for the top spot are Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon and North Carolina DE Quinton Coples, but it would take an unforeseeable Jake Locker-like implosion by Luck for them to enter the conversation.

Let the Andrew Luck sweepstakes begin!

How Will the West Be Won?

There’s no disputing which division race will be the toughest and most grueling this season.

Five of the six teams in the SEC West are ranked in the preseason polls and Auburn, the defending national champion, is considered to be the least likely to win the division.

Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State all have what it takes to make a run to Atlanta.

Alabama and LSU, two top-five ranked teams, are the marquee names, but don’t count out Arkansas and Mississippi State.

The Tide and the Tigers are far from proven at quarterback and it wouldn’t be surprising to see each fall a few times in 2011.

It’s impossible to handicap the division just yet, but what we do know is that the race should be mighty entertaining to watch unfold.

Will Brian Kelly Bring Better Luck to the Irish?

Brian Kelly’s first year as head coach at Notre Dame can be deemed as a success but it sure wasn’t without a few missteps along the way.

Kelly led the Fighting Irish to an 8-5 record that was topped off by victories over old rivals, USC and Miami, to end the year, but it was a season that also saw the Irish fall to Navy and Tulsa in consecutive weeks.

Kelly’s team had to deal with a few growing pains along the way, but now the coach will have QB Dayne Crist back to lead his high-powered passing attack.

He’ll also have the benefit of two of the best players in the country, WR Michael Floyd and LB Manti Te’o, to lead the offensive and defensive units.

With 17 starters coming back, Notre Dame returns a ton of talent and experience and the Irish have what it takes to put together the type of season that could land them back in a BCS bowl.

Will South Carolina Make the Most of Its Talent?

We’ve been waiting for Steve Spurrier to put together this type of team at South Carolina since the old ball coach first took the job.

With star players like RB Marcus Lattimore, WR Alshon Jeffery, DE Devin Taylor and CB Stephon Gilmore leading the way, the Gamecocks will enter the season as the favorite to win the SEC East.

This is the most talented group Spurrier has had at South Carolina, but never before have we seen this team have to deal with being the hunted instead of the hunters.

Georgia and Florida may not have equal teams on paper, but both are threats that are capable of dashing South Carolina’s dreams of getting back to the SEC championship game.

The play of oft-troubled senior QB Stephen Garcia will probably be the determining factor of how far this team can go.

If Garcia plays well and stays consistent, a return trip to Atlanta is a real possibility, but if he doesn’t, this team will likely fail to meet expectations.

We’ll find out a lot about South Carolina when the Gamecocks make an important early road trip to take on Georgia in the second week of the season.

Will Nebraska’s First Year in the Big Ten Be a Success?

Early in the 2010 season, Nebraska was a team that showed a ton of promise, rising to No. 5 in the polls before losing to Texas in mid-October.

The Cornhuskers rebounded to beat Oklahoma State and Missouri and made their way back into the Top 10.

But Nebraska struggled down the stretch after a late-season meltdown at Texas A&M, losing to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game and throwing in a no-show performance in a bowl loss to Washington, a team they destroyed earlier in the year.

A fresh start in the Big Ten could be just what the doctor ordered for coach Bo Pelini’s team, which will be led by a talented defense that should be one of the best in the nation.

Nebraska has a star on each level of its defense with future pros like DT Jared Crick, LB Lavonte David and CB Alfonzo Dennard leading the way.

The offense will be led by talented, yet inconsistent QB Taylor Martinez, who showed flashes of playmaking ability in his freshman season but also had bouts of immaturity.

If Martinez can emerge as a leader and develop his passing prowess to complement his tremendous running ability, this team has the goods to dominate the Legends division.

How Will Miami Handle the Distractions?

Miami thought it found its coaching savior in Al Golden but it looks like Golden didn’t exactly know the type of dire situation he was walking into down in Coral Gables.

After Yahoo broke the Nevin Shapiro booster bombshell earlier this month, the program has now been rocked by a very public scandal that will likely have huge ramifications for the future.

Eight players, including QB Jacory Harris and LB Sean Spence, have already been declared ineligible and their fate for the season is still unknown.

Before the Shapiro report went public, many thought Golden had a chance to have the Hurricanes in contention with Virginia Tech for the ACC Coastal division title.

Now it’s going to take a near miraculous job by the first-year coach to get Miami to the ACC championship game.

In E.J. We Trust?

With studs defenders like DE Brandon Jenkins, LB Nigel Bradham and corners Xavier Rhodes and Greg Reid, Florida State looks to have a defense that is capable of carrying the team to a conference championship.

All the Seminoles will seemingly need is a moderately consistent output out of their offense, and the key player they’ll be relying on to make that happen is new starting QB E.J. Manuel.

We’ve all seen flashes of Manuel’s enormous potential in mop-up duty over the past two seasons, now we just have to see if he can handle the role of being a full-time starter.

The junior is a dual-threat quarterback who has the arm and the legs to tear apart opposing defenses.

If he performs like the player we saw in Florida State’s last two bowl games, the Seminoles will have a great shot to win a conference crown and make it to a BCS bowl game.

How Many More Tricks Does Les Miles Have Up His Sleeve?

Maybe all that sideline grass that Les Miles has been eating lately has had some type of lucky ingredient because no coach was as fortunate as the LSU leader was last season.

Whether it was the end of the game debacle against Tennessee, or the late-game fake field goal attempt against Florida that came within inches of being ruled an incomplete pass, Miles has proved that he loves living on the edge, and most of the time, he's gotten away with it.

You have to wonder, though, if Miles’ good fortune will eventually run out, and if his wild decisions will begin to backfire on him this year.

The Tigers will enter the 2011 season as the No. 4 ranked team in America but they do so after a rough offseason.

First, offensive coordinator Steve Kragthrope was sadly forced to resign because of his battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Then starting QB Jordan Jefferson was arrested and subsequently suspended from the team following a physical altercation outside of a Baton Rouge bar, in which Jefferson allegedly kicked a man in the face.

LSU has the type of talent to rebound and make a run in the SEC West, but it’s clear that if the Tigers, who start off the season by facing No. 3 Oregon, want to make it to Atlanta, they’re going to need Miles to come up with a few more tricks along the way.

Which ‘Hot Seat’ Coaches Will Sing Their Swan Song?

Last year, coaches like Rich Rodriguez, Dan Hawkins, Tim Brewster and Randy Shannon failed to produce the desired results to save their jobs.

This year, there are a whole bunch of new faces to take their place on the mythical coaching hot seats.

Washington State’s Paul Wulff, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel, Mississippi's Houston Nutt and California’s Jeff Tedford are just a few of the notable head coaches who will need to come up with better campaigns if they want to secure their futures.

After going a combined 5-32 in his first three seasons, Wulff is likely to have the most pressure on him to win or else. 

Is Texas A&M Finally Ready to Pop?

Last year, Mike Sherman’s Texas A&M team was sitting at 3-3 midway through the season with a quarterback, Jerrod Johnson, who was on the verge of imploding.

Sherman knew he had to do something drastic to avoid a disastrous end to the season, which would likely result in losing his job.

So the coach pulled the trigger on a quarterback switch that sent Johnson to the bench and receiver Ryan Tannehill into the spotlight.

Tannehill quickly helped turn the team around with his consistent play, guiding the Aggies to six straight victories to end the regular season.

With Tannehill back under center for his senior season, the Aggies have the one piece they need to finally get over the hump in the Big 12.

With RB Cyrus Gray and WR Jeff Fuller, two of the best offensive players in the Big 12, both back, as well as four starters along the offensive line, the Texas A&M offense, which has averaged 32 points per game over the last two seasons, has what it takes to contend with conference foes Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Sherman has yet to be fully embraced by Texas A&M fans, but you can’t gloss over the fact that the team has steadily improved in each of his three seasons on the job and the Aggies are now in position to truly contend for their first Big 12 championship.

Can Charlie Weis Salvage John Brantley?

Replacing a legend is never easy, but even so, when you arrive at a school with an even bigger reputation than the legend your replacing, you should be able to do a better job than what John Brantley did, taking over for Tim Tebow at Florida last season.

Brantley, who broke Tebow’s state passing touchdown record when he was at Trinity high school, was supposed to keep the Gator train rolling after Tebow’s departure.

It didn’t happen.

The former highly touted recruit turned out to be an awkward fit for Urban Meyer’s spread offense, and he struggled throughout the 2010 season, finishing the year with a poor 9-10 TD-INT ratio.

Now with Will Muschamp taking over for Meyer, and former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis assuming control of the offense, Brantley will have one final shot to prove himself as a senior.

Weis has shown that he can mold solid quarterbacks, so it should be interesting to see what he can do with a player like Brantley.

Can Virginia Tech Keep Its Double-Digit Win Streak Alive?

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has guided the Hokies to a double-digit win season for seven straight years, totaling 73 victories during that time.

No other school can currently lay claim to that kind of streak but Beamer will have his work cut out for him in 2011 after losing QB Tyrod Taylor, the school’s all-time leading passer, his top two running backs, Ryan Williams and Darren Evans, and some key cogs on defense.

Virginia Tech will be counting on QB Logan Thomas and RB David Wilson to develop into a premier players in their first seasons as starters.

If Thomas and Wilson develop quickly, the defense, which will be led by LB Bruce Taylor and S Eddie Whitley, should be good enough to break the 10-win barrier again and capture an ACC Coastal division title.

How Important Was Andy Dalton to TCU’s Success?

For the first time since 2008, the TCU Horned Frogs will be entering the season with a new pair of hands under center.

Former quarterback Andy Dalton, who proved to be one of college football's most consistent quarterbacks over the last few years, won 25 of his last 26 starts and carried his team to back-to-back BCS bowls in his final two seasons.

Replacing Dalton will not be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but Casey Pachall, a Texas native, looks like the type of steady signal caller who can handle the pressure.

Pachall will have some great offensive talent around him to take some of the pressure off his shoulders.

Running Backs Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker are both studs and receiver Josh Boyce has the type of talent to be a go-to passing option.

Dalton’s leadership and steady play will certainly be missed, but don’t be fooled, he can be properly replaced by Pachall without a significant hitch.

Who Really Is the Top Wide Receiver in College Football?

This year’s wide receiver class has a special VIP section reserved for five big-name players: Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon, South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery, Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles, Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd and Texas A&M’s Jeff Fuller.

You’ve also got guys like Arizona’s Juron Criner, Arkansas’ Greg Childs and a few others who are on the second tier but those five are the clear-cut cream of the receiver crop for 2011. 

The problem is none has done enough to truly set themselves apart from the crowd.

Last year, Broyles led the country in catches, Blackmon led the country in receiving touchdowns and Jeffery, Fuller and Floyd all finished with over 1,000 receiving yards.

All five are different types of receivers, so it’s difficult to compare them, but personally, if I had the choice of having one guy on my team, I’d take Justin Blackmon.

Sure, he’s only had one great year, but if you watched his highlights from last season, you can tell he’s a special type of playmaker.

It’s hard to argue against any of those five and it should be interesting to see who comes up with the biggest season this year.

Will Russell Wilson Thrive in Madison?

Russell Wilson was probably the MVP of the ACC last season, as he helped guide North Carolina State to a 9-4 record and a win over West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl.

After the season ended, Wilson had his heart set on a future in baseball and he went to go play in the Colorado Rockies’ minor league system.

Coach Tom O’Brien gave Wilson an ultimatum and said it’s either football or baseball, and Wilson ended up choosing the latter.

Months later, he changed his mind and somehow found a perfect spot to make his comeback.

Wisconsin was in need of a quarterback to replace Scott Tolzein and Wilson was the type of dual-threat signal-caller that could help diversify the Badgers’ offensive attack.

With the deadly backfield duo of Montee Ball and James White helping him out, Wilson should be able to take the Badgers to the top of the Big Ten Leaders division.

Will West Virginia’s Offense Live Up to the Hype?

New West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen’s arrival in Morgantown is a welcomed sight for Mountaineer fans, who had to endure the downright awful play-calling of former coordinator Jeff Mullen for the past three seasons.

Holgorsen’s Air Raid system has worked wonders for offenses at Texas Tech, Houston and most recently at Oklahoma State, and all the pieces seem to be in place for the high-flying passing attack to blend right in at West Virginia.

Strong-armed quarterback Geno Smith, who threw for over 2,700 yards and 24 TDs in his first season as a starter last year, has the potential to shine in Holgorsen’s offense.

The junior will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

Tavon Austin will be the star of the show but expect receivers like Stedman Bailey, Bradley Starks, Ivan McCartney, Ryan Nehlen, Tyler Urban and JD Woods to also contribute.

Will West Virginia’s offense be as productive as last year’s Oklahoma State unit that finished ranked in the top three in the nation in passing offense, scoring offense and total offense?

Probably not, but there’s strong reason to believe that with Holgorsen at the helm, the Mountaineers will have the most dangerous offense in the Big East and one of the most potent passing attacks in the country.

How Will Denard Robinson Handle the Move Under Center?

Besides Pat White, you probably couldn’t build a quarterback who was more perfectly suited for Rich Rodriguez’s spread zone read offense than Denard Robinson.

Robinson became the September star of college football last year with a breakout performance in his first five games, totaling over 1,900 yards of offense and scoring 14 TDs.

Robinson’s output waned once the competition stiffened but he still managed to show the college football world that he was one of the most gifted athletes in the game today.

With Rodriguez now gone, and new coach Brady Hoke in control, you have to wonder how many opportunities Robinson will have to put his running ability to good use.

Hoke and coordinator Al Borges will run a conventional offense that relies more on passing, so we’ll have to wait and see how well Robinson can handle the switch to taking snaps from under center on a more regular basis.

How Good Will Oklahoma State’s Offense Be?

No one could have predicted that Oklahoma State, a team that was picked to finish near the bottom of its division before the start of last season, could have performed so well.

Much of the credit has to go to the team’s two breakout stars, QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon.

Weeden and Blackmon basically came out of nowhere to take the Big 12 by storm in 2010, combining forces to become one of the most deadly passing duos in the country.

Weeden threw for over 4,200 yards and 34 TDs, while Blackmon racked up over 1,700 receiving yards and led the country with 20 TD catches.

The super-productive pair will miss former coordinator Dana Holgorsen, whose system allowed them to flourish, but there’s no reason to expect a big drop off this year.

The Cowboys will have to find a replacement for RB Kendall Hunter, who ran for over 1,500 yards last season, but his successors, Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith, should form a nice 1-2 punch.

Can Arkansas Survive Without Knile Davis?

Even with the early departure of highly-productive quarterback Ryan Mallett, this Arkansas team was shaping up to be the best group of the Bobby Petrino era.

The face of the team was set to be RB Knile Davis, the SEC’s leading returning rusher, but that all came crashing down when Davis snapped his ankle in a team scrimmage earlier this month.

His loss is a major blow to the Razorbacks’ hopes of winning the SEC West but there’s still enough talent on this team to compete with the big boys in the division.

The defense, which returns seven starters, is loaded with solid talent on all three levels, including impact players, DE Jake Bequette, LB Jerry Franklin and S Tramain Thomas.

On offense, intriguing new QB Tyler Wilson showed flashes as Mallett’s backup last year and he had a very encouraging performance in the spring game.

Wilson will have possibly the country’s best receiving corps, led by Greg Childs and Joe Adams, to throw to.

If Davis’ replacements, Ronnie Wingo Jr. and Dennis Johnson, can step up and produce, this team has the pieces to put a scare into Alabama and LSU.

Can the Longhorns Regain Their Motivation?

Embarrassing, disappointing and puzzling were just a few of the adjectives used to describe Texas’ 5-7 campaign last year.

The question every one kept wondering was, how could a team with so much talent and one of the top 10 defenses in the country not even make it to a bowl game?

Well, when you realize that the Longhorns couldn’t run the football and their quarterback was throwing interceptions like they were going out of style, it helps to solve some of the problem.

The rest of the team’s troubles just basically came down to a lack of effort on a consistent basis.

After a huge road win against Nebraska in the middle of October, the Longhorns simply looked like they went into a trance, losing four straight games to Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas State and Oklahoma State.

The real disheartening thing to see was that Texas didn’t even look like they wanted to be on the field in the losses to Kansas State and Oklahoma State.

It makes you wonder if coach Mack Brown and his once dominant program have lost a little luster.

Oklahoma is now the talk of the conference and you’ve got teams like Oklahoma State, Missouri and rival Texas A&M that are on the upswing.

No wonder no cable provider wants to invest in the new Longhorn Network.

Is Missouri Ready to Take the Next Step?

Much has been made about Missouri losing two Top-10 picks, QB Blaine Gabbert and DE Aldon Smith, to the NFL, but when you really look at it, the two losses aren’t exactly the end of the world.

Gabbert was a nice quarterback, no doubt, but he was also just the 8th ranked passer in the Big 12 last season.

His replacement, James Franklin, can certainly match that, and Franklin brings a dynamic running element to the mix.

The loss of Smith, who had 17 sacks in just 23 career games, is a tough one, but Missouri has enough talent at the position to replace him with proven pass-rushers Brad Madison and Jacquies Smith.

Coach Gary Pinkel’s team, as always seems to be the case, is being slept on once again, but the Tigers return 14 starters from a team that won 10 games last year and beat both Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

Pinkel has won 40 games over the last four seasons, however, he doesn’t have a Big 12 championship or a BCS bowl invite to show for it.

If Franklin plays well, this could be the year that Missouri finally breaks through and makes it to one of the big-time bowl games.

Can Alabama’s Offense Do Enough to Complement Its Defense?

Alabama’s defense is absolutely loaded with star power this year. With 10 starters back, most of them of the future high draft pick variety, the Tide will once again have one of the most dominant defenses in the nation.

It’s on offense where Alabama will have some questions to answer, though.

QB Greg McElroy, RB Mark Ingram and WR Julio Jones are all gone and each of them leaves a pretty sizable hole to fill.

Replacing Ingram should be no problem, as his successor, Trent Richardson, might just be the best back in the country, but McElroy and Jones are a different story.

It’s rare that you see a team get picked to win a national championship before it's even settled on a quarterback, but I guess that’s just a credit to how good Alabama’s defense really is.

Coach Nick Saban has yet to choose between A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims, two talented but unproven former heralded recruits, to replace McElroy.

We know the defense will be stellar this year, but you have to wonder if either Sims or McCarron can get the job done this season.

Is Aaron Murray Really the Best QB in the SEC?

Although there’s certainly some players with potential, the SEC lacks a lot of proven quarterbacks, going into the 2011 season.

Georgia’s Aaron Murray has been hyped all offseason as the best quarterback in the conference, but his 6-7 record as a starter has some wondering if he’s legit or not.

Murray struggled at the beginning of last season, as Georgia stumbled to a 1-4 start out of the gate, but once star WR A.J. Green returned from a suspension, Murray looked like a completely new player.

The 6-foot-1 sophomore has the leadership and passing skills to have the Bulldogs in the thick of the SEC East race, but Murray just has to show that when it comes to crunch time and the pressure is on, he’s got what it takes to get the job done.

Can North Carolina Adapt?

In a surprising, yet not so surprising move, North Carolina decided to terminate head coach Butch Davis this offseason.

With lingering questions about his control of the program, it’s not shocking that the school decided to part ways with their head coach. The only surprising part was the timing of the decision, which came just a few months before the start of the season.

The move now leaves Everett Withers, the team’s former defensive coordinator, in charge of the Tar Heels for 2011.

Withers inherits a team with a lot of talent, including a defensive front seven that is loaded with future pro players such as ends Quinton Coples and Donte Paige-Moss, linebackers Zach Brown and Kevin Reddick, as well as defensive tackle Tydreke Powell.

North Carolina was expected to compete for an ACC championship last year before suspensions decimated the depth chart.

Now, it’s time to see if Coples and crew can step up in spite of adversity and give Virginia Tech some competition for the Coastal division crown.

QB Bryn Renner, who could turn out to be one of the surprise signal-callers of this season, holds the key to the team’s success.

If Renner plays well in his first season as a starter, North Carolina should do well, even without Davis.

Which Freshman Will Make the Most Noise?

Last year, we watched two five-star running back recruits, Marcus Lattimore and Michael Dyer, make good on their high school hype by making a huge instant impact at their respective schools.

Lattimore, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 17 TDs as a freshman, became one of the biggest stars in the SEC and he helped carry South Carolina to the championship game.

This year, there are a whole bunch of big-name freshmen, who will be hoping to get on the field early and make their presence known, but very few of them will have the same effect as Lattimore and Dyer did last year.

South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney, one of the most hyped up high school recruits ever, is the biggest name of the freshman class, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that the easiest position for a young player to make an early impact is at running back.

Two backs to watch out for this year are Oklahoma’s Brandon Williams and Georgia’s Isaiah Crowell.

Williams and Crowell are two super-talented prospects, who enter favorable situations that should allow them to get a good deal of carries this season.

Who Will Win the SEC Rushing Title?

No other conference in the country can boast the kind of running back depth that the SEC has this year.

The conference returns five backs—South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore, Auburn’s Michael Dyer, Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard, Mississippi’s Brandon Bolden and Tennessee’s Tauren Poole—who topped over 900 yard rushing last season.

Plus, you’ve also got guys like Alabama’s Trent Richardson, Florida’s Jeff Demps, Vanderbilt’s Warren Norman, LSU’s Spencer Ware and Georgia’s Isaiah Crowell, who are all capable of breaking that same mark this season.

The race to win the rushing title should be entertaining to watch, and right now, it looks like Richardson and Lattimore are the two favorites to capture the mythical belt.

While Richardson and Lattimore may be the two top talents at the position, my personal pick to win the rushing title is Brandon Bolden out of Ole Miss.

Bolden, who rushed for 976 yards and 14 TDs in 2010, has a solid, experienced line to run behind and he should pile up plenty of yards as a workhorse-type back this season.

Was Michigan State a Fluke?

One of last year’s true surprise teams was Michigan State. The Spartans, who started off the year unranked, sprinted through their schedule, finishing 11-2 and ranked as a Top 15 team by season’s end.

The midseason return of coach Mark Dantonio, who suffered a heart attack shortly after a big win over Notre Dame, was one of the feel-good stories of the season.

What wasn’t such a feel good story, however, was Michigan State’s 49-7 blowout loss at the hands of Alabama in the Capital One bowl to end the year.

That loss, coupled with the fact that Michigan State only beat one team (Wisconsin) that finished in the Top 25 last season, has made some think twice about whether or not Michigan State was really as good as advertised.

We’ll find out this season if Dantonio’s crew was a fluke or not.

On paper, this team looks like it can compete with Nebraska for the Legends division crown.

QB Kirk Cousins, RB Edwin Baker, OG Joel Foreman, DE William Gholston, DT Jerel Worthy, CB Johnny Adams and S Trenton Robinson could all find themselves on the All-Big Ten team at the conclusion of the season.

Yes, the loss of LB Greg Jones, who was the heart and soul of the defense for the past four years, is a big blow, but if Gholston and Worthy are as dominant as expected up front, it should help to mask the void he leaves.

With Baker, Le’Veon Bell and Larry Caper, the Spartans have the type of three-headed backfield that could do a lot of damage this season, and if they can consistently pound it on the ground and play solid defense, Michigan State has a great shot to make it to the first Big Ten championship game.

Which First-Year Coach Will Have the Biggest Impact?

Last season, first-year coaches like Louisville’s Charlie Strong, Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher and Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly all came in and changed the philosophy at their respective programs.

This season, we’ve got a brand new set of coaches who will be looking to do the same.

Michigan’s Brady Hoke, Miami’s Al Golden, Ohio State’s Luke Fickell, Florida’s Will Muschamp and West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen are some of the big names, but one coach who hasn’t received as much publicity is Pittsburgh’s Todd Graham.

Maybe it’s because Graham basically got the job by default after Pittsburgh’s first hire, Mike Haywood, went Rocky 4 on his wife and was promptly terminated after just two weeks on the job.

Or maybe it’s because Pittsburgh has annually been one of the biggest disappointments in college football.

Still, Graham has the track record from his days at Tulsa that would lead you to believe he can come in and make things happen right away.

If there’s one thing Dave Wannstedt could do right, it was recruit, and the Panthers certainly have the talent to win the Big East this year.

The defense, led by star pass-rusher Brandon Lindsey, will be good enough to beat every team on the schedule this year. All Pittsburgh needs is for QB Tino Sunseri to get past his 2010 sophomore slump.

Bottom Line: Don’t sleep on Pittsburgh this year.

How Many Players Will Vontaze Burfict Hurt?

Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict is equal parts football player, hunter and wild bull.

Burfict’s fearless attitude on the field has earned him a reputation as being the scariest defender in college football.

The junior linebacker makes every hit count and although he’s been criticized for going too far and playing undisciplined at times, you just have to love what Burfict brings to the table.

He’s been the leader of the Sun Devils defense since first stepping foot in the desert, totaling 160 tackles in his first two seasons, and the scary part is, he hasn’t even come close to reaching his potential yet.

Burfict has already taken a swing at his own teammate this offseason, so you could only imagine what he’s going to do to the folks in the other jerseys this year.

Is Robert Griffin III Style or Substance?

One of the most intriguing players in college football this season is Baylor QB Robert Griffin III.

Griffin returned from a knee injury to have a monster year in 2010, totaling over 4,000 yards of offense and helping guide the Bears to their first bowl game in over 15 years.

The junior dual-threat quarterback has the versatility to scare any defense that he goes up against, and he proved last year that he was a much better passer than a lot of people gave him credit for.

Griffin is already being touted as a Heisman dark horse but it remains to be seen if his talents will result in more victories for a Baylor team that went just 7-6 last season and got romped by Illinois in the Texas Bowl.

Beating a listless Texas team last year was a nice start, but we have to see how Griffin performs against the likes of TCU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma this season before we can consider him one of the elite quarterbacks in the country.

Can Dan Mullen Turn Chris Relf into a Star?

Mississippi State is one of the teams that could really surprise some people this year and one of the key players to the Bulldogs’ success will be QB Chris Relf.

Relf is a perfect fit for coach Dan Mullen’s spread offensive attack and he has the type of running ability that very few other quarterbacks possess.

The senior signal-caller needs to work on his passing and become a more multidimensional threat, but the signs you saw from him at the end of last season were encouraging.

Relf may not be the next Tim Tebow or Alex Smith, but he’s got enough raw talent to have a huge senior season.

Relf and RB Vick Ballard will be a very dangerous backfield tandem to try to contain.

Just How Wide Open Is the Big East Race?

The Big East lost a little bit of national street cred last season when the league failed to produce a champion worthy of a BCS bowl bid and failed to have a team even finish in the postseason Top 25 poll.

This season will be a saving face type of year for the Big East, as the conference can hopefully gain back some respect with a few better performances by its top tier teams.

With so much parity running trough the league these days, the race for the conference championship appears to be wide open.

The three favorites going into the season will be West Virginia, which has the best team on paper, Pittsburgh and South Florida, a squad that could finally be ready to awaken from its sleeping giant slumber.

There’s even a few dark horses like Syracuse, Cincinnati and last year’s winner, Connecticut, that could all be in the mix.

West Virginia is the trendy pick but it remains to be seen how the Mountaineers will be able to handle all the coaching turmoil that took place after spring practice concluded.

South Florida and Pittsburgh will both be chomping at the bit to get a piece of the boys from Morgantown, and both teams are capable of putting together championship type seasons and overtaking the Mountaineers.

You would have to expect a rebound season for the Big East this year, but it’s still too early to tell which team will be the one to help the conference dig itself out of the hole it fell into in 2010.

Can USC Regain Its Swagger?

It’s obvious that the Reggie Bugh saga took its toll on the USC football team last year, as you could tell the distractions of not being able to play in the postseason weighed on the players’ psyche.

It also didn’t help matters that the Trojans secondary looked like they couldn’t stop a 5th grade flag football team.

After a mediocre 8-5 campaign last season, coach Lane Kiffin will be looking to have a much more efficient season in his second year on the job.

Luckily for Kiffin, he’s got some great talent on both sides of the ball and it all starts with future first round pick, QB Matt Barkley.

Barkley and WR Robert Woods make up one of the most deadly passing combinations in the country and they should have no problem lighting up the scoreboard this season.

We know USC will be able to pass the ball, the only real question, though, is can the Trojans stop other teams from throwing all over them.

Cornerback Nickell Robey and safety T.J. McDonald, two of the Pac-12’s budding defensive stars, will both have to step their games up this season if USC wants to do better against the pass.

If Kiffin and his father, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, can solidify the secondary, the Trojans have a great shot to make a run at a double-digit win season.

Which Unranked Team Will Rise?

As we saw last year with teams like Oklahoma State and Stanford, sometimes pollsters overlook or misread some of the better squads before the start of the season and leave them out in the cold when it comes time to make the preseason polls.

It’s the same story every year. A few teams always have a little more work to do to work their way up the rankings, and this year, there were a few notable omissions from the early polls.

One unranked team that immediately comes to mind is Northwestern.

With steady senior QB Dan Persa back for one more year, the Wildcats could be ready to really make a strong push up the Big Ten mountain this season.

Persa’s value to the team is unquestionable we saw how poorly the team performed in the last few games after he went down for the season with an injury, which only reaffirmed his importance.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald has done a great job putting the right pieces around Persa, and this Northwestern team can no longer be classified as not having the athletes to compete.

Besides Persa, players like WR Jeremy Ebert, OT Al Netter, DE Vince Browne and CB Jordan Mabin could play for practically any other Big Ten team and with 16 starters back, Fitzgerald is sure to have his best team yet.

Will BYU Enjoy the Independent Life?

The BYU Cougars, who left the Mountain West to become college football’s fourth independent school, are embarking on a mission to become the Notre Dame of the mountains and year one of their adventure should be an interesting one.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s squad starts their first season of independence off with two challenging road trips to Mississippi and Texas and things won’t ease up after that.

Bouts with Utah, Central Florida, TCU, Oregon State and Hawaii will all present a different set of challenges and we’ll have to see if sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps, one of the biggest recruits in school history, is finally ready to become a star this year.

With almost every key offensive piece returning, Heaps will have plenty of talent around him to succeed, but he’s going to have to keep maturing at a rapid pace in order to handle some of the tough opponents he’ll face this season.

What Will Be This Year’s Biggest Upset?

Every year, there are at least a few big upsets that nobody sees coming.

Appalachian State over Michigan, Stanford over USC and James Madison over Virginia Tech are just a few that immediately come to mind.

They’re usually impossible to predict, even for the boys in Vegas.

I won’t go out on a limb and pick any specific game, but I will say that I think James Franklin and Vanderbilt are capable of at least one monumental effort this season, so watch out SEC.

Who Will This Year’s Breakout Player Be?

Last year, we watched players such as Cam Newton, Denard Robinson, Justin Blackmon and Nick Fairley all rise up, dominate and step out onto the national stage.

None of the four were being pegged as big difference-makers before the season started, but that didn’t seem to matter all that much.

Every new season brings new breakout stars and 2011 will be no different.

We already know plenty about guys like Andrew Luck, LaMichael James and Kellen Moore, but what about the players who aren’t receiving the mainstream attention from ESPN and the ones who aren’t being put on all of the magazine covers.

There are plenty of players out there who have the potential to become stars, they just haven’t put together a big breakout campaign just yet.

Here’s a look at 15 players who I think are in store for attention-grabbing seasons in 2011.

1. QB Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois

2. DE Ronald Powell, Florida

3. LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama

4. WR Kenbrell Thompkins, Cincinnati

5. DT Josh Boyd, Mississippi State

6. RB Lamar Miller, Miami

7. WR Chris Owusu, Stanford

8. QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State

9. RB Silas Redd, Penn State

10. LB Zaviar Gooden, Missouri

11. WR Rueben Randle, LSU

12. WR Theo Riddick, Notre Dame

13. DE Ryne Giddins, South Florida

14. WR Markus Wheaton, Oregon State

15. CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Connecticut

Can Utah Play with the Big Boys?

Urban Meyer laid the winning foundation at Utah and now seven years after Meyer’s departure, coach Kyle Whittingham has the Utes flourishing as one of the most consistent programs in the country.

Whittingham has averaged almost 10 wins per season in his six years as head coach and it was a victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl three years ago that really cemented the team’s status as a legitimate threat to the BCS.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott must have taken notice, because last offseason, the conference extended an invitation to Utah to become the conference’s 12th team, and it was one the school gladly accepted.

Utah will be apart of the Pac-12's new South division, and with battle-tested QB Jordan Wynn, intriguing new RB Harvey Langi and explosive receiver DeVonte Christopher leading the way, the Utes are expected to quickly contend with Arizona State for the division crown.

Whittingham has done a great job, elevating the program and stockpiling talent, and Utah should have no trouble battling better competition this season.

What Kind of Impact Will Bryce Brown Have at Kansas State?

Bryce Brown, the star running back prospect of the 2009 class, appeared to be in store for a big career at Tennessee, but then came Lane Kiffin’s surprising exodus to USC and soon Brown was left without a coach and eventually without a school.

The Wichita native chose to join his brother Arthur, himself a high-profile transfer from Miami, at Kansas State to play in front of his home-state fans.

The former five-star recruit now has a second chance to prove he was worth his high school hype and he reportedly had a solid showing this offseason and he’s already earned preseason All-Big 12 honors.

Brown is a strong and powerful back who should be able to adequately fill the big shoes left by Daniel Thomas.

Is Washington Better off Without Jake Locker?

When Jake Locker arrived at the University of Washington as a heralded recruit out of Ferndale high school, he was dubbed the savior of the struggling program.

The in-state star failed to come close to delivering on that savior title, though.

Locker, who received a tremendous amount of publicity going into his senior season, went just 15-25 as a starter in his four years in Seattle and he left Washington fans disappointed and wanting more.

Now the offensive reigns will be handed off to inexperienced sophomore signal-caller Keith Price, who threw just 37 passes in 2010.

Price may not possess Locker’s fame, but he’s a talented player in his own right, and he’s got some nice offensive pieces around him with guys like RB Chris Polk and WR Jermaine Kearse, two of the top offensive playmakers in the Pac-12.

Coach Steve Sarkisian has the Huskies moving in the right direction and they may be better off just putting the Jake Locker era in the rear view mirror.

Is This the Final Season for JoePa?

It seems like we’ve been asking the same question for the last decade.

When will Joe Paterno retire?

Every year, we think it’s time and then good ole Joe goes and pulls a Brett Favre on us and does the whole 'I could coach for another five years' spiel.

Paterno, who will be 85 at the end of the season, may be rethinking his choice to come back after getting run over by receiver Devon Smith in practice and sustaining injuries to his pelvis and shoulder.

This is the latest injury Paterno has suffered in recent years and it’s one that’s forced him to do most of his coaching from a golf cart in practice.

Given his age, many have questioned if Paterno is more figurehead than coach at this point in his career, and you have to wonder if his 46th season, waltzing the sidelines for the Nittany Lions, could very well be his last.

Who Is the Best Quarterback in Conference-USA?

The Pac-12, Big Ten and Big 12 are considered to be college football’s quarterback hot grounds this season, but another conference that deserves some love is Conference-USA.

The conference returns its top six passers from last season, and that doesn’t even include Houston’s Case Keenum, who went down for the season with a knee injury.

Keenum, who is set to break some important passing records this season, is the biggest name of the group but there are plenty of other proven producers like Tulsa’s G.J. Kinne, East Carolina’s Dominique Davis, Southern Methodist’s Kyle Padron and Southern Mississippi’s Austin Davis, who all threw for over 3,000 yards in 2010.

All four will give Keenum a run for his money this season, but the real hot name to watch is Padron, who could become June Jones’ latest star pupil.

Can We Survive an Entire Season Scandal Free?

After a summer filled with scandal, let’s hope that the season can offer us some welcomed relief from all the negative publicity that the sport has had to endure recently.

Last season started off in a bad way with the North Carolina suspensions and things didn’t get much better when the Cam Newton story tainted the final few months of the season.

I hope that we can finally go about fixing the problems that are plaguing college football and survive at least one season without having to deal with a major, headline-dominating scandal.

Who Will Hoist the Heisman?

No one predicted that the last two Heisman winners, Mark Ingram and Cam Newton, would be in contention to win college football’s most prestigious award.

In all honesty, maybe we get too caught up in the chase these days, considering it’s basically become a token award for the most important player on the best team.

Still, Heisman debate will continue to dominate conversations every season and 2011 is no different.

Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma QB Landry Jones, Oregon RB LaMichael James and South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore will all have their chance to state their case this year.

In the end, I think the race will come down to two quarterbacks, Stanford’s Andrew Luck, the preseason favorite, and Boise State’s Kellen Moore.

Luck will have all the publicity throughout the season and if he can beat Oregon and avoid any major stumbles, the trophy will be his, but if Moore leads the Broncos to another undefeated regular season and gets them to the title game, he’ll have an awfully strong resume to hang his hat on.

Which Team Will Take Home the Title?

So, who you got?

As always, everyone has their preseason picks for the national championship game, and the popular choices are of course Alabama and Oklahoma.

But hey, that’s boring.

I can’t pick a team that hasn’t picked a quarterback yet, no matter how good the defense is, and I don’t exactly feel confident putting my faith in a squad coached by Bob Stoops. So let’s think a little deeper.

I like Oregon this year, but I can see them getting picked off at least once or twice.

LSU?

They’ve got a lot of good, developing young talent, but Les’ luck has to run out eventually, so let’s cross them off the list.

Two teams that I put a lot of faith in last year that ultimately let me down were Nebraska and Boise State.

I’m a forgiving man, though, so my pick for this year’s national championship game will be Nebraska over Boise State down in the Superdome on Jan. 9.

A few other teams that I think could make some serious noise this season are Wisconsin, Missouri, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Virginia Tech.

Regardless of which team ends up winning the title, the fun part is always following the race and all the debate it creates.

Let’s hope that 2011 provides us with plenty of great games and great arguments.

Let the season begin!