50 Burning Questions for the Remainder of the College Football Season

Can LSU topple Alabama?

Will Oregon be able to hang with Stanford?

Can Michigan State win the Big Ten?

Is Lou Holtz certifiable?

This list runs down the top 50 questions on the minds of every football fan heading into the last six weeks of the regular season, from Heisman favorites to the "Game of the Year."

After a pretty pedestrian last six or seven weeks, this week featured some comebacks by favorites, a few blowouts and a couple of big upsets.

Here's what we are wondering about the rest of the year...

50. Will a Service Academy Reach Bowl Eligibility?

Army and Navy are both sitting at 2-5.

Air Force is 3-4, and they haven't won a game in the MWC.

The Falcons seem to have the best shot, as the conference schedule gets easier, while Army and Navy still have some tough match-ups.

The Midshipmen have not missed a bowl game since 2003, while Army has only reached the postseason one time since 1995, and Air Force hasn't missed since 2005.

49. Will Ronnie Hillman Continue Running Wild?

San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman is having another great year.

He has scored 10 times on the ground and amassed 833 yards thus far.

The Aztecs still must face some better than average competition, including Boise State, Colorado State and Fresno State.

It will be interesting to see if Hillman can keep up the pace.

48. Who Wins the Big East?

The Big East is a mess yet again this season.

After Syracuse upset West Virginia and Rutgers fell, there is only one team still undefeated in conference play, Cincinnati.

However, the Bearcats have to face Pitt, West Virginia, Rutgers and Syracuse in their next four games.

All eight teams have a legitimate shot at the conference title.

47. ...Does Anyone Care?

Look, Cincinnati leads the Big East for now, and I am sure the 38 people that watch Bearcat football are stoked about that.

However, the conference is falling apart, and they can't win anything of importance.

Whoever wins the conference will just be the sacrificial lamb for another BCS opponent.

The conference is in danger of disappearing from the face of the earth.

Does anyone really care who wins this season?

46. Is Russell Wilson's Heisman Chance Over?

Russell Wilson and Wisconsin fell in the best game of the year to Michigan State.

Wilson threw two picks and two touchdowns and rushed for another score.

Going into the game, he was considered one of the Heisman front-runners.

Does his less than stellar performance against the Spartans leave him on the outside looking in?

45. Can RGIII Keep Up the Pace?

Griffin's numbers are ridiculous.

He has thrown for almost 2,000 yards, and has tossed 22 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

He has done this against some pretty solid competition and is clearly headed for a career on Sundays if he continues to demonstrate the ability to throw the deep ball with uncanny accuracy.

But can he keep it up?

The Bears must face Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Missouri and Texas still this season, not exactly a list replete with cupcakes.

These games give Griffin several great opportunities to shine on a big stage. Will he take advantage?

44. Is Brandon Weeden Ready for Retirement?

I kid, I kid.

The "old" jokes have to be getting, well, old.

Weeden has the 'Pokes rolling this season, and with rival Oklahoma falling, they are now firmly in control of the conference and on the inside track for the BCS title game.

The real question is whether the Cowboys can finish strong.

They have teased fans before and seem to implode on a pretty regular basis about this time of year.

November makes or breaks Weeden and the 'Boys...

43. Do We Get BCS Chaos?

This past weekend showed us that no one is impervious to an upset.

However, if everything breaks right, we could have undefeated teams from the MWC, C-USA, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12, besides the favorite coming out of the SEC.

Those in favor of a playoff system will be clamoring as loud as ever if even three or four of these teams finish without a blemish.

Bring on the chaos.

42. Can South Carolina Hang On?

Things are getting rough for the Gamecocks.

First, coach Steve Spurrier released mercurial quarterback Stephen Garcia from the team.

The following week, star running back Marcus Lattimore suffered a season ending injury.

SC is sitting atop the SEC East and has control of their own destiny en route to the SEC title game.

However, Florida still looms on the schedule, and Georgia is making a run at the top of the standings.

With Connor Shaw now at the helm, the Gamecocks still must face Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida and Clemson.

So long, fellas; it was fun.

41. How Close to Returning Is Texas?

The Longhorns' struggles last season have been well-documented, as they limped to a miserable 5-7 record.

While they have already won four games this season and will likely eclipse 2010's win total, it's obvious that Texas is not anywhere near returning to the top of the Big 12.

The rest of this season will give a great barometer of just how far they have to go and whether Mack Brown's seat may be warming up.

40. Who Else Will Jump Ship?

This season has been rife with expansion, rumors of expansion and pretty much absolute chaos on the realignment front.

Texas A&M is going to the SEC. TCU was going to the Big East, but then accepted an invitation to the Big 12.

Meanwhile, the ACC poached the Big East for Pitt and Syracuse, and there are rumblings of Missouri to the SEC.

Boise State has been rumored to have some offers, and the college football landscape is changing drastically.

It's quite possible Mizzou is the next to go, but after them, who goes next, and what will college football look like by January?

39. What's Wrong with the MWC?

Boise State moved over to the MWC this season, and many thought the consequent bump in strength of schedule would help their BCS case.

However, their conference counterparts have not helped them out at all.

Air Force, San Diego State and TCU were all predicted to have decent seasons, but instead have a combined 12-8 records.

While TCU and SDSU are having pretty average seasons, things are not going quite as well as was expected.

Boise State is clearly the class of the conference, and they are a long way ahead of the rest.

38. Is the Big Ten Still Down?

The Big Ten is now one of just two BCS conference to have no undefeated teams remaining.

Their recent struggles in bowl games have been well documented, and the tough losses Big Ten teams took in non-conference play did not help.

Again, the conference will have no BCS title representative, and unless they have a big bowl season, will be considered "down" ponce again.

Their place near the top of the hierarchy of conferences is in jeopardy, and this season is doing nothing to help it.

37. Can Utah Adjust?

Utah's first season in a BCS conference has been miserable, and may be an indication of what teams like TCU and Boise State have to look forward to when they move.

The Utes are winless in the PAC-12, have only one win against BCS foes and got absolutely hammered by conference bottom-dweller Cal last week.

The rest of the schedule is interesting, with UCLA, Washington State, Arizona, Oregon State and Colorado still remaining.

They have some work to do to get bowl eligible, and it's pretty obvious that a BCS conference is presenting them with a much more difficult challenge than what they are used to having.

36. Will an SEC Squad Win the Title Yet Again?

This one is getting old, but can anyone take out the SEC?

LSU and Alabama are clearly the class of the country thus far this season, but Clemson, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Boise State and Kansas State are all on their tails.

Barring an SEC vs SEC title game, one of those squads will likely face off against the 'Bama/LSU winner for the BCS title.

Even though they are all quality opponents, there are probably only one or two of them that might be able to match up with the Tigers or Tide.

While the SEC is not as deep as it has been in recent memory, those two are clearly the front-runners, and it will be tough to knock either one of them off in the championship.

35. Can Michigan Bounce Back?

Michigan suffered their first loss of the year against Michigan State on Oct. 15.

Following their off week, the Wolverines will try to regroup and regain momentum down the homestretch.

They still have a shot at making the Big Ten title game, but they will have to win out and hope MSU slips up in order for that to happen.

However, if they can finish the season at 10-2, Brady Hoke's initial season can be considered a success.

34. Will the Uniforms Ever Stop Changing?

Is this football or a fashion show?

The uniforms seem to be changing more and more often as we move along, and there is no end in sight.

As a matter of fact, Ohio State is schedule to break out some new ones against Wisconsin next week.

On top of that, there is a reality show scheduled to premier about the designers of these uniforms.

Not really, I lied, but given the hype they get, it is not too far-fetched.

33. Is Georgia SEC Title Material?

Things are looking up for Georgia.

After starting the season 0-2, the Bulldogs haven't lost a game since.

They don't face Alabama, Arkansas or LSU this season, and appear to be gaining some continuity on both sides of the ball.

They still have a major showdown with Florida must face Auburn and Georgia Tech before the end of the season, but seeing as South Carolina is a mess, somebody is going to benefit, why not the Dawgs?

Mark Richt should be able to take a deep breath and stop worrying about his job if they can knock off the Gators.

Of course, then they have to face 'Bama or LSU for the conference title.

32. Will Anyone Notice Case Keenum?

Case Keenum is the hottest quarterback in Texas.

Houston's sixth-year senior is having an incredible year, breaking records and winning games with apparent ease.

While all the talk focuses on Kellen Moore, Andrew Luck, Brandon Weeden and Landry Jones as Heisman contenders, Keenum's Cougars squad is still undefeated.

He leads the country in yards, has 23 touchdowns to only two interceptions and has his team rolling along with the potential of an undefeated season.

It's time to start giving this guy some love.

31. How Many Times Will Lou Holtz Use "Notre Dame" and "BCS" Together?

Honestly, he hasn't been heard to say the two in the same sentence since the Irish lost their third game.

But the man is unashamed of his love for the Irish.

Surely, he will move on to another darling as the season progresses, which should scare the crap out of that team's fans.

30. Who Wins Florida?

The state of Florida is in disarray.

Miami is down, Florida is struggling and Florida State came nowhere near to living up to their hype, while USF has faltered mightily.

So who is the best team in the state?

Right now, Florida has the inside track at staking a claim, but the Gators have lost three in a row and must still square off against Florida State.

The 'Noles have to face both Florida and Miami before season's end.

Who ends up as the best team in the Sunshine State?

29. Is Keith Price for Real?

Keith Price is the most underrated young player in the country.

He is only a sophomore, and yet, he has led the Huskies to a 5-2 record, amassing 22 touchdowns and only five interceptions in that time.

He is capable of extending the play and makes good reads.

In high pressure games against Nebraska and Stanford, he has struggled, but Washington fans should be excited to see what this guy does for the rest of the season.

28. Will LSU Finish with More Suspensions Than Turnovers?

Going into their epic contest with Alabama, the Tigers have turned the ball over only three times this season.

Compare that with the number of suspensions the Tigers have battled through.

They have had six suspensions so far since the season began, the most recent being Tyrann Mathieu and Spencer Ware for their use of synthetic cannabis.

Keep an eye on this number to see if their off the field mistakes continue to outnumber those on the field.

27. Can Rick Neuheisel Survive Until Season's End?

UCLA has limped to another miserable season, checking in with a 3-4 record with bowl eligibility in serious jeopardy.

Rick Neuheisel has not made any headway in L.A. while USC has been "down," and the team is showing no signs of life.

He is supposedly secure until season's end. Bruins AD Dan Guerrero has made it clear that Neuheisel is his man.

But will he be able to hold on if the Bruins suffer another loss, such as the lopsided one they were just handed by Arizona?

26. How Good Is Kirk Cousins?

Kirk Cousins is one of the smartest quarterbacks to be found anywhere in the country.

He makes great reads and has the best touch on his short range to intermediate passes of anybody in the country.

The Spartans are rolling, and they run a pro-style offense that may help Cousins make it to the NFL.

Is Cousins now the best quarterback in the Big Ten?

He may be one of the better quarterbacks in the country, but playing in East Lansing is not necessarily conducive to tons of national exposure.

Check him out at Nebraska next week.

25. Should Arkansas Fans Be Concerned?

The Razorbacks are clearly a step behind Alabama and LSU, but a step ahead of the rest of the SEC.

At least they appeared to be before they struggled with the hapless Ole Miss Rebels over the weekend before finally putting them away.

The Razorbacks still have a legitimate shot at reaching a BCS game if they can knock off LSU, but if they play the way they did against the Rebels any more this season, things could get ugly.

Tyler Wilson has been solid, and they should rebound from a poor performance pretty easily, but things were ugly for one day this weekend.

24. Is It Time to Pay Attention to Cincinnati?

Hello, Bearcats.

Cincinnati is all alone atop the Big East, for now.

They have a dynamic offense, led by QB Zach Collaros and RB Isaiah Pead, and have been stifling opponents on defense.

After seeing the conference front-runners falter and expose some vulnerability, there is no reason not to think the Bearcats could make a run at the conference title.

23. Is Matt Barkley Heisman Material?

Matt Barkley is enjoying a pretty solid year for the Trojans.

He has gained 2006 yards through the air, with 19 touchdowns.

However, he has thrown six interceptions already this year, and still has to face the stout defenses of Stanford and Oregon.

His numbers are good, but the team already has one loss and a reduced amount of hype due to the NCAA sanctions against USC.

His Heisman chances are pretty slim, but he could revive them with good games against the conference front-runners.

22. Which Undefeated Falls Next? ( Other Than Alabama/LSU)

Two of our potential BCS title contenders fell over the weekend.

Wisconsin fell short in a comeback attempt against Michigan State, while Oklahoma was owned from start to finish by Texas Tech.

Who's next?

Obviously, 'Bama and LSU face off in two weeks, and one of them will lose.

But there are still several others: Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Houston, Clemson and Boise State.

This week gave us a rankings shake-up, which team falls next?

21. Will the Trojans Ruin Luck's Perfect Season?

In their first game against a ranked foe, Andrew Luck and Stanford made a statement, winning 65-21 over Washington.

The Cardinal are quietly taking care of business, hoping the cards fall just right for them to sneak into the BCS title game.

They face a stiff test next week against USC and Matt Barkley.

Three out of the last four seasons, the Cardinal have taken out USC, and they seem primed to do so again.

However, the Trojans have a dynamic offense, the game is in L.A. and Stanford has looked susceptible at times this season.

Keep an eye on that one.

20. What Happens in Columbus?

After a decade of dominance in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes are suffering the consequences of NCAA violations.

It hasn't been that great.

Their record is 4-3, with an angry Wisconsin team coming to call next weekend.

Luke Fickell has done an admirable job, excluding the Nebraska game, given all the pieces he has been missing this season, but if OSU ends up in the toilet bowl, with two more losses, what then.

Is 6-7 wins enough to hold on to him?

It's definitely not if Urban Meyer expresses even a modicum of interest; however, I think Fickell should get a little more time.

19. Is a Playoff System Better?

The race for the BCS title just got a whole lot more interesting after two top five teams got knocked off this weekend.

While fans are yelling for a playoff and programs are jumping ship across the country, we have an incredible season taking place in front of us.

The beauty of the current system is that, as the ESPN slogan says "Every week can change the season."

Would rather enjoy the current madness that is the regular season, or a watered down version of it?

Pick your poison...

18. This Joe Paterno's Last Season?

Joe Pa has been coaching for a very long time.

There have been times this season where has looked ready to hang up the whistle and retire, and others when he seems as spry as he has ever been.

His Nittany Lions are currently enjoying a solid 7-1 record and are in the driver's seat of the Big Ten's Leaders division.

Is the man done?

Stay tuned...

17. Can Arizona State Match-Up with Oregon/Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship?

Arizona State fell to Oregon in Autzen Stadium on Oct. 15, but the Sun Devils are clearly the class of the Pac-12 South.

Vontaze Burfict is having another scary year at linebacker, and ASU seems to have found an offense to go with their stout defense.

However, they have yet to show the ability to knock off a ranked foe on the road.

They lost to Illinois on the road, as well as the Ducks, and if they make it to the conference championship, will likely have to go on the road again to either Autzen or the Farm.

They will have to cut back on the mistakes if they have any shot at hanging around in the title game.

16. Can Oklahoma Rebound?

Did anybody see that coming?

The Sooners had their 39 game home winning streak snapped against Texas Tech, and their dreams of a national title shot to pieces.

While OU is down right now, they have to get up quickly if they have hopes of winning the conference.

They must still face Kansas State, Texas A&M, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

Time to step up and prove it was a fluke.

15. Will the "Celebration Rule" Screw Anyone Else?

Yet another reason to dislike the NCAA.

God forbid a player appear to be enjoying himself.

And besides, the rule is subject to the whim of whatever crew happens to be officiating, and is not consistent.

When LSU punter Brad Wing had his fake punt called back due to this rule against Florida, he barely raised his arms for roughly one second.

Last week, when Michigan State ran in an interception against Michigan for the score, the defender motioned with his arm at Denard Robinson...no penalty.

Can't wait to see another crew foul this one up...

14. Will Nebraska's "D" Ever Play Up to Their Hype?

Nebraska had all kinds of hype for their defense heading into their inaugural Big Ten season.

Their vaunted "Blackshirt" defense, led by Alfonzo Dennard, Lavonte David and Jared Crick, was going to lock down the weak Big Ten offenses.

Thus far, they have not lived up to their billing.

Dennard was out for the first four games, then Crick went down with a season ending injury.

They are giving up more than 25 points per contest and were absolutely destroyed by Wisconsin in their only battle with a ranked foe.

They need to get on the ball quick, as Michigan State comes to Lincoln on a roll.

13. Can the Irish Hold on to the Ball?

The Irish don't seem to understand the concept of ball security.

They have lost the ball 10 times inside the red zone this season, thrown six total interceptions and fumbled the ball a whopping 16 times, giving up 10.

This team is talented, with plenty of guys that can make plays, but they can't hang onto the ball.

There is still a chance for them to have a very good season, especially if they can beat Stanford later in the year, but if they can't hold onto the rock, we could see some more ugly losses like USC, USF and Michigan.

12. Is Tyrann Mathieu the Best Impact Player in the Country?

Mathieu has been a monster on defense and special teams this season, racking up tackles and making big plays with reckless abandon.

But he isn't alone.

Guys like South Carolina's Melvin Ingram and Whitney Mercilus are having big years as well, and the argument could be made that Ingram is having a better year.

Given Mathieu's penchant for using recreational pharmaceuticals, he missed the Tigers' game against Auburn and an opportunity to make some more big plays.

Even so, it should be pretty obvious, even to the casual observer, that Mathieu is a singular talent and may be the best in the country at making big plays when it is needed.

11. Is Penn State Underrated?

Guess who leads the Big Ten's Leaders division?

Yep, the Nittany Lions.

They are sitting at 7-1, their only loss was to Alabama and yet they barely manage to sneak into the BCS rankings at number 21.

We might be underrating these guys.

Their schedule is back-loaded, with games against Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin still remaining.

It's a tough last four games, but the Nittany Lions are suddenly in a position to go to the conference title game with just a few more wins.

10. When Do We Give Tajh Boyd Some Heisman Love?

Tajh Boyd has exploded into the consciousness of college football fans everywhere as the catalyst behind Clemson's dynamic offense.

So when do we start giving the man some Heisman love?

He has thrown 24 scores through the air, rushed for four and thrown only three interceptions.

The man has a ridiculous six games with three or more touchdown throws this year, and he has gained more yards through the air than Andrew Luck, by nearly 500.

At what point do we admit that he has performed better than Luck to this point in the season?

9. Is Kansas State Legit?

K-State has taken the Big 12 by storm, jumping out to a 7-0 start heading into a battle against Oklahoma.

Quarterback Collin Klein has been ridiculous, scoring 22 total touchdowns this season.

The Wildcats have done it with defense as well, forcing mistakes and limiting big-play opportunities for opponents.

All that is well and good, but for my money, the Wildcats are in trouble.

They face an Oklahoma squad that will be steamed after suffering their first loss.

Then, they must travel to Oklahoma State, face Texas A&M and finish off this brutal stretch against Texas.

They will be fortunate to end up 1-3 in this stretch.

8. Is MSU New Big Ten Favorite?

The Spartans knocked Big Ten favorite Wisconsin out with a miraculous "Hail Mary" as time expired in East Lansing?

Are they now the favorite in the conference?

The Leaders division of the conference is now up for grabs, while the Spartans are a game ahead of the rest of the Legends division.

Their stout defense and cerebral quarterback have the Spartans sitting pretty, and if they finish off one of the most impressive Octobers in history with a win at Nebraska, they will have assumed full of the conference race.

7. Will VA Tech Take the ACC Again?

Virginia Tech suffered their first loss of the season to Clemson, 23-3.

The chances of them repeating as ACC Champs seemed slim.

Then, Virginia beat Georgia Tech, and the Hokies are right back in the chase.

Sure, another meeting with Clemson might be in the works if they make it to the ACC title game, but right now, the Hokies control their own destiny, and if we know anything about Frank Beamer and his squads, they will be in the race come December.

6. Does Undefeated Boise State Make Title Game?

Yep, here we are again, same old question.

Does Boise State get a shot at the title if they finish undefeated?

The answer remains the same as it has in the past.  No.

The Broncos just can't get the computers to love them enough, since their schedule is less than challenging.

The only way they make it to the title game is every team from a BCS conference suffers at least one loss, and then it would still not be a sure thing.

And if BSU earned a shot, why not Houston if they finish undefeated?

5. Can Oregon Win at the Farm?

The showdown of the year is coming in the Pac-12.

Oregon travels to Stanford on Nov. 12 in a game that will likely decide the North Division's title game representative and the team with a shot at the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks have been cruising since falling to LSU to open the season, but Stanford has absolutely dominated everything in their path.

The Ducks will need to get healthy and tighten up their defense if they are going to beat the Cardinals at home.

4. Can Trent Richardson Keep It Up?

Alabama running back is scoring touchdowns at an alarming rate, amassing 17 already this season.

He is averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has gained 989 yards.

There were echoes of a potential Heisman candidacy earlier this year, and with two of the potential candidates taking themselves out of the race with poor performances, he has been thrust to the forefront.

However, to absolutely entrench himself as the Heisman front-runner, he needs to perform well against the Tide's next two opponents, LSU and Mississippi State.

If he has solid games against those two foes, he will be well on his way to postseason honors.

3. Will Andrew Luck Win the Heisman?

Andrew Luck has been the favorite to win the Heisman since he announced his return for the 2011 season.

Yesterday, he appeared to take a big step toward solidifying his status.

Russell Wilson struggled, Landry Jones lost and Luck rolled right over his ranked opponent yesterday.

He tossed for 336 yards again, with four touchdowns and only one pick.

It appears the closest challenger he will have the rest of the way will be Alabama's Trent Richardson.

If Luck and the Cardinal beat Oregon, he may go wire to wire as the favorite.

2. Can Oklahoma State Beat Oklahoma?

The easy answer to this might just be to say "yes."

After seeing the Cowboys pull away from another quality opponent and Oklahoma fall to an unranked team, it would appear the 'Pokes are the class of the conference and will take Bedlam.

However, they have not beaten the Sooners since 2002.

The Cowboys have a huge monkey to get off their backs against OU Are they up to the task?

1. Who Wins the Game of the Year?

This is really the biggest question of the rest of the season.

The winner of this game has control of their chances to reach the SEC and BCS title games, while the loser may still be better than any other team in the country, but get left out.

They both have stout defenses, efficient offenses and have been destroying everything in their paths.

This one is easily the biggest game this season, and anyone who misses it deserves to be banned from college football for the rest of the season.

My pick is LSU, but either way, this game is going to be one of the better contests in recent memory.