That said, we haven't seen the first snap of the college football season yet, but we already can just about guess the stories we'll be implored to pay close attention to this year. Some of them have already begun to creep into our daily newsletters (can Alabama repeat), while others are just now making it into rotation (will Masoli succeed at Ole Miss).
Either way, this year promises to be something special, I can't wait.
1. How well will Lane Kiffin do at USC?
Let's face it, the guy isn't the most appealing individual in the world and most fans—outside of Southern California—would love to see him fall flat on his face. However, if he is able to parlay his way to an 11 or 12 win season, he will shut a lot of the doubters up—even though his team won't be bowl eligible until after the 2011 season.
2. Can Florida still be dominant without Tim Tebow?
Talk is cheap. Play the games and then tell me what a great team you are now that superman has officially left the building. The Gators are getting a lot of love, despite key losses on the defensive side of the ball. The team will lose this season—bet on that—the only question is, how will the fans take it when they do?
3. Will Houston Nutt regret allowing Jeremiah Masoli onto his team?
Houston Nutt is taking a big risk with Masoli—that's obvious. However, if the risk pays off, he's a genius. He'll likely save his job and Nathan Stanley would be that much better in 2011. On the other hand, if Masoli gets in trouble or falls flat, Nutt could find himself out of a job real soon.
4. Can Alabama repeat as national champions?
The real question needs to be, can Alabama get back to the SEC Championship game. As much love as people have for the Tide, they are a lot more human than they were last season and the target on their back isn't that much easier to carry minus the likes of Terrance Cody and Javier Arenas. If the Tide expect to repeat as SEC West Division Champs, they will need to fight through a horrendously tough schedule and overcome the fact that they will have both an inexperienced punter and kicker for the first time in four-years.
5. Will Florida State thrive under Jimbo Fisher?
The Tallahassee faithful finally got what they wanted, they ran Bobby Bowden out of town and happily ushered in the start of the Jimbo Fisher era. Fisher, so far, has shown he's got the midas touch as he reeled in a solid recruiting class for 2010 and is already well on his way to a solid 2011 as well. Will he be the man who returns the Seminoles to their former glory?
6. Can Georgia Tech get defensive?
The Yellow Jackets didn't have much trouble running all over their competition last season. but they did have some trouble stopping it. They brought in Al Groh to fix what ails them on that side of the ball—can he work his magic? Many feel that if the Jackets can find some balance, they can be contend for a BCS title.
7. How much longer will Joe Paterno walk the sidelines in Happy Valley?
It's a question that many have asked a lot over the last several years. He's one of the last stalwarts of a coaching era that has long since passed him by—would a sub-par season put him under the gun again?
8. Is Boise State TRULY for real?
If the Broncos beat Virginia Tech in September, there is little doubt that they will ride a magic carpet to the BCS title game and FINALLY may be worthy of the respect they've been shouting for since 2004—maybe.
9. Can the Nebraska Cornhuskers exit the Big XII with a conference championship?
Despite what Phil Steele has to say about the Sooners being the best team in the conference this season, Nebraska has a lot of reasons to want to stick it to the conference on their way out the door. What better way to do so than to win the championship that many felt they were deserving of last season—if not for that one measly second.
10. Will Steve Spurrier be able to take the Gamecocks to Atlanta in December?
There are some who feel that if any team in the SEC East has a shot at dethroning the Gators, it's the USC of the east. If Spurrier can get his guys clicking on all cylinders, he could have a shot to do what no other coach in the history of South Carolina football has been able to do—win an SEC Championship.
11. Can the Ohio State Buckeyes go all the way with Pryor at the top?
The Rose Bowl, supposedly, was the coming out party for the much-maligned Terrelle Pryor. He was poised and focused on every down as he led his team to the win over the highly-favored Oregon Ducks. To some, his success in that game spelled the turning of a corner for the young man—was it really that? 2010 promises to see him playing an even bigger role in the offense as a passer as he looks to both lead the Buckeyes to the national title game and contend for the Heisman.
12. Which team will be the BCS buster this season?
There seems to be one team every season that "comes out of nowhere" to surprise the college football world and make things very interesting for the pollsters. Last season, it was TCU and Boise. Boise was so much a surprise as a given, but, they did make the conversation interesting for a moment—particularly in light of the Longhorns poor game against Nebraska. Cincinnati was another. Who will it be this year?
13. What player will finally break through and stake his claim as one of the premier college players in the nation?
Trent Richardson, Andrew Luck, and Dion Lewis all put up flares last season and the glare from that action was bright enough that expectations are higher for all three gentleman in 2010—especially for Luck who is already getting Heisman buzz. Who else will prove themselves indispensable parts of their respective teams?
14. Which coach will finally wear out his welcome?
Odds are at least one or more head coaches will see their tenures end this year. Who will they be? Heavy wagers should be placed on Dan Hawkins and Ron Zook—neither of whom have seen a winning season in quite some time.
15. What new coach will see the most success in his first season?
Charlie Strong is making noise in Louisville. Brian Kelly is going to introduce his high-powered offense to the Irish. Joker Phillips is trying to break out of the shadow of Rich Brooks at Kentucky. Derek Dooley wants to erase the bad taste that Lane Kiffin left at Tennessee. Skip Holtz wants to make South Florida great again...they all have a legitimate shot to do what they want to do, but how long will it take? Who will do the most with the least in 2010?
16. Will Rich Rodriguez finally get the ball rolling in Ann Arbor?
He has the team and the system in place to make this season a special one for the Wolverines. If he can't get it done this year, many feel he will be out of a job.
17. How many teams will go undefeated this year?
The fact that Boise, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati, and Alabama all went undefeated last season left a bad taste in the mouths of many college football fans who would love to see a playoff coming in the near future. Will the same be said this season? Chances are there won't be as many as last year but anything more than a couple and a firestorm could crop up yet again.
18. Will the Georgia Bulldogs get back on track in the east and mount a challenge to the Florida Gators?
Many are saying that Mark Richt is on the "hot seat". That's not nearly as true as most would have you believe but a return to the SEC Championship game this season would cool a lot of the madness that has surrounded the team over the last 8-months.
19. Can Jim Harbaugh lead Stanford to a Pac-10 title without Gerhart?
20. What potential Top 10 team will be out of the running early due to an unexpected loss?
It's happened time and again. A team goes in with high hopes and high expectations but is met with a nasty dose of on-field reality. Who will that team be this year?
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