College Football Storylines

A quick glance would make one think that this will be a relatively uneventful year in the world of college football. There are probably only 4 teams that have a shot to win the BCS title (and by 4 teams we mean Florida). Tim Tebow will have to go Josh Briscoe on a kid to not win the Heisman. Lou Holtz will talk about every Notre Dame victory as if it were BC over Miami and the Flutie bomb. The local team is rebuilding and the SEC might not have a skill player drafted in the first 2 rounds of next year.  

But take a valium before you step off of the ledge college football fan. There are still things to watch for this season.  Here’s our list of the top story lines in college football this year:

• Can another conference step in to the BCS title picture? It’s virtually a forgone conclusion in the minds of most analysts that the SEC and Big 12 champs will meet in the BCS title game. Suppose that Oklahoma State upsets the winner of the Red River Shootout. That would leave the door open for Ohio State, USC, or (painful as it might be to type this) Notre Dame to step in and crash the party.
• Is Tim Tebow the best college player ever? If he wins another title and DESERVEDLY takes home another Heisman there’s little doubt in our minds that he unseats Hershel Walker for that honor.
• Can USC really compete at an elite level with a freshman QB? The quick answer is no, but if anyone can do it it’s Pete Caroll.
• Is Notre Dame ready to step back into the national picture? The schedule’s a cakewalk (save the USC game, but that’s at home). The young skill players have matured. It’s now or never for Charlie Weiss.
• Which college football dinosaur will awaken from their slumber? Tennessee’s 2 years away. Auburn still has to learn the spread. Michigan’s a hot mess and UCLA seems like they need a couple more playmakers. Some former juggernaut will return to the world of the college football elite. The safest bet’s Notre Dame. Our money’s on Nebraska.
• Which coach on the hot seat will fall first? We’ll save you the trouble, it’s Mike Sherman at Texas A&M.
• Which mid-major will punch their ticket to a BCS bowl? We’ve gone on record that we think that it will be TCU. Don’t count out Boise State (went undefeated in the regular season last year with a freshman QB). Utah and BYU are both contenders as well.