In Year 147 of college football, we’re crazier than ever for our sport.
Yes, it’s been that long since Princeton and Rutgers squared off in a contest that we would barely recognize today. But we use that first game as a touchstone for a lot of what we hold dear even now in 2015.
Without that reasonable facsimile, there’d be no traditions -- tailgating, signing day, kissing your date after every touchdown, Rick Neuheisel’s guitar.
Thankfully, we’re crazy still for those traditions. They’re still what the game is built on. For 15 or so years in this space, CBS Sports has posted another tradition that has been a labor of love.
These are the 25 Things To Watch for the upcoming season. Enjoy.
1. … with a bullet: It would be tough to describe the Buckeyes repeating as a surprise. The news will be if Ohio State doesn’t win a second straight national championship. No team in the history of the AP Top 25 has ever been a bigger preseason favorite than Ohio State. It’s hard to find a publication that didn’t pick the Buckeyes No. 1. (They were a nearly unanimous choice in the CBS Sports Preseason 128.)
And for good reason. Ohio State former two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Braxton Miller, is now at H-back. Its former third-string quarterback considered the NFL draft after only three starts. Four Buckeyes made CBS Sports 2015 Preseason All-America team.
2. Coaches behaving badly: And we were worried about players becoming entitled? Coaches’ conduct has become the top offseason topic, if only lately.
Nick Saban accepted a Georgia transfer accused of sexual misconduct. Steve Sarkisian mixed his meds with alcohol. Baylor’s Art Briles took a sketchy transfer. And it all peaked, hopefully, last week when Illinois’ Tim Beckman was fired after allegations of player abuse.
Skyrocketing salaries seemingly have spawned a different, more powerful coach. Sometimes accountability doesn’t follow. Mix that at the altar at which we worship King Football, and it’s a wicked brew. The profession should be scrutinized and criticized after a shameful offseason. If these were players, we’d be calling them out of control. As coaches, they’re still called heroes … if they win.
What do they say about absolute power?
3. Harball: A guy who hasn’t coached a college game in four years is the biggest individual story of the offseason. Whether it was satellite camps or going shirtless at them, Jim Harbaugh seemed to be a daily libretto.
Quirky doesn’t even begin to describe him. We now know of Harbaugh’s undying love of both Bo Schembechler and Cracker Barrel. His track record suggests the Wolverines will go bowling this year and contend for bigger things soon -- very soon.
4. Rise of the Big Ten: A national championship for the first time in 12 years … a Michigan Man returns … Wisconsin not dropping off under Paul Chryst … three Heisman Trophy candidates at Ohio State … Michigan State a dark horse that would otherwise be a favorite.
Yup, the Large 14 is back.
5. Ten Year War II: Bo and Woody competed against each other daily in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry for a decade from 1969-78. Harbaugh and Meyer may not play against each other for a decade, but the college football world cannot wait. The rivalry is about to rise to levels not seen since Bo and Woody. Reserve the Barcalounger for Nov. 28 for Big House viewing.
6. The country’s best coach: The discussion changed overnight. Meyer is now is regarded by many as the best coach in the game after Ohio State’s unlikely championship.
The discussion also isn’t going away anytime soon. With a 13-year advantage, how many more titles can Meyer win, and will he threaten Bear Bryant’s record? Back-to-back titles would tie Meyer for second place all-time with Nick Saban and Notre Dame’s Frank Leahy.
7. The coach of the year: Yes, there’s a difference. This honor usually goes to the coach who overachieves to the largest degree. Last year at this time, Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson was on the hot seat. This year, his Yellow Jackets have the ability to win the ACC -- and beyond.
Georgia Tech won 11 games, beating Clemson, Georgia and Mississippi State along the way. Its schedule is the toughest since the 1990s. Johnson’s spread-option offense led by Justin Thomas is one of the toughest to face.
8. College Football Playoff -- Year 2: Archie Manning and Oliver Luck are out. Bobby Johnson and Kirby Hocutt are in. After that, we don’t know what exactly the Thoughtful 13 on the CFP Selection Committee will be considering. Last year, the committee favored conference champions playing a conference championship game.
Manning left the committee citing a serious of ailments and personal obligations. Luck, the former West Virginia athletic director, moved on to the NCAA. Johnson is the fourth former coach on the committee joining Tyrone Willingham, Tom Osborne and Barry Alvarez. Hocutt, the Texas Tech AD, should satisfy Art Briles’ contention the committee needs “a connection on there that is familiar with the Big 12 Conference.”
9. CFP on NYE … I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked about this over the last few months. The CFP semifinals this year will be played on what is traditionally the biggest party day/night of the year. Some act as if playing meaningful football games on New Year’s Eve is going is to shred the space/time/party continuum. Folks can’t possibly revel, drink and watch Ryan Seacrest at the same time Nick Saban is ripping Lane Kiffin a new one.
Better minds than ours have calculated that people will actually watch the semifinals which matter this year. The two games, which have yet to be given designated times, will kick on Thursday, Dec. 31 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Yes, that means the second semifinal (whichever that may be) could still be going on at midnight.
Kiss your date, grab a handful of chips and get back to your high definition television. Look at it this way: The CFP could be the perfect spice for New Year’s Eve parties that suck.
10. … is better than games on Jan. 2? Playoff executives refused to consider ESPN’s suggestion of moving their semifinals to Saturday, Jan. 2. The move made perfect sense. The New Year’s Day bowls would be a nice appetizer before the meat of the semifinals the next day.
What do they say in show business -- always leave them wanting more? Unfortunately, the CFP stood by its schedule, not wanting to move the calendar around in Year 2 just for ratings. (We’ll pause for an ironic chuckle. In case you haven’t noticed, the entire enterprise is all about ratings.)
11. Four to consider: On some timelines, Ohio State was supposed to arrive in 2015. Gulp. TCU has the country’s best offensive player (quarterback Trevone Boykin) and best defensive play-caller (coach Gary Patterson). The SEC is still the most talented conference, top to bottom, and Alabama still has the best talent in that league. Even without Marcus Mariota, Oregon has the best group of skill players in Eugene since …?
12. New Year’s Six predictions: Let’s go with the winners of Ohio State/Oregon (Orange Bowl) and TCU/Alabama (Cotton Bowl) meeting for the title, Florida State and Georgia in the Peach Bowl, Arizona State and Boise State in the Fiesta, USC and Michigan State in the Rose, and Auburn and Baylor in the Sugar.
13. Didn’t you used to be the SEC? How did the first real mention of the Southeastern Conference come this far down at the list? Let’s try the word, “drought.” While the league has played for the national championship in nine consecutive seasons, it hasn’t won it all since 2012.
Is the SEC losing its grip? Stay tuned. The Pac-12 may be just as deep. TCU and Baylor are largely predicted to both make the playoff. If Notre Dame gets in, that eliminates at least two conferences from the CFP.
The only currency that counts is championships. SEC, you’re on the clock.
14. Violence against women: Sadly, physical and sexual attacks on women became a running narrative during the offseason. Saban was criticized for bringing in Jonathan Taylor, who was accused of assaulting a woman at Alabama. Baylor’s brand is under attack after a former football player was convicted of sexual assault against earlier this month. Oklahoma tailback Joe Mixon was allowed to return to the team after serving a year suspension. (He was accused of hitting a woman.)
Florida State’s had cases go both ways: Reserve freshman quarterback De’Andre Johnson was booted after video surfaced of him hitting a woman, while Heisman-caliber tailback Dalvin Cook was found not guilty of hitting a woman and immediately reinstated earlier this month.
Something has to be done. Start with Steve Spurrier. Why can’t more coaches be like him?
15. Graduate transfers: They are increasingly becoming an issue, especially for blind-spot coaches and administrators. What’s wrong with players who actually have their degree, using their last year of eligibility to play anywhere they want? Some want to hold those players to an unfair standard: They should actually get those graduate degrees.
We’ll be watching these grad transfers for their talent and God-given right to be eligible right away:
* Vernon Adams, QB (Eastern Washington to Oregon)
* Everett Golson, QB (Notre Dame to Florida State)
* Mason Halter, OL (Fordham to Florida)
* Jake Rudock, QB (Iowa to Michigan)
* Richard Mullaney, WR (Oregon State to Alabama)
16. Heisman watch:
Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU: The new Johnny Football without the old Johnny Football baggage.
Cody Kessler, QB, USC: Overshadowed by Mariota in breakout 2014, expect 40 touchdown passes for the Pac-12 favorites.
Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma: Most consistent player on an inconsistent team. With a new offensive coordinator, 2,000 rushing yards isn’t out of the question.
17. Best weeks of the season:
Nonconference: Sept. 17-19
Sept. 17: Clemson at Louisville
Sept 19: Auburn at LSU, Georgia Tech at Notre Dame, Stanford at USC
Intraconference: Nov. 19-21
Nov. 21: Baylor at Oklahoma State, Arizona at Arizona State, Georgia Tech at Miami, Michigan State at Ohio State, TCU at Oklahoma, Tennessee at Missouri, USC at Oregon, UCLA at Utah
18. Golden Ticket winner: For the second straight year, Boise State will win the Mountain West and be the highest-ranked Group of Five school grabbing the automatic berth in the New Year’s Six.
19. Three that used to be:
Oklahoma: Coming off a tie for his worst season at OU (8-5), there are questions galore for coach Bob Stoops -- quarterback, pass defense, why is Joe Mixon on the roster, for starters.
Miami: The Canes haven’t won double digit games in 11 years. They haven’t so much as won a single ACC division title, either.
Iowa: A total of seven wins over Power Five opponents the last two seasons. Take away a 10-3 record in 2012 and the Hawkeyes have averaged less than six wins per season this decade.
20. Three Four new breeds:
TCU, Baylor: These two programs are so far ahead of everyone else in the Big 12. Nothing’s going to change in the near future. That has to be highly embarrassing to Texas and Oklahoma.
Arkansas: Even with the season-ending injury to Jonathan Williams, the Hogs are going to be a factor under the innovative Bret Bielema.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs were No. 1 for a month last year. They have the SEC’s best quarterback (Dak Prescott). Dan Mullen is completely happy.
21. Is Notre Dame back? It depends who you believe. The Irish have been ranked as high as fourth. They’re 10th in the CBS Sports Preseason 128. Let’s just say the bowl game left a good impression.
Malik Zaire has thrown all of 35 passes in his career, 15 of those in an impressive Music Bowl performance against LSU. The Irish faded badly down the stretch in 2014 and play only four ranked teams this season. As such, there is trepidation with any Irish buy-in. Aside from USC, Notre Dame is one of the hardest to judge because of the wild-eyed optimism that surrounds it when the Irish are “good.”
22. Anniversaries:
1 -- year since Ohio State started the season ranked No. 5, then got into the first CFP on the last day of the season before winning the whole thing.
5 -- years since the solicitation by Cam Newton’s father almost overshadowed Auburn’s national championship in 2010.
8 -- years since Nick Saban went to Alabama in 2007. He’s entering his ninth season in Tuscaloosa.
10 -- years since the epic USC-Texas 2006 BCS title game. There were more than 40 future NFL draftees in the perhaps the most epic championship game ever.
25 -- years since the Fifth Down Game between Colorado and Missouri in 1990.
30 -- years since Oklahoma won its sixth national championship in 1985.
23. All-name team:
Offense
QB -- Blake Bogenschutz, Texas-San Antonio
RB -- Rushel Shell, West Virginia
RB -- Doroland Dorceus, Memphis
WR -- Bug Howard, North Carolina
WR -- J-Shun Harris, Indiana
WR -- Simms McElfresh, Appalachian State
OL -- Brynjar Gudmundsson, South Florida
OL -- Tobijah Hughley, Louisville
OL -- Chongo Kondolo, Nebraska
OL -- Viane Talamaivao, USC
OL -- Jonathan Boring, Troy
Defense
DL -- Praise Martin-Oguike, Temple
DL -- Silverberry Mouhon, Cincinnati
DL -- Folorunso Fatukasi, Connecticut
DL -- Dadi Nicholas, Virginia Tech
LB -- Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn
LB -- Charmeachealle Moore, Kansas State
LB -- Eric Striker, Oklahoma
DB -- Kwazel Bertrand, Navy
DB -- Arjen Colquhoun, Michigan State
DB -- Wonderful Terry, Western Kentucky
DB -- Felonte Misher, Old Dominion
24. In & Out:
In: Graduate transfers
Out: Graduate degrees
In: Auburn’s oaks
Out: Tiger Woods
In: Submarine mode
Out: All access
In: Unanimous No. 1 (Ohio State)
Out: Parity
In: Jim Harbaugh
Out: of mind, 14 other first-year coaches
In: Will Muschamp at Auburn
Out: Will Muschamp at Florida
25. Bold prediction: The ACC will add its own network and -- soon -- another team. Hint: A certain nationally known independent.
