Countdown To Kickoff: Storylines For 2012
ESPN.com
There are plenty of storylines for the 2012 season. Here are 10 we can't wait to see:
1. TCU and West Virginia move to the Big 12/Texas A&M and Missouri move to the SEC.
After the latest round of conference realignment, the Big 12 welcomes the Horned Frogs and Mountaineers to its league and the SEC adds the Aggies and Tigers. Fans of all four schools might need maps to locate their new rivals.
2. Urban Meyer returns to coaching at Ohio State/Rich Rodriguez tries to build a winner at Arizona/Mike Leach lands at Washington State.
Some big-name coaches are returning to college football in 2012. Meyer, who guided Florida to two BCS national championships, takes over at Ohio State. Rodriguez, who was fired at Michigan, landed at Arizona, and Leach, who was fired by Texas Tech, was hired at Washington State.
3. SEC goes for seven BCS national championships in a row.
Can anyone slow the SEC? The country's pre-eminent conference won its sixth BCS national championship in a row in 2011, when Alabama defeated LSU 21-0 in January. Those two teams, along with Arkansas, Georgia and South Carolina, might be BCS title contenders in 2012.
4. Bill O'Brien replaces iconic Penn State coach Joe Paterno and takes over a scandal-ridden program.
Perhaps no coach has ever inherited a more difficult job than O'Brien, who replaces Paterno, college football's all-time winningest coach. For the first time since 1966, someone other than Paterno will be leading the Nittany Lions.
5. Stanford tries to remain a top-10 program without quarterback Andrew Luck.
The Cardinal were able to survive without former coach Jim Harbaugh, who left to coach the San Francisco 49ers after the 2010 season. Can Stanford remain relevant without Luck, the No. 1 pick in April's NFL draft?
6. Defending BCS national champion Alabama tries to rebuild its stingy defense.
Alabama will have to replace many of the defensive stars that helped it win its second BCS national championship in three seasons. Gone are linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw, cornerbacks DeQuan Menzie and Dre Kirkpatrick, and All-American safety Mark Barron.
7. Interim coach John L. Smith takes over at Arkansas after Bobby Petrino was fired.
Arkansas might be good enough to challenge Alabama and LSU in the SEC West, but the Razorbacks will have to do it without Petrino, who was fired for lying about an affair with an employee. Smith, who coached at Michigan State and Louisville, was hired on an interim basis.
8. Florida, Florida State and Miami try to return to national prominence.
The Gators and Hurricanes will again try to return to the sport's upper echelon after struggling last season. Florida State seems the closest to getting there and will enter the season ranked in the top 10 of most preseason polls. Meanwhile, the Gators will look to rebound from a 7-6 finish in coach Will Muschamp's first season.
9. Matt Barkley returns at quarterback to lead No. 1 USC.
After two years of NCAA probation and no bowl games, the Trojans are a popular choice to finish No. 1 in 2012. Barkley, who passed up the NFL draft to return to USC for his senior season, leads what should be one of the country's most prolific passing games.
10. The long, slow death of the Big East.
Can the Big East survive without many of its marquee programs? TCU and West Virginia have already left, and Pitt and Syracuse are close to walking out the door. The Big East added new members from coast to coast, but is it too little, too late?
Game On: Top Matchups
ESPN.com
The top 10 games for the 2012 season:
1. Alabama versus Michigan (Arlington, Texas), Sept. 1 Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson gets his chance against Alabama at Jerry's World. The Crimson Tide, the defending BCS national champions, have to rebuild much of their stingy defense.
2. Florida at Texas A&M, Sept. 8 The Aggies will play their first SEC game against the Gators at Kyle Field in College Station. The SEC opener also will be the first big test for new Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin, who guided Houston to a 13-1 record in 2011.
3. Alabama at Arkansas, Sept. 15 Arkansas lost two games last season -- to Alabama and LSU, which played for the BCS national championship. If the Razorbacks are going to defeat the Crimson Tide this season, they'll have to do a better job of protecting quarterback Tyler Wilson.
4. Georgia at South Carolina, Oct. 6 The biggest game of the SEC East season moves from Week 2 to early October. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier has always enjoyed beating the Bulldogs, who enter the 2012 season with lofty expectations.
5. Oklahoma versus Texas (Dallas), Oct. 13 The Longhorns will try to end a two-game losing streak to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game at the Cotton Bowl. OU handed the Longhorns a 55-17 whipping last season.
6. Notre Dame at Oklahoma, Oct. 27 The Fighting Irish travel to Norman to play the Sooners, nearly 55 years to the day since they ended OU's 47-game winning streak with a 7-0 upset on Nov. 16, 1957.
7. Alabama at LSU, Nov. 3 The teams played twice last season, with LSU winning 9-6 in overtime in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and the Crimson Tide winning 21-0 in the BCS Championship Game in New Orleans. What will the stakes bring this time?
8. Oregon at USC, Nov. 3 USC quarterback Matt Barkley ripped the Ducks for 323 passing yards with four touchdowns in a 38-35 victory at Oregon last season. The loss ended the Ducks' 21-game home winning streak, which was the longest in the country.
9. Oklahoma at West Virginia, Nov. 17 Might West Virginia contend for a Big 12 championship in its first season in the league? Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith will try to shred OU's defense, which struggled against many Big 12 quarterbacks last season.
10. Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 24 First-year Michigan coach Brady Hoke guided the Wolverines to a 40-34 victory over the Buckeyes last season, their first win in the rivalry since 2003. New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will try to flip momentum in his first game against Michigan.
Forward Thinking: Predictions
ESPN.com
Danny O'Brien is no Russell Wilson. The newest upperclassman quarterback to transfer to Wisconsin won't push the Badgers to the Rose Bowl. Wilson led the nation in passing efficiency; more important, he was the kind of leader who arrived on campus in August and immediately got the locker room behind him. O'Brien showed neither those athletic nor people skills at Maryland.
Derek Dooley will be fired before the end of the season. I hope I'm wrong. Dooley is a good, ethical coach. But the signs are there -- a traditional power (Tennessee) stuck in mediocrity with restless fans and a new athletic director (Dave Hart). Dooley took over a program in turmoil two seasons ago after Lane Kiffin's 12-month misrule. Injuries last season exposed a lack of depth. Executing a one-season turnaround in the tough SEC is like pulling to an inside straight.
Ohio State will win nine games. North Carolina State will win 10. Don't forget -- the Buckeyes won't play a 13th game in 2012. But a slightly less intense Urban Meyer will stoke a young team to match his level of fire. Ohio State plays at Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin and will win at least one of those games. Cal, the toughest nonconference opponent, comes to the Shoe. The Wolfpack have a senior quarterback, one of the most experienced offensive lines in the nation and the best defensive back in the game in David Amerson.
Florida State is back The Seminoles went 9-4 last season despite a rash of injuries. They are healthy now, have two very good quarterbacks and two of their most talented athletes -- wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and tailback James Wilder Jr. -- are second-year players. This team will only get better.
Joe Southwick will play better than Nick Florence or Brett Nottingham or Josh Nunes. Southwick, Boise State's junior quarterback, can do more of what Kellen Moore did well than Florence, the Baylor senior, can replicate the derring-do of Heisman winner Robert Griffin III. Florence has an edge in experience, going 2-6 as a freshman starter in 2009 after Griffin tore his ACL. Nottingham and Nunes are battling to replace Andrew Luck as Stanford quarterback. Neither has done more than mop up.
Oklahoma State will return to reality. Mike Gundy has matured into a formidable coach for his alma mater. But the Cowboys lose the best receiver in the nation (Justin Blackmon) and the coolheaded quarterback, 28-year-old Brandon Weeden, who found him downfield. The step down from 12-1 and a No. 3 finish is inevitable. How far down depends on how a young team handles its inherited success.
Florida State and Clemson will move to the Big 12. Once upon a time, tradition, geography and commitment counted for something. But the last two years have proved that money makes the decisions. There's one other issue at play -- Florida State and Clemson are football-first athletic departments. The ACC loves its hoops. The next question -- does the ACC look to raid the Big East? Of course it does.
"College Football Live"
"College Football Live" will be counting down the 100 Days Till Kickoff on Tuesday's show. Tune in to ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET for more analysis and predictions from ESPN's experts.
Blog Network: 100 days countdown
As part of "College Football Live's" 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, the bloggers look at the top 10 players from each league.
Out with the old, in with the new. The ACC lost talent from 2011, but there are plenty of players who are ready to make their mark.
ACC
The Big 12 will be led by its quarterbacks in 2012. Geno Smith is a newcomer to the league, but expect the senior to put up big numbers for West Virginia.
Big 12
Pitt RB Ray Graham and DT Aaron Donald are two of the best players in the Big East. Who else made the list?
Big East
Two talented running backs (Wisconsin's Montee Ball and Nebraska's Rex Burkhead) lead the pack in the Big Ten's player rankings.
Big Ten
USC QB Matt Barkley posted huge numbers last season. Expect more of the same in 2012. He is the clear choice for the top spot.
Pac-12
Georgia's Jarvis Jones emerged as the most dynamic big-play defender in the SEC and is one of those players who can take over a game.
SEC
Manti Te'o and Tyler Eifert passed up the NFL to return to Notre Dame. The Irish are glad they did.
Notre Dame
Non-BCS/ND Storylines
1. Boise State, without Kellen Moore, opens at Michigan State with essentially an entirely new team. Six former Broncos were taken in April's NFL draft -- and that doesn't include the biggest of them all, the winningest QB in NCAA history. Coach Chris Petersen will look for another strong season, starting with another tough opener, this time in East Lansing.
2. Last year of the WAC as we know it, everybody but New Mexico State and Idaho has jumped ship to a new conference. The game of musical chairs is ongoing, but it looks like these two programs are without a seat at the conference realignment table. Who leaves first? Last? Who welcomes either (or both) of these programs before the lights are officially turned off?
3. How does Gus Malzahn do in Year 1 at Arkansas State? "In Gus We Trust" is the rallying cry in Jonesboro … er, "Gusboro." The possibilities once looked bigger for the former Auburn offensive coordinator, who had drawn interest from BCS schools. But Malzahn will look to build off the Red Wolves's 10-win 2011 campaign.
4. Several top non-AQs lose their star QBs -- Boise State (Moore), Houston (Case Keenum), Tulsa (G.J. Kinne), Southern Miss (Austin Davis), San Diego State (Ryan Lindley), Northern Illinois (Chandler Harnish) The little guys struggle for attention, and nothing draws attention better than a strong signal-caller. Except, of course, a big upset. With no record-setters (Moore and Keenum) at QB in 2012, the non-BCS schools will have to make their national mark during marquee nonconference matchups.
5. Can BYU make a serious run? Cougars have a senior QB in Riley Nelson, and BYU thrives when it has senior leadership at the position. A September slate featuring two BCS conference opponents -- in addition to Boise State -- means the Cougars will have to earn their stripes early. Later games against Oregon State, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech won't exactly lighten the load, but they provide Nelson with a great chance to go out with a bang.
6. Can Navy make it back to a bowl game? Big opener versus Notre Dame in Ireland. And another very big game following that at Penn State. The Midshipmen lost a lot of heartbreakers last season, and QB Trey Miller will have to build off 2011 and help Navy take care of business when the opportunities present themselves in 2012.
7. Who will challenge Boise State as the top non-AQ this season, and will there be a non-AQ BCS buster? Appears to be slim pickings in 2012. If Malzahn wants to turn Arkansas State into "The Boise State of the South," 2012 wouldn't be a bad time, as he returns a fifth-year QB and will have a couple of good measuring-stick games early in Oregon and Nebraska.
8. Tommy Rees' future. Rees recently pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor charges stemming from an off-campus party. He was already trying to fend off three other QBs in working to become the 2012 starter, and that now looks like less of a possibility for the only QB on the roster with any starting experience.
9. Notre Dame's ridiculously tough schedule. The Irish never have an easy week, facing rivals like Michigan, Michigan State, Stanford and USC annually. But 2012 takes it to a new level, with teams like Oklahoma, Miami and BYU on the slate, in addition to an opener versus Navy in Dublin.
10. Is Year 3 the year Brian Kelly takes the Irish to a BCS game? See above. The schedule makes this an awfully difficult challenge, especially for a team with QB questions. But the Irish return All-Americans Tyler Eifert and Manti Te'o. They also boast a strong front seven and have loads of offensive talent, in addition to a familiar approach after two seasons under Kelly.
More Predictions: Heisman, title
Heisman finalists: Matt Barkley, Landry Jones, Montee Ball, Robert Woods, Marcus Lattimore Barkley has the talent and the name recognition to get to New York. Woods will join him, because we saw this spring how Barkley struggled without him. Jones, as the senior quarterback in a point-happy offense, will have the numbers. Ball and Lattimore will be the two best running backs in offenses that will get them the carries.
Heisman winner: Ball Barkley and Woods will be such an item for the Trojans that voters won't shift toward one or the other. Lattimore, a South Carolina junior tailback, may struggle early as he recovers from an ACL tear. Ball will be the focus of a running attack that is perennially potent and has a question mark at quarterback. As a 2011 finalist, Ball also has name recognition.
National champ: Oregon over LSU Both teams return a lot of defensive talent from their top-five teams of 2011. Tailbacks Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas will lead the Ducks' attack. LSU's offense can be only better than last season, and Alabama comes to Baton Rouge this time. Oregon must play at USC, yes, but in the rematch in the Pac-12 championship game, the Trojans' lack of numbers will catch up to them.
That's A (Spring) Wrap
Spring is the time for fresh starts. Change is also a common theme in spring practice, both for the good and the bad. Ivan Maisel
Haney: Va. Tech among spring sleepers 
Conference wraps: ACC | Big 12 | Big East
Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC | Nation blog
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