10 storylines to follow throughout the college season

It goes without saying that we primarily watch college football for the drama of the wins and losses, the study of the X’s and O’s and the exquisite juxtaposition of joy and pain that comes with following our favorite teams. But even for the casual fan, there are plenty of compelling reasons — like these 10 — to follow not just your chosen squad or conference, but also the big picture of this glorious game.

1. Which head coach will be most successful at his new program? There sure are a lot of options to choose from in this category — 21 FBS coaches in new roles, to be precise. So who wins the coveted class superlative of “Most Likely to Succeed?” After an impressive stint as Penn State’s OC, Joe Moorhead has inherited a Mississippi State roster that’s loaded with talent and looks ready to roll right off the bat. Then there are programs like Nebraska and UCLA…clearly in the rebuilding stages but hyped on home run hires in Scott Frost and Chip Kelly, respectively.

2. Which current head coach will be looking for work come December? For every team starting fresh with a new coaching era, there’s another struggling with the status quo. As for whose seat looks the hottest to start the season, let’s just say the name rhymes with Shmed Shmorgeron. LSU has some serious winning to do if Coach O wants to be around in 2019 and a schedule that could be quite conducive to, well, not winning. Meanwhile, keep an eye on the blue bloods. Michigan, Notre Dame and USC, while not in states of abject failure under their current coaches, are all in the position of needing a playoff berth in the near future if their head honchos are to expect continued job security.

3. The Urban Meyer Saga The conclusion of the investigation in this case, and subsequent three-game suspension issued to Ohio State’s skipper, doesn’t seem to have marked the end of the story. Since OSU announced its decision, fired assistant Zach Smith took to Twitter to complain about the handling of the case by the media and the university administration, and the school itself released several of the documents used in the investigation, promising more in the coming months. How will all of this affect the Buckeyes’ on-field product? That will be the question hanging over every Ohio State game this season.

4. Uniform tracker, 2018 edition It’s not all super serious — football is entertainment, after all, and in the last decade that’s come to include the players’ game-day threads. We credit Oregon with starting the trend, and we can still count on the Ducks to debut some of the sickest sartorial choices in the country each year. But now it’s not just a contest for the coolest unis on the block. You can count on at least one team to take a risk that doesn’t work (Maryland’s 2011-12 Pride uniforms come to mind) and will live in infamy for all the wrong reasons.

5. Transfers set to make a splash Let’s call it the Cam Newton effect: the hype and hope that surrounds a program when a flashy new transfer comes to town. This year, Michigan is hoping for an ending like Newton’s 2010-11 run at Auburn. The transfer attracting the most attention is Shea Patterson, who defected from Ole Miss to play for the Wolverines and is widely considered to be the missing piece Jim Harbaugh has needed to get over the hump.

6. Will a new team break into the playoff bracket? In the young four-season history of the College Football Playoff, only nine different teams have earned a berth. Is this the year that a West Virginia, a Penn State or even a Group of Five team will have its say? Or will the continued domination by the Alabamas and Clemsons of the world prompt a six-or-eight team playoff expansion sooner rather than later?

7. Breakout player watch We know the players who have already proved themselves and are poised to shine again in 2018. But it happens every year — a total unknown becomes a household name. (I’m looking at you, Khalil Tate.) It’s impossible to predict who those guys might be, but it sure is gonna be fun to see who we’re talking about at season’s end.

8. NCAA rule changes With each new season comes a new set of rules. These days many of them are aimed at increasing player safety and for the most part won’t affect the way we watch the game. But one or two a year do seem to make a real impact. This season, the rule change attracting the most attention affects the kickoff return, seen as one of the moments with the most potential for danger in the game. Teams can call for a fair catch inside the 25-yard line, resulting in a touchback. Other changes include rules that target pace of play, blocks below the waist and penalty enforcement on field goals.

9. Emergence of great nicknames Much like the difficulty of predicting breakout players, predicting the year’s most awesome nicknames is an exercise in futility. Not everyone can be Johnny Football. The best of 2017 might have to be the anointing of West Virginia’s Will Grier as “Touchdown Jesus,” coined due to the combination of his great head of hair and success at finding the end zone. Here’s hoping 2018 yields others that are just as catchy.

10. Most-viral moment In our digital age, it’s not just about watching the actual game. It’s about engaging fans on social media and getting in on the latest viral video trends (Mannequin Challenge or Running Man dance, anyone?). The “In My Feelings” challenge is already feeling a little stale, so look for athletic departments to move onto the next craze, whatever that may be.