The 10 intriguing storylines to watch for in college football

Here are the Top 10 college football storylines to watch:

1. Michigan’s opening

Before Jim Harbaugh came back to campus, the Wolverines had failed to win double-digit games in six of the previous seven years. Since their former quarterback’s return in 2015, Michigan has won 10 games on three occasions, but a playoff berth and Big Ten title game appearance have remained elusive largely due to Ohio State.

Now, Urban Meyer is gone, and Harbaugh has his chance to break through, following four straight losses to the Buckeyes. Harbaugh’s job isn’t in jeopardy, but another disappointing finish will only increase the pressure on the coach expected to bring Michigan back into contention for its first national championship since 1997.

2. Marquee quarterback transfers

Fewer big names change uniforms in the NFL than in the FBS. Former Alabama starter Jalen Hurts — who has appeared in each of the past three national title games — could become the third straight Oklahoma quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy. Last year’s No. 1 dual-threat recruit in the country, Justin Fields, will start under center at Ohio State, following a losing battle with Jake Fromm at Georgia. Jacob Eason, who previously lost the starting job to Fromm, debuts at Washington. Kelly Bryant, who departed Clemson after being replaced by Trevor Lawrence last season, is at Missouri, and Brandon Wimbush, who departed Notre Dame after being replaced by Ian Book last season, is at UCF.

3. Pac-12 rebound?

The playoff era began with Oregon in the national title game, led by Heisman winner Marcus Mariota. The Pac-12 has struggled to defend its power conference reputation ever since, having been excluded from three of the past four playoffs while struggling to keep up with its supposed peers in revenue and recruiting. Washington, Oregon, USC and Utah will likely battle for conference supremacy this season, but an undefeated run might be the only way a playoff berth is possible for a team from a league garnering such little respect right now.

4. Hot seats

In a Pac-12 annually fighting for relevancy, USC’s inability to recapture its former glory looks even worse. Clay Helton, who has been on the Trojans’ staff since 2010 and in charge since 2016, just led USC to its first losing season in 18 years and could struggle to survive the fallout from the potential ousting of athletic director Lynn Swann. Rutgers’ Chris Ash doesn’t face high expectations but could face the same fate, coming off a 1-11 season which brought him to 7-29 through three seasons. Illinois’ Lovie Smith and UConn’s Randy Edsall, among others, could soon face trouble, too.

5. Group of Five playoff hopes

It isn’t impossible. But it also won’t happen anytime soon. UCF was never considered despite back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, and the best the Group of Five teams — 3-2 against power conference foes in New Year’s Six bowls — can do is keep mounting pressure for playoff expansion. Even without injured star quarterback McKenzie Milton, UCF could run the table again. New Houston coach Dana Holgorsen and quarterback D’Eriq King could outscore anyone and enter the playoff conversation with a tightrope run through a schedule that includes Oklahoma and Washington State. Boise State and Utah State will also be in the New Year’s Six mix, but even a three-loss SEC champ would likely have a better shot making the playoff than a perfect Group of Five team.

6. Can anyone put a stop to the Clemson/Alabama stranglehold on the sport?

It will be the storyline of the season, whether there is a team capable of putting a dent in the Clemson and Alabama dominance. The two superpowers have met in three of the past four national title games, with each winning two crowns. The best bet is Georgia, which nearly upset the Crimson Tide in the national title game the year before last, came close to knocking them off in last year’s SEC championship game, and has the kind of depth and difference-making athletes that makes Alabama and Clemson so formidable.

7. Can Notre Dame build off its stunning playoff berth?

If the Irish get there, they will have earned it — with trips to Georgia, Stanford and Michigan. Quarterback Ian Book should be even better in his second year as the starter for the Irish after leading them to the playoff, though the losses of leading rusher Dexter Williams and top receiver Miles Boykin won’t be easy to overcome. Notre Dame could be a better team this year but finish with a worse record. Reaching a New Year’s Six bowl would be a significant accomplishment, even more impressive than last year’s undefeated run because it would signify sustained success.

8. The Year of the Wide Receiver

Last year’s Fred Biletnikoff Award winner, Alabama junior Jerry Jeudy, is back, and he’s just one of a collection of dynamic receivers poised to electrify the nation this season. There is Purdue’s Rondale Moore, who led the Big Ten with 114 catches for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns; Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace, the 2018 leader in catches (63) of 10 yards or more; and Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr., who produced five games of 100-plus yards and double-digit reception in the nine games he appeared. Then there is Clemson duo Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins, a speedy pair who combined for 105 receptions and 21 touchdown catches a year ago.

9. Past powers ready to rise

There are real expectations at Florida and Texas, proud programs that had fallen on hard times. They might be ready for national relevancy and to contend for the playoff. Both were ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 10 — Florida was eighth and Texas 10th — and though neither is favored to win its respective league, the two schools have relatively new coaches coming off strong seasons with high-caliber quarterbacks in place. Texas last year won double-digit games for the first time in nine seasons, and Florida finished with its highest ranking (seventh) since 2009.

10. Is Syracuse here to stay?

After guiding Syracuse to its first 10-win season in 17 years, Dino Babers has the Orange ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1998. That was Donovan McNabb’s senior year. Now Babers has to build on the hype that has been generated. In the watered-down ACC, there’s no reason Syracuse can’t reach a New Year’s Six bowl game. Especially if stud defensive linemen Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman and playmaking safety Andre Cisco, among others, live up to expectations.

Coaches in new places

Ryan Day (Ohio State)

Urban Meyer left Columbus after seven seasons with a national championship, an undefeated season, a pair of playoff appearances, three Big Ten titles and an 83-9 record. Best of luck to the 39-year-old taking his place. Day, who is Ohio State’s first full-time head coach since 1946 without previous experience, was promoted from offensive coordinator after filling in for three games during Meyer’s suspension last season. He developed his philosophy while playing quarterback for Chip Kelly at New Hampshire.

Les Miles (Kansas)

The “Mad Hatter” returns to the sideline for the first time since being fired in the midst of his 12th season at LSU in 2016. He brings a national championship pedigree to a Jayhawks team that has gone 18-90 under three different head coaches since 2010. Miles, 65, had 13.8 million reasons to love the job waiting in Lawrence.

Manny Diaz (Miami)

Last December, Diaz planned on making his head-coaching debut with Temple, but the Miami native resigned after less than three weeks on the job to accept the position vacated by the retiring Mark Richt. Diaz, 45, spent the past three seasons as the Hurricanes’ defensive coordinator and helped bring the program back into the spotlight while adopting the team’s beloved Turnover Chain.

Mack Brown (North Carolina)

The Tar Heels are looking to the past for future prosperity. The 67-year-old Brown — who led North Carolina from 1988-97 and posted top-10 seasons his last two years at Chapel Hill before beginning a stint in Texas that included a national championship — hasn’t coached since being forced out by the Longhorns after the 2013 season. The 10th-winningest coach in FBS history takes over a team that went 5-18 the past two seasons but was riddled by injuries.

Chris Klieman (Kansas State)
Bill Snyder retired … again. Following the departure of the 79-year-old namesake of the school’s stadium, who led the Wildcats for a total of 27 years over two stints, Kansas State made Klieman the first FCS coach to take over a Power Five job in more than a decade. Klieman, 51, spent the past five years as head coach at North Dakota State, leading the Bison to four national championships.

Top freshman to watch

RB Zach Charbonnet, Michigan

The big and fast four-star freshman from Los Angeles can fill Michigan’s biggest need: a No. 1 running back. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Charbonnet ran for 1,795 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior at Oaks Christian High School.

DE K.J. Henry, Clemson

After watching and learning last year as a redshirt, the former five-star recruit is ready for his star turn, and Clemson’s defense is counting on his production after star defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant moved on to the NFL.

DE Nolan Smith, Georgia

The top-ranked incoming recruit in the country has already earned a nickname, “Hammerhead,” because he likes collisions. A 6-foot-3, 235-pound monster on the edge, Smith has run a 4.55 40-yard dash, elite speed for a man his size.

CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

Defensive Back U. has another future pro in the speedy 6-foot-1 cornerback. An early enrollee, the true freshman will get tested immediately in Week 2 against Texas star Collin Johnson.

DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
The 6-foot-5, 242-pound specimen showcased his immense promise in the Oregon spring game — notching two tackles, one sack, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. The development of the nation’s second-ranked recruit will be essential to the Ducks winning a Pac-12 crown.