An Early Look At College Football

With the schedules coming out and less than 100 days before the season starts, it's time to take a look at what to watch for in this upcoming college football season.  Alabama without question is the favorite to win the National Championship yet again.  But will the Crimson Tide win a record three straight BCS titles?  Can anybody stop the SEC's seven year reign as BCS champs?  Let's take a look at a few of the other top contenders.

Three teams other than Alabama to win a National Title

Ohio State - Last year, Urban Meyer's first season with the team, the Buckeyes were undefeated at 12-0.  OSU was not bowl eligible because of NCAA sanctions but have a have a great chance of challenging for a national title this year behind quarterback Braxton Miller.  They lost a lot on defense but after a great recruiting class where six of their top eight recruits were on that side of the ball they definitely filled some holes.  As for their schedule, it works in their favor as the only tests they'll face on the road are Cal and Michigan.  Seeing Wisconsin at home and not playing Michigan State or Nebraska is a big help in going for back-to-back undefeated seasons and reaching the national championship game.

Texas A&M - Having the current Heisman trophy winner, Johnny Manziel, on your roster is a huge help when making a championship run.  Playing in the SEC, however, makes that run a little more difficult.  On his way to the Heisman, Manziel finished with 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns in the air and 1,409 yards with 29 touchdowns on the ground.  Teams will obviously adjust their focus to the QB but stopping him is easier said than done.  The loss of Ryan Swope is a big hit for the Aggies passing attack but last years leading receiver, Mike Evans, is only a sophomore.  The team is also bringing in a handful of wide receiver recruits.  Johnny Football and A&M kind of lucked out with their schedule, if that's possible in the SEC.  They don't have to play Florida or Georgia from the SEC East and get Alabama at home.  But, they do have to travel to Arkansas and Ole Miss during the season then LSU and Missouri to close out the year.

Oregon - Even with former head coach Chip Kelly leaving for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Oregon Ducks offense still can't be slowed down.  Kelly will be replaced by offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, while quarterback Marcus Mariotta and running back De'Anthony Thomas are both back to run the offense.  Mariotta is looking to improve on a really good freshman year in which he threw for 2,677 yards, 32 TD's and only 6 interceptions.  As for Thomas, he finally will see a starting role after showing signs of greatness playing behind LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner his first two seasons.  Oregon will look to avenge it's OT loss to Stanford (which probably cost them the title game) but will have to do it on the road if they want to reach the BCS title game.

Other teams to watch - Georgia, Louisville, Florida State


What about the Heisman?  Johnny Manziel came out of nowhere to win it last year as a freshman.  But can he join Ohio State's Archie Griffin as the only players ever to win the award twice?  Here are some other players to watch.

Three players other than Johnny Manziel to win the Heisman

Braxton Miller, QB Ohio State - Under the tutelage of Urban Meyer, Miller transformed into a legit duel threat quarterback throwing for 2,039 yards and rushing for 1,271 with 28 total touchdowns.  He improved a lot from his freshman year and with having more experience under Meyer we can expect the trend to continue.  We all saw what Meyer did with Tim Tebow (2007 Heisman winner) at Florida and he will look to lead Miller to the Heisman as well in 2013.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB Louisville - After an impressive performance against Florida in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Bridgewater is a player everybody is looking at to have a Heisman worthy season.  He finished last year with a 68.5 completion percentage, 3,718 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight INT's.  He has the athleticism and speed to be a running quarterback but rarely scrambles.  Instead he uses his ability to avoid the rush and find an open receiver down field.  Louisville's schedule is definitely one that is favorable to run the table and in turn will give Bridgewater more publicity down the home stretch of the year.

Jadeveon Clowney, DE South Carolina - We all remember this hit on Michigan running back Vincent Smith in last year's Outback Bowl.  Since then, Clowney's name was instantly thrust into Heisman talks as well as being seen as the top prospect for the 2014 NFL draft.  He finished the season with 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss.  He was also sixth a year ago in Heisman voting and if he takes home the trophy in 2013 he will be the first defensive player since Michigan's Charles Woodson in 1997 to do so.

Other players to watch - Georgia QB Aaron Murray, Alabama QB AJ McCarron, USC wide receiver Marqise Lee


The season will be here before we know it and the answers to these questions will start to unfold.  And I wouldn't be shocked if at the end of the year the National Champion and Heisman winner are not from these lists.  A year ago Notre Dame reached the title game after being unranked in the preseason AP poll and nobody predicted Manziel, Manti Te'o and Collin Klein to be any of the three finalists for the Heisman trophy.  That's the beauty of sports, we never really know what's going to happen.  But we all seem to think we do.