23 compelling storylines, teams, coaches, players that will dominate the 2023 college football season

rewrite this content material with complete period and stay HTML tags Welcome to Year 154 of college football the place, nonetheless, some issues by no means alternate. They have been speaking about paying players (improperly) again in the nineteenth century. Coaches are nonetheless overrated and overhyped. Bowl video games are nonetheless a large deal. (Hey, what else are you going to look at in December?)This season would possibly as neatly be the leaping off level for the long term. It is the closing 12 months of the four-team College Football Playoff, in any case. We are on the verge of collapse of paying players (legally) past NIL. And realignment simply … may not … prevent. That’s why there will by no means be every other season like 2023. As Texas trainer Steve Sarkisian likes to mention, “adapt or die.” Deion Sanders is bringing in the similar of a small front-range mining the town to Colorado by the use of the switch portal. Jim Harbaugh has his perfect workforce ever at Michigan and is also a no-show in the first month.Look for some new blood in the CFP if the likes of USC will get scorching. Their doable excellence, together with that of Washington, is a part of a bittersweet farewell in 2023 of what was the “Conference of Champions.” The Pac-12 seems to have stored (a few of) its perfect for closing. Nevertheless, the recreation will undergo. Here are 23 issues to look at sooner than wading into Season 154.College football’s 23 for 20231. Georgia three-peat? The two-time reigning champions will try to win 3 nationwide titles in a row. That’s by no means been performed sooner than in the twine carrier technology (since 1936). And that’s all that counts. Before then, it is advisable win a countrywide championship by means of proclamation of the man’s ballot down the boulevard. These Bulldogs are on the verge of collapse of finishing the largest run of all time. Coach Kirby Smart has put in a tradition of “eating off the floor.” His players have purchased in. In the procedure, Smart has transform the smartest — and perfect — trainer in the recreation. Winning back-to-back titles has been achieved 13 occasions (by means of 8 other groups). Something all the time turns out to move flawed in the quest for No. 3. Don’t wager in opposition to those damn-fine Dawgs. Since the moment recreation of the 2021 season, most effective two groups had been inside of 9 issues of Georgia. 2. Turn it as much as 11: Both Clemson and Alabama are coming off utterly unacceptable seasons. Well, for them. Both gained 11 video games. (*23*) 11 have been tied for the program’s fewest since 2010. That was once the closing time Clemson misplaced greater than 3 video games (10-4). Worse, Clemson has overlooked back-to-back CFPs. If Alabama misses once more, it will be the first time it didn’t contend for a countrywide championship throughout consecutive seasons in the CFP technology. Nick Saban employed a 31-year-old offensive coordinator (Tommy Rees) to make things better. Dabo Swinney employed a 33-year-old offensive coordinator (Garrett Riley) to do the similar. That would possibly now not point out desperation, however it bears staring at what’s subsequent for the two powers – nonetheless technically in the center of their very own dynasties. 3. Neon Deion Goes To Boulder: Deion Sanders has big-timed us all. He most effective speaks to a couple of selected media dependable to the purpose. He’s all however instructed us he’s reinventing the recreation at Colorado. Prime Time has made the switch portal seem like the “Star Trek” transporter gadget. (Beam me up, Primey!) Fifty-one transfers had been introduced it for a makeover that is both going to revolutionize the recreation or purpose a public spectacle as a corridor of repute media celebrity falls in ingloriously quick. Sanders’ cult of character has already created sufficient momentum to transport the Buffaloes again into the Big 12. Whatever is subsequent, it is going to be a laugh as hell to look at. 4. Ohio State’s Michigan drawback: It looked like 30 seconds in the past when Ohio State had simply wrapped up its 8th consecutive win over Michigan, the second-longest streak in sequence historical past. Suddenly, the Buckeyes have not overwhelmed TTUN (The Team Up North) since 2019. They were given run out of The Shoe closing November, and questions are being requested. Chief amongst them, how is there power on a trainer in Ryan Day who has the recreation’s perfect lively profitable proportion (.882)? Day has misplaced six video games in his occupation, however two of the ones have are available consecutive seasons to the Wolverines, because of this there’s some form of power on the Buckeyes trainer. Get your popcorn in a position for the Nov. 25 assembly in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Before profitable the nationwide championship, sooner than profitable the Big Ten, Ohio State should beat Michigan to forestall a two-game shedding streak or … else? 5. Heisman Watch: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington: The No. 1 passer in the nation has two 1,000-yard receivers returning. Look for every other 10-win season and most likely a wonder Pac-12 name for the Huskies. Caleb, who?J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan: Almost all his guns go back. A shocking loss to TCU overshadowed McCarthy’s efficiency in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal. Armed with every other 12 months of information and expansion, he’s being regarded upon to guide the Wolverines to a countrywide championship.Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State: Past the accidents and unhappiness, Travis led the Seminoles to their first 10-win season since 2016 years. Next prevent … ACC name?Caleb Williams, QB, USC: There has been just one Heisman repeat. Williams may not be the moment. Voters will be in a position to transport on, and the protection as soon as once more will stay the Trojans from the CFP.Blake Corum, RB, Michigan: Harbaugh instructed the All-American to go away for the NFL. Corum, rehabbed from knee surgical operation, idea he had extra to end up. Look for a 1,700-yard season — no less than. 6. Coach of the Year — Kalen DeBoer, Washington: With realignment swirling and distracting out West, UW’s second-year trainer is just about construction the Huskies again to their powerhouse selves. Look for a wonder Pac-12 name this season using the arm of Penix. The offense was once a monster, moment nationally in 2022. The protection stepped forward in the moment part of the season. DeBoer gained 11 video games in his debut season on Montlake. Why can not there be a repeat with Oregon and Utah coming to the town? 7. Game of the 12 months — Texas at Alabama, Sept. 9: Texas has to win it if 2023 is in spite of everything going to be the 12 months it returns to prominence. Alabama can not have the funds for to lose, now not win the SEC and be expecting to make the CFP. Especially given there may be most definitely an SEC loss in the market lurking for the Crimson Tide and Georgia might roll thru its moderately simple time table. Last’s one-point Alabama win in Austin, Texas, was once a vintage. They’ll be convention opponents in a 12 months. 8. Team no person is speaking about: Last 12 months, it was once TCU and Tulane. This 12 months … take a look at Texas Tech. Coach Joey McGuire gained 8 video games in his first season. Quarterback Tyler Shough is 8-1 as a starter at TTU. Oregon, Houston and Kansas State come to Lubbock. Oklahoma is not on the time table. Watch Syracuse switch Steve Linton coming off the edge. 9. Player no person is speaking about: If not anything else, Rice QB JT Daniels will have to be a strolling, speaking analysis useful resource on the matter of the switch portal. The as soon as five-star prospect out of Southern California is at his fourth faculty in six years. In that span, Daniels has confronted 28 groups, performed in part of the FBS meetings (5), had his season ended by means of damage and gained a countrywide championship (with Georgia). Daniels is the highest-rated participant at school historical past. If the Owls are going to subject in any respect, Daniels will be the explanation why Rice posts its first profitable season since 2013. 10.  NIL slog: The identify, symbol and likeness dialogue is getting tedious. It’s like watching the solar all the way through an eclipse. You can not glance away. Unfortunately, we will have to concentrate all the way through the season as the NCAA continues to beg Congress for lend a hand, legislators attempt to grandstand for consideration, and athletes do numerous just right issues with their “corrupted” riches. Last month, Illinois defensive linemen Keith Randolph and Jer’Zhan Newton made up our minds to place up a lemonade stand for the afternoon. The pair donated the proceeds to the Salvation Army. It’s going to be OK, other folks. Whether the players finally end up being paid or now not, the video games will nonetheless be the factor on Saturday. 11. The Petrino Conundrum: After a disastrous 5-7 downturn in 2022, Jimbo Fisher made up our minds to move out and get him…