Top 12 NCAA football storylines for '08

SI Staff | Sep 5, 2008

Top 12 NCAA football storylines for '08

Another BCS crown for the SEC?

Peter Read Miller/SI

The loaded SEC looks to secure a third straight BCS title (and fourth in six seasons). Georgia, Florida, Auburn and LSU all begin the season with title aspirations.

Tebow's attempt to match Griffin

Jimmy DeFlippo/SI, Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow -- called the "greatest player of our era" by coach Urban Meyer -- has the opportunity to join former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin as the only players ever to win two Heisman trophies.

Ohio State at USC

AP, Simon Bruty/SI

This epic matchup in Week 3 could go a long way in deciding this season's national champion. The Buckeyes hope star running back Beanie Wells will be able to play in the game following a Week 1 foot injury.

Is this it for Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden?

Michael R. Sisak/Icon SMI, AP

Paterno is in the last season of his contract, and Nittany Lions brass refuse to discuss the iconic coach's future until after the season. Therefore, this could definitely be his swan song. Bowden signed a one-year extension last November, but he has admitted that his time as 'Noles head man is winding down. And head-coach-to-be Jimbo Fisher is waiting in the wings.

Buckeyes hope three's a charm

Bill Frakes/SI

Ohio State has been embarrassed in the last two BCS championship games. With 18 returning starters, the Buckeyes look to make a third straight trip to the title game. Can they bring home a crystal football this time around?

BYU=BCS?

Boyd Ivey/Icon SMI

With their explosive, Max Hall-led offense, the Cougars enter the season as the most popular BCS buster pick. But following a win in Michigan Stadium, conference foe Utah may have something to say about that. The Cougars face the Utes in their final game of the regular season, on Nov. 22.

Spreading out Michigan

AP

Rich Rodriguez takes the helm in Ann Arbor, introducing his avant-garde, spread-option offense to one of the nation's most traditional programs.

The hot seat

AP (2), Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

A number of coaches begin the '08 campaign with little job security, most notably (from left to right) Syracuse's Greg Robinson, Washington's Tyrone Willingham and Arizona's Mike Stoops.

The ACC question

Bob Rosato/SI

Who will emerge from an underwhelming ACC to snatch the conference's BCS bid? Clemson was the trendy preseason pick, but the conference seems wide open following the Tigers' horrible performance in a season-opening loss to Alabama.

Big 12 power struggle

Damian Strohmeyer/SI

Missouri and Kansas were two of the biggest surprises of 2007, but the Big 12 title still went to a Big 12 South team, Oklahoma. Can a team from the North stake its claim to the conference title for the first time since Kansas State in 2003?

Notre Dame after the fall

John Biever/SI, David Bergman/SI

Last season the Irish lost the most games (nine) in program history and fielded the nation's worst scoring offense. In his fourth season at Notre Dame, Charlie Weis has no excuses in 2008.

The year of the sophomore

Mike Zarrilli/SI, Bill Frakes/SI

This season could be defined by a number of highly regarded sophomores, including Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno (left), Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree (right), USC RB Joe McKnight, Pittsburgh RB LeSean "Shady" McCoy, Tennessee SS Eric Berry and Oklahoma's backfield duo of QB Sam Bradford and RB DeMarco Murray.