Our 22 Favorite College Football Stories of 2022

Our favorite pieces by Pat Forde, Ross Dellenger, Richard Johnson and more.

As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back at the best of Sports Illustrated from 2022 across the site. It’s been a big year for our college football staff, from covering thrilling games to conference realignment to coaching feuds to the always-dizzying coaching carousel and more. 

These were our favorite 22 SI stories around the sport.

Pat Forde:

• Alabama, Conquered: How Kirby Smart, Georgia Finally Broke Through to Win It All: The story of the Bulldogs’ championship season and how they got past the Crimson Tide.

• An Inside Look at the Most Powerful Person in College Sports: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has brought a measured calm, and a ton more money, to his conference, but his success has sparked questions about football’s future.

• Lincoln Riley’s Move to USC Already Making Waves in Los Angeles: The former Oklahoma coach made a mad dash out west nearing the end of the 2021 season. But how did it all come to be?

• TCU’s Sonny Dykes Was Born to Be the King of Texas Football: Just like his father, Spike, he’s leading a Big 12 school and using his deep roots in the state to build success.

• With His Doubters in the Rearview, Stetson Bennett Returns for More Postseason Glory: A profile on the Georgia QB, a lightweight former walk-on who improbably led the Bulldogs to the national title last season.

• From Shelters to Stardom: Chase and Sydney Brown’s Path to Gridiron Glory: The Brown brothers lived through a life of change—switching homes and schools and fighting through financial hardships to play football. 

Ross Dellenger:

• ‘The Most Interesting Man Alive’: Stories About Mike Leach Paint His Life Picture: After the coach’s death, those who knew him share tales of late nights, wildlife encounters and always-unpredictable conversations.

• Brian Kelly, LSU and a $100 Million Gamble: The college football world has been fascinated by the coach’s move to the bayou, but time will tell whether the partnership will yield what Kelly and his new school each covet: a national title.

• After an Unspeakable Tragedy, UVA Students Are Left With One Question: Why? Hours after three football players were killed in an on-campus shooting, thousands united at a vigil of support and solidarity.

• A Candid Lane Kiffin on NIL, Recruiting and Boosters: ‘We’re a Professional Sport:’ The Mississippi coach opens up on a changed game, why he doesn’t blame recruits who opt for the most money and college football’s looming problems.

• The Other Side of College Football’s Game Changer: The NIL Collective: The groups are well known for their recruiting influence and murky legality. But their impact extends to current athletes, too.

• You Can’t Escape Nick Saban—or His Infamous Straw Hat—at LSU: Are legends born or made? When it comes to the Nick Saban Hat, it’s a little bit of both.

• The Farmer’s Daughter Who Helped Keep College Football on the Grid: Dr. Katie O’Neal played an influential role in the SEC’s decision to play a 2020 season, and she’s had a whirlwind two years.

Richard Johnson:

• A Football Coach’s Survival and the Heroic Staff That Saved Him: EKU coach Walt Wells returned to the sidelines after almost losing his life. He recounts it all, thanks to those who acted so quickly.

• How Does a College Coaching Search Really Work? Step into the shoes of an athletic director tasked with making a major football hire for their school.

• Why Have Southern Teams Dominated the CFP? Follow the Money, and History. Few programs outside of it have proved they are able to do that at the highest level in the sport’s modern era.

• Will This Coaching Cycle See the Return of FCS-to-FBS Hires? Before Deion Sanders’s Colorado hiring, the jump hadn’t been made since 2018.

• Pizza Crusts, Pocketknives and Phones: The Reality of Post-Celebration Cleanups: Crews behind the scenes fix turf and recover goalposts to make sure they’re game-ready.

• After a Rocky Start, Kevin Warren Has the Big Ten Humming: With USC and UCLA joining and the league’s lucrative new media rights deal, his reputation is looking a lot different these days.

More:

• How Deion Sanders Is Fueling the Rise of HBCU Football (by Jean-Jacques Taylor): After a record-setting first full season at Jackson State, followed by the unprecedented arrival of a five-star recruit (and a public quarrel with Nick Saban), Sanders ushered in a new era for HBCU programs.

• She Kicked for Vanderbilt, and Then Things Got Hard (by Julie Kliegman): After dealing with depression this year, goalie Sarah Fuller, who moonlighted as an NCAA kicker in 2020, has become an advocate for better mental health resources at colleges.

• Deion Sanders Leaves Jackson State Better Than How He Found It (by Wilton Jackson): Sanders is leaving the HBCU landscape for Colorado, but it’s worth recognizing what he accomplished with the Tigers.