College Football: Three Burning Questions

All of my focus and attention is still on baseball (Gooooooo Giants!!!), but as college football commences this Saturday, here are three burning questions of intrigue and interest:

1. Will Alabama repeat?

With the constantly changing landscape of college athletics, it is immensely difficult for a team to win consecutive championships. But this year, it is certainly a possibility for Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide. Last year's Heisman winner Mark Ingram is back, and even though he will miss the season opener against San Jose State with a minor knee injury. he is poised to have another stellar season. 'Bama enters the season as the definite favorite, but they will have to persevere through an incredibly challenging schedule if they are to make it back to the title game. Alabama will face stern tests at home against fourth-ranked Florida, nineteenth-ranked Penn State, and twenty-second-ranked Auburn, and on the road at seventeenth-ranked Arkansas, and twenty-first-ranked LSU. So if Alabama does indeed repeat, it will be a feat of almost unfathomable achievement.

2. Will Brian Kelly bring success and glory back to Notre Dame football?

I was somewhat disgusted by the manner in which Brian Kelly left Cincinnati last year, deserting the Bearcats after their great season and refusing to coach them in the Sugar Bowl. It was a display of stunning selfishness from a man who had heretofore been a classy figure. However, while I still haven't forgiven Kelly for his actions quite yet, I do realize that he is a terrific coach, and I think Notre Dame made a fantastic hire. But just because Kelly is an excellent coach does not mean that he will experience success under the glaring pressure that comes with his current job. Notre Dame hasn't experienced much happiness in quite some time. The Charlie Weis era was an enormous disappointment, and now that Jimmy Clausen has followed in Brady Quinn's footsteps to the NFL, the Fighting Irish are left with untested Dayne Crist at quarterback. Very few positions in sports are as pressure-packed as that of Notre Dame head football coach, and it will be fascinating to see how Kelly fares. For my money, I say he will be successful. His boisterous spirit and energy will lead the Irish to a much-improved season.

3. Will Boise State and TCU finally get the respect they so richly deserve?

The answer, sadly, is likely to be no. The BCS is the most egregious, disgraceful, criminally unfair system in all of sports, and come January, I'm sure we will have another batch of controversy. Here's hoping Boise State and TCU, and all of the non-BCS teams, have outstanding seasons, so we can hopefully convince those in power to change to a much-needed playoff system. Boise State has a huge challenge in their season opener at Virginia Tech. Nothing against Frank Beamer and his Hokies, but I desperately hope Boise State gets the victory. I'm sick and tired of the BCS, and the more the Davids beat the Goliaths, the more likely it is that we will one day see a playoff system in college football.

So there you have it. And just for good measure: Go Cal!!!!! I know Jeff Tedford's Golden Bears are projected to have a rough season, but I stay loyal to my teams, and I remain optimistic. Championship or bust.