The 8 Most Intriguing Storylines Heading Into The 2024 College Football Season

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than eight months since Michigan topped Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, but fans who’ve been eagerly awaiting the start of the 2024 season don’t have to wait much longer.

We were treated to one of the most monumental moments of the offseason when the first AP Poll dropped on Monday, and now, it’s really time to turn our attention to a campaign that promises to be overflowing with the excitement and drama that make college football as magical as it is.

There’s no shortage of compelling storylines to keep an eye on as we gear up for the 2024 college football season, but there are a number of particularly intriguing situations that are going to be worth keeping an eye on when the action officially gets underway.

I could’ve easily listed dozens of notable scenarios that will likely be a hot topic of conversation this year, but I was able to narrow it down to eight that stand out from the rest of a crowded pack.

Is Texas Really, Actually Back?

It’s been close to two decades since the Longhorns won a national championship, and “Texas Is Back!” has become one of college football’s most popular memes thanks to the program’s ability to repeatedly fill its fans with optimism before crushing their hopes and dreams.

However, it does seem like Texas might actually be back this year. The team Steve Sarkisian constructed last season won the Big 12 and punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff, and Quinn Ewers is one of the best quarterbacks in the country with a very formidable supporting cast.

The biggest question mark surrounding Texas is how it will adjust to its arrival in the SEC, but if the Longhorns can handle what the conference has to throw at it, they will be a serious contender for a title.

Alabama Without Nick Saban

Nick Saban cemented himself as the college football equivalent of Bill Belichick while turning Alabama into one of the most dominant dynasties in college football history, and the football world experienced a seismic shift when both men announced they were parting ways with their teams less than a day apart in January.

Saban won seven national championships with the Crimson Tide since taking over in 2007, but he cited the advent of the NIL Era as one of the reasons he decided to enter a well-earned retirement.

Alabama fans are currently dealing with a relatively lengthy title drought based on what they were accustomed to during Saban’s reign, and while Kalen DeBoer proved he’s an adequate replacement based on what he achieved with Washington, it’ll be very interesting to see if the team find itself dealing with some growing pains as it transitions into a new age.

 

Michigan Without Jim Harbaugh And J.J. McCarthy And Blake Corum And...

The nature of college football means it’s a bit harder for teams to repeat as national champions than squads at the professional level, and nothing sums up that reality quite like the situation Michigan is facing after winning it all last season.

It’s hard to blame Jim Harbaugh for heading back to the NFL after achieving what he set out to do in Ann Arbor under the shadow of multiple scandals (including one that would’ve seen him suspended for the 2024 campaign if he’d stayed with the Wolverines).

Sherrone Moore knew he had some big shoes to fill when he took the reins in the wake of Harbaugh’s departure, and he also knew he’d be tasked with replacing notable names including J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and 11 other players who were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

As a result, it seems very unlikely Michigan will be able to defend its title (a notion supported by a preseason AP Poll that ranked the Wolverines at No. 9), and there’s one team that will also be trying to take advantage of its seemingly weakened program…

Can Ohio State Get Over The Hump?

The team in question is THE Ohio State University, which heads into the season ranked at No. 2 in the country in search of its first national championship win since 2014 in addition to its first Big Ten title since 2020  (the year that also marked its last College Football Playoff appearance) as the Buckeyes looks to snap Michigan’s three-year run as the best team in the conference.

One of the biggest sticking points of Ryan Day’s tenure at Ohio State has been his record against Michigan, as the head coach has posted a 1-3 record in The Game since taking over in Columbus in 2019.

Day seemingly has all the pieces he needs to bring a national championship back to Ohio State, and there’s little doubt there will be plenty of conversations about his future with the Buckeyes if they aren’t able to do that when everything is said and done.

What's The Deal With Colorado?

Colorado really had nothing to lose when it hired Deion Sanders to take over as its head coach prior to the start of the 2023 season, and while the Buffaloes got off to a hot start, they ultimately finished with a 4-8 record after losing eight of their last nine games.

It may not be a make-or-break year for Coach Prime, but the man who’s found himself dealing with plenty of internal drama since taking over in Boulder is going to have to cash the many checks he and his players have written with their mouths if he wants to prove Colorado should be taken seriously.

No one is expecting them to compete for a national title, but if he doesn’t manage to improve on his inaugural record while providing evidence the program is heading in the right direction, the spotlight that’s been thrust upon Colorado since he’s taken over will likely get significantly dimmer.

Georgia's Off-The-Field Issues

Georgia came up short in its quest to pull off a College Football Playoff National Championship threepeat last season, but the Bulldogs head into the 2024 campaign ranked as the top team in the country despite the notable loss of dominant tight end Brock Bowers.

The program may have what it takes to shine on the field, but the same can’t be said with the cultural issue that’s become impossible to ignore due to a string of dozens of incidents involving players who’ve been arrested for reckless driving, DUIs, and other worrying crimes over the past couple of years.

Kirby Smart and his locker room leaders have asserted they’ve taken steps to address that internal epidemic, but the results have left a lot to be desired.

If college football has taught me anything, it’s that most sins are forgiven as long as guys are able to contribute on the field, but if Smart isn’t able to get things under control while failing to meet expectations, Georgia is going to need to do some serious soul-searching.

The ACC's Existential Crisis

Florida State failed to earn a spot in last year’s College Football Playoff, and their exclusion—which primarily stemmed from Jordan Travis’ season-ending injury but was inextricably linked to the comparatively weak nature of the team’s schedule—served as the final straw in its already rocky relationship with the ACC.

The conference has found itself engaged in a fierce legal battle with Florida State since the start of 2024 as the Seminoles attempt to wriggle their way out of the grant of rights contract that won’t expire until 2036, and Clemson also decided to follow in the school’s footsteps as both universities angle for a premature exit.

The ACC has a ton of incentive to fight those efforts tooth and nail when you consider losing FSU and Clemson would likely be a death blow, so it’s going to be very interesting to see how things play out.

Do We Really Need 12 Teams In The College Football Playoff?

Florida State’s College Football Playoff snub helped bolster the argument the postseason tournament should be expanded beyond four teams, and the expansion plan that was initially unveiled in 2022 will finally be implemented in 2024.

I think the vast majority of college football fans agree the institution of a 12-team playoff is a step in the right direction, although there are plenty of skeptics who would argue the new format is simply delaying an inevitable series of developments where top-ranked teams from P5 conferences will ultimately be the last squads standing.

However, there’s plenty of potential for underdogs to pull off upsets and opportunities for programs that would have previously been forced to settle for a bowl game to stage an unlikely run, and if those scenarios unfold in 2024, it will only prove the decision to expand to 12 teams was the correct one.