Series & Tournaments
An early look at top storylines next season
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Celebration comes with mourning. As soon as LSU captured its first national championship in 12 years, it lost the greatest quarterback in school history, coming off the greatest season in college football history.
With Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow set to become the top pick in the NFL draft, the highest-scoring offense of all time will return without its leader.
"What Joe did was unique," receiver Justin Jefferson said. "You can't just think you can replace that."
The Tigers will try.
The country's top wide receiver (Ja'Marr Chase) is expected to be back, potentially with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and tight end Thaddeus Moss.
Under center? Sophomore Myles Brennan is the in-house candidate. The transfer portal provides options, too.
LSU will have the talent to repeat. But the Tigers are in a familiar position, searching for greatness at quarterback again.
Here are the other top storylines entering next season:
The next breakthrough
It feels as if Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Ohio State are in the playoff every year. They've combined to claim 17 of the 24 spots in the playoff era, but never qualified in the same season.
Which strong but long-suffering program can follow LSU's lead, as a first-time playoff participant? Perhaps Penn State, with three top-10 finishes in the past four years, hoping to end its heartbreak against Ohio State, á la LSU against Alabama. Maybe Florida, which is 21-5 in two seasons under Dan Mullen. Possibly, Oregon, the clear favorite in the Pac-12 and with enough talent on both sides to make up for Justin Herbert's departure.
The Heisman
Trevor Lawrence and Justin FieldsUPI; Getty Images
Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State's Justin Fields are set to battle again. The quarterbacks who were the top two recruits in the country — while growing up 30 miles apart in Georgia — and just battled in a classic semifinal are the heavy favorites to capture the sport's most prestigious award next season.
But just one of the past 14 preseason favorites has won the Heisman Trophy. Kyler Murray was planning on playing professional baseball. Joe Burrow was an afterthought.
Perhaps another surprise or overshadowed star will emerge, such as USC's Kedon Slovis, Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard, Texas' Sam Ehlinger or new Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler.
Changing of the guard?
For the first time in five years, Clemson or Alabama isn't atop the sport. But the teams that have been at the top during the playoff era are the favorites again entering next season. After reaching four of the past five national championship games, Dabo Swinney brings back Lawrence and several key pieces, while adding his best-ever recruiting class. Alabama missed the playoff for the first time and loses Tua Tagovailoa, but brings back star linebacker Dylan Moses and as much talent as any team. Since Nick Saban arrived in 2007, Alabama has never gone three straight seasons without winning it all.
The fresh faces
Mike Norvell, 38, arrives at Florida State off a 12-1 season at Memphis, hoping to return the program to prominence. Greg Schiano plans to do the same in his second stint at Rutgers. Lane Kiffin is certain to make life more interesting at Ole Miss, as is Mike Leach at Mississippi State. Former assistant Jimmy Lake takes over at Washington after the surprising resignation of Chris Petersen. If Ed Orgeron could become a legend, no new hire can be discounted.
The familiar faces
Why USC decided to bring back Clay Helton remains a mystery after he went 13-12 the past two seasons and signed the school's least-acclaimed recruiting class in a generation. He is in his own tier on the hot seat.
Scott Frost's heroic return to Nebraska has resulted in a 9-15 record since his undefeated run at UCF. Michigan State's Mark Dantonio is three games over. 500 the past four years. Texas A&M is still waiting for a double-digit win season from its $75 million coach (Jimbo Fisher). Tom Herman took a step back in his third season at Texas.
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