Cram ABCs of college football season before kickoff

With the college football season less than three weeks away, the intensity is picking up nationwide as teams feverishly prepare for kickoff.

So here's a letter-by-letter primer of what to look for when the first slate of games kick off Sept. 3.

A — Alabama again is in the discussion as a favorite for the playoffs. Don't discount Iron Bowl and state rival Auburn, which could end the Crimson Tide's postseason plans and vault itself into the four-team field.

B — Baylor is still smarting over being left out of last season's playoff field. The Bears also are fired up over the general belief that Texas Christian was the better team despite losing to Baylor.

C — Coachspeak. With few exceptions (UNLV's Tony Sanchez, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier), listening to coaches talk makes one want to zzzzzz.

D — Disdain. That's what at least one power-conference coach and commissioner will feel after being left out of the playoffs. The most likely? The Atlantic Coast Conference. Florida State at No. 8 is the highest-rated ACC team in the coaches' poll.

E — ESPN drives college football. If the national semifinals on New Year's Eve take a big ratings hit, don't be surprised if the network insists future semifinals be played on New Year's Day or Jan. 2.

F — Florida State picked up the most attractive free agent in Everett Golson, who is capable of taking the Seminoles back to the playoffs.

G — Group of Five. Which team will represent in a New Year's Six game this season? It was Boise State last season, and the smart money would be on the Broncos again.

H — Heisman Trophy favorites. Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott and TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin are two front-runners, according to an ESPN poll.

I — I test. OK, it's really eye test. Either way, the College Football Playoff committee will take a lot of factors into consideration when picking the field, and style points still mean a lot.

J — Jim Harbaugh. The most intriguing coaching story takes place in Ann Arbor, where Harbaugh returns to his alma mater to try to lead Michigan back to glory. Give him at least one season, but does anyone doubt he'll get it done?

K — Kickers. Key games often come down to them.

L — Las Vegans. People are excited about UNLV football, but actually showing up at Sam Boyd Stadium to support the program is another matter. And should the Rebels struggle as expected this season, how quickly before people move on to basketball?

M — Mountain West newsmakers. Sanchez has drawn every national outlet to a football program that hasn't even been on the local radar, and the new field design created another wave of publicity. Fresno State now has a blimp. A blimp! Colorado State will soon build a stadium.

N — Notre Dame. Not enough the Fighting Irish are on NBC every week, but now Showtime will do its own in-season version of "Hard Knocks."

O — Oregon. With quarterback Marcus Mariota gone, the Ducks will take a step back. But not much of one because Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams passed his final exam Thursday to get his undergraduate degree, allowing him to quarterback the Ducks this season.

P — Pockets, as in deep pockets. UCLA coach Jim Mora contributed an undisclosed but considerable amount of money toward building a football facility, an enormous statement that also puts to rest rumors he will head back to the NFL. Speaking of deep pockets, where are the donors for UNLV's building?

Q — Quarterbacks never have been more important. The idea of a game manager who can lead a team to a championship is out with the wing-T offense.

R — Running backs are back, thought long dead with the proliferation of the spread offense. It's actually the spread that has made running games effective again by creating larger lanes. Eight players rushed for more than 1,700 yards last season, and five of them are back.

S — Southeastern Conference. The SEC remains an outstanding conference, but with the playoff system now in place, a national championship is no longer its birthright.

T — Texas, as in the state. Baylor and TCU very well could end up in the playoffs. And there always is interest in Texas, as in the program, where coach Charlie Strong is feeling increasing pressure.

U — Urban Meyer is the nation's top coach, and how he handles the quarterback situation between J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones at Ohio State will determine whether the Buckeyes repeat.

V — Vegas Bowl. There is a good chance a Mountain West team will not play in the game because the selection could go to Brigham Young. It's the least the bowl can do because it was the Cougars and their fans a decade ago who saved the game.

W — Wait a season. Despite all the hype surrounding the Sanchez/UNLV story, the Rebels are at least a year away before any measurable progress takes place.

X — X-rays. Injuries will be a factor in the race for the national championship, but some teams handle them better than others. Ohio State won the title last season with its third-string quarterback.

Y — Youth. Two of the past three Heisman Trophy winners were freshmen, so don't be surprised if someone unexpected emerges this season.

Z — Zebras. Think officials don't affect the outcome of games? Ask the Rebels how they felt after last season's trip to Hawaii.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65. He is first vice president of the Football Writers Association of America.