50 CFB Questions Ahead of 2024 Season (Part II)

At the time of this publishing (July 24) there is only ONE month left until the brand-new CFB season. Time to break down some burning questions I have about the top 50 teams (according to cbssports.com)

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a four-part series. Part One can be found here: https://themessagepitch.com/2024/07/24/50-cfb-questions-ahead-of-2024-season-part-i/

12. LSU: Nuss-Bus to the playoff? 

LSU lost a ton on offense to the draft with the departures of both stud WR’s and last year’s Heisman winner. They also lost Mike Denbrock to Notre Dame. Can Garrett Nussmier (who I feel like has been at LSU since I was in HS) lead this new look LSU to the expanded playoff?

13. Penn State: Wasted talent, quite Frank(lin)ly

Every year Penn State is hyped up, they lose to OSU and Michigan. They have a roster to compete and should be contenders, but just like Ole Miss, can they piece it together and break on through? (History says no, but I hope I am wrong.)

14. Notre Dame: Same Formula, Different result?

Last year Notre Dame went out and poached a successful QB from an North Carolina-based ACC school on the way to a 10-win season. This offseason, they went out and poached a successful QB from a North Carolina-based ACC school. Will the ends justify the means? What kind of numbers will Riley Leonard put up in a Mike Denbrock offense? Between his schemes and the ND hype machine, look for Leonard to get a lot of early season Heisman love. 

15. Oklahoma: Ven-Ables to succeed in the SEC? 

No one dominated the Big 12 like Oklahoma over the last 20 years. Will the success transition to the new conference? With Venables reputation as a defensive guru, the transition should be relatively smooth. 

16. Louisville: Collapsing Cards’ Cautionary Tale?

Which Lousiville was the real one last season? The one who started the year 10-1 with a primetime win over Notre Dame or the one who looked lifeless in the final 3 games of the season? This season should tell us more.

17. Oklahoma State: New Sheriff in Town?

Perhaps the biggest winner of conference realignment may be the Cowboys. Now that big bad in-state rival Oklahoma is out of the way, their path to a Big 12 title and automatic seeding in the College Football Playoff is more clear than ever. Can they get the job done? Bonus Question; Will Mike Gundy bring the sweet sweet mullet back?

18. Tennessee: Can they live up to the Heupel and break trends?

One thing I have noticed about Josh Heupel as a head coach: the longer he’s in a conference and the more defenses can study his offense, the less success his offenses have. At UCF, he went 12-1, 10-3, 6-4; in his second year at UT he went 11-2, then 9-4 last year. Can new quarterback Nico Iamaleava be the difference maker that snaps this trend?

19. Kansas State: Can the Kansas Kid crown the Cats as King?

Will Howard left for Buckeyes country. Avery Johnson (not THAT Avery Johnson) takes the reins as the man in Manhattan. He comes in as the most heralded K-State QB recruit since Josh Freeman. Can Johnson’s Dual Threat ability substitute for Howard’s experience? 

20. Liberty: Does the Clock Strike Midnight?

Liberty got great news in the offseason when Kaidon Salter decided to take his name out of the transfer portal. Can he and Jamey Chadwell keep the Flames (no pun intended) going as the Group of Five rep in the CFP playoff? 

21. NC State: Will the McCall-Concepcion connection make the Wolfpack the Alphas of the ACC?

 NC State has had great QB play the last few years and continues to reload in the transfer portal. When they lost Devin Leary they added Brennan Armstrong, and with Armstrong gone they’ve added Greyson McCall from Coastal Carolina. Can the addition of McCall and the return of ACC Offensive and Rookie of the Year take the Wolfpack to the promised land?

22. Clemson: Portal to the End? 

Dabo Swinney has been outspoken (shocking, I know) about his hate for the transfer portal. While you certainly want to commend guys for sticking it out and “honoring their commitment” you also can’t punish players for taking an opportunity to better themselves. With Clemson being the only major program to refuse to adapt to the portal, will this result in the end of the Swinney Era in Clemson?

23. Oregon State: So what’s next?

Oregon State got demolished this offseason. They got left behind in the PAC-12, their QB transferred back to the East Coast, and their head coach left for the conference that didn’t want them. Will they fold or rise up?

24. SMU: Pony Express ACC Takeover?

SMU is now a member of the ACC. After boasting a top 20 offense and defense last season, can they become players in the ACC?

25. Kansas: Getting Grimesy for 10 wins?

Previous offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki left for Penn State. Kansas replaced him by hiring former Baylor OC Scott Grimes. Grimes was a big part of Baylor’s success on the way to their Big 12 title in 2022. With Jadon Daniels and Devin Neal at his disposal, can Kansas hit double digit wins for the first since Todd Reesing?

26. James Madison: Did the Dukes Peak?

JMU was the darling of CFB last year. After winning the Sun Belt regular season, they were ineligible for the conference championship due to NCAA rules regarding FBS promotion. They were awarded a bowl game, however. After so much success last year, they were also awarded with losing their head coach to Indiana and starting quarterback to Auburn. Can the Dukes continue the momentum from last season and become the Boise State of this generation, or will they be a one year wonder?

27. Iowa: From lackluster to Tim Lester. Watching an Iowa offense is what we call a “rock fight”. It was ugly and no one really felt good about what they were seeing. Despite that, Iowa still played in 14 games last season. Can Tim Lester spark the offense and allow it to compliment the defense? If he can, will Iowa become a major player in the new BIG10?

28. Tulane: Can a new look Green Wave make a splash?

Willie Fritz left to take the head coaching job in Houston. Michael Pratt got drafted by the Packers. New HC Jon Sumrall comes over from Troy where he won the Sun Belt Conference Championship last season. Can he continue the success in NOLA?

That’s all for now. Catch the next edition, Part II: Questions 12 – 28, later this week.