Here are 40 players who could define the season with either moments or long spells of greatness. Some play for contenders, while others play for the teams that might prevent contenders from reaching their goals.
Dabo Swinney enters his 17th season as Clemson's coach, he may well have his best team since the Tigers' run from 2015 to 2020, when they played in four national title games and won two championships. And in large part, the roster has been built through continuity, with Clemson retaining more players over the last four years than any power conference team.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day hasn't named a starter at quarterback yet, but he did go into detail Thursday about what he will be looking for as Lincoln Kienholz and Julian Sayin compete to replace Will Howard, who led the Buckeyes to their sixth national title and first in a decade in January.
To Colorado defensive back Carter Stoutmire, Deion Sanders is more than just a coach. He's like an uncle who has been in his life since pretty much the day he was born. So hearing his coach's booming voice back in meetings and seeing his coach's swagger at camp this week, well, it lifted his spirits.
Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore joked Thursday that Ohio State's national title was not a "real win" because the Buckeyes didn't defeat the Wolverines along the way.
LSU and Clemson both play in stadiums nicknamed "Death Valley," so naturally a back-and-forth has ensued over the name as they prepare to open the season at Clemson in South Carolina.
With one of college football's most loaded and experienced rosters, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar admitted it's time for the Nittany Lions to defeat top-ranked opponents.
