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Andrew Luck or Trent Richardson? Robert Griffin III or Case Keenum? Some of college football's most prestigious individual awards are up for grabs Thursday night.

From the Oregon-LSU and Boise State-Georgia doubleheader on Saturday night to the season-ending Bedlam Series, 2011 promises a number of great matchups.

In the past 10 years, only one preseason No. 1 team has won a national championship -- and that team, the 2004 USC Trojans, were forced to vacate their title. Oklahoma starts 2011 ranked No. 1 in both major polls. Can the Sooners avoid the curse?

No team outside Texas and Oklahoma has won a Big 12 championship since 2003. Will the turmoil the league has endured, that duopoly, come undone in 2011?

With the success underclassmen like LaMichael James and Justin Blackmon had last season, more teams are depending on freshmen to produce immediately.

2010 was a season of mediocrity for traditional powers such as Texas, Florida and Michigan. They hope to steer their respective ships back among the nation's elite in 2011.

Expansion, the SEC and Texas vs. Nebraska are hot. USC's postseason, Big Ten bashing and eye-black messages: not so much.

Whether it's fourth down, trailing in the fourth quarter or playing on the road, there are certain scenarios when you don't want to face a certain team or coach.

Looking across the college football landscape, you'll likely notice some familiar names on the backs of jerseys.

Judging success on defense has changed in large part due to the variety of prolific offenses.

Florida, Big 12 QBs and neutral-site games are hot. Rich Rodriguez, soft schedules and Big 12 tiebreakers: not so much.

These might not be the biggest games of the 2008 season, but they offer some of the most intriguing story lines, writes Mark Schlabach.

College football's alpha-male coaches have good looks, booming voices and very deep pockets. From Notre Dame to Ohio State to USC, football coaches tend to rule the roost, writes Mark Schlabach.

SEC? Still hot. Notre Dame? Warming up. ACC? Not so much. What else is hot (and not) for the 2008 college football season? Mark Schlabach has the answers.

The top teams in 2006 got to the top thanks in part to the play of big-name stars. Are their replacements ready for prime time? Mark Schlabach looks at the teams with the biggest holes to fill.

USC? Still hot. Notre Dame? Not so much. What else is hot (and not) for the 2007 college football season? Mark Schlabach has the answers.