College football’s 2024 season is one of the most anticipated and historic in the sport’s history.
The year aligns with a slew of changes to the industry. You probably know many of them, like the expanded 12-team playoff, the realignment-triggered new power conferences and the player-to-helmet communications system now legalized in the college game.
As the season kicks off, here’s a viewer’s guide to the 12 most intriguing new faces, elements and rules in 2024 and beyond…
Click here for the complete Yahoo Sports Viewer’s Guide to the New College Football Playoff. (Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
1: New Alabama coach
The sport lost one of its greats with the retirement of former Alabama coach Nick Saban. He presided over, arguably, the most dominant dynasty in college football history — a 17-season run in Tuscaloosa that included 201 wins, 29 losses, nine conference championships and six national titles.
The new face in Tuscaloosa is Kalen DeBoer, who last led Washington to the national title game. He’s an offensive guru who’s also built offensive juggernauts at the Group of Five (Fresno State) and NAIA (Sioux Falls) levels. In nine seasons as a head coach, he’s lost 12 games. But the SEC is different and replacing a legend is never easy. During a visit to Tuscaloosa this spring, DeBoer quipped to Yahoo Sports on replacing such a successful coach: “Yeah, I get it, but I don’t think anyone is going to put more pressure on me than myself. I understand there’s a lot more eyeballs and critiquing. It’s on another level here, I’m sure.”
To be sure, it is. Remember, after all, an Alabama fan once went to jail for poisoning the trees of arch-rival Auburn. It’s, uh, different down there.
2: Minute warning
For those who continue to disagree with college football’s evolution into a more professional sport…
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Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-08-26 14:26:14
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