ESPN.com: 2006 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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True Hollywood Story
Despite a bumpy offseason, USC remains a glamour program. But will the Trojans still be a premier program in 2006? Pat Forde

• Maisel: Lynch puts Cal in title discussion | Wrap: Marshawn Lynch
• Forde: 5 Pac-10 predictions | OSU's men in black ready to surprise
• Luginbill: 5 Pac-10 freshmen to watch | Wrap: Todd McShay

Extreme Makeover?
Tresselball will have a new look in 2006. For a change, the offense is the most experienced and accomplished unit at Ohio State. The onus is on the Buckeyes to see if it's new and improved. Ivan Maisel

• Maisel: Lions count on Brown delivering | 5 Big Ten predictions
• Carr worth keeping | Freshmen to watch | Podcast: Big Ten talk

Leap Of Faith
TCU has been both underrated and overrated in recent years. But don't be fooled in 2006. If you're looking for a legitimate BCS gate crasher, start with the Horned Frogs, writes Bruce Feldman. Story

• Rittenberg: Getsy gives defending MAC champ Akron its Zip
• Maisel: Tomey focused on building San Jose State's future

Up To Speed?
Notre Dame is a trendy pick in 2006, but defensive questions linger. In a quest to change the course of their defense, the Irish went to speed school this summer, writes Adam Rittenberg. Story

• McShay: ND's McKnight ready to shine | Wrap: Schlabach <

• Adelson: Weis has Quinn flying high

| Deep impact

The X & O Men Cometh
The Mastermind is formulating his plans. The Escape Artist is perfecting his tricks. The Columbus Comet is testing his burners. Meet the 10 men ready to impact college football in '06. X & O Men

• Chat wrap: Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson | Schlabach

• McShay: Impact players for 2006 ESPN Video

| Best unknown players ESPN Video

Path To Power
Impact can be made in many ways. Sometimes it's a whisper. Other times it's a whip. Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is flying high because coach Charlie Weis is keeping him grounded with both methods.

• ESPN Mag:

Quinn flying high | Deep impact | Pet projects
• ESPN Mag:

Legend of Owen Schmitt | Collision course

College Rules
Passion, tradition and rivalries are just the most obvious reasons why college football beats the NFL, writes Ivan Maisel. Story

• Pasquarelli: NFL's best | Forde: Survey says ... | Wrap: Forde

Fade To Back?
Carries just aren't what they used to be. The quest for offensive balance coupled with increased specialization has ushered in the era of the Incredible Shrinking Tailback, writes Ivan Maisel. Story

• Maisel: RBs feel the pain | Tandem trend | '06 preview index
• McShay: Ranking the RB tandems

| Vote: Your RB rankings?

No Snap Decision
Is experience or potential more important at quarterback? Does a QB rotation work? Arizona State, Georgia, Texas, USC and Virginia Tech are among the teams facing those decisions. Mark Schlabach

• Todd McShay

: QB battles and predictions | Top QB tandems
• Vote: Pick the starter | Rank the QBs | Chat wrap: Feldman

Getting Defensive
Defense wins championships. That staple of the coaching lexicon has been passed from one generation of coaches to the next. But has the advent of the passing game changed the eternal premise of the game? Ivan Maisel found the answer(s). Story

• Road to the BCS: Was '05 as good as it gets?

Rules of Engagement
Thinking about calling for the firing of your coach on a message board? More familiar with the stadium's tailgate lot than the campus library? Stop. Reevaluate. And read Pat Forde's new rules. Story

• New rules for '06 … have many coaches angry

Almost Heaven?
West Virginia? Yup. The 2006 title race could wind down a country road. Since the inception of the BCS in 1998, the title game participants have shared some common characteristics. The '06 WVU team has them, writes Mark Schlabach. Story

• Schlabach: Top 10 title contenders | Teams to watch | Wrap

Official Perspective
They are taunted, jeered and generally disliked. Yet each year, hundreds of regular people apply to become college officials. Wayne Drehs learns what it takes to survive officials training camp. Story

Matters Of State
After carefully studying the wide variety of issues concerning the different states that form the college football union, Ivan Maisel delivers his annual address on the state of 'ball in 'Ball State. Story

• Schlabach: Hot (and not) for 2006 | Chat wrap: Schlabach

• Wraps:

Maisel | McShay | Vote: State of the game

Hot Off The Gridiron
ND, old guys and freshman QBs? That's hot. USC, no Keith Jackson and knuckleheads? Not so much. Mark Schlabach's no Paris Hilton, but he can identify what's "hot" (and not) for 2006. Story

• Maisel: State of 'ball in 'Ball State | Chat wrap: Maisel

• Chat wrap: McShay

| Vote: What's the state of the game?

Forde: What an ugly August
Practice hasn't even started and college football's list of transgressions is voluminous. It's time for schools to take charge, writes Pat Forde.

Wojciechowski: Oklahoma will be OK
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and the Sooner fan base turned the page quickly after two players were kicked off the team.

Wojciechowski: This Carr is worth keeping
The critics love to lambaste Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. But after years on the hot seat, the coach isn't burned out, writes Gene Wojciechowski.

Maisel: Staying the course
While Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald looks to start his own career, he also wants to continue Randy Walker's legacy, writes Ivan Maisel.

The X & O Men Cometh
X & O Men The Mastermind is formulating his plans. The Escape Artist is perfecting his tricks. The Columbus Comet is testing his burners. Meet the 10 men ready to impact college football in '06. X & O Men • Chat wrap: Ga. Tech WR Calvin Johnson \| Schlabach • McShay: Impact players for 2006 \| Unknown players

Toughest Schedules of 2006
Rocky Road The road to the national title won't be easy for some of the nation's best teams. From Urban Meyer and Florida's brutal midseason stretch to Georgia Tech's challenging opening and closing slate, Bruce Feldman takes a look at the schools which face the toughest schedules in 2006. Blog \| Easiest road to the BCS • Rank 'em: Which team has the toughest schedule?

College Rules

Stay in School
Passion, tradition and rivalries are just the most obvious reasons why college football beats the NFL, writes Ivan Maisel. But it doesn't end there. Here are a few more reasons why college rules. Story

• Forde: Survey says ... | Pasquarelli: NFL's best
• Curry: Life in the zoos | College vs. NFL | Mailbag
• Vote: Best atmosphere? | Rules? | Rank: College | NFL

Path to Power
Powerful Presence Impact can be made in many ways. Sometimes it's a whisper. Other times it's a whip. Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is flying high because coach Charlie Weis is keeping him grounded with both methods. • ESPN Mag: Quinn flying high \| Impact \| Pet projects • ESPN Mag: Legend of Owen Schmitt \| Collision course

Rules of Engagement
New Rules Thinking about calling for the firing of your coach on a message board? More familiar with the stadium's tailgate lot than the campus library? Stop. Reevaluate. And read Pat Forde's new rules. Story • New rules for '06 … have many coaches angry