Resistance is futile.

1. The Case(y) for JoePa

Any discussion of Penn State coach Joe Paterno breaking Bear Bryant's career record for victories unfortunately starts with quarterback Rashard Casey.

If the Nittany Lions quarterback is allowed to play, the seven victories Paterno needs to pass Bear Bryant should come a lot quicker. That would mean the 324th victory would come sometime around the Oct. 21 Illinois game.

If Casey is suspended after being implicated in the beating of an off-duty policeman, it could throw a shadow over Paterno's chase. There isn't much behind Casey, which conjures up this scenario ...

The Lions are playing in the season finale at 6-5 against Michigan State with a berth to the Sun Bowl hanging in the balance. Penn State wins, JoePa gets the record and his team sentenced to, er, awarded a trip to El Paso.

2. Who is the next Peter Warrick?

The lasting image of Florida State's national championship run is Warrick scoring 20 points against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl three months after the Dillard's Discount Debacle.

It wasn't exactly rags to riches. Hey, that Dillard's stuff cost more than $400. But it will do for memories with a certain hulking tailback running off with the Heisman.

Sure, there have been others like Warrick who have been multipurpose threats in recent years (David Palmer, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson). This year we like:

• Freddie Milons, WR, Alabama -- With the loss of Shaun Alexander, the multitalented Milons will be asked to do more. Last year, he quietly did it all: catching 65 passes, rushing for 78 yards and completing three of four passes.
• David Allen, RB, Kansas State -- Allen needs one touchdown and 172 yards to break the NCAA career marks in punt return scores and yardage. Given his production and K-State's schedule, that should come sometime in the second quarter of the season opener against Iowa.

3. This year's Marshall (or the undefeated team the BCS won't care about) ...

• TCU -- Dennis Franchione has a Heisman Trophy candidate (LaDainian Tomlinson), a cooperative schedule, 19 returning starters and a springboard to his next job.

4. From no-go to go

These teams will be back in bowls after time away from the postseason party:

• Maryland (1990)
• Kansas (1995)
• Southern Cal (1998)
• Texas Tech (1998)
• Houston (1996)
• UNLV (1994)

5. Can a sophomore win the Heisman?

If Virginia Tech's Michael Vick does it, he'd be the first.

The Hokies redshirt sophomore goes in as a favorite still learning the game. Virginia Tech won't run the table during the regular season but it will still be pretty good, probably finishing behind Miami in the Big East.

That should provide a big enough stage for Vick to work his magic. Unofficially, that would be two consecutive wire-to-wire Heisman winners if you include Ron Dayne.

6. Speaking of quarterbacks ...

Of the 63 starters with schools competing in the BCS, 48 of them return. That means assault by land (Eric Crouch, 887 rushing yards at Nebraska), (Quincy Carter at Georgia) and air (Purdue's Drew Brees led the nation's No. 4 passing offense).

7. Can Florida State repeat?

Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear ... oh, never mind. You get the message.

The Seminoles are loaded and might have an easier road to the title than last season. There is no conference championship game to stub a toe on. Eight of 12 games are in the state of Florida. The Florida game is at home. There is a pesky trip to Miami on Oct. 7 and an interesting home against Clemson on Nov. 4.

Other than that, Chris Weinke can ease into old age with his second national championship ring.

In this age of parity, isn't it interesting that Florida State could become the second team in six years to win back-to-back titles? Nebraska won titles in 1994 and 1995. Before that it was Alabama in 1978 (shared title) and 1979.

8. Rose Roulette

The Pac-10 has had six different champions the past six years. If conference continues its parody of parity, 2000 favorite Washington will make it seven for seven.

9. Streaking ... victories

• Marshall, 17 -- September games at Michigan State and North Carolina put this streak in danger.
• Florida State, 13 -- Should reach at least 17 before Oct. 7 game at Miami.
• Wisconsin, 8 -- Quarterback Brooks Bollinger is the key. The Badgers never lost after he relieved against Michigan.
• Nebraska, 6 -- 19 in a row if the Huskers win it all again.
• Oregon, 6 -- Mike Bellotti has averaged almost eight victories per year.
• Boise State, 6 -- Trips to New Mexico and Arkansas in the first two weeks.

10. Streaking ... losses

• South Carolina, 21 -- Northwestern's record of 34 in a row is in sight.
• Ball State, 17 -- At Florida and Kansas State in the first three weeks.
• Buffalo, 15 -- So you wanted to be a I-A program? The Bulls went 0-11 in their first season in the big time.
• Iowa, 8 -- This could be the worst Iowa program in 20 years.
• Baylor, 6 -- Not much around to prevent a repeat of 1-10.

11. Is this the year the BCS blows up?

So far, the BCS has worked smoothly. Too smoothly.

In 1998 and 1999, the consensus Nos. 1 and 2 teams met in the BCS title game. Even the BCS honchos know this run of fortune can't go on.

This year might be the year when chaos reigns. Imagine a scenario in which Florida State, Nebraska and Wisconsin all go undefeated. Who do you pick for the Orange Bowl?

It likely would come down to the dreaded strength of schedule. Nebraska probably plays the weakest non-conference schedule (San Jose State, Notre Dame and Iowa). Florida State and Nebraska play only two teams expected to be ranked in the preseason Top 25. Wisconsin plays all of its ranked teams in a four-week stretch (Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue).

There is one possibility that could crumble the BCS' credibility. If Wisconsin and Nebraska meet for the title, an undefeated Florida State wouldn't have a chance to defend its title.

12. Upset of the year

Kansas over Kansas State, Oct. 7 -- The Jayhawks, who haven't beaten their state rival since 1992, finally have the talent to fight back. The average losing margin in the last seven meetings has been 30 points.

Hey, Roy Williams stayed. Why can't Kansas pull another upset?

13. Game(s) of the year

• Wisconsin at Michigan, Sept. 30 -- The Rose Bowl is on the line before September is over.
• Nebraska at Kansas State, Nov. 11 -- The winner stays alive for the Orange Bowl.
• Florida at Florida State, Nov. 18 -- Gators have one, last desperate chance to wreck the Seminoles' undefeated season.

14. Crummy game(s) of the year

• Connecticut at Buffalo, Sept. 16 -- The two newest I-A programs meet in The Brawl To Settle Nothing At All.
• Ball State at Florida, Sept. 2 -- Hang 50 on the Cardinals, give 'em the check, send 'em home.

15. Toughest September

• Notre Dame -- Texas A&M, Nebraska, Purdue, at Michigan State

16. Toughest October

• Oklahoma -- Texas, at Kansas State, Nebraska

17. Toughest November

• Michigan State -- at Ohio State, Purdue, at Penn State

18. Word association

19. Hot coaches

• Rich Rodriguez, Clemson offensive coordinator -- First choice of Texas Tech to replace Spike Dykes, Rodriguez made the right choices to stay. His family didn't want to move and the Clemson offense is going to be fantastic.
• John Chavis, Tennessee defensive coordinator -- One of the best defensive minds in the country but where does he go? There's not many head coaching jobs that would be considered promotions after his Tennessee gig.
• Bobby Pruett, Marshall -- Wisely turned down Houston. Something better will come along soon.
• Tony Samuels, New Mexico State -- The Arizona State upset vaulted this former Nebraska assistant to the top of several wish lists. He won't be in Las Cruces for long with the Aggies moving to the Sun Belt.
• Tom Osborne, Republican state Senate candidate -- He wants back in so bad you can feel it. There are those that say Houston offered him more than $1 million per year in the offseason. The over/under on his return is two years. Stay tuned.

20. Hot-seat coaches

• Jim Donnan, Georgia -- Has to fare better than 1-7 against Florida and Tennessee somehow, some way.
• Terry Shea, Rutgers -- Looking down the barrel of an ultimatum to win this year or be terminated.
• Bob Davie, Notre Dame -- Does NBC go in search of a new coach after this season? Bobby, baby, we love ya but these ratings are killing us.

21. Cage matches deluxe or ... paint your face, put on that pink boa and lower yourself from the rafters for these battle royals

• Washington at Colorado, Sept. 16 -- Some of the bad feelings have died down. Not. Buff fans still upset that Rick Neuheisel ran out on them to take the money at Washington.
• North Carolina State at North Carolina, Oct. 14 -- The Wolfpack's former coach, Mike O'Cain, now coaches the Tar Heels offense. North Carolina coach Carl Torbush saved his job with a narrow victory over North Carolina State. Neither team is going to the BCS but there is some bad, bad blood pumping here.
• Nebraska at Oklahoma, Oct. 28 -- The teams haven't met since 1997 because of Big 12 scheduling configuration. What used to be one of the game's best rivalries has some teeth again.
• Nebraska at Kansas State, Nov. 11 -- 'Huskers still remember Eric Crouch's head almost being torn off by linebacker Travis Ochs two years ago in Manhattan. The winner goes at least to the Fiesta Bowl.
• Auburn at Alabama, Nov. 18 -- Tigers come to Tuscaloosa for the first time since 1901. A nice, friendly, well-mannered crowd will see a brisk, well-played contest.

22. Now or never

These programs must win this year or face some major rebuilding or worse.

• TCU -- Defending WAC co-champions have it all: favorable schedule, Heisman Trophy candidate and 19 returning starters.
• Indiana -- Cam Cameron, Glen Mason, Ron Turner and Joe Tiller all came to their Big Ten jobs in 1997. Only Cameron (10-23) hasn't been to a bowl game.
• Georgia -- Dawgs haven't won the SEC since 1982. Fans would settle for a victory over Florida or Tennessee.
• Notre Dame -- Talk about beating a dead leprechaun. Irish and Davie need to win now. The problem is, they probably can't with a killer schedule and a new quarterback.

23. Ultimate breakthrough player

UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas -- In 1998 the blue-chip recruit from southern California was beat out by Southern California's Carson Palmer at his hometown school. Thomas suffered through complications from a broken ankle, complained he didn't get a fair shot, transferred from Southern Cal to UNLV, redshirted in 1999 and found another chance.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore with three years of eligibility was considered by some one of the best athletes to come out of SoCal in a decade. He started to prove it with several eye-popping plays in spring practice.

24. Potential incendiary situations at ...

• Texas -- Either Chris Simms or Major Applewhite won't be happy this fall. Mack Brown has to pick a starter. The key will be keeping the backup happy.
• Alabama -- The Crimson Tide come in expected to win the SEC for a change. We all know what happens when Alabama falls short.
• Kentucky -- Hal Mumme is putting all his eggs (and steaks) in one basket with 270-pound Jared Lorenzen at quarterback. If he fails or gets injured there's not much depth behind him.
• Penn State -- The Rashard Casey situation could overshadow JoePa's chase for the record.
• Florida -- Jesse Palmer can't possibly stay in Spurrier's good graces all season, can he?

25. In and Out