Every year after the crystal football is lifted up (usually by some SEC team), we sit and try to fathom how long the college football offseason is going to be. Winter turns into spring, spring to summer, and we wait in anticipation for kickoff, filling the void with other things (going on vacation, visiting family, maybe even doing a little homework) until, after what seems like ages, we finally get there.

Well, we’re here.

College football started back on Thursday at 6 pm when North Carolina faced South Carolina on ESPN, but that’s just the start of what should be an awesome weekend, and an awesome season. So as we finally get started, here are five things you’ll want to watch out for.

1) Bye Bye, BCS (at least as we know it):

A lot of people are excited about the changes to the NCAA Bowl Championship Series system next year, and I am as well, to an extent. It seems that the NCAA hardly addressed the issue when they decided to go with the four-team playoff for the future. People were fed up with the title game essentially being voted on. Whereas in other sports the championship is usually decided by a playoff, the NCAA has politics. So they ended up changing it, but not nearly enough. This season, the two championship contestants are chosen by a panel of voters. Next season, after long-awaited change, four championship contestants are chosen…by a panel of voters. This doesn’t exactly help.  For example—girls like to be told they’re pretty without makeup, right? This is like going from saying “You look great when you have makeup on” to “You look great when you have most of your makeup on.” Not gonna win them over, boys. Likewise, I’m not exactly swooning over the NCAA’s plan to restore justice.

Speaking of justice…

2) Johnny Football:

Luckily for Johnny Football, he was still able to throw for three touchdowns on opening weekend even after his vicious slap on the wrist by the NCAA. The Heisman winner was suspended for the first half of the Aggies’ 52-31 victory over Rice last Saturday. Half. The problem with the suspension isn’t that it’s too harsh or too lenient—cases can be made for both sides. (If Manziel did in fact exchange his signatures for money, then, yes he broke the rules; but on the other hand, it’s a silly rule.) The issue is that suspending someone for half a game—against Rice nonetheless (which, upon double checking, does apparently have a Division I football team) is essentially like glorified timeout. It’s laughable. Still, I’m happy to see that he’ll be back this year. He brings so much to the table for college football, and since he will be playing he’ll definitely be a must-watch.

3) Great Games Right off the Bat:

Oftentimes teams elect to play Sacrificial Lamb University to warm up the season, and that’s understandable. But it can also make for some boring games. Lose a big game at the beginning of the season, and with the current postseason system in place, and you could be out of the BCS Bowl Mix. This year, some teams opted to go at each other right from the beginning, and you have to admire their courage. We start off Thursday night with a somewhat-improved North Carolina vs. #6 South Carolina, and things roll all the way to Saturday at 8 pm, when Georgia and Clemson face off in Death Valley. Two top 10 teams with BCS aspirations—someone’s going to get heartbroken.

Other games to watch: Alabama vs. Virginia Tech, LSU vs. TCU, NC Central at Duke (kidding) & Northwestern at California (not kidding, Northwestern is pretty good this year.)

4) Conference Realignment:

The past two seasons have consisted of universities playing musical chairs (to the hit song “We’ll Go Where We Can Make Money”). It can be really difficult to keep track of who’s where. One thing that will certainly jump out is the newly named American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East Conference). To me, American Athletic sounds more like a used sports equipment store than a BCS athletic conference, but regardless, the winner still gets a trip to a BCS Bowl. Watch for Louisville to repeat as champions this year—they’re ranked #9 in polls but don’t play a single team currently in the top 25.

5) Alabama:

Does this really need to be said? I could’ve started and ended the article here, but there are plenty of other teams that could end Bama’s dynasty….like any of the other four SEC teams in the top 10.

I kid, but the SEC does look pretty strong this year, and that’s not good for people who are tired of Alabama’s reign (I know I certainly am). They’re returning their starting quarterback, among plenty of others who bullied their way to their second straight title last year. Yes, they lost some players, but they also brought in a top recruiting class. Alabama doesn’t rebuild. They just reload.

That being said, I’d still take the field (the rest of the teams) over the Tide for my championship pick—the chances are always better with the field and all the great teams out there (Oregon, Stanford, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, Louisville, etc.). Eventually, one of these dark horses will win out over the SEC—at least, the law of averages suggests so. Of course, only one thing’s guaranteed in college football: everything I predict will end up being completely, utterly, and shamefully wrong.