Bowl season is over, save for the College Football Playoff title game. Welcome to hype season.
The early days of January through the last week of August bring us storylines galore. Most are based on speculation, returning stars and starters, coaching moves, injury rehab and momentum gained from the previous autumn. Every winter, spring and summer, several teams stand above the crowd for the level of attention with which they are showered, based on a combination of the aforementioned factors.
The hype is often justified. Preseason expectations regularly equate to postseason performance. Other times, issues interfere.