Open debate

The Southern California dynasty has been derailed, and the player most responsible won't be around to help Texas defend its crown.

For the first time in a few years, there will be a race instead of a chase for the college football national championship.

There's legitimate title talk at Ohio State, Notre Dame, LSU, Auburn and West Virginia. Hopes are high for Florida and California. And let's not forget USC and Texas.

Is there even a favorite this season?

"At this time of year, I never have an opinion," said USC coach Pete Carroll, whose Trojans were denied a third straight national title by Vince Young and Texas. "We just got to start playing and see what happens."

What college football fans will see this season is bigger — though not necessarily better: an expanded Bowl Championship Series; 12-game regular-season schedules for all major college teams and new replay rules.

Now, coaches can challenge a call but will lose a timeout if it's not overturned.

This season the often challenged BCS, always an easy target for those pining for a Division I-A playoff system, debuts a new five-game, double-hosting format.

The idea behind the expansion is to give better access to teams outside the six conferences with automatic qualification — ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC.

Since the BCS' 1998 debut, Utah, of the Mountain West, is the only team from outside the high-revenue leagues to play in a BCS game. The Utes needed to finish in the top six in the final BCS standings to earn a Fiesta Bowl bid.

Now teams from the MWC, WAC, MAC, Conference USA and Sun Belt need only finish in the top 12 to get a BCS invite.

"It's better than it used be, which is good," said Southern Mississippi coach Jeff Bower, whose team is a perennial C-USA contender. "At least you have a legitimate chance now."

The BCS championship game will be played Jan. 8, a few days after the Sugar, Rose, Orange and Fiesta bowls.

A brand new stadium in Glendale, Ariz., will host the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1. Seven days later, the top two teams in the final BCS standings will play for the national title. All BCS games — except the Rose Bowl — will be shown on Fox, which bought the rights for four years for $320 million. ABC, the TV home of the BCS since its start, will air the Rose Bowl.

Fox only can hope the BCS falls into place as nicely as it did last season, when Texas and USC combined for an indisputable championship matchup and Notre Dame returned to the BCS for the first time since the 2001 Fiesta Bowl.