The Wiz of Odds

Oregon State

It's a fresh start for Oregon State, which produced this beautiful two-sided poster. Mike Riley, the dean of Pacific 12 coaches who spent 14 seasons in Corvallis, left in December for Nebraska. The Beavers replaced him with Gary Andersen, who resurrected the program at Utah State before a successful two-year run at Wisconsin. Andersen faces a rebuilding project on defense, which returns only two starters. The offense must find a replacement for productive quarterback Sean Mannion, now with the St. Louis Rams. Oregon State plays at Michigan on Sept. 12.

Indiana

Could be a make-or-break fall for Indiana coach Kevin Wilson, who enters his fifth season with a 14-34 record. The September schedule is favorable with three winnable home games and a trip to Wake Forest. Big boy football starts Oct. 3 when Ohio State visits Bloomington.

Washington State

Washington State took a step back in Mike Leach's third season, tumbling to a 3-9 record after appearing in the New Mexico Bowl in 2013. Much of the blame was put on the defense, which ranked 97th nationally. Leach fired defensive coordinator Mike Breske and hired Alex Grinch from Missouri. But there are other issues. The team rushed for only 478 yards — worst in Division I-A — and the longest run was 26 yards.

Toledo

Toledo has put together five consecutive winning seasons and there's ample talent to keep the streak going. However, the offensive line lost its five starters and a quick rebuild will be the determining factor in how far the Rockets can soar.

Alabama

You either love them or hate them. There's no middle ground when it comes to discussing Alabama's program, which has been on an elite level since Nick Saban came to Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide, who open against Wisconsin, will be in the thick of it again this fall. Poster created by Crimson Tide Productions.

Michigan State

Mark Dantonio has the Michigan State Spartan program rolling. The coach has guided the team to 11 or more victories four of the past five seasons. Michigan State has also won four bowl games in a row. The Spartans open at Western Michigan on Sept. 4 and play host to Oregon on Sept. 12.