Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett throws a pass against Michigan during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) 
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days Tuesday, July 14, 2015, in Hoover, Ala.
Tennessee defensive back Cameron Sutton, left, and defensive end Derek Barnett are proven standouts now for the Vols, and both are expected to be even better leaders this season.
Alabama coach Nick Saban speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days, Wednesday, July 15, 2015, in Hoover, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) As of this morning, we are 16 days from college football's Thursday night kickoff.
Here are corresponding-number questions and answers for the season:
1. Who will be QB1 at THE Ohio State, Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett? Here's a wild guess: On the first play of the season have both of them - as well as converted-quarterback-now-receiver Braxton Miller - on the field.
2. Who will finish second in the quarterback races at Alabama, Georgia and LSU? Each of those three teams has national-championship pieces all over the field. Each of those teams, though, could have season-lasting quarterback issues. We think Alabama has a little bit of a reset since Jacob Coker injured his foot, Georgia starts with Brice Ramsey and LSU starts with Brandon Harris, but all three are far from secure.
3. Will the SEC title drought reach three seasons? We think that is likely, and it could work out that the SEC is - hold your breath and close your ears, Jethro - the big-five conference on the outside looking in come playoff time.
4. For Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin this is a big year, and will the fourth-highest-paid coach in college football be on a very hot season this time next year? We think the Aggies have a huge ceiling, but we also know the coach who finishes last in the SEC West still will be making more than $4 million.
5. Which of the Big Five conferences will be left out of the playoff? And as crazy as this sounds, could more than one be omitted? Know this: Notre Dame has its most talented roster under Brian Kelley, BYU returns a dark horse Heisman candidate in Taysom Hill and Boise State starts the year in the Top 25.
6. What's the sixth-best conference in the country? Beyond the Big Five, here's a vote for he American Athletic Conference. The league has experienced teams in Central Florida and Cincinnati, and it added Navy for depth.
7. Which highly regarded team in the SEC would be the most disappointed with seven wins? Let's go with Georgia, since the Bulldogs are a preseason top-10 program but a quarterback debacle could make anything possible.
8. Will this be the last year of major college football playoffs with fewer than eight teams? No, but the four-team format will be changed sooner rather than later. Some have said recently the change will go to six before it goes to eight, but sadly the expanded playoff is coming.
9. Are we ready for a week 9 matchup between Tennessee and Kentucky? As the SEC schedule gets reshuffled, the Vols face the Wildcats on Halloween as opposed to the Thanksgiving weekend that has been the norm.
10. Will Alabama surpass the over/under 10-win total Vegas has set for it? The quarterback questions - especially the foot injury to Coker and his unknown future - seem to scream no, but here's thinking Nick Saban will use that as a reminder all year long.
11. Will there be an 11-win team left out of the college football playoff? Here's a vote for yes, especially if the ACC champ finishes 11-2 after the conference title game.
12. Will the Big 12 get a team into the playoff? Oh, yes, the Big 12, which was bypassed last year because it did not have a true conference champion, will have a team in the mix. In fact, the league - especially TCU - will get the benefit of the doubt all things being equal come December.
13. In honor of the unluckiest number, if you had to guess, which team already has had the most misfortune? Let's say Florida State, since the Seminoles have lost a five-star linebacker in Matthew Thomas to NCAA eligibility issues and reserve quarterback De'Andre Johnson after a domestic assault incident. Plus, star running back Dalvin Cook is waiting the conclusion of his legal procedures to see if he is eligible.
14. After 2014, which player is poised to make the biggest jump from good to superstar? We'll go with Clemson quarterback DeShaun Watson, who could be a Heisman Trophy contender. As for someone who will be a star in his first year as a starter, here's a vote for Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson.
15. Who will win it all in 2015? It would be easy to go with Ohio State, but here's a vote for TCU.
16. Who will be preseason No. 1 for 2016? Only in the world of college football could we not have started this season and already start thinking about next season, but here's saying the Tennessee Volunteers will get a lot of support heading into 2016.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter at @jgreesontfp. You can read his online column "The 5-at-10" every Monday through Friday starting at 10 a.m. at timesfreepress.com.