The field looks wide open as college football is about to get underway

Special to The Providence Journal

AI-assisted summary

Many top college football programs will have new starting quarterbacks this year.

Dylan Raiola of Nebraska is predicted to be a top quarterback this season.

Preseason rankings are largely based on reputation and past performance, not current ability.

Large universities profit greatly from apparel deals with companies like Nike and Adidas.

Quarterback is arguably the most important position in all of team sports, and the college football landscape looks like there are very few schools with returning top-flight starters. So while many expect the usual favorites to again compete for a national championship, just look at the plethora of teams with new signal-callers. Defending champion Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama, Michig