College football spring games 2022 -- USC, Notre Dame, LSU highlight weekend schedule

The last big bunch of college football spring games will give us our first look at the changes that have taken place.

Lincoln Riley at USC, Brian Kelly at LSU, Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, Dan Lanning at Oregon, and Brent Venables at Oklahoma all make their on-field debuts this weekend.

In addition, we will get a look at some prominent quarterbacks at new schools, such as the ones at USC, Oklahoma and Washington State.

We will be watching the top storylines at the games this weekend.

Baylor

1 p.m. ET, ESPN+

What can we expect from the third year of Dave Aranda?

When the Bears won the Big 12 with a 12-2 season in 2021, what was the difference between then and now? Aranda shook up his offensive staff, and along with new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, moved Smith back to running back, and he set the single-season school rushing record with 1,621 yards. Smith and Ebner are no longer with us. The Bears have two capable quarterbacks fighting for the job, one of which was used in the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma State.

Colorado

3 p.m. ET

Will the Colorado offense show signs of life?

Only one of the 130 teams in the country had a worse offense. It is a miracle that they won four games, as they averaged only 18.8 points and 257.4 yards per game. A new offensive line coach, a new wide receiver coach, and a new tight ends coach have been hired by Karl Dorrell. Colorado has a transfer from Houston that could be used as an option. The upcoming season can be different on that side of the ball, and that is the first opportunity for them to show that.

LSU

2 p.m. ET, SEC Network+

There is a crowded QB competition.

Brian Kelly has a lot of work to do in order to get the roster backfilled after the flood of transfers that hit when Ed Orgeron was fired. There is one area where he has a lot of options. Losing anyone with that much experience is not ideal, as former starter Max Johnson is now at Texas A&M. Kelly was able to keep the talented freshman and pull the former starter back after he entered the transfer portal. Kelly got a former Arizona State starter. The only problem is how to divide the reps among the three quarterbacks. The spring game will give a glimpse of the order.

Notre Dame

1 p.m. ET, Peacock

Marcus makes his debut.

The players at Notre Dame were shown in a video celebrating when it was announced that Marcus Freeman would be the head coach. He has had a smooth start to his tenure, and relates well to players and recruits. All eyes will be on him and how his team performs this season as he has a big opportunity ahead of him. He is losing some important pieces from last season, including safety Kyle Hamilton, running back Kyren Williams, quarterback Jack Coan, receiver Kevin Austin and a few others. Having a similar start on the field will be a challenge for Notre Dame, as they have shown on the recruiting trail.

Oklahoma

4 p.m. ET, SoonerSports.TV

How good does Gabriel look?

After losing Mario Williams and Spencer Rattler to the transfer portal, the first season in charge in Norman will be decided by another transfer. Gabriel threw for over 8,000 yards and 70 touchdown in three seasons with Josh Heupel in thetempo-heavy attack that Jeff Lebby likely wants to deploy. The Sooners should be considered the favorite in the Big 12 if he plays at a level that most think he can, and if he can build a strong relationship with Marvin Mims and some youngsters in a green OU receiving corps. Gabriel will be in the spotlight on Saturday.

Oklahoma State

2 p.m. ET

Looking for some defensive players.

OSU and head coach Mike Gundy are looking at a rebuild after an incredible 12 win season and a top 10 finish. The offense returns decent experience, but defense drove last year&s success, and the Pokes are replacing not only defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, but also two sure-tackling linebackers and four-fifths of a great secondary. The new DC will have a line that is possibly the best in the league, with ends Tyler Lacy, Brock Martin, and Collin Oliver, as well as linebackers Mason Cobb and Kamryn Farrar, and corners Jabbar Muhammad and Korie Black. Making a big play or two on Saturday might help alleviate some concerns heading into the summer months.

Ole Miss

1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+

The portal king?

The projection of the Ole Miss offense looked bleak back in November. The quarterback, wide receiver, and running backs were going to the NFL. Lane Kiffin, the self-styled Portal King, hit the transfer market in a big way, landing a number of former Power 5 pass-catchings in Michael Trigg and J.J. Pegues. The cherry on top, of course, was the former No. 2-ranked pocket passer in the 2021 class who threw nine touchdown passes as a true freshman at USC last season. The talent to field another top-flight offense is certainly in place, even though there might be a steep learning curve with so many new faces.

Oregon

4 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Networks

What will Oregon look like in Dan Lanning's first spring game?

The scene in Eugene this Saturday will feature a lot of firsts. It is the first time that Oregon and its fans will get a glimpse of the coach they hope does not leave them for another job, as the last two have. It is the first time that a former quarterback from the SEC will suit up for a team in the West Coast. It will be the first time that Autzen Stadium will see what Ty Thompson can do. Lanning has a recruiting reputation that got him the job. He is a first-time head coach with big shoes to fill, elite players to replace, and questions to answer about how he will be as a CEO of a football program that does not want to take a step back.

Penn State

2 p.m., Big Ten Network

Can Penn State find a running game?

Penn State ranked in the middle of the pack in a number of categories last season. The run game was a problem, and the offense is losing two running backs who have no eligibility remaining. Keyvone Lee is returning, and the coaches have signed two running backs, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who should have an opportunity to contribute this season. Penn State will need to find a way to replace some of the big losses from 2021.

TCU

Friday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Will it be Max or Chandler?

Sonny Dykes moved from SMU to a Power 5 gig by moving across the Metroplex from Dallas to Fort Worth, and his plan will be similar to what he used to help the Mustangs reach new heights: Recruit their backyard, be a home for players looking to come back to. Max Duggan (10 starts last year, 2,048 yards, 16 TDs, 6 INTs) and Chandler Morris (6 starts, 891 yards passing, 70 rushing) both return, despite the fact thatZach Evans is gone to Ole Miss. The Frogs hope that a 3-3-5 defense will help them rebound from last year's 5-7 season, when they allowed 34.9 points per game.

Texas

7 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network

All eyes are on Ewers.

The Texas defense will be the source of a lot of concern for fans this season, and former TCU coach Gary Patterson came on board as a special assistant. Fans will be interested to see how Steve Sarkisian's offense looks in Year 2. Bijan Robinson is back after a season-ending injury, and there is a new wide receiver in transfer, Isaiah Neyor. The main attraction is the quarterback battle between Hudson Card, one of the top prospects in the country coming out of high school, and Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers.

Texas Tech

1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A lot of enthusiasm for Texas Tech.

A recruiting windfall that currently ranks among the best in the country has been built around the Red Raiders program by new coach Joey McGuire. There is reason for optimism with the return of Kittley, who ran some of the nation's best offenses at Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky. No matter who wins the quarterback race, the Red Raiders will put up points. The defense will be the key. Tim DeRuyter, who has been the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Cal and Oregon in recent years, plays an attacking 3-4 scheme that will get after quarterbacks, but can also give up big plays. We will see how aggressive the Red Raiders are on Saturday.

UCLA

Noon ET, Pac-12 Network

Chip Kelly and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are back.

Thompson-Robinson has quarterbacked the Bruins for as long as Kelly has been their coach. In the midst of what has been a pretty mediocre stretch for UCLA football, the two are back this season, and the flashes that they have shown are intriguing enough to wonder if they can accomplish more than they have in the past. They will have to find new targets for Thompson-Robinson with the help of junior running backs. There is a lot to prove on the defensive side of the ball. Bill McGovern is Kelly's new defensive coach. Kelly made a number of new hires after a season that left him hovering over the hot seat.

USC

3 p.m. ET, ESPN

It is finally time for Lincoln Riley and the USC.

For now, we get to see a glimpse of what Riley, Williams and the rest of USC's overhauled program has been working on, but any sweeping declarations about this much-discussed USC team will have to wait until the fall. Riley said Tuesday that the USC will be smart about what they show during a nationally broadcast spring game that will be offense vs. defense. Williams said that he enjoyed the fact that USC has brought about different challenges than Oklahoma, including acting as a second coach on the field. USC has a number of transfers who will be seen for the first time Saturday, including former Alabama linebacker and signal-calling quarterback Shane Lee.

Utah

2 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

The Utes are the favorites to win the title.

Utah is the only team in the Pac-12 that has a chance of making the national title game. The best odds to make the playoffs are 4.9%. Even though the team lost some key players on defense, the culture and continuity that this team is bringing back, not just in personnel but in terms of culture and continuity, is enough to put them at their best. Kyle Whittingham said this week that he will use the spring game to get a lot of new players reps as they work to maintain what Utah had last season -- a top 30 defense and the most complete offense in the conference.

Virginia

4 p.m. ET, ACC Network

What will TonyElliott's offense look like?

First-year coach Tony Elliott and offensive coordinator Des Kitchings understand that the Cavaliers need to adjust their approach in order to be more successful, as evidenced by the fact that Brennan Armstrong ranked No. 2 in the nation in total yards a year ago with 4,700. Establishing the ground game with running backs and being less reliant on Armstrong to make plays is what that means. Armstrong led the team with 98 carries and nine rushing touchdown a year ago. We may not get a lot of answers in the spring game, as Virginia is down to two scholarship running backs because of injury, and the offensive line is a work in progress with new starters across the board. With a talented and deep receiver group returning, finding a running game that is consistent and effective will help not only the quarterback, but the entire offense.

Washington State

6 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

What will Wazzu's newest recruit do for the team?

One of the more exciting things a college football program can have is a quarterback with some hype to his name. Incarnate Word is where he and Eric Morris broke records and filled highlight reels. Saturday will be the first time that Ward will show off his full potential. Keeping Dickert and getting Ward to come to Pullman has been a huge step in creating a positive outlook for Washington State, even though there is a lot of work to be done.

West Virginia

2 p.m. ET, ESPN+

What does the secondary look like?

The biggest news for West Virginia this spring was when Daniels chose Morgantown as his home. He won't be on the field Saturday, so we might not get a good idea of the offense. While the front six returns a bit of veteran talent, the secondary got waylaid by attrition, losing six of last year's top seven players. Veteran corner Charles Woods and redshirt freshman Andrew Wilson-Lamp are two of the players who will be asked to take major responsibility this fall, and Saturday would be a good time for them to show out.