Joey Johnston

When college football last crowned a national champion that wasn't from the SEC, Barack Obama was a U.S. senator from Illinois, Twitter had not been invented and Hank Aaron was still the official home-run leader in major-league baseball.

When Texas defeated USC in a riveting Rose Bowl on Jan. 4, 2006, to claim No. 1 in the land, Tim Tebow was a high school senior, YouTube was in its infancy and few had heard of a Canadian kid named Justin Bieber.

Time has marched forward. Life has changed. Practically all areas of sports have undergone revolutions.

Except in college football, where it has gone something like this: SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! That’s five straight national champions. In order, it has been Florida, LSU, Florida, Alabama and Auburn.

So to commemorate the SEC’s drive for another national title — the Joy of Six? — we offer our top six things to keep an eye on this season, which kicks off on Thursday night:

1. Fallout from scandals
There should be a celebratory mood when college football season begins. Instead, we’re still reeling from a scandal-ridden offseason like no other. And it’s typified by the black cloud hovering over Miami’s program.

The Hurricanes’ world was rocked two weeks ago when booster Nevin Shaprio, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of a Ponzi scheme, revealed that he provided impermissible benefits to 72 Miami football players and other athletes over an eight-year period. Shapiro said coaches and other athletic department personnel were aware of his activity but looked the other way because he generously donated to the school.

So what happens next?

College football kickoff Sara D. Davis / AP CFT's preseason Top 25 When it's all said and done, look for Nick Saban and Alabama to finish on top. Opinion: At long last, Saban likely sticking around OU No. 1 in AP preseason poll   |  Coaches' too CFT: Conference predictions  |  Magazine picks Johnston: Six items to keep an eye on this season Castrodale: Whom to root for after icky offseason Johnston: Once again, it's all about the QBs Johnston: Rough season in store for ex-powers Saturday Storylines: Two doozies to kick it all off   In-depth look at season's top games Heisman Hopefuls |  Preseason All-American team   Coaching changes  |  Who's on the Hot Seat? Timeline: History of conference realignment

In the short term, eight current Miami players must sit out at least one game and coach Al Golden’s first season could become a nightmare. Beyond that, well, the term “death penalty’’ has been tossed around as NCAA investigators approach platinum hotel-night status in Miami.

And the irony of it all: Former Hurricanes athletic director Paul Dee was head of the NCAA infractions committee that came down hard on USC … while similar (if not worse) allegations were occurring at his own school.

College football now has the feel of major-league baseball’s record-chasing moments, where everything must be judged through the prism of potential performance-enhancing drug use. It makes skeptics out of everyone.

There’s ongoing NCAA news at Ohio State and North Carolina (where both coaches were pushed out), plus at LSU and Oregon (who deliciously meet in a big-time season opener at Cowboys Stadium).

And who knows when the Cam Newton affair will be completely sorted out at Auburn?

2. The taunting rule
Here’s one that might sneak up on you.

Taunting fouls on scoring plays have been commonplace in recent seasons, and there has been controversy as officials struggle with becoming the sport’s emotion police. But the ramifications have been a 15-yard penalty on the extra-point attempt or the ensuing kickoff.

That won't be the case every time now.

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If a taunting foul is called before a player reaches the end zone, the points will be taken off the scoreboard and 15 yards marked off from the spot of the foul.

OK, now we have your attention. Good.

Picture the old-school Miami Hurricanes. Picture any modern-day player, pointing and woofing at an opponent as they soar into the end zone.

Now picture all those touchdowns going bye-bye.

The pressure is on players to behave. Coaches are understandably nervous over how this rule will be called by officials. What is the level of subjectivity?

3. The conference shuffle
Where will it all land? More accurately, when will it all start (again)?

The ball started rolling last season when the Big 12 lost two teams (Nebraska to the Big Ten, Colorado to the Pac-12, which also plucked Utah from the Mountain West).

Timeline History of conference realignment Take a look at some of the key moments from 1894 to all of the recent changes. NBCSports.com

The Mountain West saw Brigham Young opt for independence. It will lose TCU to the Big East in 2012. In response, the Mountain West brought aboard Boise State for this season, with Nevada, Hawaii and Fresno State on deck for 2012.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M is in play. The Aggies are bolting the Big 12 and are eagerly seeking an SEC invite.

SMU is openly campaigning for that slot in the Big 12.

It seems like we’re on the threshold of a major shift, one that could lead to four 16-team super-conferences. Until then, it’s bound to be an almost-daily dose of rumors and news, sometimes with seismic ramifications.