Five big questions for Boise State's 2012 season opener against Michigan State

We are only 251 days away from Boise State's 2012 season opener against Michigan State, so we better get going on our passive-aggressive fear-mongering. The Broncos visit East Lansing on August 31, and there are plenty of questions to be answered between now and then. Here are five of the big ones.

Who will be Boise State's starting quarterback?

The Broncos will have an open, four-way competition for starting quarterback this spring and fall. Junior-to-be Joe Southwick, sophomore Grant Hedrick, redshirt freshman Jimmy Laughrea, and true freshman Nick Patti will all be in the mix. Expect QB info to be guarded like a national secret and for Bronco fans to speculate wildly about the smallest details.

Where will Boise State be ranked?

The Broncos figure to finish no worse than No. 7 in the final polls, so the question will be how far pollsters drop Boise State once they realize that Kellen Moore and the entire defense is no more. The Broncos should still be a preseason Top 25 team ... on everyone's ballot but Craig James'.

Will Coach Pete be around?

Of course he will! /nervous laughter

The concern would come during the NFL's annual coach purge should someone like Oregon's Chip Kelly get a job in the pros. For the time being, there are no other jobs that Coach Pete seems interested in taking, so save your breath, Penn State.

Will the Broncos be favored to win?

Michigan State will be no pushover next season, and with the game in East Lansing and with the Broncos suffering from massive attrition at key positions, the line for this game will be very, very interesting. I say this as a concerned citizen of Bronco Nation and not as a degenerate gambler.

Who will get Boise State's first sack?

It won't be Shea McClellin, Tyrone Crawford, Billy Winn, Chase Baker, or Jarrell Root as all five of BSU's top five defensive linemen will graduate. The best reserves are Mike Atkinson and Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe, and beyond that, it is anyone's guess who's lining up on the D-line in August.

Your turn

What quesitons do you have for the Broncos' season opener next year? What are you looking forward to? What are you dreading? Share your thoughts in the comments.