Cats Illustrated writers Jeff Drummond, Travis Graf and Justin Rowland have already released their preseason Top-25 predictions.

Here each unveils playoff predictions and three key season storylines they are interested in following outside of Kentucky.

Jeff Drummond

1. Clemson vs 4. Michigan

2. Georgia vs. 3. Alabama

Championship Game: Georgia vs Clemson

National Champion: Georgia. No school in the country is more overdue for a national title than Georgia, and this is the year it gets the job done. In order to do it, the Bulldogs will have to win an unusual rematch of the SEC championship game -- a "prove it" game, no small task -- then turn around and beat Trevor Lawrence's defending national champs. Jake Fromm and D'Andre Swift will power a balanced offensive attack, and Kirby Smart will devise the defense to pull the upset and deliver the Dawgs' first title since Herschel Walker was playing between the hedges.

Stories to watch ...

1. The departure of Urban Meyer from Ohio State has to be one of the most intriguing stories for college football in 2019. The Buckeyes have been one of the most consistent teams under Meyer's leadership, a threat to contend for the national championship on almost a yearly basis, but one senses they might be vulnerable now. Ryan Day may be the next big thing in the football coaching profession, but nobody really knows for sure at this point. The Big Ten is waiting to pounce if he stumbles. If Jim Harbaugh can't get it done now at Michigan, will he ever?

2. Who emerges as the top quarterback for 2019, Clemson's Trevor Lawrence or Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa? After an incredible freshman campaign that culminated with a national championship, the hype is off the charts for Lawrence. Can he live up to it? There will be a lot more pressure on him this season now that he's a marked man and the Clemson defense may not be as dominant as it was in 2018. He'll have to shoulder even more of the load. I wouldn't be too surprised if Tagovailoa regained the mantle of the nation's top signal caller. It should be fun to compare their production all year long.

3. Can the SEC place two teams in College Football Playoff? Alabama and Georgia definitely look like two of the top three teams in the country entering the season, and the schedules set up for them to be on a collision course for the SEC championship game once again. Whichever team loses that matchup, can they still carry enough weight to crack the four-team playoff? We've seen a distaste for that at times from the rest of the nation, who claim that the team which gets left out "had their chance" in the league title game. But that's not what the CFP is set up to do. It's about placing the best four teams in the playoff. If they can't do that, we may hear more calls for an expansion to an eight-team format, accounting for each P5 champion and three "wild card" teams.

Travis Graf

1. Clemson vs. 4. Georgia

2. Alabama vs. 3. Ohio State

Championship Game: Clemson vs. Alabama

National Champion: Clemson. Shocking and really going out on a limb, I know. Clemson and Alabama are just hands down the two best teams in college football and both feature the best amateur gunslingers in the game. Clemson edges the Crimson Tide once again, riding Trevor Lawrence’s Heisman campaign to a national championship.

1. Does Will Muschamp make it through the entire season? Firmly on hot seat, things could get hairy with a week one loss to North Carolina, a game I’m really excited to watch. With a very difficult schedule and Gamecock nation absolutely refusing another loss to Kentucky, it’ll be interesting to see if he closes out the year in Columbia.

2. Can anyone outside of Trevor Lawrence or Tua Tagovailoa be a serious Heisman contender? I typically like to take a chance on some long-shot Heisman candidates, but it would take an absolute fluke for anyone outside of those two to win the hardware. Jalen Hurts is a hot name, but would have to outperform Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, something he won’t do. Also, is there Oklahoma quarterback fatigue?

3. Are Texas and Nebraska officially “back” or is it all preseason hype? Both are ranked top 25 in the preseason polls. Texas has an easy schedule and Nebraska is taking a step forward. Will they finish the season in a position to catapult themselves up the 2020 preseason rankings or do they take a step back?

Justin Rowland

1. Alabama vs 4. Texas

2. Clemson vs 3. Georgia

Championship Game: Alabama vs Clemson

National Champion: Alabama. If I'm looking at Alabama and Clemson on paper, I could talk myself in a strong case for the Tigers. Dabo's program is obviously not scared of the Crimson Tide and these programs are true equals. But I believe Nick Saban's team is going to play the entire 2019 season, through the playoff, with an enormous chip on its shoulder after the way the last championship game played out.

Stories to watch...

1. Neal Brown's first season at WVU. Since we talk about Kentucky here, Brown is a very real possible future head coach at Kentucky.

2. Could LSU dethrone Alabama in the West? While Alabama is my pick to win the national championship, I actually love the look and makeup of this Tiger team, from its star power on defense to the solid Joe Burrow, a more talented backfield, and a very gifted receiving corps.

3. Who crashes the playoff? It seems obvious that Alabama and Clemson are the top two programs in the country followed by Georgia and Oklahoma. But it's unlikely that all four teams make the playoff again, just playing the odds. My pick is Texas, especially if the Longhorns can upend LSU to start the season, but Utah, Michigan, and many others are possibles as well.