1. Marcus Mariota leaves the college game as the best Heisman Trophy winner to lead his team to play for a national championship without winning one (there have been eight). He went 36-5 as the Oregon starting quarterback, throwing a touchdown pass in every game. Mariota threw for more 10,000 yards and rushed for more than 2,000, which only three other players have ever done. He elevated the Oregon program with his play and his selflessness. His legacy will live a long time -- not only among the Duck faithful, but in the history of college football.

2. The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft is Thursday, so it's not official yet, but I can't remember a national championship team where no one left early. There may be a couple of things at work here. The Buckeyes, who finished playing only 72 hours before the deadline, didn't have time to deal with it. Not to mention that a team with seven sophomore and four freshmen starters has a lot of players who aren't eligible to leave early. Even if one or two declare by midnight, Ohio State is, by the modern standard, highly unusual. And if you're a college football fan, a reason to celebrate.

3. Hard as it is to believe, it looks as if we are entering flush times for the three service academies. Air Force, coming off a 10-win season, has given head coach Troy Calhoun a new five-year contact. Ken Niumatalolo just became the winningest head coach in Navy history. Most important, Army, under first-year head coach Jeff Monken, went 4-8, the most victories for the Black Knights in four years. Everyone looks forward to the day when all three programs are again credible threats to win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy every year.