It's almost here.

The 2015-16 college basketball season will commence soon. And the early storylines offer ample juice to elevate the preseason buzz.

Kentucky scored another ridiculous recruiting class. Kansas could win its 147th (OK, it would actually be the Jayhawks' 12th) consecutive Big 12 title. You see what Cuonzo Martin put together in Berkeley, California? My goodness. Maryland is stacked. Ben Simmons could save LSU. Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi State and Alabama hired new coaches. Steve Prohm could lead Iowa State on a deep run in March during his first season.

That's what we know. That's the hype.

And 2015-16 might surprise us. The conference races in the Power 5 leagues seem set. But every league includes squads that could ruin dreams with surprise runs at their respective conference titles. Here are the most likely conference spoilers.

Big 12

Baylor Bears

Kansas will chase its 12th consecutive Big 12 championship this season. The Jayhawks have dominated the conference since 2004 -- the same year that Hilary Swank won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Million Dollar Baby." Even if Cheick Diallo's academic issues persist, the Jayhawks still boast enough talent to win the conference. Oklahoma and Iowa State are legit threats, too, but Scott Drew's squad also deserves a spot in the conversation. Rico Gathers is a contender for preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and All-American honors. Gathers, Johnathan Motley and Taurean Prince comprise one of the country's top trios. Losing Kenny Chery hurt the program, but the addition of top-40 prospect King McClure adds a talented offensive weapon to Baylor's backcourt. The Bears won 24 games last season even though they committed turnovers on one of five possessions and made just 67 percent of their free throws -- they lost four games by two or fewer points. The only question centers on the damage they'll incur on the perimeter, where they hit 38 percent of their shots from beyond the arc, with Royce O'Neale and Chery both gone. Baylor is equipped to rise in this race and change everything.

Pac-12

Oregon Ducks

Arizona lost Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Stanley Johnson, Brandon Ashley and T.J. McConnell. Kevon Looney and Norman Powell both turned pro after a turbulent season at UCLA that ended in the Sweet 16. Utah can't rely on Delon Wright this season. They're all contenders in 2014-15, even without those standouts, but this is a Pac-12 in flux. So why can't Oregon finish at the top?

Oregon coach Dana Altman is still dealing with the aftermath of a 2014 sexual assault scandal that led to the dismissal of three former players and spurred legal action against Oregon. The Ducks reached the NCAA tournament last season, but Joseph Young (20.7 points per game) played a major role in that journey. He's gone now. Still, the Ducks should be a competitive force in a conference that lacks the star power it possessed a season ago. Dylan Ennis (9.9 PPG) arrives from Villanova and takes over at point guard. Tyler Dorsey, ranked 38th in the 2015 class per RecruitingNation, will start early. And four of the team's top six scorers from last season -- Dillon Brooks, Dwayne Benjamin, Jordan Bell and Elgin Cook -- return. The Ducks won't compete for anything if they're 121st in adjusted defensive efficiency again, but they have a strong nucleus and a solid roster in a league that seems more vulnerable at the top compared to recent years.

Big Ten

Purdue Boilermakers

Last season, the Big Ten sent seven teams to the NCAA tournament in a "down" season. The league could hit that number again in 2016. Maryland added Diamond Stone and Rasheed Sulaimon to a top-10 squad. Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana and Wisconsin are all legit threats. The Big Ten, per the norm, features a favorite and a group of serious contenders. The presence of Caleb Swanigan, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound center ranked ninth in the 2015 class by RecruitingNation, should place Purdue into that latter group. A team that already possessed A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas added one of the most talented prospects in the country a season after finishing 22nd in offensive rebounding percentage. Six of the team's top seven scorers, including Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Rapheal Davis, are back. But the Boilermakers must diversify their offensive attack. They hit 32.7 percent of their shots from beyond the arc (ranking 238th nationally), and they committed turnovers on 19.9 percent of their possessions, one of the worst marks in the country. Yet they swept Indiana, beat Ohio State, defeated BYU during the nonconference season and earned a spot in the Big Dance. They should improve this season, and if Matt Painter's squad reaches its ceiling, Purdue might compete for the Big Ten title.

ACC

Louisville Cardinals

The ACC ended 2014-15 with as much promise as any league in the country. Duke reloaded with an elite recruiting class. North Carolina looks like a Final Four squad. Virginia, too. Miami, Florida State and Notre Dame are all intriguing. But what should we expect from Louisville this season? It's strange to consider that question about a program that usually has the answers. But it is also necessary after Terry Rozier, Montrezl Harrell and Wayne Blackshear moved on -- not to mention Chris Jones' dismissal in February. Shaqquan Aaron and Anton Gill transferred, too -- following the 2014-15 season that ended with an Elite Eight berth. After the Cardinals lost their top four scorers from last season, maybe they would start fresh, rebuild and return to league contention once their young players matured. But Rick Pitino ain't got time for that. Former Drexel star Damion Lee (21.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 38.5 percent from beyond the arc, 89 percent from the free throw line) and former Cleveland State standout Trey Lewis (16.3 PPG) both graduated and transferred to Louisville during the offseason. They're eligible, and they'll both start, possibly, next to star recruit Donovan Mitchell (No. 43 in the country per RecruitingNation). Mangok Mathiang is back, and if you ask the pro scouts, Chinanu Onuaku has an NBA future. Pitino has the talent to battle with the best in the ACC and return to the top of the conference.

SEC

LSU Tigers

Kentucky is still the king of this conference. But Kevin Stallings has a strong crew at Vanderbilt, and Mike White's Florida team has potential, too. Meanwhile, LSU's Exhibit A for contention is just a mixtape. There are a million of them, but at the 0:58 mark, something crazy happens. Ben Simmons, the No. 1 recruit in America and LSU's new star, dribbles down the court with his left hand, crosses to his right to avoid two defenders, goes behind his back, pushes the ball up the floor, skis through the same two guys he'd ruined seconds earlier and finishes with a two-handed dunk. Very Lamar Odom-like. Just rare. He's 6-foot-10, 225 pounds and gifted. That might not be enough to help LSU make a serious run in the SEC and overcome the losses of Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey. It's a great start, though. And the arrival of star recruit Antonio Blakeney and return of Keith Hornsby will also solidify those ambitions. The team's potential, however, is tied to Simmons and what he can contribute each night for the Tigers. He's one of the best players in the country, but freshmen usually struggle with heavy loads. He's not like most freshmen, though. Simmons could guide LSU to a special season and SEC contention.