| 1 | |
| The Arch Manning era begins with all the expected hype. Thanks for the memories, Quinn Ewers, but the ‘Horns will be more dangerous at quarterback because of Manning’s overall athleticism and intelligence. Steve Sarkisian gets national freshman of the year Colin Simmons back at defensive end as well as star linebacker Anthony Hill. Injured running back CJ Baxter should make the backfield more productive. |
| 2 | |
| The Dawgs fell badly last season with three losses. The problems were substandard quarterback play, lack of playmaking receivers (again), and Georgia’s worst defense in at least a decade. Wide receiver/kick returner Zachariah Branch should add some spice to coordinator Mike Bobo’s offense. Can rising sophomore running back Nate Frazier be the figurehead of a running back rotation that allows Georgia to pound the rock like it once did? |
| 3 | |
| Carson Beck has become more of a soap opera than a prospect. A jump to the NFL followed a subpar 2024 marred by an elbow injury. Beck then decided to move to Miami. It’s weird, but South Florida seems to suit him right now. It’s hard to imagine Beck as productive as Cam Ward, but the offensive line led by junior left tackle Francis Mauigoa should be dominant, and if the defense improves a little, the Hurricanes will be playoff worthy. |
| 4 | |
| There will be a battle, but in all likelihood, former five-star Julian Sayin will take over at quarterback in place of the departing Will Howard. He’ll have an NFL-ready Jeremiah Smith to throw to. If you want a referendum on the season, pay attention to the opener: Texas will travel to Ohio State in Week 1 for a CFP semifinal rematch as the Buckeyes look to make a run in a quest for back-to-back national titles. |
| 5 | |
| This might be the year. You know, the year James Franklin finally beats a top five team again. His Nittany Lions were blown out of the Orange Bowl semifinals by Notre Dame, giving Franklin a 1-15 record at Penn State against top five teams. Drew Allar will have to recover from the superb interception that ended the season against the Irish. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen make up the best group of running backs in the country. |
| 6 | |
| Marcus Freeman is obviously just getting started. After the best Irish season since 1988, Notre Dame should continue to beat. The offensive line will be big and angry. Running back Jeremiah Love returns. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing the development of slot receiver Jordan Faison, who has been a revelation in the postseason and reminds me of Clemson’s Hunter Renfrow. The season opener in Miami will be awesome. |
| 7 | |
| Dillion Gabriel is done (finally, after six years). Let the competition begin to replace the second best passer of all time. UCLA transfer Dante Moore arrived in Westwood with flair and promise, but now he must prove himself under Dan Lanning. The defense will take a hit with the loss of Jordan Burch. The Ducks are projected to be 4-0 when they travel to Penn State, and there is no Ohio State on the schedule this season. |
| 8 | |
| Culture is in Dabo Swinney’s locker room! Remember that old statement “my way or my transfer highway”? Dabo finally broke down and imported three players from the portal. It should be fun to watch Miami and Clemson battle for the ACC. Cade Klubnik will be a preseason candidate for the Heisman Trophy when he returns after throwing for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns during an ACC title-winning season. The wide receiver room is loaded. However, the rushing defense was toward the bottom of the conference. Still, pencil Clemson for a playoff spot. |
| 9 | |
| Nico Iamaleava got a bit of exposure playing in the cold against an elite Ohio State defense in the CFP. Regardless of how much progress the Vols make, Iamaleava and Tennessee will likely need to win a game like that to take the next step. Losing SEC leader Dylan Sampson will hurt and the offensive line needs to be retooled. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks is a star, so don’t expect a big drop-off on that side of the ball. |
| 10 | |
| LSU still has talent. Is this enough for a Brian Kelly-led SEC/CFP in 2025? The return of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is huge. Second-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker needs to improve his unit. The 5.88 yards allowed per play was an improvement…but not by much. The wide receiver and offensive line have been upgraded in the portal. There are road games at Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss and Clemson. |
| 11 | |
| The Gamecocks were in the CFP discussions at the end of the season thanks to the progress of quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The schedule is brutal with games at Missouri, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Alabama and Clemson are coming to Columbia. With a high enough preseason ranking, a three-loss season could be enough to get the Gamecocks into this stretch. |
| 12 | |
| The Mustangs had one of the best conference starts in history, earning a berth in the ACC Championship and advancing to the playoffs. Quarterback Kevin Jennings over a full season will be fun to watch. Rhett Lashlee is poised to make SMU a national contender every year. |
| 13 | |
| The Cougars should become Big 12 favorites after an 11-win season. The league’s best defense remains largely intact. Jake Retzlaff returns after tying for most interceptions thrown in the Big 12 (12). |
| 14 | |
| The Crimson Tide is one of the biggest question marks on the board. Four losses simply won’t last any longer. Kalen DeBoer must win now! How much of a step back does the Tide take at quarterback with Jalen Milroe going pro, if at all? Bama fans are going to be locked into the Ty Simpson-Austin Mack-Keelon Russell QB battle. There are several good plays elsewhere on the list, but are there enough? The CFP selection committee did not opt for the brand name last month. We won’t get there in 2025 either. For now, ‘Bama is a team on the verge of the top 15. |
| 15 | |
| Bret Bielema likes to upset people (see: Shane Beamer and the Citrus Bowl). He also likes to hammer stone. The Illinois coach is making his program a legitimate Big Ten player. Quarterback Luke Altmyer (2,700 yards) returns to a team that won 10 games for the first time in 23 years. A manageable schedule means the Illini should be in playoff contention. |
| 16 | |
| Big 12 Coach of the Year Kenny Dillingham is the toast of the league after taking the Sun Devils from worst (picked last before the season) to first. Quarterback Sam Leavitt gets his favorite target back from injury: Jordan Tyson (1,100 receiving yards). Army transfer running back Kanye Udoh (1,641 career years) will try to replace Cam Scattebo. |
| 17 | |
| If Lane Kiffin can step away from the keyboard for a second, the attention should shift back to his team. Jaxson Dart is gone, but left-handed backup Austin Simmons looks promising. The left-hander threw 32 passes last season while also playing for the baseball team. Top receiver Tre Harris is also gone. Kiffin has landed 21 transfers, good for the No. 2 transfer class this cycle, according to 247Sports. |
| 18 | |
| I said last year that if Billy Napier won eight games, he should be able to get a raise. GOOD? After a surprising eight-win season, Napier appears to have set the record straight with star QB DJ Lagway (in one full season) ready to take over. What constitutes the game’s toughest schedule changes sites from 24 with games at LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Ole Miss. |
| 19 | |
| The Cyclones have the most wins in program history (11). Inspirational quarterback Rocco Becht is back. The same goes for the backfield of Carl Hansen and Abu Sama II, who accounted for 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns. |
| 20 | |
| Intriguing addition at quarterback as Penn State backup Beau Pribula replaces Brady Cook. You almost have to put Missouri in the top 25. Only a handful of teams have won at least 21 games over the last two seasons. There really aren’t many excuses to win at least nine this season. The transfer class is ranked among the best in the SEC. The Tigers will play their first six games at home, while South Carolina, Alabama and Texas A&M will travel to Columbia. |
| 21 | |
| The Yellow Jackets have lost four of their last five games. They should have beaten Georgia and finished 4-3 in games decided by eight points or less. If quarterback Haynes King stays healthy, watch out. Losing the dynamic Eric Singleton in the portal to Auburn was a blow, but the circle of life works like one: FIU’s two leading receivers come to Georgia Tech in the portal. Eric Rivers (1,172 yards, 12 TDs) and Dean Patterson (685 yards, 7 TDs) should give King valuable options. |
| 22 | |
| Remember when the Aggies controlled their SEC destiny late in the season? A belly flop that included losses in four of the last five games burst that balloon. Quarterback Marcel Reed will have talented targets in portal finishes Mario Craver (Mississippi State) and Kevin Concepcion (NC State). Watch out for another belly flop. The Aggies go to LSU, Missouri and Texas. |
| 23 | |
| Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers won’t be far from making their playoff debut in year one. Google it. Yes, Cignetti actually has a combined record of 25-8 in his previous jobs in the second season. The addition of Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza was one of the portal’s biggest hits. He’ll be able to throw to Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper, who combined for 15 touchdowns last season. |
| 24 | |
| The Red Raiders are poised to break out in year four under coach Joey McGuire. It’s a do-over as McGuire had 17 transfers, including seven four-stars (No. 3 class nationally.) Tech earned eight for the second time in three years, including wins over Big 12 championship finalists, Arizona State and Iowa State. Quarterback Behren Morton returns from shoulder surgery. |
| 25 | |
| UNLV football has never been better. Dan Mullen adds instant credibility after the loss of Barry Odom, who had the Rebels one game away from a playoff spot. The difference in the CFP’s claims is that the new iteration of the revamped Mountain West will not be as strong as in the past. The Rebels should stay on a roll with a school-record 20 wins over the past two seasons. |