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| The Arch Manning era begins with all the expected hype. Thanks for the memories, Quinn Ewersbut the ‘Horns will be more dangerous at quarterback because of Manning’s overall athleticism and intelligence. Steve Sarkisian becomes a national freshman again Colin Simmons at defensive end as well as star linebacker Anthony Hill. Injured running back CJ Baxter should make the backfield more productive. |
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| 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 Branch of Zechariah 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? |
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| Carson Beck has become more of a soap opera than a prospect. A jump towards the NFL followed by 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. |
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| There will be a battle, but in all likelihood the former five-star Julien Sayin takes over at quarterback in place of the starter Will Howard. He will have a loan for the NFL Jeremiah Smith throw to. If you want a referendum on the season, pay attention to the opener: Texas is coming Ohio State in Week 1 for a CFP semifinal rematch as the Buckeyes look to embark on a quest for back-to-back national titles. |
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| This might be the year. You know, the year James Franklin finally beats a top five team again. His Nittany Lions were eliminated from the Orange Bowl semifinals by Notre Damemaking Franklin 1-15 to Penn State against the top five teams. Drew Allar We will have to recover from the superb interception which ended the season against the Irish. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen is the best running back group in the country. |
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| 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. Run back Jeremy Love returns. Personally, I can’t wait to see the development of the slot receiver Jordan Faisonwho was a revelation in the playoffs and reminds me of Clemson’s Hunter Renfrow. The season opener in Miami will be awesome. |
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| 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 at Westwood with gusto 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. |
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| 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. Club Cade will be a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate 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. |
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| Nico Iamaleava was a bit exposed playing in the cold against an elite Ohio State defense in the CFP. No matter how much progress the Vols, Iamaleava and Tennessee We will probably have to win a match like this to move on to the next stage. 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. |
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| LSU still has talent. Is this enough for a Brian Kelly-led SEC/CFP in 2025? Strategist Garrett Nussmeier the return is enormous. 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. |
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| The Gamecocks were in the CFP discussions at the end of the season thanks to the progression of the 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. |
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| The Mustangs had one of the best conference starts in history, earning a berth in the ACC Championship and advancing to the playoffs. Strategist Kevin Jennings over a full season will be fun to watch. Rhett Lashlee is about to shoot EMS in a national competitor each year. |
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| 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). |
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| 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! To what extent is the Tide taking a step back at quarterback with Jalen Milroe become a pro, if necessary? Bama fans are going to be locked in 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. |
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| Bret Bielema likes to upset people (see: Shane Beamer and the Citrus Bowl). He also likes to hammer stone. THE Illinois The coach is building his program to make him a legitimate Big Ten player. Strategist Luc 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. |
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| 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. Strategist Sam Leavitt recovers his favorite target from injury – Jordan Tyson (1,100 receiving yards). Army transfer running back Kanye Udoh (1,641 career years) will try to replace Cam Scattebo. |
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| If Lane Kiffin can step away from the keyboard for a second, the attention should shift back to his team. Jaxson Dart left, but left-handed backup Austin Simmons looks promising. The left-hander threw 32 passes last season while also playing for the baseball team. Best receiver Tre Harris also left. Kiffin has landed 21 transfers, good for the No. 2 transfer class this cycle, according to 247Sports. |
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| 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 things straight with star QB DJ Lagway (in peak 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. |
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| The Cyclones have the most wins in program history (11). Inspiring 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. |
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| 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. Transfer class is classified near the top of the SEC. The Tigers play their first six games at home, while South CarolinaAlabama and Texas A&M are coming to Columbia. |
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| 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 the quarterback King Haynes stay healthy, take care. Losing the dynamic Eric Singleton in the gate to Auburn was a blow, but the circle of life works like one: FIU’s two leading receivers get to Georgia Tech in the portal. Eric Rivers (1,172 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Dean Patterson (685 yards, 7 touchdowns) should give King valuable options. |
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| 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. Strategist Marcel Reed will have talent targets in portal arrivals Mario Craver (Mississippi State) and Kevin Concepcion (North Carolina State). Watch out for another belly flop. The Aggies go to LSU, Missouri and Texas. |
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| 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’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza was one of the biggest collections on the portal. He can throw at Elie Sarratt and Omar Cooper, who combined for 15 touchdowns last season. |
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| The Red Raiders are poised to break out in year four under coach Joey McGuire. It’s a remake like McGuire brought it 17 transfers, including seven four stars (class No. 3 nationally).) Tech won eight for the second time in three years, including victories over Big 12 championship finalists Arizona State and Iowa State. Strategist Behren Morton returned from shoulder surgery. |
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| UNLV football has never been so good. 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. |
