With the Pac-12 back in the fold, college football has once again drawn clearer lines between its power structure—not necessarily because one group is superior on the field, but because the balance of influence currently rests with it. As the Big Ten and SEC continue to reshape the landscape, we sat down with Casey (@HerdBros) and JD (@northtexaseagle) to discuss the game, examine the most compelling storylines ahead, and reflect on the traditions that continue to define college football.

At The Three Technique, our perspective is shaped by the full scope of the sport. Covering all 138 FBS programs isn’t just a tagline, it’s what defines us. While major networks narrow their focus, we believe the beauty of college football lies in its entirety, and we’re committed to enjoying and covering every corner of it.

Leave your thoughts below and let us know with G6 teams most intrigue you this season!

Q: How fulfilling was it to see not one, but two G6 teams make the playoff last year?

JD: Yeah, that’s exactly how it felt — a total perfect storm. The margins were razor-thin, and by the end it really was splitting hairs. JMU and the American champ both checked basically every “deserving” box you could reasonably ask for, and in most years you’d feel good saying either one was clearly in. This year just happened to be the rare overlap where both had airtight cases.

I was glad they both made it too… but you’re 100% right about the fallout. This kind of outcome is going to give the P4 commissioners all the ammo they need to say, “See? This is why we need guardrails,” and then quietly install rules that make sure a G6 never squeezes through again unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. That part stings.

And as a G6 follower, it’s hard not to feel like the bar keeps moving. Win your games, schedule tough, dominate your league — and even then it’s still, “yeah but…” The system tolerates G6 success only when it doesn’t inconvenience the power structure.

What sucks most is that seasons like this are supposed to be the payoff for G6 programs: do everything right and force the sport to respect you. Instead, it might end up being used as the example of why that door should stay mostly closed.

Still, JMU and the American champ making it at all was a statement — even if the powers that be spend the next offseason trying to erase it.

Casey: National journalists and P4 fans on social media were convinced it literally wasn’t possible - they assumed only one G6 champ could qualify with four P4 champions. From that standpoint, it was incredibly satisfying. Obviously I wish we would have seen a win from Tulane or JMU, but regardless of the result, they earned it.

Unfortunately, the P4 changed the access for 2026 and beyond, so we may never see two G6 teams again in a 12-team format. Even if the end result would have been one team in 2025, the fact that two was possible made everyone talk about G6 games towards the end of the season. The national exposure from the discussion alone was exciting and program-changing for teams like JMU and North Texas, so it’s a true shame that the SEC and B1G elected to make a change after one season (again).

Q: What do we need for a team like North Texas or JMU to achieve big time success and retain their coach/roster to run it back?

JD: North Texas in particular is going to need a lot of things to fall into place, but they’re definitely better positioned now than they were this past season. The donor support has stepped up in a huge way—NIL funding is up more than 200% compared to last year, which changes the ceiling of the program in a real sense.

The coaching situation matters too. With Eric Morris, you had a first-time head coach who was clearly looking to climb. Oklahoma State was a perfect landing spot for him: Big 12 familiarity, strong resources, great location, and the ability to bring a lot of his guys with him. That kind of opportunity was always going to be hard to turn down.

Neal Brown is a different story. Having already been through the P4 grind at West Virginia, I think he’ll be less antsy to jump at the first big offer. That kind of experience can bring some much-needed stability if UNT starts winning.

At quarterback, if Chris Jimmerson wins the starting job, the sub-5’10” factor could actually help UNT. It may limit P4 poaching and give some continuity at the most important position. If UNT can make a real run this year or next, between increased NIL support, coaching stability, and roster continuity, they could be better suited than most G6s to sustain success and potentially run it back.

Casey: It would take the right “storm” to retain a head coach and roster. With the significant head coaching positions open this season, there was never a realistic chance. Once the HC leaves, players leave.

That’s where you start. You have to have a relatively quiet coaching carousel.

Next, it’s all about resources. The G6 teams with resources (and brand recognition) will be able to retain better than those who don’t. Think of teams such as USF, Memphis, JMU, Boise State and Tulane.

For example, USF has committed to reach the maximum revenue sharing threshold, they play in an incredible market in Tampa, and their facilities will be “P4 ready” very soon.

I strongly believe a conference-champion head coach at USF would be better off staying at USF than trying to rebuild a bottom-feeder SEC team. The only downside is the lack of playoff access and less salary, but we shouldn’t act like $2-3 million isn’t sufficient for generational wealth. I digress...

Q: Mr. Beast has thrown around the idea of supporting his hometown ECU Pirates with a silly amount of cash to win a championship. Is this cool or gimmicky, in your opinion?

JD: I think it’s gimmicky, in my opinion. The NCAA needs a true salary cap and real transparency, or you’re going to see the same issue MLB is running into right now with the Dodgers. Without guardrails, it just turns into teams money-whipping their way to championships.

There have to be some checks in place to protect competitive balance, otherwise it’s bad for the long-term health of the sport. I don’t think that approach would be good for college athletics overall.

Casey: I’m not sure many people realize this, but the entire Mr. Beast/ECU thing started with my viral X post in December. His Instagram story was posting a podcast that was reading my X post at the start of the clip. All of that to say, I obviously think it’s a cool idea. He could partner with a media platform to make a mini documentary about the process as well. Not sure it fits his style, but sports fans would be intrigued by the concept, and his connection with ECU makes them an easy pick.

If Mr. Beast wants to do a video that’s true to his style, he should invite one player from every G6 college football team to compete in a “Beast Games” format. Winner gets a NIL deal for himself + his team. I’d be locked in.

Q: With the SEC and B1G controlling the direction of college football, is a “G6 league” inevitable?

Casey: I think separate divisions are inevitable, but I’m not sure it will be a true P4/G6 split.

The SEC and B1G already see themselves as superior to the ACC and Big 12. Their original proposals for CFP expansion gave those two conferences less automatic bids than themselves. It’s only a matter of time before most Big 12 and ACC teams face a similar fate (whether that be a split or limited CFP access).

Perhaps we do get a P4/G6 split, but I think media networks for ESPN will push for consolidation of top brands to form a “Super League.” Based on what I’ve heard form my sources, this concept is being actively explored and semi-promoted to CFB fans to see how they handle the idea.

European soccer fans killed the idea of a Super League a few years ago by speaking up. College football fans should do the same. Group of 6 programs are incredibly important to the college football ecosystem, local economies, higher education, and more.

JD: I hate to just piggy back but I completely agree with Casey on this.

Q: For those of us who rabidly support G6 football, what should get us excited about 2026?

JD: The transfer portal has definitely hurt G6 football in some ways, but at the same time it’s probably helped just as much. The G6 landscape feels as open as it’s ever been. Teams can rise quickly now in ways that just weren’t possible before.

Look at North Texas—myself included, nobody had them pegged to win 12 games. That kind of jump just doesn’t happen without the portal. The new era of college football gives hope to far more programs than it used to, because roster rebuilds don’t have to take three or four years anymore. With the portal, overnight turnarounds are real, and that keeps the G6 competitive and unpredictable in a good way.

Casey: If North Dakota State joins the Mountain West conference, that’s the #1 story in the G6 in 2026. Everyone will want to see how the most dominant FCS team of all time will fare in the FBS.

The resurrection of the Pac-12 will be fun. Someone other than Boise State will win the Mountain West!

Generally speaking, the G6 is wide open in 2026. Essentially every Top G6 team lost their head coach and a ton of contributing players. New-look MWC. New-look Pac-12. A ton of turnover in the American. Your guess is as good as mine for who will come out on top.

Q: Which player or team will be the biggest storyline from the G6 this next season?

JD: I cover a team from the American, so that’s the conference I follow most closely. The biggest storyline I’m tracking this season is how the top four teams were essentially dismantled—they lost head coaches and a lot of key players.

The question is: which of those teams will be able to recover the best? Can one of the four make a run at the conference title in year one of a new era, or will it be one of the military academies or a middle-of-the-pack team that was able to keep most of their roster intact? That’s what makes this season so intriguing.

Casey: The new-look Pac-12 as a whole is the biggest storyline in 2026 (other than NDSU moving to FBS, of course). Sure, it’s primarily the Mountain West plus Oregon State and Washington State, but having that Pac-12 logo will create a lot of national discussion on par with the American Conference.

Since that’s an entire conference, here’s another one: JMU. Billy Napier appears to be reloading with the Dukes after a less than ideal stint at Florida. He’s got the resources to have JMU back at the top of the Sun Belt in Year 1 if he can put the right team together.

JD: Ditto everything Casey wrote.

Plus, a final note from Casey….

Change is coming in college football, whether fans want it or not. People should continue making their voices heard. ADs, journalists, network executives and others see these conversations on social media. Some value public input more than others in decision making, but silence doesn’t help anyone. Have meaningful conversations and be respectful of those who disagree with you. If anyone wants to contribute to the G6 discussion in 2026, they can find me on X @ TheHerdBros!

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Watch the YouTube interview here!

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The guys break down their favorite storylines, plus dive into all of the positional matchups to get you ready for the ultimate new school vs blue blood clash.

* All eyes on the Miami secondary vs Mendoza

* Can anyone stop the Hoosiers’ ground attack?

* Why Mark Fletcher could win Miami a championship

* Indiana has an ELITE game plan

Who are YOU picking to win it all? Let us know below!

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Fiesta Bowl - Ole Miss vs Miami

Peach Bowl - Indiana vs Oregon

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Saving Bowl Season: The CFB NIT (24 teams)

Trey saved bowl season last year with his invitational idea. As we discussed on the podcast, here’s what that would look like!

* Teams must win at least 8 games to qualify, 7 win teams as filler with priority to no FCS wins

* Autobid for conference champions that do not qualify for CFP

* Bowls used for QF, SF, and Final - must commit to NIL

* QF: Gator, Sun, Pop-tarts, Alamo

* SF: Reliaquest, Citrus

* Final: Las Vegas (or rotating)

* Seeding Based on CFP top 25, then SP+

* Avoid conference matchups until second round

* Teams that opted out included for 2025 for reference

How to get buy-in:

* Players: NIL incentives for playing AND winning (bowls provide for later rounds with TV networks supplementing). Involve them in the process to determine the right amount of money. They also get a chance to showcase talents for the portal and/or draft

* Admin: First & Second Round games on campus ($$$ for ADs looking for more revenue with House Settlement). Worried about selling tickets? Make it free/give a ton away to schools or community members that wouldn’t normally get to go

* Conferences: Use games a data points (within reason) to build a conference strength database (part of a bigger dream for data-driven look at which conferences perform best against each other on the field)

* Coaches: more practice and game reps for next year! New coaches can try to experiment, hell maybe early enrollees can play? Rules are loose! These are still glorified exhibitions afterall

2025 Field:

Autobids (SP+ Rank):

* Boise State (50)

* Duke (51)

* Kennesaw State (78)

* WMU (80)

At Large:

* Notre Dame

* BYU

* Texas

* Vanderbilt

* Utah

* USC

* Arizona

* Michigan

* Virginia

* Houston

* Georgia Tech

* Iowa

* North Texas

* Washington (16)

* Missouri (17)

* Tennessee (20)

* USF (23)

* SMU (26)

* Louisville (29)

* Illinois (30)

CFBI:

* Must win at least 7 games to qualify (or 6 without beating an FCS team)

* First round games on campus

* Later rounds at current bowl sites (bid based on NIL Commitment)

* Top 8 seeds host, 9-16 assigned based on regionality/storylines

* Clemson (32)

* LSU (33)

* Memphis (34)

* Iowa State (35)

* Pitt (36)

* Toledo (38)

* TCU (39)

* ECU (40)

* UConn (44)

* Nebraska (46)

* San Diego State (47)

* Old Dominion (48)

* Cincinnati (49)

* UNLV (52)

* Arizona State (54)

* Wake Forest (56)

Remaining 7-5+ Teams (Assigned to ESPN-owned bowls)

* Navy (57)

* NC St (62)

* New Mexico (65)

* Fresno State (67)

* Hawaii (68)

* WKU (70)

* Minnesota (71)

* La Tech (76)

* Ohio (81)

* Cal (82)

* Miami OH (85)

* Troy (87)

* Southern Miss (89)

* CMU (90)

* Jax State (91)

* FIU (94)

* (Missouri State)

6-6 teams (Invited to Bowls based on Geography + Matchup):

* Penn State (18)

* Kansas State (45)

* Wash State (60)

* Northwestern (64)

* UTSA (66)

* Texas State (72)

* Utah State (75)

* Army (79)

* Louisiana (101)

* Ark State (105)

* Ga So (111)

* Coastal (117)

* (Delaware)

Current Bowls (including all rounds of CFP): 46

New System:

* 4 on-campus CFP games

* 6 NY6 bowls

* 1 CFP Championship

* 16 on-campus NIT games

* 7 NIT “bowls”

* 8 on-campus CBI games

* 7 CBI “bowls”

* 8 7-5+ bowls

* 6 6-6 bowls

63 total games (57 without 6-6 games, 49 without teams that didn’t make a bracket)

Wins:

* More TV inventory for networks (FOX/CBS/NBC could secure rights for the NIT/CBI)

* NIL-driven consolation (hopefully) increases player participation and buy-in

* Home games give another source of revenue as House Settlement nears

* Coaches get more practice time for development or could treat these games as opportunities to get depth some playing time

Unused Bowls:

* IS4S (Montgomery, AL) - undesirable, hard to get to location (weird sponsor as well)

* Cure (Orlando) - already two “bowl” games at this stadium, could be convinced to swap this for b’ham but don’t want to leave the whole state of Alabama out

* 68 Ventures (Mobile) - undesirable, hard to get to location (weird sponsor as well)

* Fenway - we can stop pretending anyone asked for this

* Pinstripe - was can stop pretending anyone asked for this as well

* Bahamas/Xbox - it was fun while it lasted, old friend, but it’s time. Thanks for the memories

* Famous Idaho Potato - undesirable, hard to get to location

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Catch the replay of our LIVE reactions to the selection show with the guys from Always Talkin’ Ball and The Walk-on Redshirts!

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The guys also broke down each of the nine conference championships, including the expectation for classics between Ohio State and Indiana + Georgia and Alabama!

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Plus, we get you caught up on every team that has a chance to make the conference championship game and let you know where over 20 teams stand in trying to make the playoff. Buckle up, this was a wild one!

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Notre Dames hosts a USC team desperate for a road win, while Ole Miss dances with Georgia Between the Hedges, and Utah rolls into Provo for the Holy War against BYU!

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- Tennessee vs Georgia

- Notre Dame vs Texas A&M

- Miami vs USF

- Georgia Tech hosts Clemson

- Saturday storylines: Upset Alert in the SEC

and more!

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Chapters

00:00 Kickoff to College Football Season

02:45 The Final Game Day for Lee Corso

06:07 Previewing the Big Three Matchups

09:51 Texas vs. Ohio State: A Clash of Titans

19:58 Clemson vs. LSU: Battle for Death Valley

30:09 Notre Dame vs. Miami: A Classic Rivalry

37:33 Carson Beck's Renaissance at Miami

42:08 Saturday Storylines: Key Matchups and Predictions

47:18 Auburn vs. Baylor: A Clash of Expectations

50:39 Tennessee vs. Syracuse: A Test of Depth

53:57 Alabama vs. Florida State: A Tough Start for the Noles

01:01:20 TCU vs. North Carolina: Bill Belichick's Debut

01:08:30 One More Storyline: New Quarterbacks to Watch

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Welcome to our final conference preview of the preseason!

Oregon State Beavers

2024 in Review

After Jonathan Smith left his alma mater for more stable ground in the Big Ten, many expected a true year zero for newly promoted head man Trent Bray, especially after many of the star players portaled out. With uncertainty abounding on and off the field, a 4-1 start was a welcomed surprise, but reality set in after an upset loss to Nevada kick-started a five-game losing streak. There was a glimmer of hope at the end of the season, however, as the Beavers mustered an upset of Washington State in the battle of Pac 12 holdouts to stop the bleeding and infuse the program with confidence for the future.

Key Storylines

Maalik Murphy transferred in to take over at QB, providing a much-needed higher ceiling at the position. The former four star will be on his third school after beginning his career at Texas and transferring to Duke last season. With the Blue Devils, the talent certainly flashed, but taking care of the football was a serious issue. Murphy threw the ball to the other team 12 times in his 12 starts last year, and will need to get that under control to fully reach his high potential.

Anthony Hankerson is the star of the offense after posting 1082 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground last year. The talented back would have been highly sought after had he entered his name in the portal, but Hankerson, and several other key skill position players like leading receiver Trent Walker, opted to continue playing in Corvallis, giving Murphy plenty of weapons to work with.

The defense will need to find its identity after struggling mightily last year, especially during the 1-6 finish. They finished the year giving up the most points per game and yards per play since 2020, and while the numbers against the pass don’t look too bad, that bright spot comes mostly from the fact that opponents enjoyed great success running the ball. This year, six starters return, highlighted by safety Skyler Thomas and LB Nikko Taylor, so there should be some natural improvement, but they absolutely must find someone to rush the passer. The Beavers mustered just seven sacks all year, dead last in the country.

The Schedule at a Glance

The Beavers’ 2025 slate feels like a great mix of “should win” games to build confidence and challenging ones to give us a good gauge of the state of the program. Oregon State will welcome three P4 foes, Cal, Houston, and Wake Forest (plus Washington State), to Corvallis and hit the road to face two more in Texas Tech and Oregon (plus, again, Washington State to complete the home and home). There’s also an intriguing road trip to Boone, NC to face off against an App State squad starting over under new leadership. All told, there will be no shortage of intrigue on this quasi-independent, hastily-thrown-together ledger.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

If we assume a split of the home-and-home with Wazzu and home wins over Fresno State, Lafayette, and Sam Houston, I think there’s enough juice on this roster to find three more wins and hit the over.

Washington State Cougars

2024 in Review

What a wild ride it was on The Palouse last season. Wazzu started 8-1 and Trey was stoking the flames for an outside shot at the playoff. But then the wheels fell off and the Cougars crashed in their final four games. To make matters more frustrating, their star QB, RB, and top two WRs all left via the carousel, portal, or draft. But fear not, Cougars Nation, the night is always darkest before the dawn. Jimmy Rogers enters stage left.

Key Storylines

How does Rogers and Co. adjust to the FBS level. Rogers, his staff, and 15 new Cougars all headed west after enjoying enormous success at South Dakota State. The Jack Rabbits won the national championship in Rogers’ first season (2023) and were elite again last season, making it to the semi-finals and finishing 5th in the country in defense. Washington State has one final year in this two-team shadow conference before the Pac 12 rises from the ashes. Realistically, Rogers has the chance to get his feet under him before chasing conference championships in 2026 and beyond.

QB1 is…? Zevi Eckhaus showed that he has what it takes to lead the Cougars in 2025, but Julian Duggar is right on his heels. The Pitt transfer (and native) joined the program this spring and is already showing off his dual threat ability. It’s hard to predict a Cam Ward or John Mateer-like performance from either player, but there is undeniably something in the water on The Palouse that brings success to QBs.

Will the defense establish an identity? Rogers is a defensive guy by nature, and he might have a blank canvas with which to build his ideal unit. Along with several transfers from South Dakota State, Rogers also has returners like LB Parker McKenna and Keith Brown to work with. The Cougars were dreadful at preventing touchdowns last season, giving up nearly 30 points per game. Rogers has his work cut out for him, but we think they’ve got the right man for the job.

The Schedule at a Glance

The schedule is loaded with coin flips. Idaho, San Diego State, and Washington are all at home in the first four week, but early road trips to North Texas, Colorado State, Ole Miss, and Virginia lurk. The Cougars finally return home to host Toledo, Louisiana Tech, and Oregon State to close the year. Don’t forget, Wazzu and the Beavs have a home-and-home scheduled: in Corvallis on November 1st, in Pullman on November 29th.

Over/Under Projection: 5.5 wins

While there is a ton of transition and both sides of the ball will need to find new X-factors, we’re waving Ole Crimson and picking the Cougars to find their way into a bowl game.

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As we kick off “Indy-Pac” week, we’re joined by Tyler Nohe of Always Talkin’ Ball to preview the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Marcus Freeman has found success on and off the field, but can he take the Irish all the way to a national championship this year?

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

ACC Part I | ACC Part II | ACC Part III | Big XII Part I | Big XII Part II | Big XII Part III | SEC Part I | SEC Part II | SEC Part III | B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2024 in Review

The first two weeks of last season could not have been more different. After earning a hard-fought, signature win at Texas A&M, Marcus Freeman and the Irish returned home to face Northern Illinois, and lost 16-14. While the loss was embarrassing, the bigger issue was the fact that Notre Dame had lost any room for error two weeks into the season and would need to win out to make the playoff. But Freeman’s squad rose to the occasion, winning their final ten regular season games by an average of 30.7 points. They entered the playoff as the seven seed, and beat Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State en-route to the National Championship Game.

Key Storylines

Send in the Carr. After waiting his turn last year, it appears that it is CJ Carr’s turn to run the show on offense. While Kenny Minchey is still in the running after a strong spring and early fall, it has long been the opinion of most that the job is Carr’s to lose. Leaning on an inexperienced signal-caller is never without risk, but Carr has the recruiting notoriety (consensus four-star and top five QB in his class) and lineage (son of former Michigan QB Jason Carr and grandson of legendary coach Lloyd Carr) to back up the optimism.

This offense might be the best Notre Dame has had since…Brady Quinn? The offense, statistically, was fine last year from a results standpoint as they finished top-ten in scoring. The process of getting there could look a lot more explosive this year. The RB corps is headlined by Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, and the deeper options could be just as talented. The receiving options took a bit of a hit in losing Beaux Collins and TE Mitchell Evans, but Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison return and Malachi Fields arrives from Virginia. The OL suffered a rash of injuries last year, but that means they are deeper and experienced this year.

Four defensive starters were drafted and Al Golden moved on to the NFL as well, but new DC Chris Ash will have plenty to work with. The defensive line is deep and experienced with seven of the top eight having at least two years of college experience. Behind them, Jaylen Sneed and Drayk Bowen will lead a LB unit that could end up the best in the country. And while the secondary is losing all-American Xavier Watts, Christian Gray and Leonard Moore are back to man the corner spots and Alabama transfer DeVonta Smith is an exciting addition at nickel.

The Schedule at a Glance

The Irish will open 2025 on the road once again, this time facing Miami in a stand-alone Sunday night affair. After a bye, Notre Dame will return home to face Texas A&M in a rematch of last year’s opener. The A&M game is also the first of five home games in six weeks, with a trip to Fayetteville being the only interruption in the home stand. The home stretch has tricky road trips to Boston College and Pitt, but overall this is a manageable, front-loaded slate with the two toughest games likely being the first.

Over/Under Projection: 10.5

It is very possible that we will know if Notre Dame will hit this number two games (and three weeks) into the season. If the Irish knock off the Canes and Aggies, I don/t see two other teams beating them this season. If they split against two talented-but-flawed teams, 10-2 feels like the ceiling. I am high on this roster and don’t think the QB will need to be all that dynamic, so I’m predicting at least 11-1.

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Today, we’re talking the top five teams in our listener-generated ACC power rankings. From a team that finished 2-10 last year to one that feels like an inevitable champion, storylines abound in this group.

Let’s dive in to the LAST conference preview article of the season!

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

ACC Part I | ACC Part II | Big XII Part I | Big XII Part II | Big XII Part III | SEC Part I | SEC Part II | SEC Part III | B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

Florida State Seminoles

2024 in Review

Seminole fans, feel free to skip this part (or at least make sure you have your support system on standby). After experiencing the highs of a 13-0 regular season, the lows of being inexplicably left out of the last four-team playoff, and saying goodbye to a truly generational crop of players, you would think things would settle down for fans of Florida State. But nothing could have prepared them for what came next: a 2-10 season that started comical and ended downright sad. Simply put, the 2024 Florida State football season will go down as one of, if not the, biggest failures in the history of the sport. Now the only question is, how do you bounce back?

Key Storylines

If you can’t beat him, get him to join you? Tommy Castellanos went into Tallahassee and knocked off the Noles (before we knew that would not be a major accomplishment) with Boston College last year on Labor Day. He was ultimately benched last year in Chestnut Hill, but Castellanos feels like a great fit into new OC Gus Malzahn’s offense, providing he can keep defenses off-balance with his arm. It’s a bit of a risk for Mike Norvell, but might have been the best option available and willing to try and be part of the resurrection of the Noles.

There’s a massive overhaul on both sides of the ball, as you might expect following a 2-10 campaign. All told, 23 players were brought in to replace 33 that portaled out. There are certainly some gems in this group - like CB Jeremiah Wilson from Houston and former Tennessee teammates WR Squirrel White and DL Jayson Jenkins - and Norvell is no stranger to overhauling a roster through the portal. But these players have to be hits because the big question is…

What does Mike Norvell have to do to prove he deserves more time? We’ve seen collapses at big programs before, but have we ever seen a coach actually recover from one and return to glory? It feels like Mike Norvell will need to do something improbable, if not unprecedented, like rebound from 2 wins to eight or more to save his job. There are so many reasons the Florida State program finds themselves here, too many for this article, but Norvell’s lack of consistency and true bottoming out last year have not done him any favors or bought him many allies.

The Schedule at a Glance

How do you help out a coach that’s on the hot seat? Probably not by opening the season with Alabama. That’s exactly the task ahead of the Noles, but at least that game is at home! After two buy-games ACC play begins with a tricky stretch of at Virginia, Miami and Pitt at home, and a cross-country trip to play Stanford. The back-half is no cupcake either, with three of the final five games (Clemson, NC State, Florida) on the road.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

Florida State will improve this season, but getting to eight wins feels like a stretch. Last season, there were 16 teams that improved by at least 10 points in Bill Connelly’s SP+ power rating. On average over the past 20 years, there have been just 2 teams per season that improve by 20 points in the same rating. I’m sure my old AP Stats teacher will point out the flaw in my logic somewhere, but using Florida State’s season-ending ranking of -3.2 and Connelly’s preseason rankings for this year, FSU has about a 12% chance of finishing in the top-40 and a 1.5% chance of finishing top-15. If those odds scream 8 wins to you…be my guest!

SMU Mustangs

2024 in Review

The Mustangs entered their maiden voyage through the ACC fresh off winning the American in their final year as a G5 program, and many felt they had the infrastructure to compete with the big boys eventually. There were a lot of pieces for a fun year, but one of the most exciting, returning starting QB Preston Stone, was benched during an early season loss to BYU in favor of Kevin Jennings. Jennings took over the roles and never looked back, and the Mustangs rode an explosive offense and ferocious pass rush to an 8-0 ACC record, spot in the Championship game and, ultimately, a playoff berth. Not too bad for year one!

Key Storylines

Kevin Jennings has had a full offseason as QB1, which will be key to his development. For much of the college football world, the images of Jennings that are ingrained in the consciousness are those of the playoff game in a frigid Happy Valley (not great!). Jennings is capable of far more than what he showed in that game, and he proved that time and time again last season when he was not supposed to be the starter. Now, it’s officially his team and I expect him to take a further step to becoming one of the best QBs in college football.

Who takes over at RB1? That’s the biggest, and maybe only, question on offense after converted WR Brashard Smith was drafted by the Chiefs and presumed next-in-line LJ Johnson transferred. TJ Harden comes in from UCLA, but the staff is also high on RS-Freshman Derrick McFall, who got his feet wet late last year. Elsewhere on offense, there probably won’t be a dominant WR1 with how Rhett Lashlee’s offense likes to spread the ball around, but the best all-around offensive weapon will still be TE RJ Maryland, who returns from a late-season injury for his final year of college football.

Can the pass rush continue to dominate? We were wondering last year if SMU’s defense would hold up to the grind of a power conference schedule. It did, largely on the back of a pass rush that logged 43 sacks. Some of those athletic freaks off the edge are gone, but Isaiah Smith and Cameron Robinson return to lead the group this year. Elsewhere on defense, Zakye Baker will look to make an instant impact at the LB spot after transferring from ECU, and safety Isaiah Nwokobia, who was given the honor of wearing the venerated #23 of Jerry LeVias this fall, is back as the defense’s best all-around playmaker after an all-ACC campaign last year.

The Schedule at a Glance

In 2024, SMU only faced two of the teams that finished in the top 8 of the final ACC standings. The schedule takes a bit of a tick up in difficulty in 2025, but not by much as the Mustangs will play just three teams our Jimmys and Joes put into the conference contender tier - Clemson (away), Miami (home), and Louisville (home). The most intriguing portion of the schedule is the month of September, where SMU will host Big 12 contender Baylor before hitting the road to face FBS-newcomer Missouri State and rival TCU in the final scheduled Iron Skillet game.

Over/Under Projection: 8.5

While SMU does play three other contenders for the conference championship (as well as a Big 12 contender and dark horse), they benefit from the rest of their ACC schedule being teams that are clearly towards the back half of the pecking order in the conference. This will give the Mustangs a great chance to stack wins, and as long as they can go 2-2 against Baylor, TCU, Miami, and Louisville, I feel great about them reaching 9 wins.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

2024 in Review

For the second year in a row, we looked at Georgia Tech’s schedule going into the season and thought “what did they do to deserve this?” And for the second year in a row, Brent Key and the Jackets took the schedule in stride, committed to their identity, and just found a way to get it done. It started in Dublin in Week Zero when they exposed Florida State, but the win over Miami in November, this time without the help of an objectively insane coaching decision by Mario Cristobal, felt massive for the development of the program. Tech has shown marked improvement ever since Key took over in the interim in 2022, and now, they enter 2025 as true contenders to make it to Charlotte for a shot at a conference crown.

Key Storylines

Haynes & Haynes, LLC will once again be the bread and butter of the offensive game plan. Haynes King has revitalized his career in Atlanta and returns for his third season as a starter. He gets just enough done with his arm, but makes his money with his legs and gutsy plays to extend drives multiple times a game. His backfield-mate Jamal Haynes has logged over 2000 yards on the ground the past two seasons, and together they form a true ramblin’ wreck.

Don’t sleep on the receivers in this run-first offense. Much has been made about the Jackets losing last year’s leading receiver Eric Singleton to Auburn. But Malik Rutherford, who led the team in receptions a year ago, returns and Tech added Eric Rivers, who logged almost 1200 yards last year at FIU, through the portal. There are plenty of weapons to go around, and this offense will be far from one-dimensional.

New DC Blake Gideon must fill the shoes of Tyler Santucci, who became one of the fastest-rising coaching names in college football due to his success at Georgia Tech and, prior to that, Duke. Gideon will be calling defensive plays for the first time, but will have some great pieces to work with. LB Kyle Efford returns to lead the defense, and they brought in Kelvin Hill, who had a stellar freshman season at UAB, to play alongside him. There is turnover at the DT spot, which may cause the Jackets to slip a bit in their run defense, but overall this should, once again, be one of the better defenses in the conference.

The Schedule at a Glance

The season opens with a Friday night tilt against a rebuilding Colorado in Boulder. As of writing, Tech are 4.5 point road favorites in that one, but winning on the road would certainly get the attention of the casuals who might see it as an upset. ACC play opens two weeks later at home against Clemson, but unlike the previous two gauntlets, the Jackets will not play another team projected in the top six by our Jimmys and Joes the rest of the season.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

I am admittedly biased because I love what Brent Key and his staff are doing in Atlanta and the general vibe around this program right now, but this line feels like one of the bigger misses by Vegas this season. Going 7-5 would mean Tech loses to both Clemson and Georgia (fair) and loses three more against teams they are at least even with on paper. I just don’t see that happening this year, and would even be a bit disappointed with only eight wins.

Miami (FL) Hurricanes

2024 in Review

In a year that most were circling as the year, the Canes were one of the most electrifying, and ultimately, mystifying, teams in all of college football. They opened the year with a statement, obliterating in-state rival Florida in the Swamp, and, though they had a few close calls, rolled all the way to 9-0 and reached number 2 in the initial CFP rankings. Many, including us, saw Miami as potentially the only team not from the Big Ten or SEC that had a shot to win it all. But November was not kind, as the Canes lost two of their last three - on the road against Georgia Tech and Syracuse - en route to missing the ACC Championship Game and, consequently, their shot at a playoff spot.

Key Storylines

Carson Beck will look to fix his image and give it one more go after transferring in from Georgia. We have talked a lot on this show about what caused Beck to take a step back last season, and I am generally of the opinion that while he shares some of the blame, the lack of a run game, a receiving corps that led the nation in drops, and an overall bad offensive scheme and play-caller were the main culprits. I expect a bounce-back year as Beck looks to climb back up the draft boards.

Is there enough star power on offense? Beck’s supporting cast will be a work in progress, as star RB Jonathan Martinez, as well as the top six pass-catchers from last year, are no longer on the roster. CJ Daniels, formerly of LSU by way of Liberty, was added through the portal to provide a spark to the receivers, and Mark Fletcher and Jordan Lyle have flashed their potential as capable backs, but this will be a less proven offensive skill room from top to bottom than a season ago, and there’s no where to go but down from the number one scoring offense.

The defense will have plenty of talent on paper to improve from last year’s solid, but inconsistent unit. When Miami’s defense was at its best last year, they were terrorizing opposing offensive lines and stifling the run. But far too often there were lapses that turned games where the Canes had the clear talent advantage, like Virginia Tech, Cal, Duke, and Syracuse, into shootouts. This year, the pass rush should be strong again behind Akheem Mesidor and Reuben Bain, but the young secondary remains a concern.

The Schedule at a Glance

Miami opens the season against Notre Dame in a standalone game on Sunday night. With the whole college football world watching, this will be a prime chance to make a statement. The schedule then shifts to four-straight in-state opponents (Bethune-Cookman, USF, Florida, at Florida State) that will define the ceiling of this season (at least the last three, no offense to the Wildcats). Playing three-straight emotional games could take its toll and cost the Canes a winnable game, but finding a way to win all three would put Miami right in the thick of the Playoff discussion. The back-half features a difficult road test at SMU, and, in perhaps the weirdest quirk, two straight road games to Virginia Tech and Pitt to close the season.

Over/Under Projection: 9.5

I am predicting a season-opening loss to Notre Dame (the Irish are 2.5 point favorites as of writing), so that means Miami can only lose one other game if they want to hit this number. As of right now, with so many unknowns on offense and several teams on the schedule that feel more “put together”, I just don’t think I’m ready to make that prediction. I will, rather confidently, take the under.

Clemson Tigers

2024 in Review

A season that began with the college football world wondering if Dabo Swinney had lost his fastball ended with those same pundits praising his methods. To be fair, Clemson looked like anything but a playoff contender in a 34-3 season-opening loss to Georgia that was not as close as that final score might indicate, and the offense no-showed in losses to Louisville and South Carolina at home. But, Dabo got his team to stay the course, believe in the process, and, ultimately, win the ACC and bust into the backdoor of the Playoff. Not only that, they gave us the most entertaining game of the first round last year when they went into Austin and made it a game well into the fourth quarter.

Key Storylines

Clemson is back in the metaphorical sense and the literal sense as they return the most production in all of college football according to Bill Connelly. It’s evident everywhere on the roster, from Cade Klubnik, to the defense, all the way down to a kicker who was solid as a true freshman. The biggest name to replace will be RB Phil Mafah, but Jay Haynes averaged 6.9 yards per carry as a freshman last year and true freshman Gideon Davidson could very well be the guy that makes announcers freak out about his dominance at a young age this season.,

Dabo used the portal? Kind of! After infamously not taking a single player in last year’s portal cycles, Dabo and Co. loaded up this year…with four. All jokes aside, this does show a willingness to fill some gaps, which is all most reasonable people were asking for. DE Will Heldt transfers in from Purdue to help improve the pass rush, and Tristan Smith, who had almost 1000 receiving yards last year at SEMO, will provide valuable depth at wideout.

National Title or bust? It’s hard to find a hole in this roster, and rather than asking how they will stack up against the rest of the ACC, I find myself returning back to the question of years gone by: how does Clemson stack up against the other national title contenders across the country? It is all but a foregone conclusion that Clemson finds their way to the field of 12, likely by winning the ACC once again. But just how far they can go is the real question. This is the most experienced roster Dabo has ever had, and Klubnik showed last year that he can be what we thought he was coming out of high school, one of, if not the, best QBs in the country, All that’s left to do now is live up to the hype.

The Schedule at a Glance

One of the most anticipated games of the year, a home matchup against the LSU Tigers, awaits in week one. After that, there are certainly land mines (road trips to Georgia Tech, Louisville, and South Carolina stand out in particular), but would it surprise you in the slightest if Clemson was favored in every regular season game this year? In my mind, the Palmetto Bowl is the only one in question, and that’s if the Gamecocks are able to repeat what they did last season after losing so much on defense.

Over/Under Projection: 9.5

Simply put, this is the easiest over/under pick of the entire preview season in my mind (and that’s why so much money is flowing in on the over). Dabo Swinney has everything he needs to compete for not just an ACC title, but a national title as well. A three loss season would be an utter failure with the roster in place and the schedule in front of Clemson. While I suppose it’s a possibility to repeat last season (go 0-2 vs the SEC, slip up once in conference, but still win a conference title), I don’t see it as a remotely likely possibility barring something far outside Dabo’s control.

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Part two features five teams that all had objectively successful seasons last year (even if their preseason expectations were derailed by injuries) and are looking for more in 2025.

Which of these ACC dark horses will emerge from the Battle Royale victorious?

Let’s take a look at teams six through ten in our listener-made power rankings.

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

ACC Part I | Big XII Part I | Big XII Part II | Big XII Part III | SEC Part I | SEC Part II | SEC Part III | B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

NC State Wolfpack

2024 in Review

With an easy schedule on paper and one of the most exciting transfer QBs in all of football in Grayson McCall coming in, it looked like NC State was on the fast track to contention last season. Unfortunately, those dreams were derailed by injuries, including a concussion that ultimately made McCall retire from football, and the Wolfpack never reached their lofty ceiling. They did, however, find their QB of the future in CJ Bailey and used his rapid development to scratch and claw their way to a bowl game. Now, Dave Dorren will look to do something he’s done twice before in Raleigh: follow up a losing season with 8+ wins the following year.

Key Storylines

Bailey’s continued development will be fun to watch as he gets a full offseason as the starter. He is a true dual-threat, and can keep the team competitive with his legs when the passing game is having an off night (see: Georgia Tech last year). As the season went on, you saw more and more flashes of what he could be with more seasoning, and it would not surprise me in the slightest to see him considered a top 5 QB in the conference by season’s end. To make that a reality, new OC Kurt Roper will need to make sure he’s playing to Bailey’s strengths and maximizing the talent around him.

The offensive skill talent is a mix of young and old trying to provide Bailey with reliable weapons. The RB room is headlined by Daylan “Hollywood” Smothers, who had a nice RS-Freshman season leading the team in rushing on 6.2 yards per carry. He’ll be joined by true freshman Deandre Desinor, a recruit the coaching staff is really excited about. The Pack also return their leading receiver from 2024 in TE Justin Joly, but other than him the pass-catchers are a bit of an unknown. Former top-40 recruit Noah Rogers will look to finally break out, and RS-Freshman speedster Jonathan Paylor will try to fill the KC Concepcion role.

Can the defense return to form? Simply put, it was a disappointing step backwards last year for a unit that is typically reliable. D.J. Eliot will try to right the ship as he steps in as the new DC. The front seven should be improved with Brandon Cleveland and Travali Price back along the DL and Sean Brown and Caden Fordham holding down the LB corps, but the secondary is a concern after losing four of five starters.

The Schedule at a Glance

The Wolfpack will get a chance to avenge their bowl loss to ECU right out of the gate as the Pirates pay a visit to Carter-Finley Week One for a Thursday-night tilt. After that, there’s a designated non-conference game against Virginia at home before back-to-back trips to Wake and Duke. If the Pack survives that stretch, their reward will be games in the back half at Notre Dame, Pitt, and Miami.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

With land mines all over the schedule, it’s hard to find the path to NC State clearing this number comfortably. I can get them to seven if they sweep the teams around or below them in the perceived pecking order (Virginia, Wake Forest, Va Tech, Florida State, and North Carolina), but reaching anything higher than that would require one (or more) true upsets that are just not something I’m confident in picking right now.

Syracuse Orange

2024 in Review

What a debut it was for Fran Brown! After injecting a stagnant program with life during “talking season” and on the recruiting trail, Brown followed up with a ten-win season fueled by a high-flying offense and just enough stops when they needed them most. Kyle McCord ended his college career with a bang, leading all FBS passers with 4,779 passing yards, and the Cuse produced a 1000-yard rusher (LeQuint Allen) and 1000-yard receiver (Jackson Meeks) for the first time since 2012. The season was capped with the program’s first bowl win since 2018, and the momentum has only continued to build on the recruiting trail. But Brown and his staff will have their hands full trying to repeat the success they found in 2024.

Key Storylines

Steve Angeli takes over the reins at quarterback after spending three seasons as a backup at Notre Dame and transferring in the Spring window. The writing was on the wall with CJ Carr presumably taking over for the Irish, but Angeli flashed some positive traits when he saw action. Most will remember his performance in the Orange Bowl last season where he completed six-of-seven passes and kept the offense moving while Riley Leonard missed a portion of the game with an injury. While not as experienced as McCord, Angeli will be, at the very least, serviceable.

It’s a complete rebuild elsewhere on offense as many of the playmakers moved on to the NFL or transferred elsewhere. Yasni Willis (3.6 ypc as a true freshman) will look to fill the void left by Allen at the RB spot. With the top three receiving options from last season gone, the Orange will turn to big-play specialist Darrell Gill, Texas (and, briefly, Washington) transfer Johntay Cook, and last year’s big portal addition, Justus Ross-Simmons, to replace the production.

The defense is experiencing turnover as well, but after experiencing a rash of injuries last season, the DL will look to be the steady force. Because of those injuries, seven DL that started at least one game last year return. Elsewhere, the Orange will be aided by the addition of LB Gary Bryant, a tackling machine at South Dakota. They need to find playmakers at corner for the defense to take the next step, but the secondary overall will be aided by the return of Deuce Chestnut and Devin Grant.

The Schedule at a Glance

Someone in upstate New York must have questioned the honor of an ACC schedule-maker’s mother because this is just an impossibly brutal slate. After opening with Tennessee in Atlanta and a 9-win UConn at home, Syracuse draws the teams I’m projecting to finish top six in the league, with four of those games on the road. To top it all off, they’ll also go to South Bend and face Notre Dame. Good luck!

Over/Under Projection

I love the long-term prospects of this program but it’s just so hard to get excited about what we’ll see in the win/loss column when you see how difficult the 2025 slate is. If they can find a way to pull off a shocker in week one against the Volunteers, then maybe we can re-calibrate expectations just a bit. But for now, getting to five wins should be considered a good result and making it to a bowl would be a borderline miracle.

Pittsburgh Panthers

2024 in Review

The roller coaster that was the 2024 Pitt Panthers football season was a ride their fans were begging to get off by the end. It started out amazing. Behind their new star QB Eli Holstein, the Panthers rushed out to a 7-0 start and peaked at number 18 in the AP Poll. Then, it all came crashing down. Amid a rash of injuries, including Holstein and several offensive linemen, the offense collapsed and the defense soon followed. All told, Pitt ended the season on a six-game losing streak, turning a season with dreams of glory into a nightmare. The good news? That team that started 7-0 is in there somewhere, and we’ll get to see a lot of the talent that made that start possible back for another go.

Key Storylines

The offense is full of star power. Holstein is ready to be a top ACC QB, and could emerge as one of the top three signal callers in the conference by season’s end. RB Desmond Reid (966 yards on the ground and 579 receiving) should be on every college fantasy team you draft, if given the chance. The depth at receiver will be interesting to monitor, but Kenny Johnson and Raphael Williams look ready to step up into bigger roles.

The pass rush might be the best in the conference after logging 41 sacks last season and returning three players who had at least six. The front seven as a whole will be the strength of the defense, but the secondary is a big question mark. During the six game losing streak, the Panthers allowed 276.8 ypg through the air, and their best corner and safety from last season are gone. How well they improve there will go a long way in determining the true ceiling of this team.

Can they finish? That’s the biggest question about the team as a whole. Injuries played a massive part in the collapse last season, to be sure, but not finding a way to knock off teams like Virginia at home, even with the injuries, is concerning for anyone that wants to project Pitt as an ACC title contender. Additionally, four of the five wins against power conference competition in that opening stretch were by 10 points or less, making us ask the question: was first-half Pitt good, or lucky?

The Schedule at a Glance

There’s a very good chance at another hot start. The Panthers go to Morgantown for the Backyard Brawl in week three, but West Virginia is getting things together under Rich Rod pt. 2. Then it’s Louisville and BC at home before back-to-back road trips to Florida State and Syracuse. If everything is clicking, there’s a real chance Pitt gets to at least 7-2 through their first nine, and possibly does even better.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

I’m high on the Pitt team that showed up in the first half of the year. If we get that squad, this is a bonafide ACC Championship Contender with a real shot to make it to Charlotte. If we get the banged up version that finished the season, my hype is going to look very silly. I think we get the former, so I’m taking Pitt to smash this number.

Duke Blue Devils

2024 in Review

Manny Diaz was yet another coach with a surprisingly stellar year one. After being projected near the bottom of the league, Diaz rode a havoc-inducing defense that ended the season with 43 sacks, 116 TFLs, and 27 takeaways to nine wins and a berth in the Gator Bowl. The offense certainly made things difficult at times, but more often than not, that defense was more than enough to deliver the Blue Devils victory in tight games. The Blue Devils were 6-1 in contests decided by one possession, but that one loss was in overtime to SMU, and the other two regular season losses were right there for the taking. This is a surprise program to buy stock in as we enter 2025.

Key Storylines

The offense is getting a facelift by bringing in one of the most sought-after QBs in this year’s portal cycle, Tulane’s Darian Mensah. Duke fought off, and out-bid, some prominent suitors for his services, and he will instantly provide a needed spark to the office that mustered just 24.5 points per game in ACC play. Elsewhere on offense, RBs Peyton Jones and Jaquez Moore should be a solid 1-2 punch, and Cooper Barkate, who had over 1000 yards receiving at Harvard last season, is an intriguing x-factor.

The defense will need to maintain its identity of causing chaos, and they appear to have the personnel to do just that. Three starters are back along the DL, Nick Morris returns from injury at LB and will be joined by Jaiden Francois from Utah State, and the secondary has the potential to be great with Chandler Rivers and Terry Moore returning and the addition of Caleb Weaver from Sam Houston. Adding it all together, this will be a defense that no team in the ACC will be excited to see on their schedule.

Can they play with expectations? That’s a question we always have to ask about programs with surprise years. No one was expecting Duke to be competitive, let alone near the top of the conference last season. Now, no one will be overlooking the Blue Devils, and they will need to follow up last year’s surprise with a statement year that definitively announces their arrival in the top tier of the ACC for years to come.

The Schedule at a Glance

While not as difficult as Syracuse’s schedule, the Blue Devils’ slate is filled with intriguing matchups. The biggest one might be the date with Illinois in Durham Week Two in a battle of teams trying to justify high expectations. Then, Darian Mensah’s former team will look for revenge in New Orleans before a home game against rival NC State and back-to-back trips to Syracuse and Cal. The back half is brutal, with a home game against Georgia Tech and road trips to Clemson, UConn, and UNC.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

The schedule is certainly more difficult than last year’s that led to nine wins, but Manny Diaz was winning those games with one hand tied behind his back with how bad the offense was. With improvement on that side of the ball and nice pieces coming back on defense, I’m looking for Diaz and Duke to have another big year and beat this number.

Louisville Cardinals

2024 in Review

After making it to the ACC Championship in his first season at The ‘Ville, Jeff Brohm was tantalizingly close to repeating that feat in 2024. The overall record of 8-4 might not jump off the page and scream “conference title contender”, but the Cardinals’ three losses in ACC play came by a combined 17 points, none of them were by more than seven, and they knocked off eventual champion Clemson rather convincingly. Tyler Shough was another hit for Jeff Brohm in the portal QB bargain bin as he finally stayed healthy enough to complete a full season. Shough’s health was an integral part of a top ten scoring offense, and last gave us even more confidence that Brohm is going to win a lot of games during his time in Louisville

Key Storylines

Jeff Brohm: the QB Wizard. In his first two seasons at Louisville, Brohm has taken two QBs who were (respectfully) afterthoughts in Jack Plummer and Tyler Shough. Both were fantastic successes. Now, he’ll look to do it for a third consecutive season with Miller Moss, the talented former blue chip recruit who was benched by Lincoln Riley and USC before the end of his first season as a starter for the Trojans. Moss has all the tools to be great, and probably represents both the highest floor and ceiling of all the QBs Brohm has had in Louisville.

Offensive stars abound to help Moss take the next step in his development and continue the tradition of prolific passers in Brohm’s offense. The top three RBs, led by Isaac Brown who had almost 1200 yards on the ground last season, are back to form the deepest room in the ACC. Ja’Corey Brooks is off to the NFL, but Chris Bell is back and last year’s prize portal addition, Caullin Lacy, is finally healthy.

Can we find a way to stay out of shootouts? The offense, as mentioned, was electric last season. But in Louisville’s (which, remember, were close!), the opposition scored 31, 34, 52, and 38. The DL will probably take a step back in overall production, but Cleb Lubin (9.5 sacks at Coastal Carolina last season) was a great pickup in the portal. TJ Quinn and Stanquan Clark return to hold down LB spots, but the secondary, a huge vulnerability in the aforementioned losses last year, remains a question mark after the top three players left.

The Schedule at a Glance

Louisville is no stranger to strong schedules, having played both participants in the ACC Championship and Notre Dame last season. This year will be one of the more difficult conference slates as well with road trips to Pitt, Miami, Virginia Tech and SMU in addition to a home game against Clemson. The most intriguing under-the-radar matchup occurs on Friday, Sept. 5, when James Madison, one of the top G5 Playoff contenders, comes to town.

Over/Under Projection: 8.5

Even though the schedule has some difficult road trips, I see Louisville rising up to the challenge. This team, especially on offense, has all the makings of one that can win nine games and contend for another ACC Championship appearance. The key will, of course, be Miller Moss. As long as he is another in the line of successful portal pick ups, ride with the over.

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We have one more power conference to get to, and that league - the ACC - is one that has always been an enigma for us to cover.

Every time we feel like we’ve found a sleeper team that will make a run, they let us down (we’re looking at you 2024 Virginia Tech and 2023 Syracuse). But that unpredictability makes it so much more entertaining.

The storylines are plentiful, so pull up a chair, place your bets, and let’s dive into the true roulette wheel that is teams 11-17 in our listener-generated power rankings.

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

Big XII Part I | Big XII Part II | Big XII Part III | SEC Part I | SEC Part II | SEC Part III | B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

Stanford Cardinal

2024 in Review

The Cardinal entered year two of the Troy Taylor era with some optimism that their offense would provide a spark that pushed the team towards a bowl for the first time since 2018. After a close loss to TCU, a win over Cal Poly and an upset at Syracuse, that goal appeared even more attainable. Then, as the level of difficulty in the schedule took a step up, the losses started to pile on. Stanford followed the 2-1 start with a 1-8 finish, only mustering a shocking win over then-22nd ranked Louisville. Then came the offseason, which saw Taylor fired by GM Andrew Luck in late March amid allegations of misconduct and workplace bullying. Stanford has certainly been down before, but this offseason might be a new low for optimism around the program.

Key Storylines

Is anything stable? Luck turned to an old friend in Frank Reich, his former coach who he, ironically, left hanging in Indianapolis, to lead the team in the interim this season. But Reich has openly stated this is a one-year gig he will bow out of at the end of the season. In addition, 27 players portaled out, as you would expect after a 3-9 season and head coach firing.

The offensive is lacking star power at pretty much all positions. There’s a three-way battle at QB between Elijah Brown (appeared in three games here last year), Dylan Rizk (UCF transfer), and Ben Gulbranson (Oregon State). Three young RBs that split time last year return, but none of them ran for more than 309 yards. CJ Williams is an intriguing former four-star receiver, but has not put together a breakout season yet, and the best shot at an all-conference performer is probably TE Sam Roush (334 yards, 2 TD last year),

There’s a bit of optimism on the defense with eight players that started here or elsewhere last season in the lineup. Three starters, including EDGE Ernest Cooper, return along the D-Line, every starter is back in the secondary, and the LB corps can build around Tevarua Tafiti (3.5 sacks, 4 TFL). But the defense as a whole, and especially the secondary, was bad last year, meaning these might not be the guys to bring that side of the ball up to standard.

The Schedule at a Glance

When you’re the team most others are banking on for a sure W, the schedule is always going to look difficult. But the 2025 slate for Stanford is even more daunting, ranking 10th-most difficult nationally according to Phil Steele. The Cardinal open with back-to-back road games (Hawai’i, BYU), and will travel to SMU, Miami, and North Carolina during conference play. We might need that graphic Fox over-used for UCLA’s travel rebranded to cardinal and white this year.

Over/Under Projection: 3.5

There’s a legitimate chance the Cardinal go winless in non-conference play, as they host San Jose State, who beat Stanford last season, and Notre Dame in addition to the aforementioned road tilts. Even if you give them 1-3, it’s extremely difficult to find three more wins on the ACC slate to hit the over.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2024 in Review

Coming off a 4-8 season in 2023, many felt like Dave Clawson needed to rebound and make a bowl to continue his tenure in Winston-Salem. Unfortunately, the offense, though improved, never really found its stride, and the usually-questionable defense employed by Clawson did not find a way to fill the gaps. The Deacs started the year 1-3, found a bit of success against the softest part of their schedule, but faltered down the stretch, losing their final four. Clawson resigned from his post, ending an 11-year run at the helm of Wake’s program that included some of the best seasons in school history.

Key Storylines

Welcome to the Jake Dickert Era. The former Wazzu head man takes over after three years at the helm full time in Pullman. Dickert has made the entirety of his career, other than one year as a GA at his alma mater (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) west of the Mississippi River. A defensive-minded head coach will certainly be a change of pace from Dave Clawson’s approach, but Dickert was no stranger to having strong offenses as well.

The offense is ready to run, and how well they are able to gain traction on the ground will determine the success of the entire team. They return 1000 yard rusher Demond Claiborne, and whoever wins the QB job between Robbie Ashford (South Carolina/Auburn transfer) and Deshawn Purdie (Charlotte) will add a dynamic rushing threat as well. It’s another major change from the Clawson approach though, as the Deacs have not averaged more than 4 yards per carry since 2018.

I look for improvement on defense under Dickert and DC Scott Hazelton’s tutelage, but it will be an uphill battle to turn that unit around fully. The 2024 Deacs particularly struggled against the pass, surrendering 278 yards per game and 70.3%(!) completion. However, they brought in a nice pair of pass rushers in Gabe Kirschke (Colorado State) and Langston Hardy (UConn), and held onto stars Dylan Hazen and Nick Anderson in the back seven so there is some potential for a jump.

The Schedule at a Glance

Wake opens the season with recent FCS-promotee Kennesaw State, Western Carolina, NC State, and Georgia Tech at home and will not leave Winston-Salem until an Oct. 4 trip to Virginia Tech. The toughest stretch has to be the four-weeks from Oct. 25-Nov. 15, which includes a home game against SMU, back-to-back road trips to Florida State and Virginia, and a return home to face North Carolina.

Over/Under Projection: 4.5

I think Jake Dickert is a fantastic hire for Wake Forest and there’s potential for it to pay dividends immediately in 2025. In my mind there are four swing games - NC State, at Oregon State, at Virginia, and Delaware - on the schedule. Sweeping those would mean Wake is bowling in year one, going 3-1 means they hit the over. Call me crazy, but I’m cautiously optimistic with Wake having a bonafide identity on offense, so I’m taking the over.

Virginia Cavaliers

2024 in Review

Tony Elliott’s squad carried a lot of optimism into last season despite coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2023. Most observers thought it would be the year the offense finally put it together, and the defense could only get better than the unit that surrendered 33.8 points per game. The optimists were feeling pretty good through five games, as the Cavaliers boasted a 4-1 record, but the tide would turn in the second half of the season. Virginia went just 1-6 down the stretch, and was outscored by an average of 19.2 points per game in the six losses.

Key Storylines

Chandler Morris is the new QB1, spending his final collegiate season in Charlottesville after revitalizing his career at North Texas last fall. Prior to his time in Denton, Morris was the starter at TCU that followed Max Duggan’s stellar run to the CFP Final with mixed results, but he seems to fit the mold that Elliott wants well and will be an upgrade over the QBs that were on the roster last season.

The defense improved, but still has a long way to go, particularly in the secondary. Last season, the Cavs surrendered 268 yards per game through the air, and only held their opponents below 250 yards four times. The pass rush helped much either, logging just 30 sacks over the past two seasons. They went to work in the portal to try and fix the unit by adding Donovan Platt (Army), Jordan Robinson (Kentucky), and Devin Neal (Louisville), and how big of a step they take will likely determine the fortunes of the entire team.

This feels like a tenure-defining year for Virginia, after Elliott has faced an uphill battle throughout his first three seasons. There have been highs, to be sure, but this is a program that has won at a high clip, peaking at an ACC Championship and Orange Bowl appearance under Elliott’s predecessor Bronco Mendenhall. To build confidence for the future, Elliott needs to take advantage of a softer schedule and the most talented team top to bottom he has had during his tenure.

The Schedule at a Glance

If a run to a bowl, or more, is ever going to happen under Elliott in Charlottesville, this is the schedule to make it happen. Four of the first five are at home, and all, including a road trip to NC State that will count as a non-conference game, are winnable. There are tricky back-to-back road trips to North Carolina and Cal in the second half of the season, but you should never complain when your schedule misses Clemson, Miami, and SMU and includes Stanford, Cal, and Wake Forest.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

The number feels high just at first glance, but it really encapsulates what Tony Elliott needs to do to show progress this season. Simply squeaking into a bowl, with this schedule, probably won’t cut it. Especially after UVA invested in the portal. A 4-2 start would go a long way toward the goal of getting to 7, but I have to see it before I believe it and will ride with the under.

Virginia Tech Hokies

2024 in Review

A season that started with promise and dreams of a dark horse run to the ACC title game went off the rails before it even had a chance to get started. A Week One trip to Nashville was a guaranteed victory on paper, but the Hokies, 13 point road favorites, left with a loss to Vanderbilt that inspired pimp memes and Pavia fever. The passing game struggled to get out of first gear all season, and even though the offense was able to ride Bhayshul Tuten most of the time, one dimensionality caught up with them repeatedly. It was a big part in the Hokies finishing 0-5 in one-score games, and turning 2024 from a season of possibilities to a year of “what if”.

Key Storylines

Kyron Drones needs to take the next step as a passer by finding consistency and developing chemistry with an all-new receiving corps. Drones was hyped as an all-conference caliber signal-caller last season after showing strong flashes in 2023, but as he battled injuries and inconsistency, the Hokies eclipsed 213 yards just twice - the first and last games of the regular season. If he can find his groove and give the offense another dimension, it will go a long way towards improving the outlook of the season. But…

The offensive outside of Drones is in transition after the Hokies lose leading rusher Bhayshul Tuten, their top four WR, and four starters along the offensive line. Terion Stewart transfers in from Bowling Green to be the new lead back, and he has the makings of another workhorse. The WR corps additions are highlighted by Cameron Seldon (Tennessee) and Donavon Green (7th year from Wake Forest), and the OL added three bodies as well.

The defense must replace starpower, particularly All-American DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland (16 sacks last season) and shut down corner Dorian Strong. The Hokies brought in five transfers along the defensive line, and are re-working the secondary by adding NB Isaiah Brown-Murray (ECU) and Tyson Flowers (Rice). Linebacker feels like the strength on this side of the ball, with Jaden Keller and Caleb Woodson returning after strong seasons.

The Schedule at a Glance

While it’s not as easy as their Commonwealth Cup rival’s, the slate handed to the Hokies is certainly manageable on paper. The non-conference slate is daunting with an opener against South Carolina (in Atlanta) and a grudge match with Vanderbilt at home, but there’s an opportunity for a run in the middle. After the Vanderbilt game, Tech plays five of their next seven at home, only traveling to NC State and Georgia Tech. If the Hokies can end that stretch with two or fewer total losses, there’s a chance they are playing for something big in November.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

While the stretch of home games in the middle of the season is nice, there are some landmines on the road sprinkled throughout the schedule. Games at Florida State and Virginia, in addition to NC State and Georgia Tech, will all be tough for various reasons. Those are the only true road games, though, meaning the Hokies will have the chance to hit this number without winning a game away from Lane Stadium. I think they find a way to 7-5, so give me the over.

North Carolina Tar Heels

2024 in Review

The year that would ultimately be Mack Brown’s last in his second stint in Chapel Hill got derailed on Thursday night of week one when starting QB Max Johnson suffered a gruesome leg injury against Minnesota. UNC found a way to win that one, along with the next two, but it started a carousel of signal-callers that ultimately saw fourth-stringer Michael Merdinger finishing up the Fenway Bowl. The offense took a step back, and the defense did not over-compensate with multiple embarrassing moments en-route to the announcement that Brown would not return in 2025, paving the way for a replacement hire that sent shockwaves through the football world.

Key Storylines

You might have heard of North Carolina’s new coach, a man by the name of Bill Belichick. All he’s done in his career is win six Super Bowls as a head coach, two more as an assistant, and put himself firmly in the conversation as the greatest professional coach of all time. Much has been made about the off-the-field drama, and we won’t re-hash that here, but those rings and accolades will get you in the door of any recruit in the country and the Tar Heel boosters have shown a willingness to go get talent as well.

The roster will be a total rebuild in year one with 41 transfers coming in. It does seem like there will be improvement in QB play with dual threat Gio Lopez coming in from South Alabama, but the rest of the offensive skill positions will be young and green. There were some big pickups on the defensive side of the ball as well, but there is so much unknown on this roster that it’s hard to get a read. Especially when you consider we’re not sure how the coaching style will transition to the college game, which brings us to the ultimate question…

Can the GOAT go back to school successfully? In addition to Belichick, who is coaching at the college level for the first time ever, the staff as a whole is still low on experience coaching college kids as well. Belichick does bring some great benefits though, including the ability to manage a paid roster and a schematic mind that is an expert at taking away the opponent’s best offensive weapon. When you consider the talent advantage he will have over most of the ACC and the coaches he will be pitted against in league play, are you really going to just automatically bet against the GOAT?

The Schedule at a Glance

It’s almost like the ACC knew what it was doing. North Carolina’s schedule is tailor-made for Belichick and Co. to make a big statement in year one (don’t read that as me saying they will make a statement in year one). For starters, the Tar Heels avoid Miami, SMU, and Louisville from the contender tier, opening the door for more wins against projected bottom-feeders. They will have tricky road games at Charlotte, UCF, Cal, Syracuse, and NC State, but the toughest three games (TCU, Clemson, and Duke) are at home.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

I was ready to be out on North Carolina, but after researching for this preview I think I’m in on them going over this number. Everything, of course, hinges on Bill Belichick’s adjustment to the college game, and whether his tactics and coaching style translate to 18-22ish year olds. I know there has been much made about the drama he has brought to the building, but I think the man can still coach and has some clear advantages over his ACC counterparts. Put me down for being in on at least eight wins, while acknowledging this whole thing could come crashing down quickly.

Boston College Eagles

2024 in Review

Bill O’Brien returned to the helm of a college football program for the first time since 2013, and surprised just about everyone by delivering a successful season. With a preseason win total of 4.5, and a sitting head coach leaving for an NFL coordinator job, it seemed like an uphill battle to make a bowl. But a 4-1 start that included a win in Tallahassee and at home against Michigan State brought hope. A three-game losing streak brought things back down to earth, but a QB transition to Grayson James sparked a resurgence that saw the Eagles win three of their last four before falling to Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Key Storylines

The QB battle is coming down to James and Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan. The offense was much more consistent when James was in last season, and Lonergan has only attempted eight passes in his college career, so I am assuming James will begin the year as the starter. It’s good to have talented depth though, and it might be addition by subtraction with Castellanos no longer in the picture.

Whoever wins the job will have a nice receiving duo with Lewis Bond and Reed Harris leading the way. The top two rushers Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward are gone, but Jordan McDonald and Turbo Richard showed promise in combining for 639 yards last season. The biggest concern is the offensive line, as the Eagles will need to replace two players that were first-team All-ACC last season.

Defense has some dudes but lost their best one in ACC Defensive Player of the Year Donovan Ezeiruaku, who logged 16.5 sacks before becoming a second round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys. Quintayvious Hutchins appears to be the next man up at EDGE, and he flashed with 3.5 sacks and 6 TFLs last season. The Eagles are experienced in the back seven though, with LB Bam Crouch and all four starters in the secondary returning.

The Schedule at a Glance

In a word, it’s brutal. The Eagles will play the entire projected top five in the ACC, plus Notre Dame, setting expectations for win totals back quite a bit. In addition, BC will travel to East Lansing to take on a Michigan State squad that should be improved, host a nine-win UConn team, and travel to the notoriously difficult Syracuse to close out the year.

Over/Under Projection: 5.5

Making a bowl for the second straight season might not seem like much, but with this schedule it would be quite the feather in the cap of Bill O’Brien. I think there’s a strong potential for a 4-0 start, despite two of those games being on the road, but the gauntlet that ensues from Oct. 4-Nov. 15 just scares me. I don’t think BC will lose all seven of those games in a row, but it is hard to pick the two they will win. Given that, I’m leaning towards the under, even though the team will probably look and feel more cohesive than last season.

California Golden Bears

2024 in Review

What a fun beginning of the year it was for the boys from Berkeley. After a 3-0 start that included an upset win at Auburn, the Golden Bears were getting some love as a darkhorse contender in the ACC and the college football world was introduced to the Calgorithm in full earnest. The next four games were not as fun, as Cal lost four straight by a combined nine points and put themselves back behind the eight ball. They were able to rally by winning three of their last four to make a bowl game, but the barrage of close losses left fans and observers alike thinking the team should have been capable of much more than a 6-6 regular season.

Key Storylines

The offseason brought about an exodus of the offense, as QB Fernando Mendoza, the top five rushers, six of the top seven pass catchers, and three o-line starters are gone from last year’s squad. The OL turnover might not be a bad thing, seeing as the unit allowed 50 sacks last season, but that’s a ton of production to replace.The team also voted on OC hire Brian Harsin with their feet, as 21 players exited after spending spring practice with the former Boise and Auburn head man at the helm of the offense.

The defense showed progress last year, but returns just 49% of production according to Bill Connelly. Former Colorado State LB Boum Jock is a fun addition, and will likely be the best athlete on the team as he lettered in basketball and track for the Rams as well, but the rest of the unit is riddled with questions. The pass rush was solid last year, logging 35 sacks, but just five return on the d-line. The secondary was great, but all four starters are gone, including All-American Nohl Williams. With the 69th-ranked recruiting class and 38th-ranked portal class coming in, it doesn’t seem like there will be a net-gain on either side of the ball this year.

We have to ask…does Cal want more out of Wilcox? This is a program that has had some real highs in recent memory and produced a ton of NFL talent. They sit in the middle of the west coast and talent doesn’t have to go far to get there, but Wilcox just has not been able to find consistent success. In eight years, the high water mark has been seven regular season wins, and, as an outsider, that just doesn’t feel good enough. But is it good enough for the powers-that-be in Berkeley to not rock the boat? We might get our answer after this season.

The Schedule at a Glance

Starting with the positive, Cal avoids Clemson, Pitt and Miami while getting SMU at home and only traveling to Louisville from the contender tier. The non-conference slate is tricky, with road trips to an improved Oregon State and in-state foe San Diego State, along with a home game against always-tough Minnesota. They will rack up the frequent flyer miles, as they always will in the ACC, with road trips to Boston College and Virginia Tech in addition to Louisville.

Over/Under Projection: 5.5

Hitting the over would mean Cal makes a bowl game for the third straight season, a feat they have not accomplished since Jeff Tedford took them to seven straight from 2003-2009. The easiest path to six involves winning the two non-conference road games, beating rival Stanford for the fifth-straight year, and finding two more wins at home (Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, SMU), where the Golden Bears will always have a big travel advantage. With so much turnover, I have a hard time seeing that happening, meaning Cal will have to make a decision on Wilcox’s future.

Welcome to Big XII Preview, Part II: The Dark Horses

Welcome to Big XII Preview Week, Part I - Sleeper Agents

Whether you’re an SEC homer or hater, you have to admit that the teams we’re talking today, with Lance Barton of Always Talkin’ Ball are some of the cream of the crop in all of college football.

The race for the SEC Title might not mean as much with the expanded playoff, but it will be fascinating nonetheless.

In this written preview, we’ll dive into the top six contenders, as voted by our listeners and readers, in reverse order.

Here we go!

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

SEC Part I | SEC Part II | B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

South Carolina Gamecocks

2024 in Review

After a 5-7 season in 2023, Shane Beamer needed to show some improvement to get the train back on the tracks and instill confidence in his future in Columbia. A 3-3 start, which included a close season-opening win against Old Dominion and nail-biting losses to LSU and Alabama, showed potential, but it was the close to the season that put the Gamecocks firmly in consideration for the last Playoff spot. Beamer led his squad to six-straight wins and a 9-3 finish on the back of an elite pass rush and running game that was impossible to tackle at times. The Palmetto Bowl victory over rival Clemson had an extra sweet finish as LaNorris Sellers scrambled 20 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute left. While the slow start to the season ultimately relegated Carolina to the Citrus Bowl, the finish will make them a trendy Playoff pick in 2025.

Key Storylines

A good portion of one of the scariest defenses in the country is gone, including all-everything DE Kyle Kennard and the top four DTs. Dylan Stewart had a fantastic freshman season opposite Kennard and Bryan Thomas was solid in pass rush situations, but the interior is a big question mark. Additionally, the top three LBs and leading tackler and second round pick S Nick Emmanwori. In all, nine players from last year’s defense were drafted or signed a UDFA deal, a number that is rare outside of Athens, Tuscaloosa, and Columbus.

LaNorris Sellers has cemented himself as one of the top QBs in college football, but his supporting cast will look a bit different this year. For starters, his backfield-mate Rocket Sanders is gone, but the Gamecocks brought in Rahsul Faison from Utah State, who rushed for over 1100 yards for the Aggies last fall. TE Joshua Simon, who led the team in receiving last season by a wide margin, is off to the NFL as well, meaning someone will need to step up to give Sellers a reliable target. That would preferably be a young wide receiver that establishes himself, like Nyck Harbor or Mazzio Bennett.

Shane Beamer loves his special teams as a former ST Coordinator at South Carolina and Georgia, but he faces a unique challenge this year that is forcing me to write about the often overlooked third phase for the first time this preview season. Beamer must replace his kicker, punter, top kick and punt returners, and long snapper. Just when you think you have something to bank on…

The Schedule at a Glance

The first five games have some landmines, but are manageable enough. What I want to know is who from Columbia upset the league office to give them the back half of the docket. There is a legitimate chance that six of the Gamecocks’ last seven opponents will be ranked at the time the game occurs. The run begins with a trip to LSU, home games against Oklahoma and Alabama, and another trip to Ole Miss in consecutive weeks. After a merciful bye, the Gamecocks travel to revenge-minded Texas A&M before closing out the season at home against Coastal and Clemson. Wow.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

I really worry about the grind and toll playing all of those good teams in essentially consecutive weeks will take on this team. They are much better, at least on offense, than a typical 7-5 squad, but the way the schedule plays out combined with all the questions on the defensive side of the ball makes me lean towards an under that I feel like few are entertaining as a possibility following the magical run to close last season.

Florida Gators

2024 in Review

It’s not often that a coach earns a nickname like “Sun Belt Billy” and lives to fight another season, but that’s exactly what Billy Napier did in 2024. The season started as poorly as possible with blowout losses to rival Miami and Texas A&M at the Swamp - the latter of which included “Fire Billy” chants ringing out through the stadium as the Aggies took a 20-0 lead. Week after week, the college football world waited for those calls to be answered. But the longer Napier remained, the more confidence the team started to build behind freshman phenom DJ Lagway as the full-time starter. Lagway missed time with an injury, and that contributed heavily to losses to Georgia and Texas. But the Gators closed the season with four straight wins, including ending LSU and Ole Miss’ playoff hopes, when he returned, officially saving Napier’s job and launching Florida from an afterthought to a trendy darkhorse playoff pick in 2025.

Key Storylines

DJ Lagway is the unquestioned starter heading into the season after splitting time with Graham Mertz for the first half of 2024. The former five star and top QB in last year’s class certainly took some lumps early, but by the end of the year he looked comfortable running the offense and was a major reason for the late season surge. He still has steps to take in his development, like taking care of the football and cutting down on interceptions, but the Gators are in great hands as long as Lagway is in Gainesville.

The supporting cast on offense has playmakers at every position. Jaden Baugh and Ja’kobi Jackson combined for 1230 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground last year, with both averaging over five yards per carry. At receiver, Eugene “Tre” Wilson III returns from injury after logging 266 yards in just four games, and they added J. Michael Sturdivant from UCLA and two national top-50 recruits, Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson. In addition, four offensive line starters are back from a unit that improved as the year went on.

The defense came on strong at the end of the year, allowing just 13 points per game and racking up 19 sacks during the season-ending four game win streak. The line will be the strength of this side of the ball with potential top-15 pick Caleb Banks manning the middle and Tyreek Sapp and George Gumbs wreaking havoc off the edge. The secondary has the ceiling of being a top-3 defensive backfield in the SEC, and while the linebackers are probably the weakest unit of the three, the Gators will still enjoy plenty of future NFL talent there.

The Schedule at a Glance

Last season, much was made about an impossible schedule for Florida, and it doesn’t get much easier this year. An early four-game stretch that includes three road games will determine if the Gators are playing catch-up again or truly contending for an SEC title and a spot in the Playoff. After opening with Long Island and a plucky USF team, Florida will travel to LSU and Miami in consecutive weeks before a bye, then host Texas before traveling to A&M. Leaving College Station at 4-2 or better sets up for a much more manageable back-half.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

If the Gators are 4-2 through six games, and I think they should be, it feels like this over is in the bag. The Cocktail Party, a trip to Ole Miss, and home games against Tennessee and Florida State loom in the back half, but the Gators will be favored in both of the home games and likely a close underdog in Oxford. Perhaps Lagway can be the difference against the Dawgs (the Gators led 10-3 when he left the game injured last season) and make this a really special season, but the over seems like the play regardless.

LSU Tigers

2024 in Review

Brian Kelly entered last season needing to replace a ton of production on offense, including Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, All-American wideout Malik Nabers, and fellow first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr., and rebuilding a defense that fell from 41st in total d in 2022 to 108th in 2023. Panic began to set in after a season-opening loss to USC in Vegas, the fifth-straight defeat in an opener, but after winning six straight games, including their first three SEC contests, the Tigers appeared to rebound their way into CFP contention. However, a disastrous second half at Kyle Field launched a three game losing streak that squashed those dreams and made the grumbling resume on the Bayou. Now, Garrett Nussmeier enters the season as the most proven QB in the league, but has some questions around him that have LSU squarely on the Playoff bubble entering fall camp.

Key Storylines

The offensive line turnover is the biggest story on that side of the ball. Four starters from last season are off to the NFL, including First Team All-American Will Campbell, leaving DJ Chester as the lone man back. Chester will slide over from center to right guard, making way for Va Tech transfer Braelin Moore. Josh Thompson will bring experience at the other guard position transferring from Northwestern, but the tackles are young. Sophomore Tyree Adams and RS Freshman Weston Davis appear to be the top options, and they have played in just 12 games combined with Adams making 2 starts. Keeping Nussmeier upright is the biggest key to success this season after he was only sacked 15 times last season.

The receiving corps is partially rebuilt as well after losing four of the top five options from last year. They do bring back their number one Aaron Anderson, pick up Barion Brown from Kentucky, and expect Chris Hilton to take a big step for his senior year. Nic Anderson, who transferred from Oklahoma last season, is the x-factor after getting injured in his lone start in the season opener. One thing they won’t question is the starting running back. Caden Durham was brilliant as a freshman and will be a household name by the end of this year.

Can the defense keep improving? Two seasons ago, if it wasn’t for the uniforms you would not have known it was an LSU defense. The 2023 Tigers surrendered 33 points per game in SEC play and finished 108th in the country in total defense. Last year, with the hiring of Blake Baker, they were still below what you would expect from the Bayou Bengals, but improved to 61st nationally in total defense. There will be quite a bit of turnover on the defensive line, but the linebackers will be the strength of the team with Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins. The defensive backs will potentially be the best in the conference with Ashton Stamps at corner and safety AJ Haulcy coming in from Houston.

The Schedule at a Glance

LSU will attempt to win a season-opener for the first time since 2019 when they travel to Clemson, a trendy pick for preseason number one in some circles. A home game against Florida and a road trip to Ole Miss await in September, and November features games at Alabama and Oklahoma in the season finale. All told, it’s one of the toughest slates in recent memory for LSU, but they have the talent to face it head on.

Over/Under Projection: 8.5

The season sets up strikingly similar to last season, with a potential loss in the opener followed by a challenging, but manageable stretch to open conference play. Getting Florida, South Carolina, and Texas A&M at home is crucial to making a run, and all three of those need to be wins to hit this total. I think the home field advantage will come up huge this season, and the Tigers are playing for a spot in the playoff in Norman in Week 14.

Texas Longhorns

2024 in Review

Texas’ maiden voyage through the SEC went off without very much of a hitch. They knocked off everyone on their conference schedule not named Georgia with relative ease, and did it by playing big boy football. In conference games, the Horns’ offensive line cleared the way for a hobbled and battered stable of running backs to rush for 4.32 yards per carry (3rd in the SEC). On the other side of the ball, a young and freakish defense sacked opponents 31 times (2nd) and held opponents to 3.07 ypc (2nd). That physicality ultimately made anyone who questioned Sark’s squad’s ability to make a smooth transition look silly. And while the schedule, and some of the offensive point totals against it, were the subject of some scrutiny throughout the season, the way the Longhorns gave eventual champion Ohio State all they could handle proved their game was legit.

Key Storylines

All eyes are on Arch as he makes his long-awaited ascent to the starting role. It’s been a media circus up to this point, and to be honest that is really unfair to the kid. He is obviously an extremely talented player, but living up to the hype at this point could only mean going undefeated and winning the Heisman. The key to happiness this season in Austin is being okay with the process of breaking in a starting QB. There are likely to be a few speed bumps, even for someone with the last name Manning. Especially considering…

There’s turnover everywhere on offense as the Horns bring back just four starters (including transfers). Four starters, including first rounder Kelvin Banks, are gone along the offensive line. Sark elected to roll with what he had on his roster, turning to some young, highly-touted recruits to take the place of seasoned veterans. Those players will likely be fine in the long run, but adjusting to the talent they will face in the SEC will take some time. Additionally, the top three receiving options move on, leaving similar talented, but largely unproven players in their wake. Before Longhorn fans dismiss me as a hater (fair), these guys will likely be great. But it’s a LOT of moving pieces that Sark and Co. will have to get ready to be the man at their position.

It’s still the scariest front seven in the country with Collin Simmons, Trey Moore and Anthony Hill attacking the passer. The back end is replacing a lot of talent, but still has FS Michael Taaffe and CB Malik Muhammad. The biggest question mark on this side of the ball will be the defensive interior. Texas lost their top five DTs from a season ago, but this is the area of the roster they hit hardest in the portal landing Maraad Watson (Syracuse), Travis Shaw (North Carolina), and Cole Brevard (Purdue).

The Schedule at a Glance

Much was made about the Longhorns’ schedule in their SEC debut season, but this year it becomes more difficult on the back of the home/road splits and a much harder (on paper) marquis non-conference game. If you haven’t heard by now, Texas opens the season against the Buckeyes in a rematch of last season’s semi-final game. They also go to Florida and Georgia, play their annual game against Oklahoma at the State Fair, and host A&M to close the season on Black Friday.

Over/Under Projection: 9.5

I’m going to sound like a hot take artist and I don’t care. There’s enough evidence for me to say three losses are not out of the question. Texas plays two games against teams they were a combined 0-3 against last season, and both are on the road (all three last year were home or neutral). With all the turnover, it’s hard for me to just assume they will get through the season without stubbing their toe in more than one other game. This feels like a squad no one will want any part of in 2026, but might take a lump or two getting there in 2025. Beat Ohio State in week one, though, and everything changes.

Alabama Crimson Tide

2024 in Review

If he were at any other school, following any other coach, Kalen DeBoer’s first season would be a resounding success. The reality is he now coaches in Tuscaloosa and is following the GOAT, so the nine wins will be overshadowed by the four losses. What was perplexing, and for Bama fans, infuriating, was not that the Tide lost some games but who they lost to and how those losses happened. By outlasting Georgia, shutting out a ten-win Mizzou, and embarrassing LSU in Death Valley, the Tide proved they could beat the best in the SEC. But the defense couldn’t stop Diego Pavia, the offense no-showed in Knoxville, and to top it off, the whole team laid an egg with everything on the line in Norman at the end of the season. So much more could be said (like how SEC stans still clamored for Bama’s inclusion in the playoff), but the bottom line is year two of the DeBoer era will need to show more consistency on both sides of the ball.

Key Storylines

DeBoer will be reunited with Ryan Grubb, the co-architect of the best offenses DeBoer has put out as a head coach. Grubb and DeBoer worked together for the first time in 2007, when Grubb was DeBoer’s OL coach at Sioux Falls (NAIA), and aside from last year, Grubb has been a constant on any staff DeBoer has put together. In fact, last season, when Grubb was the OC for the Seattle Seahawks, was the first time the two were not coaching together since 2013. Nick Seridan, who was promoted to OC last season, will remain on the staff in a co-OC role, but having the dynamic duo back together will do wonders for the consistency of the offense.

A three-way QB battle to replace Jalen Milroe seems to have settled on Ty Simpson. The former five star and RS Junior has patiently waited his turn, and has not played much more than mop-up duty at this point in his career. But DeBoer and Grubb sticking with him rather than seeking out another option in the portal is a testament to the belief they have in him growing into the starting role, as well as the depth behind him in Austin Mack and true freshman Keelon Russell. Milroe did a lot of great things for Alabama, but watching him play in the offense the new staff wanted to run last year felt forced. Simpson fits the scheme much better and should hit the ground running. Oh, and he’ll have now 18 year-old Ryan Williams to throw to, so that’s a great start!

The defense is deep and talented after surviving portal turmoil in the wake of Nick Saban’s departure. Up front, the Tide are deep, athletic, and experienced with players that remind you of some of the best d-lines Saban fielded. At linebacker, they lose Jihaad Campbell, but bring back two stellar seniors 0 Justin Jefferson and Deontae Lawson. The defensive back room is an embarrassment of riches, and they went out and supplemented it with Cam Calhoun from Utah and three blue chip recruits.

The Schedule at a Glance

When they were scheduled, Florida State and Wisconsin were certainly marquis nonconference opponents, but both are down and should not pose much of a threat this season. In conference, the four road games range from tricky (Auburn, Missouri) to hostile (Georgia, South Carolina), and the home games (Vanderbilt, Tennessee, LSU, and Oklahoma), while challenging at times, should be some big opportunities to build a resume.

Over/Under Projection: 9.5

I’m very high on the Tide this year. Kalen DeBoer has won everywhere he’s been, and seems to be doing everything right off the field. Inconsistency plagued the Tide last year, but this year, as is often the case in year two for DeBoer, feels like it could be special. I have Alabama making it to Atlanta, and more importantly, making a deep run in the Playoff (that’s an over pick just so we;re clear).

Georgia Bulldogs

2024 in Review

It was a down year for the Bulldogs. All they could muster was eleven wins, four of which came against playoff teams by an average of 15.8 points, en route to an SEC Championship against the toughest schedule in the nation. In case the sarcasm isn’t coming through the screen, this is yet another case where a banner year everywhere else is just below the elite standard set forth by one of our game’s all time great head coaches. Similar to Alabama, we just saw more inconsistency on both sides of the ball than we’re used to in Athens. The offense in particular looked laborious, as Carson Beck developed a turnover bug (12 INT, 3 fumbles lost) and his receiving corps that led the nation with 31 dropped passes. The defense shined in big moments, shutting down Texas twice, but was also prone to lapses that made games like Georgia Tech and Mississippi State too close for comfort.

Key Storylines

Gunner Stockton takes over full-time starting duties after filling in for the injured Carson Beck last season. Being thrown into the frey in the middle of the SEC Championship Game was not an ideal situation, but Stockton showed some promise. It was clear, however, that he was not quite ready for the challenge of facing defenses from Texas and Notre Dame, and the coaching staff protected him by not being very creative or tricky in the playcalling. Still, this is a talented kid, and yet another SEC signal-caller that could have been replaced in the portal, but wasn’t.

Georgia’s skill talent let them down last season and that is something that has been addressed in the portal. Rather than standing pat with all the dropped passes, Georgia landed Noah Thomas (Texas A&M) and Zachariah Branch (USC), two proven commodities with vastly different skill sets. Thomas stands at 6 '5 and is a fantastic redzone and jumpball threat that can also break loose on a go route. Branch, only 5 ‘9, relies on his speed and shiftiness, and can take a pass that travels less than five yards in the air to the house at any moment. Those two, combined with a running game that gets healthy, should help Stockton transition into the starting role.

Doubt a Kirby Smart defense at your own peril. Sure, last year was “down”, but the Dawgs still finished in the top 30 in scoring and total defense, and the unit absolutely won the games against Texas, Clemson, and Tennessee. This year, while they lose some household names and star power, Georgia will rely on the younger talent they have stockpiled for years to fill the gaps. When you consider the two national championship teams brought back five (2021) and three (2022) starters on defense, bringing back six this season feels like a luxury.

The Schedule at a Glance

After facing the toughest schedule in the nation last year, Georgia eases up this year. There’s no opponent in the nonconference that is in the same tier as Clemson was last year, but there is a plucky Georgia Tech that almost beat them last season waiting in Week 14. The biggest change, though, is the lack of true road tests. There are just three true road games on the schedule (Tennessee, Auburn, and Mississippi State), and while they will be challenging, they are nowhere near the gauntlet Georgia ran through last season.

Over/Under Projection: 9.5

Other than the COVID season, Georgia has won at least ten games in every season since Kirby;s first in 2016. There are difficult games on the schedule, to be sure, but the Dawgs get Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas at home, where they have not lost since 2019, and Florida, of course, in Jacksonville. I’m picking Georgia to win (at least) ten until they don’t.

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In this article, we’ll cover teams 6-10 (in reverse order) of the listener-made power rankings provided by the Jimmys and Joes.

This crop of teams ranged from utter disappointment to playoff participant (if you want to call what Tennessee did in Columbus “participation”) a season ago, and is the most intriguing set of teams I have written about to date due to their range of outcomes this season.

Will Oklahoma rebound? Is the portal finally going to catch up to Lane Kiffin? What’s in store for year two of the Elko Era in College Station? I’ll try to answer that and more as we dive in!

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

SEC Part I | B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

Ole Miss Rebels

2024 in Review

Lane Kiffin brought in the nation’s highest-ranked transfer class, and expectations were sky-high following an 11-2 2023 campaign that ended with a Peach Bowl victory over Penn State. Kiffin built quite the resume during his first four seasons, but the glaring gaps were his performance against the SEC’s top teams and, subsequently, inability to get the Rebs over the hump to play for a conference title and into the College Football Playoff. Two early losses to Kentucky (the Wildcats’ lone SEC win) and LSU (in overtime in Baton Rouge) appeared to make the playoff dream unattainable for another year, but Kiffin was able to lead his team to a massive victory over Georgia to put them right back into contention. Unfortunately, the next game was an upset loss in the Swamp to a resurgent Florida squad that ultimately sunk those hopes, leaving questions about whether Kiffin’s hyper-aggressive portal strategy will ever get Ole Miss to the promised land of the CFP.

Key Storylines

Welcome to the Austin Simmons era. Jaxson Dart got better in each of his three seasons as the starter in Oxford, culminating in a senior campaign where he threw for almost 4300 yards and 29 touchdowns en route to being drafted in the first round by the Giants. Lane Kiffin could have had any QB he wanted in the portal but will turn to Simmons - a true sophomore with just 32 career pass attempts - as next in line to run his offense. Simmons is inexperienced, but cerebral, as the 19 year-old has already earned his bachelor’s degree.

Both sides of the line of scrimmage will turn over after being experienced and deep last season. The offensive line will lose eight total players that made a combined 242 career starts. Five players transfer in, but according to Phil Steele, there are just 78 career OL starts on this year’s roster. On the other side of the ball, the Rebels lost four DL to the NFL, turning the strength of last year’s team into one of this year’s biggest question marks.

Is this the year the portal catches up to the king? This team was built to win - and win big - last season. That’s certainly still possible this year, but with every position on the roster, except linebacker (shoutout TJ Dottery), undergoing turnover that makes even Kiffin blush, it becomes a big challenge. To be fair, we have said this every year that Kiffin has embraced the “Portal King” mantra. But heavy reliance on talent from other schools has caught up to every school that’s attempted it thus far eventually, and 2025 could be the year it hits Oxford.

The Schedule at a Glance

Amidst all the change, the Rebels will, once again, have one of the more favorable schedules in the league. They draw Kentucky and Arkansas in addition to getting a chance to kick the in-state rival Bulldogs while they’re down. All four nonconference games are at home, and Ole Miss will be favored by at least three scores in each of them. As for potential losses, the three week stretch with back-to-back road trips to Georgia and Oklahoma followed by a home game against South Carolina is particularly precarious.

Over/Under Projection: 8.5

By my count, there are seven games on the schedule that should be almost automatic wins, but to be fair, we certainly would have said the same about Kentucky last season. Ole Miss, then, would need to sweep those and find two more amongst LSU, South Carolina, and Florida and the road trips to Georgia and Oklahoma. The line is dead even as of writing (-110 for both the under and over), so I’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to decide if there are more than three losses included in that list.

Texas A&M Aggies

2024 in Review

Mike Elko’s first season at the helm in Aggieland was an adventure that showed both the potential of his tenure and the reality of how far he had to go. He started behind the eight ball due to portal transition, but had the advantage of a proven, albeit often absent, commodity in Connor Weigman at the quarterback position going into the year. That stability quickly faded, however, as the Aggies were forced to turn to Marcel Reed on multiple occasions. The first instance came via an injury to Weigman, and Reed filled in valiantly leading the team to three-straight wins. Weigman returned - and dominated - against Missouri, but was benched during the LSU game a mere three weeks later in favor of Reed, who led a comeback victory on the strength of his legs and earned the starting role for the rest of the season. After that LSU win, which put the Aggies in sole possession of first place in the SEC at 5-0 in league play, A&M suffered a fate that became all too common under their previous two head coaches as they limped to a 1-4 finish. The defense no-showed in Columbia and Auburn, and with a spot in Atlanta still on the line in the revival of the rivalry with Texas, the offense could not muster a touchdown in a 17-7 loss at Kyle Field.

Key Storylines

It’s officially Marcel Reed’s team after the redshirt sophomore went through an offseason as QB1 for the first time. Reed has flashed brilliance in eight career starts and has many, if not all, of the traits desired by OC Collin Klein, but unlocking a higher ceiling for the Aggies’ offense is predicated on him becoming more consistent as a passer. To help in those efforts, the Aggies re-invented the receiving corps, adding KC Concepcion (NC State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State) to give the unit much needed juice and, hopefully, more open targets.

This could be the best running game in the conference if the stable of backs can stay healthy. Le’Veon Moss was averaging 6.9 yards per carry in SEC games before suffering a season-ending leg injury against South Carolina, and Ruben Owens, who was expected to lead the group last season, only played in the final two games due to an injury suffered during fall camp. Those injuries forced Amari Daniels, who also returns, into a lead-back role and while he filled in admirably, Daniels will be at his best as a change-of-pace option. The trio will get to run behind a talented and deep offensive line that should be in the conversation for the Joe Moore Award at the end of the year.

Elko is taking over defense play-calling duties after the unit as a whole did not meet expectations and needs to find consistency in stopping the run and the pass. It will be a whole new generation on the defensive line, but the linebacker corps anchored by Taurien York and Scooby Williams should provide needed consistency to shore up a run defense that allowed 199.4 yards per game in the Aggies’ five losses. The back end was bolstered with the return of CB Will Lee, and Tyreek Chappel returning from injury to man the nickel spot will give the Aggies one of their best playmakers back in his natural position.

The Schedule at a Glance

Even in the first year under a new head coach, A&M had a great opportunity in front last season with the four toughest games on their schedule at home. They went a respectable 2-2 in those contests, but will now face those four teams - Notre Dame, Missouri, LSU, and Texas - on the road. Additionally, they will make their first trip to Fayetteville since 2013 as the series shifts back to an on-campus affair after most of the meetings had been in Arlington since A&M joined the conference.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

If you’re a “Texas 8&4” hater, this should be an easy over bet, right? All jokes aside, this feels like a line that the Aggies should hit. Home games against Auburn, Florida, and South Carolina are tricky, but A&M should be favored in all three. Winning those means they just need to find two wins on the road, and I think this team is talented enough to do that. Going under this line means the Aggies either went 0-5 on the road or lost multiple home games to teams in the same general tier as they find themselves, and I don’t think either would be and expected, or acceptable, outcome.

Oklahoma Sooners

2024 in Review

It’s hard to imagine a more disappointing, even pathetic, season from the Oklahoma Sooners than what we saw in their first SEC campaign. Then again, maybe it wasn’t. Our podcast acted like Paul Revere, warning Sooner Nation of the growing pains ahead with the offensive line and quarterback play. The Sooners finished the ‘24 season ranked 76th in rushing, 97th in scoring offense, and 119th in passing. No, we didn’t predict the bevy of injuries that wrecked Oklahoma’s roster, but even at their best, the Sooners really struggled to consistently compete against their conference mates. Still, a miracle win over Alabama in their home finale allowed Oklahoma to squeak into bowl season…only to have their hearts ripped out by Navy in the bowl game. Last year was concerning, but with plenty of talented players stacking the roster, 2025 could provide an opportunity for a fun bounce back.

Key Storylines

Venables has entirely retooled last year’s pathetic offense. Former Wazzu QB John Mateer (Mateer’s Privateers stand up!) and Cal transfer RB Jadyn Ott provide the immediate star power and athleticism that Oklahoma needs to right the schooner this fall. Mateer is joined by his OC Ben Arbuckle, who is one of the best young minds in the game for our money. Western Carolina transfer Derek Simmons adds a talented piece at OT, and will help an o-line that desperately needs to improve after allowing 50(!) sacks last season. Questions remain, though, in the much-maligned WR room, with transfer Isaiah Sategna (Arkansas) standing as the lone option that is a proven commodity in the SEC

Do the questions now switch to the defense? Perhaps the biggest losses suffered by Oklahoma were likely Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman to the draft. Two defensive stalwarts were the pinnacle of Sooners football under Brent Venables. The defense has been a welcome surprise for a program that long struggled to stop a nose bleed while simultaneously dropping 60-burgers left and right, but will need to find a way to replace that star power. That could come from S Kendal Daniels (Okla State) and DE Marvin Jones Jr (FSU), two explosive playmakers on the defensive side.

If the Sooners can get just a little luck they could be one of the most improved teams in all of college football this season. The injury bug hit hard, decimating the receiving corps for multiple weeks and forcing the staff to turn to temporarily converted defensive backs. The aforementioned o-line used seven different starting lineups in the first nine games, and three different starters at four of the five positions. A little continuity, and even a slight swinging of the pendulum of injuries, could go a long way towards a turnaround.

The Schedule at a Glance

Just like last season, the Sooners drew the short end of the proverbial stick when it came to the conference office assigning opponents. There are only three true road games thanks to the neutral site Red River matchup, but trips to South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama - all in a span of five weeks - will get anyone’s attention. The home slate is a season ticket holder’s dream with matchups against Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU.

Over/Under Projection: 6.5

Oklahoma will be much improved this year, I am sure of that. Probably enough to justify a jump in wins up to (at least) seven and hit this over. But trying to find which games the Sooners should be picked to win in is the challenge. I count just three gimmies, and the early home games against the Wolverines and Auburn will be trajectory-defining tossups for both teams. Take the over, but hope Oklahoma makes a statement in at least one of those early tests.

Tennessee Volunteers

2024 in Review

In the lead up to last season, I (Trey) had Tennessee in the playoff on the strength of the run defense (check), a weaker schedule (check), and a freshman phenom quarterback that would break out in his first year as a starter (we all miss some predictions…). While the Volunteers did lose on the road in Fayetteville in early October, they won every other game they were supposed to and got a signature win over rival Alabama. It was a much different route to relevance than the 2022 team that relied on a high-flying offense and just enough defense, but it worked out well nonetheless. Still, the lack of offensive production left a bad taste in the mouths of fans and observers alike. The Vols averaged just 25 points per game in conference, but only eclipsed that number twice. Despite the solid wins and record, the lasting image of the 2024 Vols will be Nico and Co. looking helpless as they scored just ten points before garbage time against Ohio State in “Neyland North”.

Key Storylines

The Transfer QB Carousel hit Tennessee harder than any other major program when you consider the magnitude and timing of Nico Iamaleava’s decision to hold out. We won’t rehash that whole saga here, but ultimately it ended with the Vols adding Joey Aguilar, the former App State and, briefly and ironically, UCLA QB in the spring window. Aguilar is a fine option to lead the Tennessee offense and capable of making plays with his arm and legs, but absolutely must cut down on turnovers (24 interceptions in 24 career games).

A youth movement is taking over the offense as Josh Heupel and the staff will look to the next generation to step up rather than filling holes with older transfers. Those that follow the Vols closely will need no introduction to recruits they’ve been waiting to see the field in expanded roles, but observers outside of Knoxville need to know sophomore Mike Matthews and RS freshman Brayon Staley, both highly touted wide receiver recruits in the class of 2024 that are ready to breakout. But the biggest transition will be going from 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year Dylan Sampson to DeSean Bishop. Bishop flashed year as a RS freshman, but establishing a ground game will be key to keeping the offense from falling too far.

The defense will have plenty of experience with nine of the eleven starters projecting to be juniors or seniors. Though James Pearce is no longer around to terrify opposing QBs off the edge, Dominic Bailey and Joshua Josephs should be a good one-two punch. The linebacker room is deep and led by potential all-conference tandem Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander. Boo Carter flashed big playmaking ability as a freshman at the STAR position, and while the defensive back room is the biggest question, Jermond McCoy is a great player to build around at corner, assuming he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in January.

The Schedule at a Glance

The Vols’ season opens with a tricky neutral site game against Syracuse (in Atlanta) and a matchup with Georgia at home two weeks later. After that, there’s a nice runway to build momentum before the Third Saturday in October in Tuscaloosa, a place Tennessee has not won since 2003. The games that will define this season, though, come in November when Oklahoma comes to Neyland Stadium and the Vols travel to the Swamp three weeks later.

Over/Under Projection: 8.5

With so much youth and production to place on offense, it’s hard to see the Vols getting off and running quickly enough to knock off Georgia in Week Three. I will also need to see them win in Tuscaloosa before I predict it. That means Heupel’s squad will need to avoid stubbing their toe in a game they are favored in and pick off Oklahoma or Florida. I tend to think this is a slight step back and reset year, so I will go with the under and predict 8-4.

South Carolina Gamecocks

2024 in Review

After a 5-7 season in 2023, Shane Beamer needed to show some improvement to get the train back on the tracks and instill confidence in his future in Columbia. A 3-3 start, which included a close season-opening win against Old Dominion and nail-biting losses to LSU and Alabama, showed potential, but it was the close to the season that put the Gamecocks firmly in consideration for the last Playoff spot. Beamer led his squad to six-straight wins and a 9-3 finish on the back of an elite pass rush and running game that was impossible to tackle at times. The Palmetto Bowl victory over rival Clemson had an extra sweet finish as LaNorris Sellers scrambled 20 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute left. While the slow start to the season ultimately relegated Carolina to the Citrus Bowl, the finish will make them a trendy Playoff pick in 2025.

Key Storylines

A good portion of one of the scariest defenses in the country is gone, including all-everything DE Kyle Kennard and the top four DTs. Dylan Stewart had a fantastic freshman season opposite Kennard and Bryan Thomas was solid in pass rush situations, but the interior is a big question mark. Additionally, the top three LBs and leading tackler and second round pick S Nick Emmanwori. In all, nine players from last year’s defense were drafted or signed a UDFA deal, a number that is rare outside of Athens, Tuscaloosa, and Columbus.

LaNorris Sellers has cemented himself as one of the top QBs in college football, but his supporting cast will look a bit different this year. For starters, his backfield-mate Rocket Sanders is gone, but the Gamecocks brought in Rahsul Faison from Utah State, who rushed for over 1100 yards for the Aggies last fall. TE Joshua Simon, who led the team in receiving last season by a wide margin, is off to the NFL as well, meaning someone will need to step up to give Sellers a reliable target. That would preferably be a young wide receiver that establishes himself, like Nyck Harbor or Mazzio Bennett.

Shane Beamer loves his special teams as a former ST Coordinator at South Carolina and Georgia, but he faces a unique challenge this year that is forcing me to write about the often overlooked third phase for the first time this preview season. Beamer must replace his kicker, punter, top kick and punt returners, and long snapper. Just when you think you have something to bank on…

The Schedule at a Glance

The first five games have some landmines, but are manageable enough. What I want to know is who from Columbia upset the league office to give them the back half of the docket. There is a legitimate chance that six of the Gamecocks’ last seven opponents will be ranked at the time the game occurs. The run begins with a trip to LSU, home games against Oklahoma and Alabama, and another trip to Ole Miss in consecutive weeks. After a merciful bye, the Gamecocks travel to revenge-minded Texas A&M before closing out the season at home against Coastal and Clemson. Wow.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

I really worry about the grind and toll playing all of those good teams in essentially consecutive weeks will take on this team. They are much better, at least on offense, than a typical 7-5 squad, but the way the schedule plays out combined with all the questions on the defensive side of the ball makes me lean towards an under that I feel like few are entertaining as a possibility following the magical run to close last season.

Thanks for reading The Three Tech Pod’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive Part III of the SEC - and even more CFB content - directly in your inbox!

Our “home” league as fans of Texas A&M has gone through some major changes - and through a media ringer - the last few years. Notably, it has now been two full seasons since the league brought home a national title. Will that change in 2025?

Whether you’re a firm disciple that “it just means more” or eager to point out SEC-bias, we’re happy you’re here!

In the podcast above, Trey visits with Chris Lee of Southeastern 16 to talk about the biggest storylines in the conference heading into 2024, and in the article below, we’ll break down Teams 11-16 (in reverse order) in the listener-made rankings by the Jimmys and Joes. Stay tuned for more throughout the week!

Without further ado, let’s jump in!

Looking for our other previews? Find them below!

B1G Part I | B1G Part II | B1G Part III | AAC Part I | AAC Part II | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West | MWC Part I | MWC Part II | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | CUSA Part I | CUSA Part II

Mississippi State Bulldogs

2024 in Review

Jeff Lebby was going to need to be an absolute miracle worker if Mississippi State was going to compete in 2024. He wasn’t, and they didn’t. Still, the expectations were fairly low for the Bulldogs as all eyes moved towards 2025 and beyond with a young phenom QB in Michael Van Buren…until Lebby went to the portal and started flirting with OU transfer Jackson Arnold. Whether it be because Van Buren felt threatened or saw the purple pastures of LSU, the Bulldogs ended 2024 with one of the worst records in the last 20 years AND a vacancy at QB (and a bunch of other positions). To borrow a phrase: The epitome of brutality.

Key Storylines

The Bulldogs completely reset through the portal. QB Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State) was expected to compete with Blake Shapen for QB1 honors, but failed to impress during spring ball. Those struggles opened the door for the athletic freshman Kamario Taylor to show his ability. RB Fluff Bothwell (USA) brings one of the best names in the game and a well-rounded skill set to Starkville. Bothwell averaged 7.5 yards per carry for the Jags in 2024 and also caught 13 balls out of the backfield. Other notables in the 30+ player transfer class include D-Line help with Redd Hibbler (NCST) and Malick Sylla (A&M), as well as speedy WRs Brenan Thompson (OU), Ayden Williams (Ole Miss), and Jaron Glover (Michigan State).

Lebby retained more of the roster than you might think. It would have been fair to assume that Mississippi State lost everyone from the doomed season of 2024. While the Bulldogs lost their fair share of contributors, they (shockingly) ranked just 37th in ESPN’s 2025 Returning Production breakdown, per Bill Connelly. Aside from Van Buren leaving a gap in the QB room, the Bulldogs lost great production in the WR room with Kevin Coleman Jr (Mizzou) and Mario Craver (A&M). CB Brice Pollock left for Texas Tech.

What is the identity in Starkville? Lebby’s offenses are known for their creativity, their speed, and their ability to air it out. The Bulldogs finished 50th in the country in passing yards last season. That was up from the putrid 111th they logged in 2023, but still a far cry from their top 20 passing attacks of the last few years. The Bulldogs have to solidify a calling card that allows them to compete with the most talented rosters in the country. Can they find a quick passing attack behind an offensive line that is expected to struggle? Similarly, the defense has to improve…quickly. They finished 118th in scoring and 133rd in sacks…That’s a brutal combo if you plan on competing in the SEC.

The Schedule at a Glance

The schedule does the Bulldogs zero favors once again. Miss State will likely play three top 25 teams before they hit their bye week. In addition to hosting the Vols, the Bulldogs will host Arizona State and visit Texas A&M. The Vols are more of a great idea than a known commodity with all of the transfer portal spinning at QB and in the defensive backfield. Finding a way to clip the Vols away from Rocky Top would be a monumental win for Lebby’s crew.

Over/Under Projection: 3.5

The road to four wins and hitting this over seems extremely difficult. The nonconference slate includes just one layup (Alcorn State) and three other games that range from likely loss (Arizona State) to tricky land mine (@ Southern Miss, Northern Illinois). Betting the over means banking on 3-1 in that stretch and just finding a way to pick off a conference foe. It’s hard for me to bank on that at this point, so I’m leaning towards the under.

Kentucky Wildcats

2024 in Review

Pundits have often joked that Marks Stoops has the best job in college football due to the fact that his basketball-obsessed fan base will happily take a program that wins more than they lose. But after flirting with Texas A&M at the end of 2023, Stoops delivered an absolute stinker. The 4-8 mark was the worst since Stoops’ first season, and the Wildcats’ lone notable accomplishment was shocking Ole Miss in Oxford in late September. Brock Vandagriff followed in Devin Leary’s footsteps as a highly-touted but ultimately disappointing QB transfer, and as a result, the offense could not score points if their life depended on it (14.1 ppg vs P4). To top it all off, the Wildcats lost to in-state rival Louisville - in blowout fashion - for the first time since 2017. Now, Stoops enters 2025 squarely on the hot seat.

Key Storylines

Zach Calzada is still playing college football and will take over starting duties behind center for the Wildcats. You may remember him as the man behind Texas A&M’s upset of Alabama in 2021, but he’s been refining his craft for the last two seasons at Incarnate Word. In 23 games in San Antonio, Calzada threw for 6,144 yards and 53 touchdowns, and the coaching staff is hoping he can provide some desperately needed consistency in the passing game.

The offensive supporting cast is a mixed bag. The running back room looks like a solid stable with last year’s leading rusher Jamarion Wilcox (590 yards last season) returning alongside transfers Dante Dowdell (Nebraska) and Seth McGowan (New Mexico State). The receiving corps is a question mark though, and replacing Dane Key (1,870 yards over the past three seasons) will be essential for the offense to find success.

The secondary brings back three starters, and that experience will be needed to compensate for a front seven that has a grand total of one proven commodity (WLB Alex Afari) heading into the year. That front seven will need guys that have done well at lower levels of college football to make the jump to the SEC seamlessly to find success. Keep an eye out for Mi’Wuise Humphrey-Grace, a first-team FCS All-American who had 9.5 sacks at South Dakota last year, and David Gusta, a multi-year starter at DT for Washington State.

The Schedule at a Glance

Stoops will have his work cut out for him trying to bounce back against one of the toughest schedules in the league. The Cats draw both Georgia (away) and Texas (home), in addition to road trips to South Carolina, Auburn, and Vanderbilt. They’ll also welcome Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Florida to Lexington and travel to Louisville for the Governor’s Cup at the end of the year. To top it off, they’ll open the season against MAC favorite Toledo who blew out Mississippi State in Starkville last season.

Over/Under Projection: 4.5

The path to five or more wins is narrow, but not impossible. Kentucky would need to start by making sure they avoid upsets against Toledo and Eastern Michigan. Provided they can do that, stealing a game against Ole Miss, Tennessee, or Florida at home and splitting against Vanderbilt and Louisville at the end of the year gets them to the over (assuming a win over Tennessee Tech). I think Stoops finds a way to get them to five, but falls short of a bowl.

Vanderbilt Commodores

2024 in Review

Was this the most exciting 7-6 team in the history of college football? Judging by the fact that my phone still auto-corrects Pavia to all caps PAVIA, I’m inclined to say so. With Clark Lea’s future hanging in the balance, Jerry Kill and his electric quarterback brought their magic with them from New Mexico State. It immediately made an impact, as the ‘Dores knocked off trendy ACC darkhorse Virginia Tech as 13-point underdogs on opening weekend. The much more seismic upset, of course, came on Oct. 5, when the top ranked Tide left Nashville with a 40-35 loss. It was the first time Vandy had beaten Alabama since 1984, and in 2024, it had a direct effect on keeping Alabama out of the Playoff. The wins kept coming, and Vanderbilt made it to a bowl for the first time since 2018. Winning that matchup with Georgia Tech cemented the first winning season for the program since James Franklin went 9-4 before bolting for Penn State in 2013. Now, Lea will look to show it was not a fluke season and contend for more than just making a bowl in 2025.

Key Storylines

Pavia is back for more after leading the charge for reform (to put it nicely) on the rules for how JUCO seasons count for eligibility. Regardless of how you feel about that decision, it signifies a massive boost for a Vanderbilt program that will not have to find a new identity this season. Pavia, who ended the year as the Commodores’ leading rusher with 801 yards on 192 carries, can pick up right where he left off running a tricky spread option attack that keeps defenses guessing.

Quarterback is not the only position to enjoy the benefit of experience, as Vandy is one of eight teams to return at least 70% of production across the board. Also returning on offense are the top two backs - Sedrick Alexander and AJ Newberry - and three of Pavia’s top four targets from last year, including TE Eli Stowers who is already getting hype as the TE1 in next spring’s draft. On defense, three starters return on the d-line, and the top four linebackers return, led by Bryan Longwell and Langston Patterson, to form one of the better front sevens in the conference.

Time to build a program. With so much returning, a built in identity, and legitimate success to build off of, Clark Lea has a lot going for him as he enters year five in Nashville. Now, I’m not saying they’re on the precipice of being the best program in the country, as Lea infamously said at SEC Media Days in 2022, but it goes without saying that stacking another successful year on top of last season would do wonders for the long-term trajectory of a school that has been a historical after-thought on the gridiron. Lea has a huge opportunity here he needs to take advantage of, but no one will take them lightly after what they have already accomplished.

The Schedule at a Glance

I’m struggling to remember a team in my time paying attention to college football that played in as many big time, bucket list environments as Vanderbilt will in 2025. The Commodores will hear Enter Sandman at Lane Stadium and Sandstorm at Williams-Brice in back-to-back night games in September, followed by trips to Bryant-Denny, DKU, and Neyland later on. For a fan, that’s a dream come true, for a team trying to make back-to-back bowls, it’s an absolute nightmare.

Over/Under Projection: 4.5

To hit this over, it feels like Vandy will need to go undefeated in nonconference play. That task is much easier said than done considering they travel to Virginia Tech (a close win at home last year) and face a Georgia State squad that beat them a season ago. Assuming they can go at least 3-1 there, the easiest path seems to be winning two of three SEC home games against Missouri, Auburn, and Kentucky. Vandy was able to win two of those games last year when they were all on the road, so I’ll lean going over the number.

Missouri Tigers

2024 in Review

After finishing the 2023 season at 11-2 and knocking off an under-manned Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers followed it up with another ten-win campaign in 2024. The schedule certainly helped them out, as all five of their conference wins came against the bottom half of the league, but they took care of business and did not lose to anyone they were supposed to beat, something not every team gifted an easier slate can say. By capping the season with a hard-fought win over Iowa in the Music City Bowl, the 2024 Tigers became just the fourth team in school history to win back-to-back bowl games and just the third to win ten or more in consecutive years.

Key Storylines

It’s a new era on the offensive side of the ball as Mizzou fans will need to get acquainted with a large flock of new players. Beau Pribula will come in to play quarterback and replace Brady Cook after spending two seasons as a backup and gadget player at Penn State. At running back, Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll depart, making way for ULM freshman phenom Ahmad Hardy (1351 yards last season). Dynamic receiver duo Luther Burden and Theo Wease head off to the NFL, and Kenneth Coleman will attempt to be Pribula’s go-to guy after a solid season at Mississippi State.

The defense will enjoy continuity with the fifth-most returning production in the country according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly. The biggest question mark on that side of the ball will be finding a pass rush without Johnny Walker. Look for Zion Young to have a big year getting after the passer in an expanded role. The secondary should be dependable as well, with three starters returning to pair with portal pickups Mose Phillips (Virginia Tech), Santana Barber (NIU), and Stephen Hall (Washington State).

What will the identity be? The Tigers have fielded some solid defenses under Drinkwitz over the past five seasons, but the far more consistent unit has certainly been the offense. With the offense likely needing time to gel, will the coaching staff and program be able to adjust to being led by the defense? Or will Pribula and Co. find their footing quickly and take advantage of some softer defenses in the season’s first five games?

The Schedule at a Glance

This is one of the more unique setups I have ever seen, as the Tigers will not leave their home stadium until October 18th when they travel to Auburn. That tilt on the plains is one of only four road games, and all four are certainly winnable. The home slate includes the revival of the Border War against Kansas (first meeting since 2011), South Carolina, Alabama, and A&M.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

The schedule sets up nicely for a run at another special season. As highlighted in the previous section, the toughest games of the season are at the friendly confines of Farout Field. There’s a legitimate chance to start the season 5-0, but the games against Kansas, South Carolina, and even Louisiana are potential stumbling blocks before Alabama comes calling. With a potentially elite defense and an offense with high potential, I see no reason why Missouri can’t win at least eight.

Arkansas Razorbacks

2024 in Review

After a 4-8 season in 2023, Sam Pittman entered 2024 needing to perform in order to keep his job. And while he was ultimately retained, the 7-6 season filled with ups and downs was not enough to get Pittman off the hot seat heading into 2025. The highlight was undoubtedly the upset of Tennessee in front of a raucous crowd in Fayetteville and on the back of one of the best defensive performances of the Pittman era. But the Hogs could never capitalize and build momentum, largely because the offense struggled to consistently get out of first gear. They averaged just 23.8 points per game in SEC play, and that number drops to 18.6 if you take out the outlier 58-point outburst against Mississippi State. Failing to eclipse 20 points cost them winnable games against A&M and Texas, and cost Pittman some breathing room.

Key Storylines

Taylen Green returns after a successful first season that did not begin that way. In his first four games against FBS competition (sorry, UAPB), Green completed just 51.8% of his passes and threw five interceptions. After the A&M game, he did not dip below 60% in his remaining SEC starts, and threw ten touchdowns compared to just four interceptions. By the end of the season, Green looked like a serviceable signal-caller to build around, and threw for the second-most yards in a season in school history.

The rest of the offense is a work in progress as RB Ja’Quinden Jackson and the top seven receiving targets from last season have departed. Mike Washington comes in from New Mexico State to co-lead the backfield with returnee Braylen Russell (5.3 ypc last season), so the RB room should be okay. The receiving corps, on the other hand, feels questionable, with just one option returning that logged more than 100 yards last year (Jordan Anthony), and players transferring in from the G5 level looking like they’ll need to be acclimated in a hurry.

The defense will face turnover as well with just two starters returning in the front seven and an overhaul in the secondary. The latter was necessary, as the Razorbacks surrendered 247 yards per game through the air, dead last in the conference. The former turns a position of strength - they surrendered just 124 yards per game on the ground - from last season into a massive question mark. Figuring out what the defense can hang their hat on, quickly, will be the most important question the coaching staff must answer.

The Schedule at a Glance

Just like last season…it’s brutal. In the nonconference portion, the Hogs will face Notre Dame, travel to Memphis, and play an upset-minded Arkansas State team in Little Rock in the first-ever matchup between the schools. The conference road trips are to Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, and Texas. Mercy.

Over/Under Projection: 5.5

To make it back to a bowl game - and potentially save Pittman’s job - the Razorbacks will have to make hay at home and do it against teams that have dominated them in recent years. The path of least resistance likely involves finding wins against A&M (1-12 since 2012, mostly in Arlington), Auburn (lost four straight matchups in Fayetteville), and Missouri (2-9 since 2014). There’s too many questions for me on both sides of the ball despite good QB play to say they get to six, but they likely will ruin at least one of those teams’ days when they travel to the hills of NW Arkansas.

Auburn Tigers

2024 in Review

What a ride the Hugh Freeze era has been. Year one went like this: three straight wins, followed by a four game losing streak, a three game winning streak, and then three more losses - including an embarrassment against Diego Pavia and New Mexico State and a gut-wrenching defeat on 4th & 31 in the Iron Bowl. If that wasn’t enough, year two included a head-scratching loss to Cal, four straight losses to open conference play, another loss to a Pavia-led team, an exhilarating win in 4 OT over a ranked A&M team, before another loss to Alabama. If you were expecting anything less from a program led by Jimmy Swag, I’m not sure what to tell you. Who’s ready for Round Three?

Key Storylines

All the chips are on Jackson Arnold improving the offense by bringing in consistent QB play. Arnold, a former five star and the number four QB in the vaunted 2023 class, was the hand-picked starter that caused Dillon Gabriel to spend his last year of eligibility at Oregon instead of Oklahoma. But inconsistent play exacerbated by WR injuries and a porous OL saw Arnold benched for portions of 2024. Now, he’ll look to re-ignite the Auburn offense - and his career - on the Plains.

The receiving corps should not be a problem for Arnold this year. In fact, they might be the best in the entire conference. Keandre Lambert-Smith is gone, but the Tigers retain homegrown five star Cam Coleman (37 rec, 596 yards, 8 TD as a freshman last year) and fellow freshman phenom Malcom Simmons (40/451/3). If that wasn’t enough, they brought in former Georgia Tech #1 Eric Singleton to round out the room. Good luck, SEC DBs!

The defense has been a strength for the past two seasons, but there are some questions heading into this year. The d-line in particular has been a huge advantage, allowing just 3.1 yards per carry last season. But just one starter returns from that group, and DJ Durkin will rely on transfers from Western Kentucky, FAMU, and Sam Houston to try and fill the void. The linebacker room is inexperienced as well, but they did bring in Caleb Wheatland from Maryland and bring Champ Anthony back from injury to the star position.

The Schedule at a Glance

The Tigers will hit the road in three out of the first five weeks of the season, facing a tricky test week one at Baylor and conference games in Norman and College Station. The final seven games, bookended by home rivalry games against Georgia and Alabama, provide a bit of a runway to rack up some wins, and some magic as often seems to happen when both of those games are at Jordan-Hare.

Over/Under Projection: 7.5

Getting to eight wins from five might seem like a big jump in just one year, but this is a team that was 1-5 in games decided by ten points or less last season and lost three games where they out-gained their opponent. Auburn feels like they’re due for a jump, and if they can beat Baylor, split Oklahoma and A&M, and then just win the ones they’ll likely be favored in, 8-4 will be the floor with a chance to do even better. Give me the over.

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12. Michigan State Spartans

2024 in Review

It doesn’t seem possible that just four years ago, the Spartans finished 11-2 with a Peach Bowl win over ACC Champion Pitt. What’s even crazier is that 2025 will mark the ten year anniversary of the Spartans winning the B1G Championship and going to the College Football Playoff. Those good times feel like forever ago, but there is growing optimism in East Lansing. Jonathan Smith’s first season at Michigan State had its up’s and down’s, but there were signs of life. The takeaways from the 5-7 campaign include a better finish than start to the year for QB Aiden Chiles, WR Nick Marsh emerged as a future star, and the defense showed it could be very stout. “Progress” and “growth” are buzz words within the Sparty locker room, but a few more wins could turn them into much more than that as Michigan State tries to climb back to the top of the B1G.

Key Storylines

Will the real Aiden Chiles please stand up? Chiles followed Jonathan Smith from Oregon State after the 2023 season. For many Spartans, there was confidence stemming from the fact that Chiles was hand picked by Smith to lead his offense. Aiden made Spartan Nation wait for proof that he could, in fact, run the offense competently. The first half of the season was plagued by turnovers (Mich State finished -8 in TO margin) and inefficient drives. They scored just 16 in a win over FAU, 19 in a loss to Boston College, only 7 against Ohio State, and scratched 10 across against Oregon. The second half was a little better, at least in the realm of turnovers. The 32-20 stunner over Iowa sure helped, but only scoring 14 points against Rutgers with a bowl on the line was a sour way to finish. Chiles will need to be much more accurate and decisive this season.

Sparty has one of the sneakiest pass catching trios in the conference. I mentioned Nick Marsh, who won multiple “freshman of the week” honors last season, off the top. His rookie season saw him catch 41 balls for nearly 650 yards. The Spartans brought in Omari Kelly, (Mid Tenn State) who led the Blue Raiders as their top weapon, to pair with Marsh to form a dangerous duo out wide. Add Jack Vieling to the mix at tight end, and Chiles certainly isn’t lacking for talented options.

Michigan State will go as far as the trenches take them. The offensive line was dreadful last year, while the defensive line was well above average. Sparty was very difficult to run on (32nd in run prevention)…but they couldn’t rush the ball themselves (110th). With just one returner along the offensive line, Michigan State turned to the portal for veterans. Defensively, they return a couple of key starters like DT Alex VanSumeren and snatched Edge Isaac Smith (Texas Tech) from the portal. Improvements along the offensive line and a return to form defensively could help Michigan State make a bowl game for the first time since 2021.

The Schedule at a Glance

It’s very possible that Sparty could start 3-0 against Western Michigan, Boston College, and Youngstown State. The trick, then, becomes finding three more wins. The road schedule, for example, isn’t kind to the Spartans. They travel to USC and Nebraska with a bye week in between. They then go to Indiana the week before the Michigan game, followed by a trip to Minnesota, the home finale against Penn State, the road finale against Iowa, and a neutral site game against Maryland. Good heavens.

Over/Under Projection - 5.5 wins

If…and I do mean if Michigan State starts 3-0, then they will seemingly need just one upset to go bowling. UCLA and Maryland are their peers in the midfield of the B1G, although I expect Maryland to struggle quite a bit this year. Michigan is a prime upset candidate given how hotly contested that rivalry game is, plus they get the Wolverines at home where Sparty has won 4 of the last 7. I also look at their trip to Nebraska. If the defensive line can make the Huskers one dimensional, perhaps the secondary is able to force a couple of Raiola turnovers. Officially, I’ll take the under, but watch this space.

11. Minnesota Golden Gophers

2024 in Review

It’s hard to believe that PJ Fleck has been in Minneapolis for nearly a decade, but it’s true. Minnesota heads into Fleck’s ninth year on the heels of another steady 8-5 campaign. The Gophers are 58-39 under PJ and have built a reputation for a very good defense and a gritty offense. RB Darius Taylor broke out and tallied nearly 1,000 yards on the ground and 12 total TDs, while the defense put in a top 5 effort. That success, however, landed Corey Heatherman a job at Miami, so replacing him with Danny Collins will be a focal point. The Gophers feel like they’re on the verge of breaking through into the next level of the B1G, but can a redshirt freshman QB get them there?

Key Storylines

Can Lindsey be as steady as Brosmer? Drake Lindsey (6’5, 230) inherits the reins to the Gophers’ offense after a year in waiting behind Max Brosmer. Lindsey is a former top 25 QB in the class of 2024 and has all the tools to be successful, but there will be a learning curve. It’s a good thing a QB’s best friend is a good running game. Along with Darius Taylor, the Gophers also got welcome additions to the stable from AJ Turner (Marshall, 800+ yards in ‘24) and Cam Davis (Washington). The offensive line only has two returners at LG and C, but transfers from Kentucky, Washington, and UCF help fill out a line that, on average, measures 6’5 and 318lbs.

Replacing pass catchers was a priority in the portal. The Gophers lost Daniel Jackson (863 yds) and Elijah Spencer (684 yds), a massive swatch of their receiving production last year. Minnesota hit the portal for MAC star Javon Tracy (Miami OH) and UCLA transfer Logan Loya. Tracy had over 800 yards and 7 TDs, while Loya hauled in 4 TDs of his own. Le’Meke Brockington and Cristian Driver are returners on the roster that are expected to start along with Tracy, forming a solid, but perhaps under-the-radar corps.

Cry “HAVOC” and let loose the Gophers of War. Danny Collins has a large challenge in front of him to match the production of the defense from 2024. Koi Perch, pre-season All American, will help him lead a young secondary from his safety position, but Collins is replacing his other four starters from a top 10 passing defense last season. In the middle of the defensive line, Minnesota returns two starters in Deven Eastern and Jalen Logan-Redding, while the linebackers have Maverick Baranowski and plenty of snaps around him. Collins certainly is bringing the right approach to his first season in charge of the defense. He named his style of defense “HAVOC” - How hard we play, Attacking style, Violence, playing together as One, Compete level.

The Schedule at a Glance

Right from the jump, we have put the Gophers on upset alert. Buffalo comes to town on August 28th and Minnesota has a habit of playing close season openers. They’ll likely win their next three, including the conference opener against Rutgers, before playing at Ohio State, home against Nebraska, and at Iowa in three of their next four. They also draw Oregon on the road, while they’ll host Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

Over/Under Projection - 6.5

We’re on the Gophers’ bandwagon this year, so give us the over. Even if Buffalo pulls off a statement, (and we’re not necessarily saying they will, calm down friends!) I like the Gophers to reel off another steady 8 win season. The talent is there on the defensive side, the key will just be putting it all together. With how Fleck is recruiting, Minnesota is a program to continue buying stock in, I promise you.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers

2024 in Review

There was joy in the streets of Lincoln when the Huskers clung like wet rain jackets to the patrons to a soggy 20-15 win over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl. It was the first winning season for Nebraska in NINE years. Freshman sensation Dylan Raiola threw for 11 TDs and 13 INTs over the course of the season, but looked much better once Dana Holgorsen took over the offense nine games in. The Huskers felt like they were dead in the water after losing four straight games in the middle of the season, but the offensive resurgence led them to 44-points in the win over Wisconsin, sending the Huskers to a bowl game and ending a decade long wait for the fans.

Key Storylines

Compound the wins. Admittedly, we fell victim to the Nebraska playoff hype last year…our bad. I don’t think any of us are that high on the Huskers this season, but Matt Rhule’s plan does appear to be coming together. He has a veteran QB he trusts, super athletes out wide, and a very talented offensive line. He will have to break in a new (to the position, not the program) coordinator and eight starters on defense, but it’s possible that this version of the defense might have a higher ceiling.

The offense needs to be more efficient. Raiola brought a lot of sizzle and some highlight moments to Lincoln, but the offense objectively needs to take better care of the football and find the end zone more. Nebraska finished with the 103rd scoring offense (23.5 ppg) last year, but a good deal of that struggle was under former-OC Marcus Satterfield. A full season of Holgorsen promises to be much more explosive and effective. Emmett Johnson is back at RB, but the headliners are transfer WRs Dane Key (Kentucky) and Nyziah Hunter (Cal). Raiola took some terrible sacks last year, but those should be less common with three returning starters and elite transfers Rocco Spindler (Notre Dame) and Elijah Pritchett (Alabama).

Can John Butler supercharge the defense? Losing Tony White and DL coach Terrance Knighton to Florida State stung, no question about it. But Rhule quickly elevated John Butler from within the program to take over. His preferred method? Attack. Butler spent a decade in the NFL, most recently turning the Buffalo Bills’ secondary into a terror from 2018-2023. Huskers Nation is hoping that Butler’s aggressive style will lead to more energy, more sacks, and more physicality. If the Huskers can begin matching the intensity with which Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State play…look out.

The Schedule at a Glance

Nebraska will avoid Ohio State, Oregon, Illinois, and Indiana on the schedule, but the Huskers still have a stout challenge in front of them. After presumably starting 3-0 (though I wouldn’t write off Cincinnati in the opener), they host Michigan and Michigan State. The rest of their schedule includes road trips to Minnesota and Penn State, while they host USC and Iowa in the second half.

Over/Under Projection - 7.5 wins

Getting Michigan, USC, and Iowa all at home is certainly a huge help. In order to hit the over, the Huskers would love to go 2-1 in that trifecta. I lean towards an 8-4 season for Nebraska, but before you place your hypothetical bets, remember that Michigan State, Northwestern, and UCLA are all expected to pack a bigger punch on offense. I have the Huskers dropping to both Penn State and Iowa this year, so beating the LA teams becomes hugely important.

9. Washington Huskies

2024 in Review

A 6-7 record was, perhaps, a bigger step backwards than many Huskies’ fans were hoping for as Jedd Fisch took over, but it seemingly provided a floor with which to build upon in the following years. Washington was replacing a ton of production from their national title chase under Kalen DeBoer, but the emergence of QB Demond Williams Jr was a bright spot that should have the folks in Seattle on the edge of their seat heading into ‘25. If the offense can strike a more harmonious balance between the passing attack and running game (the offensive line was terrible), the Huskies could be a team you don’t want to see on your schedule.

Key Storylines

Jonah Coleman is back as RB1. Keeping Coleman out of the portal/draft after a 1,000 yard season was a massive win for the Huskies. Coleman will be key to providing the balance that a young QB will need to feel confident in the offense. Combine Coleman’s ability with an entirely rebuilt offensive line, and it’s not hard to be optimistic that the Huskies can crack the top 100 in terms of scoring. Speaking of the offensive line, returning center Landen Hatchett gets to play next to his brother, Geirean (Oklahoma), while Carver Willis (KState) is instantly penciled in as an elite left tackle.

The passing game should continue to soar. Williams Jr put the nation on notice in the narrow Sun Bowl loss to Louisville, throwing for 374 yards and five total touchdowns. The new offensive line will help him keep the pocket clean, while a fun stable of weapons should keep the Huskies’ passing attack inside the top 40. Denzel Boston is back as WR1 after an 800+ yard, nine TD performance last year. Omari Evans (Penn State) is a new comer, while Rashid Williams and TE Decker DeGraaf (freshman All-American) both return.

The Huskies’ defense might be scary. I wrote earlier that former Purdue HC Ryan Walters is right where he belongs: running a fierce defense. His arrival as defensive coordinator will pair perfectly with a massive infusion of talent, especially in the front seven. The Huskies were dreadful at defending the run last year under Steve Belichick, finishing the season poorly (87th, 162 yards per game). To fix that, Jedd went fishing for big bodies to fill the line, and boy, did he find them. Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei (Arizona), Anterio Thompson (Michigan), and Simote Pepa (Utah) are all massive humans who instantly improve the rush defense. The Huskies added numerous transfers at the LB position, while CB Tacario Davis (Arizona) joins his former running mate Ephesians Prysock as the starting corners. Both players measure 6’4, giving Washington one of the tallest secondaries in the nation.

The Schedule at a Glance

The Huskies get both Ohio State and Oregon at home this year (bookends to the conference schedule), while they’ll go on the road to Michigan and Wisconsin. A road trip to the Palouse in Week Four is critical to starting 3-0, while the home game against Illinois (Oct 25th) might be a key turning point for both teams this year.

Over/Under Projection - 7.5 wins

When I write my previews, I start by writing down my gut reaction to the schedule before looking up the vegas line. After going through the expected improvements on both ends of the ball (but especially in the trenches), I think 8-4 is a safe outcome. If The Huskies can beat Illinois or pull off an upset of Michigan on the road, a special season could be brewing.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

2024 in Review

The new era of the Iowa offense under Tim Lester was our biggest takeaway from last season. After being positively nonexistent in ‘23, the Hawks finished with the 72nd (progress!) ranked offense, scoring nearly 28 points per game. Kaleb Johnson was hell on wheels, leading the rushing attack to over 197 yards per game and single-handedly salting away the Nebraska game to end the year. The Hawkeyes finished 8-5, slightly disappointing considering they let the CyHawk game slip through their fingers and never felt like they were going to beat Michigan State, of all teams. With a new QB, a progressing group of pass catchers, and a defense that you can set your watch to, the 2025 season could bring a lot of excitement for the good folks in Iowa City.

Key Storylines

Iowa has an elite QB. Yes, it really is that black and white. QB Mark Gronowski won two consecutive national titles with South Dakota State at the FCS level, threw for over 10,000 yards, has 93 passing TDs, and is a great athlete. If you ask an Iowa fan who their last great QB was, you’ll get mixed answers. The constant? It’s been a minute. Iowa’s offense has regressed to more of a punch line than anything. They usually had a great ground game, but the forward pass was practically extinct for the black and gold. That all changes with Gronowski’s ability to read the defense and deliver passes on time and on target.

How will the Hawks replace Kaleb Johnson? Johnson was a pure joy to watch run the football. As reliable as they come, Kaleb is now a Pittsburgh Steeler, meaning Iowa needs a new bell cow (or two) to balance the offense. Behind a veteran offense line that returns three senior starters, the Hawks will trust Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson to carry the load. The two combined for nearly 800 yards on the ground a season ago.

How good is this version of the Iowa defense? The defense will be replacing a lot of starting production from the last two seasons, but it’s still an incredibly veteran group. In fact, nine of eleven projected starters are seniors. Safety Xavier Nwankpa will lead the secondary in his final year as a Hawkeye, while linebackers Jaden Harrell, Karson Sharar, and Jaxon Rexroth will man the middle. There are, perhaps, questions about the secondary, but new starters TJ Hall and Deshaun Lee both played late last season. Overall, Phil Parker will have to work quickly to replicate a top 20 defense they tallied last season, but this is Iowa we’re talking about. You can usually count on their defense like you count on the sun to rise in the morning.

The Schedule at a Glance

After letting the CyHawk game get away from them at home, they’ll be out for revenge in Ames in week 2. Conference play opens with road tilts in Piscataway and Camp Randall, with the home opener coming against Indiana. The meat of their schedule is challenging, but getting Penn State, Minnesota, and Oregon at home certainly helps. They finish the year with trips to USC and Nebraska, while the home finale is a revenge spot against Michigan State.

Over/Under Projection - 7.5 wins

I’m a little shocked you can get this much value here. The obvious land mines are Iowa State, Penn State, and Oregon. Outside of those three games, Iowa could certainly pull off wins against the rest of their schedule. Of course there are questions about a new-look offense and the defensive replacements, but I’m not scared of their roster like some of their conference mates. My bold prediction: Iowa wins at least nine games and upsets Oregon at home this year. The Hawks are certainly on playoff watch if that comes to fruition.

7. USC Trojans

2024 in Review

Despite the hype and accolades that Lincoln Riley brought to USC three years ago, he only has a 26-14 record to show for it. While Oregon won the B1G in their first season as a new member, USC struggled to a 6-6 record, relying on an offensive explosion in the second half of the Las Vegas Bowl to finish with a winning record. After an incredible win over LSU, the Trojans struggled to beat anyone else worth their salt. To be fair, they had five losses by a combined 19 points (before getting shelled by Notre Dame), but there was always something that cost USC the win. Riley has a treasure trove of talent on the offense once again, but will it matter? It hasn’t so far…

Key Storylines

In Maiava Lincoln trusts. The Trojans benched Miller Moss late in the year in favor of the UNLV transfer, Jayden Maiava. Maiava showed his explosive nature in the bowl game against the Aggies, giving USC fans hope that they can continue building towards the top of the conference. Maiava will have plenty of options to throw to, despite losing talent to the portal. Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon both return, while Prince Strachan (Boise State) looks to reach a higher ceiling than he showed on the blue turf.

Can USC stay healthy on defense? Injuries cost Edge Anthony Lucas and LB Eric Gentry most of the ‘24 season, but their presence is essential to D’Anton Lynn’s defense continuing to improve from 77th last year. Lynn made massive strides after the Trojans languished under the control of Alex Grinch, but you’ve got to have the Jimmy’s and Joe’s to carry out the X’s and O’s. Fortunately for Lynn, he’s got some talented J and J’s coming in. Keeshawn Silver (Kentucky) is a massive nose tackle from SEC country. DJ Harvey was sensational for San Jose State at corner, while Bishop Fitzgerald (NC State) had three INTs last season. An effective pass rush combining with elite talent in the secondary could be gold for the Trojans.

What temperature is Lincoln Riley’s seat? The expectation was that the Trojans would immediately compete for titles and playoff berths under Lincoln. The first season had immense promise, but a gutting loss to Utah in the PAC 12 Championship game was followed by a total collapse against Tulane in the Cotton Bowl. Since then, the Trojans have only regressed from a record stand point. USC wasted their chances with Caleb Williams and faltered in year one of B1G membership. If the Trojans have another year of falling below expectations, how safe will Riley actually be?

The Schedule at a Glance

USC has one of the comfiest starts to the season in the entire conference. No offense to Purdue or Michigan State (USC at home gives them the edge), but the Trojans should be 4-0 when they travel to Illinois. From there, it could get fast and furious. Road games against the Illini, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Oregon await, while USC will host Michigan, Iowa, and UCLA.

Over/Under Projection - 7.5 wins

The line being this low feels telling to us. 7-5 was the gut reaction upon surveying their schedule, but an ever evolving defense could easily raise that ceiling. Give us the over on the chance that the Trojans pull off an upset against Illinois or Iowa.

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18. Northwestern Wildcats

2024 in Review

2023 was a special season that we’ll remember forever with head coach David Braun. The way that the Wildcats overachieved was remarkable and inspirational…but 2024 didn’t quite follow that tune. The offense was horrific and the defense was inconsistent at best. The make-shift stadium on the lake was certainly whimsical, but didn’t yield any homefield benefits for the Wildcats. Braun heads into year three where most of the focus will be on scoring points. Thankfully, Northwestern brought in one of my favorite players in all of college football.

Key Storylines

Preston Stone will be electric. I whole-heartedly believe that Northwestern’s offense will be fun to watch thanks to Stone taking over in his final collegiate season. Preston got the short end of the stick last year at SMU thanks (mostly) to a porous offensive line. Rhett Lashlee was forced to favor Kevin Jennings over Stone after the BYU loss because Jennings’ legs allowed him to create something out of broken plays and protections. Give Preston some time to break down the defense, and the Wildcats are going to send a QB to the NFL.

The rest of the offense might be a work in progress. Cam Porter returns as the lead back (501 yards, 6 TDs) with Joseph Himon II backing him up. The offensive line welcomes several transfers to pair with the lone returning starter, LT Caleb Tiernan. Out wide, former South Dakota State star Griffin Wilde (1,147 yards, 12 TDs in ‘24) is the lone proven commodity. The Wildcats will be looking for two or three other options to step up throughout the year.

Supporting the defense could make Northwestern dangerous again. The Wildcats finished 56th in total defense last season and brought back several key players, like leading tackler LB Mac Uihlein. Up front, the Wildcats return a lot of experience and production from the group that finished top 40 in the nation in run defense. Northwestern has some talent in the secondary as well with safeties Robert Fitzferald and Damon Walters. CB Fred Davis, who is on his fourth school in five seasons, will start next to returner Josh Fussell.

The Schedule at a Glance

Northwestern will be a more entertaining team than they were last year…but the schedule is devastating. The Cats open at Tulane, host Oregon, and travel to Penn State all within the first six games. Road trips to Nebraska, USC, and Illinois await them, as do home games against Michigan and Minnesota. Santa Maria.

Over/Under Projection - 3.5 wins

Vegas is telling you the Cats are all but guaranteed to get three wins over Western Illinois, ULM, and (likely) Purdue. You need just one upset to spring the over…An upset I feel like Northwestern has the talent to pull. Give us the over, but it’s anyone’s guess who that fourth win could come against.

17. Purdue Boilermakers

2024 in Review

The Ryan Walters era at Purdue ended pitifully, seeing a once-proud (and spoiler prone) program trudge to a 1-11 record. In his two ineffective seasons, Walters went just 5-19. Walters is (respectfully) back where he belongs, coaching a strong defense for the Washington Huskies. With a coaching change and a record as bad as the Boilermakers had, there was going to be of change. And there was a lot. The Boilermakers have just 32% of their returning production (127th) and a lone starter back in West Lafayette. But the night is darkest before the dawn, Spoilermaker fans. Welcome to the Barry Odom Era.

Key Storylines

Odom can give Purdue an identity again. Under Jeff Brohm, the Boilermakers were known for their fast and furious offense. If you were trying to avoid an upset, especially at night, in Ross-Ade Stadium…good luck. Odom will provide the other side of the coin. A hard-nosed defensive guru, Odom led the Runnin’ Rebels to a top 50 defense in 2024 alongside DC Mike Scherer, who took the same position with Purdue. Josh Henson will be called upon to lead the offense. It won’t be the “Go-Go” scheme that Brennan Marion made famous, but Henson has over 30 years experience building offenses, specifically at the OL and TE levels.

Devin Mockobee is an animal. No, the wins aren’t likely to pile up in year one, but the loyalty shown by RB Devin Mockobee has to be respected. Devin is 1,170 yards away from becoming the all-time leading rusher in Purdue history. Despite the change in staff, and the major struggles to win games, Mockobee has proven his love for the program. We’re all rooting for Devin this season.

Figure out the next steps. Purdue had over 50 players transfer out. The number of new faces is enormous. But from that chaos, Odom has a chance to build something special. Nitro Tuggle (UGA) comes back home to play WR along with Georgia teammate Michael Jackson, EJ Horton (FAU), and others. The pass rush has some exciting pieces, especially if CJ Madden stays healthy. The secondary lost the entire room save one player, Hudauri Hines. He’s joined by Tony Grimes (UNLV) and Ryan Turner (Boston College), who are both players we highlighted as difference makers in our 2024 previews.

The Schedule at a Glance

Purdue doesn’t miss many contenders this season, catching USC, Notre Dame (nonconference), Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio State, Washington, and Indiana…most of those in consecutive weeks. Check on your Boilermaker friends, it’s likely going to be another challenging grind to get to basketball season.

Over/Under Projection - 3.5 wins

There’s simply too much turnover here to know what to expect in year one of Odom’s tenure. We trust Barry to figure it out, but these rebuilds take time. Stay clear of this line at all costs, in our opinion.

16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2024 in Review

The Scarlet Knights started 4-0 and appeared to have all kinds of momentum after back-to-back victories over Virginia Tech and Washington. However, a sluggish 14-7 loss at Nebraska kicked off a four game slide that prevented Rutgers from reaching dark horse status in the B1G. The blowout loss to Wisconsin was equally as frustrating as the one score losses to UCLA and Illinois. To cap it all off, Rutgers lost an absolute classic to KState in the Rate Bowl, 44-41. But as bland as the 7-6 final record looks, the Scarlet Knights are still on the rise. A top 50 ground attack combined with a defense that finished with a +4 turnover margin provides stability. Now they just need to win more coin flips.

Key Storylines

How does Rutgers replace Kyle Monagai? The do-it-all running back accomplished consecutive 1,200 yard seasons in Piscataway and put Rutgers back on the map. With Kyle gone to the NFL, the Scarlet Knights welcomed CJ Campbell (FAU) as their new lead back. He and Antwan Raymond will run behind a line that brings back all five starters from a season ago. Rutgers also hit the portal for depth in the trenches, bringing in Zach Aamland from Illinois.

Could Rutgers be dangerous through the air? Athan Kaliakmanis threw for nearly 2,700 yards last season and was far more effective through the air than we predicted. The passing game still ranked 92nd in the country, though, so continued improvement there is a must for continued progression. DT Sheffield (North Texas) is a veteran playmaker who left after a big season in Denton. He’ll join key returners Ian Strong and KJ Duff to form an underrated trio, while Kenny Fletcher Jr is back at tight end.

The Scarlet Knights need to rebuild the defense. The majority of the top tacklers from the ‘24 squad graduated last season. Greg Schiano hit the portal, and the coaching carousel, to overnight himself a new defense. They found instant winners in Bradley Weaver (Ohio) and Eric O’Neill (JMU) off the edge, which was one of the biggest weaknesses during their losing streak. In the secondary, say hello to Cam Miller (Penn State), Jett Elad (UNLV), and Jacobie Henderson (Marshall). They’ll join Kaj Sanders and Bo Mascoe on the back end to elevate a passing defense that finished just 87th last year.

The Schedule at a Glance

Rutgers gets the scary challenge of facing two of the MAC’s best contenders out of the gate: Ohio and Miami (OH). Then, they have a four game stretch against Iowa, at Minnesota and Washington, and a home game against Oregon. Their final four games are also brutal: at Illinois and Ohio State, while they host Maryland and Penn State.

Over/Under Projection - 5.5 wins

Reaching a bowl game will be a major challenge in Piscataway, but we (and by we I mean myself, Mitch) think they can do it. The Scarlet Knights should start 3-0 before needing to steal one of their first three conference games. Purdue and Maryland will be projected wins, but a win at Minnesota or Washington is a must to get to 6-6. Call it a gut feeling, but I feel like Schiano finds a way to slip into the postseason.

15. UCLA Bruins

2024 in Review

When DeShaun Foster took the stand for the B1G Media Days, he didn’t exactly make the best first impression. It was an ill-prepared mis-step for a first time head coach who, many pundits said, was way out of his depth. Six games later, the Bruins were 1-5, had dropped five in a row, and looked all but cooked for the rest of the season. And then, much like their head coach, they warmed up. Turns out, Foster and his team just needed a little time to get comfortable. UCLA went on to win four of their final six, upsetting Nebraska and Iowa in the process. Foster replaced the listless Eric Bieniemy with offensive genius Tino Sunseri, brought in a new QB1, and entirely retooled the defense. Sounds like stock up for the Bruins in year two to us!

Key Storylines

The offense will have some juice this season. Nico Iamaleava came to UCLA after, simply put, an NIL dispute at Tennessee. It was a bad look for Iamaleava and his family, but a fresh start will give him a chance to put all of that in the rearview mirror. Together, Nico and Sunseri could turn the Bruins’ offense around from the dumpster fire it was last year (126th in scoring). Sunseri architected the second best scoring attack in the country last year in Indiana and plans to bring that same firepower to LA.

The defense is replacing 10 starters from a top 40 unit. There is zero starting continuity for UCLA on the defensive side, a challenge that stares DC Ikaika Malloe right in the face. But he and Foster spent the offseason mining the portal for players who could keep the UCLA run defense elite (6th), while trying to improve the pass coverage. Combined with depth pieces who get their turn at starting, UCLA welcomed stars Ben Perry (Louisville) and Nico Davillier (Arkansas) amongst others. Perry will play a hybrid backer/safety combo, while Davillier slots in as a starter at edge. Foster also brought in Key Lawrence (Ole Miss), Bryon Threats (UCF), Robert Stafford (Miami), and Andre Jordan Jr (Oregon State) to fill out the secondary.

The Bruins HAVE to be able to run the football. They were absolutely incapable of it a season ago, finishing 131st in the country with just 87 yards per game. Jalen Berger, in his second and final season at UCLA, will lead the backfield, while spring addition Jaivian Thomas (Cal) will back him up. There still isn’t much depth for the Bruins, but Iamaleava leaned on a dangerous Volunteer running game last season. He’ll presumably need the same this season.

The Schedule at a Glance

UCLA played Utah, UNLV, and New Mexico in the nonconference slate, meaning that their defense will be tested immediately. They do get Penn State, Nebraska, and Washington at home, but they’ll travel to play Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, and cross-town rival USC.

Over/Under Projection - 5.5 wins

There is a lot of unknown for UCLA, some good and some bad. On one hand, the offense is talented and directed by a genius in Sunseri. On the other, the lack of a proven running game and an entirely new defense usually doesn’t spell success in the B1G. We will know quite a bit about this Bruins team following their nonconference slate, but because of this we’ll take the under and patiently watch to see how Foster continues building.

14. Wisconsin Badgers

2024 in Review

If Badger fans thought 2023 was disappointing, then they were absolutely miserable during last season. As a CFB fan, it was painful to watch Wisconsin lose their ground and pound identity in an attempt to get the dairy raid up and running. Those efforts were derailed immediately when Tyler Van Dyke went down on the opening drive of the Alabama game (Week 3). After a five game losing streak to end the year and miss the postseason, Luke Fickell enters a brutal 2025 campaign squarely on the hot seat.

Key Storylines

Can Jeff Grimes get the Badgers back on track? Phil Longo was let go and is now back coaching his beloved Bearkats of Sam Houston State. Fickell brought in the well-traveled Jeff Grimes to get Wisconsin back to running the ball and dominating in the trenches. Cade Yacamelli (8.3 yards per carry) will pair with Darrion Dupree as the primary backs behind a veteran offensive line that returns three starters.

Do you believe in Billy Edwards Jr? Edwards Jr comes over from Maryland to start at QB, meaning that Fickell will start a transfer signal caller for the third consecutive season. With multiple QBs, like Maybrey Mettauer (Sam Houston) leaving via the portal, the QB cupboards are a little bare. Wisconsin is banking on Billy, and his dual threat ability, to keep defenses on their heels when the Badgers aren’t handing it off. Edwards Jr threw for almost 3,000 yards as the Terps’ QB1 last year, but he also threw nine INTs.

Transfers will need to get the defense back to “scary” status. Writing the G5 previews meant I had to lament the losses of incredible talents like Parker Petersen (Tulane) and Corey Walker (WMU). Finally, we get to talk about how effective they could be in Camp Randall. The Badgers’ run defense took an uncharacteristic step backwards last year, finishing 91st in the country. Petersen and Walker will be immediate improvements to the line, while reinforcements like Mason Reiger (Louisville) help build the linebackers back up. The secondary was elite last season and returns three starters, like All-Conference selection Ricardo Hallman at CB.

The Schedule at a Glance

Wisconsin has to pay off the back end of the home and home they scheduled with Alabama, meaning a trip to Tuscaloosa is on the books for Week 3. In conference play, Wisconsin really only dodges Penn State. After Maryland at home, the Badgers go to Michigan, Oregon, Indiana, and Minnesota, while they host Iowa, Ohio State, Washington, and Illinois. On an unrelated note…do you believe Luke Fickell will be the head coach next season?

Over/Under Projection - 5.5 wins

I like the roster, I really do. I’m not super excited about QB1, but the line should be better and a return to a real rushing attack has me excited. But this schedule is gross. I see three “automatic” wins and that’s it. Wisconsin could be a solid team and still only win 4-5 games this year, so give me the under.

13. Maryland Terrapins

2024 in Review

The Terrapins continue to be a personal disappointment to me. I’d say, “no offense, Maryland fans”, but I think you’ll agree with me. Mike Locksley has recruited very well, put together talented rosters, and talked the talk…but a 4-8 campaign last year continued to reinforce the reality that the Terps are leaving multiple wins on the table. The offense was sluggish at best last season, going 1-8 in B1G with the lone win coming in a one-point win over USC. They scored 10 against Northwestern, 13 against Iowa, and 17 against Rutgers. The defense wasn’t any better, finishing 105th in scoring prevention. Yes, Maryland had a number of NFL draft picks, but it hasn’t amounted to anything in College Park yet. Will new talent and coordinators result in wins this time around?

Key Storylines

There are a lot of athletes on this Maryland offense. Starting with RB Nolan Ray, the Terps are hoping that his 374 yards as a backup are a sign of things to come. With Roman Hemby off to Indiana, the electric sophomore will have his chances. The receiving corps should be a lot of fun with Jalil Farooq (Oklahoma) and Kaleb Webb (Tenn) both transferring in from the SEC. Even TE Dorian Flemming (Ga State) should be a versatile option, but that brings us too the biggest question about this Terps team…

Can a true freshman take over from day one? Maryland signed QB Malik Washington this last cycle, beating out Syracuse, Penn State, and others for the 5th ranked QB in the class. They hope that the 6’4 youngster could be their immediate (and longterm) answer at QB. The job won’t be handed to him, though. He’ll have to beat out Justyn Martin (UCLA) and returning backup Khristian Martin.

Will the defense have a strength this season? Last year, Maryland was slightly above average against the run, and inadequate (at best) in most other categories. The work is cut out for new hire Ted Monachino with only one returning starter in the fold. The good news? It’s Jalen Huskey, a talented DB who will move from CB to FS for this year. The linebackers are a true question mark after losing Caleb Wheaton (Auburn) and Kellan Wyatt (Indiana) after spring ball. We’ll see what happens along the defensive line, but Locksley will surely need former depth pieces and transfers like Eyan Thomas (St. Francis, FCS) to step up.

The Schedule at a Glance

No Penn State. No Oregon. No Iowa. That’s all good news for Maryland. They start the year against a pair of intriguing G5 teams (FAU and NIU), before opening B1G play at Wisconsin. If you’re looking for more good news, how about the fact that the Terps will get Washington, Nebraska, Indiana, and Michigan within the friendly confines of College Park?

Over/Under Projection - 4.5 wins

Despite the home cooking, a path to a bowl game will be an uphill climb. Given the state of flux that the roster finds itself in, I’m hard pressed to believe that they find a way to the postseason. If Washington is a star at QB, going over the win total is very possible. However, if the Terps are upended by a team like NIU early, the path gets dicey at best. Officially, I’ll call for the under 4.5 wins, but I wouldn’t touch this line with any hard-earned currency.

B1G Dark Horses are up next! Subscribe to get the preview delivered right to your inbox!

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PLUS, we react to YOUR burning questions for the 2025 season and ask some of our own!

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Upsets are one of the greatest parts of college football, and on this episode, Mitch and Trey are reading the models, watching the skies, and forecasting the greatest potential for explosive underdog victories during the 2025 season.

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- Previewing Arch's year with Texas

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- The Big XII is up for grabs

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Special Guest Jake Crain, @JakeCrain_ @CrainCompany

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Mitch and Trey recap the four CFP Quarterfinal matchups and the big takeaways from each game.

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Labor Day Weekend means five straight days of college football action. Get ready for it all with us!

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“Run the balllllll”

A jubilant Brent Key smirked after he was asked about how proud he was of his offensive line. His Yellow Jackets squad (10.5 point underdogs at kickoff) celebrated after pulling off their first top 10 upset in the Key era. It was a culmination of the beautiful chaos we dreamed about to kickoff the 2024 season.

But upsets aren’t new to Key, King, or the other members of the Ramblin’ Wreck. No, this is the FIFTH ranked upset that Key has pulled off since he became the interim head coach in 2022. The fact that Brent and company seem to have cracked the code of playing up to your competition ought to be studied, distilled, and bottled for distribution across the country. It was a pure joy to watch Georgia Tech outplay the Seminoles for four quarters on Saturday morning. College football is officially back, and I’ve learned a few things…

Own your identity

Georgia Tech committed to running the football in the rainy conditions of the Aer Lingus Classic. QB Haynes King didn’t even through for 150 yards, but the rushing attack feasted against the Noles’ defensive line, a unit that was thought to be one of the best in the country.

King had 54 yards on 15 carries, including a couple of big time drive extenders. Jamal Haynes had 75 yards and two scores. The team finished with 190 yards total. Every time Georgia Tech needed yards, they found them at the expense of the blue chippers in Garnett and Gold. Key clearly entered Saturday’s opener believing that they could compete in the trenches, and they committed to it fully. Even when Florida State knew they would run the ball on the final drive, Georgia Tech found a way to move the chains, drain the clock, and set up the walk-off field goal.

The DJ narratives weren’t incorrect…which stinks

This isn’t an approval of the trolling and internet jabs that DJ will likely be subject to through the remainder of his college career, those jokes are too easy and simply piling on. What is true, irrefutable fact is that DJ struggles to process the coverages in front of him. Time and time again, I texted in our group chat to say that Georgia Tech was actually better off when they dropped seven into coverage. Uiagalelei looked overwhelmed and slow to diagnose what the Yellow Jacket defense was showing him, both pre and post snap.

Uiagalelei seemed to rely on the Georgia Tech defense making the decision for him, quickly hitting the hot route on blitzes for critical gains when they tied the game at 21 all. It’s becoming more apparent that Uiagalelei isn’t the elite QB we thought he was out of high school. Defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci made incredible adjustments to the gameplan after his unit was run over on the first drive of the game. The Yellow Jackets took control from that moment on, while the Noles and Uiagalelei failed to adjust.

Building through the portal is a two-edged sword

Turns out it’s really hard to run it back with a roster that is mostly built out of the portal. As CBS author Shehan Jeyarajah outlined in his game recap, Florida State was replacing A TON. Looking back, how on earth were the Noles ranked 10th in the preseason and expected to return to business as usual with

*checks notes*

a new QB, RB, multiple WRs, and a largely new defensive line?

Sure, Norvell accomplished it last season with an elite transfer class, but there are few constants in college football. Constant success in the transfer portal certainly isn’t one of them. It’s early, but the reality is that the offensive line couldn’t open lanes past the first drive. The defensive front was bullied by a Yellow Jackets bunch for three straight quarters. The wide receivers struggled to get consistent separation…and we’ve talked about DJ U already.

The Noles will likely still be one of the better programs in the country, they might even compete for the league title, but it will take time for the Noles’ transient roster to gel and perform like the 2023 team.

The ACC and state of Florida might be wide open

You would be forgiven if you had Florida State as 1) the ACC favorite and 2) the best team in Florida during the preseason. Both of those assumptions, however, appear to be on thin ice. While crowning Miami or Florida (or even UCF or USF) as the most dangerous team in the Sunshine State felt like a stretch, it’s looking like it might be true by default. Do I believe we’ve seen Florida State in their week 13 form already? Heck no. Seasons are determined in week zero, hot takes are.

That being said, we saw critical flaws in the FSU gameplan that need attention if the Noles are to compete for a league title and a playoff spot. Aside from Uiagalelei’s struggles, the game plan was painfully vanilla. Norvell’s offense rarely challenged the Yellow Jackets down the field. The defense failed to adjust to the running game of Georgia Tech, letting Haynes King destroy them on the read option play after play. The clock management was so bad, it made us think of another former FSU ball coach…You get the picture.

I’d advise caution to anyone making definitive statements about outcomes in November and December, but there is no doubt that there might be a few more sleepless nights in Tallahassee than previously anticipated.

The Fighting Irish went 10-3 last season, capping off their year by drubbing Oregon State 40-8 in the Sun Bowl. While the Fighting Irish lost three of the biggest games on their schedule, they set the stage for a fascinating 2024. Marcus Freeman enters his third season with incredibly high expectations. The Irish cannot secure a first round bye in the CFP, but they are one of the heavy favorites to be a top at-large bid. Behind one of the most explosive (projected) offenses and a stout defense, the Irish will be one of the most dangerous teams in the country every single week.

Offense

Freeman dipped into the portal for an East Coast QB for the second year in a row. Sam Hartman is replaced by Duke’s Riley Leonard. While Leonard’s tenure at Duke was fantastically fun to watch, injuries held Leonard back from taking Duke as high as they could go under Mike Elko, who is now at Texas A&M. Leonard is reportedly 100% healthy after a follow-up ankle surgery this spring, a successful stabilization of the wheel. Out wide, Notre Dame has speed and dynamic playmakers across the field for the first time in recent memory. Kris Mitchell, Jayden Thomas, and Jaden Greathouse should be a fun trio, while Mitchell Evans is back and should be healthy at tight end. The offensive line is the major question mark. Starting LT Charles Jagusah suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp, leaving Leonard’s blind side in doubt. Pat Coogan (LG) is a returning starter, but the rest of the line is relatively unproven in competition.   

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Defense

As Ty talked about on the show, the defense is the heart and soul of this defense. DT Howard Cross III is an X-factor on the interior despite his smaller size. He’s incredibly talented at stopping the run, as well as getting to the passer. Rylie Mills and Jordan Botelho both return as starters along the line, while RJ Oben transfers in from Duke to add another lethal weapon off the edge. While the Irish lost starters at linebacker and corner, the secondary still looks stout. Benjamin Morrison burst onto the scene as an underclassman and is poised to see how high he can climb draft boards at cornerback. The safeties are in great hands with Xavier Watts, who returns at free safety, and transfer Rod Heard II.

Schedule

All eyes will be on College Station, Texas as the season kicks off between the Aggies and Irish. College Gameday will be on hand for a game that is dripping with storylines. Elko leaned on Riley Leonard to drive Duke Football back into national relevance. Elko also architected hellacious Blue Devils defenses in the two seasons he was there. Leonard knows Elko, Elko knows Leonard. Let the mind games begin. After week one, the Irish will host Louisville on September 28th, play Georgia Tech in Atlanta on October 19th, and host Florida State on November 9th. They finish the year by traveling to USC. 

Over/Under

The over/under for the Irish currently sits at 10.5. One could argue that with Florida State coming to South Bend, the Aggies pose the biggest threat to the Fighting Irish. As long as Notre Dame doesn’t stub their toe in very winnable games, the over could easily cash with this roster.

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16. Vanderbilt - 4:15

15. Miss State - 11:45

14. Arkansas - 18:45

13. South Carolina - 28:30

12. Florida - 35:50

11. Kentucky - 46:40

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10. Maryland - 1:50

9. Washington - 10:24

8. Nebraska - 16:34

7. Wisconsin - 22:27

6. Iowa - 29:01

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18. Purdue - 4:35

17. Rutgers - 10:50

16. Michigan State - 16:25

15. Northwestern - 21:05

14. Indiana - 25:35

13. UCLA - 31:30

12. Minnesota - 38:40

11. Illinois - 43:24

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The catch?

There were two basic rules. 1) Once a player is taken (say a RB from OU), that school is no longer on the board for anyone else to select from 2) Each team must include a player from each class (Fr-Sr)

Which one of the guys drafted the best team? Let us know!

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The guys also break down the looming settlement in NCAA v House and what a revenue sharing model would look like.

Finally, we talk two more Best Bets for your 2024 enjoyment!
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Do you agree with the proposal?

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The guys breakdown the proposal and its good, bad and ugly components and try to determine if it would be a net good for the sport.

What do you think? Should we move towards a super league model? Let us know!

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On this episode, Trey and Garrett share their way too early best win total bets for the Big 12 and ACC.

PLUS the guys highlight two players ready to make a splash in their jump from the G5 to the Power 4.

AND we look at the surprise teams atop the early 2025 recruiting rankings.

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Miami and Kansas State also go under the magnifying glass in this episode.

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Plus, Chip Kelly walked away from being the sitting head coach at UCLA...to become the OC at new conference rival Ohio State. What does the move mean for the Buckeyes, Bruins, Kelly and the state of coaching in college football?

Last but not least, Garrett and Trey offer a way too early look at SEC win totals for 2024 and offer their best bets.

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Who is in the right? Who is in the wrong? And what comes next?

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Plus...we break down Alabama's portal losses and Jedd Fisch heading to Washington.

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Is Saban the undisputed GOAT? What will we remember the most from his time roaming the sidelines? Where does Alabama go from here?

We break it all down and more!

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Get ready for the big game in Houston as Mitch and Trey take you through the biggest storylines, matchups and x-factors. Which team will bring home their first title since the 90s?

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This episode is a replay of our LIVE Recap show! Join us every Saturday night at approximately 10:30 PM Central on YouTube and Twitter!

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Should the Georgia Bulldogs re-claim the number one spot after their dominant showing?

Would you rather have Jimbo Fisher or James Franklin as your coach in 2024?

Plus all the playoff scenarios you can handle.

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The guys break down each game against the spread and get you ready for a holiday weekend full of football!

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PLUS, the guys lock in their preseason picks for the College Football Playoff and the Heisman!

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What new coaches are the most exciting? Which transfers will make an instant impact? And is college football as we know it expiring in January? Find answers to all that and more as we eagerly await kickoff on Saturday!

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Hear who Dan has as the contenders, the teams poised to create storylines, and more!

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Is the SEC still the deepest league in college football? Can anyone unseat Georgia? Are the Tide in danger of a down year? Will any new contenders emerge? Mitch and Trey answer all these questions and many more.

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The conference we all know and love has something for everyone this year, and the leaders in MAC coverage are here to break it all down.

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- Should SMU consider joining if invited?

- What was it like to be in the know when Commissioner Kliavkoff came to visit?

- Can SMU run the table in 2023?

All of this and more in today's special episode!

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They also question where San Diego State is going and ask who they might bring along with them...

Finally, we ask a simple question: What is Ole Miss doing with their QB room?

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PLUS: A breakdown of the Big 10's future scheduling model, the Flex Protect Plus.

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And finally, we react to the NFL Draft discussing our favorite moments, winners and losers and the Day 3 picks we're most excited for.

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Three new time-saving rules are official, but are they good for college football?

Plus, Garrett and Trey react to this weekend's biggest spring games in Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, South Bend and Boulder.

Then, Garrett and Trey make their final predictions for the NFL Draft.

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Plus, we had National Signing Day last week (it's okay if you forgot, most of the CFB world doesn't care about the February signing period anymore), and Trey and Garrett react to the biggest news.

And, we reminisce on the college careers of the stars of this year's Super Bowl and reflect on how surprised we are to see them as key contributors on championship-caliber teams.

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