The rise of USC and UCLA make college football relevant in Los Angeles again
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Paolo UggettiESPN
LOS ANGELES — The Rose Bowl press box was shaking. UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson had found wide receiver Logan Loya on a crossing route across the middle and the receiver had turned it into a 70-yard touchdown. The score put the Bruins up 10 points on No. 11 Utah and sent the crowd on hand — most of the season-high 42,038 sitting in the shaded side of the stadium — into a frenzy.
If it took a second for those inside the box to notice the movement, it’s because the Rose Bowl press box hasn’t moved much, if at all, this season. After two games with fewer than 35,000 fans in attendance, the Bruins’ 4-0 start had more people gawking at half-empty stadium pictures online than witnesses on hand.
But the sport’s most storied venue got more crowded when UCLA upset Washington on Sept. 30 to earn a No. 18 ranking in the polls and a host of national attention. The snowball effect carried over to Saturday’s kickoff against Utah. Before the game, the Rose Bowl sidelines were peppered with a plethora of alumni, former players, boosters and guests that had shown up to watch the Bruins warm up and eventually move to 6-0.
“The energy and excitement around this team is palpable,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond told ESPN. “Best ball in the country is being played at the Rose Bowl.”
About 14 miles southwest of the Rose Bowl, a few hours after the Bruins pulled off their second upset in two weeks, USC athletic director Mike Bohn and USC president Carol Folt stood at the south end zone of the Los Angeles Coliseum and continued what has become tradition: greeting players and coaches after wins. On Saturday night, a lei-wearing Lincoln Riley shook hands with Bohn and Folt before greeting recruits as he walked off the field 6-0 as USC head coach after beating Washington State. The program hasn’t been 6-0 since 2006 — or as people around these parts more commonly know it, the Pete Carroll days.
“I think it’s really positive,” Bohn told ESPN of the two schools being undefeated. “This is what makes L.A. sports great.”
Saturday marked a unique day in the city: Over the course of eight hours, across multiple L.A. freeways filled with traffic, UCLA proved it belonged in the upper echelon of college football, while USC continued to display traits of an elite team. The last time both teams were undefeated through the first six games was 2005. A lot has changed since — at each program, in the city (there are two NFL teams now!) — but after a handful of down years for college football in L.A., things are looking up on both sides of town.
“To succeed in L.A., you not only need to win,” said Jeff Fellenzer, a professor of sports, business and media at USC who grew up in a UCLA household. “You need to win and be entertaining when you win, and you need to have star power, and [both teams] are checking all those boxes.”
ON THE CONCOURSE level of the stadium, just below the Rose Bowl boxes and suites that were filled Saturday, UCLA has a plaque labeling its biggest donors. In the “$100,000 or more” category, one name stands out above the rest: Troy Aikman.
The former Bruin and NFL Hall of Famer called UCLA’s attendance issues “an embarrassment” just a few weeks ago but said those issues even plagued his UCLA team when it was No. 1 in the nation. Aikman called for a smaller, on-campus stadium, but if you’ve ever been to Westwood — or the west side of L.A. for that matter — you know that’s probably not happening any time soon.
Attendance has been a running theme for the Bruins, whose campus is 30 miles across the city from the Rose Bowl. The recent L.A. heat wave and lackluster opponents meant the first three games’ attendance didn’t reach 40,000, with the opening game against Bowling Green featuring only 27,143. Tarps covering large sections of the stadium have remained even through this week. As coach Chip Kelly pointed out recently, the Bruins also have to deal with the fact that the UC school system is on quarters, not semesters, which means students don’t arrive on campus until about Week 3 of the season.
“It would be like holding a home football game at USC in late July. I mean, it seems silly,” Fellenzer said. “That’s a real factor.”
Fellenzer, who has missed only one (non-pandemic season) UCLA-USC game in person since 1964, was in the press box earlier this season when UCLA faced South Alabama and recalled seeing virtually no student section because school was not in session. He has since returned as a fan against Washington and Utah.
“There was more energy,” Fellenzer said of the game against Utah. “There was a feeling that maybe something special was around the corner.”
Indeed, the vibe among fans at the Rose Bowl on Saturday was that of anticipation. If this Bruins team was going to keep beating teams the rest of the country said were better, they wanted to be there to witness it.
UCLA, for its part, has also tried to make the game experience better for fans so that attendance isn’t solely based on results. Against Washington, it featured fireworks pregame, a halftime fireworks show and lights coordinated to music as well as an in-game MC. The latter is something USC has also had the past few years. Whether those entertainment features are bringing more fans to the stadium is hard to gauge, but the point seems to be to enhance the experience for those who do show up.
Percentage-wise, attendance has been better at USC (averaging just below 80% capacity on home games this season), due in large part to the renewed sense of direction from hiring Riley and bringing in transfers Caleb Williams and Jordan Addison. Players who have been in the program the past few seasons say they have noticed a difference.
“Tonight was electric,” said senior offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees after Saturday’s game, which featured more than 63,000 fans.
Vorhees remembers the 2017 game against Texas when the Coliseum was almost sold out. He’s hoping that if the Trojans keep playing like this, they’ll get close to another sellout this season.
Winning remains king, and with USC and UCLA facing tough road matchups at Utah (Oct. 15) and Oregon (Oct. 22), respectively, away game results might be what set the tone for the home atmosphere the rest of the season. For now, though, the winning has both those in blue and cardinal wearing rose-colored glasses.
After Friday night’s win, one UCLA official was heard yelling through the hallways, “What are they going to say now?” And on Saturday, even Aikman logged back on Twitter to send a congratulatory message to Kelly’s team and give credence to the slow-brewing Heisman hype building around Thompson-Robinson.
Great win today for Chip Kelly and the 6-0 UCLA Bruins in the biggest test of the season and @doriansTweets put himself in the Heisman Trophy conversation w another outstanding performance?? @UCLAFootball @UCLAAthletics
— Troy Aikman (@TroyAikman) October 9, 2022
“UCLA wins that game, then the sky’s the limit in what you could shoot for this season,” Fellenzer said. “I think that was that feeling in the air, even though it was also a hotter day than I think any of us expected. Everybody was sort of willing to endure that because now there was something to really get excited about.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN modern-day Los Angeles is a vexing proposition. Though both UCLA and USC have fervent fan bases and alumni groups, there’s no centralized hub around either program because of the sprawling nature of the city. USC comes close, with its campus walking distance to the Coliseum, but the proximity to downtown both means there’s plenty of other things around and any fan coming to the game is likely making a serious commute.
Insert the obligatory L.A. traffic comment here.
Sometimes in L.A., though, even winning might not be enough. The way in which that winning is done and with whom, matters, too. It’s cliché, but the city loves its stars.
“I think a big part of it is having these two electric quarterbacks who are worth the price of admission,” Fellenzer said. “It reminds me a bit of those Aikman-[Rodney] Peete matchups in 1987 when you had major star power at quarterback.”
Football, as an entertainment product, has always been about the quarterback first. And both USC and UCLA this season have potential Heisman Trophy contenders in Williams and Thompson-Robinson. So far this season, the two have had their share of highlights and performances, which has been the programs’ most effective form of advertising. Because of the city’s size, transient population and multiple teams for every major sport, there’s no single unifying team. The Dodgers and Lakers are the teams that come closest to turning sports in L.A. into a monoculture. USC and UCLA’s appeal, though, lies at the heart of that very split. Their rivalry is the city’s best. Yet it’s also at its best only when the two teams are playing well. Recently, that hasn’t been the case. With both the Trojans and Bruins struggling on the field the past few seasons, there has been no reason, as far as L.A. sports fans are concerned, to make the trek to downtown or Pasadena.
Riley hasn’t shied away from accepting the reality of being a sports team in L.A., alluding to the fact that he knows the crowds will come if they keep winning.
“We understand that in this city, and I think it’s fair, we gotta go prove who we are as a team,” Riley said after the season opener. “We’re going to do everything we can as a team to keep working so that people can’t even stand the thought of not coming to a USC football game.”
In the span of a few weeks, winning has changed the tone, or at the very least, given the matchup between the two teams in mid-November with a lot more juice. As soon as both teams won Saturday, many, including Fellenzer, scanned the remaining schedule for each team to see what the possibility of both teams going undefeated into that game could be.
Fellenzer was quick to point out, though, that if the two remain undefeated heading into this year’s installment of The Game, it might still not top the 1967 game. That season, UCLA was No. 1 in the country, USC was No. 4, and both teams boasted Heisman candidates — RB O.J. Simpson for USC, QB Gary Beban for UCLA. That game also decided the Pac-8 champion, the Rose Bowl participant and the national champion. The Trojans went on to win the game 21-20, but Beban went on to win the Heisman.
Of course, because of the Pac-12’s new rules this season, there is a chance that UCLA and USC face each other twice — once in their normal regular-season matchup (this year’s will be at the Rose Bowl) and then potentially on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas — Thompson-Robinson’s hometown — with the Pac-12 championship on the line.
“Even if one of them loses, I still think it will be a massive game this year,” Fellenzer said. “I don’t know how many tickets would be available for the Rose Bowl, but I think you would get a huge crowd.”
AFTER THE CLOCK hit zero at The Rose Bowl on Saturday, UCLA fans stayed. They crowded the stands near the tunnels, gave ovations to Kelly and Thompson-Robinson — the former was uncharacteristically happy postgame, inviting more questions even after he was supposed to be done — and basked in the glory of success that felt overdue.
As the rest of the team and Utah trickled into the stadium tunnel, one UCLA fan stayed back and made sure to get the visiting team’s attention. He wasn’t thinking about the bye week. Or about playing No. 12 Oregon in Eugene after that.
“Hey Utah!” he called out to the remaining players and fans. “You go beat SC next week! Beat SC!”
Much like at USC, where the band plays “Tusk,” which features the “UCLA sucks” chants at the end of every victory, the two rivals never seem to be far away from each other’s thoughts. Should they both keep winning, that sentiment will only continue to heighten and from downtown to the eastside, the crowds should continue to get louder, too.
While optimism runs high at most every college football program this time of year, even the rosiest picture has some lurking shadows.
That is true even for the 25 teams in our post-spring Power Rankings. No matter how deep the rosters seem, everyone has some question marks or potential weak spots.
Our college football reporters take a look at the biggest areas of concern for each of the top teams, the potential Achilles’ heel that could keep them from reaching their goals for the season.
Area of concern: Wide receiver
The Nittany Lions addressed the wide receiver spot in the portal with Syracuse’s Trebor Pena and others, but until they actually elevate their production, questions will linger. Penn State has had only one wide receiver rank among the top 10 in the Big Ten in receiving in the past three seasons (Tyler Warren played tight end). Both Warren and top receiver Harrison Wallace III are gone, and Penn State needs its portal haul — Pena, a second-team All-ACC wideout in 2024, as well as Devonte Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (USC) — to give quarterback Drew Allar enough capable targets this fall. Although Allar’s big-game struggles are also concerning, he hasn’t had a great group of receivers at his disposal during his Penn State career. — Adam Rittenberg
Area of concern: Running back
The position group that has been discussed more than any other since the spring at Clemson is running back — the only position on offense that loses the bulk of its production with Phil Mafah off to the NFL. But the Tigers have plenty of depth at running back, and that should help ease any concerns as they move into fall camp. Particularly because running back traditionally has been an area where Clemson has excelled, even when other groups on offense took a step back. (Clemson has had a 1,000-yard rusher 11 of the past 16 years, and that does not include 2023, when Mafah and Will Shipley split the carries nearly evenly and combined for more than 1,700 yards.) It is easy to see true freshman Gideon Davidson as a breakout player, considering the success Clemson has had with true freshman backs since Dabo Swinney arrived. Clemson also has receiver Adam Randall taking reps at running back to help round out the depth in a room that also features Keith Adams Jr. and David Eziomume. Jay Haynes continues to rehab a knee injury. — Andrea Adelson
Area of concern: Offensive line
The Longhorns lost four starters on the O-line to the NFL draft and are breaking in a new quarterback, although Arch Manning made two starts last season, as well as several key receivers with the losses of Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and tight end Gunnar Helm. They lost tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., the 2025 No. 9 draft pick, but Trevor Goosby got some key playing time last year at the position when Banks was injured. The Longhorns also lost 56-game starter Jake Majors at center and face Ohio State in Week 1, posing a quick learning curve for an almost completely new offensive line group. — Dave Wilson
Area of concern: Pass rush
The Bulldogs lost six veteran contributors on their front seven on defense, none more important than edge rushers Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams and Chaz Chambliss. Walker and Williams were first-round picks in the NFL draft, and Chambliss was an unheralded contributor over four seasons. They combined for 18 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in 2024. Making matters worse, Damon Wilson, a projected replacement on the edge, transferred to Missouri. Georgia feels good about Gabe Harris Jr., and it added Army transfer Elo Modozie, who had 6.5 sacks for the Black Knights last season. — Mark Schlabach
Area of concern: Quarterback
Quarterback Will Howard was everything the Buckeyes could have hoped for last year in his lone season at Ohio State. He was spectacular during the College Football Playoff, posting a QBR of 97.2 over four games during the Buckeyes’ march to the national championship. With Howard now in the NFL, the Buckeyes will be turning to either former five-star freshman Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz this season, pending who wins the job during camp. Throwing to all-world wideout Jeremiah Smith will bolster whomever the starting quarterback winds up being. But even with Smith and All-American safety Caleb Downs anchoring each side of the ball, it’s difficult envisioning the Buckeyes truly contending again unless Ohio State gets good-to-great quarterback play like it did last season. — Jake Trotter
Area of concern: Offensive line
I don’t know that LSU has to necessarily worry about the offensive line because of moves made this offseason, but it has to be something to keep an eye on just because of the magnitude of the losses. The Tigers had one of the best tackle duos in all of college football last season in Will Campbell and Emery Jones, who were first- and third-round NFL draft picks. They lost four starters across the line in total. DJ Chester and Tyree Adams are back in different spots, while Brian Kelly added Braelin Moore from Virginia Tech. — Harry Lyles Jr.
Area of concern: Tight end
Since 2011, the Fighting Irish have had a whopping 10 tight ends selected in the NFL draft, including last season’s leading receiver, Mitchell Evans, who had 43 catches for 421 yards with three touchdowns. While the Irish feel they’ve upgraded their wide receiver group with the additions of Virginia transfer Malachi Fields and Wisconsin’s Will Pauling, tight end remains a bit of a question mark heading into preseason camp. Senior Eli Raridon has the size (6-foot-7) and hands to excel at the position, but he was plagued by injuries during his first couple of college seasons, after tearing an ACL as a freshman. He had 11 catches for 90 yards with two touchdowns in 2024. The status of another tight end, Cooper Flanagan, who tore his left Achilles tendon in the Sugar Bowl, is in question. — Mark Schlabach
Area of concern: Defensive line
It’s hard to say whether this is an area of concern just yet, but there are question marks with Oregon’s defensive line as the Ducks lost both Derrick Harmon and Jordan Burch from last year (as well as Jamaree Caldwell). Defensive end is a strength with Matayo Uiagalelei holding down the edge, but the rest of the line will require some newcomers to step up, such as USC transfer Bear Alexander and rising lineman Aydin Breland, who could be in line for a breakout season. A’mauri Washington, one of the few returning players, will likely be a fixture of the new-look line as well. — Paolo Uggetti
Area of concern: Pass rush
Alabama finished 13th in the SEC last season in quarterback sacks, and while sacks aren’t the end-all when it comes to rushing the passer, the Crimson Tide need to be more consistent in getting to the opposing quarterback. There’s not a pure edge pass rusher in the mold of Will Anderson Jr. or Dallas Turner on this roster, meaning Alabama will need to get more pressure from its interior linemen and perhaps a breakout season from redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Qua Russaw. — Chris Low
Area of concern: Quarterback
When the season ended, quarterback figured to be an obvious strength for BYU considering Jake Retzlaff was set to return. But with him expected to transfer as of late June, the Cougars are left without an established starter. McCae Hillstead showed flashes at Utah State in 2023, Treyson Bourguet started eight games in two years for Western Michigan and true freshman Bear Bachmeier was a big-time recruit who enrolled briefly at Stanford earlier this offseason before leaving for Provo. The expectation is that all three will have a chance to earn the starting job in fall camp, without a clear-cut front-runner. — Kyle Bonagura
Area of concern: Offensive explosiveness
The Illini had a good and efficient offense in 2024, but they weren’t particularly explosive, tying for 64th nationally in plays of 10 yards or longer and tying for 66th in plays of 20 yards or longer. Although quarterback Luke Altmyer and a veteran offensive line return, Illinois needs to replace its top two receivers in Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin, who are off to the NFL, and leading rusher Josh McCray, who transferred to Georgia. Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney thinks Collin Dixon, who averaged 14.7 yards per catch in limited work last fall, and incoming freshman Brayden Trimble can spark the offense. “Overall, we’re going to have a little bit more vertical speed in what we’re doing to stretch the defense than what we did,” Lunney told me. “That’s no slight on Zakhari or Pat at all. Those were just kind of bigger, stronger guys.” — Rittenberg
Area of concern: Pass rush
ASU’s late-season surge, from a decent team to one capable of coming within one play of the CFP semifinals, took place primarily thanks to players who are returning in 2025. Obviously losing star running back Cam Skattebo hurts, but the Sun Devils have some of the best overall returning production numbers in the country. We don’t know that they have a pass rush, though. It was an issue last season — ASU ranked just 110th in sacks per dropback — and while both of their sacks leaders (Clayton Smith and Elijah O’Neal) return, that duo combined for just 8.5 sacks between them. Kenny Dillingham evidently thought he had the answers in house, as he didn’t add a single edge rusher in the transfer portal, but while the secondary is sound and experienced, giving QBs too much time to find receivers can bring down even the most seasoned defense. — Bill Connelly
Area of concern: Defensive front
What was perhaps South Carolina’s biggest strength last season could be its biggest concern going into 2025. Gone up front are stalwarts Kyle Kennard, Bam Martin-Scott, Demetrius Knight and TJ Sanders, among others. That left a lot of holes to fill, and the Gamecocks largely addressed them by hitting the portal hard. Rising star Dylan Stewart will be the flashiest player and Bryan Thomas is the lone established senior, with transfers Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Davonte Miles and Justin Okoronkwo filling a big void. But perhaps the biggest name to know is sophomore Fred “JayR” Johnson, a rangy linebacker with lauded leadership skills who South Carolina hopes will blossom into the centerpiece of the defense after playing a small role as a freshman in 2024. — David Hale
Area of concern: Wide receiver
With receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins both off to the NFL — having been drafted by the Houston Texans in back-to-back rounds — receiver is a good place to start. Noel and Higgins combined for nearly 2,400 receiving yards last season and that type of production will need to be replaced by more than just two players. But even with those holes to fill, the lack of a pass rush last season remains a glaring question mark. If the Cyclones can’t improve upon their conference-worst sack total, it’s hard to see how they can make a run at the Big 12 title, especially given the unknowns at receiver. — Bonagura
Area of concern: Defensive line
One of the most underappreciated keys to SMU’s playoff run last season was the veteran talent up front on defense. Elijah Roberts, Jared Harrison-Hunte and Jahfari Harvey all came from Miami and had multiple years as a starter under their belts in 2024. There won’t be nearly so much experience this year. Add in the departures of Ahmad Walker and Kobe Wilson at linebacker, and there’s a vacuum waiting to be filled in terms of leadership. SMU does return safety Isaiah Nwokobia, who was an All-ACC performer last season, and there’s buzz surrounding East Carolina transfer Zakye Barker at linebacker, but establishing some key voices — and performers — on the D-line remains a question. — Hale
Area of concern: Defense
Does the defensive makeover actually work? The Red Raiders’ D can’t get much worse than what it was in 2024, and that’s not hyperbole. Texas Tech finished 126th in total defense in 2024. The secondary was 132nd in passing yards per game. Shiel Wood takes over as defensive coordinator, and there have been tons of portal additions to this side of the ball. Players such as Stanford linebacker David Bailey and Georgia Tech end Romello Height stand out, along with five transfer defensive backs. There’s really only one way for this group to go, and it’s up. — Lyles Jr.
Area of concern: Defense
Despite the fact that talented defensive end Mikail Kamara is returning, the transfer-heavy unit that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game in the Big Ten last season lost some key contributors. Gone to the NFL are CJ West and James Carpenter, and while Indiana did not hesitate to dip into the transfer portal to reload with players such as Hosea Wheeler (Western Kentucky), Stephen Daley (Kent State), Dominique Ratcliff (Texas State) and Kellan Wyatt (Maryland), one of the Hoosiers’ strongest position groups last year has a lot to prove and live up to in 2025. — Uggetti
Area of concern: Stopping big plays
K-State’s offense was delightfully explosive last season, but the defense often gave up as many big plays as the offense created. The Wildcats blitzed a lot and harassed QBs well, but they ranked 110th in Total QBR allowed and 107th in completions of 10 or more yards allowed. That’s a concern considering the defense lost both leading pass rusher Brendan Mott and four of last year’s five starters in the secondary. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman might have to fiddle with the risk-reward balance to get the most out of this defense and help the Wildcats contend in the ultracompetitive Big 12. — Connelly
Area of concern: Wide receiver
One of the reasons Florida is expected to improve in 2025 is because of the talent that quarterback DJ Lagway brings. But the Gators’ top receivers from last season, Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike, left for the NFL. Eugene Wilson III is back, but also coming off season-ending hip surgery. It will be up to Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson, Naeshaun Montgomery and J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA transfer) to help establish themselves. — Lyles Jr.
Area of concern: Wide receiver
The Wolverines ranked 129th last season with just 1,678 passing yards. Quarterback play was part of the issue, as Michigan cycled through three quarterbacks (Davis Warren, Jack Tuttle and Alex Orji) in its first season after losing national champion JJ McCarthy. But Michigan’s receivers collectively didn’t make enough plays, as no wideout caught more than 27 passes or totaled more than 248 yards. The onus will be even greater on Michigan’s receivers with tight end Colston Loveland — the Wolverines’ only reliable target last year — now playing for the Chicago Bears. Instant impact from transfers Anthony Simpson (UMass) and Donaven McCulley (Indiana), combined with internal improvement from the likes of Fredrick Moore and Semaj Morgan, will be paramount if Michigan is going to threaten opposing defensive backfields in 2025. — Trotter
Area of concern: Linebacker
The Hurricanes did another fantastic job shoring up positions across the roster in the transfer portal, especially considering how much turnover they had from last season. But if there is one position that still has some questions, it is linebacker, mainly because depth may become an issue as the season wears on. Miami returns three key veterans in Wesley Bissainthe, Jaylin Alderman and Popo Aguirre, and signed NC State transfer Kamal Bonner and Rutgers transfer Mo Toure. Miami often looked slow and out of position at linebacker last season, but the new scheme from defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman should help. The player to keep an eye on here is Toure, whom Hetherman coached while he was at Rutgers. Toure is coming off a knee injury (his second torn ACL in three years), but his potential to fit into this defense, considering his past with Hetherman, is huge. — Adelson
Area of concern: Defensive end
For the past three years, Louisville was able to rely on a genuine star off the edge in Ashton Gillotte, who racked up 21.5 sacks from 2022-24. Gillotte is off to the NFL now, a third-round pick by the Chiefs. That leaves a major void at defensive end. Louisville has a couple of transfers — Wesley Bailey from Rutgers and Clev Lubin from Coastal Carolina — hoping to fill the void, but the strength of the D-line will certainly be on the interior, where the Cards have much more established depth. As Louisville works to remedy issues defending the pass, finding someone — or, ideally, a few guys — who can get after the QB will be one of the most critical jobs for the defense as it prepares for 2025. — Hale
Area of concern: Wide receiver
Just like last season, a big question for the Aggies’ potential is how their wide receiver room will shake out. The Aggies lost Noah Thomas, a bright spot in an otherwise spotty position for A&M and new offensive coordinator Collin Klein, to Georgia after Thomas caught 39 passes for 574 yards and eight touchdowns last year. No other player caught more than two TDs or eclipsed 400 yards on the season as the Aggies fought through a QB change from Conner Weigman to Marcel Reed. This year, the Aggies are looking toward NC State transfer KC Concepcion (71 catches, 839 yards, 10 TDs in 2023, 53-460-6 last year), Mississippi State transfer Mario Craver (17-368-3 as a freshman), as well as returners Ashton Bethel-Roman, 6-2, 220-pound freshman four-star recruit Jerome Myles and dynamic 2024 five-star recruit Terry Bussey, who played something of an all-purpose role last year. As this group goes, so will Reed and the offense. — Wilson
Area of concern: Quarterback
Austin Simmons seems like a talented individual — we’re talking about someone who is athletically gifted enough to play baseball for Ole Miss as well. But anytime you are replacing one of the better quarterbacks in your conference, in this case Jaxson Dart, who was a first-round NFL draft pick, there has to be some level of concern. But from what we’ve seen out of Simmons, there’s promise. His drive against Georgia last season, where he led a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the game while Dart was injured, should give the Ole Miss faithful something to be excited about. — Lyles Jr.
Area of concern: Tight end
It’s been a struggle at tight end for the Sooners, and there’s again uncertainty around the position heading into the 2025 season. Granted, there was plenty of blame to go around for Oklahoma’s struggles on offense last season, but finding more consistency at tight end in both the receiving and blocking categories would be a big boost for an offense that has tons of new faces. There isn’t a definitive starter at tight end entering preseason camp. Transfers Will Huggins (Kansas and Pittsburg State) and Carson Kent (Kennesaw State) are expected to battle with converted linebacker Jaren Kanak for the job. — Low
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Adam Rittenberg
FRISCO, Texas — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is “doubling down” on the so-called 5+11 future College Football Playoff format, while acknowledging that it might benefit his league more in the future than currently.
The Big 12 and ACC have pushed the model, which would award automatic bids to the five highest-rated conference champions, plus 11 at-large bids determined by the CFP selection committee. The 5+11 model gained some support at the SEC’s spring meetings, while the Big Ten has focused more on a model that would award four automatic bids to Big Ten teams and to SEC teams, plus two apiece to the Big 12 and the ACC.
Yormark, his fellow commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua must determine the CFP format for 2026 and beyond by Dec. 1.
The Big 12 had only one representative, champion Arizona State, in the inaugural 12-team CFP last year. Arizona State lost to Texas in two overtimes in a CFP quarterfinal matchup at the Peach Bowl.
“Five-11 is fair,” Yormark said Tuesday in his opening address at Big 12 media days at The Star. “We want to earn it on the field. It might not be the best solution today for the Big 12 … but long-term, knowing the progress we’re making, the investments we’re making, it’s the right format for us. And I’m doubling down today on 5+11.”
Yormark added that he expects ACC commissioner Jim Phillips to take the same position when that league holds its media days this month in Charlotte, North Carolina. The ACC sent two teams, champion Clemson and runner-up SMU, to the 12-team playoff last year. Yormark touted the Big 12 as the “deepest football conference in America” and said he believes the league will have multiple CFP entries this season.
“I have a lot of faith in the selection process,” Yormark said. “They are doing a full audit of the selection process to figure out how they can modernize and contemporize and how they use data and how certain metrics can be more heavily weighted.”
Yormark told ESPN that he’s “relatively confident” that the CFP will go to 16 teams in 2026 and laid out the next steps to making it happen.
“The first step is we got to figure out, with the selection process, we’re kind of doing a deep dive,” he said. “Where can we improve it? Where can we modernize it? Are we using the right metrics? Are things weighted appropriately or not? So we’re going through that conversation, and I think on the heels of that, we’ll move into the format because I think for the room people need to get confident, more confident, in that selection process. And assuming they do, which I’m confident they will, we’ll be able to then address the format that makes sense.”
In March, the CFP named a Big 12 athletic director, Baylor’s Mack Rhoades, as the chair of its selection committee. Yormark said that in addition to schedule strength, “new metrics” will be added to the selection process to ensure fairness to all conferences.
The Big 12 will have the Week 0 stage as Iowa State and Kansas State renew their rivalry in Dublin. Other key nonleague Big 12 matchups include Baylor-Auburn, Baylor-SMU and Iowa State-Iowa.
“I’m confident we’ll get to the right place,” Yormark said. “And ultimately, I’m confident we’ll go to 5+11.”
ESPN’s Pete Thamel contributed to this report.
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