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While the playoff races head down the final stretch, it’s never too early to ponder the moves that teams are going to be making this offseason. Whether it’s decisions on which pending free agents to re-sign, trades to make or personnel changes behind the bench or in the front office, all 32 teams have some big questions to answer.

For this week’s edition of the NHL Power Rankings, we identify those big summer questions for each club.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rates teams against one another — taking into account game results, injuries and upcoming schedule — and those results are tabulated to produce the list featured here.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the most recent edition, published March 17. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 80.99%
Next seven days: vs. TB (March 25), @ CAR (March 26), vs. NSH (March 28), vs. CBJ (March 30)

Boston’s big summer decisions likely hinge on what happens in the next two months. If the Bruins go on a long playoff run, will that satisfy Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci into retirement? If Boston doesn’t, will those veterans return for another season? And, after giving up a first-round pick to acquire Tyler Bertuzzi, will Boston attempt to — or be capable of — keeping him long term? The future isn’t always so clear when a team’s present is this exciting.

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 71.43%
Next seven days: vs. TOR (March 25), vs. BOS (March 26), vs. TB (March 28), @ DET (March 30)

Carolina has a choice to make in net. Both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta are pending unrestricted free agents. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov is signed to a four-year, $8 million deal that kicks in next season. Is Kochetkov the Hurricanes’ starter-to-be? If not, who is? And will GM Don Waddell look outside of Andersen and Raanta for that answer?

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 69.01%
Next seven days: @ BUF (March 24), vs. OTT (March 25), @ NYI (March 27), vs. NYR (March 30)

New Jersey swung for the fences getting Timo Meier at the deadline. But what’s next? Meier is a pending restricted free agent owed $10 million on his qualifying offer. Can New Jersey lock Meier up on an extension instead? Or are the Devils prepared to pay such a high price for one more season — with the same long-term status question looming down the road?

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 66.90%
Next seven days: @ CAR (March 25), @ NSH (March 26), vs. FLA (March 29)

Toronto’s GM Kyle Dubas is on an expiring contract. The most defining decision of the Leafs’ offseason will be whether to renew Dubas’ pact or bring on a new GM to take his place. It’s no secret that how Toronto fares in the upcoming playoffs will play a major role in that outcome.

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 65.28%
Next seven days: @ FLA (March 25), vs. CBJ (March 28), @ NJ (March 30)

New York has three key pending RFAs: Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. That triumvirate stands to play a critical role in the Rangers’ future. But how will each negotiation be handled? Does New York go long or short term on potential new deals? Will a single-year qualifying offer make more sense for one, but not another? How each scenario unfolds could reveal a lot about how the organization views each young star.

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 63.89%
Next seven days: vs. VAN (March 25), @ CHI (March 28)

Dallas has done well handling its business. The NHL roster is solid, but GM Jim Nill has also inked key prospects eyeing a jump to the pros. Identifying who’s ready could dictate the direction Nill goes this offseason. Does Dallas add from the outside again? Or will the Stars start counting on players from their prospect pool to step up?

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 64.79%
Next seven days: vs. WPG (March 25), vs. STL (March 26), @ CGY (March 28), @ EDM (March 30)

Los Angeles projects to have two key offseason negotiations: one with RFA Gabriel Vilardi, and the other with UFA goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. The 23-year-old Vilardi is having a career-best season; what is he worth to the Kings moving ahead? And after acquiring Korpisalo at the deadline — while trading Jonathan Quick away — do the Kings see a slot for him in the future, possibly in tandem with Pheonix Copley? Would Korpisalo want that type of role?

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 66.20%
Next seven days: @ EDM (March 25), vs. EDM (March 28), @ SJ (March 30)

Vegas has rising star Logan Thompson under contract for next season, but who will be the Golden Knights’ second goaltender? Robin Lehner is under contract through 2024-25 but hasn’t played this season following hip surgery. Can he make a comeback? The Golden Knights acquired Jonathan Quick at the trade deadline; is the pending UFA a veteran they’ll want to retain?

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 62.50%
Next seven days: vs. VGK (March 25), @ ARI (March 27), @ VGK (March 28), vs. LA (March 30)

Edmonton has a budding blue-line star in Evan Bouchard, who is also a pending RFA. Bouchard has built off last season’s 43-point effort with another strong campaign, and has blossomed further since Tyson Barrie was traded. How will the Oilers reward Bouchard’s standing as one of their top defensemen? Is there a bridge deal to come, or do they go all-in with a multiyear extension?

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 62.86%
Next seven days: vs. ARI (March 24), @ ARI (March 26), @ ANA (March 27), vs. MIN (March 29)

Colorado has only 20 players signed for next season — and about $13 million in cap space to use. How will the Avalanche wield their limited resources to remain a top competitor? Forwards J.T. Compher and Evan Rodrigues are playing significant roles this season, and both are pending UFAs; can Colorado retain them? Or will the Avalanche be seeking more economical options?

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 63.19%
Next seven days: vs. CHI (March 25), vs. SEA (March 27), @ COL (March 29)

Minnesota must find common ground with pending RFA goaltender Filip Gustavsson. The Wild have just over $11 million in projected cap space to work with, to spread among several players. But Gustavsson has been excellent this season, posting some of the league’s best numbers. Does Minnesota lean into that and offer him a long-term extension? Or can the club only afford something shorter? And how much cash will be left to fill gaps elsewhere if UFAs Matt Dumba and John Klingberg walk off the blue line?

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 61.64%
Next seven days: @ BOS (March 25), @ CAR (March 28), vs. WSH (March 30)

Tampa Bay’s commitment to win-now mode has left the Bolts’ with zero cap space and sparse draft capital over the next two seasons. When the offseason hits, GM Julien BriseBois will have to get real about whether the Lightning’s current pattern remains sustainable. Can they afford to keep patching in players and attempt another run? Or is it time to start rebuilding with the long-term future in mind?

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 60.56%
Next seven days: @ NSH (March 25), @ MIN (March 27), vs. ANA (March 30)

Seattle will need to address its goaltending. Philipp Grubauer is signed through 2026-27 but has sporadically played a backup role this season to Martin Jones — who’s a pending UFA. Neither netminder has been an ace for the Kraken. Is Chris Driedger — inked through next season — the guy? Can Grubauer regain his form? And how might GM Ron Francis secure Seattle in net going forward?

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 58.22%
Next seven days: @ LA (March 25), @ SJ (March 28)

Winnipeg could have a tough decision to make with Pierre-Luc Dubois. The pending RFA is one year out from being a UFA, and if he doesn’t intend to sign a long-term contract with Winnipeg, is this the offseason he’s traded? It happened with Matthew Tkachuk in Calgary. The Jets will have to get honest about Dubois’ status — and value on the trade market — sooner than later.

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 54.86%
Next seven days: vs. NYR (March 25), @ OTT (March 27), @ TOR (March 29), @ MTL (March 30)

Florida did literally nothing at the trade deadline. That seemed to indicate its focus was on the future — as in, this coming offseason. What will GM Bill Zito have up his sleeve, and how much will his decision-making be impacted by whether or not Florida sneaks into the playoffs? Do the Panthers require an overhaul? Or will sliding into a postseason slot prove Zito was right to stand pat?

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.56%
Next seven days: vs. WSH (March 25), @ DET (March 28), vs. NSH (March 30)

Pittsburgh has to see how this regular season plays out. If the Penguins don’t make playoffs, their biggest offseason decision should be whether to start dismantling the roster. Pittsburgh is among the NHL’s oldest teams. If the veteran-heavy roster can’t drive success, getting younger — via trades or free agency — has to be a priority.

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 56.94%
Next seven days: @ CBJ (March 24), vs. BUF (March 25), vs. NJ (March 27), @ WSH (March 29)

New York’s critical offseason decision — and possible negotiation — will be with goaltender Semyon Varlamov. He and Ilya Sorokin have been an excellent tandem for the Islanders. Obviously the Islanders would want Varlamov to stay, but at what cost? New York needs cap space to shore up other parts of the lineup, too. Will that preclude the Islanders from keeping pace with other offers Varlamov might receive?

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 57.14%
Next seven days: vs. SEA (March 25), vs. TOR (March 26), @ BOS (March 28), @ PIT (March 30)

Nashville has Barry Trotz coming in as GM. Will that lead to a new head-coaching hire too? Trotz will want to evaluate the Predators from top to bottom and put his own stamp on the club. And if Nashville fails to make playoffs under current bench boss John Hynes, could Trotz opt to make a quick switch to give the Predators a fresh voice to get behind?

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 54.11%
Next seven days: vs. SJ (March 25), vs. LA (March 28)

Calgary could face an offseason coaching conundrum. Will Darryl Sutter stay put if the Flames don’t make playoffs? GM Brad Treliving did his best stacking up Calgary last summer with Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, but is Sutter still the right guy to get the most of out this roster?

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 52.05%
Next seven days: @ PIT (March 25), vs. NYI (March 29), @ TB (March 30)

Washington has to rebuild its defense. The Capitals have four current NHL blueliners under contract for next season, and it was clear once John Carlson went down last December with injury that their back-end depth is lacking. That combination should lead to some seriously high-profile free agency adds from GM Brian MacLellan. That is, if Washington intends to keep its potential contending window open, which is a whole other discussion.

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 52.08%
Next seven days: @ NJ (March 25), vs. FLA (March 27), vs. PHI (March 30)

Ottawa has a looming saga on its hands with pending RFA Alex DeBrincat. GM Pierre Dorion turned heads acquiring DeBrincat last July, and while the winger hasn’t produced like he did in Chicago, Dorion didn’t attempt to trade DeBrincat at the deadline either. Now the 24-year-old will be an arbitration-eligible RFA owed $9 million on his qualifying offer. To afford that, Ottawa would have to clear cap space elsewhere. Is DeBrincat worth that for one more year? Do the Senators sign him long term or just let him go? It’s a pivotal choice.

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 51.43%
Next seven days: vs. NJ (March 24), @ NYI (March 25), vs. MTL (March 27)

The Sabres’ primary offseason objective could be simple as this: How much do we lean into our youth? Captain Kyle Okposo is a pending UFA. Ditto veteran Zemgus Girgensons. GM Kevyn Adams didn’t do a ton of adding at trade deadline. Will he opt to keep these familiar faces in the fold come summer to complement the Sabres’ rising core? Or does Buffalo target new additions instead?

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Next seven days: @ PHI (March 25), vs. PIT (March 28), vs. CAR (March 30)

Detroit needs a reliable No. 2 behind goaltender Ville Husso. The Red Wings leaned on him too often this season, to their own detriment. Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg are both UFAs. Who will GM Steve Yzerman target to give Husso the support he deserves?

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 49.30%
Next seven days: @ ANA (March 25), @ LA (March 26), vs. VAN (March 28), @ CHI (March 30)

St. Louis must address its defense corps. GM Doug Armstrong didn’t boost the back end last offseason, and this disappointing 2022-23 campaign has only highlighted how much St. Louis needs a blue-line revamp. The Blues have nearly $24 million tied up in Nick Leddy, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug and Colton Parayko, though. Armstrong might have to seriously work the trade market to make needed defensive improvements.

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 48.59%
Next seven days: @ DAL (March 25), @ CHI (March 26), @ STL (March 28)

Vancouver has to point itself in one direction. Are the Canucks retooling, rebuilding or trying to make the playoffs? This offseason is a time to decide. New coach Rick Tocchet is in place. He’ll be able to really put a stamp on this team. Vancouver must sort through an abundance of wingers and figure out whether veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson — signed through 2026-27 at $7.26 million per season — can still play a role. But it all starts with how the Canucks approach a critical crossroads and define where the franchise is headed.

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 45.83%
Next seven days: @ COL (March 24), vs. COL (March 26), vs. EDM (March 27)

Arizona is stacked with draft capital. What is it going to do with it? The Coyotes want to be a competitive team and have even exceeded expectations this season. With seven picks in the first three rounds of this upcoming draft, is there an opportunity for Arizona to use that as leverage in acquiring players to make them better now? The Coyotes’ cupboards have been stocked; is this the offseason they start taking a big step forward?

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 46.48%
Next seven days: vs. DET (March 25), vs. MTL (March 28), @ OTT (March 30)

Philadelphia already made a major in-season decision, replacing fired GM Chuck Fletcher with interim GM Daniel Briere. The Flyers’ offseason focus will revolve around restructuring the front office in full. Will a hockey operations guru come into the mix? They also must figure out a path forward — via total rebuild or something on a smaller scale. Trades and free agent acquisitions should take a back seat until then.

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 43.06%
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (March 25), @ BUF (March 27), @ PHI (March 28), vs. FLA (March 30)

Montreal must get Cole Caufield signed long term. The pending RFA is a face of the franchise now and was arguably the Canadiens’ best player before having season-ending surgery. GM Kent Hughes knows what value Caufield brings, and Caufield’s next contract should reflect that. But in a salary cap world — with highly paid veterans on the Canadiens’ payroll — it’s easier said than done getting negotiations over the line.

Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 38.03%
Next seven days: @ MIN (March 25), vs. VAN (March 26), vs. DAL (March 28), vs. STL (March 30)

Chicago’s biggest decision will be whom they select in the draft if that No. 1 overall pick doesn’t fall to them in the lottery. It would be a devastating blow for the Blackhawks’ rebuilding prospects not to come away with Connor Bedard. If the top selection lands with another team, does Chicago try to trade up anyway to pick at No. 1? Or settle on someone else? It’ll be fascinating to see what happens.

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 36.81%
Next seven days: @ CGY (March 25), vs. WPG (March 28), vs. VGK (March 30)

San Jose could be stepping into an optimal offseason to trade Erik Karlsson. The veteran blueliner is a Norris Trophy front-runner after years of struggling through injuries. Karlsson has four years remaining on his contract at a $11.5 million average annual value, which is not an easy burden for any team to absorb, but the Sharks must know to strike when the iron — and Karlsson — are hot.

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 38.89%
Next seven days: vs. STL (March 25), vs. COL (March 27), @ SEA (March 30)

Anaheim’s primary concern of the summer should be how much to pay pending RFA Trevor Zegras. That’s not a terribly tough decision; the Ducks need their star player in place for seasons to come. A major issue is what Anaheim’s blue line will look like. With a landslide of defenseman becoming UFAs, what path will GM Pat Verbeek take in putting those units back together? Are there internal options to grow? Or does Verbeek fast track with free agent signings to accelerate the Ducks’ process?

Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.43%
Next seven days: vs. NYI (March 24), @ MTL (March 25), @ NYR (March 28), @ BOS (March 30)

Columbus is purposefully waiting for the offseason to retool a lackluster blue line. The Blue Jackets failed to reel in Jakob Chychrun via trade, but there will be more options available on the market come summer. How GM Jarmo Kekalainen rebuilds that unit will be a big deal for the Blue Jackets’ competitive prospects next season and beyond.

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Areas of concern: What could trip up each of our top 25 teams

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Areas of concern: What could trip up each of our top 25 teams

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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UCF’s Frost: Nebraska job ‘wasn’t a good move’

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UCF's Frost: Nebraska job 'wasn't a good move'

FRISCO, Texas — Scott Frost’s celebrated return as coach at UCF comes with the backdrop of a failed tenure at Nebraska, the alma mater he said he didn’t want to talk about at Big 12 football media days Tuesday. Even though he did.

Frost said, “I really want to keep it about UCF,” just a few hours after telling a reporter from The Athletic that he never wanted to take the Nebraska job in the first place coming off a 13-0 season in 2017 that sparked debate about whether the Knights should have had a chance to play for the national championship in the four-team playoff.

“I said I wouldn’t leave unless it was someplace you could win a national championship,” Frost told The Athletic. “I got tugged in a direction to try to help my alma mater and didn’t really want to do it. It wasn’t a good move. I’m lucky to get back to a place where I was a lot happier.”

When the same reporter asked Frost in a one-on-one interview what he learned from his time in Nebraska, the former Cornhuskers quarterback said, “Don’t take the wrong job.”

Frost’s tone was quite a bit different in two settings with reporters at the 12,000-seat indoor stadium that is also a practice field for the Dallas Cowboys.

“When you go through something that doesn’t work, just ready for another chance, and I’m ready for another chance,” Frost said. “This is about the Big 12. This is about UCF. Everybody has success in life and has failures in life, for all sorts of different reasons. I’m excited to get back in a place where my family and I get treated well.”

Frost inherited an 0-12 team at UCF and turned it into an undefeated American Athletic Conference champion in only two years. Nebraska fans were ecstatic when he made the move 20 years after leading the Cornhuskers to a perfect 1997 season and a split national title with Michigan in the final season before a championship game was established.

Three games into his fifth season in Lincoln, Frost was fired with a 16-31 record. Almost three full college seasons later, it’s back to Orlando — after one year working under Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay.

“I really enjoyed two years off,” Frost said. “I got to spend a whole year with Ashley and the [three] kids, and I’ll never get that time back. I played more catch with my son and touch football in the yard with him and going to little league and seeing my daughter do gymnastics. And then some time out in L.A. really, really helped reset me, too.”

Images endure of Frost celebrating a 34-27 Peach Bowl victory over Auburn that clinched UCF’s perfect 2017 season almost a month after he had been named the coach at Nebraska.

Fast-forward almost eight years, and Frost was delaying a scheduled roundtable with reporters to take a few pictures with the players he brought with him to media days.

“Yeah, being around the guys,” Frost said of that moment. “I’m sorry, I’d rather be around the guys than you guys.”

And there are times when Frost brings up the old days with his new guys.

“We talk to them about all those things,” Frost said. “What happened in 2017 is at times relevant, but this is a new team. So we only point those things out, not to live in the past, but just to help them with any lessons that we want to learn.”

Frost wasn’t sharing the lessons he learned in Nebraska with everyone.

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Big 12’s Yormark ‘doubling down’ on 5+11 model

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Big 12's Yormark 'doubling down' on 5+11 model

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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