Shohei Ohtani stands alone in spotlight amid gambling scandal
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Tim Keown, ESPN Senior Writer
SHOHEI OHTANI WALKED from the left-field corner to the right-field corner of Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon to have a festive conversation with a group of his old Angels teammates, and the news of it was that he did it alone. Before Ippei Mizuhara was fired last week and accused Monday by Ohtani of stealing $4.5 million from the Dodgers star to pay off Mizuhara’s gambling debt to a sports bookie under federal investigation, the mere idea of Ohtani covering that much ground and spending that much time on a baseball field without Mizuhara would have been incomprehensible.
It’s difficult to imagine Ohtani without Mizuhara. Ohtani appears somehow diminished without his ever-present subordinate: smaller, less imposing, as if he needed Mizuhara’s constant presence to assume his full stature. There was a certain choreography involved in getting it just right. Mizuhara almost always followed about four steps behind Ohtani, almost always wearing Ohtani’s backpack and carrying Ohtani’s water bottle, as if he needed to remain close enough to ward off any intrusion but far enough away to allow the great man’s aura to breathe.
Through six years in the big leagues, through two MVPs with the Angels and the historic two-way greatness, up to the record 10-year, $700 million contract he signed with the Dodgers, Ohtani has always been a man apart, with one exception: Mizuhara. Other players have interpreters, but only Ohtani had an interpreter who worked as a trainer and a coach and a valet and a best friend and a bellman in addition to translating his interactions with the media.
Separateness has always been part of the Ohtani mystique. He has been, in many ways, an independent contractor, allowed to conduct his unique business as a solo act within the broad parameters of a team, wearing his talent as a suit of armor. He was always too busy, too regimented, too locked in, to be subject to the mundane currents of the other 25 men on the roster. He was constantly preparing to do something nobody had ever done, and he, along with Mizuhara, was afforded the time and space to do it on his own terms.
Each was so dependent upon the other that it seems unthinkable that the relationship could have been parasitic. “To summarize how I’m feeling right now, I’m just beyond shock,” Ohtani said during an appearance before the media Monday. “It’s really hard to verbalize how I’m feeling at this point.” By now everyone knows the prevailing narrative: Ohtani alleges that Mizuhara stole $4.5 million to pay off his gambling debts, a story Mizuhara seemed to adopt only after telling ESPN that Ohtani authorized and physically completed the payments that would get his friend out of the hole. Regardless of Ohtani’s level of involvement, the truth is stark, and alarming for the Dodgers and baseball: The name of baseball’s biggest star — the highest-paid athlete in the history of North American sports — is on bank transfers, totaling millions, sent from his account to Mathew Bowyer, a Southern California bookmaker under federal investigation.
Mizuhara was part of the Ohtani mystique; instead of reducing Ohtani’s separateness, he italicized it. Ohtani was so separate, so different, that he had someone constantly at his side, handling his current needs and predicting his next, the one man capable of sensing every subtle change in vibration. In the process, Mizuhara attained a level of celebrity himself: the glory of the adjacent. With Ohtani nearly untouchable and unreachable, this spring the Dodgers fielded multiple interview requests for Mizuhara before the scandal; outlets from Japan and the U.S. were interested in telling the Mizuhara story, no doubt hoping his proximity to Ohtani would lend a greater understanding of baseball’s central character.
Ohtani and Mizuhara spent so much time together that last summer I began several conversations with Angels players by asking them a question that was only partly tongue-in-cheek: Did they think Ohtani and Mizuhara ever got sick of each other? Most laughed, and many answered with some version of, “I’ve often wondered the same thing.” None of them could remember seeing any signs of strain. And last June Phil Nevin, then the Angels manager, told me: “I don’t know what Shohei’s doing every day at the ballpark. I leave that to him.”
That, and everything else, was left to Ohtani and his ever-present confidant. “Interpreter” was never an adequate word to describe Mizuhara, who toted Ohtani’s training tools and to-the-second workout schedule in the backpack. Ohtani’s rhythms were Mizuhara’s rhythms. They occupied the same locker, ate at the same table in the players’ lounge, sat on the same five feet of bench in every dugout. Until Ohtani got his driver’s license last season, Mizuhara drove the two of them to the ballpark every day. Nobody knew if they lived together, but his Angels teammates assumed they did. From the outside, it appeared that Mizuhara cleared away every menial task and potential obstacle; the great one would worry only about his game. Mizuhara’s constant presence was proof of Ohtani’s singular genius, so much so that it is jarring to see him, now, walk alone.
PRIVACY IS A famous person entering a favorite restaurant through the back door. What Ohtani practices feels like something else, something that requires constant vigilance and regular upkeep. He announced his marriage on Instagram during spring training — despite no teammate with the Angels or Dodgers knowing he even had a girlfriend. He adorned the post with a photograph of his dog.
Any expectation that Ohtani would conduct his business more openly as a Dodger was gone before he agreed to his $700 million deal, when his representatives gave the team approximately one minute of advance notice before announcing he was signing. That was one minute more than he gave the Dodgers before the marriage announcement. On Feb. 29, a member of the team’s media relations staff woke up early and saw Ohtani’s Instagram post. The employee immediately sent it out to everyone else in the department. They learned her identity — former Japanese professional basketball player Mamiko Tanaka — along with the rest of us.
There is a heaviness to Ohtani, perhaps from the weight of projecting a nation’s culture and values into the world, the culture and values of a nation that cares deeply about both. Someone who has never watched an inning of baseball would know there is something different about him, just by watching the confidence he exudes walking to the batter’s box. His frame and bearing — 6-foot-5, eternally upright — allow him to walk through a crowd and fix his gaze just over the top of almost everyone’s head. It has served him well as a means of practiced avoidance. Everyone is there; no one is there.
With the help of his agent, Nez Balelo, Ohtani is hypervigilant in walling himself off from a prying public. He is in every Japanese newspaper every day, on nearly every newscast, a man who, especially now, cannot be overcovered anywhere baseball is played. Given that context, his ability to remain not only private but secluded feels unprecedented.
The Dodgers have sent out flares suggesting it would be different. At the beginning of spring training, with Ohtani’s availability as a hitter still in doubt after his offseason Tommy John-ish surgery — his professed ignorance of the actual procedure another example of exceeding the bounds of normal ballplayer privacy — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked if Ohtani’s spring timeline would be strictly his decision.
“No, there’s a group,” Roberts said, no doubt seeing where this was headed. “Coaching staff, hitting staff, training staff, performance staff will all get together and figure out the best day for him to start.”
Ohtani partakes in the outward displays of baseball bro-hood, like wearing the kabuto helmet while coursing through the tunnel of teammates in the dugout after a home run while with the Angels. But for the most part he hung out with Mizuhara, obsessed over his diet, slept as much as possible and worked on his game.
He was, it seemed, the perfect employee, an international icon of whom Nevin says, “He wakes up every morning trying to figure out how he can be the best baseball player on the planet.” Even at $700 million, nearly all of it deferred, he appeared to be a risk-free investment. His status in Japan assures the Dodgers of countless millions in sponsorships, and judging by the scene at spring training, enough No. 17 jerseys have been sold to pay off a good part of his deal.
But now Major League Baseball is investigating Ohtani and Mizuhara over the matter, and Mizuhara’s changing stories only heighten the intrigue. Whichever scenario turns out to be true, an infinite number of questions linger. To this point, the only tangible fallout is Mizuhara’s removal from Ohtani’s orbit, a massive disruption to Ohtani’s cherished routine.
His old Angels teammates say they can’t believe either side of it — that Ohtani would gamble, that Mizuhara would steal — while in the process revealing how little they really knew about Ohtani. He famously kept to a certain asceticism, going from the hotel to the ballpark and back to the hotel. It seemed to be working perfectly, until now.
Angels closer Carlos Estevez was the main target of Ohtani’s cross-field excursion on Sunday afternoon. The two were friends as teammates, and they spent nearly 10 minutes chatting in the right-field corner. Estevez said he texted Ohtani to congratulate him on his new contract but otherwise hasn’t been in touch. Asked about Ohtani’s current predicament, Estevez said, “I’d rather not comment on that. We’ve still got to see. We’ve got to just wait for the truth to come out.”
In the Dodgers’ clubhouse, players politely waved off questions about Ohtani and Mizuhara. Reliever Alex Vesia said, “I feel like it’s none of my business.”
THE ANGELS ALWAYS felt temporary, a sort of practice team for Ohtani to display his powers before moving on. What’s next? was the nagging question for six years, following him around like a roomful of reporters. He signed with the Angels, a surprising choice, to ensure he could pursue his goal of proving himself as a hitter and a starting pitcher. It seemed wild — maybe even irresponsible — at the time, with many in baseball suggesting he would eventually have to choose one or the other. Instead, Ohtani reconfigured our idea of what a baseball player can be. Of his six seasons (he didn’t pitch in 2019 after his first Tommy John surgery), two of them — 2021 and 2023 — are among the best seasons in baseball history.
And so it feels as if his career has been a prolonged prelude to this moment, when he would not only cash in historically but play for a team that promises the opportunity for multiple World Series rings. Not surprisingly, what’s next is 30 miles up the road in Los Angeles, to the team with the most stars — four MVPs! — and the most attention. In terms of psychic distance, those 30 miles feel like thousands.
The Dodgers were swept by the Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series last October, and the front office set out to assure postseason failure like that — and like many seasons around the COVID-shortened 2020 title — not only wouldn’t but couldn’t happen again. Team president Andrew Friedman set out to fail-proof their roster, adding Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. Roberts spoke the obvious, but still unexpected, when he said this team should win a championship. The offseason group texts between players tried to keep up with the big-name acquisitions. “I wanted to come back here from the beginning,” says reliever Ryan Brasier, who re-signed just before spring training. “But I was watching these names pop up, one after another, and it was crazy. I don’t think there’s anybody who wouldn’t want to be on this team.”
And yet his new teammates have no stories about Ohtani, no anecdotes about spring training dinners or off-the-field outings. Ohtani is temporarily free of his two-way duties as he rehabilitates from his elbow surgery and focuses exclusively on hitting. He is now, quite abruptly, one of the least busy players in baseball. The pitchers say he hangs out with the hitters now, and they’re sure to have more to report once he can resume pitching. The hitters say he just got here and is so locked into his own routine that it’s difficult to break through. Meanwhile, Yamamoto is standing at Joe Kelly’s locker, springy and smiling, and they’re doing the best they can to re-create the round of golf they played the day before. Kelly tells Yamamoto he was excellent on the front nine but things got away from him after that, and they’re laughing and pantomiming their swings and promising to play another day.
At the spring training complex, Ohtani was given a locker near the main door to the clubhouse, one to the left of Mookie Betts and one to the right of Yamamoto. Nearly $1.4 billion worth of investment occupying roughly 36 square feet of floor space.
This is what everything has been leading toward: this uniform, this corner of the room, these expectations.
THE FIRST DODGER to enter into the Ohtani force field could very well have been relief pitcher J.P. Feyereisen. He’s just a guy trying to work his way back from shoulder surgery that kept him out the entire 2023 season, and early in spring training he was throwing some live batting practice on a back field at Camelback Ranch.
One of the hitters, Ohtani, ran up a 3-2 count before hitting a home run on a soggy get-it-over fastball. Feyereisen thought nothing of it, just getting his work in on a nice spring day, until that day’s workout ended and he went back to his locker.
Feyereisen, who has since been sent to the minors, stopped. “Oh, my god,” he said. There were at least 50 reporters and camera operators waiting for him, crowding his shoes. They wanted to know what pitch he threw, whether he expected it to leave the yard, what it felt like, what he thought of Ohtani’s swing, whether he had ever seen such a thing.
“Ah, just classic,” Feyereisen said later. “Welcome to the new world. The entire media group was clumped around my locker, asking me, ‘What was it like giving up a homer to Ohtani?’ I mean, what could I say? It was the same as it is giving up a homer to anyone else, but I knew that’s not what anybody wanted to hear. He’s hit more than one, you know, and I guarantee you he’s hit better pitches.”
It’s been observed over and over, the number of reporters following Ohtani around in search of the tiniest morsels, but it remains impressive. Japanese photographers stationed themselves at the entrance to the players’ parking lot every morning this spring, waiting to get the same photo — Ohtani driving, Mizuhara in the passenger seat — they got the day before and will get the day after. There was some at least some mystery, however: Ohtani arrived in a different new Porsche — it’s one of his endorsement deals in Japan — every four or five days before settling in with a silver Carrera for the final weeks in Arizona.
“It’s crazy they’re all here every day,” one Dodger said of the Japanese media, asking that he not be identified by name. “Because he never talks to them.”
Mizuhara’s firing and the conflicting stories swelled the crowd. Ohtani is no longer just a baseball story; national news outlets from two countries arrived to cover this most unexpected of stories. Close to 100 reporters — no cameras allowed — stood shoulder to shoulder in the team’s interview room on Monday to listen to Ohtani deliver his statement and leave the room without taking questions.
At the beginning of spring training, Roberts, perhaps jokingly, nominated outfielder Jason Heyward to be the one on whom reporters could rely to contextualize Ohtani’s achievements when Ohtani chooses not to — a designated speaker of sorts. It was a nod to Heyward’s experience and statesmanship, but it also served to emphasize Ohtani’s lack of availability. In Anaheim, the guys speaking for Ohtani were Zach Neto, Taylor Ward and Logan O’Hoppe. When it’s a team filled with All-Stars and three other MVPs, maybe the most accomplished collection of talent in the past several decades, it’s a tougher sell.
He seldom speaks for himself. “I know,” catcher Will Smith said during spring training. Then, perhaps thinking that it sounded harsh, he quickly said, “And I’m fine with it.”
Even before there was a hint of a gambling scandal, Ohtani’s interviews could take the form of a flash mob — surprising, crowded, here and then not. They are often negotiated. The Dodgers held discussions with Balelo, Ohtani’s agent, to arrange for Ohtani to appear at a news conference in South Korea when the team arrived for the weeklong trip culminating in the season-opening miniseries against the Padres. The negotiations for such a simple request began weeks before the trip.
With the Angels, Ohtani normally spoke only after his starts on the mound. Since he won’t be pitching this season, the Dodgers suggested he address reporters once a week, a reasonable request of an employee of his stature. Now, with the questions expected to be more pointed, more likely to prick at his previously impenetrable bubble, it’s unclear when we’ll hear from him again.
THE ANGELS’ CLUBHOUSE early on a Saturday morning in Tempe feels a little like a bus station: a few players sprawled in front of their lockers, no music, a general vibe of inertia. Mike Trout is sitting at his locker, speaking quietly on his phone. The three reporters who now cover the team stand at one end of the room. Six years ago Ohtani’s presence changed everything, immediately, and his absence changed it back just as fast.
For six seasons the players who wore this uniform were constantly asked to contextualize Ohtani’s achievements. They were probed for the smallest tidbits on his personality or work ethic or willingness to engage with his teammates. Given the team’s situation — perennially meh — Ohtani brought attention that otherwise would have stayed away, as it does now.
“It’s going to be different here without him,” Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning says. “I can’t say easier per se, because of what a great player he is. But when you’re trying to turn a culture around and get the identity we want, I think a little less attention might benefit us.”
No detail is ever too small, and I know because I sought out even the most microscopic hints that might lead to a trail that could possibly illuminate his achievements. (I’ve never covered anyone more and known less.) This spring, it made headlines when Ohtani carried a glove onto the practice field. Ohtani has a fielder’s glove! What does it mean? During a spring training game against the Reds, Ohtani faced Nick Martinez and popped up to short left field. It would be hard to find a more insignificant moment, but several Japanese reporters began debating the type of pitch Martinez threw to induce the popup. It was off-speed, everyone agreed, but what flavor? After several urgent exchanges, they came to an agreement: a changeup.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a relief to not have to face those questions,” Angels pitcher Reid Detmers says. “There was stuff other teams wouldn’t have to worry about. When he’s around, it’s a good thing, obviously, but there is a little bit more distraction. A lot more media around. And obviously, when something happened, like if he got hurt, other people would have to answer and give their opinion on it. We’re professional athletes; we’re used to it. I would say it’s a little bit quieter around here now.”
Detmers speaks carefully, repeatedly interrupting himself to clarify or change course or choose the right word. Detmers wants to be clear that he is speaking about two different things: Ohtani and post-Ohtani. The post-Ohtani world — a united front with a fresh path forward — should not be viewed as a negative reflection on Ohtani. It seems the situation is just as hard to contextualize now as it was before.
OHTANI’S LOCKER AT Dodger Stadium is next to a curtain separating the clubhouse from the bathroom. It’s three hours before the first game of the Freeway Series against the Angels, the first day Ohtani has been in uniform in the United States since the gambling scandal broke in South Korea, and security guards move about the room, posting and reposting, going from one end of the clubhouse to the other, dipping in and out of the curtain, talking to each other through their hands. There is a half-drunk bottle of orange juice in Ohtani’s locker, surrounded by unopened packs of batting gloves and his uniform.
One of the televisions hanging from the ceiling is showing the official results from Aqueduct on “America’s Day at the Races.” That’s Money paid out 7.20, 4.20 and 3.00 in the sixth race. At 12:48 p.m., Ohtani appears, walking quickly to his locker and turning, his back to the room. He looks startled when he asked if he would answer a few questions. He stops, seems to think about it, and then says, “Tomorrow.”
When tomorrow comes, Ohtani walks into the interview room, followed by Roberts and Stan Kasten and nearly every high-ranking member of the Dodgers organization. Kelly is the lone player to stand to Ohtani’s left and listen to him say, “On a personal note, I’m very sad and shocked that someone I trusted has done this.”
Ohtani lays out Mizuhara’s alleged deceit while staring at the camera hanging from the ceiling near the back of the room. He says he didn’t know about Mizuhara’s gambling; he didn’t knowingly pay off his debts; he has never gambled on sports or asked someone to do so on his behalf; he is assisting in whatever investigations are taking place.
“Now I’m looking forward to focusing on the season,” he says. “I’m glad we had this opportunity to talk, and I’m sure there will be continuing investigations going forward.”
With that, he stands up and walks out of the room, followed again by the long tail of Dodgers executives. Fewer than 20 minutes later, he is on the field, playing catch in short left field. It is the first day he is cleared to throw as part of his elbow rehabilitation, and he is eager to start the process of getting back to what defines him. He stands about 60 feet from his throwing partner, alone.
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Mark Schlabach
ATLANTA — Ohio State’s high-powered offense proved to be too much for Notre Dame in the Buckeyes’ 34-23 victory in Monday’s national title game.
The Buckeyes captured their first national title in 10 years and first under coach Ryan Day. It was the school’s seventh national championship overall.
Even with Ohio State having a boatload of players who are expected to move on and be chosen in April’s NFL draft, the Buckeyes are No. 1 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2025.
The Buckeyes will still have star players, such as receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs, and they’ll plug holes with another top recruiting class and group of transfers.
Ohio State will be looking for a new quarterback as well, but it won’t be alone among the potential CFP contenders. Notre Dame, Texas, Georgia, Oregon and others will be developing new signal-callers, too.
Here’s the 2025 ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25:
2024 record: 14-2, 7-2 Big Ten
Key returning players: WR Jeremiah Smith, WR Carnell Tate, S Caleb Downs
Key losses: RB TreVeyon Henderson, WR Emeka Egbuka, QB Will Howard, G Donovan Jackson, LB Cody Simon, S Lathan Ransom, DE Jack Sawyer, DE JT Tuimoloau, CB Denzel Burke
2025 outlook: After winning the program’s third national championship since 2002, the Buckeyes are going to undergo a bit of a makeover — but so are most of the other Big Ten contenders. The core group of seniors who came back in 2024 — led by Sawyer, Henderson, Egbuka and others — will be missed. Julian Sayin, a five-star prospect who transferred from Alabama, will probably be QB1 after Devin Brown and Air Noland entered the transfer portal. Sayin will have the luxury of throwing to Smith, the best receiver in the FBS, and the Buckeyes picked up tailback CJ Donaldson (West Virginia) and tight end Max Klare (Purdue) from the portal. Ohio State’s offense will be even better if RB Quinshon Judkins decides to come back. Some younger players will have to step up on the defensive line and in the secondary, but at least Downs is coming back.
2024 record: 13-3, 7-1 SEC
Key returning players: QB Arch Manning, RB Quintrevion Wisner, LB Anthony Hill Jr., DE Colin Simmons, DE Trey Moore, S Michael Taaffe
Key losses: QB Quinn Ewers, WR Matthew Golden, OT Kelvin Banks Jr., OT Cameron Williams, S Andrew Mukuba, CB Jahdae Barron, TE Gunnar Helm
2025 outlook: In their first season in the SEC, the Longhorns more than proved they were good enough to compete, reaching the SEC title game and CFP semifinals. With Ewers moving on, the highly anticipated Manning era will kick off in 2025. The Longhorns will have to rebuild their offensive line and replace some key receivers, including Golden and Isaiah Bond. There are big losses up front, with Banks, Williams, center Jake Majors and guard Hayden Conner departing. There’s a good nucleus returning on defense, led by linebackers Hill and Simmons, but three of the top four defensive backs are leaving. The Longhorns added linebacker Brad Spence (Arkansas) and defensive linemen Cole Brevard (Purdue) and Travis Shaw (North Carolina) from the portal. Texas opens the season Aug. 30 at Ohio State, a big early test for Manning.
2024 record: 13-3, 8-1 Big Ten
Key returning players: QB Drew Allar, RB Kaytron Allen, RB Nicholas Singleton, C Nick Dawkins, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, S Zakee Wheatley, CB A.J. Harris
Key losses: DE Abdul Carter, TE Tyler Warren, S Jaylen Reed, G Sal Wormley, DT Dvon J-Thomas, LB Kobe King
2025 outlook: With Allar, Allen and Singleton returning, the Nittany Lions might get a senior boost like Ohio State did in 2024. Penn State came up short against Notre Dame in a CFP semifinal game at the Orange Bowl, but it was coach James Franklin’s best season. If Allar can take another step as a passer, and Franklin can find him some capable receivers, the Nittany Lions might be even better on offense in 2025. Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans, the team’s two top receivers in 2024, entered the transfer portal. Penn State added Troy’s Devonte Ross, who caught 76 passes for 1,034 yards with 11 touchdowns in 2024, and USC’s Kyron Hudson. Carter and King are big losses on defense, and so is former coordinator Tom Allen, who left for Clemson. The Nittany Lions host Oregon and Indiana in Happy Valley and play at Ohio State on Nov. 1.
2024 record: 14-2
Key returning players: RB Jeremiyah Love, RB Jadarian Price, WR Jordan Faison, WR Jaden Greathouse, LB Drayk Bowen, S Adon Shuler
Key losses: QB Riley Leonard, TE Mitchell Evans, DT Rylie Mills, S Xavier Watts, CB Benjamin Morrison, LB Jack Kiser, DT Howard Cross III
2025 outlook: With two solid coordinators and vastly improved recruiting, the Fighting Irish seem to be only scratching the surface under dynamic head coach Marcus Freeman. The Irish recovered from a shocking early loss to Northern Illinois at home to reach the CFP National Championship game. They’ll miss Leonard’s leadership, but the coaching staff is excited about freshman CJ Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, who was rated the No. 2 pocket passer in the 2024 recruiting class by ESPN. He battled an elbow injury on his throwing arm this past season. Backup Steve Angeli will compete with Carr for the job. There’s plenty of depth coming back on the offensive line, along with Love and tailback Jadarian Price. The Irish could use more game-changing receivers — they added Malachi Fields (Virginia) and Will Pauling (Wisconsin) from the portal. A few key players will have to be replaced on defense, and tackles Jared Dawson (Louisville) and Elijah Hughes (USC) and safeties DeVonta Smith (Alabama) and Jalen Stroman (Virginia Tech) should help fill some holes.
2024 record: 11-3, 6-2 SEC
Key returning players: QB Gunner Stockton, RB Nate Frazier, TE Oscar Delp, TE Lawson Luckie, LB CJ Allen, LB Raylen Wilson, S KJ Bolden, CB Daylen Everette
Key losses: QB Carson Beck, G Tate Ratledge, RB Trevor Etienne, LB Jalon Walker, S Malaki Starks, S Dan Jackson, LB Smael Mondon Jr., DE Mykel Williams
2025 outlook: The Bulldogs seemed a bit disjointed throughout much of the 2024 season, but they still won an SEC championship and reached the CFP for the fourth time in the past eight seasons. Stockton played well in his first start, a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in the CFP quarterfinals. He will go into the offseason as the front-runner to replace Beck, who left for Miami. Georgia has to do a better job of blocking up front, catching the football and tackling on defense. It’s time for Kirby Smart to get back to the basics. The Bulldogs added former Texas A&M receiver Noah Thomas and USC receiver/kick returner Zachariah Branch from the portal. Safeties Jaden Harris (Miami) and Adrian Maddox (UAB) were important pickups with Starks and Jackson leaving. Georgia’s schedule won’t be quite as hard as it was in 2024, but the team still plays Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas at home and Tennessee, Auburn, Florida (in Jacksonville, Florida) and Georgia Tech on the road.
2024 record: 13-1, 9-0 Big Ten
Key returning players: WR Evan Stewart, LB Devon Jackson, LB Teitum Tuioti, LB Matayo Uiagalelei, RB Noah Whittington, C Iapani Laloulu
Key losses: QB Dillon Gabriel, WR Tez Johnson, WR Traeshon Holden, RB Jordan James, OT Josh Conerly Jr., OT Ajani Cornelius, DE Jordan Burch, DT Derrick Harmon, CB Jabbar Muhammad
2025 outlook: The Ducks went 13-0 and captured a Big Ten title in their first season in the league. But their dream season came to a crashing halt with an ugly 41-21 loss to Ohio State in the CFP quarterfinals. Now, Oregon coach Dan Lanning faces a massive rebuilding job on both sides of the ball. But with a No. 1 recruiting class and a few transfer portal pickups on the way, there’s reason to believe the Ducks won’t fall too far. Former five-star prospect Dante Moore, who redshirted in 2024 after transferring to UCLA, is the favorite to replace Gabriel. Stewart’s return is a boost, and receiver Dakorien Moore of Duncanville, Texas, was the jewel of Oregon’s recruiting class. The Ducks are going to need plenty of young players to step up on defense, with only a few starters returning.
2024 record: 10-4, 7-1 ACC
Key returning players: QB Cade Klubnik, WR Antonio Williams, WR Bryant Wesco Jr., LB Sammy Brown, LB Wade Woodaz, DL T.J. Parker, DL Peter Woods, OT Blake Miller
Key losses: RB Phil Mafah, LB Barrett Carter, S R.J. Mickens, TE Jake Briningstool, G Marcus Tate, DL Payton Page
2025 outlook: Maybe Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is doing it the right way, and we were all wrong. Swinney caught plenty of flak for not utilizing the transfer portal after his team’s ugly 34-3 loss to Georgia in the opener. However, the Tigers rebounded to win another ACC title and reach the CFP. They’ll undoubtedly be the team to beat in the league in 2025, with Klubnik, Williams, Woodaz, Parker, Woods and Miller all electing to return for another season. With Williams, Wesco and T.J. Moore coming back, Clemson’s passing game might be even better. Finding a No. 1 tailback, after Mafah’s eligibility ended and Jay Haynes tore his ACL in the ACC championship game, will be a priority in the spring. The defense will have a new leader after Swinney fired coordinator Wes Goodwin and replaced him with Penn State’s Tom Allen. And guess what? Clemson signed three players from the portal: edge rushers Jeremiah Alexander (Alabama) and Will Heldt (Purdue) and receiver Tristan Smith (Southeast Missouri State).
2024 record: 9-4, 5-3 SEC
Key returning players: QB Garrett Nussmeier, RB Caden Durham, WR Aaron Anderson, LB Whit Weeks, CB Ashton Stamps, LB Harold Perkins Jr., S Jardin Gilbert
Key losses: WR Kyren Lacy, WR CJ Daniels, OT Will Campbell, OT Emery Jones Jr., TE Mason Taylor, G Garrett Dellinger, G Miles Frazier, LB Greg Penn III, DE Bradyn Swinson
2025 outlook: After the Tigers lost at least three games for the third straight season under Brian Kelly, they seem to be all-in heading into 2025. LSU added more than a dozen players from the transfer portal, including defensive ends Patrick Payton (Florida State) and Jack Pyburn (Florida), receivers Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barion Brown (Kentucky), offensive linemen Braelin Moore (Virginia Tech) and Josh Thompson (Northwestern) and cornerback Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech). Nussmeier threw for 4,043 yards with 29 touchdowns this past season, and his return might give LSU an edge over other SEC contenders. Rebuilding the offensive line and shoring up a defense that surrendered 24.3 points per game will be areas of focus in the offseason. It has to be better in 2025, right?
2024 record: 11-2, 7-2 Big 12
Key returning players: QB Jake Retzlaff, RB LJ Martin, WR Chase Roberts, WR/KR Keelan Marion, LB Harrison Taggart, LB Isaiah Glasker, LB Jack Kelly, S Tanner Wall
Key losses: CB Jakob Robinson, DE Tyler Batty, DE Isaiah Bagnah, CB Marque Collins, S Crew Wakley, OT Brayden Keim, C Connor Pay
2025 outlook: If the 2024 season was any indication, you could probably pick any of four teams (or more) to win a Big 12 title. Arizona State, BYU and Colorado were unlikely contenders this past season, and the Cougars are bringing back top playmakers Retzlaff, Martin, Roberts and Marion. There are a couple of starters who will have to be replaced on the offensive line, but reinforcements from the transfer portal should help. On defense, four of the top five tacklers should return, although BYU will have to reload up front. Kalani Sitake has built a solid program that should contend in the Big 12 each season. The Cougars won’t play Arizona State or Kansas State during the regular season, and road games at Iowa State and Colorado might be tricky.
2024 record: 9-4, 5-3 SEC
Key returning players: QB LaNorris Sellers, WR Mazeo Bennett Jr., LT Josiah Thompson, S Jalon Kilgore, DE Dylan Stewart, DE Bryan Thomas Jr., S DQ Smith
Key losses: S Nick Emmanwori, DT T.J. Sanders, DE Kyle Kennard, LB Debo Williams, LB Demetrius Knight Jr., G Kamaar Bell, C Vershon Lee, G Torricelli Simpkins III, RB Raheim Sanders
2025 outlook: After a bounce-back campaign in which the Gamecocks won four more games than in 2023 — including victories over Texas A&M, Missouri and Clemson — they’ll have to replace the heart and soul of their defense this offseason. There are big personnel losses at all three levels, including Sanders and Kennard up front and Emmanwori on the back end. Three additions from the portal — defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (Texas A&M), LB Shawn Murphy (Florida State) and end Jaylen Brown (Missouri) — might be able to help. Sellers will be working under new offensive coordinator Mike Shula, and improving his pocket presence and consistency will be a priority. Rahsul Faison, who ran for 1,109 yards with eight touchdowns at Utah State in 2024, will get a chance to replace leading rusher Sanders. If Sellers improves, the Gamecocks might be an even bigger surprise in 2025.
2024 record: 11-3, 7-2 Big 12
Key returning players: QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, RB Abu Sama III, LB Kooper Ebel, S Jeremiah Cooper, CB Jontez Williams, DL Domonique Orange, LB Caleb Bacon, TE Benjamin Brahmer
Key losses: WR Jaylin Noel, WR Jayden Higgins, C Jarrod Hufford, OT Jalen Travis, S Beau Freyler, DE Joey Petersen, DT J.R. Singleton, CB Myles Purchase, S Malik Verdon, CB Darien Porter
2025 outlook: After one of the best seasons in program history (the Cyclones had never won 10 games or more), there’s one goal left for Matt Campbell to achieve — win the program’s first conference title in 113 years. With Becht and two good tailbacks returning, Iowa State has some firepower returning on offense. But it will greatly miss Noel and Higgins, who each caught at least 80 passes with more than 1,100 yards in 2024. Iowa State is bringing in transfer receivers Xavier Townsend (UCF) and Chase Sowell (East Carolina). A few key contributors are leaving on defense, but much of one of the better secondaries in the FBS is coming back. The Cyclones play Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland, to open the season and will host BYU and Arizona State at home.
2024 record: 9-4, 5-3 SEC
Key returning players: RB Jam Miller, WR Ryan Williams, WR Germie Bernard, C Parker Brailsford, OT Kadyn Proctor, DE LT Overton, LB Justin Jefferson, CB Zabien Brown
Key losses: QB Jalen Milroe, LB Jihaad Campbell, G Tyler Booker, S Malachi Moore, LB Que Robinson, DT Tim Smith
2025 outlook: The Crimson Tide’s first season under coach Kalen DeBoer was frustrating for Alabama fans, who had grown accustomed to Nick Saban’s consistency over the previous 16 seasons. The Tide lost more than three games in a season for the first time since Saban’s first campaign in 2007. Given DeBoer’s track record of success, expect a second-year leap in the SEC — but maybe not back into CFP title contention quite yet. Replacing Milroe will be a focus in the spring; Ty Simpson, onetime Washington transfer Austin Mack and five-star prospect Keelon Russell will battle for the job. The offensive line has a couple of holes to plug, but the receiver corps should be great with Williams and Bernard returning.
2024 record: 10-3, 6-3 Big Ten
Key returning players: QB Luke Altmyer, RB Aidan Laughery, OT J.C. Davis, C Josh Kreutz, CB Xavier Scott, LB Gabe Jacas, LB Dylan Rosiek, SS Matthew Bailey, FS Miles Scott, RB Josh McCray
Key losses: WR Pat Bryant, WR Zakhari Franklin, NT TeRah Edwards, DE Dennis Briggs Jr., LB Seth Coleman
2025 outlook: The Illini are coming off a breakthrough year under coach Bret Bielema, producing the program’s first 10-win season since the 2001 squad went 10-2 and played in the Sugar Bowl. Now, the challenge is putting together back-to-back successful seasons — Illinois hasn’t had consecutive winning campaigns since going 7-6 in 2010 and 2011. All of the pieces are there for the Illini to run it back in 2025, especially after Davis, Scott and others decided to return. Bryant and Franklin will be missed on the perimeter. Bielema added West Virginia’s leading receiver, Hudson Clement, and Ball State’s Justin Bowick from the portal. All five starters are coming back on the offensive line. The Illini surrendered 21.7 points per game in 2024, but they should be better with so many starters returning. Illinois plays three difficult road games at Indiana, Washington and Wisconsin, and hosts USC and Ohio State at home.
2024 record: 11-3, 7-2 Big 12
Key returning players: QB Sam Leavitt, WR Jordyn Tyson, RB Kyson Brown, S Myles Rowser, S Xavion Alford, LB Keyshaun Elliott, LB Jordan Crook, CB Javan Robinson, DE Clayton Smith
Key losses: RB Cam Skattebo, WR Xavier Guillory, LB Caleb McCullough, S Shamari Simmons, C Leif Fautanu
2025 outlook: There’s no question the Sun Devils are going to face an uphill climb in replacing Skattebo’s production on offense. Not only did the All-America running back pile up 1,711 yards with 21 touchdowns on the ground, but he had 605 receiving yards and even threw for a score. Kanye Udoh, who ran for 1,117 yards with 10 touchdowns at Army last season, should be first in line to replace Skattebo. ASU brings back some key players in Leavitt and Tyson, who were outstanding in their first seasons in the desert. Cornerbacks Nyland Green (Purdue) and Adrian Wilson (Washington State) might help shore up a secondary that ranked 81st against the pass (226.7 yards) in 2024.
2024 record: 11-3, 8-0 ACC
Key returning players: QB Kevin Jennings, S Isaiah Nwokobia, G Logan Parr, OT Savion Byrd, OT PJ Williams, S Ahmaad Moses, CB Jaelyn Davis-Robinson
Key losses: RB Brashard Smith, DL Jared Harrison-Hunte, C Jakai Clark, DE Elijah Roberts, LB Kobe Wilson, WR Key’Shawn Smith
2025 outlook: After reaching the ACC title game and the CFP in their first season in the league, the Mustangs will have plenty of work to do in the offseason to get back into contention. The good news is that quarterback Jennings, despite a rough performance in a 38-10 loss to Penn State in a CFP first-round game, is returning. The bad news: There are plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball departing. Leading rusher Brashard Smith, leading receivers Roderick Daniels Jr. and Key’Shawn Smith, and top defensive linemen Roberts and Harrison-Hunte are all departing. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee is bringing in at least a dozen new players through the portal — quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (Wisconsin), center Addison Nichols (Arkansas) and defensive end DJ Warner (Kansas) are among the most notable.
2024 record: 9-4, 5-4 Big 12
Key returning players: QB Avery Johnson, RB Dylan Edwards, WR Jayce Brown, TE Garrett Oakley, C Sam Hecht, LB Austin Romaine, S VJ Payne, LB Desmond Purnell
Key losses: RB DJ Giddens, WR Keagan Johnson, OT Easton Kilty, DE Brendan Mott, LB Austin Moore, S Marques Sigle, CB Jacob Parrish
2025 outlook: The Wildcats won at least nine games for the third straight season in 2024, and their record would have been better if not for dropping three of their last four regular-season games. Johnson is back after piling up 3,317 yards of offense with 32 scores. Replacing Giddens won’t be easy, but onetime Colorado player Edwards ran for 546 yards last season. Brown’s decision to return bolsters the receiver corps, which added Jerand Bradley (Boston College), Jaron Tibbs (Purdue) and Caleb Medford (New Mexico). Mott, Moore and Sigle were key players on defense. Cornerback Amarion Fortenberry (South Alabama), safety Gunner Maldonado (Arizona) and edge player Jayshawn Ross (Alabama) were intriguing pickups from the portal. Kansas State opens the season against Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, and plays Army at home.
2024 record: 11-2, 8-1 Big Ten
Key returning players: WR Elijah Sarratt, WR Omar Cooper Jr., OT Carter Smith, G Drew Evans, LB Aiden Fisher, CB D’Angelo Ponds, S Amare Ferrell, DE Mikail Kamara
Key losses: QB Kurtis Rourke, RB Justice Ellison, TE Zach Horton, C Mike Katic, LB Jailin Walker, S Shawn Asbury II, NT CJ West, DT James Carpenter
2025 outlook: Fresh off the greatest season in the 126-year history of the Indiana program, in which the Hoosiers won more than nine games for the first time and reached the CFP, coach Curt Cignetti is trying to reload through the transfer portal again. The Hoosiers are bringing in nearly 20 transfers, led by former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who threw for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024. Tailback Lee Beebe Jr. (UAB), receiver Makai Jackson (Appalachian State) and tight end Holden Staes (Tennessee) were important additions on offense as well. Defensively, the Hoosiers have good production returning at linebacker and cornerback. Kamara’s return gives them a pass-rushing threat, and defensive tackles Hosea Wheeler (Western Kentucky) and Dominique Ratcliff (Texas State) could fill holes in the interior line. Indiana’s nonconference schedule is soft (Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and FCS program Indiana State at home), and it’ll play Big Ten road games at Iowa, Oregon and Penn State.
2024 record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC
Key returning players: C Jake Slaughter, LT Austin Barber, QB DJ Lagway, RB Jadan Baugh, RB Ja’Kobi Jackson, WR Eugene Wilson III, TE Hayden Hansen DE Tyreak Sapp, DE George Gumbs Jr.
Key losses: LB Shemar James, WR Elijhah Badger, WR Chimere Dike. RB Montrell Johnson Jr.. DT Cam Jackson, QB Graham Mertz. P Jeremy Crawshaw, CB Jason Marshall Jr.
2025 outlook: Florida coach Billy Napier likes to say that momentum matters in college football, and his Gators are carrying plenty into the offseason after closing 2024 with a four-game winning streak. End-of-the-season and bowl results can be fool’s gold as well, so it might be a bit premature to get carried away about the Gators. More than anything, Florida fans should have hope after Lagway looked like a star in the making during the streak. The Gators will also bring back Baugh, another impressive freshman in 2024, and Slaughter, their All-America center. J.Michael Sturdivant (UCLA) transferred in to help a depleted receiver corps. Napier also signed two four-star wideout recruits, Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III. The biggest concern: Florida will again play one of the most difficult schedules in the FBS. The Gators have home games against Texas, Georgia (Jacksonville) and Tennessee and road contests at LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
2024 record: 10-3, 6-2 SEC
Key returning players: QB Nico Iamaleava, WR Mike Matthews, RB Peyton Lewis, LB Arion Carter, CB Jermod McCoy, CB Rickey Gibson III, LB Jeremiah Telander
Key losses: RB Dylan Sampson, DE James Pearce Jr., WR Squirrel White, WR Bru McCoy, WR Dont’e Thornton Jr., C Cooper Mays, OT John Campbell Jr., G Javontez Spraggins
2025 outlook: After winning nine games or more for the third straight season and reaching the CFP, Josh Heupel has some work to do this offseason, especially on offense. It wouldn’t be surprising to see UT take a step back in 2025. The Volunteers are losing Sampson, the SEC’s leading rusher with 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns, and their top three receivers (McCoy and Thornton exhausted their eligibility, and White entered the transfer portal). Three starting offensive linemen will also have to be replaced. The Vols added former Arizona guard Wendell Moe Jr. and five-star tackle prospect David Sanders. There’s a solid nucleus coming back on defense, but Tennessee will miss Pearce’s production on the edge. The Volunteers will open the season against Syracuse in Atlanta, and they’ll play Georgia at home and Alabama and Florida on the road.
2024 record: 9-4, 5-3 ACC
Key returning players: WR Chris Bell, RB Isaac Brown, LB TJ Quinn, LB Stanquan Clark, C Pete Nygra, RB Duke Watson, S D’Angelo Hutchinson, OT Trevonte Sylvester
Key losses: QB Tyler Shough, WR Ja’Corey Brooks, DE Ashton Gillotte, DE Ramon Puryear, CB Quincy Riley, S M.J. Griffin, S Tamarion McDonald, G Michael Gonzalez
2025 outlook: The Cardinals lost four games for the second straight season under Jeff Brohm, but there’s no question the 2024 campaign could have been much better. Louisville dropped three games by seven points — against Notre Dame, SMU and Miami — then somehow lost at Stanford 38-35 on Nov. 16. Brohm landed former USC quarterback Miller Moss to lead the offense, and Brown is a blossoming star after breaking Lamar Jackson’s freshman rushing record with 1,173 yards to go with 11 touchdowns. The offensive line should be a strength, even after left tackle Monroe Mills transferred to Virginia. The Cardinals have added 20 players from the portal to shore up both sides of the ball, including top defensive end Clev Lubin (Coastal Carolina), linebacker Darius Thomas (Western Kentucky) and cornerback Jabari Mack (Jacksonville State).
2024 record: 8-5, 5-4 Big Ten
Key returning players: LB Ernest Hausmann, LB Jaishawn Barham, DE TJ Guy, DE Derrick Moore, DL Rayshaun Benny, S Rod Moore, C Greg Crippen, G Giovanni El-Hadi, K Dominic Zvada, TE Marlin Klein
Key losses: DT Mason Graham, DT Kenneth Grant, CB Will Johnson, S Makari Paige, DE Josaiah Stewart, TE Colston Loveland, RB Kalel Mullings, RB Donovan Edwards, OT Myles Hinton
2025 outlook: The Wolverines salvaged coach Sherrone Moore’s first season by stunning rival Ohio State 13-10 and knocking off Alabama 19-13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl. If Michigan is going to build on that momentum, it will have to get better quarterback play from freshman Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300, or Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene. Moore fired offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell and replaced him with Chip Lindsey, who called plays at North Carolina the previous two seasons. Lindsey will try to revamp an offense that failed to produce a 40-yard passing play in 2024. The Wolverines are losing two potential first-round picks in Graham and Grant. They added former Alabama five-star recruit Damon Payne Jr. to help fill one of the holes. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons, so it’s unclear if he’ll remain in college football in 2025.
2024 record: 8-5, 5-3 SEC
Key returning players: QB Marcel Reed, RB Le’Veon Moss, RB Rueben Owens, OT Trey Zuhn III, LB Taurean York, CB Will Lee III, S Dalton Brooks, LB Scooby Williams
Key losses: DE Nic Scourton, DT Shemar Turner, DE Shemar Stewart, DB Jaydon Hill, CB BJ Mayes, WR Noah Thomas, WR Jabre Barber
2025 outlook: Mike Elko’s first season at Texas A&M turned south when the Aggies dropped four of their last five games after a 7-1 start. The good news is Reed is returning, along with Moss and Owens, who suffered season-ending leg injuries in 2024. The Aggies hit the portal hard to beef up their receiver corps, adding NC State’s Kevin Concepcion, Mississippi State’s Mario Craver and Texas Tech’s Micah Hudson (although his future with the team is reportedly unclear). Even better, every offensive starter is expected to return. There are massive holes on the defensive front, and a couple of key players will have to be replaced in the secondary. Texas A&M plays road games at Notre Dame, LSU, Missouri and Texas.
2024 record: 10-3, 6-2 ACC
Top returning players: RB Mark Fletcher Jr., RB Jordan Lyle, OT Markel Bell, G Matthew McCoy, DE Rueben Bain Jr., CB OJ Frederique Jr., OT Francis Mauigoa
Key losses: QB Cam Ward, OT Jalen Rivers, WR Xavier Restrepo, WR Jacolby George, WR Isaiah Horton, RB Damien Martinez, TE Elijah Arroyo, LB Francisco Mauigoa, DE Tyler Baron, DL Simeon Barrow Jr., DB Mishael Powell
2025 outlook: The Hurricanes will have to replace much of the core that looked loaded for bear in 2024 but came up short again with a late-season loss at Syracuse. Ward, a Heisman Trophy finalist, won’t be easily replaced. Miami is banking on former Georgia starter Carson Beck fully recovering from surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing elbow. He isn’t expected to resume throwing until sometime this spring. The Hurricanes will have to restock their receiver room after the top six pass catchers from 2024 left, but they did get CJ Daniels (LSU), one of the top wideouts in the portal. The Hurricanes have also brought in cornerbacks Charles Brantley (Michigan State), Emmanuel Karnley (Arizona) and Ethan O’Connor (Washington State) and safety Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State) to improve a porous secondary. Miami coach Mario Cristobal fired defensive coordinator Lance Guidry and replaced him with Minnesota’s Corey Hetherman.
2024 record: 12-2, 7-0 Mountain West
Key returning players: QB Maddux Madsen, TE Matt Lauter, OT Kage Casey, DT Braxton Fely, DE Jayden Virgin-Morgan, LB Marco Notarainni, S Ty Benefield, S Zion Washington
Key losses: RB Ashton Jeanty, G Ben Dooley, WR Prince Strachan, DE Ahmed Hassanein, S Seyi Oladipo
2025 outlook: The Broncos claimed a second straight Mountain West Conference title and reached the CFP. Now they’ll begin life after Jeanty, who ran for an FBS-high 2,601 yards (890 more than Skattebo, the next-closest player) with 29 touchdowns in 2024. Obviously, it won’t be easy. Sire Gaines and Jambres Dubar will probably share carries, and the Broncos added former Fresno State tailback Malik Sherrod from the portal. The good news is that four starting offensive linemen are returning, including All-MWC tackle Casey on the left side. The defense brings back a plethora of experienced and productive players, starting with leading tackler Benefield and top sack man Virgin-Morgan. The Broncos play at Notre Dame on Oct. 4.
2024 record: 10-3, 5-3 SEC
Key returning players: QB Austin Simmons, WR, Cayden Lee, TE Dae’Quan Wright, LB TJ Dottery, LB Suntarine Perkins, DT Zxavian Harris
Key losses: QB Jaxson Dart, WR Jordan Watkins, WR Tre Harris, WR Antwane Wells Jr., LB Chris Paul Jr., CB Trey Amos, DT Walter Nolen, S Trey Washington, S John Saunders Jr., DE Jared Ivey, DE Princely Umanmielen
2025 outlook: The Rebels invested heavily in the transfer portal to make a run at an SEC championship this past season, but came up short and missed the CFP after a late loss at Florida. Ole Miss will undergo a big face-lift in 2025, with Dart and most of his top receivers leaving, as well as much of the offensive line. Pregame might not be as much fun in the Grove this fall. The defensive line will have a new look, with Umanmielen, Ivey, Nolen and JJ Pegues all departing. There are big losses in the secondary, too. Simmons, a left-handed passer, looked good in limited action in 2024. Kiffin is bringing in De’Zhaun Stribling (Oklahoma State), Deuce Alexander (Wake Forest) and Caleb Odom (Alabama) to replenish the receiver room. Pass rushers Princewill Umanmielen (Nebraska) and Da’Shawn Womack (LSU) were important pickups on defense.
Teams also considered: Auburn, Texas Tech, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Baylor, Duke, Washington, Nebraska, Iowa, Army, Colorado
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