OU-UGA, USC-Michigan, Clemson-Stanford (?!): Classic games from new conference rivals
-
Bill Connelly, ESPN Staff Writer
Ready or not, realignment is coming. The 2024 college football season will feature the largest power conference shuffle we’ve ever seen, with Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC; Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington joining the Big Ten; Cal, SMU and Stanford joining the ACC; and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah joining the Big 12. We’ve also got Army entering the AAC in football and Kennesaw State jumping up to FBS to join Conference USA.
That’s a lot! And between the destruction of the Pac-12 and the discontinuation of rivalries such as Bedlam (Oklahoma-Oklahoma State), we’re losing quite a bit of connective tissue with this round. Not great. But it’s time to see what kind of connections we can stitch together in response.
Below, then, are the 50 best games college football has seen between teams that will be new (and, in some cases, old) conference mates in 2024. Between matchups like Texas-Texas A&M, Texas-Arkansas, the Holy War (BYU-Utah), Oklahoma-Missouri and Colorado-old-Big 8 mates, we are rejoining some lost conference rivalries. And hey, USC has played just about everyone in the Big Ten in a Rose Bowl at some point. But this list is equal opportunity. It’s not all Texas vs. Arkansas; there’s room for some spicy Stanford-Clemson, Cal-Virginia Tech and Oklahoma-Kentucky action, too.
(Army-Navy will continue as a nonconference rivalry even though both teams are in the AAC, so we won’t count that one in this list. It deserves its own list anyway.)
Is this a weird list? The weirdest I’ve ever made! It’s got Gary Danielson and Craig Morton and FCS playoff games and “BEVO” in grass and Aloha and Sun and Insight Bowls and Richard Nixon and onside kick returns and multiple 2003 Colorado games and Ernie Koy and 15-yard penalties for kicking tees and Bear vs. Bud. But hey, if there’s anything that ties this sport’s history together, it’s oddity. And the occasionally amazing Rose Bowl. This list has plenty of both.
A 7-0 score in the biggest game of the year? A 6-3 bowl game between two teams that would then play another 6-3 game in 2003? We can’t say there’s anything Midwestern about Los Angeles, but with scores like 7-0, 6-3 and 6-3, maybe UCLA has actually been Big Ten all along?
As with Dave Matthews Band and 64-ounce soft drinks, the rest of the world doesn’t quite share the same amount of passion for American football that we do. But you can’t say we haven’t given it the ol’ college try. We’ve sent Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes to Germany, and 34 years ago we sent David Klingler and the run-‘n’-shoot offense to Tokyo for the Coca-Cola Classic. Klingler completed 41 of 70 passes for 716 yards and seven touchdowns, including bombs of 51, 42 and, with 1:32 left in the game, 95 yards. ASU gained 666 yards and scored in every quarter but simply could not keep up.
TCU was in only the second year of its long surge back toward the game’s elite, and Arizona was coming off of its first ever top-five finish, but they were dead even in a storm-delayed Week 2 game early in 1999. The Horned Frogs scored a pair of safeties and took a 25-7 lead early in the third quarter, but they couldn’t contain Arizona receiver Dennis Northcutt, who scored touchdowns of 38, 59 and 30 yards. The last came with 2:10 left, and TCU’s last-ditch comeback drive stalled out near midfield.
A madcap game between two teams that would finish a combined 9-9-2. Future top-five pick and Super Bowl winner Craig Morton ran for one Cal touchdown and threw for two, including a 31-yard jump ball to Jack Schraub to tie the game late. Duke was preparing for a game-winning 30-yard field goal but forgot the kicking tee (a legal thing then). When a coach threw it in from the sideline, the Blue Devils were penalized 15 yards for “coaching from the sideline.” (Yeah, I didn’t know that was a thing either.) They then missed the ensuing 45-yarder. Delightful.
Every list needs a little bit of Mike Leach. We expect any memorable Tech game from the 2000s to feature a million yards and a hundred points, but there’s a good reason Tech scored only 26 here: Quarterback B.J. Symons threw picks on the Red Raiders’ first four possessions! And they won anyway! CU predictably took an early 14-0 lead, but Wes Welker’s 58-yard punt return bought Symons some time, and a 13-yard Symons-to-Welker touchdown in the third quarter gave Tech a 19-14 lead. The teams traded TDs, and CU got a late chance to win, but Vincent Meeks picked off Joel Klatt at the Tech 7. Just like a Leach team, winning with defense and special teams.
The only meeting between these two schools nearly featured a 27-point comeback. With 291 first-half yards in front of a mostly partisan crowd of 80,104, Clemson bolted to a 27-0 halftime lead, but Stanford charged back with three touchdowns from star running back Brad Muster and got a late chance to take the lead. Alas, the Cardinal turned the ball over on downs, and the Tigers survived.
43. No. 13 Arizona 32, Texas Tech 28 (1975)
Arizona was unbeaten and into the top 15 for the second straight year when Tech came to town and… probably should have pulled the upset. Down 21-6 at halftime, the Wildcats battled to tie the game, only for Tech to drive 80 yards with its triple option and take a 28-21 lead right back. The Wildcats responded in kind, with Theopolis Bell catching a touchdown pass with under four minutes left, but they failed on a 2-point attempt. Game over? Nope. Tech punted and committed a pass interference penalty, and Arizona set Lee Pistor up for a game-winning 41-yarder with six seconds left. A desperate Tech kick return attempt went awry, and Arizona added two bonus points with a safety at the end.
One of the cattier editions of the classic rivalry. Texas fans spelled out “BEVO” (the mascot) by pouring chemicals in the Kyle Field grass and rainy conditions turned the field into muddy slop. A Texas regent said the field was a “disgrace” and that “no university which makes any pretense of having a major athletic program would permit any such condition to exist.” Pearls: clutched.
Oh yeah, and Texas finished its first unbeaten regular season in 43 years by overcoming a 13-3 fourth-quarter deficit and scoring the winning touchdown with 1:19 left.
A week after upsetting Notre Dame to move into the AP top five, SMU, always tantalizing and slightly disappointing, welcomed one of Bobby Dodd’s best Tech teams to Dallas. It was a very Dodd result. The Yellow Jackets scored the only points of the first half on a blocked-punt safety (set up by a great quick kick — the 1950s, everybody!), and although a Lon Slaughter touchdown got SMU within range of an upset late, Tech held on.
40. Georgia Tech 18, No. 17 Stanford 17 (1991 Aloha Bowl)
Stanford got off to a much better start in this bowl, but the result was the same as it was against Clemson five years earlier. With 104 rushing yards from Tommy Vardell, Dennis Green’s Cardinal led 17-10 at halftime and almost made it hold up, but Willie Clay ripped off a 63-yard punt return with 1:41 left, setting up Shawn Jones‘ one-yard score, and Jimy Lincoln’s two-point conversion run, with 14 seconds left.
(Instead of this one, I almost chose another down-to-the-wire Stanford bowl game: The Cardinal’s 25-23 Sun Bowl win over North Carolina in 2016, which featured a failed UNC two-pointer with 25 seconds left. Stanford has made its rare ACC encounters count, at least.)
In front of what was, at the time, the largest-ever Autzen Stadium crowd (59,023), Oregon scored one of its biggest-name home wins. Special teams made the difference: Michigan scored on a blocked field goal return, but Oregon scored on both a punt return and a blocked punt return, and after a late Steve Breaston touchdown got Michigan back to within four, the Wolverines’ last-minute desperation drive stalled at the Oregon 41.
About three months after the win over Michigan came another Big Ten battle for Mike Bellotti and his Ducks. Oregon’s Samie Parker caught 16 passes for 200 yards and two scores, but the vaunted Minnesota ground game did its job — 241 rushing yards, led by Laurence Maroney’s 131 — and after two Jared Siegel field goals gave Oregon a 30-28 lead with 4:16 left, a fourth-and-two conversion by Maroney set up a 42-yard Rhys Lloyd field goal with 23 seconds left. Oregon finished the year 1-1 in the Big Ten.
Things have gotten a little trickier for Army recently as head coach Jeff Monken has had to deal with cut-block rule changes, but for a while there, his Black Knights were always good for a couple of wild, back-and-forth contests per year, often against AAC-level competition.
In 2015, against Tulane in a game that featured a 90-yard pass, a 48-yard fumble return and a blocked punt return score, Army charged back from 28-7 down to tie the game with 1:59 left. But the Green Wave drove 59 yards in nine plays and won with a 35-yard Andrew DiRocco field goal at the buzzer.
Two years later, Army rushed for 534 yards, North Texas threw for 386, and Army overcame four separate second-half deficits only for the Mean Green’s Trevor Moore to knock in a 39-yarder with five seconds left. May we get a few more of these with the Army now in the AAC.
Underdog Purdue jumped on visiting Washington in front of a crowd of 60,102, thanks primarily to the fleet feet of future college football commentator Gary Danielson. He completed only 1 of 9 passes but rushed for 213 yards as Purdue burst out to a 21-0 lead. But Washington’s Sonny Sixkiller overcame four picks to lead the Huskies back, and they took their first and only lead of the game with a 25-yard Steve Wiezbowski field goal with two minutes left.
The newest member of FBS was a new member of FCS not too long ago, too. In just their third year of football existence, the Kennesaw State Owls — and their Turnover Plank, of course — beat future Conference USA mates Liberty and Jacksonville State on their way to the FCS quarterfinals, where a third future peer proved too much. Jeremiah Briscoe threw three touchdown passes, and the Bearkats led by as much as 17, but the deficit was only seven when KSU got one last chance. The Owls drove to the SHSU 11, but a fourth-and-5 option pitch was stuffed. SHSU advanced.
Plank has a new look today ? #FCSPlayoffs #GoKSUOwls @NCAA_FCS pic.twitter.com/wVG6tGDmon
— Kennesaw State Football (@kennesawstfb) November 25, 2017
The game was fun enough. Ole Miss’ Deuce McAllister ripped off an 80-yard touchdown run, Oklahoma’s Josh Heupel set an Independence Bowl record with 390 passing yards, the Sooners charged back from a 21-3 halftime deficit to take a late 25-24 lead, and Les Binkley’s 39-yard field goal at the buzzer won it.
My favorite part, however, was driving through Oklahoma City the day after the game and listening to sports talk radio callers complaining about the Sooners’ loss, with one of them talking about how OU was “settlin’ for mediocrity” by not firing first-year coach Bob Stoops after a 7-5 season.
I wonder what that guy thought about the Sooners winning a national title 12 months later.
32. No. 9 Washington 21, No. 16 Maryland 20 (1982 Aloha Bowl)
There are a lot more important things you could do with a time machine if you had the chance, but imagine going back to Christmas Day 1982 in Honolulu and telling Maryland and Washington fans congregating at the inaugural Aloha Bowl that, 40 years later, their teams would be conference mates? Imagine explaining all the dominoes that fell for that to happen?
The only Terrapins-Huskies game to date was lovely, by the way. Maryland’s Boomer Esiason threw two touchdown passes, but Washington’s Tim Cowan threw three, the last one to Anthony Allen with six seconds left.
31. No. 10 Utah Utes 13, No. 11 TCU Horned Frogs 10 (2008)
The Mountain West was basically a power conference in the late-2000s, and this game between top-15 teams had major BCS bowl implications. Both teams boasted brilliant defenses, and even with Andy Dalton (TCU) and Brian Johnson (Utah) at QB, the teams could combine for only 23 points. TCU scored the first 10, but after two field goals, Utah scored the last seven on a nine-yard pass from Johnson to Freddie Brown with 47 seconds left. Robert Johnson picked Dalton off at the Utah 15 with four seconds left, and Utah ended up in the Sugar Bowl.
30. No. 6 LSU Tigers 45, No. 9 Texas Longhorns 38 (2019)
We had no idea what awaited either of these teams — that LSU would roll to 15-0 with quarterback Joe Burrow completing one of the greatest seasons of all time, or that Texas would stumble to 8-5 after a top-10 finish the year before. All we knew at the time was that this game was 60 minutes of nonstop fireworks.
29. No. 7 Michigan 38, No. 9 Washington 31 (1993 Rose Bowl)
A year after Washington wrapped up a national title campaign with a 34-14 Pasadena pummeling of Michigan, the Wolverines got their revenge and wrapped up a strange, unbeaten campaign (9-0-3) of their own. Sophomore Tyrone Wheatley capped a 1,300-yard season by rushing 15 times for 235 yards and scores of 56, 88 and 24 yards. The second Elvis Grbac-to-Tony McGee touchdown of the day gave Michigan a 38-31 lead with 5:29 left, and it held up.
28. No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers 38, No. 6 UCLA Bruins 31 (1999 Rose Bowl)
27. No. 9 Wisconsin 21, No. 14 UCLA 16 (1994 Rose Bowl)
After 31 years away, Wisconsin finally earned a long-awaited Rose Bowl bid in 1993, and despite the game taking place in UCLA’s home stadium, Badger fans swarmed the Rose Bowl. They watched their team (a) do Wisconsin things and (b) get some breaks. They recovered all seven of the game’s fumbles — at one point in the second quarter, famed announcer Keith Jackson said, “Somebody needs to stick a fork in that [football]. It’s walking around.” — and they ground out 250 rushing yards, 158 from Brent Moss. A fourth-quarter score from quarterback Darrell Bevell provided the winning points in the school’s first ever Rose Bowl victory.
They earned their second five years later against the same opponent. UCLA was better and less mistake-prone, but Wisconsin had Ron Dayne, who rushed for 246 yards and a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns. Cade McNown and UCLA kept up for a while, but Jamar Fletcher’s 46-yard pick six in the fourth quarter all but put the game away.
26. No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats 13, No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners 7 (1951 Sugar Bowl)
Bear Bryant vs. Bud Wilkinson! It doesn’t get much bigger than that. Wilkinson’s Sooners had already wrapped up their first AP national title and rode a 31-game win streak into New Orleans, but Bryant’s best UK team ended the run. Future college football hall-of-famer Babe Parilli threw his 22nd and 23rd touchdowns of the season as Kentucky took advantage of OU miscues and seized a 13-0 lead in front of 83,000. The Sooners fought back, but fumbles and a pesky Wildcats front spoiled their trip.
25. No. 3 USC Trojans 14, No. 2 Michigan Wolverines 6 (1977 Rose Bowl)
The 1970s played out pretty consistently for the Big Ten: Either Ohio State or Michigan wins the conference, then loses to the Pac-10 champion (usually USC) in the Rose Bowl. In this one, USC’s star running back Ricky Bell got hurt early, but future star running back Charles White subbed in, rushed for 114 yards, and scored a seven-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to create the winning margin. Two years later, White rushed for 120 and scored again (though he probably fumbled before crossing the goal line) as USC beat the Wolverines, 17-10.
24. Colorado 45, No. 17 TCU 42 (2023)
With everything that happened with Deion Sanders’ Colorado after this game — a 3-0 start, celebrities on the sideline, a complete collapse to 4-8 — it’s almost easy to forget just how wild last year’s season opener in Fort Worth really was.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 510 yards, four different CU receivers gained at least 117 yards (and one of them, Travis Hunter, also had an acrobatic interception), TCU’s Emani Bailey gained 164 on the ground, and TCU nearly took control with a 21-7 second-half run. But Sanders’ third TD pass (to Jimmy Horn Jr.) gave the Buffs the lead with 7:36 left, and when TCU scored just 36 later, CU went right back down and scored on Sanders’ fourth TD pass (to Dylan Edwards). One late stop, and CU was 1-0.
23. Texas A&M 30, No. 1 Oklahoma 26 (2002)
In 2000, Texas A&M gave Oklahoma one of its only challenges as the Sooners rolled to the national title: They led 31-21 with eight minutes left before a Quentin Griffin touchdown and a Torrance Marshall pick six saved OU’s unbeaten season.
Two years later, the Aggies got their revenge. OU was unbeaten and No. 1 once again, and the Sooners jumped to a 10-0 first-quarter lead as well. But Reggie McNeal, subbing in for a struggling Dustin Long, played the game of his life. He rushed for 89 yards, and while he completed just eight passes, that included touchdowns of 61, 40, 17 and 40 yards. With the Aggies nursing a late lead, they first forced a turnover on downs, then picked off Nate Hybl to seal the upset.
(Bob Stoops was pretty good at revenge, too. The Sooners would beat A&M 77-0 the next year in Norman.)
22. No. 4 SMU Mustangs 7, No. 6 Pittsburgh Panthers 3 (1983 Cotton Bowl)
Maybe the two most physical teams in the country finished the 1982 season with an absolute slobberknocker. Pitt limited the Pony Express backfield of Eric Dickerson and Craig James to 181 yards on 41 carries, and SMU limited Pitt’s Dan Marino to 19 of 37 passing and an interception. But with the Panthers leading 3-0 in the fourth quarter in rain and sleet, two huge Lance McIlhenny-to-Bobby Leach completions, one for 20 yards and one for 42, set up McIlhenny’s game-winning option keeper. Blaine Smith picked off Marino in the end zone, and the single touchdown made the difference.
21. No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners 26, No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers 24 (1968 Orange Bowl)
Unbeaten Tennessee didn’t get a shot at top-ranked USC because the Trojans were playing Indiana in the Rose Bowl. (Indiana in the Rose Bowl! The 1967 season was an odd one.) Instead, knowing that USC had already won earlier on January 1, the Vols had to face an inspired Oklahoma team in Miami. Winners of seven in a row, the Sooners charged to a 19-0 halftime lead. Tennessee finally responded. A 24-7 run brought the Vols back, and when Jack Reynolds stuffed OU quarterback Steve Owens on a fourth down, UT had one last chance to win. But with seven seconds left, Karl Kremser’s 43-yard field goal sailed well wide. Game: Sooners.
By the way, can we mandate that for any game these teams play moving forward, OU has to wear its crimson jerseys and Tennessee has to wear its orange ones? Because these are some pretty highlights.
20. No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks 14, No. 1 Texas Longhorns 13 (1964)
Texas was the defending national champion and riding a 15-game winning streak when Arkansas visited Austin and stifled the UT offense. Future Arkansas head coach Kenny Hatfield gave the Hogs a 7-0 lead with an 81-yard punt return, and the Hogs led 14-7 when Texas’ Ernie Koy scored with 1:27 left. Not wanting to settle for a tie, Texas’ Darrell Royal went for the win, but the two-point pass fell incomplete. Arkansas would go unbeaten and claim a share of the title instead of the Horns. And a year later, the Hogs would win another thriller, 27-24, in Fayetteville to extend their own win streak to 17.
19. No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners 28, No. 18 Missouri Tigers 27 (1975)
Missouri was the upset king of the 1970s, taking down Nebraska (four times), Notre Dame (twice), Ohio State, Alabama and USC … but never Oklahoma. The Tigers came close four times in five years but couldn’t get the job done.
The 1975 game might have hurt the worst. Trailing 20-7 in the fourth quarter, Mizzou ripped off 20 straight points to send the home crowd into delirium. But All-American running back Joe Washington exploded for a 71-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1, then dove into the end zone for a two-point conversion. Mizzou got two opportunities to win at the end, but Tim Gibbons, who missed at PAT earlier in the quarter, badly missed field goals of 40 and 54 yards.
18. No. 17 UCLA Bruins 50, Northwestern Wildcats 38 (2005 Sun Bowl)
You’ll rarely see a stranger bowl. (It’s funny how many times we say that about a Sun Bowl.) Northwestern parlayed a pair of pick sixes into a 22-0 lead just 11 minutes in, but a 36-0 UCLA run gave the Bruins a comfortable lead. Northwestern cut the deficit to 36-31 with 2:29 left, but Brandon Breazell returned an onside kick attempt 42 yards for a score. Northwestern scored again with 24 seconds left … and Breazell returned another onside kick for another score!! Even by Sun Bowl standards, this was wild.
17. Texas 27, Texas A&M 25 (2011)
It was the end of a disappointing regular season for two six-win teams, but with Texas A&M leaving for the SEC the next year, this one was for all-time bragging rights. (Or, as it turned out, bragging rights until late 2024.)
A&M raced to an early 13-0 lead, but touchdowns via a trick play and a pick six got Texas going, and they stormed to a 24-16 lead heading into the fourth quarter. After Randy Bullock’s third field goal made it 24-19, A&M’s Ryan Tannehill found Jeff Fuller for a 16-yard score to give the Aggies the lead. But they missed the two-point conversion, and that loomed large because Texas had Justin Tucker. A key personal foul penalty got the Horns to near midfield, and a 25-yard scamper by Case McCoy put them in Tucker range. He nailed a 40-yard field goal at the buzzer.
15. Kansas Jayhawks 52, Colorado Buffaloes 45 (2010)
You just never know when college football is going to create something magical. These two conference games remind us that you always have to pay attention just in case. In 2004, Colorado and K-State had combined to go just 9-9 when they met, but they put together the nuttiest fourth quarter you’ll see. KSU scored three touchdowns in the final 9:12 and tied the game twice, but Ron Monteilh somehow got wide open against a K-State prevent defense and scored on a 64-yard pass from Joel Klatt with five seconds left. It was such a shocking win that CU fans rushed the field … after beating a 4-5 team.
Six years later, it was CU’s turn to suffer a shocking defeat. The Buffs had lost seven conference games in a row, and Kansas had lost 11 when the two met in Lawrence in November 2010. KU suffered an absolute no-show for three quarters: Colorado led 45-17 early in the fourth quarter. But then James Sims scored, and 90 seconds later Johnathan Wilson did the same. Tyler Patmon returned a fumble for a touchdown, and suddenly it was 45-38. Sims scored again with 4:30 left, and we were somehow tied. And with 52 seconds left, Sims scored again, from 28 yards out, to give the Jayhawks a wildly unexpected win. They wouldn’t win another Big 12 game for three more years, but at least they made this one count.
14. No. 7 Purdue 14, USC 13 (1967 Rose Bowl)
The Big Ten’s “no repeats” rule, banning teams from back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances, created awkwardness in the 1960s. In 1966, a brilliant Michigan State team romped through the Big Ten, but the conference sent a two-loss Purdue team to Pasadena. In turn, the Boilermakers would win the conference the next year with a better team, but Indiana would go instead.
While Indiana couldn’t make the most of its first Rose Bowl bid, however, Purdue most certainly did. USC stifled Bob Griese and the Boilers’ passing game, but two short Perry Williams touchdowns gave Purdue a late 14-7 lead; a 19-yard play-action pass from Troy Winslow to Rod Sherman brought USC within a point with 2:28 left, but George Catavolos picked off a two-point pass, and a last-gasp USC drive came up well short. Purdue scored its first and, to date, only Rose Bowl win.
13. Utah Utes 41, BYU Cougars 34 (2005)
12. No. 21 BYU 33, Utah 31 (2006)
The Holy War rivalry doesn’t really have ebbs and flows — only long waves. From 1896-1971, Utah went 41-8-4 against BYU, basically clinching a forever lead in the series. But from 1972-92, LaVell Edwards’ BYU turned the tables and won 19 of 21. More recently, Utah has won nine of 10 since 2010.
The only time this series was really up for grabs on a year-to-year basis was from 1993-2009, but damn near every game in that span was a classic, from back-to-back 34-31 wins for Utah in 1993-94 to back-to-back comebacks for BYU in 2000-01.
The peak probably came in the perfect back-and-forth of 2005-06. In Provo in 2005, Utah bolted to a 24-3 halftime lead, but two Curtis Brown touchdown runs and two John Beck touchdown passes brought BYU back. The Cougars tied the game with 4:50 left in regulation, but on the second play of overtime, Utah’s Travis LaTendresse torched double coverage and caught a 25-yard touchdown pass. BYU went four-and-out, and the road team won. Just as it would the next year.
BYU got off to an infinitely better start in 2006, but a 14-0 first-quarter lead turned into a 24-14 fourth quarter deficit before Beck got rolling again. His third touchdown pass of the game made it 27-24 Cougars with 3:23 left before Utah responded with a two-minute touchdown drive of its own. It was 31-27, but there was just enough time for one more plot twist. On the final snap of the game, Beck drifted left waiting for someone to get open, then had to scramble back to his right under pressure. After a full 10 seconds with the ball, Beck threw back across his body to a wide open Jonny Harline in the left corner of the end zone. Ballgame.
11. No. 5 Texas Longhorns 21, No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide 17 (1965 Orange Bowl)
The 1963 national champion beat the 1961 and 1964 champ with big plays. Ernie Koy’s 79-yard run and George Sauer’s 69-yard catch-and-run staked Texas to an early lead, and while game MVP Joe Namath’s two TD passes got Bama back into the game, the game started and ended the same way: with a Texas goal-line stand.
10. No. 19 Oklahoma 31, No. 23 Tennessee 24 (2015)
Act 1: Tennessee scores 17 points in the first 18 minutes to take a commanding lead in front of a delirious home crowd in Knoxville.
Act II: After struggling for most of the game, first-year OU starter Baker Mayfield throws two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to force overtime at 17-17.
Act III: Mayfield runs for one score and throws to Sterling Shepard for another, then Zack Sanchez picks off Josh Dobbs to clinch a stunning win. “One of the more special wins, maybe my favorite of all of them,” according to Bob Stoops.
9. Cal Golden Bears 52, Virginia Tech Hokies 49 (2003 Insight Bowl)
There are few things better than a turn-your-brain-off popcorn flick in bowl season, and Virginia Tech and Cal gave us one of the best ones on record. Can I interest you in 1,081 total yards? How about a 394-yard performance from Cal’s Aaron Rodgers? Or Tech’s Bryan Randall outdoing him with 398 yards and four scores? Or Tech’s DeAngelo Hall tying the game with a 52-yard punt return with 3:11 left? Both teams led by 14 at one point, but Cal had the ball last, and Tyler Frederickson’s 35-yard field goal at the buzzer made the difference.
8. No. 6 Oregon 45, No. 9 Wisconsin 38 (2012 Rose Bowl)
Oregon’s first Rose Bowl win came in 1917 over Penn. The Ducks had to wait 95 years for another one, and they made it memorable. De’Anthony Thomas exploded for touchdowns of 91 and 64 yards, and the Ducks gained 621 total yards, but they couldn’t shake Wisconsin. Russell Wilson threw for 296 yards, Montee Ball rushed for 164, and the teams went score for score. Neither team led by more than seven points all game, but down seven late, Wisconsin blinked. Jared Abbrederis lost a fumble with 4:06 left, and after a long pass to Nick Toon with two seconds left, the Badgers couldn’t quite get another snap off.
7. No. 3 USC Trojans 17, No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes 16 (1980 Rose Bowl)
Ohio State began the 1979 unranked after the famous firing of Woody Hayes. But Earle Bruce’s Buckeyes climbed the polls all season and, at 11-0, needed only a win in Pasadena to secure their first national title in 11 years.
They just couldn’t figure out how to stop Charles White. In front of a crowd of 105,526, White rushed 39 times for a Rose Bowl record 247 yards, and his one-yard score with 1:32 left gave the Trojans the win — and gave Alabama the national title — in an incredible big-play affair.
6. No. 9 USC Trojans 52, No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions 49 (2017 Rose Bowl)
There were no real national title implications at play here — both USC and Penn State had suffered multiple early losses before picking up steam and winning their respective conferences. But that didn’t stop the teams from putting on one of the best popcorn flicks of the 2010s.
USC went on a 20-7 run in the game’s first 20 minutes, but Penn State scored four touchdowns in six minutes — including a 79-yard Saquon Barkley run and a 72-yard Chris Godwin catch-and-run — to take a 42-27 lead out of nowhere. Barkley’s third touchdown made it 49-35, but the fourth quarter belonged to USC. The Trojans tied the game at 49-49 with 1:20 left, and after PSU’s Trace McSorley got a little too aggressive and threw a deep interception, USC’s Matt Boermeester hit a 46-yard field goal as time expired.
5. No. 1 USC 42, No. 2 Wisconsin 37 (1963 Rose Bowl)
Oh look, another USC Rose Bowl win! I guess that’s kind of a theme here. After the 0-0 tie between Army and Notre Dame in 1946, college football had to wait an almost inexplicable 16 years for another No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle. It came in the Rose Bowl, as John McKay’s first great USC team met Milt Bruhn’s last good Wisconsin squad.
It nearly featured the greatest rally of all time. Pete Beathard’s fourth touchdown pass of the game gave USC a dominant 42-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Wisconsin scored 23 points in 10 minutes. A 19-yard pass from Ron Vander Kelen (who was 33-for-48 for 401 yards in a 1963 football game) to Pat Richter made it 42-37. USC recovered the ensuing onside kick, and even though Wisconsin came achingly close to blocking a punt on the final play of the game, the Trojans survived.
4. Texas 26, No. 6 Texas A&M 24 (1998)
The game basically began with one of the most famous runs in college football history, Ricky Williams’ 60-yarder that set the all-time career rushing record.
Somehow, the game got even better from there. Texas took a 23-7 lead on a Kwame Cavil touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but the Aggies — who would upset Kansas State to win their first Big 12 title a week later — scored 17 points in six minutes. Randy McCown’s one-yard plunge made it 24-23 A&M with 2:20 left, but that gave Major Applewhite too much time. After a series of short completions, he again found Cavil for 25 yards, and with five seconds left, Kris Stockton knocked in a 24-yard field goal and ended any national title hopes the Aggies had.
3. No. 5 UCLA Bruins 14, No. 1 Michigan State Spartans 12 (1966 Rose Bowl)
One of those perfect games, with perfect weather and huge stakes, that the Rose Bowl has provided so many times through the years. UCLA had lost only once since a season-opening 13-3 defeat at Michigan State, and the Bruins came prepared for revenge against the top-ranked Spartans. After a short Gary Beban touchdown, UCLA got the ball back with a surprise onside kick, and Beban scored again.
Those 14 were just enough. MSU’s big running back, Bob Apisa, scored on a 30-yard touchdown run with 6:13 left, but a two-point pass attempt — a very progressive strategy for the mid-1960s! — failed. Hall-of-famer Bubba Smith partially blocked a UCLA punt, and with 31 seconds left, quarterback Steve Juday scored to make it 14-12. State had to go for two points and the tie, and thanks to No. 2 Arkansas and No. 3 Nebraska both losing their bowl games, a tie might still be enough to win the national title. Alas. Apisa took an option pitch, but Jim Colletto got him by the shoulders and tiny Bob Stiles briefly knocked himself unconscious, stopping Apisa short of the goal line. As with USC’s win over Ohio State in 1980, a Rose Bowl upset gave Alabama the national title.
2. No. 1 Texas 15, No. 2 Arkansas 14 (1969)
For one of the first times in the sport’s history, television manipulated the schedule a bit in 1969. Knowing that Texas and Arkansas would both be top teams that fall, ABC convinced the schools to move their huge head-to-head meeting to the end of the regular season. Sure enough, both teams went unbeaten, and they were the top two teams in the country when they met, with President Richard Nixon in attendance, in one of the true Games of the Century in Fayetteville.
Big college football games are special no matter what. But sometimes they manage to exceed expectations. Arkansas took a 14-0 early in the third quarter, but one of the best fourth quarters of all-time awaited. James Street raced 42 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, and Texas coach Darrell Royal, having decided before the game that he wanted to avoid a tie at all costs, elected to go for two. Street got in, and it was 14-8. Arkansas nearly put the game away with a lovely 73-yard drive, but quarterback Bill Montgomery got too aggressive and was picked off by Danny Lester in the end zone when a field goal would have done just fine. The Horns were still down six when Right 53 Veer Pass forever entered the college football lexicon. On fourth-and-3 from the Texas 43, Street went long to a well-covered Randy Peschel, who reeled in the 44-yard pass and set up Jim Bertelsen’s tying touchdown and Happy Feller’s game-winning PAT. Tom Campbell picked off Montgomery in the final minute, and Nixon declared Texas the national champion after the game. (Joe Paterno, head coach of fellow unbeaten Penn State, wasn’t too happy about that.)
1. No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs 54, No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners 48 (2018 Rose Bowl)
Even in the College Football Playoff era, the Rose Bowl has been able to create magic. And even with last-second title winners in 2017 and 2018, this semifinal game might still be the best thing the CFP has produced.
I mean, come on.
OU threatened to run away with the game in the first half, with two Rodney Anderson touchdowns and a trick play touchdown pass to quarterback Baker Mayfield driving a 31-14 lead. But long touchdown runs by Nick Chubb and Sony Michel brought Georgia back, and the Dawgs took their first lead early in the fourth quarter. OU rebounded, scoring on a Mayfield touchdown pass to Dimitri Flowers and a 46-yard fumble return by Steven Parker, but another Chubb score sent the game to overtime.
After the teams traded field goals in the first OT possession, Oklahoma’s Austin Seibert missed a 27-yard chip shot. Just one play later, Sony Michel raced down the left sideline and sent Georgia to the national title game.
3:49
Georgia tops Oklahoma in 2OT thriller
In the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever that featured six lead changes, Sony Michel scored four times including the game-winner to overcome Baker Mayfield’s big game in double overtime.
This run of realignment might have been awfully strange, but we get to reminisce about this game anytime OU and Georgia play. I’m cool with that.
The first AP poll of the 2025 college football season has been released. Texas begins the season at No. 1 followed by Penn State, Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia.
Texas is ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches’ poll. The Longhorns face a major test right away. Their Aug. 30 opener at defending champion and third-ranked Ohio State is a rematch of last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal, a 28-14 Buckeyes win in the Cotton Bowl.
The SEC leads the way with 10 teams in the AP Top 25, the most ever by one conference. The Big Ten is second with six teams represented.
With the season about to start, here’s one big stat to know for each team in the AP Top 25.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern
2024 record: 13-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 at Ohio State, noon, Fox
Stat to know: 26. The Longhorns’ 26 turnovers last season were the fifth most in the FBS, yet they still had a plus-5 turnover margin thanks to their 31 takeaways, which were second in the country.
2024 record: 13-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Nevada, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Stat to know: 3,237. Penn State led all Power 4 teams in rushing last season with 3,237 yards. Running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, who each rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, return in 2025.
2024 record: 14-2
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Texas, noon, Fox
Stat to know: 84. QB Julian Sayin, a freshman in 2024 and former five-star recruit, has thrown for just 84 career yards. However, he is the leading passer on Ohio State’s roster.
2024 record: 10-4
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. LSU, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Stat to know: 0-3. Clemson went 0-3 against the SEC in 2024 (Georgia, South Carolina, Texas). The Tigers haven’t lost four straight games to the SEC since doing so across three seasons from 1974-76.
2024 record: 11-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Marshall, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Stat to know: 53-5. That’s Georgia’s record over the past four seasons, with three of the losses coming to Alabama. Michigan (48-8) and Ohio State (47-8) are the only other FBS schools with fewer than 10 losses in that span.
2024 record: 14-2
Week 1: Aug. 31 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Stat to know: 5. The Irish have five true road games this season (Miami, Arkansas, Boston College, Pitt, Stanford). The program last won more than three true road games in 2021 (4-0), compiling an 8-4 record in true road games since then (3-0 last season).
2024 record: 13-1
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Montana State, 4 p.m., BTN
Stat to know: 39. Since 2022, when Dan Lanning took over as head coach, Oregon has led the country in points per game with 39. The Ducks will have a new starting QB in 2025 (Dante Moore). It’s the third year in a row with a different starting QB.
2024 record: 9-4
Week 1: Aug. 30 at Florida State, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Stat to know: 4. Last season, Alabama had four losses for the first time since 2007, which also was the last time the Tide finished outside of the AP top 10. They ended 2024 ranked 17th.
2024 record: 9-4
Week 1: Aug. 30 at Clemson, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Stat to know: 125. Linebacker Whit Weeks, a rising junior, was second in the SEC last season with 125 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
2024 record: 10-3
Week 1: Aug. 31 vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Stat to know: 150. Of Miami’s top seven receivers from 2024, only tight end Elija Lofton is back in 2025. He had 150 yards on nine catches last season.
2024 record: 11-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Northern Arizona, 10 p.m., ESPN+
Stat to know: 39. The Sun Devils have to replace All-Big 12 first-team running back Cam Skattebo, who accounted for 39% of the team’s scrimmage yards last season (T-4th in the FBS).
2024 record: 10-3
Week 1: Aug. 29 vs. Western Illinois, 7:30 p.m., Peacock
Stat to know: 10. Illinois has never won 10 games in consecutive seasons.
2024 record: 9-4
Week 1: Aug. 31 vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta), 3 p.m., ESPN
Stat to know: 261. In his first year as starting quarterback, LaNorris Sellers averaged 261 passing yards in his final six games — 100 more than he had averaged over his first six games.
2024 record: 8-5
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. New Mexico, 7:30 p.m., Peacock
Stat to know: 131. Michigan ranked 131st in passing in 2024, behind only the service academies. The Wolverines did bring in veteran Fresno State QB Mikey Keene and signed five-star QB Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2025.
2024 record: 8-5
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Long Island, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Stat to know: 20. Florida recorded 20 sacks over its last four games of the season, fifth most among FBS teams after Week 11 and the most among non-CFP teams.
2024 record: 11-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. East Texas A&M, 9 p.m., ACC Network
Stat to know: 40.8. Last season the Mustangs scored 40.8 points per game (fifth most in the FBS) after Kevin Jennings took over as starting QB against TCU in Week 4.
2024 record: 9-4
Week 1: Aug. 23 vs. Iowa State (in Dublin), noon, ESPN
Stat to know: 605. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson led all Big 12 quarterbacks in rushing in 2024 with 605 yards.
2024 record: 6-7
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Illinois State, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Stat to know: 26. The Sooners have played in a bowl game in 26 consecutive seasons. Only Georgia (28) has a longer active streak.
2024 record: 8-5
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. UTSA, 7 p.m., ESPN
Stat to know: 16.2%. Defensive end Cashius Howell had a 16.2% pressure rate last season, the sixth best among FBS players and best of any returning SEC player.
2024 record: 11-2
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Old Dominion, 2:30 p.m., FS1
Stat to know: 8. Should Indiana win eight or more games, it would mark the first time since 1987 and 1988 that the Hoosiers won at least eight games in consecutive seasons.
2024 record: 10-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Georgia State, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Stat to know: 45. Ole Miss returns 45% of its defensive production. In 2024, the Rebels ranked first in the SEC in points allowed per game (14.4) and rush yards allowed per game (81).
2024 record: 11-3
Week 1: Aug. 23 vs. Kansas State (in Dublin), noon, ESPN
Stat to know: 5.35. Iowa State yielded 5.35 yards per rush in 2024, which ranked 126th in the FBS. ISU allowed 81 carries of 10 or more yards last season, ranking 125th in the FBS.
2024 record: 8-5
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
Stat to know: 2018. The Red Raiders have not appeared in an AP poll since 2018. No power conference program has played more games as an unranked team over the past six seasons than Texas Tech (74). On the other hand, 89 FBS programs have played at least one game as an AP-ranked team since 2019.
2024 record: 10-3
Week 1: Aug. 30 vs. Syracuse (in Atlanta), noon, ABC
Stat to know: 39. Tennessee returns 39% of its offensive production from last season, which is ranked 110th in the FBS for returning offensive production. Nico Iamaleava was the headliner among the departures, but the Vols brought in App State QB Joey Aguilar, who has thrown 56 touchdown passes in the past two seasons.
2024 record: 12-2
Week 1: Aug. 28 at USF, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Stat to know: 2,601. Boise State is looking to replace Ashton Jeanty’s 2,601 rushing yards. The Broncos brought in Fresno State transfer Malik Sherrod, who rushed for 966 yards and 10 total touchdowns in 2023. Sherrod appeared in only five games in 2024 before suffering an ankle injury.
-
Pamela Maldonado
Before the first whistle of the 2025 college football season blows and play begins, the betting market is already moving. Week 1 lines are live at ESPN BET with season win totals and futures shaping up. Each team in the preseason AP top 25 poll has a story, whether it’s a rebuild, a reload or a revenge tour.
I’ve combed through the markets and picked one betting angle for every Top 25 ranked team, including win totals, long shots and even some bets for Week 1. There is plenty of head-to-head matchups, stability edges and fade-worthy hype. Here are 25 bets to consider before the college football chaos begins.
All odds are accurate as of time stamp. All times Eastern. For the latest odds go to ESPN BET.
The bet: Texas to miss the playoff (+220)
Texas is currently the favorite to win the national championship at ESPN BET, but this feels more like hype than substance. If the Longhorns drop two road games at Ohio State and Georgia, they have zero margin for error the rest of the way. And winning games against teams like Florida, Kentucky and Texas A&M isn’t guaranteed with such a young roster. All three games are tricky spots for Texas, especially late in the year. Even with a strong recruiting class, asking Arch Manning to go nearly perfect through that stretch is a lot. That’s why Texas going 10-2 feels like the smart bet. Taking the Longhorns to miss the playoff has real value.
The bet: Penn State over 10.5 wins (+120)
Penn State is built for another deep playoff run this year. Drew Allar enters his third season as the Nittany Lions’ starter with continuity around him. Top backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton return, and while Tyler Warren is gone, the receiving room stays intact with Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans. The key is Allar taking the next step, but the pieces are there. With OC Andy Kotelnicki in his second year and a veteran core, this team is ready. Trusting James Franklin is a big ask but with an experienced roster, the path is clear for Penn State to take a leap.
The bet: Ohio State (-2.5) vs. Texas
Week 1 brings a heavyweight showdown in Columbus, a game of experience versus transition. Texas rolls in with tons of hype around QB Arch Manning but question marks remain, as the Longhorns attempt to break in a new quarterback and new skill players after losing their top two wideouts and key depth in the backfield.
The defending champion Buckeyes aren’t starting from scratch. Ohio State returns core defensive pieces and still has firepower at receiver with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. The Buckeyes’ defense could be the difference against a Texas offense likely to lean heavily on the ground game early. Also, Ohio State rarely loses at Ohio Stadium, where it has gone 27-3 since 2021.
The bet: Tigers to make the playoff (-145)
I’m all in on the Tigers this year. Don’t be surprised if Cade Klubnik is the best quarterback in the country by December. He has got the experience, the green light and a trio of dangerous receivers in Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and TJ Moore. Continuity and talent are finally aligned for the Tigers on offense as well as a friendly schedule with LSU as the only true litmus test early. While I’m not quite ready to say Clemson is my pick to win the national championship, the Tigers are a team to watch in 2025. Look for a lot of Clemson’s games to go over as this offense will be electric.
The bet: Georgia over 9.5 wins (-180)
The Bulldogs have questions, a new quarterback, a revamped offensive line and unproven edge rushers, but they’re still stacked with recruiting talent and depth at nearly every position. They get Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss and Kentucky all at home, where they’re an absurd 47-1 since 2017. QB Gunner Stockton has the tools, the defense is still loaded and the receiving room finally has explosiveness. Even if this team isn’t vintage Georgia, 10 wins feels more like the Bulldogs’ floor than their ceiling.
The bet: Head-to-head Most Regular Season Wins: Notre Dame (-130) vs. Texas
Notre Dame’s defense is the reason they could go undefeated, and it starts up front. Despite losing three starters on the defensive line, the Irish return 11 linemen who combined for nearly 2,400 snaps last season, which means this group is deep, experienced and versatile. The Irish added key transfers and have multiple breakout candidates like freshman quarterback CJ Carr. The defense is loaded with size, length and pass-rushing upside and can rotate in waves. Against a Texas team still retooling with a new quarterback and key losses at the skill positions, Notre Dame has a stable path to more wins this season.
The bet: Oregon to miss the playoff (+210)
I’m not as high on Dante Moore as the market. He has arm talent but struggled with turnovers, pressure and consistency when he last started as a freshman at UCLA in 2023. He also lacks the mobility to escape the pocket when things break down. Losing WR Tez Johnson to the NFL strips away a key weapon, especially in the short and intermediate game. That impact showed late in the season where Oregon nearly lost 16-13 to Wisconsin without him. If Moore doesn’t progress quickly and Johnson’s absence lingers, this team will take a step back.
The bet: Alabama to miss the playoff (+125)
This is a wager against the current roster’s limitations, road vulnerability and a path with no margin for defensive error. The Crimson Tide’s defense isn’t what it used to be. In 2024 they were ranked 52nd in run defense while giving up scores on 85% of red zone trips on the road. Throw in road games at Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina and Auburn. The offense might keep Alabama alive, but with key losses on defense, 10-2 feels more like the ceiling. In a crowded 12-team Playoff, that might not be enough. The name still carries weight, but the cracks are there.
The bet: LSU under 8.5 wins (+135)
The Tigers at plus money have value when you consider their schedule and roster concerns. LSU opens the season at Clemson, a more complete team, then travels to Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma, all three teams with strong home-field edges. Even home games against Florida and South Carolina are not guaranteed wins. Especially with an offensive line in transition after losing both starting tackles to the NFL and a run game that is relying on a freshman to carry the load after the team averaged just 116 yards per game this past season, 104th in the country. Most of the wide receiver room is new, so early chemistry with QB Garrett Nussmeier could take time. There’s talent, but between the turnover, health questions and a brutal road slate, nine wins is a tall ask.
The bet: Notre Dame (-2.5) at Miami
This isn’t a bet on Miami, but it’s a wager that offers the most value. Notre Dame returns a loaded defense with depth, experience and a pass rush that can expose Miami’s rebuilt receiving corps. The Hurricanes are still replacing their top five receivers, starting a new quarterback in Carson Beck and rolling out a brand-new defensive coaching staff. That’s a lot of moving parts against a team with continuity and Playoff expectations. If Beck’s turnover issues from this past season show up early, Notre Dame has the defense to make the Hurricanes pay. The bet on Miami is Beck to throw an interception in this game.
The bet: Arizona State under 8.5 wins (-135)
I don’t love this, but it makes more sense when you factor in the loss of Cam Skattebo. He accounted for over 2,300 yards (rushing and receiving) and 21 of the team’s 30 rushing touchdowns. Without him, the pressure shifts entirely to second-year quarterback Sam Leavitt, who’s talented but still young, and now without his safety valve. The Sun Devils’ schedule looks manageable on paper, but close games become harder to close without Skattebo’s power and consistency. ASU still has upside, but losing its most reliable weapon lowers the floor.
The bet: Illinois under 7.5 wins (+130)
Call it contrarian, but I’m not as high on the Illini as others. Yes, they beat Nebraska, Michigan and South Carolina this past season, but those wins came with major context. Michigan was still figuring itself out early in the season, and the Citrus Bowl win came in a watered-down matchup filled with opt-outs. Losing Josh McCray to Georgia, the Illini’s most physical running back and leader in rushing scores, matters. The backfield is still solid, but not as proven, and with a tougher schedule ahead, under eight wins could be valuable.
The bet: South Carolina over 7.5 wins (-105)
This is an underrated play given the ceiling the Gamecocks have built around quarterback LaNorris Sellers and what he brings to this team. He has Jayden Daniels potential as a dual-threat QB with the ability to carry a team when the defense is in transition. Yes, South Carolina’s defense lost a lot of experienced players, but the system remains aggressive and there are still difference-makers in edge Dylan Stewart and DB Jalon Kilgore. The Gamecocks finished 2024 with six straight regular season wins and now have momentum, confidence and a clear offensive identity. If the young skill guys step up even modestly, Sellers can guide South Carolina to a winning season.
The bet: Michigan to win the Big Ten (+850)
The Wolverines closed this past season with three straight wins, including impressive performances at Ohio State and against Alabama. They should be able to use that momentum this season with a deep group of pass rushers and a secondary that could be among the best in the country. Michigan’s schedule sets up well for a potential undefeated Big Ten run, with The Game back in Ann Arbor where Michigan has won four straight in the rivalry. Freshman QB Bryce Underwood, a 5-star recruit, provides upside and depth far better than last year’s carousel. If the quarterback position hits, along with the defense, this ticket has legs.
The bet: Florida under 7.5 wins (-135)
The juice on this bet isn’t ideal, but it’s warranted. Florida’s schedule is brutal with road trips to LSU and Texas A&M, plus games against Texas, Georgia and Tennessee — all teams with solid defenses. Quarterback DJ Lagway has potential, but he has dealt with shoulder issues and has no proven depth behind him. The Gators’ defense finished strong this past year but are thin in the interior and their secondary has durability concerns, especially with DB Devin Moore. If Lagway misses any time or the trenches wear down, this could easily be a 6-6 season for Florida with Billy Napier heading out the door.
The bet: SMU over 8.5 wins (-120)
With Kevin Jennings back at quarterback, SMU’s passing game is ready to roll. Jennings brings big-play ability and has experience around him in proven receivers Jordan Hudson, Romello Brinson and tight end RJ Maryland. The Mustangs’ passing offense should be their strength again, especially early while the backfield settles in. If Jennings can cut down on his turnovers, this team’s floor is nine wins.
The bet: Kansas State to win the Big 12 (+550)
Quarterback Avery Johnson has taken the next step as a leader and passer, and the offense is balanced with a deep backfield and a promising receiver group. The Wildcats’ defensive front is among the best in the conference, and linebacker Austin Romaine gives them a true anchor. Kansas State’s early schedule is quirky, but winnable, starting with Iowa State in Dublin, a game the Wildcats should handle. If the secondary holds up, this veteran team has all the tools to make a serious run at the conference title.
The bet: Oklahoma under 6.5 wins (+135)
Cal transfer running back Jaydn Ott brings name recognition, but he wasn’t fully healthy this past season and didn’t log a single 100-yard rushing game. Even if Ott and Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer click in this offense, the Sooners’ offensive line is still a major liability after giving up 50 sacks in 2024. I like Mateer’s potential. He is a solid quarterback, but Oklahoma’s schedule is brutal with Michigan early followed by what could be a challenging game against Texas and games against South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Alabama in a row. For a team that went 2-6 in the SEC this past season and still lacks proven playmakers, seven wins feels like a reach.
The bet: Texas A&M over 7.5 wins (-170)
I’m high on the Aggies but fully aware I’m probably walking into heartbreak again. The Aggies offense has serious upside with dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed, a healthy RB Le’Veon Moss and one of the best offensive lines in the country. Mike Elko’s defense collapsed late this past year, including a blown 17-point lead to USC, but they also shut out Texas in the second half and made key portal additions. Elko took over playcalling and publicly called out the issues: coverage, tackling and focus. If Texas A&M’s defense makes even a moderate jump, eight wins should be this team’s floor.
The bet: Indiana over 8.5 wins (+115)
There are only two clear roadblocks for Indiana this season, Iowa and Penn State. Everything else is winnable, especially with quarterback Fernando Mendoza stepping into an offensive system that just set school records for scoring and upgraded the offensive line and backfield. The defense returns All-American talent at every level and finished seventh in points allowed last year. With continuity, explosive skill talent and a proven head coach in Curt Cignetti, this is a program built to sustain success. At plus money, the Hoosiers upside is worth the risk.
The bet: Ole Miss to miss the playoff (-190)
The Rebels lost nearly their entire defensive identity with most of the secondary gone. Offensively, quarterback Austin Simmons is talented but unproven, and he’s playing behind an offensive line replacing four starters. That’s not a great setup with road trips to Georgia and Oklahoma on the schedule, both could expose the Rebels’ inexperience behind center and vulnerable defense. Add in home games against LSU and South Carolina, two teams with explosive skill players and physical fronts. Even if the Ole Miss offense holds up, the defense has too many question marks, and four potential losses means the playoff is likely out of reach.
The bet: Iowa State-Kansas State over 49.5
The Big 12 can be a volatile conference so let’s go straight to a Week 0 play. Iowa State’s run defense ranked 105th nationally this past year and now faces a Kansas State offense that thrives on the ground with dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson. Add in the Cyclones’ pass rush concerns, just 17 sacks in 14 games, and a reworked defensive line still searching for chemistry and it’s easy to see where explosive plays could come from. Both teams return experienced quarterbacks, and with defenses typically starting slow early in the season, especially internationally, this neutral-site opener has all the ingredients for a high scoring affair.
The bet: Texas Tech over 8.5 wins (-140)
Quarterback continuity with Behren Morton means steady production at the most important position. Offensive line upgrades give Morton time to attack vertically and keep the run game strong, utilizing added players to the receiving group and backfield. Adding LBs David Bailey and Romello Height and Lee Hunter up front, turn the the Red Raiders’ defensive front into a strength, while added secondary depth lets defensive coordinator Shiel Wood be aggressive and fix last year’s leaky pass defense. Texas Tech’s schedule is front-loaded, with a strong chance to start 4-0. From there, splitting the tougher road games gets them to 9-3, making over 8.5 wins worth backing despite the -140 price.
The bet: Tennessee over 8.5 wins (+105)
The Volunteers’ defense is legit, one of the most disruptive in the SEC and that gives them a reliable floor in a season full of toss-up games. With this sneaky athleticism, Joey Aguilar might be unproven at this level, but he could bring more mobility than last year’s starter and enough upside to keep the offense functional. While not a true dual-threat, he moves well in the pocket, can extend plays, and is comfortable throwing on the run. Aguilar has all the tools, but it’s still projection, not production. With a veteran defensive line, solid corners, and DB Boo Carter emerging as a weapon in all three phases, this is a team that can grind out wins even when their offense isn’t perfect. If Aguilar settles in early, a 9-3 record is within reach.
The bet: Boise State to win the Mountain West (-125)
Taking Boise State over 9.5 wins at -190 is a heavy tax with little reward. The Broncos have a 21-2 record in Mountain West play since 2022. Their toughest league opponents this season, UNLV, Fresno State and Colorado State, are all home games. If the Broncos go 7-1 or 8-0 in conference play, they will likely host the conference title game on their home blue turf. Even if they lose to Notre Dame and Air Force, they could still easily win the Mountain West. Consider skipping the juiced win total and take a bet on the clearer path for the Broncos against a soft conference schedule.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike