How QB development helped Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar reach the CFP
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David Hale, ESPN Staff Writer
THE LOW POINT for Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik came after a Week 9 loss to NC State last year.
The Tigers were 4-4, assured of ending a streak of 12 straight seasons with 10 or more wins, and Klubnik was on the hook for the dynasty’s demise.
At least, that’s how it felt at the time.
Klubnik had been a prized recruit, but his ascendance at Clemson had come in fits and starts — a dizzying debut in mop-up duty, a long-delayed takeover of the offense in a rollicking ACC championship game win, a bowl loss, and now this.
In another era, the roller-coaster ride would’ve been part of the deal. Quarterbacks rarely develop into superstars overnight. It requires, as Clemson coach Dabo Swinney likes to call it, time “in the crock-pot.”
In this era, however, coaches and QBs rarely tolerate the slow simmer, and so the familiar narrative began for Klubnik, too.
“It was tough,” Klubnik told ESPN. “I had a lot of people in my ear after last season asking if I wanted to leave.”
That’s the preferred path these days. Look no further than the 2022 class, for which Klubnik was the crown jewel.
This year’s College Football Playoff will feature four starting QBs from the 2022 class: Klubnik, Penn State‘s Drew Allar, SMU‘s Kevin Jennings and Boise State‘s Maddux Madsen. Georgia‘s Gunner Stockton could add his name, depending on the health of starter Carson Beck. But they are the exceptions.
Of the top 30 QB recruits in that class, just four ended the regular season as a starter, and more than two-thirds have transferred. Klubnik and Allar are the clear-cut success stories, and even they’ve been dogged by criticism and setbacks. That they’re still here, on the verge of playoff games, is borderline miraculous.
Klubnik turned down all overtures from the outside. It helped that Clemson ended the 2023 season on a five-game winning streak and that Klubnik had seen marked — if gradual — growth in each outing. But it was more about his relationship with Swinney, about the time in that crock-pot.
“I never had any doubt with Cade,” Swinney said. “If I did, I would’ve gone and taken a big-time portal guy. But I believe in Cade. He’s a worker, he’s gifted, he’s smart. He deserves all the credit because he’s really grown.”
This is how the story is supposed to unfold, Swinney said. Quarterbacks are always a work in progress, and Swinney is aware of how rare it is to see someone like Deshaun Watson or Trevor Lawrence sprint up the growth curve.
After last season ended, Swinney pulled Klubnik aside for a meeting. His message was simple: No, 2023 wasn’t good enough, but yes, he believed unflinchingly that Klubnik would become something special at Clemson.
“After a season you wouldn’t ever dream of having,” Klubnik said, “to have somebody like that come and tell you he still believes in you and trusts in you, that means a lot.”
So Klubnik stayed, and he improved, and though he still hasn’t blossomed into the latest version of Lawrence, he threw 33 touchdowns and has Clemson back in the College Football Playoff for the first time since Lawrence left town.
Klubnik isn’t so much a success story. He’s a byproduct of staying the course.
THERE WAS A familiar sense of dread as Klubnik fished the cell phone from his locker in the aftermath of Clemson’s Week 1 loss to Georgia in September.
A year ago — heck, even a few months earlier, he said — this would’ve been the salt in the wound. He had already deleted all social media apps from his phone, determined to avoid a toxic feedback loop, but the silence was sometimes worse. After a good game, the texts praising his play were ubiquitous — a week later, after accounting for seven touchdowns in a blowout win over Appalachian State, he’d have upwards of 120 messages waiting — but after losses, it was crickets.
This time, there were just five texts, all from friends or family who didn’t care if he won or lost.
There’s a lesson in that, Klubnik said.
“Find your circle,” Klubnik said. “You listen to the four or five people. Those are the people that are there for you in the hard times.”
That’s not always easy.
For star recruits, there’s always an endless supply of opinions from people outside the circle. The struggles are the result of a bad fit, bad coaching, bad fans, bad vibes. The money is better elsewhere. There will be less pressure and more praise. The grass is bright green, just on the other side of the transfer portal.
For coaches, it’s nearly as bad. The pressure to win — and win now — is immense, and living with a QB still paying his dues might mean you’re out of a job before seeing the fruits of that labor.
“It’s hard to have patience, because you have so much noise,” Swinney said. “It’s a lot harder than it used to be. Everybody wants to win yesterday, and unfortunately with quarterback play, it’s developmental.”
Swinney’s former defensive coordinator, Brent Venables, lived that paradox at Oklahoma this season. The Sooners went 6-6 in 2024, due in part to myriad injuries at receiver and along the O-line, but the brunt of the criticism fell on the coach and his quarterbacks.
Venables opened the year with sophomore Jackson Arnold (a former five-star recruit) as his starting QB, then switched to freshman Michael Hawkins Jr., then flipped back to Arnold, who ultimately landed in the transfer portal after the regular season. It was hard to find much enthusiasm amid the constant criticism of the QB play, but Venables said he worked tirelessly to recalibrate the message.
“Well before the season started, you were talking about these moments,” Venables said of the team’s offensive struggles. “We spend a lot of time throughout the year developing toughness and mindset. And every week you have to start completely over with your process. And if you do it the right way, [improvement] is usually more incremental than not.”
Incremental improvements can be a tough sell when the expectations of immediate success mix with the temptations of an easier path somewhere else.
Klubnik admits he was unprepared for the wave of criticism he endured, along with the endless pressure to win or move on during that 2023 campaign. It was the first real failure in his career, which included three state championships in high school and an ACC championship game MVP in his first significant action at Clemson. Suddenly the talent and the work weren’t enough to guarantee results, and so the little voice in his head that worried he didn’t belong was amplified by the countless voices from outside nudging him out the door.
“Just because you’re not listening to the criticism doesn’t mean you don’t hear it,” Klubnik said. “Those words can definitely be heavy.”
There were times last season, Klubnik said, when he didn’t want to go to class or go out to eat. He was the face of Clemson’s football program, and in a small college town, there was nowhere to hide.
Looking back though, Klubnik is grateful.
“Pain like that, it does something to people,” he said. “But it can make you better. I’m thankful I went through stuff like that because I came out better on the other side.”
To fail is to learn.
The problem, of course, is the lessons are only fully realized long after the losses are added to the standings.
NOBODY TOLD ALLAR to stay quiet. In fact, his coaches encouraged him to put his own stamp on Penn State’s offense last year, but that wasn’t his nature. He had spent his first year on campus learning under incumbent Sean Clifford, a four-year starter. With Clifford, it all looked like a well-oiled machine, so when Allar took over, he figured it was his job to conform to the status quo.
It mostly worked. Penn State went 10-3 in 2023, and Allar threw 25 touchdowns with just two interceptions. But in the big moments against Ohio State and Michigan, when the Nittany Lions needed something extra special from the QB, there was only more of the same.
It was only later, after Penn State brought in new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to rejuvenate the offense last offseason, did Allar understand that he had gotten the math backward, that he needed to help tailor the offense, not conform to it.
“It’s about experience,” Allar said. “You can talk about development all you want, and learning behind somebody, but experience is the biggest thing. You gain more perspective on the things you need to be on top of, on communication with the staff, about being open and honest with them.”
He had heard all that before he took his first snaps at QB1, but it took a year of living it to really understand.
And yet learning on the job is a luxury afforded to too few elite QB prospects.
Of 2022’s top 30 QBs ranked by 247’s recruiting composite — a consensus of all major recruiting services, including ESPN’s — just seven have at least 10 starts under their belts, three years into their college careers. Of those seven, just two — Klubnik and Allar — remain at their original school. Nine have avoided the transfer portal, and of that group, four have either one or zero starts to their name.
Some of those top-30 QBs — Maalik Murphy, Walker Howard, Nate Johnson — are in the portal for a second time. Combined, the top 30 have a Total QBR of just 56.0, are completing less than 60% of their throws and average just more than 6 yards per dropback. More than a dozen still haven’t started a game.
There is no simple explanation for why the 2022 class is so rife with bad evaluations, but there are ample possibilities. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted critical junior seasons for this class and kept coaches from doing serious in-person recruiting. The extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of COVID also resulted in a wealth of veteran QBs in their fifth, sixth or seventh years retaining starting jobs, which relegated younger QBs to the bench.
Name, image and likeness took over the sport after many members of the 2022 class were committed, and the opening of the transfer portal at the same time made it easy for QBs to leave in search of more money, more playing time or more acclaim. The bottom line for the Class of ’22 — and likely, many more recruiting classes to come — is the odds are slim that more than a handful will find success with the team they sign with out of high school.
“If the kid’s not great as a freshman and the head coach is under a lot of pressure to win right now, you move on to the next guy,” Swinney said. “So there’s been this mass deal of one-year guys. Go get a guy that’s got a ton of experience.”
It’s the catch-22 of modern QB development: Every coach wants someone with experience, but getting experience requires a coach to live with the ups and downs of a young quarterback.
It’s perhaps not surprising then that, looking back at the Class of 2022, the biggest stars aside from Klubnik and Allar were largely overlooked on the recruiting trail.
Iowa State’s Rocco Becht was ESPN’s No. 36 pocket passer. USC‘s Jayden Maiava was No. 23. TCU‘s Josh Hoover was No. 24. Fernando Mendoza, a two-year starter at Cal before entering the portal this month, was No. 72.
Then there’s Madsen (No. 56) and Jennings (unranked), who’ll start playoff games alongside Klubnik and Allar this week, despite being largely passed over as recruits.
Those guys had the luxury of low expectations, which afforded them time to learn their craft without the constant pressure to perform immediately. When mistakes happened, they were expected. When success finally came, it was a surprise. Jennings, who played high school football in Texas at the same time as Klubnik, had a college experience that looks virtually nothing like what Clemson’s QB endured.
“Patience is not a good word in our world when it comes to coaches, fans, administrations,” Swinney said. “Sometimes the answer is right there, you just have to have some patience.”
AFTER CLEMSON LOST to South Carolina in the regular-season finale, a game that could have ended the Tigers’ playoff hopes, Klubnik slumped into his car and cried.
Losing is never easy, even with two years of starts under his belt.
But then a few hundred miles away, another former blue-chip recruit who had fallen from grace at Ohio State was engineering a miraculous comeback in Syracuse.
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Syracuse knocks Miami out of ACC title game with stunning victory
Trailing 21-0 in the second quarter, Syracuse digs deep for its biggest comeback in program history to beat Miami 42-38.
Kyle McCord has seen both sides of the modern QB’s story, proof the portal can be a curse or a blessing.
A year ago, he won 11 of 12 games as Ohio State’s starter. He posted an 83.8 Total QBR, the second-best mark in the Big Ten, threw 24 touchdown passes to just six interceptions and had more than 3,100 passing yards.
“When you’re a young quarterback, you care a lot about what people have to say about your performance, but you play great one week and they love you and you don’t the next week and you’re terrible,” McCord said.
After a loss to Michigan at the end of the 2023 season, most Ohio State fans thought the latter.
So McCord was shown the door. Ohio State opted to replace him with a transfer: Will Howard from Kansas State. (Interesting side note: The Buckeyes chose Howard over junior Devin Brown, ESPN’s No. 4 pocket passer in the Class of 2022, who entered the portal this month.)
McCord landed at Syracuse, a school desperately in need of a veteran. In 2024, he threw for more than 4,300 yards with 29 touchdowns, including three in a Week 14 win over Miami that opened the door for Clemson to make one last push for the College Football Playoff and gave Klubnik another chance to live up to all those expectations.
“Failing’s not fun, but it teaches you a lot,” McCord said. “I’ve learned the most from my failures. It’s easy to be a quarterback when you’re winning, and everything’s going great, but the moment it hits the fan and things are going south and you have to be the guy that calms the locker room down, that’s not easy to do at all.”
KLUBNIK EDNURED THE ups and downs of 2023, stumbled in the opener this season, then righted the ship to get Clemson into the College Football Playoff.
Allar stuck it out at Penn State. The Nittany Lions hired the right offensive coordinator. Now, they’re in the field, too.
There’s probably little use in searching for a blueprint in those journeys beyond a simple understanding that most players get better with age and experience.
“Just going through it, you learn from those mistakes you made,” Allar said. “You gain perspective.”
Sometimes, the portal is the best path to figuring things out. Sometimes, a coach can’t wait for the seeds planted today to blossom when he also faces the threat of being fired. And sometimes, on increasingly rare occasions, there’s a player like Klubnik or Allar, who sticks it out just long enough for the pieces to finally click into place at the same school where the journey began.
The point, perhaps, is that the job is hard, and no one has the perfect blueprint. It’s just about knowing the right guy when you see him.
“I wasn’t where I wanted to be last year,” Klubnik said, “and I’m not where I want to be this year. I still see things I want to get better at.”
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Pete Thamel, Senior College Sports Insider
In a dramatic shift, the Ivy League’s football teams are now going to be able to compete for FCS football national championships, sources told ESPN.
Starting in the 2025 season, the Ivy League teams will now be able to play in the FCS postseason, sources said.
Football had loomed as the only sport that Ivy League teams could not compete for NCAA national championships in. The league had long ended its season at the end of the regular season.
Per sources, the Ivy League has confirmed with the NCAA that the league’s winner will get an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs starting in 2025.
The genesis for the change for the Ivy League to play in FCS playoffs came via a proposal from Ivy League student athletes, per sources.
And the proposal from the league’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) was approved Tuesday by a vote of the Ivy League Council of Presidents.
There’s lots to love about the 12-team playoff (unless you’re Alabama), but at the top of the list is this: We get three times as much star power this year.
In the four-team era, the country wouldn’t get to see the explosiveness of Ashton Jeanty or the brute force of Cam Skattebo or the all-around brilliance of Tyler Warren. The stage is bigger, so the stars can shine brighter.
With that in mind, ESPN’s Bill Connelly, David Hale, Chris Low, Adam Rittenberg and Paolo Uggetti combed through the rosters of all 12 playoff teams to rank the top 50 players of the College Football Playoff.
This isn’t a ranking of the stars who accomplished the most in the regular season, per se, though that plays a part. It’s also not necessarily a ranking of the players who will put up the biggest numbers over the next seven weeks. Consider it more of a viewer’s guide: When you tune in for the College Football Playoff, these are the 50 players you won’t want to miss. — David Hale
WR, Clemson, sophomore
2024 stats: 838 yards, 10 TDs
After a breakout freshman season in 2022, Williams missed all but five games last year. The time away did little to hamper his development, however, and he returned in 2024 with a vengeance. He finished the season as the only player in the country with at least 800 receiving yards, 100 rushing yards and 100 punt return yards, and he also added a passing touchdown to his résumé, too. Williams was Clemson’s most consistent receiver, catching 10 touchdown passes and hauling in at least five passes in each of the Tigers’ final six games. His 18-yard grab on the final scrimmage play of the ACC championship game set up the game-winning field goal that launched Clemson into the playoff. — Hale
OL, Arizona State, senior
2024 stats: No sacks allowed
ASU’s offensive MVP in 2023, the center returned to Tempe for his senior season and became one of the rocks of the Big 12’s surprise team. Starting all 13 games, he was credited with only eight blown blocks all season — five pressures and three blown run blocks — and he will finish his career having earned all-conference votes in three separate conferences: the Mountain West (with UNLV), Pac-12 and Big 12. He’s a modern success story. — Bill Connelly
DB, Georgia, senior
2024 stats: 46 solo tackles, 1 FF, 3 PDs, 2 INTs
While Bulldogs safeties Malaki Starks and KJ Bolden were five-star recruits, Jackson had zero stars as a senior at North Hall High School in Gainesville, Georgia. Jackson wasn’t even an invited walk-on when he joined the Bulldogs in 2019. Remarkably, on a defense littered with future NFL players the past few seasons, Jackson started 18 games. This season, the hard-hitting safety had 60 tackles, 1½ tackles for loss, 2 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery. The sixth-year senior made one of the biggest plays of the season when he forced Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King to fumble with about two minutes left in regulation. Georgia won 44-42 in overtime. — Mark Schlabach
DE, Boise State, senior
2024 stats: 23 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks
After spending much of his childhood in Egypt, Hassanein has blossomed into one of the best defensive players in college football. He was named first-team All-Mountain West for a second straight year after finishing the regular season with 8.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. — Kyle Bonagura
DB, Indiana, sophomore
2024 stats: 35 solo tackles, 2 INTs, 9 PDs
Ponds delivered one of the more memorable plays in Indiana’s breakthrough season, a 65-yard pick-six against Washington before a raucous crowd on a weekend where ESPN’s “College GameDay” went to Bloomington for just the second time. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Ponds had two interceptions against Washington and finished the season with 53 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team. Ponds, a first-team All-Big Ten selection who joined Curt Cignetti at IU from James Madison, led the Hoosiers with nine pass breakups and also blocked a punt against Michigan State that resulted in a safety. — Adam Rittenberg
S, Penn State, senior
2024 stats: 43 solo tackles, 1 FF, 3 INTs, 3 PDs
He has lined up as a safety, a nickelback, an outside linebacker and an inside linebacker. He leads Penn State’s defense in tackles and has generated 6 pressures and 1.5 sacks in 30 pass rushes. He also has made seven run stops (at or behind the line of scrimmage) and has picked off three passes with three breakups in coverage. He is the kind of senior leader every good defense needs. — Connelly
QB, Arizona State, freshman
2024 stats: 2,663 yards, 24 TDs, 5 INTs
As important as Cam Skattebo was, Leavitt wasn’t far behind. The Sun Devils were 11-1 with him as the starter and have not lost a game he has played since Sept. 21, a span of eight games to end the regular season. Leavitt threw for 2,663 yards with 24 touchdowns to five interceptions and his QBR (81.6) ranked No. 11 in college football. — Bonagura
QB, Notre Dame, senior
2024 stats: 2,092 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs
At first, his tenure as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback was defined by a dismal loss to Northern Illinois. But since Week 3, he has been the seventh-best quarterback in college football (and third best in the CFP) based on Total QBR. He has topped 80 non-sack rushing yards four times, he has completed 68% of his passes with 16 TDs and only three interceptions since NIU, and most importantly, Notre Dame is 10-0 since then, too. — Connelly
QB, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 2,860 yards, 27 TDs, 8 INTs
A transfer from Kansas State, Howard stepped into a high-profile role and generally handled himself well. He completed 72.3% of his passes for 2,860 yards and 27 touchdowns. Howard had some tough moments in Ohio State’s losses to Oregon and Michigan, and even in a win at Penn State, but his accuracy stands out, and he rushed for touchdowns in seven games. A third-team All-Big Ten selection, Howard had multiple touchdown passes in 10 of 12 games and has 66 touchdown passes over the past three seasons. — Rittenberg
LB, Notre Dame, senior
2024 stats: 37 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF
No player in Notre Dame’s storied history has appeared in more games wearing an Irish uniform than Kiser, who is up to 66 in his sixth year with the program. A team captain this fall, he leads Notre Dame with 66 tackles, including three for loss and one sack, and he has added a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and three quarterback hurries. The 6-2, 231-pound Kiser anchors a Notre Dame defense that ranks third nationally in fewest points allowed and has fueled the team’s CFP run. — Rittenberg
S, SMU, junior
2024 stats: 51 solo tackles, 3 INTs, 3 PDs
An all-around ball hawk, Nwokobia emerged as one of the best defensive players in the ACC in the Mustangs’ first season in the league. Nwokobia took the next step after being selected MVP in the American championship game a year ago, finishing second on the team with 96 total tackles, with 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups and 2 quarterback hurries. His interception in the end zone late against Louisville helped seal one of their best wins of the season. — Andrea Adelson
DL, Tennessee, junior
2024 stats:17 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 FFs
The 6-3, 245-pound junior edge rusher is the highest-graded defender in the SEC (minimum 150 snaps), according to Pro Football Focus. Josephs is second on Tennessee’s team with nine tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries, and he leads the team with three forced fumbles. Josephs had some of his best games in two of the Vols’ biggest wins, including a career-best three quarterback hurries in the win over Alabama and a career-best seven tackles (1.5 for loss) in an overtime win against Florida. — Chris Low
QB, Penn State, junior
2024 stats: 2,894 yards. 21 TDs, 7 INTs
A year ago, the knock on Allar was a lack of big-play performance. His overall numbers were impressive — 25 touchdown passes and only two picks — but after he completed less than half of his passes against Ohio State and Michigan, the enthusiasm was diminished. In the offseason, Penn State brought in new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and the results have been encouraging. Allar’s yards-per-attempt went from 6.8 in 2023 to 8.9 in 2024, while his completion percentage ballooned from 60% last seaosn to nearly 70% this season. — Hale
RB, Oregon, junior
2024 stats: 1,253 yards, 15 TDs
James was a was a second-team All-Big Ten selection after rushing for 1,253 yards with 15 touchdowns. James was a model of consistency rushing for between 83 and 121 yards in 11 of the Ducks’ 13 games and was held out of the end zone in only two games. — Bonagura
DE, Oregon, sophomore
2024 stats: 23 solo tackles, 10.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
Many expected a breakout sophomore season from Uiagaleielei, who showed plenty of flashes of greatness during limited action in his freshman campaign, and he did just that. Uiagaleilei totaled 10.5 sacks, nearly one per game, and good for eighth-most of any player in the country. The sophomore added 23 solo tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception, solidifying himself as one of the best defenders in the forthcoming playoff field, and in the country. — Paolo Uggetti
DL, Clemson, sophomore
2024 stats: 15 solo tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF
He’s 315 pounds of pure O-lineman-eating machine, and this season, Clemson lined him up on the edge. The results were mixed. Woods finished the regular season with only three sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, battling some injuries along the way and sitting out two games. But the upside remains incredible. Woods moves like a player half his size, and even when he’s not making the sack, he’s commanding the attention of opposing offenses, often freeing up rush lanes for his partner in crime, T.J. Parker. In the opener against Texas, he’ll probably have his share of head-to-head battles with Kelvin Banks, setting up one of the most intriguing matchups of the postseason. — Hale
OL, Oregon, junior
2024 stats: 1.4% pressure pct
A first-team All-Big Ten tackle, Conerly was the standout member of an Oregon offensive line that ranked No. 7 nationally in points per drive (3.05). No Power 4 quarterback with as many dropbacks as Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel (439) was sacked fewer times than he was (13), leading a balanced offensive attack. — Bonagura
DE, Boise State, sophomore
2024 stats: 20 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 1 FF
With so much attention on Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos’ offense this season, what has gone under the radar is Boise’s defense and more specifically, the play of defensive end Virgin-Morgan, who has been a force. The sophomore from San Diego didn’t have a single sack in his first season in Boise, but this season he turned the backfield into his playground and recorded 10 sacks. At 6-3, 245 pounds, Virgin-Morgan is one of the more dynamic players in the playoff and certainly one who deserves more of the spotlight. — Uggetti
DE, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 20 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 INT
Sawyer nearly came up with the game-changing play, intercepting a pass at the goal line in the fourth quarter against Michigan, but the Wolverines wound up winning anyway 13-10. Sawyer has had an impactful senior season, with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles on the way to earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. — Jake Trotter
LB, Clemson, senior
2024 stats: 39 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks
Carter opted to return to Clemson for one season, and the move paid off. A Butkus Award finalist and first-team All-ACC selection, Carter again made an impact on defense. Carter racked up 76 total tackles — including 10.5 tackles for loss while adding seven pass breakups and seven passes defended. There’s a reason coach Dabo Swinney calls him “one of the best pure football players I’ve had in 20 years.” — Adelson
QB, SMU, sophomore
2024 stats: 3,050 yards, 22 TDs, 8 INTs
When coach Rhett Lashlee decided to elevate Jennings as his starter midway through the BYU game in Week 3, you could say the decision changed the trajectory of the Mustangs’ season. Jennings went 9-1 as the starter, coming up just short in a 34-31 loss to Clemson in the ACC title game. On the season, Jennings threw for 3,050 yards, 22 touchdowns and 8 interceptions while adding 529 yards rushing and six scores. — Adelson
LB, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 31 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 1 FF
Simon can be overshadowed by Ohio State’s other big-name players, but he is quietly having a fantastic senior season. Though only a third-team All-Big Ten selection, the team captain is second on Ohio State with 74 tackles and five sacks. Simon came up with several huge plays late to help the Buckeyes stave off an upset bid from Nebraska in a 21-17 victory in late October. — Trotter
LB, Indiana, junior
2024 stats: 44 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks
Fisher became the engine of Indiana’s improvement on defense under coordinator Bryant Haines. He finished third in the Big Ten with 108 tackles, recording eight or more in eight games. Fisher earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and had four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also became an immediate leader for a defense that led the nation against the run and was No. 6 in fewest points allowed. — Rittenberg
DB, Georgia, junior
2024 stats:48 solo tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs
Georgia’s coaches asked Starks to wear multiple hats in the secondary this season, as the junior lined up at safety and the star position. He led the Bulldogs with 73 tackles to go with 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception and 3 pass breakups. Starks’ instincts and versatility are a big reason why he’s considered the top safety in next year’s NFL draft. According to PFF, he lined up 252 times in the slot, 190 in the box and 385 on the back end of the defense. He missed six tackles in 843 snaps. — Schlabach
QB, Clemson, junior
2024 stats: 3,303 yards, 33 TDs, 5 INTs
Consistency was the biggest issue for Klubnik in his first season as Clemson’s starter in 2023, but he has been a steady performer week in and week out, particularly when it comes to using his legs. Klubnik rushed for 458 yards and seven touchdowns this season to go with more than 3,300 yards passing. His 33 touchdown throws rank third nationally, his 6.60 TD-to-INT ratio was best in FBS, and his 78.9 Total QBR ranks third among playoff QBs, trailing only Dillon Gabriel and Carson Beck. — Hale
OL, Georgia, senior
2024 stats: 0.4% pressure pct
It was no coincidence that Georgia’s offensive line did a better job protecting quarterback Carson Beck once Ratledge returned to the starting lineup. The 6-6, 320-pound senior sat out four games after undergoing surgery on his right ankle on Sept. 17. He played every snap in the Bulldogs’ 31-17 win over Tennessee on Nov. 16. Georgia didn’t allow the Volunteers’ vaunted defense to record a sack, and Ratledge was selected SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his effort. He gave up one sack and three quarterback hurries in 436 snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus. — Schlabach
DB, Texas, senior
2024 stats: 33 solo tackles, 1 FF, 4 INTs, 5 PDs
The 6-0, 190-pound Austin native, who transferred back to Texas after three years at Clemson, is a physical hitter who helped stabilize the Longhorns’ pass defense, which ranked 116th last season and No. 1 this season (143.1 YPG). He had 52 tackles (four for loss) with four interceptions this season, and led the Longhorns in tackles against Georgia in the SEC championship game with 11. — Dave Wilson
OL, Ohio State, senior
2024 stats: 250 snaps at both LT and LG
Jackson’s versatility helped the Buckeyes weather the season-ending injury to left tackle Josh Simmons. After Jackson slid from left guard to left tackle, the Buckeyes defeated Penn State, then Indiana to earn the home playoff game. Regardless of position, Jackson has given up only seven quarterback pressures and three sacks all season. — Trotter
DL, Indiana, junior
2024 stats: 19 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 2 FFs
The James Madison transfer who followed coach Curt Cignetti to IU filled several roles, including pass rushing, where Kamara thrived. He finished second in the Big Ten in both tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (10), while earning first-team all-conference honors. Kamara became the first Indiana player to record 10 or more sacks since Jammie Kirlew in 2008, and has now recorded a tackle for loss in 30 of 35 career games. Kamara also forced two fumbles and had three fumble recoveries. — Rittenberg
DB, Tennessee, sophomore
2024 stats: 22 solo tackles, 4 INTs, 7 PDs
The Vols picked up McCoy in the transfer portal from Oregon State, and he has been a key addition on a defense that has given up more than 19 points in a game only once this season. The 6-0, 193-pound sophomore was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist as the top defensive back in college football, and he is second in the SEC with 13 passes defended and tied for second with four interceptions. He’s a lockdown cover cornerback who has made several game-changing plays for the Vols. — Low
DL, Tennessee, junior
2024 stats: 20 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 FF
After a slower start, mostly because of added attention from opposing offenses, Pearce played his best football down the stretch and leads all SEC defenders with 52 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. With 110 career pressures in three seasons at Tennessee, the 6-5, 243-pound junior edge rusher leads the Vols with 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks this season. He has registered at least half a tackle for loss in eight straight games. — Low
S, Ohio State, sophomore
2024 stats: 33 solo tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs
Downs has made an impact in his first season at Ohio State, both on defense and special teams. Downs, the SEC Freshman of the Year last season at Alabama before transferring, is third on the Buckeyes with 61 tackles to go along with two sacks and an interception. He also had a punt return touchdown that ignited a 38-15 rout of Indiana. — Trotter
RB, SMU, senior
2024 stats: 1,270 yards, 14 TDs
Smith made the switch from receiver to running back this season and found a different gear — posting the best season of his career after transferring from Miami. He earned a spot on the All-ACC first team with 1,270 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, adding 303 yards receiving and four scores. His ability to make explosive plays helped transform the Mustangs’ offense into one of the most dynamic in the country. — Adelson
DE, Clemson, sophomore
2024 stats: 32 solo tackles, 11 sacks, 6 FFs
The sophomore defensive end made a huge impact along the Tigers’ front, with 19 tackles for loss to rank No. 6 in the country, and 11 sacks to rank No. 11. His performance in the second half of the season is where he really made his mark. In his past seven games, Parker has 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 16 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage and 32 tackles — including eight and 3.5 tackles for loss in the ACC championship game. — Adelson
QB, Indiana, sophomore
2024 stats: 2,827 yards, 27 TDs, 4 INTs
The Ohio transfer anchored Indiana’s efficient and powerful offense, completing 70.4% of his passes for 2,827 yards with 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He had touchdown passes in 10 of the 11 games he played, and had a 74% or better completion rate six times, while spreading the ball to Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr. and others. Rourke earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and tied a team single-game record with six touchdown passes in a rout of rival Purdue. — Rittenberg
WR, Oregon, senior
2024 stats: 78 receptions, 866 yards, 10 TDs
After a 1,182-yard season while catching passes from Bo Nix last season, it was going to be difficult for Johnson to top that in 2024. Despite not having Nix under center and having to acclimate to a new quarterback while Oregon added transfer wideout Evan Stewart, Johnson didn’t miss a beat. The senior from Alabama was still the Ducks’ leading pass catcher (866 yards and 10 touchdowns) despite sitting out two games because of injury only to have his best game of the season in the Big Ten title game with 181 yards and a touchdown. — Uggetti
DL, Oregon, junior
2024 stats: 24 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 2 FFs
Much like his QB Dillon Gabriel, Harmon has made the most of his transfer decision. After three years at Michigan State, Harmon arrived in Eugene with the expectation he would wreak havoc on the Ducks’ defensive line. He has done exactly that and more. In 13 games, Harmon has 42 tackles, 24 solo tackles, 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles — all of them career highs. Oregon’s defense hasn’t been underrated, but it’s worth noting that its consistency has been largely anchored by Harmon’s play. — Uggetti
S, Notre Dame, senior
2024 stats: 31 solo tackles, 1 FF, 5 INTs, 8 PDs
A year ago, Watts won the Bronko Nagurski trophy as the nation’s best defender, and yet in 2024, he was almost certainly better. Though his interception total dipped from seven to five, that was still tied for third most nationally. Meanwhile, Watts gave up only nine completions — and no TDs — as the primary defender in coverage this season, while racking up 14 passes defended, 11th most in the country. He also tallied 49 tackles, three QB hurries and a forced fumble as the centerpiece of Notre Dame’s exceptional secondary. — Hale
LB, Georgia, junior
2024 stats: 35 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks
The junior won the Butkus Award as the sport’s top linebacker after totaling 57 tackles, 10½ tackles for loss, 6½ sacks and 2 fumble recoveries this season. Texas will probably be happy to see the projected NFL first-round pick turn pro. Walker had seven tackles and three sacks in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 30-15 win at Texas on Oct. 19, then had three tackles for loss and one sack in a 22-19 overtime victory against the Longhorns in the SEC championship game. — Schlabach
RB, Notre Dame, sophomore
2024 stats: 949 yards, 15 TDs
He shares a backfield with the almost equally brilliant Jadarian Price, so his carry totals don’t match those of other backs, but college football’s 2024 hurdles champion proves his awesomeness with every touch, averaging 7.1 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown on every 9.2 carries or receptions. And of the 46 players with at least 900 rushing yards, Love’s 4.1 yards per carry after contact are second to only Ashton Jeanty. — Connelly
WR, Ohio State, freshman
2024 stats: 57 receptions, 934 yards, 10 TDs
The Big Ten Freshman and Receiver of the Year shattered all of Cris Carter’s Ohio State true freshman receiving records set in 1984. On a Buckeyes offense loaded with playmakers, Smith is the most dangerous, highlighted by an ability to bring down one-handed catches or break off big runs after the catch. — Trotter
LB, Texas, sophomore
2024 stats: 47 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 4 FFs, 1 INT
The 6-3, 235-pound sophomore linebacker is an every-down, sideline-to-sideline star. He led Texas in tackles (90), tackles for loss (16), forced fumbles (4), and he was second in sacks (7.5). He added an interception, four hurries and a fumble recovery to his stat line this fall. — Wilson
RB, Tennessee, junior
2024 stats: 1,485 yards, 22 TDs
Sampson has been the cornerstone of Tennessee’s offense and one of the more consistent running backs in the country. The 5-11, 201-pound junior has 1,485 rushing yards and set the school record with 22 rushing touchdowns. Sampson became the second Tennessee player to have 10 rushing games of 100-plus yards in a season, and 1,051 of his yards came against SEC competition. He was selected as the 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the conference’s coaches. — Low
DB, Texas, senior
2024 stats: 32 solo tackles, 5 INT, 9 PDs
Barron, a fifth-year senior, won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back. He has 36 career starts for the Longhorns, and he led the SEC in interceptions this season with five, while leading Texas in passes broken up (nine). He added 47 total tackles, a sack and a forced fumble for the nation’s best pass defense that gave up only 143.1 yards per game and 5.1 yards per pass attempt, with just four passing TDs allowed all season. — Wilson
DE, Penn State, junior
2024 stats: 37 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 2 FFs
It’s sometimes hard to stand out on a really good defense. Carter doesn’t have that problem. The junior from Philadelphia ranks first on the Nittany Lions’ defense in tackles for loss (20), sacks (10), pressures (49), run stops (14) and is second in both tackles against the run and tackles against the pass. He’s third nationally in TFLs and fifth in pressures, too. He’s a do-everything star for a do-everything defense. — Connelly
OL, Texas, junior
2024 stats: gave up only 1 pressure
The 6-4, 320-pound junior won the Outland Trophy and started 39 straight games at left tackle. He helped three Texas running backs record 100-yard games this season, and he was the centerpiece for an offense averaging 6.2 yards per play, 164.4 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry with 21 TDs, while also ranking 13th in passing offense (281 YPG). — Wilson
TE, Penn State, senior
2024 stats: 88 receptions, 1,062 yards, 6 TDs
In any season that didn’t include Travis Hunter, odds are Warren would be considered the clear-cut best all-around player in college football. Penn State used him all over the field offensively, lining him up at tight end, halfback, receiver and even quarterback. Warren finished the regular season with 1,062 receiving yards and six TD catches, 191 rushing yards and four TD runs, and, for good measure, 35 passing yards and a touchdown throw. He’s the first non-QB since Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden to rack up 1,200 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in a season in which he also threw, ran and caught at least one TD. — Hale
RB, Arizona State, senior
2024 stats: 1,568 yards, 19 TDs
Skattebo was a revelation in Arizona State’s monumental turnaround, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to rush for at least 1,500 yards and have more than 500 yards receiving in the same season. He trailed only Ashton Jeanty in yards from scrimmage this season (2,074) and finished with 22 touchdowns, including nine in his past three games. — Bonagura
QB, Oregon, senior
2024 stats: 3,558 yards, 28 TDs, 6 INTs
The journeyman of college football found his way to Eugene this season and his decision to return to college could not have gone much better. After a stellar year at Oklahoma, Gabriel seamlessly fit into Oregon’s offense and led the Ducks to an undefeated season while completing 73.2% of his passes (the best mark of his college career) for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns. Beyond the numbers, Gabriel has yet to meet a stage too big for him this season — some of his best games have come against Oregon’s toughest opponents, and his experience across six years of college football is bound to be crucial come playoff time. — Uggetti
RB, Boise State, junior
2024 stats: 2,497 yards, 29 TDs
There’s not much more to be said about Jeanty that hasn’t been said this season and yet, it bears repeating, reemphasizing and reiterating just what kind of year Jeanty has put together. Jeanty carried the ball 344 times this season for 2,497 yards (7.3 yards per carry) and 29 touchdowns. It is arguably the best single season by a running back since Barry Sanders in 1988 when he ran for 2,850 yards. His play has been a crucial part for why Boise State finds itself with a place in the College Football Playoff and a first-round bye. Whichever team the Broncos face in the Fiesta Bowl will have to try its best to do what no one else has been able to. Perhaps Jeanty himself said it best, on a recent podcast appearance: “The whole defense, every single week, is geared toward stopping me, and they still couldn’t.” — Uggetti
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