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The 2024 bowl season is underway, with several games already in the books.

Our college football experts provide their thoughts on all 36 bowl matchups, including key storylines to follow and a player to keep an eye on in every game, followed by a takeaway and the MVP as games conclude.

Get ready, because it’s the best time of the year!

Jump to bowl games:
Takeaways | Previews

Takeaways

Takeaway: Never say the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl doesn’t give you your money’s worth. In the fourth quarter and overtime alone, we got two missed go-ahead field goals (one from each team), three quick overtime touchdowns, endless overtime trickery from NIU and, eventually, a crushing, game-winning fourth-down sack from Jordan Hansen to give the Huskies a 28-20 victory. And after the celebrations and french fry baths, we got the winning team lifting Spuddy Buddy on its shoulders. What else could you possibly want from your bowl experience? The ending was worth it, but both teams had chances to seize the game in regulation. Fresno State led 13-3 at halftime, but NIU scored 10 points early in the second half — including six on a beautiful 26-yard touchdown catch from Grayson Barnes — to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter. NIU drove the length of the field late but settled for a 35-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-1 (violating the swashbuckling spirit of the Potato Bowl) and missed with 3:02 left. Then Fresno State missed a 34-yarder at the buzzer, too. Destiny demanded overtime, and the Huskies took all the potato glory.

MVP: Josh Holst. The freshman quarterback threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns, led NIU with 65 rushing yards and caught a 2-point conversion pass in the second OT. — Bill Connelly


Takeaway: With Coastal Carolina playing at home, and UTSA having lost each of its six road games this season, Monday’s game between 6-6 teams figured to be competitive. But the Chanticleers were decimated by losses in the transfer portal, including their top two quarterbacks, as well as a few star players on defense. After a slow start in the first quarter, UTSA scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to take a 21-0 lead at the half. The Roadrunners added two field goals in the third quarter. After Coastal Carolina finally got on the scoreboard on Tad Hudson‘s 50-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Graves on the first play of the fourth quarter, UTSA answered with Chris Carpenter’s 93-yard kickoff return for a score to make it 34-7. The highlight of the game came when UTSA players celebrated Jakevian Rodgers‘ interception on a fake punt by jumping into the makeshift beach at Brooks Stadium. They were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was one of 10 such penalties in the game. After starting 3-5, the Roadrunners won four of their past five games to finish 7-6. After starting 4-1, the Chanticleers dropped six of their last eight to finish 6-7.

MVP: UTSA quarterback Owen McCown accounted for touchdowns passing and running, completing 23 of 30 passes for 254 yards with one TD pass and one interception. He also ran four times for 37 yards with one touchdown, helping the Roadrunners set bowl records for points and total yards (513). — Mark Schlabach


Takeaway: It took a while for Florida to get going on offense, as DJ Lagway struggled at times — throwing two interceptions, including one in the red zone. Indeed, the early trips to the red zone ended in field goals — keeping Tulane in the game. But once the Gators started converting their long drives into touchdowns in the second half, they put the game out of reach. Tulane struggled without quarterback Darian Mensah, who has already transferred to Duke. The Gators, meanwhile, rolled up 529 yards — the most against an FBS team this year — and Lagway ended up throwing for 305 yards, moving to 6-1 as the starter this season. The defense was stellar, with three interceptions and a near shutout, giving up a touchdown with 29 seconds left. Florida finishes the season with eight wins for the first time since 2020 — a somewhat unexpected result considering the way the season began. But since athletic director Scott Stricklin announced Billy Napier would return for 2025 in early November, Florida went 4-1 — including a four-game winning streak to end the season. Lagway returns next season, along with his top receivers and young running backs, too. There should be reason for optimism in Gainesville based on the way the season ended and who is set to come back.

MVP: Desmond Watson. The 449-pound defensive lineman had multiple viral moments — lifting Tulane’s running back in the air to make a tackle, then later in the game, carrying the ball and gaining a yard on third-and-1 to pick up the first down. –-Andrea Adelson


Takeaway: The Bobcats took a 20-point lead at the half and then held on in the final two quarters for their seventh straight victory. After the Gamecocks pulled within a field goal with about 3½ minutes left, Ohio ran out the rest of the clock with a long drive. It was an impressive debut for Ohio coach Brian Smith, who was promoted from offensive coordinator on Wednesday after Tim Albin left for Charlotte. The Bobcats captured 11 victories in a campaign for the first time in the 63-year history of the program. They’ve also won six straight bowl games; their last loss was at the 2016 Dollar General Bowl. After punting on each of its first two possessions in the Cure Bowl, Ohio scored touchdowns on four of its next five to grab a 27-7 lead at the half. The Bobcats piled up 309 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes, including 153 rushing. Jacksonville State, which won a Conference USA title in its second season as an FBS member, didn’t put up much of a fight in the first half. The Gamecocks were led by interim coach Rod Smith, after former coach Rich Rodriguez agreed to return to West Virginia. Jacksonville State is hiring Auburn defensive coordinator Charles Kelly to replace Rodriguez, sources told ESPN on Friday. The Gamecocks had only 8 rushing yards and five first downs in the first half. They had more than a dozen players enter the transfer portal after Rodriguez’s departure, including top edge rusher Reginald Hughes (Colorado) and safety Zechariah Poyser (Miami), who didn’t play against Ohio.

MVP: Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro, who was the offensive MVP of the MAC championship game, accounted for four touchdowns in the first half against Jacksonville State, scoring on three runs and throwing an 11-yard pass to running back Anthony Tyus III. — Mark Schlabach


Takeaway: Sam Houston captured its first bowl victory as an FBS team. The Bearkats nabbed three first-half interceptions that they turned into 14 points. QB Hunter Watson had 14 straight completions at one point in the first half, tying the New Orleans Bowl record previously set by Louisiana’s Terrance Broadway in 2014. Sam Houston’s defense and special teams continued to overwhelm Georgia Southern in the second half, intercepting JC French a fourth time and forcing a fumble on a punt return. The Bearkats put the finishing touches on what would become a 10-3 season with a strong defensive performance against one of the better teams in the Sun Belt this season.

MVP: Sam Houston DB Jaylon Jimmerson had his first and second interceptions with the Bearkats in this game, and it’s part of what helped them build a 21-7 lead in the first half. He also had nine total tackles and a TFL. — Harry Lyles Jr.


Takeaway: It would have been easy for UNLV to not show up for this one. After finishing off a 10-3 season during which two of their losses came to the same team (Boise State) with the second one preventing them from making the College Football Playoff, plus watching their head coach Barry Odom take the Purdue job, not many would have blamed the Rebels for being beaten by a feisty Cal team. Instead, interim head coach Del Alexander stepped up and kept UNLV rolling as it forced two turnovers and limited the Bears to only 13 points. The Rebels had the seventh-best turnover margin in the nation this season and looked the part of a top-25 team all year long. Incoming head coach Dan Mullen will have a lot to live up to after an 11-win season and the program’s first bowl win since 2000.

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UNLV executes fake punt to perfection

UNLV’s Marshall Nichols fakes a punt and shovels a pass to Greg Burrell for 52 yards vs. California.

MVP: UNLV’s Marshall Nichols punted the ball eight times Wednesday night, but he’ll be remembered for his arm after pulling off an incredible fake-punt pass play that was drawn up and executed to perfection. — Paolo Uggetti


Boca Raton Bowl: James Madison 27, Western Kentucky 17

Takeaway: Taylor Thompson hauled in the winning touchdown with superhero flair, and Khairi Manns finished off the Hilltoppers with the defensive play of the night. With the score tied in the fourth quarter, Thompson capped off JMU’s 75-yard drive by snagging a pass in the end zone over the top of Western Kentucky linebacker Terreance Ellis. After keeping his body in bounds, Thompson slapped his own helmet three times, then jumped and flashed his hands as if he were shooting Spider-Man webs. The acrobatic score gave JMU a 24-17 lead. Later in the fourth quarter, Manns ended Western Kentucky’s last chance to tie the score. He beat the blocker off the edge, swatted the ball out of the hands of quarterback Caden Veltkamp and recovered the fumble himself. The Dukes finished 9-4 including their first bowl win, an impressive accomplishment for a program that lost coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana and several key players from last season’s team.

MVP: JC Evans. According to ESPN Research, the freshman quarterback became the first FBS player since Washington’s Richard Newton (2019) to rush for a touchdown and also throw a touchdown on his only passing attempt in a bowl game. — Jake Trotter


Takeaway: A game that began with three straight drives resulting in punts turned into an offensive shootout as the Tigers and Mountaineers combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense and 79 points.

While 10-2 Memphis looked to be in control, going up by as many as 18 in the third quarter, West Virginia scored back-to-back touchdowns to get back in it. The Tigers added another touchdown to go up five points in the fourth. That’s when the fun began. A 50-yard field goal that would have sealed the result for Memphis missed with under a minute left. Then, WVU quarterback Garrett Greene threw what looked to be a game-deciding interception, but Elijah Herring appeared to fumble the ball giving interim coach Rod Smith one last chance to give West Virginia the improbable win before the Rich Rodriguez era begins again. Not so fast. A replay review then determined Herring was sliding and thus, ruled down before the fumble, put an end to the madness and gave Memphis’ head coach Ryan Silverfield an 11-win campaign and a bath of iced coffee his players joyously dumped on him. This is what bowl season is all about!

MVP: Memphis wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee. The senior had one of the best games of the season, totaling a game-high 120 receiving yards, including an 89-yard chunk play, an 18-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion. — Uggetti


Takeaway: After picking up their first bowl win in school history a year ago, the Jaguars added No. 2 with a convincing win against Western Michigan to cap their first season under coach Major Applewhite. Early in the season, it didn’t seem like this was likely. South Alabama went 2-4 to open the season before winning four of five — with a win against Louisiana — to reach bowl eligibility.

Shortly before the game began, it was reported that South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez would not play against Western Michigan as he continues to deal with a turf toe injury. This gave Bishop Davenport the opportunity to make his second start of the season and first since a 27-20 loss to Ohio in the second week of the season. The Jaguars got off to a slow start, falling behind 10-0, but they went on a 23-3 run to take control.

MVP: Davenport. The fill-in starter completed 15 of 24 passes for 271 yards with two scores and ran for 85 yards on 11 carries with a 50-yard touchdown run. — Kyle Bonagura


Takeaway: Things looked promising early for Jackson State despite running back and SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Irv Mulligan having just 29 yards on 13 carries (with a touchdown) in the first half, and two other touchdowns wiped off because of penalties. The Tigers took a 14-0 lead into the break, with South Carolina State unable to find a rhythm on offense. It was much of the same in the second half, as the Bulldogs came out flat, perhaps a product of rust, having not played a game since Nov. 23. Jackson State’s defense was stout throughout the game, holding South Carolina State’s offense to just 212 total yards.

Despite Chennis Berry leading South Carolina State to a Celebration Bowl appearance in his first year, replacing the legendary Buddy Pough, it was T.C. Taylor’s team that came out with more vigor in avenging its 2021 loss in this same football game to the Bulldogs. The win was also Jackson State’s first in the Cricket Celebration Bowl, after losing consecutive appearances during the Coach Prime era in 2021 and 2022.

MVP: Sophomore WR Joanes Fortilien had seven receptions for 55 yards, including two great touchdown grabs and one last catch to seal the game for Jackson State. — Lyles Jr.


Previews

Hawai’i Bowl
Honolulu
Dec. 24, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

South Florida
Season storyline: After a surprising seven-win campaign in 2023, USF entered 2024 as a sleeper pick for the AAC title but faceplanted out of the gates, starting 2-4. Alex Golesh’s Bulls rallied, however, winning four of their last six to clinch bowl eligibility. After averaging just 23.5 points per game in the first half of the season, they improved to 39.3 per game over the back half. They can still match last year’s seven-win tally, which, for a program that won just eight total games from 2019 to ’22, is still a pretty big deal.

Player to watch: RB Kelley Joiner. When he thrives, USF wins. Joiner averaged 9.4 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns in the Bulls’ six wins and 2.9 yards per carry with no scores in their losses. Quarterback Bryce Archie found a solid rhythm down the stretch, too, but Joiner is the team’s X-factor.

San José State
Season storyline: Seven is becoming an awfully common number in San José. SJSU won seven games in three of Brent Brennan’s past four years in charge and finished 7-5 in Ken Niumatalolo’s first regular season succeeding Brennan. With a bowl victory, however, it would reach eight wins for the first time since 2012. That would be a deserved plaudit for a team that came achingly close to big things: The Spartans lost by nine combined points at Washington State and Colorado State and gave Boise State and UNLV fits at home before fading late. A 34-31 win over Stanford did salvage some late-season joy, and a bowl win would add to that.

Player to watch: LB Jordan Pollard. The junior from Los Angeles leads the team in tackles, tackles for loss and run stops. With tackles Soane Toia and Gafa Faga eating up blockers up front and Pollard roaming from sideline to sideline, the Spartans have put together one of the better run defenses in the Group of 5, allowing just 4.1 yards per carry (not including sacks), which ranks 18th nationally. — Connelly

ESPN BET early line: San José State -2.5


Pittsburgh
Season storyline: The Panthers had a season of two halves. Behind quarterback Eli Holstein, Pitt won its first seven games, culminating with a 41-13 rout of Syracuse, to jump to 18th in the polls. But then Holstein suffered an ankle injury, and the Panthers remarkably didn’t win again, dropping their final five games of the season in a late collapse. Overall, 7-5 was a solid year for Pitt, given the preseason expectations. But the way the season swooned down the stretch felt disappointing.

Player to watch: Senior Gavin Bartholomew is set to play his 50th career game, the most for a tight end in Pitt history. Bartholomew has 37 receptions for 303 yards and four touchdowns, all coming in Pitt’s final four games. He’s one touchdown away from tying Dorin Dickerson (2006-09) for the third-most touchdowns by a tight end in Pitt history.

Toledo
Season storyline: The Rockets started the year hot, rolling past Mississippi State 41-17 in Starkville to start 3-0. But Toledo couldn’t keep the momentum going. The Rockets, who at one point looked like the obvious MAC favorites, lost their final two conference games to fall out of contention for the MAC championship game, including an overtime defeat to rival Akron, which hadn’t defeated Toledo since 2013.

Player to watch: Both Jerjuan Newton and Junior Vandeross III earned All-MAC honors at wide receiver after combining for 137 catches and 1,712 yards. Newton, however, led the MAC with 11 touchdowns. The senior from Florida enters bowl season with 32 career touchdown catches, a Toledo record. — Jake Trotter

ESPN BET early line: Pittsburgh -9


Rate Bowl
Phoenix
Dec. 26, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Rutgers
Season storyline: The Scarlet Knights got off to a promising start, which included back-to-back, three-point victories over Virginia Tech (26-23) and Washington (21-18) in late September. But Rutgers couldn’t sustain that momentum. The Scarlet Knights went three quarters without scoring in a 14-7 loss to Nebraska, which sparked a four-game losing streak. Rutgers bounced back, though, with consecutive wins over Minnesota (26-19) and Maryland (31-17) to reach bowl eligibility. The Scarlet Knights routed Michigan State (41-14) in the regular-season finale to win seven games for the first time in a decade.

Player to watch: Kyle Monangai earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, becoming the fourth player in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in two straight seasons. Monangai finished his senior year with 1,279 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Monangai could opt out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. That would create an opportunity for freshman Antwan Raymond, who rushed for 344 yards and five touchdowns while backing up Monangai.

Kansas State
Season storyline: The Wildcats opened the year as one of the co-favorites alongside Utah to make the Big 12 championship game, and potentially, advance to the playoff. But K-State dropped three of its final four games, including one to Arizona State (24-14) and another to Iowa State (29-21), both of which advanced to the Big 12 title game instead. The Wildcats tied West Virginia for eighth in the Big 12 standings.

Player to watch: Defensive end Brendan Mott finished the regular season with a Big 12-high 8.5 sacks. He also had a fumble recovery and an interception on the way to earning Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. Mott was a former walk-on from Iowa City, Iowa. Mott’s father, Joe, was an All-Big Ten defensive end at Iowa and a third-round pick of the New York Jets in 1989. — Trotter

ESPN BET early line: Kansas State -7.5


68 Ventures Bowl
Mobile, Alabama
Dec. 26, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Arkansas State
Season storyline: Arkansas State extended coach Butch Jones’ contract through 2029 after he became the third FBS coach to lead at least four programs to bowl appearances (Jones previously coached at Tennessee, Cincinnati and Central Michigan). The Red Wolves won four of five games, beginning on Oct. 19 with a 44-28 victory over Southern Miss.

Player to watch: Trevian Thomas was Arkansas State’s lone first-team All-Sun Belt selection. The senior safety finished the regular season with 73 tackles and five interceptions, which tied for most in the league. He ensured Arkansas State’s first winning season since 2019 with an acrobatic interception to seal a 28-21 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 24.

Bowling Green
Season storyline: The Falcons emerged out of a rugged nonconference slate, which included narrow losses at Penn State (34-27) and Texas A&M (26-20), as a legitimate MAC title contender. But Bowling Green couldn’t get going offensively in a loss to Miami (Ohio) in the regular-season finale, which sent the RedHawks to the MAC title game, and the Falcons home.

Player to watch: Harold Fannin Jr. has emerged as one of the top playmakers in college football. He leads all FBS tight ends with 100 receptions for 1,342 yards to go along with nine touchdowns. Fannin topped 100 yards receiving in seven games this season. He also had a game-winning, 31-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter against Akron on Oct. 5. Fannin became just the second tight end to be named any league’s Offensive Player of the Year. He is rising up draft boards, but if he plays in the bowl game, he’ll be the best player on the field. — Trotter

ESPN BET early line: Bowling Green -6.5


Oklahoma
Season storyline: Not a lot went right for the Sooners this season. They were beset with injuries, especially at receiver, and went back and forth at quarterback between Jackson Arnold and true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. Arnold, a former five-star prospect, finished the season as the starter but has since entered the transfer portal. Oklahoma struggled on offense most of the season, and Brent Venables fired Seth Littrell as his offensive coordinator. Co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley is expected to call plays in the bowl game. The Sooners (6-6) were held to 17 or fewer points in five of their eight SEC games.

Player to watch: With Arnold in the portal, Hawkins is in line to get another shot at quarterback. He started three games after replacing Arnold in the first half of the Tennessee game and led Oklahoma to a 27-21 win over Auburn on the road in his first career start. But a few weeks later, in a blowout 35-9 home loss to South Carolina, Hawkins turned the ball over on the Sooners’ first three possessions and was benched in favor of Arnold for the rest of the season. Hawkins has passed for 536 yards and a touchdown and thrown two interceptions.

Navy
Season storyline: Navy (9-3) comes in on a high after beating 11-win Army, snapping a two-game losing streak in the storied rivalry. Navy reeled off six straight wins to open the season and moved into the AP poll. The Midshipmen won all six of those games by double digits, but then lost their next two games to Notre Dame and Rice. Navy scored 14 or fewer points in all three of its losses. Navy finished third in the AAC after being picked 11th in the preseason.

Player to watch: One of the best comeback stories of the season, Navy quarterback Blake Horvath bounced back with a vengeance in 2024 after missing the final seven games of the 2023 season with an injured thumb. Horvath, a junior, became the first Navy quarterback to pass for more than 1,000 yards in a season since 2019. In Navy’s biggest game of the season, Horvath outplayed Army QB Bryson Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman voting, with 107 yards passing, 204 yards passing and four touchdowns. For the season, he has 1,261 passing yards and 13 touchdowns and has rushed for 1,099 yards and 15 more TDs. — Chris Low

ESPN BET early line: Oklahoma -8.5


Birmingham Bowl
Birmingham, Alabama
Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Georgia Tech
Season storyline: Georgia Tech (7-5) faced a difficult schedule with three of its final five games coming against top-12 teams, and the Yellow Jackets came painfully close to pulling off one of the upsets of the year in college football. After upsetting No. 4 Miami and then beating NC State the next week, both at home, Georgia Tech lost 44-42 in eight overtimes at No. 7 Georgia in the regular-season finale. The Yellow Jackets had a chance to win it in regulation but fumbled on third down with a minute to play, leaving Georgia enough time to drive for a touchdown and force overtime.

Player to watch: Quarterback Haynes King‘s toughness was on full display all season, but never more than in the eight-overtime loss to Georgia. He became the first FBS player in history to pass for 300 yards, rush for 100 yards and have three rushing touchdowns against an AP top-10 opponent. His fumble late in regulation was a killer, but the Yellow Jackets would have never been in the game without him. King, a transfer from Texas A&M, will be without his top receiver Eric Singleton Jr., who recently entered the transfer portal

Vanderbilt
Season storyline: Clark Lea engineered an incredible turnaround this season at Vanderbilt, which has a chance to have its first winning season since 2013 if it can take down Georgia Tech in the bowl game. The Commodores lost 10 straight games to close the 2023 season, and Clark completely overhauled the program in the offseason. The results were immediate, as Vanderbilt started out 5-2 and made an appearance in the top 25 rankings. Along the way, Vanderbilt upset then-No. 1 Alabama 40-35 on Oct. 5, which was Vandy’s first win in the series in 40 years. The Commodores (6-6) seemed to run out of gas to end the season and lost their past three games.

Player to watch: Few players were more entertaining this season than quarterback Diego Pavia, whose ability to scramble and make big plays added a new dynamic to Vanderbilt’s offense. Pavia started his career in junior college at New Mexico Military Institute, then went to New Mexico State and transferred to Vanderbilt, where he led the Commodores in passing and rushing. He accounted for 23 touchdowns (17 passing and six rushing). — Low

ESPN BET early line: Georgia Tech -2.5


AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Memphis, Tennessee
Dec. 27, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Texas Tech
Season storyline: Texas Tech entered the month of November still holding onto hopes of playing in the Big 12 championship game, but those hopes were dashed by a 41-27 home loss to Colorado on Nov. 9. The Red Raiders (8-4) had several big moments and wound up beating both of the teams that did play for the Big 12 title — Arizona State and Iowa State. But in losing three of four games from Oct. 19 through Nov. 9, Texas Tech gave up a total of 135 points. Coach Joey McGuire grew up in Texarkana on the Texas-Arkansas border and was a big Arkansas fan as a kid.

Player to watch: Redshirt senior Tahj Brooks broke the school’s career rushing record this season previously held by Byron Hanspard. After rushing 1,538 yards a year ago, the bruising 5-foot-10, 230-pound Brooks has 1,505 yards in 11 games this season. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns and is ranked third nationally with 286 rushing attempts. He has been the centerpiece of the Texas Tech offense, and the Red Raiders are hopeful he will opt to play in the bowl game.

Arkansas
Season storyline: The Hogs (6-6) need a win in the bowl game to avoid their second straight losing season. The high point was upsetting playoff-bound Tennessee 19-14 at home on Oct. 5, but the Hogs could never find any rhythm as the season progressed. They won just two more games the rest of the way against Mississippi State and Louisiana Tech. Three of their six losses were by a touchdown or less, and with some questions swirling about coach Sam Pittman’s future, he’s set to be back in 2025.

Player to watch: Quarterback Taylen Green‘s best football is ahead of him as he tutors under offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bobby Petrino, but Green showed flashes this season after transferring to Arkansas from Boise State. Green passed for 2,813 yards and 13 touchdowns, but also threw nine interceptions. He is great at keeping the play alive and tough to tackle. He rushed for 521 yards and seven touchdowns. — Low

ESPN BET early line: Arkansas -2.5


Syracuse
Season storyline: Coach Fran Brown’s first regular season at Syracuse was an overwhelming success, leading the program to its first nine-win season since 2018 and just second since 2001 (both of those were 10-win seasons). Had it not been for a puzzling home loss to Stanford early in the season, Syracuse would have had a chance to tie the single-season school wins record in this game. It was ranked No. 21 in the final College Football Playoff rankings and had two wins against top 25 teams: No. 13 Miami and No. 24 UNLV.

Player to watch: After transferring from Ohio State, quarterback Kyle McCord led the nation in passing yards (4,326) and threw 29 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions. He was held to less than 300 yards in only one game all season — an overtime win against Virginia Tech — and was particularly good down the stretch, throwing for 850 yards over the final two games of the season — wins against UConn and Miami — with five touchdowns and no picks. McCord was named second-team All-ACC.

Washington State
Season storyline: Wazzu’s season almost needs to be evaluated in two parts: The first nine games and the past three games. Because after starting 8-1, the Cougars rose to No. 18 in the playoff rankings — with New Mexico, Oregon State and Wyoming left on their schedule — and were chasing the school’s first 12-win season. Then disaster struck. WSU was upset in all three games to limp to the finish line, eroding much of the positive momentum it had built along the way. Coach Jake Dickert fired defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle was hired away by Oklahoma at season’s end.

Player to watch: QB John Mateer was one of the most entertaining quarterbacks in college football, throwing for 3,139 yards with 29 touchdown passes and rushing for 826 yards with 15 touchdowns in the regular season. But with that success — in this new era of college football — comes questions about his future at Washington State. As former WSU starter Cam Ward was last offseason, Mateer would surely be a sought-after player in the transfer portal and if he chooses that route, it would likely mean he would not play in San Diego. — Kyle Bonagura

ESPN BET early line: Syracuse -6


Texas A&M
Season storyline: After a 7-1 start, Texas A&M looked as if it had a chance to do something special — and even after losing two of its next three games — against South Carolina and Auburn — still could have played its way into the College Football Playoff. But a 17-7 loss to Texas in the regular-season finale ended that dream, relegating the Aggies to Las Vegas. Still, Mike Elko’s first season in College Station represented a step forward following Jimbo Fisher’s ouster.

Player to watch: DE Nic Scourton. Assuming he plays, Scourton will be one of the best pass rushers USC has seen all year. He finished the regular season with 14 tackles for loss and five sacks, leading the team in both categories. In ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller’s November mock draft, Scourton was projected as the No. 20 pick.

USC
Season storyline: USC’s third season under Lincoln Riley was such a disaster that he was forced to address reports that he was a candidate for the vacancy at UCF. Riley quickly dismissed them, but the possibility that that was even slightly plausible speaks volumes. The Trojans went from 11-3 in Riley’s first season to 8-5 last year to 6-6 in 2024 and finished with a losing record (4-5) in the Big Ten. If not for a buyout reportedly in the neighborhood of $90 million, it’s fair to question whether Riley would still be the coach.

Player to watch: RB Woody Marks. A transfer from Mississippi State, Marks was a seamless addition for USC, rushing for 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns — by far the most productive season of his college career. He was one of two USC offensive or defensive players named second-team All-Big Ten, alongside offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon. — Bonagura

ESPN BET early line: Texas A&M -2.5


UConn
Season storyline: UConn had its best campaign since 2010, finishing 8-4 in the regular season. It was another step up for a program considered arguably the most embarrassing in all of college football four years ago, now in a bowl game for the second time in three seasons under head coach Jim Mora Jr. The progress for the program was a long time coming, and the Huskies have built a roster that has the talent to compete at the Group of 5 level, including QB Joe Fagnano, who threw for 18 touchdowns to just four interceptions. A win in the Fenway Bowl would be another big turning point. The Huskies haven’t won a postseason game since 2009.

Player to watch: Senior linebacker Tui Faumuina-Brown is the centerpiece of a UConn defense that will be tasked with slowing down UNC’s balanced offensive attack. Faumuina-Brown finished the regular season with 88 tackles, including 10.5 for a loss, to go with 4.5 sacks, 6 QB hurries and 6 pass breakups. — David Hale

North Carolina
Season storyline: A season that started with real promise hit a roadblock Sept. 21 when the Tar Heels were demolished by James Madison, 70-50. In the aftermath, head coach Mack Brown hinted that he might walk away if the team didn’t feel it could win with him anymore, leading to speculation that he would quit. The Tar Heels lost three more in a row after that, dooming their season. The Heels did rebound late, as QB Jacolby Criswell — the Heels’ third starter of the season — found his footing, and tailback Omarion Hampton continued to abuse defenses. But losses to BC and NC State to close out the year left UNC at 6-6 and left Brown out of a job. The bowl game is as much a chance to erase the bad taste of the season as anything, but the future of North Carolina football won’t begin until a new head coach can take the reins.

Player to watch: The Heels’ defensive front was one of the year’s bigger disappointments, but seniors Kaimon Rucker, Beau Atkinson and Jahvaree Ritzie still have a chance to put a positive spin on the season against UConn. Rucker, in particular, battled injuries all year, but he still finished with eight tackles for loss.

ESPN BET early line: North Carolina -4


Boston College
Season storyline: This was always going to be a season of change for Boston College, with Bill O’Brien taking over as head coach and a new approach to a system for the Eagles. A big part of that shift was reeling in QB Thomas Castellanos, who was a prolific runner in 2023 but was asked to play more from the pocket in 2024. That formula didn’t quite work out, and Castellanos was ultimately benched — a decision that resulted in him leaving the team. After Grayson James took over, however, the offense came to life and BC won its final two games, against North Carolina and Pitt. James had four touchdowns and no picks in those games.

Player to watch: Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward have been a dynamic duo in BC’s backfield this season, combining for 1,131 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. They’re a thunder-and-lightning combination, with Robichaux serving as the power back who dominates at the goal line, while Ward is explosive and a weapon in the passing game.

Nebraska
Season storyline: Here’s the good news: Nebraska is playing in a bowl game. That’s something the Cornhuskers hadn’t been able to say since 2016. This year, they ended the longest bowl drought in the country, so that’s an unquestionable success story. But, it’s not exactly where Nebraska fans wanted their team to be, either. After a 5-1 start to the season, the Huskers dropped five of their next six and finished at .500. Their woeful record in one-possession games continued, too, with losses to Illinois, Ohio State, UCLA, USC and Iowa all coming by eight or fewer points. And although heralded freshman QB Dylan Raiola had some nice moments, his final stat line — 12 touchdowns, 10 INTs, 6.8 yards per pass — wasn’t exactly going to get him into the All-Big Ten conversation. So yes, Nebraska is happy to be here. But it will be a lot happier next year if it’s fighting for a playoff berth.

Player to watch: Ty Robinson is the leader of a veteran defensive front that has been one of the nation’s best at stopping the run. Nebraska ended the regular season allowing just 106 yards per game on the ground, No. 12 nationally, along with just six rushing touchdowns. Robinson had 22 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage, leading the way, along with John Bullock and Jimari Butler, who each chipped in with a run stuff rate better than 5%. — Hale

ESPN BET early line: Nebraska -4


Isleta New Mexico Bowl
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dec. 28, 2:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Louisiana
Season storyline: In his third season as the Ragin Cajuns’ coach, Michael Desormeaux delivered a 10-3 campaign that featured a six-game winning streak and an improvement on close games (they lost five games by a touchdown or less last season). Getting back to double-digit wins was huge for Desormeaux after back-to-back 6-7 years following the departure of Billy Napier to Florida. The Cajuns finished atop the Sun Belt during the regular season, and although they lost to Marshall in the conference championship game, the trajectory of the program seems to be headed in the right direction under Desormeaux.

Player to watch: RB Bill Davis. Despite his youth, Davis’ carries increased and he made the most of them. He led the team in rushing yards (775) and touchdowns (nine) and was an immediate difference-maker for the Cajuns in just his first full year. Heading into the bowl, Davis has shown both consistency and explosiveness as he had touchdown runs of 49, 60 and 73 yards this season and could be due for a breakaway anytime he touches the ball.

TCU
Season storyline: After a disappointing 5-7 season that followed its 2022 national title run, TCU bounced back this season with an eight-win campaign that culminated with the Horned Frogs winning five of their last six games. Sonny Dikes seems to have TCU’s passing offense back on track. This season, it was one of eight teams in the country that averaged over 300 passing yards per game. The imbalance, however, was pretty stark — the Horned Frogs are 90th in rushing attack and are averaging only just over 4 yards per carry this season. The recipe is quintessentially Air Raid and, although it was good enough in 2022 (when they ranked 79th in rushing), it might need some work going forward.

Player to watch: QB Josh Hoover. The sophomore had a quiet breakout year and showed his talent as a passer. Hoover threw for 3,697 yards and 308 per game (top 10 in the nation among all quarterbacks) while adding 23 touchdowns, plus four more on the ground. The 10 interceptions is an eyesore, but Hoover has shown he is capable of leading TCU’s offense in the near future should he remain with the Horned Frogs for the bowl game and beyond. — Uggetti

ESPN BET early line: TCU -10


Pop-Tarts Bowl
Orlando, Florida
Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Iowa State
Season storyline: The Cyclones, like Miami, cracked the top 10 in the rankings at one point this season, but a midseason lull against Texas Tech and Kansas upended lofty expectations. The losses were due, in large part, to myriad injuries that had taken their toll on Iowa State, but the Cyclones rebounded nicely to secure a spot in the Big 12 title game before ultimately falling to red-hot Arizona State. Still, at 10-3, this is already the most successful season in Iowa State history, and finishing it off with a bowl win would be the cherry on top for a program that should return a number of key players for 2024, including QB Rocco Becht.

Player to watch: Assuming both suit up for the bowl game, Iowa State will be the only team in the country to feature a pair of 1,000 yard receivers in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. The duo has been dynamic all year, combining to account for 159 of the Cyclones’ 181 catches and 16 of 17 touchdowns by wide receivers.

Miami
Season storyline: At 10-2, the 2024 campaign marks the precipice of Mario Cristobal’s return to Miami, yet there’s no way to interpret this season other than as a disappointment considering what the Hurricanes’ expectations were and the opportunity missed after blowing a 21-0 lead at Syracuse in Week 14. The consolation prize is a bowl game against another team that came up one win short of the College Football Playoff, but the question is just how interested Miami is in putting a bow on a season that fans have already decided is a gift they want to return to the store. That said, Miami is 1-11 in its past 12 bowl games, so finishing with a win here would still represent real progress — even if it’s not the finish line Canes fans had dreamed about.

Player to watch: The fatal flaw for the Hurricanes all season has been a makeshift secondary that was torched routinely, including by Syracuse’s Kyle McCord in the regular-season finale. Iowa State’s passing game is among the most dynamic in the country, putting freshman corner OJ Frederique Jr. and the rest of the Miami defensive backs on notice. Frederique was perhaps the lone bright spot at the position, finishing the regular season having allowed just 38% completions and one touchdown. — Hale

ESPN BET early line: Miami -1


Miami (OH)
Season storyline: A year after winning the MAC, the RedHawks began the season 1-4 and could have easily been 0-5 had it not been for a close win against UMass. The offense appeared to be discombobulated and its inability to finish drives and score at a high level was putting too much pressure on Miami’s defense. Then, things flipped. The offense found a rhythm and the RedHawks ripped off seven straight wins to once again finish atop the conference. Though they were soundly beaten by Marshall in the conference championship, the way they were able to bounce back from a slow start to the season was impressive. Last year, they could not cap off their year with a bowl win, losing to Appalachian State in the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl, and they’ll be hoping to change that this time around.

Player to watch: Running back Keyon Mozee. After getting only 19 carries and running for just 60 yards in his first three games of the season, the senior started getting more opportunities and proceeded to carry the RedHawks through the year. From the fifth game of the season against Toledo through the end of the year, Mozee got double-digit carries in every game and posted six games of 100 rushing yards or more. In fact, the RedHawks won all seven games in which Mozee crossed the 100-yard mark this season.

Colorado State
Season storyline: A 2-3 start to the season did not fluster the Rams, who are bound for the new Pac-12 in 2026. Colorado State went on a five-game winning streak, finished second in the Mountain West and were a UNLV loss away from playing in the conference title game. The Rams’ 8-4 season is nothing to shrug at; the program hadn’t had a winning season since 2017, and it appears that coach Jay Norvell has it headed in a positive direction.

Player to watch: RB Avery Morrow. Talk about saving your best for last. Morrow, a fifth-year senior, had never had a season as productive as this one and was coming off a 2023 campaign in which he did not see much of the field and had only 262 yards. Though there may have been other running backs in the Rams’ room who had more potential coming into the season, Morrow led the team with 956 rushing yards on 166 carries and added nine touchdowns. — Uggetti

ESPN BET early line: Miami (OH) -1.5


Go Bowling Military Bowl
Annapolis, Maryland
Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m. ET (ESPN)

East Carolina
Season storyline: The Pirates looked to be a sinking ship after coach Mike Houston was fired after a 3-4 start. Defensive coordinator Blake Harrell was named interim coach, then was hired to replace Houston after guiding ECU to a four-game winning streak in which it had more than 500 yards of offense in victories over Temple, Florida Atlantic, Tulsa and North Texas. The Pirates’ winning streak ended with a 34-20 loss to Navy on Nov. 29. The Pirates will be playing in a bowl game for the third time in four seasons, and they finished with a winning record in AAC play (5-3) for the third time since joining the conference.

Player to watch: Sophomore Michigan State transfer Katin Houser took over the starting quarterback job in a 45-28 loss at Army, the day before Houston was fired. Houser has a 4-2 record as ECU’s starter, averaging 287.5 yards with 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In a 49-14 victory over Florida Atlantic, Houser completed 17 of 22 passes for 343 yards with five touchdowns and ran for another score. He has passed for 1,859 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. One of Houser’s favorite targets has been Anthony Smith, who transferred from NC State before the season.

NC State
Season storyline: Things went sideways for the Wolfpack in a 51-10 loss to Tennessee on Sept. 7, and coach Dave Doeren and his staff struggled to get things back on track. After going 9-4 in 2023, the Wolfpack limped to a 6-6 finish, including 3-5 in ACC play. The Wolfpack had to defeat rival North Carolina 35-30 on Nov. 30 to become bowl eligible. NC State’s Hollywood Smothers scored the winning touchdown with 25 seconds to play in Tar Heels coach Mack Brown’s final game. The Wolfpack will be without defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, who was named Marshall’s new coach on Sunday. Former NC State linebacker Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay will serve as the interim coordinator and call defensive plays in the bowl game.

Player to watch: Defensive end Davin Vann led the FBS with six forced fumbles, which matched NC State’s single-season record. The Cary, North Carolina, native had 41 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and 6½ sacks. Vann had three tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble to help NC State rally from a 23-10 deficit in a 24-23 win at California on Oct. 19. One of the Wolfpack’s captains, Vann helped residents of North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene by mobilizing his family’s moving company. — Mark Schlabach

ESPN BET early line: NC State -5


Valero Alamo Bowl
San Antonio
Dec. 28, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

BYU
Season storyline: After winning their first nine games, including a 22-21 victory at rival Utah on Nov. 9, the Cougars were ranked No. 6 in the second edition of the CFP selection committee’s rankings. But then back-to-back losses to Kansas and Arizona State knocked BYU out of the CFP and the Big 12 title game. The Cougars rebounded to beat Houston 30-18 on Nov. 30, which gave them 10 victories in a season for the third time under coach Kalani Sitake. The Cougars have already doubled their win total from last season’s 5-7 campaign. On Saturday, BYU announced it had signed Sitake to a long-term contract extension.

Player to watch: Quarterback Jake Retzlaff excited BYU’s fan base with his strong play in his first season. A transfer from Riverside City College in California, Retzlaff completed 57.9% of his passes for 2,796 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In his first start against FCS program Southern Illinois, he threw for 348 yards with three touchdowns. Retzlaff is one of only three Jewish students at BYU, according to The Associated Press, and once brought a kosher food truck to a team weight training.

Colorado
Season storyline: If Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders was indeed “keeping receipts,” the Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback will have a lot to crow about after his turnaround season. After losing eight of their last nine games to finish 4-8 in Sanders’ first season, the Buffaloes went 9-3 in 2024. They were on a four-game winning streak until a 37-21 loss at Kansas on Nov. 23 knocked them out of the Big 12 championship race. The Buffaloes are led by Travis Hunter, a two-way star and Heisman Trophy favorite, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a potential No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL draft. Sanders has completed 74.2% of his attempts for 3,926 yards with 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Buffaloes did a better job of protecting Sanders this season; he was sacked 38 times after being dropped 52 times in 2023.

Player to watch: Deion Sanders said his son and Hunter will play in the bowl game. Hunter is the only player in the FBS to log over 150 snaps on both offense and defense. Hunter is the Buffaloes’ leading receiver with 92 catches for 1,152 yards with 14 touchdowns. As a cornerback, he has 31 tackles, 11 pass breakups, four interceptions and one forced fumble. Hunter had the fifth-highest offensive grade (86.2) among receivers in the FBS, according to Pro Football Focus, and the third-highest coverage grade (90.9) among cornerbacks. — Schlabach

ESPN BET early line: Colorado -1


Louisiana Tech

Season storyline: The Bulldogs were a late replacement for Marshall, which pulled out of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Saturday because several players entered the transfer portal after a coaching change. Louisiana Tech finished 5-7, but it could have been much better had things gone differently in three overtime defeats. The Bulldogs lost 23-20 in overtime to Tulsa, 33-30 at New Mexico State in double-overtime and 44-37 in overtime against Jacksonville State. Louisiana Tech opted to keep coach Sonny Cumbie, who is 11-25 over the past three seasons, for at least one more year. Tony Franklin, who was Tech’s offensive coordinator from 2010 to ’12, was hired Dec. 12 to take over the playcalling in 2025.

Player to watch: Bulldogs receiver Tru Edwards will play his final game in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. The son of Louisiana Tech record-setting receiver Troy Edwards, he spent two seasons at Navarro College in Texas and one at Hawai’i before enrolling at Tech in 2022. He exploded this season, leading Conference USA in receptions (77) and finishing second in receiving yards (897). Edwards had 10 catches for 84 yards in the Bulldogs’ regular-season finale, a 33-0 win over Kennesaw State.

Army
Season storyline: It has been a dream season for the Black Knights, who won the academy’s first conference title in the 134-year history of the program by defeating Tulane 35-14 in Friday’s AAC championship game. Army won its first nine games; its only loss was a 49-14 defeat against Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium on Nov. 23. But then the Black Knights lost to Navy 31-13 on Dec. 14. The Midshipmen gained 378 yards, including 271 rushing. The Black Knights won 11 games for the second time in program history; the other time was in 2018 under coach Jeff Monken.

Player to watch: Army senior Bryson Daily is the heart and soul of the offense, running for 29 touchdowns, which is tied with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty for the FBS lead (Daily has played two fewer games). The senior from Abernathy, Texas, has completed 55.3% of his passes for 942 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions. He has been more potent running the ball with 1,532 yards on 283 attempts. Daily, who was named AAC Offensive Player of the Year and was MVP of the AAC title game, will try to bounce back from his three-interception performance against Navy. — Schlabach


Iowa
Season storyline: It has been your typical Iowa storyline: a team that’s really good defensively (10th in points allowed) with some offensive challenges. Overall, it was a good season for Iowa at 8-4, with its only blowout loss coming against Ohio State in Columbus. A number of opt-outs will have this team looking different in this particular game, but for a team that finished the season winning four of its last five and going up against a good Missouri team (that will have its own share of opt-outs), it will be an interesting test for Iowa entering 2025.

Player to watch: Running back and Doak Walker Award finalist Kaleb Johnson isn’t playing, but Kamari Moulton is. Moulton was the starter to begin the season, before being replaced by Johnson. He had 70 attempts on the season for 377 yards and two TDs, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Quarterback Cade McNamara is transferring out, and Brendan Sullivan will be the starter for Kirk Ferentz’s team, so we could be seeing plenty of No. 28.

Missouri
Season storyline: The Tigers were a popular preseason pick for the College Football Playoff. They finished the season 9-3, with their three losses coming on the road and against teams that were in the Playoff mix in the final two weeks of the season. The Tigers can still clinch a 10-win season, which would mark the third time they did so in back-to-back seasons.

Player to watch: The rest of the receiving room at Missouri. Luther Burden III, one of the best receivers in the nation, won’t be playing in this one. But Missouri is not without other talented wideouts who could step up. Theo Wease Jr. has been credited by Burden for his growth as a player, and Marquis Johnson is another whom the coaching staff has raved about. Of course, Iowa’s defense won’t make anything easy. — Lyles

ESPN BET early line: Missouri -1.5


ReliaQuest Bowl
Tampa, Florida
Dec. 31, Noon ET (ESPN)

Alabama
Season storyline: Kalen DeBoer finished his first regular season with the Crimson Tide at 9-3 and outside the playoff, which might make the Alabama faithful a bit restless considering all the success they were used to under Nick Saban. The Tide’s ugly 24-3 loss at Oklahoma in November (as a double-digit favorite), perhaps the biggest reason Alabama just missed a playoff spot, is also a big source of frustration for the fan base. While there was a big win against SEC champion Georgia and a nice road win at LSU, this season will more than likely be remembered for not only the Tide’s loss to Oklahoma, but also their first loss to Vanderbilt in 40 years.

Player to watch: WR Ryan Williams. All season long, Williams has dazzled Alabama and college football fans with his spectacular and often jaw-dropping catches as an 18-year-old true freshman. His presence alone makes the Alabama offense appointment viewing, even if the unit as a whole has struggled with consistency this season. You just never know when Williams might do something extraordinary that he makes look like another day on the football field. In the regular season, Williams had 857 yards receiving with eight touchdowns and averaged 19 yards per catch. He finished the season with five straight games with at least one catch that went 40 yards or longer.

Michigan
Season storyline: Let’s be honest. The season was saved thanks to a 13-10 win at rival Ohio State that stunned not only the Buckeyes but just about every college football observer. Up to that point, the defending national champions had a season they would rather forget — as the offense struggled with ineffective quarterback play for the bulk of the season. Michigan first-year coach Sherrone Moore found it difficult to replace the production of so many players the team lost to the NFL draft. As a result, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell has already been fired. But Moore is now 2-0 vs. the Buckeyes (he was the Wolverines’ interim coach in last year’s game while Jim Harbaugh was serving his three-game suspension) and delivered one of their most memorable wins in the series. Perhaps just as satisfying, Michigan’s win prevented Ohio State from playing for a Big Ten title.

Player to watch: K Dominic Zvada. While we concede it is a bit unusual to choose a kicker as a player to watch, Zvada has provided the lion’s share of the Michigan offense this season — and is the reason for the win over Ohio State, when he kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left. The Bakken-Andersen Big Ten Kicker of the Year, Zvada is the first kicker in school history with four or more field goals for 50-plus yards in one season (he has a whopping seven). His only miss on the season was a 28-yard attempt against Illinois that was blocked. — Adelson

ESPN BET early line: Alabama -11.5


Louisville
Season storyline: For the most part, Louisville is a good example of how uneven scheduling can make an impact as these power conferences get larger. The Cardinals drew conference games against SMU, Clemson and Miami, in addition to the nonconference game against Notre Dame scheduled by the ACC. The Cardinals went 1-3 in those games, leaving little doubt about where they belonged in the conference pecking order. Louisville was competitive in all those games, which makes its 38-35 loss to Stanford that much harder to comprehend.

Player to watch: WR Ja’Corey Brooks. After three years at Alabama, Brooks transferred to Louisville in the offseason and immediately became one of the Cardinals’ most important players. The former five-star recruit finished the season with 61 catches for 1,013 yards with nine touchdowns and was a first-team All-ACC selection.

Washington
Season storyline: After reaching the national title game last season, this season always figured to be a step back in Seattle. The loss of coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama and significant roster turnover — due to departing seniors and the transfer portal — resulted in what amounted to a reset for new coach Jedd Fisch. It was clear after losing the Apple Cup in September, this wasn’t a team that was going to be a serious challenger in its first Big Ten season, and it remained mediocre the rest of the way.

Player to watch: LB Carson Bruener. Bruener committed to UW in 2019, when Chris Petersen was still the coach, then played for Jimmy Lake, DeBoer and Fisch during a standout career. He led the Huskies this season with 93 tackles and three interceptions and was the only player on the team that received higher than honorable mention all-conference honors (he was a third-team selection). — Bonagura

ESPN BET early line: Louisville -4.5


South Carolina
Season storyline: South Carolina closed the season as one of the hottest teams in the country, with six straight victories — including three at the time its opponents were ranked (Texas A&M, Missouri and at rival Clemson). The Gamecocks thought that should have been enough to at least get them into the conversation for the 12-team playoff, but they finished No. 15 in the final CFP selection committee standings. Putting the playoffs aside, South Carolina had a terrific season, and has an opportunity to win 10 games for the first time since going 11-2 in 2013. The fact it was able to push past heartbreaking losses to LSU and Alabama and end the season as one of the best teams in the country speaks to the job Shane Beamer has done this season.

Player to watch: QB LaNorris Sellers. If you have not watched Sellers play yet this season, make sure to tune in because boy is he fun to watch. At 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, Sellers has the size to run through people but also the speed to run by people — a combination that has gotten the best of many good defenses this season. That includes Clemson in the regular-season finale as the Tigers had a hard time wrapping Sellers up and tackling him. His 20-yard run through the heart of the Clemson defense with 1:08 left delivered a 17-14 win. He delivers a pretty ball, too, and completed nearly 65% of his passes while throwing for 2,274 yards, 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

Illinois
Season storyline: What a season it has been for Illinois and coach Bret Bielema, who have gone 9-3 in one of the biggest surprises not just in the Big Ten but the entire country. Indiana might have Illinois beat for best turnaround, but that does not diminish the job Bielema has done, as Illinois has won nine games for the first time since 2007. The last time the Fighting Illini won 10 games? That would be 2001. While they did not beat any teams ranked in the top 25 at the time, there were still several solid wins on the schedule, including Kansas, Michigan and Nebraska.

Player to watch: QB Luke Altmyer. The junior emerged as one of the most efficient passers in the country, throwing 21 touchdown passes to just five interceptions, while adding another four scores and 219 yards on the ground. Altmyer threw for 2,543 yards and completed nearly 61% of his passes, but beyond the numbers he’s as clutch as they come. According to Illinois, he’s the only quarterback in the nation with three game-winning touchdown passes in the final two minutes or overtime this season — in overtime wins over Purdue and Nebraska, and with 4 seconds left in a win over Rutgers. — Adelson

ESPN BET early line: South Carolina -11


Baylor
Season storyline: Dave Aranda came into the season fully on the hot seat after the Bears went 3-9 and ranked 101st in offense (23.1 ppg) and 116th in defense (allowing 33.3 ppg). Aranda, who arrived from LSU after the 2019 national championship season where he served as defensive coordinator, took over the playcalling duties for the defense and hired Jake Spavital to spread the field on offense. Baylor started 2-4, with losses to BYU, Iowa State, Colorado and Utah, but suddenly put it together, beating Texas Tech 59-35, the start of a six-game winning streak, finishing the season averaging 34.7 points per game, 21st nationally.

Player to watch: Redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington had 10 carries for 45 yards in three games as a freshman in Waco and had 21, 31 and 28 yards in Baylor’s three early-season losses, and did not play against Utah. But against Texas Tech, he had 10 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and went on to average 136 yards per game when Baylor got hot, including 196 yards and four TDs in a 3-point win over TCU and finishing the season with 192 yards and two scores against Kansas.

LSU
Season storyline: The Tigers, breaking in new offensive and defensive coordinators this season, opened with what looked like a heavyweight bout with USC, losing to the Trojans 27-20 at the Vegas Kickoff Classic on Sept. 1. They rattled off six straight wins, including an OT victory over No. 9 Ole Miss to climb back to No. 8 in the country. But three straight losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida knocked them out of the SEC race before finishing with home wins against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.

Player to watch: Garrett Nussmeier skipped the Texas Bowl in 2022 after the 2021 season to preserve his redshirt amid the coaching change from Ed Orgeron to Brian Kelly. He said recently he will play in this year’s game while he’s still deciding if he’s going to return to LSU or enter the NFL draft after throwing for 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns with 11 interceptions this season. Nussmeier was MVP of LSU’s ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin last season, throwing for 395 yards with three TDs. — Wilson

ESPN BET early line: LSU -2


TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, Florida
Jan. 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Duke
Season storyline: When Mike Elko left at the end of the 2023 season to take the Texas A&M job, it appeared as though the sky might be falling at Duke. A host of big-name talent left after him, including Riley Leonard, RJ Oben and Aeneas Peebles. Manny Diaz was hired to rebuild the ship, and most doubted it could be done quickly. Instead, Diaz landed a prized QB transfer in Maalik Murphy and bolstered the line of scrimmage with transfers from smaller schools at lower levels. The unlikely alchemy worked, and Duke rolled to a surprising 9-3 season, led largely by explosive plays from Murphy and an attacking defensive front that finished the regular season with the second-most tackles for loss in the country, trailing only its bowl game opponent, Ole Miss.

Player to watch: Duke right tackle Brian Parker is one of the top edge blockers in the ACC, and transfer Bruno Fina has handled himself well at left tackle. The pair will be critical in giving Duke any hopes at pulling off a win against a ferocious Ole Miss pass rush. The key to Duke’s offense is the big play downfield, but giving Murphy time to throw will be a concern.

Ole Miss
Season storyline: If Duke’s season is one marked by surprising success, Ole Miss enters its bowl game wondering what might have been. The Rebels lost three games, all by a touchdown or less, including defeats at the hands of Kentucky and Florida. Win either of those games, and the Rebels are likely in the College Football Playoff. So, what does that mean for the bowl game? Lane Kiffin’s team might justifiably view this as an unwanted consolation prize, and given the amount of veteran talent that was expected to help propel Ole Miss toward a championship, it wouldn’t be a shock if the roster for the bowl game looks a good bit different than the one Kiffin had at his disposal during the season. Still, Ole Miss remains an incredibly talented team, and with all due respect to Alabama and others, the Rebels could rightly claim the title of best team not in the playoff.

Player to watch: Sophomore Suntarine Perkins was a standout performer on the Ole Miss defensive front this season, racking up 10.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight QB hurries and an interception. Just how many of his teammates on the Rebels’ D-line will be joining him in this game is an open question, but Perkins is enough of a handful on his own to warrant ample attention from the Duke coaching staff, which will be desperate to protect its quarterback. — Hale

ESPN BET early line: Ole Miss -11.5


North Texas
Season storyline: The Mean Green started 5-1 with only a loss to Texas Tech, then suffered eight-point losses to two of the AAC’s best, at Memphis and home against Tulane. They lost 14-3 against Army, followed by losses at UTSA and against East Carolina. The Mean Green rebounded with a road win at Temple to end the five-game skid and become bowl eligible for the first time under second-year coach Eric Morris.

Player to watch: Damon Ward Jr.’s North Texas career is about perseverance. He tore his ACL his senior year of high school, and UNT honored his scholarship. He didn’t play in 2019 or 2020, and the Denton Record-Chronicle reported he has had 12 knee surgeries since then. He missed three games this season with an ankle injury, but opened the season with 12 catches for 230 yards and two TDs against South Alabama and finished the season with 36 catches for 622 yards and four touchdowns. After starting quarterback Chandler Morris went into the transfer portal, Ward, the most experienced offensive player on the roster with 32 career starts, will be counted on to steady whoever emerges as the starting quarterback for the bowl game.

Texas State
Season storyline: The Bobcats return to the First Responders Bowl after beating Rice 45-21 last year in the first bowl win in school history. It was a breakthrough season in coach G.J. Kinne’s first year after the Bobcats had won four or fewer games in each of the previous eight seasons. Expectations were high, and they started 2-0 and in Week 3 almost upset Arizona State, the eventual Big 12 champ and No. 4 seed in the CFP, which escaped with a 31-28 win. Close losses would become a theme: The Bobcats finished 7-5, with those five losses by an average of 5.6 points.

Player to watch: Senior Jordan McCloud was the Sun Belt player of the year at James Madison last season, transferring in to take the reins of Kinne’s offense. He’s experienced and well-traveled, making 43 career starts at Arizona, South Florida, James Madison and Texas State, throwing for 9,828 yards and 87 TDs with 37 INTs and running for 984 yards and 20 scores. This year, he has thrown for 2,920 yards and 29 TDs, and the Bobcats are averaging 37.1 points per game, 10th in the nation. — Wilson

ESPN BET early line: Texas State -7.5


Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Charlotte, North Carolina
Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Minnesota
Season storyline: PJ Fleck’s eighth season in charge at Minnesota was as up-and-down as any he has had. The Gophers started with a disappointing 2-3 record with home defeats to North Carolina and Iowa, but they rallied, upsetting USC and Illinois, nearly doing the same to Penn State and pummeling Wisconsin 24-7 in a game that returned Paul Bunyan’s Axe to Minneapolis and prevented the hated Badgers from reaching bowl eligibility.

Player to watch: CB Ethan Robinson. The Bucknell transfer earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, and you could make the case that he deserved even better than that: He led the Gophers with three interceptions and 10 pass breakups and allowed just one touchdown pass. Robinson and a sticky secondary could make things awfully difficult for the Virginia Tech offense.

Virginia Tech
Season storyline: Entering the season with Top 25 expectations following last season’s late surge, Tech instead began the year 2-3 with disappointing losses to Vanderbilt and Rutgers. The Hokies played brilliantly in a last-second loss to Miami and seemed to be peaking just in time for injuries to wreck their offensive backfield. Still, a midseason three-game winning streak and a late-season pummeling of Virginia salvaged bowl eligibility.

Player to watch: The quarterback, whoever it is. With so many senior stars — running back Bhayshul Tuten, edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, nickelback Keonta Jenkins — who might choose to opt out in the coming weeks, it’s hard to figure out which Hokies will definitely see the field in Charlotte. But whether it’s Kyron Drones‘ swan song after an injury-plagued season or it’s freshman William Watson III attempting to continue a pretty solid audition for the 2025 starting job, Tech will have someone pretty intriguing behind center. — Connelly

ESPN BET early line: Minnesota -4.5


Buffalo
Season storyline: The Bulls rebounded nicely from a 3-9 season in 2023 under first-year coach Pete Lembo, who returned to the MAC and helped Buffalo to its highest wins total since 2019. Buffalo recorded notable MAC wins against Northern Illinois (in overtime on the road) and Toledo, and after several blowout defeats, it won its final four regular-season contests. Lembo’s team has a balanced offense that limits turnovers and a defense with some star power but some inconsistent play. The Bulls boast one of the nation’s most prolific linebacker tandems in Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock, who have combined for 302 tackles to lead the MAC, including 30.5 for loss and eight quarterback hurries.

Player to watch: Dolac. The senior linebacker won MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the FBS in total tackles with 159, while leading the conference in both tackles for loss (16.5) and interceptions (five). He also led the league in tackles last season with 147, which ranked second nationally. Dolac earned MAC defensive player of the week honors five times, a program record, and had two interceptions (including a pick-six) in a late-season win against Eastern Michigan. Liberty will need to craft its offensive game plan around identifying the 6-1, 225-pound Dolac, who is all over the field for coordinator Joe Bowen’s defense.

Liberty
Season storyline: The Flames won a team-record 13 games and reached the Fiesta Bowl in 2023, and returned star quarterback Kaidon Salter and other key pieces for coach Jamey Chadwell. But after a 5-0 start, Liberty saw its nation-leading win streak end against previously winless Kennesaw State, marking the first time in 23 years — and just the sixth time in the AP poll era — that a team 5-0 or better fell to an opponent 0-5 or worse. The Flames would drop two more games and failed to qualify for the Conference USA championship game. Led by Salter and running back Quinton Cooley, Chadwell’s offense remained solid but didn’t reach its standard productivity level.

Player to watch: Cooley. After a 1,400-yard season in 2023, Cooley continued to consistently pile up yards, even for a less-potent Liberty offense. He had eight 100-yard rushing performances and four multi-touchdown games, finishing the regular season with 1,254 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 contests (Liberty’s game against Appalachian State was canceled). A bowling ball at 5-7 and 220 pounds, Cooley averaged at least 4.1 carries in every game and 6 yards per carry in six games. He will be a challenge for a Buffalo team that ranks 62nd nationally in defending the run. — Rittenberg

ESPN BET early line: Liberty -2

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Red River, Farmageddon and more: Swing games for every Top 25 team

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Red River, Farmageddon and more: Swing games for every Top 25 team

We are one month away from having college football back, with Iowa State and Kansas State kicking things off from Dublin on Aug. 23.

With games so close at hand, we asked our reporters to single out one contest for each of our post-spring Top 25 teams that could swing their season one way or the other. On paper, what is the one game that will play the biggest role in determining whether the season is a success or a dud?

Some will come in major nonconference battles over the first couple of weeks, some are more traditional league games that could set the tone for the things to come. But they’re all worth circling on your calendars and contemplating as the season nears.

Other Top 25 lists: X factors | Areas of concern | Sleepers

Swing game: vs. Oregon, Sept. 27

Among the national title contenders, Penn State will provide the fewest clues during the first portion of the schedule, which includes nonleague games against Nevada, Florida International and Villanova. But after an open week, the Lions will face their first mega test, as they host Oregon in a rematch of the 2024 Big Ten championship game. The Ducks ran the table during their first season as a league member, but they didn’t face a road test like Beaver Stadium at night. Coaches and quarterbacks are always linked, but Penn State’s James Franklin and Drew Allar will be under an especially bright spotlight as they try to reverse their big-game trend lines. A win stamps Penn State as the team to beat in the Big Ten this season, about a month before it heads to Ohio State on Nov 1. — Adam Rittenberg


Swing game: vs. LSU, Aug. 30

This one is fairly obvious. The Tigers open the season at home against LSU, a huge game that will serve to show whether all the hype surrounding Clemson is warranted. Clemson has lost three of its last four season openers, including two to another SEC school in Georgia. Winning is hugely important, but so is the way Clemson looks right out of the gate with an experienced team that returns its best playmakers on offense and some of its best defenders from a year ago. Here is why that “eye test” matters to perception: In those three season-opening losses to Georgia (2021, 2024) and Duke (2023), Clemson managed to score a combined 13 points and just one total touchdown. That simply cannot happen with Cade Klubnik entering Year 3 as the starter. — Andrea Adelson


Swing game: vs. Oklahoma at Cotton Bowl, Oct. 11

It’s always Oklahoma. It’s early October. The SEC schedule is getting under way. And no matter what, this game ends up being unpredictable and usually a dogfight. Like when the 0-4 Sooners were 22-point underdogs in John Blake’s first season in 1996, or in 2013 and 2015 when unranked Texas teams beat No. 12 and No. 10 OU teams. The last three years show the swings. In 2022, Texas won 49-0. In 2023, No. 12 Oklahoma stunned No. 3 Texas in the final seconds 34-30, then the Longhorns bounced back to crush the Sooners 34-3 last season. — Dave Wilson


Swing game: at Tennessee, Sept. 13

After hosting Marshall and FCS program Austin Peay to start the season, the Bulldogs will play an early SEC road game at Tennessee on Sept. 13. It will be a significant road test for starting quarterback Gunner Stockton and the offense playing in one of the most intimidating road environments in the SEC. The Volunteers dominated the Bulldogs throughout the 1990s, but Georgia has flipped the script, winning eight in a row and 13 of the past 15 contests in the series. The Bulldogs won each of their past four games at Neyland Stadium by at least 24 points. With a home game against Alabama coming next on the schedule, coach Kirby Smart will be looking for a similar performance at Rocky Top. — Mark Schlabach


Swing game: vs. Texas, Aug. 30

In 2006, the Buckeyes throttled Texas in Week 2 in Austin 24-7, setting the tone for Ohio State’s undefeated regular season and trip to the national title game. The Buckeyes face Texas again, this time in the opener in Columbus. The Longhorns are loaded, led by unproven but ultra-talented quarterback Arch Manning. Texas will also be aiming for revenge after falling to Ohio State in dramatic fashion during last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal. Even with so many key players off last year’s team gone, the Buckeyes can announce to the rest of college football that they remain a serious national title threat with a Week 1 victory over Manning and the Longhorns. Such an impressive nonconference win would also give Ohio State an early inside track to one of the four coveted playoff byes. — Jake Trotter


Swing game: at Clemson, Aug. 30

LSU is 0-3 in season openers under Brian Kelly. If there were a year to change that and set the table for the season, this is it. Cade Klubnik is expected by many to be among the best quarterbacks in college football this season, with Clemson primed for another run into the CFP this season. LSU looks just about as talented and ready to make a national championship push as any team in the country, but the Tigers need to look closer to their final form from the jump than they have in recent years. — Harry Lyles Jr.


Swing game: at Miami, Aug. 31

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman won’t have to wait long to learn if his team is a CFP national title contender. The Fighting Irish open the season at Miami on Aug. 31, then host Texas A&M two weeks later on Sept. 13. The opener against the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, will be a tremendous test for Notre Dame’s new starting quarterback, presumably redshirt freshman CJ Carr. The Hurricanes have CFP aspirations of their own after adding former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, LSU receiver CJ Daniels and a plethora of defensive backs from the transfer portal. The Irish lost to Miami 41-8 in their last trip to South Florida in 2017. Notre Dame’s 23-13 victory at Texas A&M in the 2024 opener gave Freeman’s team belief it could be a CFP contender. It was a physical heavyweight fight until the Irish scored twice in the final two minutes to break open a 13-13 tie. — Mark Schlabach


Swing game: at Penn State, Sept. 27

The Ducks’ matchup in Happy Valley against Penn State in late September may just be the biggest game of their entire season. Both Oregon and Penn State are not only top-10 ranked teams heading into the year (if not top-5), they are also both legitimate national title contenders. This is also a rematch of last year’s Big Ten title game, which the Ducks won in convincing fashion. Round 2, this time in a hostile environment for the defending conference champions, will have plenty of juice. — Paolo Uggetti


Swing game: Alabama at Georgia, Sept. 27

Alabama closes the month of September by traveling to Georgia on Sept. 27, and it doesn’t figure to be a cushy first month for the Tide. They open the season at Florida State on Aug. 30 and face Wisconsin at home two weeks prior to the trip to Georgia. A loss at Georgia wouldn’t necessarily be a crippling blow, especially since Georgia hasn’t lost a game at home in five years, but winning in Athens would afford Alabama a mulligan (or two) if the Tide were to trip up the rest of the way against somebody they shouldn’t lose to. — Chris Low


Swing game: vs. West Virginia, Oct. 3

The Big 12 opener against Colorado on Sept. 27 is one to circle but it’s the next week — at home against West Virginia — that could really swing momentum one way or the other. If the Cougars start 4-0 (they play Portland State, Stanford and East Carolina in nonconference), a win here to move to 2-0 in conference play would be huge — especially since they’ll be breaking in a new quarterback and that early-season experience will matter. And if they lose to Colorado, they’ll need a win over the Mountaineers to avoid an 0-2 start, which would essentially end any hopes of building off of last year’s brilliant campaign before the season even has a chance to really get going. — Kyle Bonagura


Swing game: at Indiana, Sept. 20

The Illini face two September road tests that could shape how the rest of the season goes. Picking between Duke (Sept. 6) and Indiana (Sept. 20) is difficult, but the visit to the Hoosiers jumps out because they made the CFP last season and return several stars from a very stout defense. Cal quarterback transfer Fernando Mendoza will provide a good test for an Illinois defense that was susceptible against the pass last year, finishing 78th nationally. The Illini also have struggled lately in Bloomington, dropping their last two games there and three of the last four. A win in the Big Ten opener could propel Illinois entering a pivotal stretch that includes home games against USC and Ohio State, and a trip to Washington. — Rittenberg


Swing game: at Baylor, Sept. 20

The nonconference schedule should allow ASU to ease into 2025 a bit — the Sun Devils will likely be double-digit favorites or close to it in each of their first three games. But starting with their Week 4 trip to Baylor, things get awfully tricky. Baylor is among many aspiring Big 12 contenders, and the Bears will already be battle-tested, having begun the season with Auburn and SMU. The Big 12 spoils go to the teams that win super-close games, and on paper this one is likely to be super close. Beginning a conference title defense with a loss would be awfully ominous. — Bill Connelly


Swing game: at Texas A&M, Nov. 15

South Carolina has an absolute gauntlet of a five-game stretch in the middle of the season that starts with a trip to LSU before hosting Oklahoma and Alabama, then going on the road to Ole Miss and Texas A&M. If the Gamecocks want to make a playoff run, they’ll likely need to win at least two of those five — and maybe three, given that Missouri and Clemson are also on the docket — which could be a big ask. So what’s the pivot point? If we assume the Gamecocks can take care of business at home — a big assumption, to be sure — that means they’ll need to steal at least one on the road. Ole Miss smoked South Carolina in Columbia last year, so that could be a tall order, and winning in Baton Rouge is never easy. So that puts the focus squarely on Texas A&M. A big win on the road over the Aggies in mid-November could be a statement to the playoff committee and put South Carolina squarely in the mix for a top-12 position. — David Hale


Swing game: vs. Arizona, Sept. 27

The Hawkeyes have a Big 12 game to open the season against Kansas State, so there is no easing into the season — and that’s before factoring in Iowa coming to town Sept. 6. So Cyclones fans won’t have to wait long before having a decent sense of what to expect this year. Let’s go ahead and assume they beat South Dakota and Arkansas State and could be 2-2, 3-1 or 4-0 headed in the fifth game against Arizona. The result of that game against the Wildcats would significantly shape expectations for the rest of the way. — Bonagura


Swing game: at Clemson, Oct. 18

SMU’s schedule for the first half of the season is manageable, with home dates against Baylor and Syracuse and a road trip to TCU providing the toughest matchups. The Mustangs won’t be at a serious talent disadvantage in any of them, making a strong start to the season imperative. The back half of the schedule, however, gets much tougher, starting with the clear swing game — and a chance for revenge from last year’s ACC championship — when the Mustangs travel to Death Valley to take on Clemson on Oct. 18. That game kicks off a gauntlet that sees SMU hosting Miami and Louisville and making tough road trips to BC and Cal in the season’s final weeks. Whether SMU was a one-hit wonder in the ACC or is a power ready to compete will be determined down the stretch in 2025, with no game looming larger than the date with the Tigers. — Hale


Swing game: at Arizona State, Oct. 18.

The Red Raiders’ game in Salt Lake City against Utah could be a challenge, facing a revamped team that is always a tough out in Rice-Eccles Stadium. But Texas Tech and Arizona State are viewed as two of the clear cut favorites in the Big 12. This game comes two weeks before the Red Raiders have to go to Manhattan and face another conference contender in Kansas State. As we learned in 2024, this new-look Big 12 can be quite unpredictable. — Lyles Jr.


Swing game: at Iowa, Sept. 27

After what should be a straightforward start to the season with some nonconference matchups the Hoosiers should be able to take care of, the season ramps up with their first road trip to Iowa. While the Hawkeyes aren’t projected to be a surefire top-25 team this season, playing at Kinnick is never easy. Going into that environment and emerging with a victory could be a tone-setter for Indiana’s season in large part because of the game that precedes that matchup and the one that follows it. The conference opener against Illinois a week prior will be a tough first hurdle, while a road trip to Eugene to face Oregon after the Iowa game will be even tougher. Playing that stretch 2-1 instead of 1-2 (or even 0-3!) will be imperative. — Uggetti


Swing game: vs. Iowa State at Dublin, Aug. 23

Week 0 swing games are rarely a thing, but wow, is Farmageddon big this season. The Wildcats’ battle with Iowa State in Dublin on Aug. 23 will make the winner an automatic Big 12 front-runner and will leave the loser on wobbly ground before the official first Saturday of the 2025 campaign. With Avery Johnson entering his second year as the Wildcats’ starting quarterback, K-State has a bit more upside, and is facing a bit more pressure, than usual. Starting the season 0-1 would double that pressure. — Connelly


Swing game: at LSU, Sept. 13

Florida once again didn’t get any favors from the schedule makers, and the Gators will get an early test in Baton Rouge against LSU. On paper, this feels like a year that Brian Kelly is going to have things put together in the Bayou, in part because he’s got the coveted returning starter at QB in Garrett Nussmeier. Along with the incumbent talent, Kelly and his staff did a really good job in the transfer portal and will be a tough out every Saturday this fall. If Florida wins this game, or even loses a close one, it will bode well for the rest of the season. — Lyles Jr.


Swing game: at Oklahoma, Sept. 6

The Wolverines head to Oklahoma in Week 2 to face Sherrone Moore’s alma mater. Beating Ohio State for a fourth straight time salvaged last season for the Wolverines, who had to surge late in the year just to secure a winning record in Moore’s first full season as head coach. Michigan will have bigger expectations in 2025, especially with the arrival of five-star freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. If the Wolverines can knock off the Sooners in Norman, they’ll be sending a statement that they’re potentially ready to contend for a playoff spot again. But if the Wolverines fall to Oklahoma, they could then have to weather a proposed two-game suspension for Moore, which includes a trip to Nebraska on Sept. 20, just to keep their postseason hopes afloat early. — Trotter


Swing game: vs. Notre Dame, Aug. 31

I am going to put a caveat on my answer here because of the way last season turned out. The season opener against Notre Dame is going to tell us plenty about where Miami stands in 2025. That starts at quarterback, where Georgia transfer Carson Beck is expected to be fully recovered from an elbow injury he sustained in the SEC championship game. Will he be able to bring the same dynamic play to the table that Cam Ward did last year to set the tone? How will the new-look receivers and revamped defense look? So much about Miami is unknown headed into this game because of the complete roster revamp, which was much needed on the defensive side. Having said that, we all thought the season would go differently for Miami a year ago after its trouncing of Florida in the season opener. For the most part, it went well, with 10 wins. But the Canes fell short of playing for a title, and that has to change sooner rather than later. — Adelson


Swing game: at Miami, Oct. 17

Louisville took Miami to the wire last year in front of the home fans, and only a disastrous performance by the secondary against Cam Ward allowed the Canes to escape with a win. This year’s rematch in south Florida will be a chance for a little revenge and, likely, an opportunity for the Cardinals to establish their playoff bona fides in a big way. While there are no guarantees, the early part of Louisville’s slate sets up nicely for the Cards to enter the Oct. 17 date with Miami at 5-0, and if they can add a win against the Canes to that résumé, there’s a good chance Louisville would be flirting with a top-10 ranking. Just as important, it would set the stage for stretch run in November that includes games against Clemson, SMU and Kentucky. — Hale


Swing game: at Notre Dame, Sept. 13

The Sept. 13 trip to Notre Dame should be a slugfest akin to last year’s 23-13 shoving match at Kyle Field. The Aggies’ offensive line has morphed from a weakness under Jimbo Fisher to a strength in two years and the Notre Dame D-line is one of the best in the country. It’s likely to be the only game in the first seven weeks of the season in which the Aggies will be an underdog, and in Year 2 of the Mike Elko era, it’s a key test to measure how ready they are to push the rest of the SEC. — Wilson


Swing game: vs. LSU, Sept. 27

Ole Miss has games before this that they shouldn’t sleep on — in Lexington in Week 2, then against Arkansas and Tulane the following weeks. But LSU appears to be one of the three best teams in the SEC heading into the season, and having this game at home is big for Ole Miss. Down the road, a more difficult task awaits on the road in Athens against Georgia, so building up a callus against the Tigers will be key. — Lyles Jr.


Swing game: vs. Michigan, Sept. 6

Four of Oklahoma’s first five games are at home, and the only road contest is at Temple on Sept. 13. But in Week 2, the Sooners could build some serious momentum when Michigan comes to town for a prime-time game. A win against the Wolverines would give the Sooners a real chance at a 5-0 start entering the Red River Showdown against Texas on Oct. 6. The back end of Oklahoma’s schedule is especially difficult (Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama all away from home, plus Ole Miss and LSU at home), so getting off to a good start will be critical for the Sooners. — Low

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Terps’ Locksley: Lost locker room amid pay divide

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Terps' Locksley: Lost locker room amid pay divide

LAS VEGAS — Maryland football coach Mike Locksley admitted Tuesday he “lost” the locker room in 2024 over which players to compensate, a factor that led to the Terrapins’ worst season since his debut in 2019.

The Terrapins finished 4-8 and dropped all but one of their Big Ten contests. Maryland had more players selected in the NFL draft (six) than wins, as it lost its final five games, all by 14 points or more. Locksley attributed part of the struggles to the changing financial landscape in college football, as Maryland had to make decisions on how to compensate players through NIL deals and ultimately created some divisions.

“I own the fact that I lost my locker room,” Locksley told ESPN. “And this is Coach Locks, the locker room king, telling you this landscape, I had to choose between paying young players who were coming in or reward the older players that have been through the fire, three bowl wins, and I tried to do both with limited resources. And that’s what you get: a locker room with the haves and have-nots.”

Locksley, who is entering his seventh season at Maryland and 10th overall as an FBS coach, called the experience “a valuable lesson” in how to manage players, relationships and expectations. Maryland won three consecutive bowl games under Locksley, from 2021 to 2023.

“You go outside my locker room [now] and I have a sign that says: ‘Leave your Louis belts, leave your financial statements and your car keys outside of this locker room, because in here we’re all going to pay the same price for success or failure,'” he said. “If I’ve got to put my desk in that locker room, I will. A valuable lesson learned.”

Locksley said the House settlement and the money Maryland distributes to its players have allowed him to focus more on the locker room rather than external fundraising.

Maryland will enter the season with questions at quarterback — where UCLA transfer Justyn Martin, redshirt freshman Khristian Martin and decorated incoming freshman Malik Washington, ESPN’s No. 134 overall recruit, will compete — and other positions.

“I call this a year of vulnerability for me, because I’ve been torn about what to say about our team when people ask; but I don’t know what type of team we have yet,” he said. “Some people, as a coach, it’s like a bad thing to say, ‘I don’t know.’ But it’s a good thing that I don’t know.”

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NFL prospect Bond’s defamation suit dismissed

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NFL prospect Bond's defamation suit dismissed

The defamation lawsuit filed by NFL draft prospect Isaiah Bond and his lawyers against a woman who they say made false statements to the Frisco (Texas) Police Department has been dismissed with prejudice by the United States District Court in Northern Texas.

Bond’s lawyers filed the lawsuit back in April, one week after he turned himself in to police on an outstanding sexual assault warrant. He was later released after posting a $25,000 bond.

Bond’s lawyers say a sexual encounter with the woman, who was unnamed in the lawsuit, was consensual. The lawsuit asked for economic damages and a civil trial. The dismissal with prejudice ends the case and prevents Bond from refiling the claim again.

In his lone season at Texas in 2024, Bond caught 34 passes for 540 yards and five touchdowns. He spent his first two seasons at Alabama, catching 65 passes for 888 yards and five touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.

Bond was a highly-touted prospect entering the draft but proceeded to go undrafted following his arrest.

ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler contributed to this report.

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