
Bowl previews and takeaways: Navy survives close matchup against Oklahoma
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adminThe 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!
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Today’s games
Takeaways | Previews
Takeaways
Takeaway: The Sooners went for a 2-point conversion and the win after Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. found Jake Roberts for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 6 seconds remaining. But Navy‘s Justin Reed sacked Hawkins on the 2-point try, sealing the victory for the Midshipmen. With the bowl defeat, the Sooners finished with a losing record for the second time in three years under coach Brent Venables; until 2022, Venables’ first season, OU had not had a losing record since 1998.
Quarterback Blake Horvath led the way offensively for Navy (10-3), which reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2019.
He sliced through the Oklahoma defense for a school-record 95-yard touchdown run to tie the game in the third quarter, then engineered what proved to be the game-winning drive in the fourth.
Hawkins had his moments too after taking over for Jackson Arnold, who transferred to Auburn earlier this month. But Hawkins got little help from his receivers, who dropped several passes. Though Hawkins is expected back, the Sooners are banking that transfer quarterback John Mateer — who followed his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, from Washington State — can elevate an OU offense that struggled in its first year in the SEC.
MVP: With his 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Horvath became the first FBS player since Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts in 2019 to reach 1,250 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns in a season, according to ESPN Research. — Jake Trotter
Takeaway: The first bowl game after Christmas featured 17 lead changes, multiple scuffles, two pick-sixes, a handful of premature celebrations and the first six-overtime finish in FBS bowl game history. Pitt entered Thursday decimated at the quarterback position with starter Eli Holstein (leg) sidelined by injury and backups Nate Yarnell and Ty Dieffenbach in the transfer portal. The Panthers’ remaining quarterbacks — redshirt freshman walk-on David Lynch and true freshman Julian Dugger — combined for just 137 passing yards and prompted Pitt to run the ball 60-plus times in a game for the first time in more than a decade, leaning heavily on junior Desmond Reid (33 carries, 169 yards, one touchdown). Dugger eventually settled in and delivered a gutsy performance in the loss, but the quarterback battle decidedly belonged to Toledo junior Tucker Gleason, who threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and accounted for five scores in overtime, including his winning connection with Junior Vandeross III in OT No. 6. Down 30-20 before Darius Alexander‘s 58-yard, fourth-quarter pick-six, Toledo stormed from behind to claim its second victory in seven bowl appearances under head coach Jason Candle. Meanwhile, Pitt, which opened the season 7-0, became the second bowl team in FBS history to end its season on a six-game losing streak.
MVP: Wide receiver Junior Vandeross III. On the day Gleason reached a career-high yardage total, he found the junior wide receiver on roughly 46% of his total completions. Vandeross hit career bests with 12 receptions for 194 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown grab in regulation, before completing the game-sealing 2-point conversion. — Eli Lederman
Rate Bowl: Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41
Kansas State ranked 16th nationally in rushing during the regular season (204.5 yards per game), and the Wildcats rode a dominant run game to erase a 14-point, second-half deficit in Phoenix. Dylan Edwards‘ searing speed was the platform as Kansas State exploded for 340 rushing yards Thursday night, representing the program’s second-best total of the season and second-highest bowl game rushing tally. Missing star running back Kyle Monangai (opted out), Rutgers delivered an impressive rushing performance of its own, leaning on Antwan Raymond and Ja’shon Benjamin (25 carries, 146 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns combined) to build a 34-17 lead six minutes into the second half. But Kansas State clawed back with Edwards’ pair of long rushing scores and two second-half passing touchdowns from Avery Johnson, scoring 27 second-half points to secure the program’s largest comeback win since 2020. Wildcats coach Chris Klieman has back-to-back bowl wins and three straight nine-plus win seasons.
MVP: Running back Dylan Edwards, who averaged a whopping 10.9 yards per carry and bookended Kansas State’s second-half scoring with electric rushing touchdowns of 65 and 35 yards, the second of which put the Wildcats ahead 44-41 with 4:15 remaining. Edwards’ 196 yards on 18 carries were the most in a bowl game in Kansas State program history. — Lederman
68 Ventures Bowl: Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31
Takeaway: Despite being outgained by more than 100 yards, Arkansas State emerged from Thursday night’s bowl with the program’s first eight-win season since 2019. The Red Wolves did not have a particularly explosive day on the ground or in the air, but they made plays in every facet of the game and were opportunistic in the face of the Falcons’ mistakes. The Arkansas State defense forced a key fumble, made a crucial fourth-down stop in the second half and played a role in three missed field goals from Bowling Green. Special teams did its part, too, as Courtney Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown in the first quarter that put Butch Jones’ team up 10 early and gave the Wolves the necessary momentum for the rest of the game. And when Arkansas State needed it most, the offense stitched together an eight-play, 68-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that ate up the clock and ended up being the difference. Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor was a steady presence, while running back Zak Wallace ran for 99 yards, including several clutch runs late in the game that kept the chains moving and ended any slim chance the Falcons had at a comeback.
MVP: It’s not common to give this honor to a player on the losing side, but it’s hard not to recognize Harold Fannin Jr., who capped his incredible season with a 17-catch, 213-yard, one-touchdown performance. The junior tight end finished his season with 117 catches for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns. — Paolo Uggetti
Hawai’i Bowl: South Florida 41, San José State 39 (5 OTs)
Takeaway: The only football game (college or pro) on Christmas Eve did not disappoint, technically ending on Christmas Day in the Eastern time zone but not in Hawai’i, where South Florida prevailed in a record fifth overtime. No bowl game had exceeded three overtimes since the overtime rules were implemented in 1996. Coach Alex Golesh’s team ultimately had the upper hand in key situations, especially on special teams, as the Bulls had a 93-yard kick return touchdown, connected on two field goals to extend the game and received a 72-yard punt from Andrew Stokes — one of three that traveled 50 yards or longer — that backed up San José State at the end of regulation. The Bulls scored on four of their five overtime possessions and could have won the game in the fourth extra session if wide receiver Michael Brown-Stephens had stayed in bounds on a creative 2-point conversion attempt. Quarterback Bryce Archie started strong, completing his first 12 pass attempts, before going cold and throwing a near pick-six that appeared to cost South Florida the game. But he responded well late in regulation and in overtime as the Bulls improved to 10-1 in overtime games, the best mark in FBS history. San José State received a career performance from Matthew Coleman (12 receptions, 119 yards), filling in for FBS receiving yards leader and Biletnikoff Award finalist Nick Nash. But some situational miscues ultimately doomed the Spartans.
MVP: South Florida linebacker Mac Harris had a big night for a playmaking defense, recording two tackles for loss, eight total tackles, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup. — Adam Rittenberg
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.
0:52
Toledo wins 6OT thriller in GameAbove Sports Bowl
Toledo holds on to defeat Pittsburgh in a sixth overtime to win the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
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. — 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.
Today’s games
Birmingham Bowl
Birmingham, Alabama
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
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
Previews
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
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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Sports
100 days until Week 0: Top storylines, games and predictions for the 2025 season
Published
3 hours agoon
May 15, 2025By
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One hundred days from now, the college football season will officially begin. Week 0 will kick off on Aug. 23 with an international edition of Farmageddon as Big 12 hopefuls Iowa State and Kansas State meet in Dublin, Ireland.
While we’re counting down days until the season starts, it’s never too early to look at storylines, players and coaches who should define 2025. We’ll even make some wild predictions.
This year, we’ll see six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick make his college football coaching debut at North Carolina and star QB Nico Iamaleava debut at UCLA after a dramatic transfer portal exit from Tennessee.
We’ll see former Georgia QB Carson Beck at Miami (if he’s healthy) and Arch Manning-mania officially kicks off at the Horseshoe when SEC favorite Texas travels to face Ohio State, the reigning College Football Playoff national champions.
Our ESPN college football reporters have put together 10 lists of 10 things to know (100 in total!) ahead of the college football season.
Jump to a section:
Storylines | Must-see games
Coaches | Heisman contenders
First-time CFP teams | Freshmen
Transfers | First-round bye
Predictions | G5 teams
10 must-know storylines
2:16
How Deboer plans to choose Bama’s starting quarterback
Kalen Deboer analyzes the practice performances of Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell as he discusses his method of choosing the Crimson Tide’s next starting QB.
10. The House settlement’s impact on walk-ons: Walk-on success stories have always been among the most compelling college football has offered, but as the sport evolves toward a more professional model, those slots are in jeopardy. Federal judge Claudia Wilkin delayed approval of the multibillion-dollar antitrust settlement last month largely because of the negative impact it was set to have on walk-on opportunities. The settlement included a proposal to limit football rosters to 105, which means that some programs would be cutting 20-plus spots designated for walk-ons athletes. We’ll have to wait to see how things are finalized before being able to draw specific conclusions but it’s hard to see a scenario where walk-on programs can be as robust as they have been. From the outside, it will be hard to see much of a difference, but for those on the inside, this rips away part of the sport that has been central to what makes it special. — Kyle Bonagura
9. Can Lincoln Riley and Mike Gundy bounce back? Just four years ago, these two were facing off in a top-10 Bedlam matchup, with Gundy’s No. 7 Oklahoma State team beating Riley’s No. 10 Oklahoma 37-33. Then Riley stunned everyone by departing for USC the next day, where he’s gone 26-14, including 4-5 in conference games in his first Big Ten season. Gundy, meanwhile, has gone 20-19 over that span, including 0-9 in the Big 12 last year. Gundy has always bounced back over a stellar career (including a 10-win season in 2023 after going 7-6 the season before), and last season’s 3-9 disaster was his first losing season since his first in 2005. But losing ground in the new Big 12 without Texas or OU has him squarely on the hot seat. Riley, meanwhile, has leeway because of the monstrous 10-year, $110 million contract USC gave him in 2022. — Dave Wilson
8. Diego Pavia and the fight for more eligibility: Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia won a landmark injunction in federal court that determined his junior college football should not have counted toward his four-year NCAA eligibility clock. The decision granted Pavia additional eligibility and led to a quick decision from the NCAA to issue a waiver for anyone else in his position. It was yet another court-mandated decision that has the potential to have a strong ripple effect through the sport. The most obvious change could be in recruiting. The option to go the junior college route looks a lot more appealing if it doesn’t count against an NCAA eligibility clock because many high school football players would benefit from another year of physical development at that age. It could allow players to become more sought-after recruits, increase their earning potential and ability to earn playing time early at a four-year school. The interesting part, though, is to think about where this could lead. Because it seems like it’s only a matter of time before someone else — or a group — goes to court to challenge the four-year eligibility cap or the existence of a cap on eligibility at all. — Bonagura
7. Is this NIL’s last big hurrah? Schools like Texas Tech have leaned into the NIL era, with 20 incoming football transfers and standard deals for all players in multiple sports. But once the $2.8 billion House v. NCAA settlement is approved by the judge, the NCAA says it will begin new oversight of NIL compliance. With distribution of up to $20.8 million in revenue sharing allocated to be paid directly to players, the NCAA says it will take a closer look at NIL enforcement, with all deals of $600 or more subject to independent review, along with new tech platforms to monitor payments. Part of the settlement provides for the creation of a new enforcement entity for Power 4 schools. While the NCAA’s record on enforcement in the past has been wildly inconsistent, many administrators still feel this will be the end of the pay-for-play deals that we’ve seen thrown around as a last gasp before the potential for the settlement and revenue sharing. — Wilson
6. Coaching encores: A lot can change in one college football season. Just ask Mike Norvell. Or Ryan Day. Two years ago, Norvell was hurting as his team was bypassed for the College Football Playoff, then watched the bottom fall out of Florida State’s 2024 season, going from 13-1 to 2-10. Ryan Day, meanwhile, lived both lives in a matter of months, losing on Nov. 30 to Michigan with calls for his head before getting in the first 12-team playoff field and beating Notre Dame to win the title on Jan. 20. So the theme for many coaches is what will they do for an encore? Day gets to replace quarterback Will Howard and running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Norvell convinced his old mentor, Gus Malzahn, to leave the head coaching job at UCF to focus again on just offense as coordinator at FSU. Meanwhile, Rich Rodriguez, who became a rising star by going 60-26 at West Virginia, returns to try to bring the Mountaineers back. And Scott Frost, who fell from grace back at his alma mater and got fired at Nebraska after going 16-31, returns to UCF, where he went 19-7, including going 13-0 in 2017. — Wilson
5. The Iamaleava dominoes: Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava and his brother, Arkansas transfer Madden Iamaleava, aren’t officially enrolled at UCLA yet. But during UCLA’s Spring Showcase, they watched as Luke Duncan took first- and second-team reps while Nick Billoups, who is in the transfer portal, also took some snaps, according to the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, Joey Aguilar, who is still taking classes from App State while he is enrolled at UCLA, where he transferred before Nico’s arrival, is now transferring to Tennessee to replace Nico. By this fall, Aguilar will be in Knoxville and the Iamaleava brothers could be Nos. 1 and 2 on the Bruins’ depth chart. Coach DeShaun Foster said “it’s just comforting” having Nico around, which is not the way Tennessee felt after a dispute over NIL money. He heads to Los Angeles after throwing for 2,616 yards with 19 TDs and 5 INTs. The soap opera will continue into the fall. — Wilson
4. Deion without Hunter and Shedeur at Colorado: The Colorado Buffaloes proved a lot of the skeptics wrong last year by posting a nine-win season and losing out on a chance to play in the Big 12 title game due to a tiebreaker. It was a remarkable improvement over the previous season, when Colorado finished in last place in the Pac-12. But for Deion Sanders, here’s where the real test probably begins. Even with a generational talent in Travis Hunter and a dynamic quarterback with his son, Shedeur Sanders, the Buffaloes were still just 13-12 over the past two seasons. They masked a lot of issues. Without them, the team’s on-field identity will inevitably evolve. And with that, we’ll also likely get a better understanding of how committed Coach Prime is to the job long-term. — Bonagura
3. DeBoer at Alabama, Year 2: Replacing Nick Saban at Alabama was always going to be a unique conundrum because it’s completely unfair to expect anyone to replace the greatest college football coach of all time. The coach who came after Saban was going to be measured against him. That’s just how this works. While that dynamic is probably unfair, that doesn’t make DeBoer’s task any easier. He left a place where the external pressure would be relatively nonexistent for the foreseeable future after leading Washington to a national title game appearance in his second season. The Crimson Tide were disappointing last year, but it also made sense that Year 1 was transitional as Saban’s shadow still loomed quite large. That will be the case for a long time, to varying degrees, but now that there has been adequate time to shape the roster into his own vision, it will be interesting to see how Alabama looks in Year 2 under DeBoer. — Bonagura
2. Manning, Mateer and Texas’ and Oklahoma’s offensive makeovers: The Red River Reboot is afoot. Quinn Ewers is gone after three years as Texas’ starter, giving way to Arch Manning, the Heisman favorite who has two starts and 28 career pass attempts under his belt. Meanwhile, at Oklahoma, the Sooners have imported an offense under new coordinator Ben Arbuckle and junior quarterback John Mateer, who arrived from Washington State, along with Cal running back transfer Jaydn Ott. The Longhorns, coming off two straight College Football Playoff semifinal appearances, lost star receivers Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and tight end Gunnar Helm. The Sooners, meanwhile, are replacing Nic Anderson, Brenen Thompson and tight end Bauer Sharp while trying to bounce back from a 6-7 season and the departure of former five-star recruit Jackson Arnold to Auburn. — Wilson
1. Belichick goes to school: Let’s try to set aside the sideshow that is Bill Belichick’s personal life and return our attention to why anyone is fascinated with him in the first place. Arguably the greatest football coach who has ever lived, a man who won six Super Bowls as the head coach of the New England Patriots but has never coached at the college level, will begin his reign at North Carolina. There have been all sorts of outside-the-box coaching experiments in recent years, but this one — strictly from a football standpoint — might be the most interesting. His arrival in Chapel Hill comes with so many questions. Can he relate to college-aged players? Does his style translate to the college level? How long will he stay? But they really all boil down to one: Will he win? The last time North Carolina won a conference title (1980), the millennial generation had yet to arrive. — Bonagura
10 best games to watch
10. Ohio State at Michigan, Nov. 29: The Buckeyes couldn’t lose a fifth straight to the Wolverines … right?
9. Texas A&M at Notre Dame, Sept. 13: Notre Dame isn’t easing into 2025. After a Week 1 trip to Miami, the Irish open their home schedule against an ambitious A&M team that returns starting quarterback Marcel Reed and starts the season with a couple of pretty easy tune-ups. This one will speak volumes about either team’s potential CFP prowess (and about Notre Dame’s new starting QB of choice).
8. South Dakota at North Dakota State, Sept. 27: Yes, that’s South Dakota, not South Dakota State. With SDSU losing its head coach and quite a few transfers to Washington State, and with NDSU itself rebuilding a solid amount, South Dakota might never have a better chance to make a big splash. Can new head coach Travis Johansen and star running back Charles Pierre Jr. make an early splash in the Fargodome?
7. Montana State at Montana, Nov. 22: It’s hard to beat Brawl of the Wild under any circumstances, but after dropping three of its past five games (and watching rival MSU storm to the national title game), Montana went big in the portal, adding four FBS power-conference transfers. This one could determine a top FCS playoff seed.
6. Boise State at Notre Dame, Oct. 4: Aside from maybe Tulane–Ole Miss (Sept. 20) or Memphis-Arkansas (Sept. 20), this is the best chance for an aspiring Group of 5 playoff team to score a statement win in 2025. Boise State must replace Ashton Jeanty but returns plenty of key players from last year’s CFP squad, and after a tricky September slate, Notre Dame might be facing a must-win here.
5. Oregon at Penn State, Sept. 27: On the same day as Bama-Georgia, two Big Ten teams with massive expectations face their first huge tests of the season. Penn State has had just about the best offseason a team can have and will probably be a slight favorite in a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship.
4. Texas at Georgia, Nov. 15: Texas went 0-2 against Georgia and 13-1 against everyone else in 2024. The Longhorns’ first-ever trip to Athens should pack major stakes for the SEC title, CFP seeding and, if Arch Manning (or Gunner Stockton?) lives up to hype, the Heisman. Who could ask for anything more in mid-November?
3. Penn State at Ohio State, Nov. 1: The ultimate existential Penn State hurdle. Penn State hasn’t beaten Ohio State (or won the Big Ten) since 2016 but will bring massive experience and national title potential to Columbus for this status check. Meanwhile, Ohio State might be looking at its first major challenge since Texas. We’ll learn loads about each team heading into the stretch run.
2. Alabama at Georgia, Sept. 27: We’re including a trio of enormous Week 5 games here, but even though Bama and Georgia have gone, gasp!, two straight years without one of them winning a national title, it’s still hard to create a bigger college football matchup than this one. Likely starting QBs Gunner Stockton (UGA) and Ty Simpson (Bama) have a high bar to clear after last year’s amazing 41-34 Bama win.
1. Texas at Ohio State, Aug. 30: Two of the richest programs in the country, playing in a rematch of a down-to-the-wire CFP semifinal, with two former all-world recruits at quarterback — Texas’ Manning and, potentially, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin (if he can hold off Lincoln Kienholz)? Is it even possible to have a bigger opening-week showdown? — Bill Connelly
10 coaches to watch
1:56
Thamel: UNC still getting used to Belichick’s publicity
Pete Thamel joins “SportsCenter” to break down the latest headlines surrounding North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick.
10. Dabo Swinney, Clemson: He’s seven years removed from his last national title and has taken heat for largely stiff-arming the transfer portal and digging in on certain philosophies. After a surprise ACC title in 2024, Swinney has one of his best rosters, filled with homegrown players like quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams and defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, but he also integrated a few transfers. He aims for his third national championship doing it his way.
9. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: After winning Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2023, Gundy had the Pokes positioned to contend annually in the reshaped league. Coming off his worst season, though, Gundy needs a turnaround with a reshaped coaching staff and a transfer-laden roster to keep his job. Oklahoma State has questions at quarterback and just about everywhere else. Gundy has won too many games to be counted out, but he will need one of his best coaching jobs to stabilize things.
8. Mike Norvell, Florida State: Norvell is entering his sixth year at FSU, but doesn’t it feel like longer? He started off with two losing seasons and then won 10 games before a 13-0 start to the 2023 season that culminated with an ACC championship. But the CFP snub sent Florida State into a tailspin, as the team went 2-10 last fall. Norvell hired notable coordinators Gus Malzahn and Tony White to help engineer a turnaround, which he’ll need to reach Year 7 in Tallahassee.
7. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame: He entered 2024 with questions about his readiness, amplified after a Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois, but ended the season in the national title game. After getting everything he could out of his team, Freeman has a younger but arguably more talented squad in 2025. Notre Dame will ride with an unproven quarterback, CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey, but returns stars on both sides of the ball. Another CFP appearance will cement the 39-year-old Freeman as one of the sport’s best coaches.
6. Brian Kelly, LSU: Kelly came to the Bayou with the expressed purpose of winning a national title, just like the three Tigers coaches before him (Ed Orgeron, Les Miles, Nick Saban). Instead, he watched his former team, Notre Dame, make a CFP run while he sat home again. Kelly could have his best team as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier stayed, and LSU made a strong transfer portal push. He needs a good start at Clemson, though, after dropping his first three season openers with the Tigers.
5. Deion Sanders, Colorado: The spotlight has been on Sanders since he arrived in Boulder, and Year 3 will be no different. What will be new: He no longer will be coaching his sons Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders, or 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Phase 2 of Coach Prime at CU will feature a team trying to build on a nine-win season and challenge for the Big 12 title. A quarterback competition featuring Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, decorated incoming freshman Julian Lewis and holdover Ryan Staub adds intrigue.
4. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: DeBoer followed a coaching icon in Nick Saban and went through a turbulent first season, as Alabama missed the CFP despite the expanded field. He has had a full offseason to shape and develop the roster, and reunited with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who was integral to the Washington Huskies‘ surge. It must pick a quarterback, likely Ty Simpson or Austin Mack, and get more overall consistency. Another CFP miss won’t be received well in Tuscaloosa.
3. Brent Venables, Oklahoma: His return to OU momentarily dulled the pain and anger surrounding coach Lincoln Riley’s abrupt departure. But the Sooners’ results under Venables have been painful, too: 22-17 overall, 2-6 in OU’s inaugural SEC season and an offense that plummeted to 119th in passing and 97th in scoring last season. Oklahoma had a strong offseason, adding transfer quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State, and other notable transfers like Cal running back Jadyn Ott. Venables now must win or face significant job pressure.
2. James Franklin, Penn State: He led Penn State to its first two CFP wins last season and will have quite possibly his best overall team, led by quarterback Drew Allar. But Franklin still faces the perception that he can’t win the biggest games consistently. Can he deliver Penn State’s first national title since 1986? The ingredients are there — Allar, running back tandem Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles — but Franklin must now meet the highest of expectations.
1. Bill Belichick, North Carolina: The most talked-about coach entering the 2025 season is a 73-year-old who has never worked at the college level, but guided the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl championships. North Carolina conducted spring practice largely in secret, but Belichick then became the story of the offseason for reasons that had little to do with football. Will his first year be desirable or disastrous? There may be no in-between as he takes over amid so many questions. — Adam Rittenberg
10 early Heisman Trophy contenders
10. Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama: As a 17-year-old true freshman, Williams was one of the most electric playmakers in the country the first part of last season. He had five touchdown catches in his first four games, including the game winner against Georgia, and finished the season with 10 touchdowns (eight receiving, two rushing). Williams has tremendous big-play ability. He averaged 18 yards per catch and is as dangerous catching the deep ball as he is at making things happen after the catch. — Chris Low
9. John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma: Cam Ward won the Heisman Trophy and became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft after transferring to Miami from Washington State. Mateer, another Wazzu transfer, is coming off of his own breakout season following two years of backing up Ward. If the Sooners can protect him — a big if — Mateer could become the next in a long line of OU transfer QBs (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts) to contend for the Heisman. — Jake Trotter
8. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame: Love ranked second last year in yards after contact per rush (among running backs with at least 150 carries) after averaging 4.41 yards, only trailing Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in last month’s NFL draft. Love, who figures to get more touches for the Irish in 2025, could be the first back off the board in next year’s draft. — Trotter
7. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina: There may not be a more valuable player in the country than the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Sellers, who’s next to impossible to tackle when he breaks out of the pocket. Sellers looks and plays a lot like Cam Newton did when Newton was at Auburn for his 2010 Heisman Trophy season. Sellers, a redshirt sophomore, needs to become a more polished passer. He accounted for 25 touchdowns (18 passing, seven rushing) last season and was one of five Power 4 quarterbacks to pass for more than 2,500 yards and rush for more than 600 yards. — Low
6. Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: Though he tossed a catastrophic late interception in Penn State’s loss to Notre Dame in the playoff semifinals, Allar is coming off a banner 2024 with a QBR of 77.5, which ranked 16th nationally. Allar took a big jump from 2023 to last season and could make another sizable leap in his third year as the starter. — Trotter
5. DJ Lagway, QB, Florida: There was some concern this spring about Lagway’s throwing shoulder, but coach Billy Napier said Lagway should be 100% by June. He was one of the top true freshmen in college football last season and led the Gators to wins in their last four games of the season after Graham Mertz was injured. At 6-3 and 240 pounds, Lagway has elite arm strength and is extremely tough to bring down in or outside the pocket. He threw 12 touchdown passes in 192 attempts last season. — Low
4. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU: After waiting his turn for three years, Nussmeier had a breakout year in 2024 and enters his redshirt senior season as the starter for the second straight season. Nussmeier was fifth nationally and second in the SEC with 4,052 passing yards a year ago. He threw 29 touchdown passes but was also intercepted 12 times. Nussmeier’s experience and toughness make him one of the unquestioned leaders in the LSU locker room. He engineered fourth-quarter comebacks in wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina last season. — Low
3. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State: Multiple NFL scouts and personnel told ESPN that Smith would’ve been a top-five pick in this most recent draft, had he been eligible. Instead, the 19-year-old phenom, who won’t be eligible for the draft until 2027, will power a retooling Ohio State offense still boasting plenty of talent, albeit inexperienced, around him. — Trotter
2. Arch Manning, QB, Texas: Though he has attempted only 63 career passes, Manning is the current favorite to win the Heisman, according to ESPN BET. With his famous surname, Manning has as much national hype as any first-time, full-time starting QB in recent college football history. He’ll be tested immediately, when the Longhorns travel to Ohio State to face the defending national champion Buckeyes in Week 1. — Trotter
1. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson: Klubnik has grown tremendously since his first season as a starter in 2023. The 6-2, 210-pound senior ranks in the top five in Clemson history in nearly every passing category and put up huge numbers a year ago when he was one of two FBS quarterbacks with more than 3,600 passing yards and 400 rushing yards. He accounted for 43 touchdowns (36 passing, seven rushing) and threw only six interceptions in 486 passing attempts. What’s more exciting is he has all of his top wide receivers returning for the 2025 season. — Low
10 potential first-time CFP teams
10. Texas A&M: The Aggies are last on the list because of last year’s inconsistency, losing four of their last five games after looking like a potential playoff team for a skinny minute. With all five starters returning on the offensive line and a strong running game, there should be some relief for quarterback Marcel Reed. The Aggies could make a playoff statement early with a Sept. 13 win at Notre Dame.
9. Louisville: USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss might be the most talented quarterback that coach Jeff Brohm has had to work with at Louisville, and he’ll be surrounded by plenty of talent. Louisville has also added 20 players from the portal. Remember, Louisville lost three games by seven points last year. If they can win at Miami and SMU, and beat Clemson at home, they should be in the CFP hunt.
8. Florida: The Gators again have one of the most difficult schedules in the country, but they also have one of the best quarterbacks in DJ Lagway — as long as they can keep him healthy. Lagway went 6-1 as the starter last year, but the Gators are lower on this list because of a gauntlet that includes road games at LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss. It would be surprising to see Florida win the SEC — but if it finishes with two or maybe even three losses, depending on the games and opponents, it could earn an at-large bid.
7. Texas Tech: This might come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with the program, but coach Joey McGuire has landed one of the top transfer portal classes in the country, and the overall financial backing of the program has been significant in recent years. The Red Raiders reportedly spent more than $10 million to sign 17 players, with a focus on both lines. If they can avoid upsets and earn a winning record against Arizona State, K-State and BYU, the Red Raiders can be a surprise Big 12 — and CFP — contender.
6. Kansas State: If the Wildcats beat Iowa State in their season opener in Dublin, Ireland, they’ll take the early lead as the Big 12’s best playoff hope. The return of quarterback Avery Johnson is significant, as the dual-threat player racked up 3,317 yards of offense and 32 touchdowns. Expectations are even higher in his second season as the starter.
5. BYU: The Cougars were another fringe playoff contender last year, and will have to win on the road to take the next step. They have tough trips to Colorado, Iowa State and Texas Tech, but they return top talent in quarterback Jake Retzlaff, running back LJ Martin, and receivers Chase Roberts and Keelan Marion.
4. Iowa State: In another wide-open Big 12 race, the Cyclones return enough talent to win the school’s first conference title in 113 years. Iowa State is coming off its first 11-win season, and quarterback Rocco Becht is back, along with top tailbacks Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III. Home games against BYU and Arizona State gave it the edge here.
3. Miami: The Canes had a case for playoff inclusion last fall and could guarantee themselves a spot if they can win the ACC — which they’re capable of doing with transfer quarterback Carson Beck from Georgia. Quarterback wasn’t the problem, though, last year — the defense was. If the Canes can avoid the losses to unranked opponents, they’d be in. A win against Notre Dame in the season opener would set the tone early.
2. South Carolina: The Gamecocks were a fringe CFP team last year and could take another step forward as an at-large team this year under the leadership of talented returning quarterback LaNorris Sellers. If they can go 2-0 against the ACC and pull off some SEC upsets along the way, the Gamecocks’ CFP chances will rise.
1. Illinois: The Illini return 18 starters, including quarterback Luke Altmeyer and all five starters on the offensive line. They also don’t play Oregon, Michigan or Penn State. If you’re looking for this year’s version of Indiana, the Illini could be it — dominant enough against a manageable schedule to earn an at-large bid without winning the Big Ten. — Heather Dinich
10 freshmen to watch
10. Gideon Davidson, RB, Clemson: Davidson, ESPN’s No. 3 running back in 2025, rushed for more than 5,000 yards and 80 touchdowns over his final two high school seasons. Coach Dabo Swinney said last month the 5-foot-11 rusher is “physically” ready for first-team snaps but still needs to develop into a complete running back. If Davidson can refine his blocking skills and learn the offense, he stands as Clemson’s most intriguing potential replacement for 1,115-yard rusher Phil Mafah.
9. Jahkeem Stewart, DE, USC: A towering defensive end at 6-5, 290 pounds, Stewart was ESPN’s No. 1 prospect in 2026 before he reclassified into the 2025 cycle last fall. Stewart played only one varsity season, totaling 85 tackles (33 for loss) and 20 sacks as a sophomore in 2023, and might require time to develop. But he should at the very least inject some energy into a Trojans pass rush that finished 91st nationally in sacks (21) last fall.
8. D.J. Pickett, CB, LSU: Previously ranked as ESPN’s No. 1 athlete in the 2025 class, Pickett joins the Tigers as the program’s highest-ranked cornerback recruit since coach Brian Kelly arrived in 2021. Pickett’s combination size and speed at 6-4, 190 pounds should make him a versatile option for LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker, and the Tigers’ lack of experienced cornerback talent behind projected starters Ashton Stamps and Mansoor Delane means Pickett will have an opportunity to compete for snaps on day one.
7. Devin Sanchez, CB, Ohio State: Coveted for his length and sudden speed at 6-2, 185 pounds, Sanchez was the No. 1 cornerback prospect in the 2025 class. ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert has likened Sanchez to former Buckeyes standout Denzel Burke, and the five-star freshman should challenge junior Jermaine Mathews Jr. as Ohio State works to fill Burke’s starting spot under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
6. Julian Lewis, QB, Colorado: Lewis, a long-time USC pledge, ended a lengthy recruiting saga with his flip to coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes last November. A 39-game starter in high school, Lewis enters a quarterback battle in 2025 with Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter. Given Salter’s experience and Lewis’ age after reclassifying from the 2026 cycle, Lewis might need to be patient in Year 1, but his time will come at Colorado.
5. Justus Terry, DT, Texas: An explosive interior presence at 6-5, 263 pounds, Terry emerged as perhaps the most disruptive defensive line prospect in the 2025 class. After stiff-arming in-state Georgia to join the Longhorns, Terry should at least challenge for a situational role in 2025 as part of a Texas defensive line replacing its top four defensive tackles from a year ago.
4. Michael Fasusi, OT, Oklahoma: Fasusi’s decision to stick with the Sooners over late pushes from Texas and Texas A&M was a silver lining for Oklahoma last December amid a 6-7 finish. The 6-5, 302-pound player dominated competition at the Under Armour All-America game a month later. If he settles in quickly under Sooners offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh, Fasusi could carve a role up front this fall, similar to Cayden Green in 2023.
3. Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon: Moore, No. 4 in the 2025 ESPN 300, was Keelon Russell’s primary target at Duncanville (Texas) High School, where he accounted for 2,983 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns across his junior and senior seasons. A college-ready playmaker with track speed, Moore is capable of making an impact in Year 1 within a Ducks offense missing four of its top five pass catchers from 2024.
2. Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama: A dynamic playmaker from Duncanville, Texas, Russell dominated one of the nation’s top high school classifications en route to Gatorade National Player of the Year honors in 2024. Similar to Bryce Underwood, Russell — a former SMU pledge — steps into an uncertain quarterback situation behind Ty Simpson and Austin Mack this fall. Whether it’s 2025 or beyond, Russell will get a shot to start for the Crimson Tide sooner rather than later.
1. Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan: Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 ESPN 300, shook the sport with his flip from LSU to in-state Michigan 13 days before the early signing period. A four-year starter who threw for 11,488 yards and 152 touchdowns in high school, Underwood is the Wolverines’ future under center. Depending on how Fresno State transfer passer Mikey Keene settles in, the gifted, 6-4, 208-pound quarterback could challenge to become the program’s present as soon as this fall. — Eli Lederman
10 transfers to watch
10. Max Klare, TE, Ohio State: The Buckeyes’ passing attack didn’t need any extra help going into 2025 with the star power the team returns at wide receiver, but Klare could end up being a sneaky great addition. The Purdue transfer ranked fourth among all Power 4 tight ends with a team-high 685 receiving yards on 51 receptions last season and should be a dependable target for the Buckeyes’ inexperienced QBs.
9. Nic Anderson, WR, LSU: The Tigers have put together a CFP-caliber roster with an elite portal class this offseason full of proven starters. Anderson sat out almost the entire 2024 season because of injury but showed he can be a big-time playmaker at Oklahoma in 2023, turning 38 catches into 798 yards and 10 TDs. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier should greatly benefit from the arrival of Anderson and Kentucky transfer Barion Brown, two of the top wideouts from the portal.
8. David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders went all-in for 2025 and assembled an absolutely loaded portal class this offseason. Bailey, a former freshman All-American at Stanford and a projected early-round NFL draft pick next year, is teaming with fellow transfers Lee Hunter (UCF), Romello Height (Georgia Tech) and Skyler Gill-Howard (Northern Illinois) to give Texas Tech one of the most talented defensive lines in the country.
7. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia: Adding difference-makers at wide receiver was a huge priority for the Bulldogs this offseason. They landed an explosive playmaker in Branch, a first-team All-America kick returner who produced 1,863 all-purpose yards and six TDs over two seasons at USC. Georgia OC Mike Bobo is going to have a lot of fun finding different ways of getting Branch involved.
6. Isaiah World, OT, Oregon: The Ducks landed lots of proven players via the portal, including running back Makhi Hughes (Tulane) and safety Dillon Thieneman (Purdue), but World is the one who has pro scouts buzzing. The 6-foot-8 left tackle was a three-year starter at Nevada and should be an excellent replacement for first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr.
5. Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Auburn: Singleton, a freshman All-American in 2023, caught 104 passes for 1,468 yards and scored 10 TDs over his two seasons at Georgia Tech, and also ran track for the Yellow Jackets. He’s bringing blazing speed and excellent route running to a Tigers offense that will be led by Oklahoma transfer QB Jackson Arnold and a bunch of high-impact portal additions.
4. Carson Beck, QB, Miami: Beck initially declared for the NFL draft but wisely reversed course and came back to school after Miami made an offer he couldn’t refuse. He brings serious big-game experience to the table for the Hurricanes as a two-year starter with a 24-3 career record and put up more than 8,000 total yards and 63 total TDs at Georgia. He sat out spring practice while he recovered from elbow surgery but is ready to step in as Cam Ward’s successor and prove he’s a first-round talent.
3. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti worked wonders with veteran transfer Kurtis Rourke leading his offense in 2024. If Mendoza can enjoy similar success, he could become a first-round pick next year. Mendoza, a 19-game starter at Cal, threw for 3,004 yards on 69% passing last season while playing behind a line that surrendered the most sacks in FBS. After earning a CFP bid in Cignetti’s debut season, the Hoosiers couldn’t have found a better QB to keep them in the Big Ten race in Year 2.
2. Darian Mensah, QB, Duke: Mensah flew completely under the radar as a two-star recruit and didn’t get much national attention last season as a redshirt freshman starter at Tulane, but coaches absolutely coveted him when he hit the portal. The 6-3, 205-pound passer flashed elite arm talent and potential first-round upside in his debut season. The Blue Devils made him one of the highest-paid players in the sport and are betting Mensah can turn them into an ACC and CFP contender in 2025.
1. John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma: Mateer was one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the country in his first season as a starter at Washington State, putting up 3,139 passing yards, 1,032 rushing yards (excluding sacks) and 44 total touchdowns. The fact he gets to keep playing with his offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle in Norman sets him up to be even better in 2025. He brings much-needed swagger to the Sooners’ offense and could quickly make Oklahoma a factor in the SEC title race. — Max Olson
10 potential first-round bye teams
10. Boise State: The Broncos could again represent the Group of 5 in the playoff as its highest-ranked conference champion. But they might not earn a top-four seed and a first-round bye like last year when they were seeded No. 3 ahead of the Big 12 and ACC champs, respectively.
9. LSU: Expectations are soaring for the Tigers, especially with the return of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, but are they ready to return to the top of the SEC? LSU doesn’t play Texas or Georgia during the regular season, so we might not know unless they make it to the conference championship game.
8. BYU: The Cougars can earn a top-four seed if they win the Big 12, which is again wide open. Last year’s Big 12 champion (Arizona State) was seeded No. 4 behind Boise State, but the Big 12 is getting the edge this preseason with Ashton Jeanty now in the NFL. The Cougars are ranked ahead of LSU here because their path to a conference title looks easier than LSU’s.
7. Miami: If the Hurricanes can win the ACC, they’ll earn a top-four seed as one of the four highest-ranked conference champions. If they beat Notre Dame and Florida, though, en route to a conference title, they’ll make a case for one of the top seeds, depending on how those opponents ultimately fare.
6. Ohio State: The defending national champion is ranked this low only because it’s behind projected champs from other conferences. If Ohio State beats Texas at home in its season opener — and beats Penn State at home on Nov. 1 — the Buckeyes will be at the top of this list and in position for the committee’s No. 1 ranking and seed.
5. Georgia: The Bulldogs and Longhorns will settle this on Nov. 15, when the Longhorns visit Athens, and they could meet again in the SEC championship game, just as they did last season. Georgia won both games and earned a first-round bye as the SEC champion. It can certainly do it again.
4. Iowa State: The Cyclones would earn the fourth and final first-round bye in this projection as the Big 12 conference champion. In the current model, the four highest-ranked conference champions earn the top four seeds, which is why this ranking started this way.
3. Clemson: The Tigers are here as the projected ACC champion and the selection committee’s third-highest ranked conference champion, which would earn them the No. 3 seed.
2. Penn State: The Nittany Lions are ranked here as the projected Big Ten champion and selection committee’s second-highest ranked conference champion, which would earn them the No. 2 seed.
1. Texas: The Longhorns get the top spot here as the projected SEC champ and the selection committee’s highest-ranked conference champion, which would earn them the No. 1 seed. — Dinich
10 wild predictions for the season
10. Juice Kiffin scores for Ole Miss: OK, we need one wild prediction that’s so wild they’d have to make a movie about it — though this one could infringe on “Air Bud” copyrights. But if the tush push is legal for short-yardage dominance, it’s only reasonable to assume someone could hand the ball to a yellow lab in space for some explosive plays, too, right? Well, there’s no better combination of “dog with skills” and “coach willing to think outside the box” than Juice and Lane Kiffin, so why not throw us all a bone and give it a whirl? And honestly, it has been six years since something dog-related has completely upended the Egg Bowl. We’re overdue.
He’s lucky I’m on my leash https://t.co/n6XSwZcq5d
— Juice Kiffin (@JuiceKiffin) November 9, 2024
9. Kent State‘s streak reaches 34: Things are bad at Kent State. After the 2022 season, Sean Lewis voluntarily left his head coaching job for a coordinator position at Colorado. His successor, Kenni Burns, proceeded to lose every game he coached vs. an FBS opponent. Burns was then put on leave and ultimately fired in April for multiple alleged violations of his contract. As it stands, the Golden Flashes have dropped 23 straight games vs. FBS opponents, with their lone win over the past two years coming against FCS Central Connecticut. Things aren’t likely to improve in 2025. Kent State’s schedule includes road games at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma, plus MAC dates with four bowl teams from last year. They do get UMass, Akron, Ball State and Central Michigan — all chances for a rare W — but we’re not holding our breath. Our prediction: By the time 2025 is over, it will have been three years since the Golden Flashes celebrated an FBS win, and their trophy case will be getting awfully full from all those Bottom 10 championship trophies (which, we assume, is just the Civil Conflict trophy with duct tape over the name plate).
8. There’s a new power in Texas: The Big 12 looks to be up for grabs as Utah gets healthy, BYU stockpiles talent, Coach Prime goes into Year 3, and Iowa State and Arizona State look to build on exceptional 2024 seasons with returning stars at QB. But here’s a prediction that none of them are the conference’s champion when it’s all said and done. That honor goes to Texas Tech, which has been lurking for two years under Joey McGuire, and has added a wealth of star power this offseason. In the portal, it found Stanford’s David Bailey and Georgia Tech’s Romello Height to anchor the D-line, netted heft on the O-line with Howard Sampson, Hunter Zambrano and Will Jados, and added speed at receiver, tight end and corner. McGuire has top talent, depth and a manageable path to the playoff. Expectations are high in Lubbock, and we’re betting the Red Raiders live up to the hype.
7. Florida State wins 10 games: The roller-coaster ride in Tallahassee is enough to make any fan lose his lunch. In 2021, the team was dismal, still dealing with the ripple effects of Jimbo Fisher’s departure and Willy Taggart’s ill-fated hire. But by 2023, the Seminoles were on top of the world — winners of 19 straight games and holders of a 13-0 record. Then they were snubbed from the playoff, got routed by Georgia in the Orange Bowl, then went 2-10 in 2024 in what was, perhaps, the most incredible year-over-year decline in modern college football history. But what goes down must go up again, right? A simple regression to the mean on some key luck-based metrics should get FSU back to a bowl game, but if the defense takes a step forward under new coordinator Tony White and the offense is energized by Tommy Castellanos at QB, it’s not absurd to think the Noles regain much of the form they had in 2023, when they finished 10-3 and looked like a genuine contender by year’s end.
6. Riley saves his job: It has been a rough few years in L.A. for Lincoln Riley, who was once touted as the greatest offensive mind of his generation. USC is just 13-14 in its past 27 games vs. power conference competition, and last year’s unit finished sixth in scoring offense in its first year in the Big Ten. But has Riley actually lost his touch? Has the rest of the country figured him out? Is the Big Ten really so old-school that his offense can’t work amid the run-heavy tradition still upheld in places such as Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin? We’re not buying it. Riley knows what’s at stake this season, and with a manageable schedule — at Notre Dame and at Oregon being the biggest hurdles — here’s our official prediction that the Trojans turn things around and finish the regular season at 10-2 or better.
5. Ohio State loses to Michigan … again: The Buckeyes are national champions. Last year’s team was elite, and this year’s could be just as good. There’s no reason to be anything but joyous in Columbus. Only … the fine folks from that state up north do have something of a trump card. Michigan’s four straight wins over Ohio State make for some pretty good bragging rights, even if the playoff trophy resides at the Horseshoe. Last year’s astonishing Buckeyes loss might’ve cost Ryan Day his job had the playoff not expanded to 12 and given Ohio State a second bite at the apple. And so, when this year’s game comes around on Nov. 29, the buzz won’t be about Ohio State’s 2025 championship game win. It will be about the four straight losses, and that’s an awfully big monkey now living on Day’s back. So, we won’t be too shocked if that dark cloud looms so large that the Buckeyes stumble yet again thanks to all of the outside noise. Would the Ohio State faithful be OK with a fifth straight loss to Michigan if it was followed by a second straight national title?
4. Georgia misses the playoff: For the better part of three seasons, the Bulldogs seemed invincible. Only an injury-plagued one-score loss to Alabama in the 2023 SEC title game might have prevented Georgia from winning three straight national championships. And yet, by the end of 2024, it was clear some of the shine was off the once-dominant program. Carson Beck struggled without much help from his skill positions. The Dawgs lost to Alabama, were whooped by Ole Miss, and nearly fell to Georgia Tech before escaping in eight overtimes. By the time Penn State eased past Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, it was pretty clear Kirby Smart didn’t have a championship-level team. So, will 2025 be a return to greatness? It’s possible, but the SEC is stacked, and with games at Tennessee, home vs. Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss and the rivalry showdown vs. Florida, there are ample opportunities to stumble. Is 8-4 possible? Would a 9-3 Georgia be a sure bet for the playoff? Could things get worse? When the standard is dominance, it’s hard to maintain the standard for long in today’s college football.
3. Belichick is one-and-done: It’s no secret Bill Belichick wanted an NFL job before landing at North Carolina. His buy-out with the Tar Heels also drops significantly next month. So a quick visit in Chapel Hill before heading back to the pros wouldn’t be a shocker (especially if he can set the stage for his son, Steve, to land the UNC head job afterward). But what if the scenario for his departure is less about moving up than falling down? The Heels are in the midst of a massive makeover in Year 1 under Belichick, who has never coached in college and is already dealing with his share of off-field spectacle. Is a 3-9 type of season possible? It certainly won’t be a good look if that’s where the Tar Heels land.
2. Manning doesn’t win the Heisman: The 1997 Heisman voting is part of college football lore, as Michigan’s Charles Woodson won the prize over the more heavily touted Tennessee QB Peyton Manning. Now 28 years later, Manning’s nephew, Arch, is set to lead Texas — and he probably has even more hype going into the season than Peyton or Eli ever did. We’re believers in Arch Madness, but predicting a playoff run for Texas doesn’t exactly count as a “wild” guess. Instead, how about a little history repeating itself? We’re predicting Arch Manning looks every bit as good as his famous uncle, and he enters December as the Heisman favorite. But when the award is announced, it’ll actually be a surprise winner instead. Who wins it? How about Oklahoma’s John Mateer? Or maybe Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith? Or perhaps Tennessee gets a little revenge and sends its own athletic defensive star to the podium, with Jermod McCoy winning the hardware.
1. Kelly goes ballistic: Brian Kelly has been head coach at LSU for three years. In 2022, he lost in Week 1 to Florida State. In 2023, he lost to the Noles in Week 1 again. In 2024, the Bayou Bengals flubbed away a game against USC and, once more, opened the year 0-1. Each time, Kelly was left … frustrated. (And none of this includes his famed postgame quote after a Week 1 overtime victory against Florida State in 2021 in which he joked about executing his players.) So, what happens if LSU starts 0-1 again this year? It’s entirely possible, as the Tigers draw Clemson in the opener. It’s not hard to envision a scenario in which a late Garrett Nussmeier fumble leads to a Clemson scoop-and-score and a 21-20 LSU loss after which Kelly turns into the red guy from “Inside Out” during his postgame news conference. — David Hale
10 CFP contenders from the Group of 5
10. UTSA: After a slow start in 2024, UTSA won four of five to end the season. Now Jeff Traylor’s Roadrunners face an ambitious schedule with quarterback Owen McCown and most of his offensive line and receiving corps returning.
9. Army: After surging from 6-6 to 12-2, Jeff Monken’s Black Knights are rebuilding a bit. But they still have speedsters such as Noah Short in the backfield, and the defense has ranked in the SP+ top 40 for two straight years.
8. Louisiana: The Ragin’ Cajuns started last season 10-2 before a late collapse, and Michael Desormeaux aimed high by bringing in blue-chip transfers such as quarterback Walker Howard (Ole Miss) and wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. (LSU). The ceiling is high for the offense. The defense? We’ll see.
7. Liberty: Jamey Chadwell will field his most experienced defense, and while quarterback Kaidon Salter is off to Colorado, the Flames still have a proven offensive system and upside in the skill positions. They’ll host James Madison in Week 4 in a potential eliminator.
6. Memphis: Ryan Silverfield has lots to replace from a team that went 21-5 over the past two seasons, but the Tigers have massive upside at quarterback with either Nevada transfer Brendon Lewis or redshirt freshman Arrington Maiden, and a number of former blue-chippers arriving via the portal.
5. James Madison: After an up-and-down first season in charge, Bob Chesney returns a wonderfully experienced offense led by either incumbent quarterback Alonza Barnett III or UNLV transfer Matthew Sluka. The defense is taking on a rebuild, but Chesney did good work in the portal.
4. Navy: Quarterback Blake Horvath returns to pilot (naval reference!) another potentially excellent offense, and the defense is also pretty experienced. The major hurdle: a schedule that requires the Midshipmen to play their three toughest opponents (Notre Dame, Memphis, Army) away from home.
3. Tulane: The Green Wave have won 32 games over the past three seasons, and though head coach Jon Sumrall has quite a few players to replace from last season, he has done dynamite work in the portal. Few G5 teams have more upside in the trenches.
2. UNLV: Will it be a total collapse after losing head coach Barry Odom? Or will it be a major surge because of a load of blue-chippers? Almost anything is possible in Dan Mullen’s first season in charge in Las Vegas. A Week 2 visit from UCLA will tell us quite a bit.
1. Boise State: The reigning champions of the G5 return quarterback Maddux Madsen, ace pass rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan, tight end Matt Lauter and most of last season’s offensive line, and they’ll probably be underdogs only at Notre Dame in Week 6. — Connelly
Sports
Sources: USC’s No. 1 class for ’26 loses LB Griffin
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May 15, 2025By
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Eli LedermanMay 14, 2025, 07:47 PM ET
Close- Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.
Four-star linebacker Xavier Griffin, the No. 29 overall recruit in the 2026 ESPN 300, has decommitted from USC, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Griffin, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound defender from Gainesville, Georgia, had been pledged to the Trojans since July 2024. ESPN’s third-ranked defender in the current cycle had stood among the top prospects in coach Lincoln Riley’s star-studded 2026 recruiting class.
Griffin’s decision to pull his pledge from USC stemmed from a desire to schedule official visits elsewhere, sources told ESPN. That went against USC’s policy against committed prospects taking official trips to other campuses. Upon his decommitment, Griffin is now set to embark on a slate of official visits over the next months with stops at Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and Texas.
His departure marks the first significant blow to a Trojans recruiting class that holds more ESPN 300 pledges — 13 — than any other program in the 2026 cycle. Five-star prospects Elbert Hill (No. 15 overall) and Keenyi Pepe (No. 17) became the latest elite prospects to announce commitments to USC earlier this month, following nine other ESPN 300 recruits who have joined the program’s incoming class since Jan. 1.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert listed the Trojans, who hold 27 total commitments, at No. 1 in his most recent 2026 class rankings earlier this month.
A lean, physical linebacker, Griffin has established himself across two varsity seasons at Gainesville High School, logging 97 total tackles and 21 sacks over his sophomore and junior years. He took unofficial visits to Florida State, Tennessee and Texas, among others, earlier this spring before Wednesday’s decommitment.
Sports
MLB Power Rankings: Two AL teams crash NL’s party in top 5 MLB Power Rankings: Two AL teams crash NL’s party in top 5
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May 15, 2025By
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The National League still dominates in Week 7 of our MLB Power Rankings, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets holding on to the top two sports on the list. But a pair of American League squads are making a dent.
The red-hot Detroit Tigers, owners of the AL’s best record, leapfrog the No. 4 San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs (down this week to No. 7), moving up from No. 5 to No. 3. The AL East-leading New York Yankees, meanwhile, reenter the top five after a No. 7 ranking last week.
Have the Tigers hit their ceiling?
With the Subway Series scheduled this weekend, will the Mets or the Yankees win temporary bragging rights in the Big Apple?
Our expert panel has combined to rank every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Buster Olney and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Record: 28-15
Previous ranking: 1
When the season began, Clayton Kershaw was a luxury. The Dodgers seemed to possess so much starting-pitching depth that it was safe to wonder where the future Hall of Famer would even fit. But things have changed. Shohei Ohtani‘s pitching rehab has gone slowly. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and, more recently, Roki Sasaki have landed on the injured list with shoulder ailments. And when Kershaw makes his return to the rotation on Saturday, it will serve as a much-needed boost to a staff that is routinely staging bullpen games these days — just like it did for so much of October. — Gonzalez
Record: 28-16
Previous ranking: 2
Brett Baty began the season at the Mets’ regular second baseman but was sent down to Triple-A after hitting .204 with a .246 OBP in 19 games. He was called back up on May 5 when Jesse Winker went on the IL and has homered four times on this homestand, including the go-ahead home run in the seventh inning of a 2-1 victory over the Pirates on Tuesday. With Winker sidelined another five to seven weeks, Baty should continue to get plenty of playing time, including at his natural position of third base, with Mark Vientos sliding over to the DH role. — Schoenfield
Record: 29-15
Previous ranking: 5
The journey of Javier Baez is becoming one of the most unlikely baseball stories of this year, maybe this decade. Baez lost his starting role in August, and there were evaluators with other teams convinced the Tigers were about to release him. But not long after that demotion, Baez, long known as a player who reliably posts and plays, told the Tigers that he had been hurting. He had hip surgery and looked much better at the plate in spring training. When a wave of injuries created a need for a center fielder, Baez, a lifelong infielder, took to the position — and he is thriving, including hitting a walk-off homer against Boston on Tuesday. — Olney
Record: 27-15
Previous ranking: 3
Fernando Tatis Jr. turned on Kenley Jansen‘s 2-2 cutter late Tuesday night and immediately tossed his bat to the side. The baseball sailed a whopping 430 feet, breaking a 4-4 tie, electrifying Petco Park and giving Tatis the first walk-off homer of his career. By that point, Tatis was slashing .316/.389/.574 with 11 home runs and eight stolen bases, making him one of the game’s best performers thus far. Manny Machado (slashing .340/.410/.490) and Jackson Merrill (.412/.438/.676) are doing their part, too. Given the holes in the bottom of their lineup, star-level performances from star-level players are precisely what the Padres need. — Gonzalez
Record: 25-18
Previous ranking: 7
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt is simple and direct in communicating with players, and one thing he has said to his team is: “I don’t make the lineup. You guys make the lineup with how you play.” And this is where the Yankees and Aaron Boone are with third base in the aftermath of Oswaldo Cabrera‘s devastating ankle injury: If one of the candidates hits, he will continue to play. The veteran on the clock now is DJ LeMahieu; if he hits, he’ll continue to get starts. If not, the Yankees’ search for third base help will continue. — Olney
Record: 25-18
Previous ranking: 8
Kyle Schwarber continues to rake, including homering twice to drive in all three runs in a 3-0 win over the Guardians on Sunday that completed a nice 5-1 road trip to Tampa and Cleveland. Schwarber entered Wednesday’s doubleheader tied for the MLB lead with 14 home runs while ranking sixth in OPS. After leading the majors with 200 strikeouts in 2022 and 215 in 2023 and striking out 197 times in 2024, Schwarber’s contact rate has climbed in 2025, and he has cut his strikeout rate of more than 29% the past three seasons all the way down to just over 20%. He could be headed to his third All-Star Game. — Schoenfield
Record: 25-19
Previous ranking: 4
Justin Turner is hitting under .200, but the 40-year-old veteran delivered in a big way on Tuesday. After pinch hitting earlier in the game, Turner delivered a two-run walk-off double in a 5-4 win over the Marlins. “I’m happy for him. It’s a big moment,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s done it so many times. It’s not fun watching a great player struggle, but he got a moment and he did it.” That game was also the MLB debut for catcher/DH Moises Ballesteros, the Cubs’ preseason No. 2 prospect. Called up to replace the injured Ian Happ, Ballesteros was hitting .368/.420/.522 in Triple-A. He served as the DH for the Cubs and went 0-for-4, although he lived up to his reputation as a strong contact hitter by putting the ball in play all four at-bats. — Schoenfield
Record: 25-19
Previous ranking: 6
Giants: The Giants suffered a four-game losing streak recently, a stretch in which they were outscored by a grand total of… five runs. Even when the Giants lose games, they continue to be competitive, which speaks well to their prospects in 2025. Just as encouraging: Willy Adames and Justin Verlander, their two big free agent additions last offseason, have seemingly rounded into form. Adames’ slash line was just .208/.292/.300 through the month of April, but he’s slashing .264/.339/.528 in May. Verlander, meanwhile, had a 6.75 ERA through his first four starts but has a 2.76 ERA over his past five. — Gonzalez
Record: 23-19
Previous ranking: 9
A Mariners team that enjoyed a remarkable run of health from its starting pitchers last year placed another one of their starters on the injured list Wednesday, when Bryce Miller was diagnosed with a bout of elbow inflammation, joining George Kirby and Logan Gilbert on the shelf. The news came on the heels of a recent four-game losing streak — which followed an 8-2 stretch. It emphasized something we should have probably learned by now — that nobody is going to run away with the American League West this season. — Gonzalez
Record: 25-18
Previous ranking: 13
In the midst of his April struggles, Emmanuel Clase revealed to the Guardians that he had some shoulder soreness — nothing debilitating but something that was bothering him. Cleveland backed off him, and he did not pitch for five days. Since that brief in-season break, Clase has allowed only one earned run in eight appearances, and the Cleveland bullpen that was so dominant last year has its closer nearing his previous form. Meanwhile, the Guardians’ rotation seems to be improving, with the return of Shane Bieber getting closer by the week. — Olney
Record: 23-21
Previous ranking: 10
The D-backs split a four-game home series against the Dodgers over the weekend, during which their hitters scored 20 runs and their pitchers allowed 25. It basically encapsulated their season. The D-backs’ offense has been a force this year, ranking third in the majors in OPS, fourth in homers and fifth in runs per game. But their pitching staff has a 4.71 ERA, seventh-highest in the sport. And though it’s easy to see Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez pitching better out of the rotation, the concern lies in the bullpen, especially with A.J. Puk out an undetermined amount of time with elbow stiffness. Some good news on that front: Justin Martinez, their dynamic closer, could return as early as this week. — Gonzalez
Record: 25-20
Previous ranking: 11
Top prospect Jac Caglianone is doing his part to put himself into the conversation for possible promotion later this season, crushing the pitching in Double-A. If he is going to help the Royals in the big leagues this year, it’ll likely be as an outfielder, and Kansas City has started using him twice a week in that capacity in the minors. He has work to do in refining his reads and in his ability to get good jumps, and longtime K.C. coach Rusty Kuntz is overseeing the effort to help Caglianone defensively. Caglianone is very open to feedback and has been spending time in batting practice getting reads on the ball off the bat. — Olney
Record: 22-23
Previous ranking: 12
The Rafael Devers situation is settled: Unless something changes dramatically, he’ll continue to serve as the designated hitter — something he has done very well this year — and the Red Sox will find other solutions at first base. Maybe the only person who has the power to alter the trajectory of this situation is Devers himself, by going to manager Alex Cora and volunteering to take ground balls. One AL evaluator familiar with the situation is shocked that Devers hasn’t been taking grounders anyway, to give Cora alternatives at first base in the event of injuries to other players and the need for a stopgap solution. — Olney
Record: 21-22
Previous ranking: 14
After starting 0-7, the Braves reached .500 for the first time with Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Nationals. The Braves went 7-3 over a 10-game stretch, with three of those wins coming in walk-off fashion and another coming in extra innings. Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin continues to sizzle at the plate, going 3-for-4 on Tuesday with a home run and double to raise his line to .329/.382/.557. After starting the season 1-for-18, Tuesday’s big game capped a 20-game stretch where he hit .423 with four home runs. — Schoenfield
Record: 24-20
Previous ranking: 23
Here come the Cardinals. St. Louis ran off nine wins in a row heading into Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Phillies — two over the Mets, three-game sweeps of the Pirates and Nationals and then taking the first game in Philly. The pitching staff had a 2.00 ERA over that nine-game stretch, allowing just three home runs in 81 innings. The offense hit .267 with 10 home runs with Willson Contreras leading the way, hitting .367 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. Nolan Arenado and Victor Scott II had OBPs over .400 during the win streak while Ivan Herrera returned after more than a month on the IL to help boost the lineup as well. — Schoenfield
Record: 23-20
Previous ranking: 22
The cliché long applied to Byron Buxton might never be more true than it is right now: When he’s on the field, he’s a great player. Going into the Twins’ Wednesday doubleheader in Baltimore, Buxton had multihit games in 11 of the team’s previous 20, and in that span, he was hitting .316, with six homers, 15 runs and 18 RBIs to spearhead Minnesota’s recent win streak. As usual, Buxton is playing strong defense in the outfield, with positive ratings in both outs above average and defensive runs saved. — Olney
Record: 22-20
Previous ranking: 16
The Astros’ offense is still without Yordan Alvarez and still waiting for the likes of Jose Altuve and Christian Walker to get going. But the month of May has provided some encouraging signs from less-established players who really need to take another step forward this season, specifically Jake Meyers, Jeremy Pena, Yandy Diaz and Isaac Paredes. Those four have combined to slash .356/.415/.561 with eight home runs this month. The Astros are just 6-6 in May, but they’re still well within striking distance in a wide-open American League West. And they’d be in far worse position without the production of those aforementioned players. — Gonzalez
Record: 23-21
Previous ranking: 19
An offense still trying to find its footing placed its best hitter, Corey Seager, on the injured list for the second time in less than two weeks on Tuesday. Seager is dealing with a hamstring strain, the same injury that kept him out from April 23 to May 2. During that stretch, the Rangers lost eight of 10, winning one game by a 15-2 score but combining for 14 runs in their other nine. Their offense doesn’t seem to flow quite the same without Seager, who’s slashing .300/.346/.520 in 26 games this season. His middle-infield partner, Marcus Semien, needs to step up, now more than ever. — Gonzalez
Record: 22-21
Previous ranking: 18
The rotation is a concern and their defense is a mess, but boy is the A’s offense fun. And few represent that better than Jacob Wilson, the 23-year-old shortstop who’s making an early case for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Wilson returned to his roots in Los Angeles on Tuesday and went 4-for-5 with two home runs at Dodger Stadium, propelling the A’s to an 11-1 rout over the defending World Series champs. That performance put Wilson’s slash line at .363/.389/.513 — a 168-plate-appearance sample in which he had drawn just seven walks but had struck out only nine times. Fun. — Gonzalez
Record: 21-23
Previous ranking: 17
The Brewers aren’t going to go anywhere unless Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich start to produce better results — namely, getting on base more often. Chourio is hitting .265 with seven home runs, but has drawn just four walks with 37 strikeouts, giving him an OBP under .300. Yelich also has seven home runs but is hitting .205 with a .301 OBP. He’s striking out 28% of the time, a sizable 10% increase from last season. The Brewers certainly have other big holes — they’re last in OPS at third base, for example — but they need their two big stars to carry this offense. — Schoenfield
Record: 20-24
Previous ranking: 15
The Reds scuffled through a 2-8 stretch that saw Hunter Greene land on the IL with a groin strain and Noelvi Marte, who had been hitting well, land on the IL with an oblique strain. Three of those losses were in extra innings, which dropped the Reds to 0-5 in extra frames, but the offense was also a big culprit, getting shut out three times and scoring just one run in three other games. They managed a 13-9 victory over the Astros, scoring 10 runs in the first inning, with seven of those coming off a struggling Lance McCullers Jr., who is trying to make a comeback for Houston. — Schoenfield
Record: 21-21
Previous ranking: 21
The Blue Jays’ sweep of the Mariners in Seattle last weekend was a classic example of the American League’s parity. Just when the Jays’ offense had settled into something of a malaise, they go in and dominate the AL West front-runner. There are likely to be more ebbs and flows like this during the summer as Toronto defines itself. If the Jays ever decide to move veterans before the trade deadline, George Springer is one player who could draw interest in a very, very thin outfield market. He is off to a strong start in his age-35 season while making $24 million this year and next, and if Toronto aims to reshape its roster, his production and experience would be attractive to other teams. — Olney
Record: 19-23
Previous ranking: 20
When the Rays announced they would play their home games at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field this season, the assumption was that the team’s hitters — who had previously competed in the pitcher’s haven that is Tropicana Field — would get a nice bump in a park thought to have a prevailing wind to right field. But that has not always been the case up to this point. The Rays’ hitters rank 19th among the 30 teams in wRC+ in their home park, although they are tied for eighth in home runs. Brandon Lowe, Christopher Morel, Danny Jansen and Taylor Walls are all batting under .200 at home so far. — Olney
Record: 15-26
Previous ranking: 25
Even before the season started, it seemed as if the Orioles would need to hit enough to make up for their pitching challenges. Despite the surprisingly slow start for the offense, that continues to be the case, as there are few signs of a rotation turnaround. There are some ugly numbers. Opposing hitters carried an OPS of .920 in Camden Yards this season going into Wednesday’s doubleheader. In Baltimore’s losses, the team had an ERA of 8.59. The team’s record in games in which the Orioles scored fewer than six runs: 5-19. — Olney
Record: 18-26
Previous ranking: 24
After getting close to .500 at 17-19, the Nationals dropped seven in a row, scoring two or fewer runs in five of those losses. CJ Abrams has been the one player producing at the plate, with three three-hit games in that stretch to push his average over .300. Since the World Series season in 2019, the only qualified Nationals to hit .300 were Juan Soto and Trea Turner in the shortened 2020 season and then Soto in 2021. In the history of the Expos/Nationals franchise, the only shortstops to hit .300 were Turner in 2020, Cristian Guzman in 2008 and Mark Grudzielanek in 1996. — Schoenfield
Record: 17-25
Previous ranking: 28
From April 11 to May 4, the Angels navigated a brutal stretch in which their offense posted a .574 OPS, their pitchers put up a 6.08 ERA and their defense committed 13 errors, a 21-game stretch in which they accumulated only five victories. The Angels have since been better. More competitive, at least. They took two of three from the Blue Jays, hung tough with the Orioles, then played back-to-back tight games in San Diego, coming all the way back against lights-out closer Robert Suarez on Monday and watching Fernando Tatis Jr. walk-off Kenley Jansen on Tuesday. The Angels are simply not being embarrassed at this point. That’s progress. — Gonzalez
Record: 15-29
Previous ranking: 26
The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton, sitting in last place in the division with a 12-26 record. Bench coach Don Kelly took over as interim manager. A seven-game losing streak was the final straw. Shelton was in his sixth season as manager and after finishing 76-86 the past two seasons, the club had higher expectations for 2025 — although ownership and management did little in the offseason to improve the club. “I believe he was the right person for the job when he was hired. I also believe that a change is now necessary,” GM Ben Cherington said in an odd statement. In more exciting news, Paul Skenes announced that he’s committed to pitch for Team USA in next year’s World Baseball Classic. He’s the second player to publicly commit to playing, alongside team captain Aaron Judge. — Schoenfield
Record: 16-26
Previous ranking: 27
If you’re looking at an early potential All-Star for the Marlins, it might be outfielder Kyle Stowers, who entered Wednesday hitting .287/.365/.507 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs. Acquired last July with Connor Norby from the Orioles for starter Trevor Rogers, that trade is looking like a win for the Marlins. Stowers is whiffing 30% of the time, so it would be nice to cut that down a bit, but he ranks tied for 10th in the majors in barrels (a batted ball with an exit velocity of at least 98 mph and an optimal launch angle). The last Marlins outfielders to make an All-Star Game were Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna in 2017. — Schoenfield
Record: 14-29
Previous ranking: 29
A staffer with another AL team walked away from a recent series against the White Sox impressed with the young arms that Chicago has compiled in its rotation. Jonathan Cannon, Sean Burke and Shane Smith have all had varying degrees of success early this year; and in the end, the development of the pitching is probably the most important thing that will happen in the organization this year. But the staffer also wondered aloud if the end of the season could be more challenging for the Sox, because that trio will be bumping against innings limits. — Olney
Record: 7-36
Previous ranking: 30
A team that had already reached rock bottom absorbed a demoralizing blow on Saturday, while losing to the division-rival Padres by a 21-0 score. It marked the Rockies’ eighth consecutive loss, putting them at 6-33 with a minus-134 run-differential — on the heels of back-to-back 100-loss seasons. Less than 24 hours later, Bud Black was fired, ending an eight-plus-year run as manager. Changes like these are exceedingly rare for the Rockies. The last time they made an in-season managerial firing like this, it happened to Clint Hurdle in 2009. Now Hurdle is back with the team as its interim bench coach. It speaks to the insular tendencies that many believe have doomed this franchise. — Gonzalez
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