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  • Emily Kaplan, ESPNNov 4, 2024, 07:55 AM ET

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      Emily Kaplan is ESPN’s national NHL reporter.

As the NHL and NHLPA enter the penultimate season under its collective bargaining agreement, there’s a new tone emanating from both sides: optimism.

For a league that has experienced three lockouts over the last 30 years, it’s a welcome change. The NHL and NHLPA last negotiated a CBA in 2020 — amid the COVID shutdown, when discussions were bundled with return-to-play protocols. Financials were bleak, especially for a sport quite dependent on gate revenue. In an unprecedented climate, both sides collaborated for solutions. Four years later, they all rebounded in a big way. Revenue hit a record $6.2 billion last season, as the league also set new marks in attendance and saw a spike in sponsorship revenue, thanks to evolving attitudes on sports betting, helmet decals and showcasing individual players’ personalities.

In Sportico’s recent valuations, the average NHL franchise is worth $1.79 billion — a 37 percent increase in just one year.

Last month at a Board of Governors’ meeting, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he’d like to start (and hopefully end) CBA negotiations early, saying “in terms of the relationship, we think we’re in a good place.”

The NHLPA’s new executive director, Marty Walsh, is equally positive these days. “Myself and Gary Bettman have had very open conversations about how this potentially could be laid out,” Walsh told ESPN in a recent interview. “Going in with an open mind, with open dialogue is how I’ve always approached collective bargaining.”

Both sides are motivated to continue momentum. And sources on both sides suggested that if a deal was reached as soon as this spring, there would likely be few changes to the overall structure, just tweaks. But from a player’s perspective, there’s only so often you can ask your boss to re-open your contract and hope to change the terms. So what exactly would they like to achieve?

Walsh agreed to an interview, but declined to speak on specific issues, saying it was premature. Walsh is currently on his annual fall tour – a series of individual union meetings with every team — to canvass players opinions. “Once we assess where we are at and what players feel, we will take next steps after that,” Walsh said.

In the interim, ESPN spoke with 21 veteran players around the NHL to get an early pulse on what issues are important to them. The players were granted anonymity to speak openly. Here is a primer of what topics are on the table and what might be feasible in a new CBA:

The biggest concern for players: Grow the pie

The one item that came up again and again with players was money. “It’s not overly complicated at this point, we need to grow revenue,” one player said. “It’s what all the other sports are doing. We don’t need to be squabbling over points; we need to make the pie larger so we can have a larger slice. This deal has been great for the owners.”

Players cited several examples on how the league’s value has ballooned. Jeff Vinik bought the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 for a reported $93 million. Vinik recently sold a majority stake of the team, which is now valued at $1.8 billion, per Sportico. Meanwhile players salaries have largely remained stagnant. Florida Panther star Matthew Tkachuk’s cap hit ($9.5 million) is roughly the same as what his father, Keith Tkachuk, was making in the 1999-2000 season for the St. Louis Blues ($10 million).

The NHL and NHLPA currently have a 50-50 split on hockey-related revenue. The salary cap, which is calculated based on HRR, remained largely stagnant through and directly following the pandemic to account for losses — though the league has hinted at bigger jumps the next several seasons. Players are hoping those jumps are sizable.

“Coming out of COVID was tough, and it felt like we took a lot of compromise to get to where we should be,” one player said. “Now it seems like the league has done well with HRR and hopefully that allows us to see the benefits.”

It’s unclear what economic proposals either side will bring to the table. Players uniformly felt they took a cut when the split went from 57-43 to 50-50 in the 2012 CBA. They have no appetite to decrease further, even if the league tries to argue that in other sports like the NBA or NFL, the players’ share is less than 50%. Several players wondered if the NHL could institute a luxury tax.

“We have some owners who would definitely be willing to spend over the cap,” one player said. “We should reward that. And then that money gets spread across all the owners, and for some of the smaller-market teams it puts money in their pocket.”

Players said they would like to receive a cut of future expansion fees as the league flirts with the idea of 34 teams. “We should fight for that, no doubt,” one player said. But, according to sources, that could be a sticking point for the league.

As usual, many players brought up escrow — in which the league withholds a portion of their salary until revenue is accounted at the end of the season – as something they were passionate about eliminating.

“I think a lot of guys get confused or caught up with escrow, but it’s just a mechanism for getting paid,” one player said. “We need to be focusing on the bigger picture. We want to get rid of escrow. I’m sure the owners want to get rid of guaranteed contracts. We all should be focused on how we can bring more attention and dollars to the sport.”

What could it be? The NHL should get another infusion of cash on the new Canadian TV deal, which will kick in for 2025-26. Players were optimistic about the presence of Amazon, which is dabbling with streaming games in Canada and produced an all-access show, Face Off, which got buy-in from players and the league.

Said one player: “I don’t think there’s a silver bullet, or one thing that will help revenue. But all of our energy should be focused on finding new ways to grow our sport.”

The possible tweaks

Throughout the course of the season, when matters are raised by players or at a general manager’s meeting, the answer can be a common refrain: That’s a CBA issue. So what topics since 2020 do the players feel passionately about revisiting?

  • The schedule: One of the most intriguing topics expected to be discussed is the schedule. Anything could be on the table, from eliminating the three-day Christmas break to reconsidering the way out-of-division games are scheduled. Restructuring the preseason became a hot topic in September after a rash of high-profile injuries including to Drew Doughty, David Reinbacher and Patrik Laine. One idea that has been floated is trimming the preseason in favor of adding two games to the regular season (putting the total at 84). Players surveyed by ESPN had mixed opinions. “There are teams scheduling eight preseason games and that’s too many,” one player said. “Some of them become s—shows, especially when you see rosters some teams put out. Some teams are playing three [games] in three days.” Veteran players acknowledged that while they generally needed only two or three to feel game-ready, the preseason contests are valuable for prospects to get evaluated. “Our preseason is just too long,” one player said. “We’re almost done with camp. Media day in the NBA was two days ago and they finished earlier than us. It’s insane. I’d take 84 games if we could start earlier.” Others were wary of the expense of a longer regular season. “Hockey is a tough contact sport. Playing those two extra games could be the difference between having a guy in the playoffs or losing him,” one player said. “Also the wear and tear on your body. You may not notice it after two games, but it all adds up. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  • Playoff format: A handful of players want to change the playoff format to a typical 1-8 seeding by conference. “A lot of guys would like to see that change, myself included,” one player said. But according to sources, there have never been substantive discussions about that at Board of Governor meetings. The league believes the format is strong and the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best postseason in sports. It would have to be a major sticking point for players to get addressed.

  • “The Jack Eichel issue”: In 2021, Eichel was sidelined with a herniated disc in his neck. He wanted to get an artificial disc replacement, a procedure never performed on another NHL player before. The Sabres preferred a more proven alternative. Under the CBA, teams get final say over a player’s medical care. It caused a massive rift, resulting in Eichel’s trade to Vegas, and an issue many assumed would be brought up in the next CBA. Players uniformly said they should get final say over their medical rights. And while there are some that are super passionate, many view Eichel’s situation as a rare occurrence — and not necessarily an easy tweak. One player noted they’ve actually made big strides in this department. “When I first started [11 years ago], it was super taboo to get a second opinion, like you were disobeying your team,” the player said. “Now they’ve made it so much easier, much more common. We’re in a decent place.” At its core, this CBA clause about final say on medical decisions is really about guaranteed contracts, which players do not want to relent on. Several players advocated for full benefits post-retirement. In the CBA, eligible retired players can enroll in the NHL Health and Benefits Fund and, in certain circumstances, receive a subsidy towards the cost. There have been enhancements on this over the years. For example, the offering used to be a one size fits all policy. Now, it’s more scalable. Some players want further assurances, even if it would be a massive cost. “Healthcare is a huge thing,” one player said. “We have one of the best pensions in major sports but we need an answer for health care and get full benefits.”

  • International events: In the past, participation in international events was atop players’ wish list. However with the upcoming 4 Nations Faceoff tournament, commitment (and progress) on scheduling a regular World Cup, and commitment to play in the 2026 Olympics in Milan, players feel they are in a good place. “Feels like the league finally met us on international play. It’s important to players and I think the league also understands its importance for the growth of the sport, even if owners are taking on the risk of a guy getting injured, and dealing with the IOC and IIHF on insurance,” one player said. But for the players it’s still important to get it in writing.

  • Rules and equipment: General managers have given the league feedback at their recent meetings that they would like changes to the long-term injury reserve rules, which has allowed some teams to activate players just as the playoffs begin. While some players had mixed opinions here, none felt super passionately that it needed to be addressed — though they knew the league may bring it up. The NHL also will likely discuss equipment mandates, such as neck guards.

  • Next-gen ideas: Some players said their agents have bugged them about ideas for the next generation, such as changing the draft age to 19, shortening the draft, or finding an out to the Canadian Hockey League and NHL agreement that stipulates teenagers must be returned to their junior clubs if they aren’t on the NHL roster. The NHL and CHL agreement is separate from the CBA. And with a massive sea change coming – the NCAA is considering changing eligibility rules regarding CHL players – it’s tough to predict what is feasible here. But many of the draft-related ideas have not received traction, according to sources.

What’s next in the process?

Walsh and his top lieutenant Ron Hainsey — a defenseman who retired from the league in 2021 — are continuing their fall tour, which is expected to stretch into December. Discussions on the tour will help shape points of emphasis for negotiations with the league. Walsh said he is in no rush.

“It’s really dictated by the players,” Walsh said. “It depends on where we are with the players, what the players want to do. I mean, this is their association. We’ll talk to the entire team and then we follow up with player reps and follow up individual players who are interested in this stuff. Players are everyday people. They’re busy with life and family and everything else. So some players want to get very engaged and some just want to support their teammates.”

If the sides come to a resolution by June, there is nothing that prevents a new CBA from going into effect before the prior one is completed. So if both parties agree, the new CBA could theoretically begin as soon as next season.

Walsh was hired in February, 2023 after an exhaustive search. He was the longtime mayor of Boston before serving as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Players on the search committee said they liked Walsh’s political background — his ability to communicate, form relationships and garner support. He’s remained accessible, giving all 750-plus members of the union his cellphone number.

“I think guys are feeling really confident being led by Marty,” one player rep said. “He has good energy, a good feel for the CBA, the league and also how to develop relationships with Gary [Bettman] and work with the league. We know issues are going to come up, but we feel like he’ll get them resolved.”

One question several players wondered: Who will exercise their voice and help in the fight? The NHL’s new marketing campaign is all about Gen Z as Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Connor Bedard become the new faces of the league. In the past, Sidney Crosby has been very opinionated on league issues behind the scenes, then goes through proper channels.

“Other sports that are seeing a lot of success are driven by their stars, and that’s where we want to be,” one player said. “Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, they’re at the forefront of league issues. That matters.”

Walsh said it was too early to identify which players might be the spokespeople for the union. “Depends on how negotiations are going,” he said.

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College football FPI release: The numbers behind the top teams, best matchups and championship odds

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June 3, 2025

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College football FPI release: The numbers behind the top teams, best matchups and championship odds

  • Neil PaineJun 3, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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      Neil Paine writes about sports using data and analytics. Previously, he was Sports Editor at FiveThirtyEight.

There’s no going back now. The College Football Playoff’s expanded 12-team format made its debut last season, reshaping the postseason as we knew it and showing just how brutal the path to a national championship can be. Add in a flurry of conference realignments (with the grueling travel schedules they created), the ever-increasing influence of the transfer portal and what might be the dawn of an entirely new financial model underpinning the sport, and college football could be changing faster — and more dramatically — than at any point in its history.

As part of our efforts to keep track of these seismic changes, we are relaunching our Football Power Index (FPI) ratings and projections for the 2025 season this week. Just to refresh our memories, the FPI is a predictive rating system that estimates each FBS team’s strength (in points per game relative to the national average) on offense, defense and special teams, making adjustments for starters lost, recruiting talent and other personnel changes. Those numbers are then plugged into the schedule, and everything is simulated 20,000 times to track each team’s odds of winning its conference, making the playoff and advancing through to the national title.

The preseason forecast features plenty of familiar teams at the top, but also plenty of candidates to crash the playoff party. Let’s begin our tour of the data by looking at the teams most likely to win the 2025 championship.

The top of the list is dominated by SEC teams — 11 of the top 19 hail from the conference, including the two most likely champions in Texas and Georgia (and three of the top four, if you include Alabama).

A year after Ohio State and the Big Ten won the first 12-team playoff title — with only three SEC squads making the field — the FPI model expects a nation-high 4.6 playoff teams to hail from the conference (nearly twice as many from any other) with a 61% chance that the SEC produces the eventual champion.

SEC and Big Ten remain on top

If not an SEC team, then the championship will probably go to another familiar power conference program, with a trio of Big Ten teams — Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon — checking in next on the odds list, a year after each went to the CFP quarterfinals (or beyond). A high share of returning production could also have coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson representing the ACC in the playoff again — perhaps making it past the the first round this time.

And if we’re looking for somewhat refreshed entries after down seasons, Auburn, Michigan and Oklahoma are all among the 17 most likely champions after each finished outside the top 25 in the FPI last season. All three made major moves in the offseason to spark their surges: Auburn brought in a top-10 transfer class headlined by former Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold; Michigan brought in a big recruiting class and a few top transfers; and Oklahoma revamped its offensive core, with prized quarterback John Mateer at the helm — plus its returning production otherwise — helping vault the Sooners back into the national picture.

Playoff odds for the Group of 5

As always, the Group of 5 is also an important part of the playoff puzzle, in no small part because of its guaranteed spot in the bracket (reserved for the fifth-highest ranked conference champion). Here are the non-power conference teams with the highest chance to make the playoff in the FPI model.

Even after losing record-setting running back Ashton Jeanty, the Broncos remain the most likely Group of 5 team to make the playoff — though Tulane (despite losing quarterback Darian Mensah and running back Makhi Hughes) and UNLV (coming off an 11-win season, though quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams has moved on) aren’t far behind. With several contenders bunched together and no clear juggernaut, the G5 race for a playoff spot is something to keep a close eye on — including its ripple effects on the rest of the bracket.

Next, let’s look at the projected top units on each side of the ball in 2025, according to the FPI.

If we want another illustration of how dominant the best teams are, the top four projected offensive teams by the FPI — Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State — are also the top four projected defensive teams, with Alabama and Texas rising 10 spots apiece from 2024 on the offensive side.

That kind of balance on both sides of the ball is what separates this year’s top contenders from the pack, especially in a postseason format that requires versatility over three or four high-stakes playoff games. The rest of the top 20 on both sides also contain some of the biggest offseason movers in those unit rankings — such as Oregon (up 11 spots on defense), Florida (up 27 spots on offense), Clemson (up 14 spots on defense), South Carolina (up 24 spots on offense) and Texas A&M and Auburn (who are up double-digit spots on both sides).

Biggest risers and fallers

Speaking of those offseason changes, let’s look at the programs that have gained (or lost) the most ground overall in the FPI entering 2025.

FAU is projected to improve by at least 25 ranking slots on offense, defense and special teams after adding quite a few transfers — including ex-Western Kentucky quarterback Caden Veltkamp — ahead of coach Zach Kittley’s first season in Boca Raton. Among power conference teams, Florida State is looking to bounce back from last season’s nightmare with the help of a great offseason in the portal, headlined by the addition of former USC wide receiver Duce Robinson, while ACC rival, Stanford, has the nation’s 13th-highest share of production returning for 2025.

At the other end, Army has lost roughly half of its production from last season’s impressive 12-2 team, including top rusher Kanye Udoh and sack leader Elo Modozie; the FPI predicts regression will hit the Knights hard.

And in terms of power teams who had competitive FPI ratings a year ago, Louisville is projected to drop from No. 12 to 41 after bidding farewell to quarterback Tyler Shough, wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, starting offensive tackle Monroe Mills, sack leader Ashton Gillotte and each of its three leading defensive backs in interceptions. Similarly, Colorado sustained heavy offseason losses, and regression might also come for Indiana and Iowa State after a pair of outstanding 11-win seasons.

(Where did the top transfer portal teams land on the most improved list? In addition to FSU and Auburn, Nebraska is up 13 spots to No. 25, Texas Tech rose nine spots to No. 35 and Texas A&M was up seven slots to No. 8. But keep an eye on Ole Miss, which was among the more active portal teams but fell eight spots in the FPI rankings anyway without quarterback Jaxson Dart.)

Best matchups in 2025?

Finally, let’s close by circling the biggest matchups of the 2025 season on our college football calendars. According to the FPI’s projected ratings for both teams, these are the most anticipated games of the season — matchups in which each squad ranks highly, helping to create a high combined matchup quality on ESPN Analytics’ 0-100 scale:

We’ll get one of the best games of the season practically right away, with Week 1 providing Texas-Ohio State — a battle of top-four preseason FPI teams — on Saturday, Aug. 30. That same day, we’ll also get LSU-Clemson, and the next day, we’ll watch Notre Dame travel to Miami to face the Hurricanes in a top-10 FPI matchup.

That sets the tone for a regular season that will feature at least one matchup rated 90 or higher in the FPI matchup quality metric almost every week. But the best week by that metric — with three games rated 90 or higher and five rated 85 or higher — is Week 14, with Ohio State-Michigan, Auburn-Alabama and all of the other usual late-season rivalry games. In addition, three other weeks — Week 5, Week 7 and Week 10 — will carry five games each with a matchup rating of 85 or higher.

That’s a loaded calendar, and it reflects how the meaning of each college football Saturday is changing. Under the old system, one bad week could doom a contender. Now, teams can afford a stumble … but the trade-off is that they also need to prove themselves over more games against top-tier teams.

Regular-season showdowns still matter, too — especially for seeding, byes and home-field advantage. But there’s also more room for redemption, which we saw embodied by both championship game combatant’s last season. And through it all, the FPI gives us a roadmap to help navigate what’s shaping up to be another wild and transformative season of college football.

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Ingram, Newton, RG3, Suh on college HOF ballot

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June 3, 2025

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Ingram, Newton, RG3, Suh on college HOF ballot

  • Associated Press

Jun 2, 2025, 01:27 PM ET

Heisman Trophy winners Mark Ingram, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III and former AP National Player of the Year Ndamukong Suh are on the ballot for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class.

The National Football Foundation released the ballot Monday for the class that will be announced in January. It includes 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from lower levels.

Ingram became Alabama’s first Heisman winner in 2009 after running for 1,658 yards and 20 touchdowns. Newton in 2010 was just the third player in FBS history with 20 passing and 20 rushing touchdowns. Griffin in 2011 led the nation in points responsible for and ranked second in total offense.

Suh was a force for Nebraska in 2009 and became the first defensive lineman in 15 seasons to be named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He finished fourth in voting but was honored as the nation’s top player by The Associated Press.

Among other players on the ballot are Iowa’s Brad Banks, Colorado’s Eric Bieniemy, Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant, Penn State’s Ki-Jana Carter, Pittsburgh’s Aaron Donald, Syracuse’s Marvin Harrison, Oklahoma’s Josh Heupel, Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis, Washington State’s Ryan Leaf, California’s Marshawn Lynch, Illinois’ Simeon Rice and Florida State’s Peter Warrick.

Among coaches on the ballot are Larry Coker, Gary Patterson and Chris Petersen.

Coker led the Canes to consecutive national championship games and won the 2002 Rose Bowl to become the first rookie head coach to lead his team to a title since 1948. Patterson is TCU’s all-time wins leader who led the Horned Frogs to six AP top 10 final rankings. Petersen is Boise State’s all-time wins leader who led the Broncos to two undefeated seasons and led Washington to the 2016 College Football Playoff.

The NFF also announced an adjustment to the eligibility criteria for coaches to be considered for induction. The minimum career winning percentage required for coaching eligibility will go from .600 to .595 beginning in 2027.

The change would make Mike Leach eligible. Leach, who died in 2022, had a .596 winning percentage with a 158-107 record over 21 seasons at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State.

Leach was known for his innovative wide-open offenses and his knack for pulling upsets. He won 18 games against Top 25 opponents when his team was unranked.

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Reacting to the preseason FPI rankings: Who’s overvalued, who’s undervalued

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Reacting to the preseason FPI rankings: Who's overvalued, who's undervalued

ESPN has released its 2025 Football Power Index (FPI) ratings and projections, and our college football reporters are here to break them down.

The ratings, for the uninitiated, include forecasts for every team’s record, its chances of winning a conference title and of course, its probability to make the expanded 12-team playoff and win the national championship.

The FPI is a power rating that tracks each team’s strength relative to an average FBS squad. Teams are rated on offense, defense and special teams, with the values representing points per game.

You can read Neil Paine’s takeaways here and get our staff’s analysis below.

Which team is FPI undervaluing?

Paolo Uggetti: Even though Kenny Dillingham said at Big 12 spring meetings recently that being considered one of the conference’s favorites after being picked to finish last in 2024 is “less fun,” I still think FPI is slightly undervaluing the Sun Devils at No. 24. Sure, they lost star running back Cam Skattebo to the NFL draft, but they also return a quarterback in Sam Leavitt (2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns last year) who could be a Heisman contender, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns) and defensive back Xavion Alford, among several other starters and stalwarts of last year’s Cinderella season. Dillingham won’t flinch at now being considered a favorite to win the conference and I imagine he’ll have ASU with plenty of fire and motivation come kickoff. It would not shock me to see them make another playoff run.

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Kenny Dillingham: ASU facing a different type of adversity this year

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham explains the differences his team is facing this season after coming off a Big 12 title last season.

Mark Schlabach: I think you can argue that Clemson is one of the two best teams in the FBS entering the season (along with Penn State), and it’s certainly one of the best 10, so it’s surprising to see them in at No. 11. In our colleague Jordan Reid’s initial 2026 NFL mock draft, he had four Tigers going in the first round, including quarterback Cade Klubnik at No. 1. Three seasons ago, Clemson fans wondered whether Klubnik was the right guy for the job, now he’s considered one of the most polished passers in the sport, after throwing for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. The Tigers have the best defensive line in the FBS, and Reid had tackle Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker going in the top 10, as well. The Tigers open the season against LSU at home and play at South Carolina in the finale, but I can’t see many ACC teams beating them.

Bill Connelly: There are quite a few non-SEC teams we could choose from here, but I’m going to go with No. 39 Iowa. The Hawkeyes have more to replace on defense than usual, but a) I can’t even pretend like they’ll have anything other than a top-10 or top-15 defense until proven otherwise, and b) the offense improved significantly last year (albeit from horrific to merely mediocre) and might have made a lovely QB upgrade by bringing in South Dakota State’s Mark Gronowski. Losing running back Kaleb Johnson hurts, but this very much feels like a top-25-level team to me, one I trust quite a bit more than quite a few of the teams directly ahead of the Hawkeyes in FPI.

Jake Trotter: Indiana did graduate quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who had a fabulous one season for the Hoosiers while propelling them to the playoff and the first 10-win season in school history. Indiana, however, returns several key players from last year’s squad, including All-Big Ten receiver Elijah Sarratt, defensive end Mikail Kamara, linebacker Aiden Fisher and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. The Hoosiers also added Cal transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who brought plenty of experience (19 career starts) with him to Bloomington. Curt Cignetti has already proved he can coach. And with no Ohio State or Michigan on the schedule, it wouldn’t be completely stunning if Indiana knocks on the door of playoff contention once again.

Which team is FPI overvaluing?

Trotter: So we’re doing this again, huh? Every preseason, Texas A&M gets top-10 hype. Every season, the Aggies fail to deliver on it. Texas A&M has reached double-digit wins just once this century (the Johnny Football year in 2012). And yet, FPI is giving them the benefit of doubt again as the No. 8-ranked team. Mike Elko is a terrific coach and the Aggies, as always, have talent, including intriguing dual-threat sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed. But the Aggies ranked 51st last year in offensive EPA and 47th in defensive EPA. That hardly screams top 10 team. What’s really there to suggest the Aggies will be any different than what they’ve been?

Connelly: We can’t say for sure that FPI is overvaluing Texas because if Arch Manning lives up to his hype, the Longhorns really might be the best team in the country. However, if he’s merely very good instead of great, then holes elsewhere might become problematic. This is, after all, a team that lost four offensive line starters, its top four defensive linemen and two of the best DBs in the country in Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba. Steve Sarkisian has obviously recruited well, the replacements for those lost linemen could be excellent, and Texas will be very good regardless. But they’re only No. 1 if Arch is an All-American. No pressure.

Uggetti: I’m having a hard time with Miami all the way up at No. 9. I can see the case for it: They have a solid core of players returning throughout the roster and head coach Mario Cristobal and his staff were transfer portal merchants this offseason, bringing in several offensive weapons such as wideouts CJ Daniels (LSU), Keelan Marion (BYU) and Tony Johnson (Cincinnati) as well as some much needed help in the secondary via cornerback Xavier Lucas (Wisconsin) and safety Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State). Of course, the crux of the hype surrounding the Hurricanes hinges on their biggest portal addition, quarterback Carson Beck. After losing Cameron Ward to the draft, Cristobal & Co. are banking on Beck (who is coming off surgery for a torn UCL in his right elbow) to be the guy who was supposed to lead Georgia to a national title. Count me among the skeptics.

Schlabach: Given what transpired at Tennessee in the spring, I’m not sure the Volunteers are a top-25 team heading into the season, let alone one that should be ranked No. 10. I didn’t have the Volunteers ranked in my latest Way-Too-Early Top 25. I could see the Vols going one of two ways after quarterback Nico Iamaleava up and left for UCLA following an NIL dispute: The Vols are going to be better off with quarterback Joey Aguilar and his teammates will rally around him, or Augilar’s leap from Appalachian State to the SEC is too high. The Vols were already facing an uphill climb on offense, in my opinion, after SEC leading rusher Dylan Sampson departed, along with three of the team’s top receivers.

Which power conference team outside the FPI top 25 can make a run?

Trotter: Texas Tech landed the nation’s top transfer portal class, beefing up the trenches on both sides of the ball to a team that went 8-5 last season. With 24 career starts behind him, quarterback Behren Morton should be even better after throwing for 3,335 yards and 27 touchdowns last year. If the portal additions playing up front defensively, combined with the arrival of new defensive coordinator Shiel Wood, can bolster a unit that ranked just 108th in EPA last year, the Red Raiders could threaten for a conference title and playoff berth in what figures to be another wide-open Big 12.

Connelly: I would say that half the Big 12 is capable of playing at a top-15 or top-20 level and making a conference title (and, therefore, CFP) run, but I’m particularly intrigued by the duo of No. 32 TCU and No. 33 Baylor. They both won six of their last seven to end the season, and they both return stellar quarterbacks in Josh Hoover (TCU) and Sawyer Robertson (Baylor). I feel like I trust TCU’s returning personnel more, but Baylor’s Dave Aranda was extremely active in the transfer portal, too. The Revivalry — hey, it’s a better name than Bluebonnet Battle — is on October 18, and the winner will probably head into November as a serious Big 12 contender.

Uggetti: Washington (No. 27) had a disappointing 6-7 season in its first year in the Big 12 under new coach Jedd Fisch. The Huskies finished ninth in the conference and seem to have quietly stumbled into the shadow of their more successful Pacific Northwest neighbor, Oregon. But Fisch, like he showed at Arizona, can build a successful team over time. Washington brought in a top-25 recruiting class this past year and added some much-needed defensive reinforcements in the portal. Snagging four-star wide receiver Johntay Cook II from Texas will be a boon for expected starting quarterback Demond Williams Jr. who, after showing some flashes last season, could be primed for a breakout.

Which team’s odd ranking will be proven correct by the end of the season?

Schlabach: There’s a smorgasbord of “odd” rankings to select from. I think you can argue that No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 14 Auburn, No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 19 USC are probably ranked too high, and No. 12 LSU, No. 29 BYU, No. 31 Indiana and No. 35 Texas Tech are too low. LSU might have the SEC’s best quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier, and coach Brian Kelly struck gold in the transfer portal, landing defensive ends Patrick Payton (Florida State) and Jack Pyburn (Florida), receivers Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barion Brown (Kentucky), offensive linemen Braelin Moore (Virginia Tech) and Josh Thompson (Northwestern) and cornerback Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech). But LSU’s schedule is difficult, with road games at Clemson, Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma, and I’m not sure they’ll be better than 9-3, which would put them right about No. 12.

Uggetti: I’ll take one of the teams Mark mentioned and focus on USC. At first glance, I was also surprised that FPI has them all the way up to No. 19 given the Trojans are coming off a disappointing 7-6 debut season in the Big 10. But the Trojans have made several strides this offseason, not just as a program by hiring general manager Chad Bowden from USC, but also as a team to put themselves in position to surprise in 2025. The defense continues to use the portal to add key talent such as defensive tackles Jamaal Jarrett (Georgia) and Keeshawn Silver (Kentucky). The most exciting player on the team, however, may be incoming freshman defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, who is likely to make an impact right away. A lot of the Trojans’ hopes this season are riding on quarterback Jayden Maiava and how he fares in his first full season as a starter. He finished with 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and a second year in Lincoln Riley’s offense should serve him well. USC’s schedule starts off slow, but the true test of the Trojans’ potential will be on the back end when they face a stretch of Illinois, Michigan and Notre Dame before finishing the season with Oregon, Iowa and UCLA.

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