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| The national champs are the favorite to win back-to-back titles despite losing eight starters on defense and quarterback Will Howard. Why? The best player in college football, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, is still on the roster, and safety Caleb Downs will lead a reloaded and talented roster. Don’t listen to the noise about a quarterback competition; Alabama transfer Julian Sayin will be the starter when the Buckeyes open the season against Texas. Odds: +600 |
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| Arch Madness has arrived. Arch Manning takes over at quarterback to lead one of the most talented rosters in the sport, but the mass reloads along the offensive and defensive lines do give us pause. One starter returns on the offensive line, and the defensive line must reload at defensive tackle for a second straight year. To build depth, the Longhorns’ transfer portal haul comprised five defensive tackles. Otherwise, the roster is stacked with championship-caliber players ready to contend for a national title. Odds: +650 |
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| Get off James Franklin’s back, folks. He finally led Penn State to the playoff and made a great run before falling to Notre Dame in the semifinals. Much like Ohio State a year ago, Penn State has gone all-in on the upcoming season, retaining quarterback Drew Allar, adding the portal’s top receiver — Syracuse’s Trebor Pena — and hiring Ohio State’s Jim Knowles, the nation’s top defensive coordinator. The key is receiver, which has been a glaring weakness over the last three years. Might Pena, a 1,000-yard receiver, spark the group? Odds: +750 |
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| No one has been criticized quite like Dabo Swinney in the transfer portal era. His reluctance to lean on a quick-fix solution in recruiting led to some hiccups, but fantastic retention has allowed the program to develop homegrown talent, much like the Tigers did in the heydays of the four-team CFP. Clemson enters the season with the nation’s most returning production, led by star QB Cade Klubnik. The receivers finally stepped up last season en route to a CFP appearance to give the Tigers a glimpse of the explosive offenses of the past. Odds: +1400 |
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| Does anyone else feel hesitant to rank Georgia in the top five? I might be giving Kirby Smart too much of the benefit of the doubt. Still, I’m a big believer in quarterback Gunner Stockton, whose numbers off the bench didn’t impress in the postseason, but his steadiness in the pocket and quick-fire passes still wowed while watching him in person at the CFP. He’ll be just fine with a reworked offensive line and a much more explosive group of receivers transferring into the program (Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch). The key for the Bulldogs is getting the running game to be more consistent. The defense will be a top-15 unit. Odds: +750 |
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| Oregon comes off a three-year run with the most prolific quarterbacks in the sport’s history (Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix) and turns to Dante Moore in his first season as a full-time starter. Moore can’t replicate the pinpoint accuracy and execution of those two veterans, but the weapons around him will make him one of the Big Ten’s most exciting quarterbacks to watch. I continue to admire how Dan Lanning has built Oregon into the Northwest’s version of Georgia, leaning heavily on big bodies in the trenches and explosive pass rushers to change the complexion of games. Don’t be surprised if defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei (12.5 sacks last season) is an All-American at the end of the year. Odds: +850 |
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| Years of experience at key positions led Notre Dame to the national championship game. Replacing quarterback Riley Leonard will likely include growing pains for CJ Carr and/or Kenny Minchey, and the prospect of a two-quarterback system lingers after the spring. That defense should still be salty, even though safety Xavier Watts and coordinator Al Golden are now in the NFL. The Irish are expected to mix more zone coverages into their mostly-man looks from last season under new coordinator Chris Ash. Odds: +1200 |
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| Garrett Nussmeier is the best quarterback in the SEC until Arch Manning or someone else proves otherwise on the field. The Tigers looked like a championship team midway through 2024 but fell apart down the stretch, particularly against Alabama. LSU recruited the nation’s No. 1 portal class, adding several big-time receivers and upgrading depth in the trenches. Brian Kelly had won 10 games or more in seven straight seasons until falling flat in 2024. This team is built to win an SEC title. Odds: +1800 |
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| Finally, a quarterback that fits Kalen DeBoer’s system. Ty Simpson takes over for Jalen Milroe, and just in time, while Ryan Grubb arrives as offensive coordinator. The offense will have no problem scoring points with receiver Ryan Williams, but depth might be an issue for the unit. This Tide team is built to win a title, but the pressure is on DeBoer to deliver after a shaky debut season leading the program. He’s been exceptional at every stop in his career, but will that show under the shadow of Nick Saban? Odds: +1400 |
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| Billy Napier avoided the coaching carousel last season, winning eight games against arguably the toughest schedule in college football. His team should be better this fall. DJ Lagway could emerge as the SEC’s best quarterback if he remains healthy behind four returning starters on the offensive line. Does he have the receivers to help him along the way? More importantly, does the defense have enough depth to contend weekly in the SEC? Odds: +4000 |
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| Carson Beck was considered the nation’s top quarterback this time a year ago. We all know what happened in Georgia, but landing in Miami with the motivation to prove himself was just what the Hurricanes needed in the wake of Cam Ward’s record-breaking year. Beck still has the talent to be one of the nation’s best passers. Miami hired Minnesota’s Corey Hetherman to fix a historically bad defense, which struggled to communicate on the back end, and that major course correction will complement a more vertical offense. Odds: +3300 |
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| You have to love the returning experience on defense, the moxie of third-year staring quarterback Luke Altmyer and coach Bret Bielema’s ground-and-pound philosophy. The Illini will never lead the Big Ten in scoring, but that’s just fine with All-Big Ten linebackers and a veteran offensive line forcing BIelema’s style down the throats of opponents. Go-to receivers Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin are gone after combining for nearly 1,700 yards last season, but everything else appears to be in place to be successful. Odds: +12000 |
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| Avery Johnson is must-see TV when Kansas State’s offense is on the field. He can be inconsistent at times, but when he’s clicking with his receivers and running back Dylan Edwards is gashing defenses, the Wildcats’ offense is pure cinema. The defense is holding K-State back from a top-10 ranking this summer. Transfers will comprise the third level, and until we see them in action, it’s difficult to ascertain whether the Wildcats have improved. Odds: +1200- |
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| Quarterback Jake Retzlaff leads one of the Big 12’s more explosive offenses, but the defense needs some help in the trenches and attrition left a few holes on the roster. BYU didn’t utilize the portal as much as one might hope, adding eight players to rank 95th nationally, according to 247Sports. Still, the additions were mostly linemen — all of whom are solid. The defense is what could carry the Cougars into the playoff hunt. Odds: +15000 |
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| Josh Hoover turned TCU around after a 3-3 start last season, winning six of the last seven games to place the Horned Frogs back on the Big 12 map. Hoover garnered interest from Tennessee, but the 4,000-yard passer stayed in Fort Worth and TCU is much better for it. The defense returns key starters, and if production rises out of the middle of the pack in the conference, the Horned Frogs could make a championship run. Odds: +20000 |
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| If heralded five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood takes over and can spark an otherwise putrid passing attack, Michigan could be a top-10 team at the end of the year. The Wolverines finished last season on a tear, beating Ohio State and Alabama, and did it with a solid running game and, of course, a suffocating defense. Odds: +2800 |
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| Quarterback Sam Leavitt, one of the nation’s top 15 quarterbacks, is returning but everyone is focused on how the Sun Devils replace do-everything running back Cam Skattebo. Otherwise, plenty of production returns on both sides of the ball, and I love the addition of Army running back Kanye Udoh, who rushed for more than 1,100 yards last season. Odds: +12000 |
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| Oklahoma got downright serious with its makeover this offseason. Brent Venables flipped the staff, took over as defensive play caller and hired away wunderkind offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who brought along quarterback John Mateer from Washington State. Cal running back Jaydn Ott is in the mix, and if the receivers (Deion Burks, Isaiah Sategna) can remain healthy, the Sooners will rebound in Venables’ fourth year. Odds: +6000 |
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| Iowa State’s memorable season nearly went historic, but the run defense was suspect, allowing 5.4 yards per carry and ultimately derailing the Cyclones from winning the Big 12. That must improve. Quarterback Rocco Becht should lift the offense as it breaks in new receivers. Odds: +20000 |
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| Joey Aguilar takes over for Nico Iamaleava at quarterback, but the big question is at receiver. Four of the top five pass catchers from last season are gone, but even they struggled to remain consistent after a fast start against a weak schedule last season. The defense will again be elite and should challenge as a top-10 unit, but the offense needs some serious upgrades at receiver, particularly down the field. Odds: +3000 |
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| Texas Tech might be the best team in the Big 12 on paper, but fitting the pieces from the nation’s No. 2 portal class is key. The most expensive roster in the conference is built to win with transfers loaded with starting experience, and the late re-addition of five-star receiver Micah Hudson is the cherry on top. Odds: +12000 |
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| If South Carolina is legitimately a top-25 team in back-to-back years, it’s because we’re mentioning more players than just quarterback LaNorris Sellers and edge rusher Dylan Stewart. The Gamecocks might lack an explosive receiver, too. The defense will need to take some pressure off Sellers to deliver late in games, which he too often had to do last season. Odds: +4500 |
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| Louisville can run with the best of ’em, and I’m counting on that this fall in the ACC. The Cards averaged more than 6 yards per carry in four of their final five games, and sophomores Isaac Brown (1,173 yards, 11 TDs) and Duke Watson (597 yards, seven TDs) return after averaging 7.1 and 8.9 yards per carry, respectively. USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss has veteran receivers to lean on, too. The defense, however, could prove troublesome early in the schedule. Odds: +7500 |
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| SMU loses its top three leaders in receptions, but healthy tight ends (RJ Maryland, Matthew Hibner) will help the Mustangs as they try to repeat last season’s success. Quarterback Kevin Jennings returns to lead the program, and he’ll need to break in several new receivers and running backs. Odds: +7500 |
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| If Hugh Freeze is going to get Auburn back on the map, Year 3 is the season to do it. Top-10 recruiting classes and solid pulls from the portal have set the roster up to succeed. Can Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold finally deliver some firepower at quarterback? He has the receivers to be successful. Odds: +6000 |
