With an expanded 12-team field, more teams are in the College Football Playoff mix than ever before. All of them—from perennial contenders like the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide to upstarts like the Boise State Broncos and Utah Utes—will be chasing a supercharged Ohio State Buckeyes team that’s looking for its first national title in a decade. This is Sports Illustrated’s preseason Top 25.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Need to Know
Ohio State has lost three straight games to rival Michigan and has subsequently not been to a Big Ten title game since 2020. On one hand, Ryan Day is 53–8 with two Big Ten titles, three College Football Playoff appearances and one national title appearance since taking over full time as head coach in ’19. On the other hand, he’s 1–3 against Michigan in the one game the school cannot afford to lose on an annual basis. The Buckeyes hit the portal hard, adding second-team All–Big 12 quarterback Will Howard from Kansas State, two-time All-SEC running back Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss and All-American safety Caleb Downs from Alabama. It’s national title or bust for this group in ’24.
Player to Watch: QB Will Howard
Ohio State’s shortcomings offensively a season ago—especially in the loss in the regular-season finale to Michigan—came from the program’s lack of a dynamic quarterback. Transfer quarterback Will Howard can mend that fence quickly, as he adds a similar level of moxie in the passing game and a rushing element that was entirely absent with Kyle McCord at the helm last season. Howard has 48 career touchdown passes to go along with 19 scores on the ground and can be the catalyst under center Ohio State desperately needs.
Game to Circle: Oct. 12 at Oregon
While the Michigan game in the season finale could be a tell as to whether or not Day will keep his job, the road trip to new Big Ten foe Oregon will give a good indication as to whether or not the Buckeyes are “national championship good.” Given all that Michigan has lost from last season’s national title team, Oregon is the team most likely to contend with the Buckeyes for the Big Ten crown. This is the most important non-Michigan game on the schedule, even with a road trip to Happy Valley looming in early November.
—Mike McDaniel
2. Georgia Bulldogs
Need to Know
Georgia’s quest to capture a third straight national championship came to a screeching halt in December’s SEC title game when the Bulldogs were battered at the line of scrimmage by Alabama’s stout front seven. Still, a 13–1 season capped with a 63–3 Orange Bowl win against a toothless Florida State bunch is nothing to sneeze at. Even though All-American tight end Brock Bowers and All-SEC wide receiver Ladd McConkey departed for the NFL, the Bulldogs return 14 starters and enter the season as the odds-on favorite to win the SEC title for the second time in three seasons and compete for another national championship.
Player to Watch: RB Trevor Etienne
With leading rushers Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton gone to the NFL, Trevor Etienne will be expected to step in and fill the void in the backfield in his first season with the program. Etienne comes to Athens, Ga., as a transfer from bitter conference rival Florida, where he amassed 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns over his two seasons in Gainesville, Fla.
Game to Circle: Oct. 19 at Texas
The Bulldogs have their work cut out for them in the first seven games of the schedule, which includes a season opener against Clemson in Atlanta and a road trip to Alabama in late September with the Crimson Tide coming off of a bye. But Georgia’s toughest game comes against SEC newcomer and CFP semifinalist Texas in Austin. The Longhorns return just about everybody who matters and should be in the mix to not only win the SEC, but return to the CFP and chase the program’s first national championship since the Vince Young Rose Bowl win over USC in the 2005–06 season.
—Mike McDaniel
3. Texas Longhorns
Need to Know
The Longhorns return plenty of experience from last season’s team that captured the Big 12 title and had a late opportunity to upend Washington in the CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl. While a sputtering red zone offense spoiled Texas’s opportunity to advance to the national title game a year ago, the Longhorns should be right in the mix in the program’s first season in the SEC to not only capture a conference title, but compete for a national championship.
Player to Watch: QB Arch Manning
Much of the talk heading into the season surrounds whether or not quarterback Quinn Ewers will stay healthy enough (or perform consistently enough) to stave off redshirt freshman phenom Arch Manning. Ewers has had two inconsistent seasons and there will be no room for error now that the Longhorns are in the SEC. Manning will be waiting in the wings should his time come, and if he takes the field, there will be plenty of interest in how he performs.
Game to Circle: Oct. 19 vs. Georgia
Texas has a tough Week Two nonconference test to pass, heading to The Big House to take on defending national champion Michigan. While the matchup should provide plenty of early-season intrigue, the Longhorns should enter the contest as a favorite considering what they return and what Michigan lost off of its title-winning roster and coaching staff. Whether or not the Longhorns are good enough to compete for a national championship hinges on the program’s Oct. 19 home tilt against Georgia, which is one of a handful of teams with the requisite talent on both sides of the football to win the national title this season. A home win here could end up being one of the biggest in program history, especially in Year One in the SEC.
—Mike McDaniel
4. Oregon Ducks
Need to Know
Oregon had one of the nation’s best teams last season, buoyed by a high-flying offense with Bo Nix under center and a top-25 defense. But the Ducks could not solve the Washington equation, falling to the Huskies both in the regular season and in the Pac-12 title game to knock Dan Lanning’s bunch out of a CFP spot. The Ducks return an experienced defense in 2024 and welcome veteran quarterback Dillon Gabriel to the fold offensively, who is the perfect fit in offensive coordinator Will Stein’s offense. Expect the Ducks to be a top-10 team in the country.
Player to Watch: QB Dillon Gabriel
Gabriel has produced everywhere he’s been at the college level, bringing high-level quarterback play at UCF and Oklahoma. With young phenom Jackson Arnold breathing down his neck in Norman, Okla., Gabriel transferred into a perfect fit at Oregon for his final season of eligibility. Much like Nix, Gabriel is a seasoned passer who provides enough with his legs to be dangerous in the running game. He has accounted for 14,865 passing yards and 125 touchdowns to just 26 interceptions in his career and 1,060 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground. He’s dynamic, and Oregon’s offense shouldn’t miss a beat in 2024.
Game to Circle: Oct. 12 vs. Ohio State
Oregon drew a favorable schedule in its first year in the Big Ten, as the Ducks avoided Penn State and USC, while getting their toughest game, Ohio State, at home. A road trip to rebuilding Michigan with a first-year head coach looms in November, but if the Ducks get by the Buckeyes in mid-October, there may not be a loss remaining on the schedule. Don’t be surprised if this is the first of two matchups between Oregon and Ohio State in 2024, as they enter the season as the two best teams in the Big Ten on paper.
—Mike McDaniel
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
Need to Know
When the greatest college football coach in history walks away—as Nick Saban did on Jan. 10 after an astounding seven national championships—what comes next? After taking Washington to the national championship game last season, new boss Kalen DeBoer is set to grapple with a retooled roster in a restructured SEC. Alabama hasn’t ranked lower than No. 8 in the final AP poll since 2010, but the Crimson Tide have the talent to avoid a gargantuan step back in Year One of a new era.
Player to Watch: OL Tyler Booker
If you ever find yourself in a position like DeBoer’s, stability in the trenches from the get-go is a must. To Alabama fans’ great relief, the Crimson Tide welcome back uber-reliable offensive lineman Tyler Booker on the heels of a season where he raked in All-SEC honors. The versatile New Haven, Conn., native—twice the solo winner of Alabama’s in-house offensive player of the week award in 2023—is already garnering considerable 2025 NFL draft hype. His ability to open running lanes for quarterback Jalen Milroe gives Alabama’s offense another dimension under longtime DeBoer lieutenant Nick Sheridan.
Game to Circle: Sept. 28 vs. Georgia
The SEC schedule-makers elected to welcome the Crimson Tide to post-divisional life with five straight games in September and October against former East Division teams—a stretch that begins against Georgia. The Bulldogs will have plenty of motivation after Alabama’s 27–24 victory in December’s SEC championship denied Georgia a shot at a third straight national title, and the quarterback duel between Milroe and Carson Beck could serve as a Heisman Trophy elimination game.
—Patrick Andres
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Need to Know
Notre Dame found slight improvement in Year Two under coach Marcus Freeman, finishing 10–3 with wins by 28 or more points in five of its last six games. A year after bringing in quarterback Sam Hartman from Wake Forest, the Fighting Irish are once again turning to a transfer in ex-Duke signal-caller Riley Leonard. The team’s role in the CFP race will be fascinating to watch: As it lacks a conference affiliation, Notre Dame will be ineligible to receive a crucial first-round bye.
Player to Watch: S Xavier Watts
Make no mistake: Even with another great quarterback in the fold (and a new offensive coordinator, Mike Denbrock), the Fighting Irish remain a defense-first team. Notre Dame allowed just 15.9 points per game last season and safety Xavier Watts was part and parcel of its success. Watts—a converted wide receiver from Omaha and the reigning Nagurski Award winner, awarded to the nation’s top defensive player—picked off seven passes to tie for the FBS lead. His continued success is a must if the Fighting Irish aspire to host a playoff game.
Game to Circle: Nov. 9 vs. Florida State
In the era of the 12-team CFP, games between middle-class top-25 teams will take on new importance. Notre Dame has a decent shot at an 8–0 start, but a home date against a retooling Florida State team will indicate whether Freeman’s squad is ready to move up in the national pecking order. A No. 9 Fighting Irish team topped the Seminoles 41–38 in overtime in the squads’ last matchup on Sept. 5, 2021.
—Patrick Andres
7. Ole Miss Rebels
Need to Know
After Lane Kiffin’s dalliance with Auburn never came to fruition, he led Ole Miss to its best season yet with him at the helm in 2023. Ole Miss finished 11–2 with a Peach Bowl win and the only losses came against Alabama and Georgia. Ole Miss avoids Texas and Bama in the regular season, a boon to the program’s SEC title hopes.
Player to Watch: DE Chris Hardie
While Ole Miss returns plenty of production on defense, the Rebels have holes to fill at defensive end, where Cedric Johnson and Isaac Ukwu both departed to the NFL. Looking to replace the duo’s 10 sacks from a year ago, the Rebels looked for help in the transfer portal and landed defensive end Chris Hardie from Jacksonville State. Hardie led Conference USA in sacks in 2023, tallying 8.5 by himself to go along with 16 tackles for loss. It will be a significant upgrade in competition for Hardie in the SEC, but if he can produce like he did in ’23, it will go a long way toward answering lingering questions about the Ole Miss pass rush.
Game to Circle: Nov. 9 vs. Georgia
Ole Miss is likely to be favored in all of its regular-season games except for this one. Is this finally the year Kiffin & Co. are able to get over the hump against one of the two best teams in the conference? The Rebels have lost their last 11 games against top-five opponents, and it would be a surprise if Georgia didn’t fit that criteria when they square off in November. A win would all but guarantee a spot in the SEC championship.
—Mike McDaniel
8. Missouri Tigers
Need to Know
Out of virtually nowhere after a 6–7 season in 2022, Missouri swept aside almost all comers en route to a star-making 11–2 campaign for coach Eliah Drinkwitz. Filled with returning starters and no longer navigating yearly tussles with Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, the Tigers are seeking to prove their breakout was no flash in the pan. Missouri hasn’t finished in the AP top 10 in back-to-back seasons since 1968–69, and it has won 10 games in back-to-back seasons just twice.
Player to Watch: WR Luther Burden III
The Tigers’ equation starts and ends with wide receiver Luther Burden III, who showed the Show-Me State precisely what he could do in 2023 with 86 catches for 1,212 yards. Burden’s numbers declined a bit as Missouri’s schedule grew more treacherous—he cracked the century mark in yardage just once after Oct. 7—but there’s no denying his Biletnikoff Award–level ceiling. The Tigers’ offense will need him given the departure of their ’23 guiding light, All-American running back Cody Schrader. Expect the St. Louis native to rise to the occasion.
Game to Circle: Nov. 9 vs. Oklahoma
Let’s avoid the easy answer—Alabama on Oct. 26 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.—in favor of the first game between Missouri and Oklahoma since 2011. Six of the ex-Big Eight rivals’ last seven matchups have been between two ranked teams, and the Tigers will need all of the quality wins they can get with a light quartet of nonconference games on the docket. The last matchup between the two teams went to the Sooners 38–28.
—Patrick Andres
9. Utah Utes
Need to Know
As one of four teams to make the leap to the Big 12 from the Pac-12, the Utes plan to be rude new neighbors as the conference’s preseason favorites. Utah is coming off of a rather disappointing 8–5 season, fighting through injuries to key players like quarterback Cameron Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe. The Utes’ defensive unit that allowed just 19.3 points per game last season is returning eight starters, although leading tackler Levani Damuni is expected to miss significant time after suffering a lower leg injury this spring. Earlier this summer, coach Kyle Whittingham, entering his 20th season at the helm in Salt Lake City, named longtime defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley as the “head coach in waiting” for whenever Whittingham decides to call it a career.
Player to Watch: QB Cameron Rising
The 25-year-old missed the entirety of last season after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee in the third quarter of the 2023 Rose Bowl against Penn State. Now back in the huddle for a seventh collegiate season, there are big expectations surrounding Rising. In ’22, Rising threw for 3,034 yards and 26 touchdowns while steering the Utes to a second straight Pac-12 title. If he performs like that in ’24, the Utes could be playing deep into January.
Game to Circle: Nov. 9 vs. BYU
One positive to emerge from the realignment chaos in college football is the Utes and the Cougars being back in the same conference for the first time since 2010. The “Holy War” wages on. The two in-state rivals will battle for the first time since ’21 when BYU upset the No. 21-ranked Utes 26–17 at home, halting Utah’s nine-game winning streak in the rivalry.
—Tom Dierberger
10. Florida State Seminoles
Need to Know
Mixed emotions reign on the Florida panhandle. Florida State ostensibly returned to glory with a 13–1 season—tied for the second-best winning percentage in the school’s illustrious history. However, the Seminoles’ snub from the four-team CFP left a bitter taste in many fans’ mouths. With a treasure trove of talent off to the NFL, Florida State faces the unenviable task of reloading against a hungrier ACC in Year One of the 12-team CFP era.
Player to Watch: DE Patrick Payton
The heartbeat of the Seminoles last season was their fearsome defensive line, which sent two players to the NFL within the draft’s first 39 picks. Now, redshirt junior Patrick Payton appears poised to carry on that legacy. The Miami native went from five sacks and six tackles for loss in 2022 to seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in ’23—remarkable numbers considering the presence of NFLers-to-be Jared Verse and Braden Fiske in the same unit. If Florida State wants to approach its ’23 average of 19.3 points allowed per game (its fewest since ’15), Payton must make the leap from star to superstar.
Game to Circle: Oct. 5 vs. Clemson
The Seminoles’ nonconference slate this season is quietly brutal—Memphis, Notre Dame and Florida loom—but as usual, the team’s pulse will be taken against Clemson. For Florida State, the annual grudge match follows back-to-back games against conference newbies California and SMU. Even if the Tigers are far from their late-2010s glory days, the Seminoles needed overtime to beat them last season, and Florida State’s addition of ex-Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei only makes matters spicier.
—Patrick Andres
11. Michigan Wolverines
Need to Know
After closing out his nine years at the helm with a national championship in 2023, coach Jim Harbaugh packed up his khaki pants and headed back to the NFL to lead the Los Angeles Chargers. Longtime Wolverines assistant Sherrone Moore takes over the sideline at the Big House with a roster that looks primed to defend its Big Ten title even after having a program-record 13 players drafted in ’24. The biggest question mark is under center, where a room of five quarterbacks—Jayden Denegal, Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren and Jadyn Davis—will compete to replace J.J. McCarthy, who went 27–1 as a starter.
Player to Watch: DB Will Johnson
The All-American junior was named the defensive MVP in the national championship game last season and is expected to be selected at the top of next year’s NFL draft if he can provide more fireworks this season. If that’s not enough to catch your eye, Johnson also told reporters in May he could see some time at wide receiver this season—just like another star Michigan cornerback who once wore No. 2, Charles Woodson.
Game to Circle: Sept. 7 vs. Texas
The two college football bluebloods meet for the second time in history; the first was the 2005 Rose Bowl, a matchup the Longhorns won 38–37 behind a fourth-quarter comeback led by sophomore quarterback Vince Young. An early-season win over an SEC power would be huge for Moore to solidify himself as the rightful heir in Ann Arbor, Mich.
—Tom Dierberger
12. Clemson Tigers
Need to Know
The Tigers went 9–4 last season, marking the first time they failed to win double-digit games since 2010—coach Dabo Swinney’s second season in charge. This season, Swinney is tasked with proving Clemson is still the class of the ACC. The Tigers’ defense is expected to be elite, even after losing their four starters up front from last season. But if they plan to keep up with Florida State this season, the Tigers need to address plenty of question marks on offense entering the second year under coordinator Garrett Riley.
Player to Watch: QB Cade Klubnik
As a five-star recruit, Klubnik was expected to follow in the footsteps of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, two star quarterbacks who led Clemson to national titles at the peak of the program’s power. But Klubnik struggled in his first year as the starter in 2023, turning the ball over 13 times with nine interceptions and four fumbles lost in 13 games. Those turnovers hurt the offense as a whole, as the Tigers scored just 23.6 points per game against ACC foes and ranked 60th in the country with 228.4 passing yards per contest. But there is plenty of hope in Death Valley. Klubnik should take a leap forward as a junior in his second year working with Riley, and the Tigers’ receivers room is deep with Antonio Williams and Tyler Brown returning as well as five-star recruit TJ Moore and four-star recruit Bryant Wesco joining the mix.
Game to Circle: Oct. 5 at Florida State
The Tigers nearly pulled off an upset over the No. 4 Seminoles last season but fell short 31–24 in overtime, snapping Clemson’s seven-game winning streak in the rivalry dating back to 2015. The winner of this game has gone on to win the ACC in 11 of their last 12 meetings, and it looks like this matchup could very well decide the conference again.
—Tom Dierberger
13. Penn State Nittany Lions
Need to Know
Penn State seems eternally stuck on almost—almost beating Michigan and Ohio State, almost breaking through to its first Big Ten championship since 2016, almost qualifying for the CFP. Last season, just 17 points separated the Nittany Lions from an unbeaten regular season. As it attempts to close that gap, Penn State made two of the offseason’s splashiest coordinator hires in Kansas’s Andy Kotelnicki (offensive coordinator) and former Indiana coach Tom Allen (defensive coordinator).
Player to Watch: QB Drew Allar
All eyes are on quarterback Drew Allar in his second full season helming the Nittany Lions’ offense. Most teams would love 25 touchdowns and two interceptions from an inexperienced signal-caller, but Penn State severely lacked explosiveness in 2023 (Allar finished fifth in the conference in yards per attempt at 6.8). The Nittany Lions need Allar to take more home run shots, and for his receivers—such as highly touted transfer Julian Fleming—to provide him with more confidence. Penn State had just one pass catcher in the conference’s top 20 in receiving yards last season.
Game to Circle: Nov. 2 vs. Ohio State
Forget the three West Coast battles royale (at home against UCLA and Washington and against USC on the road). Forget the absence of the Wolverines. The Nittany Lions’ season will be decided on Nov. 2. The CFP’s expansion means Penn State doesn’t necessarily need this game, but let’s be serious: The Nittany Lions will not be taken seriously as a national contender until they take care of business against the Buckeyes. Allar’s Cleveland-area roots and Fleming’s Ohio State tenure would make a victory that much sweeter.
—Patrick Andres
14. Oklahoma Sooners
Need to Know
Not counting continuation leagues—i.e., the Big Seven becoming the Big Eight, the Big Eight becoming the Big 12 and so on—Oklahoma is joining its first new conference since 1920. The Sooners are wobbling into the SEC a bit, having seen a 7–0 start in 2023 give way to back-to-back losses. With the 6–7 nightmare of ’22 behind him, coach Brent Venables has a new deal in hand—and a chance to prove his long-term bona fides by navigating one of the most brutal November schedules in the entire sport.
Player to Watch: QB Jackson Arnold
Into the role vacated by quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s transfer to Oregon steps Jackson Arnold, the 2022–23 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. In seven games with Oklahoma in ’23, Arnold showed flashes of good (an 11 for 11 garbage-time outing against Arkansas State) and not-so-good (three interceptions against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl). The sophomore drew positive reviews at the Manning Passing Academy, but a lot will be asked of him given the dearth of offensive talent returning. If he is up to the task, the CFP is not out of the question.
Game to Circle: Nov. 30 at LSU
How’s this for a closing month? After a tune-up against Maine on Nov. 2, the Sooners travel to Missouri, host Alabama and visit LSU in a four-week span. That last game against the Tigers (the teams’ first-ever regular-season meeting) is paramount, given its status as a showdown between two not-quite-elite SEC teams harboring CFP aspirations.
—Patrick Andres
15. LSU Tigers
Need to Know
After knocking off Alabama and reaching the SEC championship in his first year at the helm, Brian Kelly and LSU took a step back in 2023, even with a Heisman Trophy–winning quarterback in Jayden Daniels. A three-loss regular season relegated the Tigers to the ReliaQuest Bowl, which is certainly not the standard at LSU. If veteran backup-turned-starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier can replicate his 395-passing-yard performance in the bowl game against a tough schedule, LSU will be in the mix again in the SEC.
Player to Watch: WR Kyren Lacy
The Tigers are in desperate need of a No. 1 wide receiver to step up and help fill the void left by Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., the team’s two leading receivers in 2023 who were selected in the first round of the ’24 NFL draft. Look no further than Lacy, a fifth-year senior who had the most productive season of his career a season ago. Lacy hauled in 30 passes for 558 yards and seven touchdowns, all career highs. He has flashed big-play ability in the past and now will have an opportunity with higher volume to show the SEC just how good he can be.
Game to Circle: Sept. 1 vs. USC in Las Vegas
It’s always difficult to label the first game as the biggest game of the season, especially with so much football left to play regardless of the result. But in LSU’s case, the opener against USC is a monumental matchup. Remember, the Tigers lost a prime-time nonconference matchup on Labor Day weekend in 2023, which left the program with little wiggle room in a competitive SEC to make a run at the CFP. A win on a big stage to open the season would set the tone for the Tigers to make noise as a serious contender in the 12-team CFP. Factor in that LSU misses Georgia and Texas in SEC play, and this game becomes even more important for the program’s fringe national title hopes.
—Mike McDaniel
16. Kansas State Wildcats
Need to Know
The Wildcats didn’t make the CFP last season, but they won the next best thing—the opportunity to devour the edible mascot after winning the inaugural Pop-Tarts Bowl. Kansas State just might have the roster this season to top that tasty finish. With quarterback Will Howard now competing for a starting role at Ohio State, the Wildcats are giving the reins to Avery Johnson, the 2022 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year. If Johnson is as advertised, Kansas State should be in the mix to reclaim the Big 12 throne this season, although conference newcomer Utah poses quite the challenge.
Player to Watch: RB DJ Giddens
Kansas State ranked 11th in the nation last season with 204.1 rushing yards per game, and its backfield only got better in the offseason. Giddens, who racked up 1,549 total yards and 13 touchdowns last season, returns to a starting role as one of the most talented running backs in the Big 12. Kansas State will be in good shape when Giddens needs a breather, as speedster Dylan Edwards—Colorado’s leading rusher in 2023—transferred to Kansas State in April.
Game to Circle: Oct. 26 vs. Kansas
The Wildcats have won the last 15 battles for the Governor’s Cup, although the Jayhawks closed the gap last year. As if this rivalry needed more spice, when the Kansas men’s basketball team lost to Kansas State in February, Jayhawks cornerback Cobee Bryant promised fans on social media, “We will handle them in football this year.” Johnson responded with two laughing emojis. Oh boy.
—Tom Dierberger
17. USC Trojans
Need to Know
With 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams now residing in the Windy City, the Trojans will turn to Miller Moss under center for their first season in the Big Ten. Moss beat out UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava for the starting role, and a six-touchdown performance in the Holiday Bowl certainly didn’t hurt Moss’s chances. On the other side of the ball, coach Lincoln Riley hired D’Anton Lynn away from crosstown rival UCLA to serve as USC’s new defensive coordinator, a needed change after the Trojans surrendered the third-most points per game (34.4) in the Pac-12 last season.
Player to Watch: WR Zachariah Branch
The former five-star recruit out of Las Vegas headlines a talented, young group of receivers. Branch won the Jet Award—given to the top return specialist in college football—as a freshman, leading the country in yards per punt return (20.8) and registering 18.4 yards per kick return. After catching 31 passes for 320 yards in 2023, Branch could be one of the Big Ten’s breakout stars as he’s set to take a bigger role in the offense alongside fellow sophomore receivers Duce Robinson, Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon.
Game to Circle: Sept. 21 at Michigan
The Trojans have a tough schedule in 2024. They kick off the campaign Sept. 1 against LSU and wrap up the regular season at home against Notre Dame. But USC, one of four new arrivals in the Big Ten, could make a huge statement by taking down the defending champion Wolverines at the Big House. The Trojans own a 6–4 all-time record against Michigan dating back to 1948, with eight of those clashes occurring in the Rose Bowl. USC hasn’t played the Wolverines since the ’07 Rose Bowl when John David Booty threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Trojans to a 32–18 victory.
—Tom Dierberger
18. Tennessee Volunteers
Need to Know
The highly anticipated Nico Iamaleava era has finally begun in Knoxville, Tenn. Iamaleava, a five-star quarterback recruit out of Long Beach, Calif., committed to the Volunteers in March 2022 and served as Joe Milton III’s backup last season. He started the Citrus Bowl in Milton’s place and gave Tennessee a glimpse of his potential, racking up four total touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) in a 35–0 win over Iowa. If Iamaleava lives up to the hype, the Volunteers have a chance to recapture the magic from their 11-win campaign in ’22.
Player to Watch: DE James Pearce Jr.
Perhaps the best returning defensive lineman in college football, Pearce is looking to prove pundits right that he could be the top pick in the 2025 NFL draft. In 13 games last season, Pearce registered 14.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. The 6'5", 243-pound pass rusher also put his impressive speed on display when he hit a top speed of 23 mph during a 52-yard pick-six in the Citrus Bowl. A warning to quarterbacks everywhere: The kid can fly.
Game to Circle: Sept. 21 at Oklahoma
The Sooners’ first SEC test in the SEC will be on the road A former star quarterback and longtime assistant under Bob Stoops, this matchup will also mark the first time Josh Heupel will face the Sooners as head coach of the Volunteers. Oklahoma leads the all-time series against Tennessee 3–1.
—Tom Dierberger
19. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Need to Know
Last season marked the second time in three seasons the Cowboys won at least 10 games, but much like the 2021 season, the ’Pokes lost in the Big 12 championship. Oklahoma State’s returning production is highlighted by reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Ollie Gordon II, who led the nation in rushing last season with 1,732 yards. Oklahoma State will once again be a title contender in a revamped Big 12 conference.
Player to Watch: RB Ollie Gordon II
After Oklahoma State won just seven games in 2022 with the worst rushing attack of the Mike Gundy era, the Cowboys hit the reset button last season with Gordon, who flipped the switch and turned into one of the most potent offensive players in the nation. Gordon tallied 22 touchdowns and was among the top-25 rushers in the nation at 6.08 yards per carry. After earning the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the nation’s best running back, he’s back in ’24 to not only try to replicate his ridiculous numbers, but make a run at the Heisman Trophy.
Game to Circle: Sept. 21 vs. Utah
Oklahoma State’s quest to win a Big 12 title may very well run through new conference foe Utah, which returns a very talented team behind seventh-year quarterback Cameron Rising. The Cowboys start the season with back-to-back FCS champion South Dakota State, but assuming the ’Pokes get by the Jackrabbits, they should be favored against Arkansas and Tulsa before the showdown with the Utes. Utah’s passing attack will provide a tough early test for Oklahoma State’s passing defense, which ranked 123rd in the FBS last season in passing yards allowed. Don’t be surprised if this serves as a Big 12 championship preview in September.
—Mike McDaniel
20. Kansas Jayhawks
Need to Know
The Jayhawks are coming off their best season in nearly two decades. Led by a high-flying, creative offensive scheme, Kansas went 9–4, the program’s best record since coach Mark Mangino’s Jayhawks went 12–1 in 2007. The Jayhawks should have a chance to build on that momentum in ’24 if quarterback Jalon Daniels can stay healthy. Daniels looked like a Heisman Trophy candidate in the first half of ’22 before he missed a month with shoulder issues, and he was sidelined for all but three contests last season with a back injury. He’ll be playing for new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes after Andy Kotelnicki—who transformed Kansas’s offense into one of the Big 12’s finest units over the last three seasons—departed for Penn State.
Player to Watch: CB Cobee Bryant
There are big expectations for the Jayhawks’ secondary. Bryant and fellow senior cornerback Mello Dotson were both named to the Preseason All–Big 12 first team after Kansas surrendered the second-fewest passing yards per game (216.7) in the conference last season. Tallying 32 tackles, five passes defended and tied for a team-high four interceptions in 2023, Bryant became the first Kansas defensive back to be named to the All–Big 12 first team in back-to-back seasons since Aqib Talib in ’06 and ’07.
Game to Circle: Sept. 28 vs. TCU
The Jayhawks will host their first of four Big 12 home games at Arrowhead Stadium—home of the Kansas City Chiefs—against the Horned Frogs. TCU is a bit of an unknown this season. Over the last three seasons, TCU has won five games, made a surprise national championship appearance and slumped to five wins again. Regardless of the opponent, seeing one of the best atmospheres in the NFL be decked out in crimson and blue on a Saturday will be fun to watch.
—Tom Dierberger
21. Iowa Hawkeyes
Need to Know
Iowa enters 2024 with a new offensive coordinator, as Brian Ferentz was finally (and reluctantly) shown the door by his father, head coach Kirk Ferentz. Tim Lester enters the fray as the program’s new offensive coordinator, which should help improve Iowa’s 129th-ranked scoring offense from a season ago (15.4 points per game). Lester oversaw four top-35 offenses in his five seasons as head coach at Western Michigan, and while improvement may not be that dramatic, the Hawkeyes should at least be a bit more watchable on that side of the ball. Add an improved offense to a top-10 defense from a season ago that returns 10 starters, and the Hawkeyes should at least be in the conversation to contend in the loaded Big Ten.
Player to Watch: QB Cade McNamara
Much was expected of Cade McNamara when he transferred to Iowa from Michigan prior to the 2023 season. However, the veteran quarterback’s season was cut short after he tore his ACL against Michigan State in late September. With a fully healthy McNamara back in the mix, Iowa’s passing offense under Lester should make strides. How the sixth-year quarterback performs will dictate how serious of a threat Iowa can be to contend for a Big Ten title.
Game to Circle: Oct. 5 at Ohio State
Iowa drew a very favorable schedule, with a manageable nonconference slate to go along with a Big Ten schedule absent of USC, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon. The toughest game on the schedule is the road trip to Columbus, Ohio. This isn’t a critical game for Iowa’s conference title hopes, but the road trip will provide a midseason look into whether or not the Hawkeyes have a legitimate chance of winning the Big Ten.
—Mike McDaniel
22. SMU Mustangs
Need to Know
The Mustangs enter their first season in the ACC with a chance to win a conference that appears wide open. Veteran quarterback Preston Stone should keep the Mustangs in every game. Fresh off an 11-win campaign that included an American Athletic Conference title, the Mustangs are set to prove they belong in the ACC in a step up in competition.
Player to Watch: QB Preston Stone
Stone was one of the best quarterbacks in the AAC last season, completing 59.9% of his passes for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns to just six interceptions. With a full bevy of receivers back, as well as a balanced rushing attack that returns multiple players, the offense won’t be short on firepower. Expect plenty of high-scoring affairs when the Mustangs take the field, with Stone leading the charge.
Game to Circle: Sept. 28 vs. Florida State
Will SMU be one of the top-20 teams in the country based on its favorable schedule alone? Or will the Mustangs be legitimately good against better competition? The tilt against Florida State will provide a true “Welcome to the ACC” moment, and while the Seminoles are not the team that they were a season ago when they went undefeated in the regular season and won the ACC title, they’re still going to be talented enough to contend for a conference crown. An upset at home against the Seminoles would certainly fire up the conversation around the Mustangs, especially with a manageable second half of the schedule that could find them favored in most, if not all, of their remaining games.
—Mike McDaniel
23. Miami Hurricanes
Need to Know
After a solid 4–0 start in 2023, Miami became the laughingstock of college football on Oct. 7 by blowing a game against Georgia Tech in which it could’ve easily knelt out the clock. Coach Mario Cristobal enters a prove-it year at his alma mater looking to put that debacle behind him, and he found two gems in the transfer portal to help him out: ex-Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward and ex-Oregon State running back Damien Martinez. If any Hurricanes team could deliver on their always-considerable talent, it’s this one.
Player to Watch: DE Rueben Bain Jr.
With respect to the Pac-12 castoffs in the backfield, Miami has hung its hat on defense for years. This season will be no different, and defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. appears poised to lead the way after winning the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award as a freshman. Bain racked up 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss to go with three forced fumbles, all of which ranked in the top 10 in the conference. If the Hurricanes are contending for a CFP berth, they’ll likely have him to thank.
Game to Circle: Sept. 27 vs. Virginia Tech
Let’s go ahead and say Miami’s blockbuster opener against Florida is relatively academic to its CFP chances—the Hurricanes need to dominate against the meat of their ACC schedule. That meat arrives Sept. 27 in the form of Virginia Tech on a Friday evening. It’s plausible that both teams could enter 4–0, and a victory for Miami on national TV could establish Cristobal’s squad as a player in the national conversation—and insert Ward or Martinez into Heisman discussions.
—Patrick Andres
24. Boise State Broncos
Need to Know
Boise State navigated a highly unusual 2023 that could reasonably be called successful despite ending in the Broncos’ worst record since 1998. The program canned coach Andy Avalos on Nov. 12 with a 5–5 record, and won the Mountain West title under interim boss Spencer Danielson. Danielson now has the full-time job and is basking in Boise State’s successful offseason recruiting of blue-chip USC transfer quarterback Malachi Nelson.
Player to Watch: RB Ashton Jeanty
How can a running back lift the Heisman Trophy for the first time since 2015? He’d have to put up gaudy numbers for a winning team, and running back Ashton Jeanty did just that last season with 1,916 total yards and 19 touchdowns. A trip to New York may be a stretch, but Jeanty is the kind of bell cow that the Broncos can lean on. Jeanty would be the first Bronco to repeat as his conference’s offensive player of the year since legendary quarterback Kellen Moore from 2009–10.
Game to Circle: Sept. 7 at Oregon
Boise State doesn’t necessarily need to beat Oregon to reach the CFP, but the Broncos’ ceiling will become apparent in their first tussle with the Ducks since the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. If Boise State looks remotely competent against a national championship contender (and quasi-regional foe), a CFP spot might be the Broncos’ to lose. This is the kind of exposure game the program made its bones on in the 2000s and 2010s—can Boise State recapture its telegenic magic as the 21st century nears its quarter pole?
—Patrick Andres
25. West Virginia Mountaineers
Need to Know
What a difference a year makes for West Virginia, a team that has persevered long enough in the Big 12 to see its heterodox approach to conference geography become the norm throughout college athletics. At this time in 2023, coach Neal Brown held down a spot on every preseason list of coaches on the hot seat after a 22–25 start in Morgantown, W.Va. All he did was steer the Mountaineers to a 9–4 record—their best since ’16—and a blowout 30–10 win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Player to Watch: QB Garrett Greene
The emergence of quarterback Garrett Greene in his fourth year was absolutely critical to West Virginia’s 2023 success. In 12 games, Greene threw 16 touchdowns against just four interceptions—and ran for 13 more. Only Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel and Kansas State’s Will Howard were responsible for more touchdowns among Big 12 quarterbacks. If Greene progresses as a passer and continues to lead a multipronged running game, no one will want to game-plan for this offense.
Game to Circle: Oct. 12 vs. Iowa State
Iowa State is hardly the flashiest opponent on the Mountaineers’ docket in 2024, but the Cyclones will serve as a fascinating midseason vibe check for Brown & Co. Games against Kansas and Oklahoma State lead into the Oct. 12 matchup, and games against Kansas State and Arizona follow it—and that’s to say nothing of early nonconference clashes with Penn State and Pittsburgh. If West Virginia can remain in the Big 12 race at this juncture, its schedule slackens significantly in November.
—Patrick Andres
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sports Illustrated Preseason Top 25 College Football Rankings.
