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| Donovan Edwards, Michigan |
Top 25
1. Ohio State Buckeyes -- After bringing in Quinshon Judkins through the portal and with several major names holding off on the NFL, Ohio State is all in on this being the year. Even in a treacherous Big Ten, I suspect Ryan Day finds a way to finish the job.
2. Georgia Bulldogs -- Georgia wasn't able to complete the "three-peat" after coming up short against Alabama in last year's SEC Championship Game, but the program is showing no signs of slowing down. With Carson Beck under center, they have a legit Heisman frontrunner, and arguably the most talented roster in all of the land.
3. Oregon Ducks -- Life in the Big Ten begins this fall for the Ducks, but this roster is ready to go. Dillon Gabriel will lead an explosive passing attack that features an elite receiver corps, while the defense is stocked with future NFL defenders.
4. Texas Longhorns -- 2023 was the breakthrough year for the Longhorns after years of waiting - now what will they do for an encore? The return of Quinn Ewers gives them a proven leader under center, but it's the continued growth from the defense that should guide them back to the College Football Playoff.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide -- Nick Saban may be gone, but I don't envision the Crimson Tide slowing down just yet. Kalen DeBoer has more than enough talent at his disposal to keep this thing rolling in 2024, especially with Jalen Milroe the established quarterback.
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- It's Year Three for Marcus Freeman, and the ultimate make-it-or-break-it season for the 38-year old head coach. He's got the new QB (Riley Leonard), a roster loaded in the trenches, but most importantly, a favorable schedule. Anything short of a Playoff berth would be a major disappointment in South Bend.
7. Penn State Nittany Lions -- Penn State could be a major beneficiary of the expanded Playoff and new-look Big Ten, getting out of the rugged East Division. But to make the Playoff, they'll need more from their passing game - not just QB Drew Allar, but a receiver corps that was pedestrian for much of 2023.
8. Michigan Wolverines -- Forget all the offseason drama - this remains one of the premier rosters in college football. However, with major questions at QB and turnover throughout the roster, a step backwards is a near certainty in 2024.
9. LSU Tigers -- Jayden Daniels is gone, as are two NFL receivers in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. But, the Tigers have a chance to rebound defensively with new coordinator Blake Baker, who should get the most from a talented group, if they can fix their issues in the secondary.
10. Florida State Seminoles -- I won't move Florida State down despite their Week 0 loss to Georgia Tech. It was clear this team wasn't going to replicate last season's success, and the ACC remains wide open.
11. Clemson Tigers -- Dabo Swinney has taken a lot of heat over the last several seasons, and is out to prove Clemson is still a program that can compete for National Titles. The defense should be stout, but it's up to junior QB Cade Klubnik to determine their ceiling.
12. Ole Miss Rebels -- I'm not quite as high on Ole Miss as others appear to be, but it's obvious why there is so much hype surrounding the Rebels. They return one of the SEC's best quarterbacks, along with plenty else from an 11-win team, and they scored win after win in the portal over the offseason.
13. Utah Utes -- To the Big 12 the Utes go, and if there's any program poised to come in from the Pac-12 and win right away, it's certainly Utah. The ever-steady Utes should benefit greatly from the healthy returns of Cam Rising and Brant Kuithe, jolting an offense that struggled during the 8-5 2023 campaign.
14. Missouri Tigers -- If you're looking for a fun watch, Missouri fits the bill, with veteran QB Brady Cook throwing to a receiver corps that includes stars Luther Burden and Mookie Cooper. But to challenge for an SEC Title, the Tiger defense must carry over its success from 2024, even without coordinator Blake Baker.
15. Kansas State Wildcats -- No more Texas and Oklahoma inside the Big 12 is the perfect environment for Kansas State to rise up, and QB Avery Johnson may just be the guy to get them there. A tricky road slate will challenge the Wildcats, but they still have a chance for a first-round bye in the Playoff if they can manage to win the league.
16. Iowa Hawkeyes -- Even modest offensive improvements under new coordinator Tim Lester and Iowa should vie for ten games and possibly sneak into the College Football Playoff. Either way, the defense should be nasty, one of the Big Ten's best once again.
17. Tennessee Volunteers -- The most hyped recruit since Peyton Manning, Nico Iamaleava now has the keys to the Volunteer offense. If he's as good as advertised, Tennessee could have the nation's best offense, particularly with a healthy Bru McCoy out wide.
18. Miami Hurricanes -- On paper, Miami has all the ingredients to win double-digit games and win an ACC Title. But, will it work out on the field? Bringing on Cam Ward as QB and Damien Martinez as tailback was a major win for this staff, but has raised the expectations in Coral Gables that much more.
19. Oklahoma Sooners -- For all the fans used to watching a potent Oklahoma offense, get used to a different look in Norman this fall. It's going to be the stingy defense that leads the way, at least until young QB Jackson Arnold gets up to speed.
20. Liberty Flames -- The most likely Group of Five Playoff participant this fall, Liberty has a bunch returning from the 13-1 2023 team and one of the softest schedules in all of the land. Can head coach Jamey Chadwell keep this team focused on the end goal?
21. USC Trojans -- Another team changing conferences this fall, USC felt like a program that needed a change after a frustrating 2023 season. They've rebuilt this defense, but is it good enough for Big Ten standards? The offense has its questions too, although Miller Moss answered some of them with a dominant showing in last season's Holiday Bowl.
22. Kansas Jayhawks -- KU has Lance Leipold locked in for the long haul, now it's time to see just how high their ceiling is in 2024. A healthy Jalon Daniels is huge, but just as important are the returns of Devin Neal and their top three receivers from last year.
23. NC State Wolfpack -- Grayson McCall makes the jump to power conference football after an illustrious career at Coastal Carolina, and has one of the ACC's best young receivers in college football in KC Concepcion. With a favorable schedule, this is a dark horse Playoff contender in 2024.
24. UTSA Roadrunners -- With SMU now in the ACC and Tulane set for a rebuilding year after the loss of their head coach, the American Athletic is UTSA's for the taking. The offense suffers some notable losses, but an experienced, talented defense should lay the foundation for a successful season in San Antonio.
25. Washington Huskies -- Following a mass exodus over the offseason, it's hard to know what Washington will look like for new head man Jedd Fisch. But, he's a got a record-setting QB under center in Will Rogers, interesting skill position talent, and enough back for this defense to still thrive.
College Football Playoff Field
First Round
5 Oregon Ducks over 12 Liberty Flames
6 Texas Longhorns over 11 LSU Tigers
7 Alabama Crimson Tide over 10 Michigan Wolverines
8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish over 9 Penn State Nittany Lions
First Round Byes: (1) Ohio State, (2) Georgia, (3) Utah, (4) Florida State
Second Round
1 Ohio State Buckeyes over 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
2 Georgia Bulldogs over 7 Alabama Crimson Tide
6 Texas Longhorns over 3 Utah Utes
5 Oregon Ducks over 4 Florida State Seminoles
Semifinals
1 Ohio State Buckeyes over 5 Oregon Ducks
2 Georgia Bulldogs over 6 Texas Longhorns
National Championship
1 Ohio State Buckeyes over 2 Georgia Bulldogs
Conference Projections
ACC: Florida State over Clemson
American Athletic: UTSA over Tulane
Big Ten: Ohio State over Oregon
Big 12: Utah over Kansas State
C-USA: Liberty over Western Kentucky
MAC: Toledo over Miami Ohio
Mountain West: Air Force over Boise State
SEC: Georgia over Texas
Sun Belt: Appalachian State over Arkansas State
Awards
Heisman: Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon (winner); Carson Beck, QB, Georgia (finalist); Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado (finalist); Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan (finalist)
Walker: Donovan Edwards, Michigan (winner); Jaydn Ott, California (finalist), Ashton Jeanty, Boise State (finalist)
Biletnikoff: Luther Burden II, Missouri (winner); Tez Johnson, Oregon (finalist); Bru McCoy, Tennessee (finalist)
Mackey: Oscar Delp, Georgia (winner); Colston Loveland, Michigan (finalist); Luke Lachey, Iowa (finalist)
Butkus: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma (winner); Smael Mondon, Georgia (finalist); Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
Thorpe: Caleb Downs, Ohio State (winner); Travis Hunter, Colorado (finalist); Malaki Starks, Georgia (finalist)
Coach of the Year: Dan Lanning, Oregon (winner); Ryan Day, Ohio State (finalist); Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame (finalist)
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