The Silver Bulletin’s Senior Editor Blake Biscardi releases his Preseason Top 25 Rankings for the 2024 college football season.
As we begin a new era of college football, it is time for a few enhancements to my annual season preview. 2024 marks my eighth consecutive year putting this compilation of analysis, predictions, and rankings together, and I am extremely pleased with how everything is shaking out.
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Let’s hop into my outlook: Ohio State and Ole Miss turned heads all offseason with blockbuster moves in the transfer portal as both teams eye a College Football Playoff berth. Georgia, Oregon, and Florida State are in prime positions to return to the CFP. Then, what happens with Notre Dame and defending champion Michigan? The fifth seed is the Irish’s ceiling, and the Wolverines have a challenging schedule and a lot of roster turnover. But don’t write off Sherrone Moore and Michigan so quickly.
Expansion continues to change college football’s conferences and playoff system, which opens the possibility and likelihood of rematches or even three matchups between certain teams – likely in the Big Ten or SEC. How will that affect the sport? Does it make the earlier games lose their luster? All these variables are new, and the kinks will be worked out over time.
Either way, the on-field product of college football has never been more accessible or greater. The regular season slate is outstanding with the expanded conferences. Clear your calendars on October 12th and November 30th – you’ll thank me later.
The preseason hunt for the CFP may be the most crowded yet in the first year of the twelve-team playoff as access broadens. So let’s dive into my eighth annual season outlook to see how I see everything shaking out starting with my teams to watch:
Teams to Watch
- Utah Utes
- Miami (FL) Hurricanes
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Michigan Wolverines
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
Utah joins the Big 12 Conference this year and gets QB Cam Rising back. Stat of the Day: Yes, Cam Rising has been at Utah nearly as long as I have done these season previews. I like their physicality and defense to bode well for them in the wide-open Big 12. There will be fierce competition, but Utah can lock in a CFP bid and make some noise in the twelve-team field.
Mario Cristobal has done a great job building Miami from the inside out. He has recruited well and increased the physicality within the program. The next step is restoring to the national stage, which he has all of the pieces to do this year. Keep reading to see how I predict Miami’s season to shake out.
The Big Ten has two odds-on favorites: Ohio State and Oregon. After that, a cluster of teams follows Iowa, Michigan, and Penn State. The Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions have favorable schedules and high-level defenses, but will they be able to crash the party in Indianapolis? Sherrone Moore gets Texas in Week 2 and I wouldn’t write off the Wolverines just yet – I believe they can pull the upset in the Big House.
Finally, Oklahoma State makes the list with stud running back Ollie Gordon. Mike Gundy is nothing but consistent and the Cowboys smell blood in the water in the Big 12. It will be carnage as usual with a multiple-team battle for conference supremacy. Does Oklahoma State have enough to win the Big 12 and earn a spot in the CFP? Read on to find out.
Eric Gay/Associated Press
Next is a snapshot of my Top 25 teams, conference predictions, Heisman hopefuls, and CFP picks as I see the 2024 season playing out.
- Virginia Tech Hokies
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 8-4
- SOS: #65
- Key Matchups: @Miami (FL), Clemson
- USC Trojans
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 8-4
- SOS: #3
- Key Matchups: LSU (Sunday, in Las Vegas), @Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame
- Boise State Broncos
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 11-1
- SOS: #89
- Key Matchups: @Oregon, @UNLV, @Wyoming
- Liberty Flames
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 12-0
- SOS: #134
- Key Matchups: Western Kentucky, Jax State (Wednesday), FIU (Tuesday), @Sam Houston
- Texas A&M Aggies
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 8-4
- SOS: #33
- Key Matchups: Notre Dame, Missouri, LSU, @Auburn, Texas
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 9-3
- SOS: #46
- Key Matchups: Arizona (Friday), Oklahoma State, @Colorado, Kansas
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 9-3
- SOS: #52
- Key Matchups: @Oklahoma, Alabama, @Georgia
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 7-5
- SOS: #17
- Key Matchups: Tennessee, Texas (in Dallas), @Ole Miss, @Missouri, Alabama, @LSU
- LSU Tigers
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 9-3
- SOS: #26
- Key Matchups: USC (Sunday, in Las Vegas), Ole Miss, @Texas A&M, Alabama, Oklahoma
- Clemson Tigers
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 9-3
- SOS: #28
- Key Matchups: Georgia (in Atlanta), @Florida State, @Virginia Tech
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #54
- Key Matchups: Arkansas, Utah, @Kansas State, @Colorado
- Missouri Tigers
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 9-3
- SOS: #62
- Key Matchups: @Texas A&M, @Alabama, Oklahoma
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #47
- Key Matchups: @Ohio State, Wisconsin
- Miami (FL) Hurricanes
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #43
- Key Matchups: @Florida, Virginia Tech (Friday), Florida State
- Florida State Seminoles
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #12
- Key Matchups: Clemson, @Miami (FL), @Notre Dame
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #49
- Key Matchups: @USC, @Wisconsin, Ohio State
James Franklin and Penn State have played third-fiddle to Ohio State and Michigan for years, and now Oregon joins the Big Ten. This is Franklin’s chance to assert his program’s place in the new-look conference. They avoid Oregon and Michigan and get to host Ohio State. What more could the Nittany Lion faithful ask for on paper? It’s the easiest schedule of the Big Ten’s contenders by far. 2024 is Penn State’s window to get to Indianapolis and clinch its first-ever playoff berth.
- Utah Utes
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 11-1
- SOS: #59
- Key Matchups: @Oklahoma State, Arizona, @Colorado
Utah with Cam Rising dominated the PAC-12. Now, the Utes are entering a new conference that they should likely run this season. Kyle Whittingham’s physical brand of football bodes well for its new home in the Big 12. They are the conference favorites and do not face a hard schedule at all. A road trip to Stillwater against Ollie Gordon and Oklahoma State is its toughest test. Utah finds its way into the CFP as a Top 4 seed.
- Michigan Wolverines
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #15
- Key Matchups: Texas, USC, Oregon, @Ohio State
Michigan finally returned to the pinnacle of college football consummating a three-year run with a National Championship. However, Jim Harbaugh and most of the staff have new jobs in the NFL, JJ McCarthy and company entered the Draft, and Sherrone Moore took over as head coach. Moore is looking to continue the momentum over the last three seasons as he reconstructs the roster.
The Wolverines have some uphill battles on their hands hosting Texas, USC, and Oregon and then making the trip to Columbus at the end of November. I don’t think the drop-off will be as significant as people think. Michigan is a bubble playoff team even with all the coaching and player losses because of its infrastructure.
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #9
- Key Matchups: @Wisconsin, Georgia, @Tennessee, Missouri, @LSU, @Oklahoma
Enter the post-Nick Saban era for the Crimson Tide. The biggest story in college football to start the year is Kalen DeBoer replacing a legend. I spent some time with him in Houston before the National Championship Game and he is the real deal. Despite losing Caleb Downs to Ohio State in the transfer portal, Alabama’s roster is littered with talent. The Tide are contenders in the SEC and are inside the playoff bubble.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #57
- Key Matchups: @Texas A&M, Florida State, @USC
Notre Dame adds QB Riley Leonard from Duke, immediately making the Irish contenders alongside a high-end defense. Marcus Freeman’s squad means business this year, and a win over Texas A&M puts them in a great position to return to the College Football Playoff. The Irish do not face an overly difficult schedule, so watch out for Notre Dame crashing the CFP party. Remember: Notre Dame is an FBS Independent so the Irish are ineligible for an auto-bid and Top 4 seed in the CFP.
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #40
- Key Matchups: @LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia
If there’s ever been a window in Oxford, 2024 is it. Lane Kiffin has his most talented roster, but how will it gel as a team – there’s a difference between roster talents and team cohesion. On paper, this is a playoff team, and the schedule backs that claim with only one difficult road test in Baton Rouge. Georgia coming to Oxford could be for a spot in Atlanta or the first of two showdowns between the Dawgs and Rebels.
- Texas Longhorns
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 10-2
- SOS: #36
- Key Matchups: @Michigan, Oklahoma (in Dallas), Georgia, @Texas A&M
Quinn Ewers is arguably the highest-rated quarterback in college football as Texas continues its ascent to the mountaintop. The Longhorns find themselves working with a more favorable schedule than its fellow contenders. An early road trip to Ann Arbor will be tricky depending on how fast Sherrone Moore gets things in gear for the new-look defending champion Michigan Wolverines. Outside of that, Texas plays three true conference road games. Hosting Georgia and traveling to College Station in a renewed rivalry game with Texas A&M will be off the charts. Texas is also a CFP-caliber team this year.
- Oregon Ducks
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 11-1
- SOS: #41
- Key Matchups: Ohio State, @Michigan, @Wisconsin
Dan Lanning and Oregon are assembling an incredible roster and recruiting classes as he builds a program ready for the big stage. The Ducks fell short in both contests versus Washington last year, and are out hunting for a trip to the CFP this year. 2024 is Oregon’s first year in the Big Ten and they have the second-best odds to win the conference as they host Ohio State and travel to Michigan. Keep your eyes on October 12th for a potential Game of the Year as the Buckeyes come to town. Do not underestimate Lanning and the Ducks as I believe they have the best chance at finishing the regular season undefeated of the top teams.
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 11-1
- SOS: #35
- Key Matchups: Iowa, @Oregon, @Penn State, Michigan
No other football team has retained and acquired the level of talent as Ryan Day and Ohio State this offseason. But can the Buckeyes put it all together to beat Michigan (2019), win the Big Ten (2020), and win the National Championship (2014)? Those are the three program goals inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center that haven’t been accomplished in a few years. Jim Knowles added Safety Caleb Downs from Alabama to a veteran defense. Will Howard, Quinshon Judkins, and Seth McLaughlin all joined the star-studded offense for the 2024 campaign. Ohio State will be fun to watch despite dealing with the toughest schedule of the Big Ten’s contenders.
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Projected Reg. Season Record: 11-1
- SOS: #8
- Key Matchups: Clemson (in Atlanta), @Alabama, @Texas, @Ole Miss, Tennessee
Georgia has been the best team in college football over the last three years. The Bulldogs finished 15-0 in 2021, winning the National Championship. Smart’s team followed it up with a 14-1 record and a second title in 2022, and then a 13-1 season in 2023. Carson Beck returns at quarterback as one of the premier signal callers in the sport behind another solid offensive line and running game. Georgia’s receivers are its weakest offensive unit, though the Dawgs will still be a high-powered machine.
Defensively, Kirby Smart’s teams always wreak havoc and are balanced. This year’s team is no different. However, Georgia plays a challenging schedule with Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas on the road and Clemson at a neutral site to open the season. It’s going to be difficult for any team to finish unbeaten in the expansion era. Expect the Dawgs to falter along the way to another CFP run.
Preseason Top 25
According to Blake Biscardi
- Georgia
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Texas
- Ole Miss
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- Michigan
- Utah
- Penn State
- Florida State
- Miami (FL)
- Iowa
- Missouri
- Oklahoma State
- Clemson
- LSU
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Kansas State
- Texas A&M
- Liberty
- Boise State
- USC
- Virginia Tech
Blake Biscardi, a native of Pickerington, Ohio, is The Silver Bulletin’s Senior Editor and the Creator & Host of the Saturday Cadence podcast, a national college football show. As a trusted voice on Ohio State, the Big Ten, and College Football Playoff since 2016, Biscardi is a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a two-time Graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia.