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1. Alabama Crimson Tide

At the start of the season, I wrote that Alabama would struggle early and get better as the season went on. That is exactly what happened.

The 2023 season may have been one of Nick Saban’s best coaching jobs. Jalen Milroe will return and could be a favorite for the Heisman.

Caleb Downs had a fantastic freshman year at safety and the addition of Domani Jackson at corner will ease the loss of Kool-Aid McKinstry.

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2. Georgia Bulldogs

We once again failed to see a three-peat for the first time since the 1930s, but the Bulldogs could make it three in four years next year. The Bulldogs were a flawed team this season and played above their level most of the season.

Having said that, Carson Beck got better as the year progressed. Next year he could be a really good QB and the addition of Trevor Etiene in the backfield will open up the offense.

Colbie Young and Landon Humphries could be top receivers and the defense will reload.

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3. Oregon Ducks

The best team in the Big Ten in 2024 could be playing in Autzen Stadium.

Should the Ducks finish in the top four and get a First-Round bye in the playoffs, they will have earned it with Ohio State, Michigan, and Washington all on the conference slate.

Dillon Gabriel will step in and ease the loss of Bo Nix at QB.

Gabriel will have Tez Johnson to throw the ball to and Will Stein will be calling the plays. The Oregon O will be in good shape.

Jeffrey Bassa will be back to lead a defense that will have a few holes to fill.

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4. Texas Longhorns

Texas made a run to the playoffs in their final season in the Big 12. In their first season in the SEC, they will be in good shape to make a return trip.

If Quinn Ewers returns at QB the Horns will be in good shape. Should he not return, Arch Manning looks ready to take things over whenever Ewers steps away.

Whoever is at QB will be in command of an offense that will have plenty of weapons. Cedric Baxter and Jaydon Blue will be back in the backfield.

The receivers will be loaded, and should Adonai Mitchell return they could be the top WR unit in the nation.

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5. Ohio State Buckeyes

Will Howard will be an upgrade at QB for the Buckeyes. Marvin Harrison Jr. will not be back in the Scarlet and Gray, but there will still be plenty of talent at WR to throw the ball to.

Howard will also offer Ohio State more in the run game out of the QB spot than they got in 2023—and that is assuming Howard wins the job over incoming freshman Air Noland.

Odds are both will play some.

The defense was one of the best in 2023 allowing just over 11 points per game. Jack Sawyer and Tyleik Williams will return to anchor a group that should be one of the best in the nation once again.

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6. Ole Miss Rebels

Mississippi was pretty close to making the jump this season. The two losses this season came on the road to Alabama and Georgia.

The SEC schedule is actually a bit more favorable for the Rebels next season. Georgia and Oklahoma will come to Oxford and LSU appears to be the stoutest road test.

The offense averaged 35.1 points per game in 2023 and will have Jaxson Dart back at the controls. The loss of Quinshon Judkins to the NFL will hurt but the Rebs will have plenty of talent on offense.

The defense made strides this season and should be improved more in 2024. Lane Kiffin has got people coming to the ‘Sip and they could make a lot of noise in 2024.

7. Clemson Tigers

Dabo Swinney and his Tigers had their struggles in 2023. In 2024 Clemson should be the heavy favorite to win the ACC. Florida State will be losing a lot and look for the Tigers to step back into the top spot in the league.

Clemson came on strong to end this season and showed a lot of fight in their Gator Bowl win, a game that could prove as a springboard to 2024.

Cade Klubnik will have another offseason to improve at QB. On the defensive side of things Clemson could have one of the best LB groups in the nation.

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8. Michigan Wolverines

Michigan is a difficult team to peg for 2024 after winning the National Championship. Who will be back and who will need to be replaced?

This is a team that really could be in the top three or four based on what might be back but also could slip down to the teens with the parts that might leave.

Jim Harbaugh could be gone and so could JJ McCarthy at QB, but I think McCarthy returns. And if Michigan gets their signal caller back it will be a good start.

He is not flashy, but he makes plays when he needs to and does not lose games and with the running game and defense the Wolverines have, that is what is needed.

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9. Penn State Nittany Lions

James Franklin might beat a Top 10 team at some point, but then again, he might not—okay, he probably won’t.

Penn State has won at least 10 games five times since 2016 but has no playoff births to show for it.

But the Nittany Lions are looking a little better than some of their Big Ten brethren heading into the winter. OSU and Michigan may have more questions than PSU.

Drew Allar will be back under center and should take a big step as a sophomore and he will have a new play caller as Andy Kotelnicki comes from Kansas State to revive a stagnant offense.

On defense, the Lions have a new coordinator as well but due to being so good that Many Diaz got another head coaching gig. Tom Allen will now run PSU’s defense.

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10. Missouri Tigers

Missouri finished off 2023 with a Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State and their first 11-win season since 2014.

Eli Drinkwitz’s Tigers won’t sneak up on anyone in 2024.

They will also have key pieces of the 11-win season back in place with QB Brady Cook and receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease.

The offense will have to replace RB Cody Schrader and some key parts on defense but don’t look for too much of a slip from Mizzou.

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11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Marcus Freeman has the Irish moving in the right direction after a slow start to his tenure in South Bend.

The transfer pipeline to North Carolina from ACC schools worked so well with Sam Hartman in 2023 that Freeman will try it again with Riley Leonard coming in from Duke.

The receivers and offensive line will need to be reworked but a defense that allowed just 15.9 points per game returns a lot.

Howard Cross III may be the best linebacker in the nation next season and Xavier Watts will also return at safety to bolster the defense.

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12. Arizona Wildcats

Year One in the Big 12 could be a special season for Jedd Fisch and Arizona.

After winning just six games combined in his first two seasons in Tucson, the Wildcats picked up 10 wins and an Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma.

That was a win that I am sure made their new conference smile a little bit more with the Sooners impending exit to the SEC.

With the success also comes expectations and how the Wildcats handle that will decide their fate in 2024. Noah Fifita will be back after his breakout year at QB.

The big key for the Cats’ turnaround in 2023 was a vastly improved defense. After allowing 36.5 points per game in ’22 they allowed just 21.1 last season.

The bulk of that defense will be back for the Wildcats, though DC Johnny Nansen left for Texas, and Fisch will have a key hire to make in replacing him.

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13. Tennessee Volunteers

The next superstar in the SEC may be in Knoxville. Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit, certainly lived up to the billing in his lone start in the Citrus Bowl.

In earning MVP honors for the bowl victory over Iowa, Iamaleava made his name known to the college football world and has UT fans thinking about the potential for the school’s first Heisman winner.

The offensive line will return most of the unit and the skill players on offense will have a lot of personnel back.

The defense showed vast improvement in 2023 but still has room to improve if the Vols are to take the next step.

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14. Oklahoma Sooners

Brent Venables had a four-game improvement in the win column in Season Two in Norman.

A 10-3 season with a 7-2 conference mark seemed like a bit of a disappointment after a 3-3 finish down the stretch.

Jackson Arnold looks like he will be a good option at QB for the Sooners and they will have plenty of talent at RB and WR. The issue on offense will be a completely revamped line in 2024.

Danny Stutsman will be back at LB to anchor a much-improved defense. OU allowed just 23.5 points per game in 2023 after allowing 30 the season before.

The jump to the SEC will not be easy but the Sooners will still be knocking on the door of a playoff spot.

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15. Utah Utes

Cam Rising will return for 2024 and it will make the Utes one of the favorites to win the revamped Big 12.

Utah will return most of the offensive line in front of Rising and that should provide a good foundation for the offense to improve on their numbers from 2023.

Kyle Whittingham’s defense is always going to be ready to play and should reload for 2024 and the move to the Big 12.

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16. Florida State Seminoles

Will it be a rebuilding season for Mike Norvell and the Seminoles? Yes, it will. Will they suddenly become irrelevant in the ACC and national landscape? Absolutely not.

DJ Uiagalelei transferring from Oregon State gives FSU a good replacement for Jordan Travis at QB.

The strength of the offense, though, will be the line. A good line and an experienced QB will keep the Noles from a significant drop-off.

The defense was elite in 2023 and the LBs and DBs will need to be revamped. The line however returns Patrick Payton, Darrell Jackson, and Joshua Farmer to keep some stability in the trenches.

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17. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State started slowly at 2-2 open to the season and one of the two wins was a struggle against Arizona State.

The season ended with a trip to the Big 12 Championship game, a win over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl, and a 10-win season.

In 2024, the offense will return Alan Bowman at QB and Ollie Gordon and his 1,732 rushing yards at RB. Top receiver Brenan Presley will also be back in Stillwater next season.

The offense will be back and ready to move the ball.

On defense, most of the parts will be back, but they have some improvement to make on that side of the ball. The Cowboys allowed 28.6 points per outing in 2023.

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18. Washington Huskies

Washington’s offense was on an entirely different level in 2023. The numbers they put up in the passing game were unreal and they did it consistently week in and week out.

The bulk of that passing game will be lost. Will Rogers stepping in at QB should lessen the absence of Michael Penix Jr., but the departure of three talented receivers is going to be the biggest loss.

Incoming Cal transfer Jeremiah Hunter will aid in replacing some of that lost receiving talent.

The skill players will once again be operating behind one of the best offensive lines in the nation.

The defensive side of the ball will most likely need to fill voids.

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19. Kansas Jayhawks

Jalon Daniels missed most of the 2023 season for Kansas and the Jayhawks still went 9-4, capping off the season with a bowl victory.

Devin Neal will need to be replaced at RB and the offensive line has some holes to be filled.

But with Daniels back in 2024, Lance Leipold and KU should be a force in the Big 12.

The bulk of the two-deep depth chart will be back on a defense that while improved, still has a lot of room to grow.

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20. Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State will need to replace much of an offensive line that was a strength for K-State in 2023.

Despite the loss of those outstanding linemen, Chris Klieman’s Wildcats will have a lot of excitement heading into the 2024 season on the offensive side of the ball.

Avery Johnson could be a star at QB, and he has big-time weapons in RB DJ Giddens and WR Jayce Brown.

The defense only allowed just 21.0 points per game in 2023 and will need to replace a lot of pieces from that unit.

The schedule for the Wildcats sees Big 12 title contenders Arizona, Kansas, and Oklahoma State all visiting Manhattan in 2024.

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21. Boise State Broncos

Boise State finished strong down the stretch, earning their first Mountain West title in four years.

The strong end to the season gave Spencer Danielson control of the program and he has hit the ground running in the offseason so far, landing USC transfer Malachi Nelson.

Ashton Jeanty is one of the best backs in the nation and will be back on the blue turf in 2024.

The combination of Jeanty and Nelson could push the Broncos into the expanded playoffs in 2024.

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22. USC Trojans

To say expectations will be significantly lower in 2024 than 2023 for Lincoln Riley and the Trojans would be an understatement, to say the least.

Caleb Williams is off to the NFL and the porous defense still has some questions.

The defensive questions will at least have a new person to answer them. The hiring of D’Anton Lynn from UCLA was a major get for Riley, at least on paper.

We will see if it yields the same results that it did for the Bruins.

As for the QB spot, Miller Moss had a good showing for the Trojans in the Holiday Bowl.

Riley’s offenses have never struggled, and one would expect that the offense will be just fine in 2024 and Riley will be able to develop Moss.

The key to the Trojans in 2024 will be the defense, if USC can show significant improvement they will be in good shape, if not they could fall to the middle of the Big Ten.

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23. Iowa Hawkeyes

Sadly, Iowa and USC are not scheduled to meet in 2024. In doing so the Big Ten schedule makers deprived the world of seeing if the Hawkeyes offense could score against the Trojans defense.

Well, maybe the two units will be improved in 2024.

The Iowa offense will have a new coordinator in 2024 and Cade McNamara will be back at QB after missing most of 2023 with an injury.

Defense is the calling card for Iowa though.

The Hawkeyes will lose Cooper DeJean at the back end of the defense but will return Jay Higgins at LB and Jermari Harris in the secondary. Phil Parker’s defense will still be dominant in 2024.

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24. West Virginia Mountaineers

Neal Brown might just be the Rasputin of Morgantown. He may have been sitting on the hottest seat east of College Station before the 2023 season.

After leading the Mountaineers to a 9-4 season and Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina, that seat is considerably cooler, but some still want to run him out of town.

The offense that Brown oversees will be in good shape in 2024 with QB Garrett Greene and running backs Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson back in the fold.

The defense will lose most of its top performers from 2023 and could be a work in progress in 2024.

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25. LSU Tigers

LSU will have a lot of new faces in 2024, both on the field and on the sidelines.

The defense was a huge issue for the Tigers in 2023 and Brian Kelly replaced four staff members from that side of the ball.

They have talent along the defensive line and at the linebacker position, but the secondary will be a work in progress.

Offensively they will have to replace Jayden Daniels and receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. That is a lot to replace.

The line will be in good shape and Garrett Nussmeier will be a good option for LSU at QB. He may not be able to replicate Daniels’ Heisman-winning numbers, but he may be a better passer.