Deion Sanders, Dylan Raiola, Ohio State Buckeyes Headline College Football’s 15 Biggest Storylines for 2024

Kickoff for the the 2024 college football season is less than a week away, as four games are slated for Week 0 on Saturday, Aug. 24. As always with any college football season, expect plenty of unpredictability, crazy finishes, chaos, and intriguing games on a busy Saturday slate.

However, the '24 season marks a new chapter for the sport. An expanded 12-team playoff begins this fall, conference realignment has drastically altered the overall landscape, and the storylines are numerous with transfers, NIL, and over 30 coaching changes from last year.

With the season underway this Saturday, Athlon Sports examines the 15 biggest storylines and changes and how it might impact the upcoming year:

2024 Conference Predictions

Power 4: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | SEC

Group of 5: American | Conference USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt

Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024 | Playoff Predictions

College Football’s 15 Biggest Storylines for 2024

1. The 12-Team CFB Playoff Arrives

For the first time in the history of the sport, college football will have a full-blown playoff in 2024. The path to the 12-team event was filled with small steps forward — from the College Football Bowl Coalition in the 1990s to the invention of the BCS and later the four-team playoff. However, for a variety of reasons including realignment and expansion, the process of getting to 12 teams wasn’t smooth or harmonious among the conference commissioners. After an initial proposal was discussed in 2021, the official format for this season and ’25 wasn’t approved until February.

The format for the next two years includes 12 teams, with five spots going to the highest-rated conference champions and seven to top at-large teams as determined by the CFB Playoff Selection Committee. The top four conference champions will receive byes, and teams seeded No. 5-8 will host a home game in the first round. Following the first round, all playoff contests will be played at bowl or neutral sites.

The seismic shift in postseason play creates new opportunities for teams that have yet to make an appearance in the four-team version. Only 15 different teams made the previous format, but this setup is expected to add value to more late-season contests and allow ’24 preseason top-15 teams like Missouri, Penn State, Ole Miss, Utah and Tennessee an opportunity to make their first appearance. Also, a Group of 5 team will make the playoff every year, giving programs like Liberty, Appalachian State, Boise State, Tulane and UTSA a fair postseason shot.

Related: College Football Preseason Playoff Predictions for 2024

2. Texas and Oklahoma Join the SEC

It really does mean more in the SEC with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma. College football’s top conference not only added programs with national titles in the modern era and likely annual CFB Playoff contenders, but both the Sooners and Longhorns also fit perfectly within the SEC footprint. And thanks to the geographic fit, old rivalries lost due to conference realignment like Texas A&M-Texas, Oklahoma-Missouri and Texas-Arkansas are renewed.

The Longhorns are positioned for more success in their SEC debut after making the playoff last season. Quarterback Quinn Ewers and a revamped set of receivers will team with one of the nation’s top offensive lines to form a dynamic attack. There are holes to fill on defense, but Texas has time to reload on that side of the ball before Georgia visits Austin on Oct. 19.

The success of Texas in ’23 overshadowed Oklahoma’s improvement, jumping from 6-7 in 2022 to 10-3 last season. The Sooners enter the SEC with bigger concerns than their rival, as coach Brent Venables must replace all five starters on the offensive line and continue to improve a defense that allowed 26.6 points per game in Big 12 contests last year.

Related: SEC Football Predictions for 2024

3. Transfers Lead the Way for Notre Dame

The upcoming season is a crucial one for head coach Marcus Freeman’s tenure at Notre Dame. Through two years, his Fighting Irish are 19-8 and have yet to finish higher than No. 14 in the final Associated Press Top 25. That pace is slightly better than previous coach Brian Kelly (16-11 in his first two years), but Notre Dame hasn’t been much of a factor in the CFB Playoff race of late.

However, the expanded playoff provides a favorable path to a postseason spot, and Freeman made a couple of offseason moves in hopes of upgrading this program. Notre Dame dipped into the portal for the second year in a row and the third time in four seasons to find a starter at quarterback, landing former Duke signal-caller Riley Leonard. Freeman also boosted an inconsistent group of receivers by adding three names from the portal, including former FIU standout Kris Mitchell.

The transfer additions are crucial, but Freeman’s biggest move was to lure former coordinator Mike Denbrock back to South Bend after directing the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense at LSU last season. Notre Dame’s defense should rank among the best in the nation with five starters back, including All-America candidates in lineman Howard Cross III and safety Xavier Watts. If the key transfer additions and Denbrock’s hire hit as expected, a favorable schedule gives Freeman a path to a breakout in his third season at the helm.

Related: Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024

4. Michigan vs. Ohio State

Tensions between rivals Ohio State and Michigan reached a fever pitch in 2023 with the sign-stealing investigation into the Wolverines’ program. But even with former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh off to the NFL, the cold war between the Wolverines and Buckeyes isn’t going to thaw anytime soon.

New Michigan coach Sherrone Moore already proved capable of filling Harbaugh’s shoes with an impressive 4-0 stint last season that included a win over Ohio State. But Moore will have his hands full with a revamped roster. The Wolverines return only five starters, lost the entire offensive line and exited the spring with uncertainty at quarterback.

Three consecutive losses to Michigan aren’t sitting well in Columbus. Although head coach Ryan Day isn’t on the hot seat, the pressure is building. The urgency to get Ohio State back on top of the Big Ten manifested into several changes.

The Buckeyes reportedly spent $10 million in NIL money to recruit and maintain the roster, which included the arrival of two impact transfers in Alabama safety Caleb Downs and Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins. Another portal addition (Kansas State’s Will Howard) could start at quarterback. Day also tweaked his staff, hiring UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator and promoting former Ohio State standout James Laurinaitis to linebackers coach.

Will Ohio State’s changes pay off? Or will Michigan continue its recent dominance? The Nov. 30 showdown in Columbus looms large for both programs.

Related: Big Ten Football Predictions for 2024

5. Big Ten Goes West

After the SEC expanded to 16 with Oklahoma and Texas, the Big Ten had only one possible move in response: Go West.

After adding Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington, the Big Ten footprint now extends from coast to coast and brought in four programs capable of contending for spots to the CFB Playoff on a regular basis.

Of the four newcomers, the Ducks are positioned the best for success in ’24. Oregon’s high-powered offense won’t miss a beat with Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel replacing Bo Nix at quarterback. Head coach Dan Lanning’s squad also has a marquee showdown against Ohio State in Eugene on Oct. 12.

Repeating last year’s run to the national championship game is a tall task for Washington. The Huskies have to adapt to a new coach (Jedd Fisch) with only two starters back.

Transition is also the key offseason storyline in Los Angeles. Former UCLA running back DeShaun Foster takes over the Bruins after Chip Kelly left to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Crosstown rival USC has only seven starters back, and head coach Lincoln Riley took a major swing at improving the team’s lagging defense by hiring D’Anton Lynn from UCLA as coordinator.

Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024-25

6. Georgia Back on Top?

An old nemesis of Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart (Alabama) ended the Bulldogs’ hopes of a national championship three-peat last season in an SEC Championship Game upset. Smart’s team promptly took out its frustrations on shorthanded Florida State in a 63-3 Orange Bowl rout.

The expanded playoff adds more roadblocks and variables to any team’s quest for a title, but Georgia is equipped for the challenge thanks to the nation’s deepest roster. Quarterback Carson Beck returns after an impressive debut and has a strong supporting cast in place to elevate an offense that averaged 40.1 points per game last year. The defense led the SEC in fewest points allowed (15.6 per game), and it returns six starters.

Georgia’s ’24 schedule could be its toughest obstacle. The opener against Clemson in Atlanta is a chance for Smart’s team to make an early statement. The Bulldogs will play at Alabama, Texas, and Ole Miss — three projected top-10 teams by Athlon Sports — this fall. If Georgia stumbles, that trio is poised to benefit.

Related: Ranking the SEC Quarterbacks for 2024

7. Transfers Dominate the Starting QB Ranks

Finding a new starting quarterback has never been easier thanks to the portal and new unlimited transfer rules. With the right fit under center, teams can supercharge a turnaround in just one offseason. Just how important are transfer QBs this season? More than 200 signal-callers entered the portal this offseason, and nearly 60 percent of college football teams are likely to start a transfer.

Some of the names on the move for a third time include high-profile QBs like Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma to Oregon), Cameron Ward (Washington State to Miami) and DJ Uiagalelei (Oregon State to Florida State).

Rising stars like Aidan Chiles (Oregon State to Michigan State), Maalik Murphy (Texas to Duke), and Brock Vandagriff (Georgia to Kentucky) are also on the move, while projected top-10 teams in Notre Dame (Riley Leonard) and Ohio State (Will Howard) are expected to rely on transfers to lead their offense.

Related: College Football Players Transferring for the 2024 Season

8. Coach Prime's Second Year at Colorado

As expected, nothing was conventional about Coach Prime’s first FBS season. Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes provided an interesting look behind the curtain with clips on social media, including a first meeting where Sanders indicated “Louis Luggage” was on its way from the portal to completely overturn a roster that featured more than 70 new players.

While Colorado’s early optimism faded with a 4-8 finish, there was tangible progress in Boulder. After a 1-11 record and being outscored 534 to 185 (-349) in ’23, the Buffaloes improved their win total by three games and lowered the scoring deficit to minus-80.

Although the Buffaloes are more nationally relevant, the ’24 season is critical to show that the program has actual staying power and can take another step forward as it moves to the Big 12. To his credit, Sanders didn’t sit pat this offseason. The bulk of the coaching staff was overturned, and there are new play-callers on both sides of the ball.

The roster is also set to look a lot different. More than 30 transfers are headed to Boulder, including reinforcements up front to boost a line that allowed 56 sacks last year. On paper, the talent level has improved. And with two of the nation’s top players — quarterback Shedeur Sanders and defensive back/receiver Travis Hunter — returning, Colorado will once again be under the spotlight as arguably the most interesting team in the nation. But this time, the Buffaloes could produce their first winning record in a full season since 2016.

Related: Big 12 Preseason Power Rankings for 2024

9. Bobby Petrino Rides Again

After Petrino’s tenure as the Arkansas head coach ended following a motorcycle crash that later turned into a scandal in 2012, the odds of him returning to work for the Razorbacks seemed set on zero.

But college football coaches can make interesting decisions when faced with desperation. That’s exactly the scenario Arkansas coach Sam Pittman faces after a 4-8 season in ’23 that placed him squarely on the hot seat.

With the Razorbacks needing to drastically improve an offense that managed only 4.5 yards per play in SEC games, Pittman turned to Petrino to handle play-calling duties in Fayetteville once again.

Petrino clearly didn’t lose his touch in the SEC after leading Texas A&M to an average of 33.3 points a game, and the early returns in the spring were positive with Boise State transfer Taylen Green at quarterback.

Can Petrino write a redemption story and help Pittman save his job? Or will this tenure for Petrino end like almost all of the other spots in his career: in disappointment or chaos?

Related: College Football's Top Coordinator Hires for 2024

10. Added Intrigue in the Group of 5

One team in the Group of 5 ranks is guaranteed a trip to the 12-team College Football Playoff. But who will it be?

Liberty — the top Group of 5 team last season — starts at the top of the list of contenders. Quarterback Kaidon Salter returns to pilot a high-powered offense, and an early road test at Sun Belt favorite Appalachian State looms large for playoff positioning. Several teams in the Sun Belt are dealing with major transition, which leaves the Mountaineers (East Division champion in ’23) as the odds-on favorite in that conference.

SMU’s departure to the ACC likely means a wide-open race atop the American Athletic Conference in ’24. Quarterback Seth Henigan leads a dynamic Memphis offense coming off a 10-win season, but South Florida, Tulane and UTSA will push the Tigers.

Boise State is the favorite to repeat in the Mountain West. Running back Ashton Jeanty powers a punishing ground game, and the defense returns seven starters. UNLV, Fresno State, Air Force and Colorado State could push the Broncos.

Defending champion Miami (Ohio) leads the way in the MAC once again, but Toledo is a team to watch if head coach Jason Candle’s squad quickly reloads on offense after losing quarterback Dequan Finn to transfer (Baylor).

Related: Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024

11. Wide Open in the New Big 12

Entertaining chaos (in a good way) might be the best way to describe the new 16-team Big 12. The conference lost premier programs Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC but added four teams — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah — to form a quality league with little separation from top to bottom

With parity likely to rule in ’24 and beyond, the Big 12 could be the most entertaining conference on a week-to-week basis. Look no further than this fall, as Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Utah, Kansas and Arizona all have a legitimate argument to be the preseason favorite. West Virginia and Iowa State might be a step behind, but the Mountaineers and Cyclones aren’t too far off.

Beyond the top tier are a host of intriguing teams. Can TCU rebound after a disappointing 5-7 season? Texas Tech suffered a couple of close losses in ’23 an returns quarterback Behren Morton and running back Tahj Brooks to provide optimism for a quick rebound. UCF was the best of last year’s four newcomers to the conference and landed one of the nation’s top impact transfer quarterbacks in KJ Jefferson (Arkansas).

And if that wasn’t enough intrigue in the Big 12, there’s still Colorado under Deion Sanders and promising coaches at Arizona State (Kenny Dillingham) and Houston (Willie Fritz).

Related: Big 12 Predictions for 2024

12. A Wild-Card Contender in the ACC?

After they’ve combined for 12 out of the last 13 ACC titles, it’s no surprise the list of favorites in a year filled with uncertainty starts with Clemson and Florida State.

Even with several key players departing from Florida State’s 13-1 squad, a loaded class of transfers and the motivation from a CFB Playoff snub should have this team back in the mix to win it all. The Tigers hope another offseason under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will aid the development of quarterback Cade Klubnik.

While Florida State and Clemson are default favorites, neither should feel secure. Jeff Brohm guided Louisville to the ACC Championship Game and reeled in a top transfer class. ACC newcomer SMU arrives with 14 returning starters off a team that won 11 games. The arrivals of quarterback Cam Ward (Washington State) and running back Damien Martinez (Oregon State) give Miami head coach Mario Cristobal’s team enough weaponry to play for an ACC title for the first time since ’17. Virginia Tech won five out of its last seven games and is a team on the rise with 19 starters back. NC State has won at least eight games in each of the last four seasons and has Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall taking the reins on offense.

Florida State and Clemson are the odds-on favorites to play for the ACC championship. But with the turnover at both, combined with a lengthy list of contenders, the race to win the conference crown could produce a surprise.

Related: ACC Predictions for 2024

13. Nebraska Trending Up Under Matt Rhule

Nebraska’s overall win total (5-7) in coach Matt Rhule’s debut was only one game better than the previous year. However, a closer look at the 2023 season showed signs of progress. Five of the losses came by one score, including a three-point defeat to Big Ten West Division champion Iowa. The defense improved to fifth in the conference in fewest points allowed under new coordinator Tony White after ranking 11th the previous year. This group held eight opponents under 100 rushing yards.

Rhule’s biggest victory came on the recruiting trail. Five-star quarterback prospect Dylan Raiola was a huge get at a position of need and a boost to Rhule’s turnaround efforts.

Nebraska has struggled to do the small things right with close losses and turnover problems (minus-17 differential in ’23), but there’s a feeling this program has turned a corner and found an identity under Rhule. At Temple, Rhule’s second team improved its win total by four games. And at Baylor, he guided the program to a six-win jump in Year 2.

With seven starters back, the defense should remain near the top of the Big Ten and anchor the team as Raiola grows into the QB position. Although the Cornhuskers aren’t going to contend for a national title anytime soon, there are signs Rhule’s process will produce tangible on-field progress in ’24.

Related: Ranking the Big Ten Quarterbacks for 2024

14. Ole Miss Leads New Era of College Football

No team illustrates the new era of college football better than Ole Miss. Under head coach Lane Kiffin and with help from The Grove Collective — an NIL program with plans to raise $10 million in ’24 — the Rebels brought in one of the nation’s top portal hauls, and 16 of the 22 projected starters are transfers.

The incoming group of newcomers included several impact defenders, including linemen Walter Nolen (Texas A&M) and Princely Umanmielen (Florida). Defensive improvement is the missing piece for a team coming off an 11-win season and already possessing one of the nation’s top offenses.

The combination of deploying NIL resources to lure talent and using the portal to fill holes opens the door for programs like Ole Miss to rapidly boost the roster in an effort to go all-in on a season and reach the expanded playoff.

But the Rebels aren’t the only one using this strategy. Miami’s Canes Connection NIL program was instrumental in its roster building this offseason; Florida State’s Battle’s End collective allowed head coach Mike Norvell to reload a roster with just eight returning starters; and Texas Aggies United helped new head coach Mike Elko bring in one of the nation’s top transfer hauls. Ohio State also reportedly spent between $10 million and $13 million to retain top players considering the NFL Draft and add through the portal or freshman class.

Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024-25

15. 31 New Full-Time Coaches In 2024

Job security is something most college football coaches won’t find in this era. Of the 134 coaches in charge for ’24, 78 were hired at their current jobs since ’22. And the carousel spun at a dizzying pace after last season, when 31 jobs changed hands, including three hires in February.

The changes ranged from new faces at high-profile jobs like Kalen DeBoer replacing Nick Saban at Alabama and Sherrone Moore promoted from offensive coordinator at Michigan when Jim Harbaugh left to take over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Rising stars Jonathan Smith (Michigan State), Bob Chesney (James Madison), Sean Lewis (San Diego State), Jedd Fisch (Washington) and Mike Elko (Texas A&M) landed at new places, with coaching veterans like Willie Fritz (Houston) and Curt Cignetti (Indiana) moving up to power-conference jobs.

This cycle also brought back a few old faces, including Bronco Mendenhall (New Mexico), Manny Diaz (Duke), Derek Mason (Middle Tennessee), Bill O’Brien (Boston College) and Ken Niumatalolo (San Jose State). And two interim coaches — David Braun (Northwestern) and Spencer Danielson (Boise State) — were promoted to the full-time role.

And if all of the changes after the 2023 season wasn't enough, two programs - Fresno State and Utah State - had a summer coaching change and will have interim leaders atop the team for '24.

With rosters more unsettled than ever, an expanded playoff and 23 percent of teams changing coaches, one thing seems certain: College football is primed for an unpredictable ’24 season.

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