In a shocking turn of events, the Florida State Seminoles fell to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Ireland. Mike Norvell’s team never could find their footing on offense, and Georgia Tech was able to return to the United States with a gigantic win on their resume to begin a new campaign.
Elsewhere, SMU had a tough time with Nevada , but the Mustangs were able to escape with a victory, white Hawaii started their season victorious over Delaware State. With a massive Week 1 slate on the way this weekend, here’s where each team stands at the moment, according to ESPN’s FPI .
Georgia is not only looking like the best team, but their schedule reflects that. Kirby Smart’s squad will take on Clemson in Atlanta to begin the season and will play true road games against the likes of Kentucky , Alabama , Texas and Ole Miss .
Of course, the Bulldogs have won 46 of its last 48 games and have back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships to prove it. Almost no task has been too tall for the Bulldogs over the last three years, and similar success is expected in 2024.
Oregon’s offense is once again expected to be one of the highest-scoring in the country in 2024. Replacing Bo Nix with Dillon Gabriel and providing him with Evan Stewart alongside the returning Tez Johnson out wide — the Ducks have their sights set on their first-ever Big Ten Championship.
In two seasons as head coach, Dan Lanning has established a 22-5 record with consecutive bowl victories. However, the Ducks haven’t made a College Football Playoff under Lanning and with the playoff field expanding this season — it’s looking more like a safe bet that the Ducks will find themselves somewhere in the field of 12.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian took Texas to heights they hadn’t seen since the mid-2000s. Leading the Longhorns to a 12-win season including a win over Alabama on the road, a Big 12 Championship win and a first-ever College Football Playoff berth — expectations remain the same heading into 2024.
The Longhorns will enter the SEC alongside Red River rival Oklahoma , and many have questioned whether either team could maintain long-term success in the SEC. This season they have road matchups against Vanderbilt , Arkansas and Texas A&M but will also play, OU, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky during the regular season.
Ohio State went all-out in the transfer portal this offseason, snatching up a new quarterback in veteran Will Howard , a star tailback in Quinshon Judkins and a budding superstar safety in Caleb Downs , among other incoming and returning talent on Ryan Day’s squad next season.
The Buckeyes will be looking to get over the hump that has been the Michigan Wolverines over the past three seasons. Not only that, but the Big Ten has added the likes of Oregon, Washington , USC and UCLA to the mix to increase the stiffness of Ohio State’s schedule.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe (Courtesy of UA Athletics)
Everyone is curious to see how the Alabama Crimson Tide will fare in the post- Saban era in 2024. Kalen DeBoer has won everywhere he’s gone as a coach — assuming that continues in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is right back in the mix ahead of the 2024 season.
Alabama retains Jalen Milroe at quarterback, but questions surround the running back room and offensive line heading into the new season. Young running backs Jamarion Miller and Justice Haynes will see increased workloads this season, and returning Kadyn Proctor , after his stint in the transfer portal, has been huge for the offensive line efforts.
As the Big Ten expands, James Franklin and Penn State are looking to take the next step, and contend for a national title. They’ve been stifled by rivals Ohio State and Michigan over the last couple of seasons, but it seems as if they’re ready to elevate their program in 2024.
Leading the way for the Nittany Lions will be quarterback Drew Allar . While he didn’t have the greatest season for Penn State in 2023, the potential is there, and new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki will be looking to cultivate the quarterback’s talent in 2024.
(Michael Clubb, South Bend Tribune, USA TODAY Network)
Year three under Marcus Freeman comes with the most expectations. Notre Dame has its quarterback in Riley Leonard and with new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock leading the unit, hopes are understandably high in South Bend ahead of the 2024 college football season.
While fans didn’t get to see much of Leonard in the spring thanks to him undergoing a follow-up surgery on his previous right ankle injury, transfer wide receivers like Beaux Collins and Kris Mitchell will figure to be a couple of his favorite targets this coming season.
The Sooners are looking to expand upon the earlier success they’ve enjoyed under Brent Venables , except this time they’ll hope it lasts an entire season. Oklahoma has been awesome in spurts, but it hasn’t always lasted over the last two seasons for the program.
Now, it’s a new era for Oklahoma, as they’re entering the SEC after leaving the Big 12. It’s going to be a completely new experience for the program, but they have the talent to compete, especially with Jackson Arnold leading their team at quarterback.
Josh Heupel has rebuilt the Volunteers, but Tennessee faltered a bit in 2023. Still, there’s a renewed hope in Knoxville, and that’s certainly lingered into this season’s campaign.
Hendon Hooker was essential to Tennessee’s rebuild, and now Heupel may be dealing with his most talented quarterback yet in 2024. Nico Iamaleava showed out during the end of the 2023 campaign, and now it’s his team to lead as the Volunteers prepare to make a run at the College Football Playoff.
The Missouri Tigers were the SEC’s biggest surprise one season ago. Finishing the season with double-digit wins and finishing it off by defeating Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl.
Brady Cook and Luther Burden III figure to be one of the SEC’s top quarterback-wide receiver combos in 2024 as the Tigers look to be a legitimate contender in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Adding the likes of Corey Flagg and Darris Smith to the defensive unit has the potential to be a disruptor to the bigger names in the SEC like Georgia, Alabama and Texas.
As you can see, the ESPN FPI Top 25 didn’t undergo any major changes, but Florida State’s loss dropped them five spots, and SMU’s close call with Nevada removed them from the Top 25. We’ll see how Week 1 changes the rankings, as the college football season truly gets underway over the weekend.
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