After going through the 10 best college football teams after spring ball, let’s take a look at the rest of the top 25 as the summer doldrums approach.
11. Miami (FL)
College football is simply more enjoyable when Miami is relevant. With the talent on the roster, the Hurricanes should be in contention for the ACC crown. The issue is: Mario Cristobal makes even the most simple decisions look like he’s trying to solve the Hodge conjecture. It’s a make-or-break year for Cristobal and the Canes. The bar for a playoff bid has been lowered to 10-2 or even 9-3. That’s more than reachable for this Miami team so long as they can execute when it matters.
12. Florida State
The sport is also more fun when FSU is relevant. We all know the Seminoles were robbed of a playoff bid, but last season has to be in the rearview mirror. Clearly, Mike Norvell believes in second chances. He went hard into the portal again this year and got a very solid crop of transfers. On paper, FSU has the talent to give Miami a run for their money in the ACC, but will Norvell’s aggressive use of the portal bring the Seminoles success?
13. LSU
Fact: the LSU offense was absolutely incredible last season.
Fact: the LSU defense was absolutely atrocious last season.
Heisman winner Jayden Daniels as well as wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. all went in the first round of the NFL Draft. While Brian Kelly was able to bring linebacker Harold Perkins back and add some new faces to the secondary, there are still a ton of questions surrounding the Tigers. They were able to drop 40 with ease, but so could their opponents. If the other shoe drops, it could be a long season in Baton Rouge.
14. Tennessee
Last year was a step backward for the Volunteers. A 9-4 season with a 4-4 in-conference record wasn’t the best follow up to their incredible 2022 campaign. But there is hope on the horizon, and its name is Nico Iamaleava. If his maiden start against Iowa in the Cheez-It Bowl is anything to go on, it could be a fun fall in Knoxville.
15. Oklahoma
With Dillon Gabriel having joined the wagon train on the Oregon Trail, sophomore QB Jackson Arnold has taken command of the Sooner Schooner. In his new role, he has been handed an absolute gem of a WR1 in Purdue transfer Deion Burks. The thing that worries me about Oklahoma is their schedule. To call it a gauntlet is an understatement. They need their playmakers to be big and have a good amount of luck on their side. If things go south, it’s going to happen fast.
16. Kansas State
I’m predicting that the Wildcats will be what Mizzou was last year: the most fun team in college football. The backfield looks to be extraordinary with quarterback Avery Johnson being flanked by Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards. With the talent they have on the roster and a significantly weakened Big 12, the Wildcats could be strolling down some very happy trails late in the season.
17. Texas A&M
The Aggies finally let Jimbo Fisher go after multiple disappointing seasons and immediately turned around to become a legitimately exciting program. The roster that new head coach Mike Elko has inherited is just insanely talented. Quarterback Conner Weigman and new OC Collin Klein appear to already be clicking and the defense looks as stout as ever. The Aggies have nowhere to go but up.
18. Clemson
I’m struggling to make heads or tails of Clemson. They were less than stellar in the first half of the year but then kicked into gear once Tyler from Spartanburg gave Dabo Swinney a ring. Their defense was (and still is) spectacular but their offense most certainly was not last year. Swinney, once again, made no moves in the portal to try to return the Tiger offense to its old standard. Over/under 9.5 wins? I’m taking the under.
19. Iowa
If the Hawkeyes can manage to have even a reasonably below-average offense this season, they could be dark horses for the Big Ten. Kirk Frentz brought in Tim Lester to run the offense over the offseason, which is a significant improvement. However, the thing that is going to win Iowa games is, of course, the defense. If Iowa can overcome the very modest bar of 325 total points (27.1 points per game), they might very well be fighting for a playoff spot.
20. Kansas State
Similar to their Pop-Tarts Bowl opponent Kansas State, I am very high on the Wolfpack. Offensively, they’re stacked. In the portal, Dave Doeren was able to snap up Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall and wide receiver Noah Rogers from Ohio State. The defense, however, is another story. The secondary isn’t exactly world beating and the loss of linebacker Payton Wilson is a big one. However, if we have learned anything from last year, it’s that NC State is a team that can get the job done when it matters.
21. Utah
Utah is going to be Utah again. That’s really all that needs to be said. They were the Pac-12’s Iowa, they will now be the Big 12’s Iowa. However, there is one huge difference between the Utes and the Hawkeyes: Utah’s offense actually has some bite. Quarterback Cam Rising is back and if he stays healthy, the rising tide will lift all ships. He has an abundance of targets and forms one half of a fantastic backfield duo with running back Micah Bernard. With the Big 12 looking like it does, keep your eyes on the Utes.
22. Kansas
Kansas is no longer just a basketball school. They have the tools to be legitimately competitive this season. If they are, they’ll do it through the ground game. The trifecta of quarterback Jalon Daniels (no, not that one, the other one) and running backs Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. make a strong case for being the Big 12’s best ground assault.
23. Oklahoma State
It’s a four-horse race for the Big 12 and the Pokes may be the most experienced of the bunch. Quarterback Alan Bowman is coming back for a seventh season of college football. Running back Ollie Gordon will bring some pop along the ground and the receiving corps could make the offense legitimately dangerous. If you hear the pounding of hooves come November, don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
24. Louisville
Louisville has nowhere to go but up. I absolutely adore what Jeff Brohm has done in the River City. Their recruiting class was fantastic and both offensive and defensive units look really solid. They have all the tools to go back to the ACC title game again this season. How high can the Cardinals fly?
25. Arizona
The Wildcats are here based on last year’s performance alone. They really shocked some teams last year but I expect a major step backwards under new head coach Brent Brennan. It’s less an indictment on him than it is on the major reduction in roster talent due to Jedd Fisch’s departure to Washington. I think that they could be a fun team in the Big 12, but I wouldn’t expect them to be a true contender.
Well, there they are the top 25 teams in college football heading into the summer! Who should be higher? Should anyone be lower? Did I miss anyone? Let me know in the comments!
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