The Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2025 class is official with Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner voted in, meaning it’s already time to look ahead to next year’s ballot.

Suzuki and Sabathia were shoo-ins in their first year of eligibility, but at first glance it seems unlikely that any of new players on the 2026 ballot were good enough to ever make the Hall of Fame.

Longtime left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels has the best career WAR (59) among the players scheduled to debut next year and Ryan Braun (47.1%) was an MVP winner, but neither of them has the credentials probably necessary to be earn induction – even if voters take a more liberal approach over their 10 years on the ballot.

The leading 2025 vote-getters who will return to the 2026 ballot are Carlos Beltran (70.3%), Andruw Jones (66.2%) and Chase Utley (39.8%), along a handful of other holdovers. In addition to Hamels and Braun, 2026 first-timers will include Edwin Encarnacion, Howie Kendrick, Shin-Soo Choo and Alex Gordon.

Here’s a look at the potential newcomers on next year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ballot:

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2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot

(ordered by WAR)

Cole Hamels (59 WAR): 3.43 career ERA, 4-time All-Star, 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP
Ryan Braun (47.1): 2011 NL MVP, 6-time All-Star, 5-time Silver Slugger
Edwin Encarnacion (35.5): 3-time All-Star, 424 career home runs
Howie Kendrick (35.0): .294 career average, 2019 NLCS MVP, 2011 All-Star
Shin-Soo Choo (34.6): .377 career on-base percentage, 2018 All-Star
Alex Gordon (34.5): 8-time Gold Glover, 3-time All-Star, 2 Platinum Glove awards
Nick Markakis (33.6): 2,388 career hits, 3-time Gold Glover, 2018 All-Star
Hunter Pence (30.9): 4-time All-Star, 244 home runs, 2012 and 2014 World Series champion
Gio Gonzalez (28.3): 2-time All-Star, won 21 games in 2012
Matt Kemp (21.4): 3-time All-Star, 2-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time Silver Slugger
Also eligible: Jason Kipnis, Daniel Murphy, Rick Porcello, Matt Wieters, Jeff Samardzija, Chris Davis

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Ohio State football broke through, and then its fans broke in.

Students began flooding onto campus almost as soon as Ohio State’s 34-23 win over Notre Dame was over, the Columbus Dispatch reported, despite frigid temperatures in the Midwest. A crowd chanting ‘O-H,’ ‘I-O,’ eventually converged on ‘The Horseshoe’ and successfully forced their way inside the venerable home of Ohio State football.

Videos shared on social media show swarms of fans ‒ some with flags, some dressed for the weather and some not wearing shirts ‒ holding up their phones to chronicle the scene as they walked en masse through the stadium tunnel and then spilled onto the familiar turf. Witnesses said police officers got in on the fun, taking photos for the fans reveling in the Buckeyes’ first national championship in football since 2014.

“It’s crazy. I was surprised that the cops are so supportive,” Natalie Freihammer, an Ohio State senior who took part in the celebration, told The Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio State underwent a remarkable turnaround over the past two months, rebounding from a loss to Michigan in its regular season finale to reel off four-straight wins and emerge on top of the sport once more after the first 12-team College Football Playoff. Losing to the Wolverines again led to more scrutiny about coach Ryan Day and the disappointment lingered into the Buckeyes’ first-round playoff game against Tennessee, when a larger-than-normal contingent of Volunteers’ fans were inside Ohio Stadium.

But Ohio State’s title run has muted those concerns and the fans returned in droves again Tuesday to welcome the Buckeyes back from Atlanta. The festivities will continue during an official celebration with the team and fans inside Ohio Stadium on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET, according to the university’s athletic department. Admission and parking are free, with more details to be released this week.

‘There was a point where there was a lot of people that counted us out,’ Day said after Monday’s game, ‘and we just kept swinging and kept fighting.’

Perhaps a few of those doubters were among the people breaking into Ohio Stadium after what these Buckeyes pulled off.

After Ohio State football won the national championship over Notre Dame on Monday night, both programs are locked into matchups with blue-blood teams again in 2025 when they take the field for the first time next season.

Week 1 features some of the most intriguing matchups to kick off the season in recent memory, and among them are a Buckeyes rematch from the 2024-25 College Football Playoffs.

Week 0’s annual game in Dublin, Ireland, to kick off the season will also be a game to watch, as Big 12 foes Iowa State and Kansas State bring ‘Farmageddon’ across the Atlantic Ocean.

Here’s a look at the top college football matchups of the 2025 season:

College football Week 1 schedule 2025

Here are the best matchups for Week 0 and Week 1 of the 2025 college football season:

Saturday, Aug. 23: Kansas State vs. Iowa State

In recent seasons, the unofficial start of the college football season has come in ‘Week 0,’ where only a few teams are in action. Most notable among those games next season is a matchup in Dublin, Ireland, and in 2025 it’ll take place between Kansas State and Iowa State, two likely ranked conference opponents.

The Big 12 programs are also rivals, with fans calling the game ‘Farmageddon,’ given their Midwest roots. Both teams return starting quarterbacks Avery Johnson and Rocco Becht and should both be near the top for the conference championship race.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic saw Georgia Tech beat Florida State in 2024, and had matchups between Notre Dame and Navy in 2023 and Northwestern-Nebraska in 2022.

There’s no game scheduled in Dublin for 2026, but Wisconsin and Pitt are set to play in 2027.

Saturday, Aug. 30: Texas at Ohio State

A rematch of the CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl, Texas heads to Ohio State to battle the reigning national champions, with both teams replacing their quarterbacks.

The Longhorns will turn to Arch Manning, the former No. 1-ranked recruit and nephew of NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. Manning has waited his turn behind Quinn Ewers, who’s off to the NFL.

Ohio State will likely turn to redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, a former Alabama signee who transferred to Ohio State last spring after Nick Saban’s retirement.

Texas had a chance to tie the game in the red zone on fourth down against the Buckeyes in the fourth quarter of the Cotton Bowl, but Jack Sawyer became an Ohio State legend when he strip sacked Ewers and returned the fumble for a touchdown to give OSU a 28-14 lead, which secured the game.

The Longhorns will certainly be seeking revenge this time around, with their second consecutive game being against Ohio State.

Saturday, Aug. 30: Notre Dame at Miami

Notre Dame, which fell in the national championship game to Ohio State, takes on new-look Miami on the road in its first game of the 2025 season.

The Fighting Irish will be with a new quarterback, as Riley Leonard moves on to the NFL after he exhausted his eligibility in 2024-25. So will the Hurricanes, who landed former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck in the transfer portal.

Beck, a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, initially entered the NFL draft but opted to transfer to Miami instead. He will look to follow in the footsteps of former starter Cam Ward, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist and improved his draft stock tremendously in 2024.

Both teams are expected to be highly ranked in 2025, and it is a matchup between two top-tier programs historically.

Saturday, Aug. 30: LSU at Clemson

LSU travels to Clemson in a battle between two of the top returning quarterbacks in college football – LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik.

A battle between two Tigers, LSU looks to return to CFP contention in coach Brian Kelly’s fourth season. Meanwhile, Clemson, which snuck into the 12-team CFP last season after winning the ACC championship, returns plenty of offensive production, along with a new defense under Tom Allen, who was hired away from Penn State in the offseason.

Saturday, Aug. 30: Alabama at Florida State

Florida State was abysmal in 2024, finishing with a 2-10 record. However, the Seminoles are only two years removed from a 13-0 regular season finish and ACC championship and will look to show the college football world that they can reload quickly.

Meanwhile, Alabama, which lost second-year starting quarterback Jalen Milroe to the NFL draft, will test its new starter with a road game in Tallahassee. Alabama is likely to turn to Ty Simpson for the job, but 5-star freshman Keelon Russell and multi-year backup Austin Mack, who Kalen DeBoer brought over from Washington, will also compete for the job.

FSU coach Mike Norvell was also a potential candidate for the Alabama opening when Saban retired, and a win over the Crimson Tide would show the Seminoles are back on track after a devastating year in 2024.

Here are other intriguing matchups in Week 1 of the 2025 season:

TCU at North Carolina (Aug. 30)
Syracuse vs. Tennessee (Aug. 30 in Atlanta)
Auburn at Baylor (Aug. 30)
Georgia Tech at Colorado (Aug. 30)
Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (Aug. 28 in Kansas City)

An 11-year-old from Los Angeles was the lucky person that pulled a 1/1 card of Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes, Topps announced on Tuesday. The card features a patch worn on the sleeve of Skenes’ jersey from his major league debut and an autograph from the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year.

The unique card created headlines when it was announced in November as the Pirates offered a massive trade for the card to be placed at its home stadium of PNC Park. In exchange for the card, the Pirates offered whoever possessed it:

Two season ticket behind home plate at PNC Park for the next 30 years
An exclusive meet-and-greet with Skenes
Two autographed Skenes jerseys
A softball game for 30 people at PNC Park with coaching from team alumni
Batting practice and warmup with the team
Experiences at the team’s Spring Training facility in Bradenton, Florida

To up the reward for the card, Skenes’ girlfriend and popular LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne added an opportunity for the collector to sit with her in her suite for a Pirates game.

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Topps did not announce if the young collector had accepted the Pirates’ offer to trade the card.

Skenes’ card was part of the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set that featured several rookies and second-year players with MLB Debut Patch cards in it, including Elly De La Cruz, Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio, Jackson Merrill, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga.

The Dallas Cowboys may not have to look far to find their next head coach.

Eight days after the team parted ways with head coach Mike McCarthy (and amid swirling rumors about Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders), multiple reports indicate that Dallas is expected to interview offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for its head coaching vacancy.

Schottenheimer, 51, is said to be ‘well-respected’ in Dallas and has been an offensive coordinator for five different teams – the Jets, Rams, college football’s Georgia Bulldogs, Seahawks and Cowboys – since 2006. He’s spent the last two years as the Dallas’ offensive coordinator after spending the 2022 season as an offensive analyst for the team.

Schottenheimer was never the offensive play-caller in either of the last two seasons. McCarthy, the (former) head coach, took over those duties in 2023 after previous OC Kellen Moore left to take his current job with the Eagles.

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In 2023, Schottenheimer’s first season as Cowboys OC, the team finished with the best scoring offense in the NFL, went 12-5 and won the NFC East division title.

This year, Dallas finished 21st in the NFL in points per game, went 7-10 and missed the playoffs.

Having a tremendous amount of talent already on the roster doesn’t seem to be stopping the Los Angeles Dodgers from adding even more.

After already striking a deal with free-agent left-handed reliever Tanner Scott earlier in the week, the Dodgers are finalizing a deal with right-handed reliever Kirby Yates, an official with knowledge of the agreement told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal is pending a physical and not yet official.

Yates, a two-time All-Star, rebuilt his career after missing the entire 2021 season and part of 2022 recovering from elbow surgery. Now 37 years old, he posted a 1.17 ERA with 33 saves for the Texas Rangers last season.

Yates led the major leagues in saves in 2019 as a member of the San Diego Padres, but suffered an elbow injury in the shortened 2020 season that required Tommy John surgery.

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He pitched just 11 ⅓ innings from 2019 through 2022 before returning to his pre-injury form as a setup man with the Atlanta Braves in 2023.

After signing a one-year deal with the Rangers, Yates thrived in his return to the closer role — earning his second All-Star selection while converting 33 of 34 save chances and holding opponents to a .113 batting average over 61 2/3 innings.

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The College Football Playoff championship game left no doubt who would be ranked at No. 1 with the season now concluded. But to put a final bow on the 2024 campaign, the US LBM Coaches Poll panel weighed in one more time to rank the rest of the playoff and bowl participants.

National champ Ohio State, of course, is the unanimous top-ranked finisher claiming all 53 first-place votes. Runner-up Notre Dame finishes at No. 2, picking up all but one of the No. 2 votes.

Texas at No. 3 heads the non-finalists. Oregon, ranked first heading into the playoff, will finish fourth just four poll points ahead of No. 5 Penn State. Georgia finishes sixth, followed by Big 12 champ Arizona State at No. 7. Tennessee, Boise State and Indiana round out the top 10 with ACC finalists Clemson and SMU bringing up the rear in the playoff field in a tie for 11th.

LOOKING AHEAD: Our way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2025

Mississippi at No. 13 is the highest ranked finisher among the non-playoff invitees, followed by No. 14 Brigham Young and No. 15 Iowa State. Illinois checks in at No. 16 ahead of Alabama, which has its lowest final ranking at No. 17 since the 2007 season – Nick Saban’s first in Tuscaloosa – and it’s first finish outside the top 10 since 2010. Miami (Fla.), South Carolina and Missouri close out the top 20.

No. 21 Army ends the season ranked for the first time since 2019, and No. 22 Syracuse has its first Top 25 finish since 2018. No. 23 Memphis and No. 24 UNLV retain their poll spots after bowl victories, and Colorado hangs on to finish at No. 25 after dropping its bowl game.

ATLANTA — Notre Dame is angry. Notre Dame is really angry. Notre Dame wants the media to get out of the locker room. Actually, Notre Dame wants the media to get the [expletive] out.

Forty minutes have passed, give or take, since Ohio State’s 34-23 win in Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game, and the Fighting Irish — angrily, loudly, emotionally — are working through some things.

Thing one: This was a game they should’ve won.

“I think we came out and beat ourselves,” said sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison.

Said sophomore receiver Jaden Greathouse, who had a game-high 128 receiving yards, “We were just making a lot of mistakes that we usually don’t make. And when you play another good team, that’s the outcome that you’re going to get.”

Thing two: They are motivated.

“The statement that we put out there is that we’re a dog team,” Faison said. “Altogether, everyone on this team is a dog. We show our best, fight to the max, and we’re definitely going to use this going into next year. It would be a waste for us not to use this next year as motivation.”

And thing three, most important of them all: This program is on a collision course for a national championship, making the program’s first crown since 1988 a matter of when, not if.

“I said it before and I’ll say it again. We sent shockwaves throughout college. We sent shockwaves,” senior defensive tackle Howard Cross III said.

“Before this, it was what we can’t do. Now, I really feel like after this year it’s really like, what Notre Dame can do. Who can play against us? Who can stop us? The ground has changed forever. Because before, going to a playoff game, it was like, maybe they’ll win.”

LOOKING AHEAD: Our way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2025

There are two ways to take this sort of braggadocio, a not altogether uncommon first reaction in losing locker rooms after coming up one win short of the championship. Nine years ago, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said after losing to Alabama that his program had been given a glimpse of college football’s mountaintop, and that experience stoked his faith in the Tigers eventually reaching the summit. One year later, they did just that.

Notre Dame showed enough growth since a shocking loss in September to Northern Illinois to supports the team’s confidence that the national championship could return to South Bend as soon as next season.

Previous trips to the doorstep of the championship have ended also ended short, but under vastly different circumstances and with a dramatically different vibe heading into the offseason.

Back in early 2013, a blowout loss to Alabama showed the immense gap still separating the Irish from the top teams in the Bowl Subdivision, especially the best teams in the SEC. And that gap never closed during two ensuing playoff berths under former coach Brian Kelly, which ended with a 30-3 loss to Clemson in 2018 and a 31-14 loss to the Crimson Tide in 2020.

This postseason showed the gap has been narrowed. The Fighting Irish had no problem handling Indiana in the opening round. They then beat Georgia 23-10, smothering the Bulldogs on the line of scrimmage in a message-sending win against the SEC champion. Notre Dame then topped Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl to reach Monday night.

“We’ve been winning games, you know what I mean,” Cross said. “We beat the SEC champs. We went on a three-game playoff streak.”

Yet there is still something missing, making Notre Dame’s confidence seem somewhat misguided in the wake of a loss that showed the importance of accumulating the maximum amount of offensive skill talent within an eclectic scheme.

The offense sent an early message with an 18-play touchdown drive on the game’s first possession, showcasing the physicality that has come to define the offense and broader program. But as the game progressed, Ohio State’s explosiveness illustrated how this more plodding style leaves Notre Dame with far less room for error — the Irish had to be perfect, and they weren’t.

But even the most hardcore Notre Dame skeptic has to admit that Freeman seems to have steered Notre Dame into a more serious contender. Part of that stems from his ability to handle adversity: After the loss to Northern Illinois, the Irish needed his steady hand to remain on track for the playoff and possible national championship.

He’s learning on the job, still, three years into his tenure as the full-time coach, and the decision to attempt a field goal instead of a fourth-down conversion when down 31-15 in the fourth quarter — the 27-yard try was missed — represents Freeman’s need to have a better handle on game management.

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There’s a sense that Freeman and the Irish are learning on the job, just like Swinney and Clemson almost a decade ago. An angry and hurt program looks to follow in the same script: Notre Dame believes next year will be the year, and you can’t help but take that seriously.

“It’s the first time for everybody,” Cross said. “This is uncharted territory. I’m sure we’ll understand what to do next year. I’m not worried. The team is in extremely good hands for next year.”

The book on the 2024 college football season is officially closed with Ohio State taking home a national championship with a defeat of Notre Dame in the national championship game. So it’s time to start looking ahead to which teams will be fighting it out for a title next fall.

Ohio State comes in ahead of the best the SEC has to offer and Big Ten rival Penn State to lead the way in the USA TODAY Sports way-too-early Top 25 for the 2025 season.

The No. 1 Buckeyes have to replace quarterback Will Howard but will be able to surround the new starter with an elite collection of skill talent headlined by star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Coming in just behind Ohio State is No. 2 Texas. The Longhorns are set to embark on the highly anticipated Arch Manning era. Rounding out the top five are No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Penn State and No. 5 Georgia. The Crimson Tide are poised for a rebound in coach Kalen DeBoer’s second season.

Notre Dame comes in at No. 8 due to some uncertainty at quarterback. But a schedule devoid of any major contenders should keep the Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff mix.

The early Top 25 is dominated by the SEC and Big Ten. The two leagues have 14 teams in our rankings, including all of the top six.

The two Group of Five teams represented come from the Mountain West in No. 21 Boise State and No. 23 UNLV.

1. Ohio State (14-2)

The Buckeyes are ready to reload and make another run at the national title. QB Julian Sayin is projected to replace Will Howard and throw to what will again be an elite WR room. The defense will need to be almost completely rebuilt, which is a definite concern despite the way Ohio State has recruited the position. But there are building blocks on every level of the defense and one of the nation’s best overall players in DB Caleb Downs. The opener at home against Texas will be one of the biggest games of the year.

2. Texas (13-3)

It’s officially the Arch Manning era in Austin with Quinn Ewers off to the NFL. Expectations will be unrealistic, and the reality is that Manning has limited game experience against SEC competition. Complicating matters are some major concerns at receiver and the offensive line and defensive line. But this is a team full of talent compiled through strong recruiting classes and targeted transfers. Look for Ryan Wingo to emerge as Manning’s top target and for the defense to be led by LB Anthony Hill and DL Colin Simmons.

3. Alabama (9-4)

This is Alabama and Kalen DeBoer is under pressure after an inaugural season with four losses and the departure of quarterback Jalen Milroe. Ty Simpson is the expected replacement, and the skill positions look to be well-stocked with WR Ryan Williams likely to have more impact in his sophomore season. LB Deontae Lawson should be the anchor of a strong defense that has depth in the front seven and key returners in the secondary. This might be the best team in the SEC by the end of the season.

4. Penn State (13-3)

In QB Drew Allar and RBs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, three linchpins of the Nittany Lions’ offense are set to return. Penn State will lose star TE Tyler Warren, though, and need some major help at wide receiver. Defensively, the Nittany Lions lose edge rusher Abdul Carter but return senior Dani Dennis-Sutton, a likely preseason All-America pick. The expectations are that Penn State will again be right near the top of the Big Ten and in the College Football Playoff.

5. Georgia (11-3)                           

It was a surprising step back this season for the Bulldogs due to struggles on offense and some uncharacteristic stumbles on defense. Gunner Stockton looks set to be a solid starter at quarterback if talent around him raises its performance. Georgia added Noah Thomas (Texas A&M) and Zachariah Branch (Southern California) to boost the receiving room. The defense, per usual, loses significant players to the NFL but will reload behind LB CJ Allen and DB Daylen Everette. The Bulldogs won’t be as dominant as their title teams but they’re still good enough to make a run at a championship.

6. LSU (9-4)

The return of Garrett Nussmeier gives the Tigers one of the best quarterbacks in the country and was the first step in getting the Tigers into the playoff mix. Brian Kelly then went to the transfer portal to address needs at key areas. Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and Barrion Brown (Kentucky) arrive at wide receiver and the offensive line got some key additions. The gem addition on defense is pass rusher Patrick Payton (Florida State), but there is also help coming to the secondary. There will be no excuses for Kelly this season.

7. Clemson (10-4)

The defending ACC champions will be expected to repeat in 2025 and go even deeper into the playoff. The offense will be led by veteran quarterback Cade Klubnik and an up-and-coming receiver corps. But RB is a question mark after projected starter Jay Haynes tore his ACL in the ACC title game. Defensively, look for Clemson to rebound under new coordinator Tom Allen after falling to ninth in the ACC in yards allowed per play this past season. The pieces are in place for a run at the national tile.

8. Notre Dame (14-2)

The Irish have clearly arrived under Marcus Freeman. The first question is at QB, where Freeman could tap backup Steve Angeli or roll the dice on youngster CJ Carr. Either QB will get to play in front of top RBs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. The OL will benefit from the injuries that caused some in-season shakeups this past year, though the group’s effectiveness may come down to how young OT Charles Jagusah takes to the blind side. The schedule is once again pretty friendly, with road games against Miami and Arkansas but Texas A&M, Boise State and USC at home.

9. Tennessee (10-3)

Nico Iamaleava’s season was what one would expect from a young, heralded quarterback in his first season as a starter. There were growing pains and some highlight moments. The hope is there is more of the latter and less of the former in his third season with the program. Some reinforcements are needed at running back, receiver and offensive line to support him. The Volunteers should again be stingy on defense with LBs Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander returning and DB Jermad McCoy hopefully recovered from an offseason knee injury.

10. Arizona State (11-3)

Only a questionable targeting no-call and fourth-and-13 conversion kept the Sun Devils from the playoff semifinals. It was simply a remarkable campaign that has Kenny Dillingham looking to build on the surprising success that included a Big 12 title. While RB Cam Skattebo departs, QB Sam Levitt is ready to assume more control on the offense. Getting back WR Jordyn Tyson to full health will be critical after a knee injury ended his season prematurely. The defense has all-conference picks Xavion Alford and C.J. Fife to anchor the unit.

11. Oregon (13-1)

The defending Big Ten champs will have a new QB in former UCLA transfer Dante Moore. The offense will benefit from big transfers such as RB Makhi Hughes (Tulane) and OTs Isaiah World (Nevada) and Alex Harkey (Texas State). WR Evan Stewart is ready to be the Ducks’ No. 1 target. Oregon’s defense will be very strong in the secondary but does have new pieces to insert on the DL, including Southern California transfer Bear Alexander and rising junior A’Mauri Washington.

12. Florida (8-5)

There’s going to be a lot of hype for the Gators after their strong finish in 2024. It’s also mindful to pump the brakes and not get too high on their prospects. Momentum doesn’t always carry over. That said, there are enough pieces to push for a place among the upper third of the league with QB DJ Lagway expected to improve in his sophomore season. RB Jadan Baugh will carry the running game. The defense made major strides in the second half of the season and will be led by linemen Tyreak Sapp and Caleb Banks.

13. Illinois (10-3)

Eighteen returning starters from a 10-win squad will make 2025 one of the program’s most anticipated seasons in years. Whether Illinois contends for the playoff may come down to whether it can rebuild at WR without this season’s top two targets and find new starters to replace three seniors on the DL. With QB Luke Altmyer back to lead the offense, an experienced OL, all-conference LBs and a very strong secondary, the Illini have a friendly schedule and are going to be a tough out in a tough Big Ten.

14. South Carolina (9-4)

The Gamecocks may have been the best team in the SEC at the end of the season, so pushing for the College Football Playoff in 2025 seems like a realistic goal. QB LaNorris Sellers showed significant progress in his first year as a starter and should be among the best at his position in the SEC. With significant returns at receiver, the offense should be more balanced and allow Sellers to showcase his throwing ability. The defense had significant losses that will require retooling, but Dylan Stewart should push for double-digit sacks as a sophomore.

15. Kansas State (9-4)

The Wildcats are looking for QB Avery Johnson to take a big step in his second season as the starter after some bumps in the road paired with some brilliant play. More consistency should make the offense better with RB Dylan Edwards ready to carry the ground attack and Jayce Brown one of the top receivers in the Big 12. LB Austin Romaine and DB VJ Payne, the team’s top two tacklers, return for a defense that gets back to a level good enough to compete for the conference championship.

16. Miami (10-3)

There’s a lot that hinges on the availability of Georgia transfer QB Carson Beck, who was injured in the SEC title game and may not be able to throw until after spring ball. On paper, though, Miami’s talent level will have it ready to rival Clemson in the ACC if Beck is healthy. The strong points are a terrific OL, a deep stable of RBs and a reworked defensive backfield. But the Hurricanes need to identify production at WR and have to get the most out of a young DL.

17. Brigham Young (11-2)

If how you finish impacts how you start next season then the Cougars should again be in the playoff mix after blowing away Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Jake Retzlaff is back for his second full season starting at quarterback and will lead an offense that should be among the best in the Big 12 with quality depth at running back and receiver. The key area to address is the defensive line, which lost several key contributors. But there’s strength in the back of the unit to be good enough to push for double-digit wins again.

18. Michigan (8-5)

If the home stretch of the 2024 season is to be believed, Michigan is poised to reclaim its place as one of the top teams in the Big Ten. One reason for optimism is the clear upgrade at QB, whether it’s Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene or five-star freshman Bryce Underwood under center. The Wolverines should be strong on both lines even as the defensive front loses a star in tackle Mason Graham. Michigan still needs to find playmakers at WR to raise its offense to a level needed to be Big Ten contenders.

19. SMU (11-3)

The Mustangs will still be one of the favorites in the ACC but won’t sneak up on anyone in 2025. QB Kevin Jennings will be a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite after his breakout 2024 season. The OL and secondary look strong but there are depth concerns at WR and on the DL. SMU gets Miami at home but whether it can be a playoff factor hinges on road games against TCU and Clemson.

20. Iowa State (11-3)

In any other year, the Cyclones would have been the story of the Big 12 but were overshadowed by the emergence of Arizona State, BYU and Colorado. Still, they put up a school-record 11 wins and look to contend for a playoff berth in a conference race that should be wide open. QB Rocco Becht will be at the forefront of things, though he loses his top two receivers. Matt Campbell was aggressive in the portal to deal with those losses and address other areas. The defense, notably, must get better stopping the run to stay in contention.

21. Boise State (12-2)

There’s just no way the Broncos replace running back Ashton Jeanty, though the offense could try a by-committee approach to match his impact during a brilliant 2024 season. Boise will also need to retool at wide receiver to help returning quarterback Maddux Madsen. But the OL and DL will help the Broncos control the line of scrimmage and the schedule has fellow Mountain West contenders Colorado State, Fresno State and UNLV at home.

22. Nebraska (7-6)

After making a two-win leap into bowl play in Matt Rhule’s second season, the Cornhuskers are prepared to move into Top 25 territory behind sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola and a very strong transfer class. Nebraska will also benefit from an entire offseason under offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. There’s still a talent gap between Nebraska and the best of the Big Ten, but this is a team and program ready for the next step.

23. UNLV (11-3)

UNLV looks to build on a great two-year run with Barry Odom under new coach Dan Mullen. The Rebels have been very active in the portal, where they’ve signed maybe the best class in the Group of Five. To get to the top of the Mountain West and reach the CFP, Mullen has to get the most out of Michigan QB transfer Alex Orji and rebuild at WR around several Power Four transfers. The defense played very well down the stretch of 2024 and looks to build on that strong close.

24. Mississippi (10-3)

The Rebels are always going to have a lot of incomings and outgoings with Lane Kiffin using the transfer portal so prominently in his roster building. The first order of business is the change at quarterback with Austin Simmons taking over. The heralded recruit flashed against Georgia and brings a different dimension to the offense. Running back, wide receiver and offensive line also need rebuilding. The story is the same with the defense. LB Suntarine Perkins, who notched 10½ sacks, is one key holdover. There will be growing pains but time to sort things out with a home schedule that has eight home games.

25. Louisville (9-4)

Southern California transfer Miller Moss joins an experienced OL, terrific young RB Isaac Brown and senior WRs Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy for what should be one of the top two or three offenses in the ACC. Louisville will need this offense to offset personnel worries on the DL and at CB. While the linebacker corps looks solid, an iffy pass rush and coverage concerns could keep the Cardinals from the ACC title game.