Veteran WNBA forward DeWanna Bonner is returning to Phoenix.

The Mercury have announced they’ve agreed to terms with the six-time All-Star, who spent the first 10 seasons of her career in the Valley of the Sun and won a pair of WNBA titles there.

Bonner, 37, signed a one-year contract this past offseason with the Indiana Fever, but she lost her starting job and quickly fell out of the team’s regular rotation. She missed two weeks in June due to ‘personal reasons’ and was released by the Fever on June 25 after the team was unable to trade her.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have DeWanna back in a Mercury uniform,” Mercury GM Nick U’Ren said in a statement. “She is a true winner, leader and one of the most talented and versatile players in our game.’

In Phoenix, Bonner will join a team with the league’s second-best record at 13-6. She will also reunite with her fiancée, forward Alyssa Thomas, with whom she played the past five seasons on the Connecticut Sun.

Caitlin Clark has the chance to quiet the toxic behavior of the worst of her fans.

Clark and fellow WNBA All-Star captain Napheesa Collier will choose their teams for the 2025 All-Star Game, scheduled for July 19, and the Indiana Fever star would send an emphatic message by drafting Angel Reese. The teams will be chosen live Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Chicago Sky forward has been cast as the villain to Clark’s hero dating back to their junior years in college, when Reese waved her ring finger at Clark after LSU beat Iowa in the NCAA championship game. Whether Reese was taunting or mimicking Clark’s own “You can’t see me” diss didn’t matter. A rivalry was born.

Sports thrive on rivalries. Brady vs. Manning. Yankees vs. Red Sox. Warriors vs. Cavaliers. And in the closest comparison to Clark and Reese, Magic vs. Bird.

But there’s an ugly undertone to Clark and Reese’s rivalry that’s an issue for everyone in the WNBA. There is a segment of Clark’s fans — not all of her fans, not the majority of her fans, but too many — who have styled Clark as some kind of white, heteronormative savior and are using her as a vehicle for racism and homophobia.

Again, not all her fans. But enough that it’s doing real damage. Any player who delivers a hard foul on Clark can expect their social media accounts to be flooded with hateful messages. Reese has talked about being the subject of pornographic deep fakes, some of which were sent to her family members.

And woe to anyone who says something mildly critical about Clark or her game. (Or, God forbid, votes her the ninth-best guard during a season in which she’s missed half of Indiana’s games and is not shooting particularly well.)

“In my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments (like) from the Indiana Fever fan base,” Alyssa Thomas said during last year’s playoffs, after the Connecticut Sun eliminated the Fever following a contentious series that included DiJonai Carrington being accused of trying to maim Clark.

“It’s unacceptable, honestly, and there’s no place for it,” Thomas continued. “We’ve been professional throughout the whole entire thing, but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it. Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things.”

Clark has disavowed this segment of her fan base, directly and indirectly. Her harshest condemnation came in Time’s athlete of the year profile last year.

 “Just stop,” she told the magazine. “Because that’s not who I am.”

Yet the trolls and bigots persist, and no one gets more abuse than Reese.

She was disparaged when the WNBA said it was investigating racist abuse during the Sky and Fever’s first game in Indianapolis this season, and mocked when the league said it could not substantiate the comments. Fans coined the term “mebounds” to diminish her game, the suggestion being Reese is the WNBA’s leading rebounder (12.8 per game) only because she’s grabbing her own misses.

But if Clark picks Reese for her All-Star team, it could silence some of the howling chorus of awfulness. The folks saying Reese sucks or flooding her social accounts with vitriol might pipe down if they see she has Clark’s endorsement. The folks who think they’re supporting Clark with their nastiness might think twice when Clark herself gives a public seal of approval.

There will some who will continue to be awful because they’re just awful people. (If your criticism of a player becomes personal or is thinly disguised racism and/or homophobia, you’re a bad person. Sorry, not sorry.) But Clark and Reese being on the same All-Star team — connecting on the court, laughing together and high-fiving one another — could show the still persuadable folks this animosity is the stuff of their own imaginations and it’s time to move on.

All-Star Games are, by their very nature, silly. There’s little, if anything, at stake, and players tend to treat it as a glorified exhibition. All of which is fine! But wouldn’t it be nice if this All-Star Game was the catalyst for defanging the WNBA’s worst fans and making the league, once again, a place to simply enjoy basketball?

No matter who Clark picks, she’s going to have a good team for the All-Star Game. By drafting Reese, she could have a team that’s good for the entire game and everyone in it.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

The battle for the yellow jersey at the 2025 Tour de France is heating up after a thrilling finish on Tuesday, July 8, involving some of this year’s favorites at cycling’s biggest event.

Three-time Tour de France and current world champion Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia surged past Mathieu van der Poel and rival Jonas Vingegaard near the finish line to take Stage 4 and inch closer to grabbing control of the yellow jersey. It was Pogačar’s first stage win this year, and 18th overall stage win at the Tour de France. The race, which took place on a 174.2-kilometer course between Amiens and Rouen and featured several late climbs, also became the 100th victory of his professional career.

Van der Peul began the day with the yellow jersey and will retain it heading into a crucial individual time trial in Caen on Wednesday, July 9 for Stage 5. He and Pogačar are currently tied in overall time, eight seconds ahead of Vingegaard. American Matteo Jorgenson sits in fourth. Pogačar, who races for UAE Team Emirates XRG, also moved ahead of Belgian Tim Wellens to claim the polka dot jersey as the top climber at the Tour de France through Stage 4.

Here’s a look at the complete stage 4 results and 2025 Tour de France standings after Tuesday, July 8, as well as what’s coming up for cycling’s biggest race:

Stage 4 results

Final results of the 174.2-kilometer Stage 4 from Amiens to Rouen at the 2025 Tour de France on Tuesday, July 8.

Tour de France 2025 standings

Mathieu van der Poel, Netherlands: 16h 46′ 00”
Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 16h 46′ 00”
Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark: 16h 46′ 08” (8 seconds behind)
Matteo Jorgenson, USA: 16h 46′ 19” (19 seconds)
Kevin Vauquelin, France: 16h 46′ 26” (26 seconds)
Enric Mas, Spain: 16h 46′ 48” (48 seconds)
Oscar Onley, Great Britain: 16h 46′ 55” (55 seconds)
Joao Almeida, Portugal: 16h 46′ 55” (55 seconds)
Remco Evenepoel, Belgium: 16h 46′ 58” (58 seconds)
Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark: 16h 47′ 02” (1 minute, 2 seconds)

2025 Tour de France jersey leaders

Yellow (overall race leader): Mathieu Van der Poel, Netherlands

Green (points): Jonathan Milan, Italy

Polka dot (mountains): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia

White (young rider): Kevin Vauquelin, France

Who’s wearing the rainbow jersey at 2025 Tour de France?

In addition to the four traditional colored jerseys at the Tour de France, the reigning world road race champion wears a rainbow-colored jersey. It’s white with five colored stripes – blue, red, black, yellow and green (same as the colors of the Olympic rings) – and is currently worn by Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia.

2025 Tour de France next stage

Stage 5 is a 33-kilometer individual time trial in Caen on Wednesday, July 9.

The San Francisco 49ers endured a tough 2024 campaign following their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.

Things took a turn late in the offseason when top draft pick Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery. Injuries and more off-field issues contributed to a six-win campaign, tied for the fewest in the last five years for the franchise.

Injuries piled up on both sides of the ball but hit some on the offense hardest. Star running back Christian McCaffrey missed most of the season and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7.

One of the biggest losses came on the offensive line as first-team All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams missed seven games with an ankle injury.

For quarterback Brock Purdy, that was a key loss down the second half of the season.

‘Last year he got hurt towards the end and it’s just different,’ Purdy said on the July 8 episode of the ‘Bussin with the Boys’ podcast. ‘Obviously, whoever gets thrown in I trust and we’re good… [but] he’s locked down over there.

He’s my little safety blanket. I’m like ‘I need my binkie’ and I need him to be in the game.’

Prior to 2024, Williams had made the Pro Bowl in 11 of the last 12 seasons. The lone exception was 2019 which he missed when recovering from surgery to remove cancer. He was a first-team All-Pro from 2021 to 2023 with San Francisco.

‘You watch his run game and the stuff, the moves that he does, it’s like ‘what the heck?” Purdy said. ‘He does this ninja move thing and then pushes guys in the ground… as a right-handed quarterback, knowing that my left side dude is good, I can’t even describe to you.’

Williams is entering his age-37 season in 2025 but says he is not considering retirement anytime soon.

“I just feel like I do myself and my teammates a disservice if I’m looking toward the end,” Williams said during minicamp. “I’m paid, people count on me to be here now. We got goals and aspirations as a team. I just don’t think putting brain power toward that helps us get to where we want to go.’

San Francisco starts training camp on July 15 for rookies and July 22 for veterans like Williams and Purdy.

The Miami Dolphins still need cornerback reinforcements after trading away Jalen Ramsey. But if they were planning to sign Asante Samuel Jr. to fill that need, they may want to reconsider.

The Miami Herald reported Monday that the Dolphins have checked in on Samuel, who remains a free agent as he works his way back from neck surgery. Even if Miami likes what it sees, it may have to deal with one other complication.

Samuel’s father, two-time Super Bowl champion cornerback Asante Samuel Sr., harshly criticized the Dolphins and their leadership on a recent episode of his podcast, ‘Say What Needs To Be Said.’

Samuel Sr. said he believes the only reason Miami traded away Ramsey was because the team’s current regime – head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier – are weak leaders who are unable to stand up to outspoken players.

‘The Dolphins had no reason to trade Jalen Ramsey other than they’re sensitive,’ Samuel said. ‘There’s no leadership in the Dolphins organization. Mike McDaniel is a push-over. Chris Grier, the general manager, has no backbone.

‘They are running this team like a little league team. No one can stand up to the players. They’re terrified of their own players, and they have no control over their players.’

Samuel Sr. played 11 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. He won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, was an All-Pro in 2007 and earned four Pro Bowl nods between 2007-2010.

Samuel Jr. is a free agent after his rookie contract with the Los Angeles Chargers expired at the end of the 2024 season. He tallied two interceptions in each of his first three seasons, but his most recent season was cut short by a shoulder injury. Samuel Jr. underwent neck surgery in April and is still waiting to sign with a team as he recovers.

Other notable free agents at the cornerback position are Rasul Douglas, who played with the Bills last year, and Stephon Gilmore, who spent 2024 with the Vikings.

The pace of NBA free agency has eased, with teams mostly settled headed into their summer vacations.

Yet, there are still a few pieces out there, namely some intriguing restricted free agents who could sill move the needle.

Bulls point guard Josh Giddey and Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga are the players who would most impact new teams, though Chicago and Golden State each have the chance to match any offer sheets prospective teams can offer those players. Damian Lillard (Achilles) is another name to watch, though any team that signs him wouldn’t stand to benefit until next season. The biggest issue facing each of these players is that it’s a depressed market, with few teams having adequate cap space to make additional moves.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ post-playoffs, post-draft, post-free agency NBA power rankings:

NBA power rankings, 2025 free agency edition

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The champs return the heart of their roster, and reached a long-term extension with 2024-25 MVP and 2025 Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Plus, the Thunder will get a chance to see how 2024 first-round pick Nikola Topic and 2025 first-round pick Thomas Sorber fit into the rotation.

2. Houston Rockets

The Rockets shoved all their chips to the center of the table. They added Kevin Durant, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith, reached deals to bring back Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr., Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday, Jeff Green and Jae’Sean Tate. Yes, they have to give up players (Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore) to make it happen. But it’s obvious the organization thinks a title is doable.

3. Denver Nuggets

Trading Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson, bringing back Bruce Brown and getting Tim Hardaway Jr. elevates the Nuggets. The offseason will look even better if Jonas Valanciunas doesn’t leave for Europe and stays with Denver.

4. New York Knicks

The Knicks reached a deal with Mike Brown to be their new coach, and reached deals with Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, giving Brown and the Knicks much-needed depth for a team that is desperately trying to win its first championship in more than 50 years.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

Lonzo Ball adds backcourt depth, Larry Nance is a solid vet and reserve Sam Merrill comes back to Cleveland on a four-year deal.

6. Los Angeles Clippers

Losing Norman Powell’s scoring hurts, but John Collins and Brook Lopez will help offset that, while helping defensively. James Harden and Nic Batum also signed new deal and with Kawhi Leonard the Clippers should again be a quality (though aging) team capable of another 50-win season.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves made sure they retained Julius Randle and Naz Reid, but they did not keep Nickeil Alexander-Walker. It’s a solid team led by Anthony Edwards, but enough to keep pace in the West?

8. Los Angeles Lakers

It’s LeBron James and Luka Doncic — or Luke Doncic and LeBron James if you like reading NBA tea leaves — so that gives the Lakers a chance. They’re hoping to get a motivated Deandre Ayton for a full season.

9. Boston Celtics

The Celtics made financial decisions by trading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, but let’s see how free agency unfolds and what the Celtics add beyond Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang in trades with Portland and Atlanta.

10. Detroit Pistons

The addition of Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson plus the return of Paul Reed mitigates the departures of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schorder. Detroit is still in the mix for other players, too, including Malik Monk. They’re also hoping to return value on Chaz Lanier, the No. 37 pick in the June draft.

11. Golden State Warriors

It’s a slow start to free agency as Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency lingers. Al Horford, another veteran, might be an addition who provides front-court help and extensive playoff experience.

12. Indiana Pacers

Losing Myles Turner hurts — especially to a conference and division rival in Milwaukee — Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury sustained in the NBA Finals leaves the Pacers down starters.

13. Orlando Magic

Orlando acquired scoring and defense in the trade for Desmond Bane, signed Tyus Jones for backcourt depth, re-signed Moe Wagner and drafted Jase Richardson at No. 25 and Noah Penda at No. 32. The Magic are trying to return to the playoffs — and win a first-round series for the first time since 2010 behind Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

14. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs were quiet in free agency — adding Luke Kornet to bolster front court depth — but they didn’t need to be loud. They have a young and dynamic core, particularly at guard, with plenty of players who can feed Victor Wembanyama.

15. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies changed their roster, adding Cole Anthony and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope via trade, and signing Ty Jerome and Jock Landale while giving Jaren Jackson Jr. a long-term extension. They’re hoping 2025 first-round pick Cedric Coward can make an immediate contribution.

16. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks waived Damian Lillard and traded Pat Connaughton, but added Myles Turner, Gary Harris and Vasilije Micic and resigned Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins, Jericho Sims and Gary Trent Jr. Will that produce enough to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy with the Bucks?

17. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks made solid moves: traded for Kristaps Porzingis, drafted Asa Newell and reached deals to get Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. Is it enough to make a serious push for one of the top seeds in the East?

18. Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg will be fun to watch, and the Mavs signed D’Angelo Russell to help while Kyrie Irving recovers from a knee injury.

19. Miami Heat

A bland start to free agency indicated the Heat were trying to cook up something and improve the roster. And they did, trading for Norman Powell and his scoring punch.

20. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls traded Lonzo Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro, re-signed Tre Jones and draft Noa Essengue at No. 12 in June draft. But where does that leave them in the East? Can they get a long-term deal done with restricted free agent Josh Giddey?

21. Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers built around the edges, re-signing Eric Gordon and Justin Edwards and signing Trendon Watford. Selecting VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick in the draft should be beneficial now and in the future.

22. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors’ biggest loss in the offseason was losing longtime front office executive Masai Ujiri. But the Raptors should a roster that is more competitive with RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and 2025 first-round lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles.

23. Sacramento Kings

Based on their moves so far (bringing in Dennis Schroder), the Kings aren’t ready to start a rebuild.

24. Phoenix Suns

25. Washington Wizards

The Wizards were active as they try to assemble a roster of young players who will be part of the future, and veterans who can help and create financial flexibility that will allow them to go after free agents in the summer of 2026. Washington traded for Cam Whitmore from Houston and drafted Tre Johnson No. 6 and also added C.J. McCollum and Kelly Olynyk.

26. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers certainly are big with three 7-footers (Donovan Clingan, Deandre Ayton, Yang Hansen), and they traded for Jrue Holiday.

27. New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are reshaping their roster under executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars. Through the draft, they landed Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, and via trades they landed Saddiq Bey and Jordan Poole, and via free agency they signed Kevon Looney.

28. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets traded for Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann, re-signed Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, and drafted five players in the first round, including Egor Demin at No. 8.

29. Utah Jazz

The Jazz are focused on a youth movement, so this free agency was just as much about shedding certain players than adding.

30. Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets acquired Collin Sexton in a trade with Utah and Pat Connaughton in a trade with Milwaukee, and added Mason Plumlee, Tre Mann and Spencer Dinwiddie. Charlotte also had a solid draft (Kon Knueppel at No. 4, Liam McNeeley at No. 29 and Ryan Kalkbrenner at No. 34) in an attempt to boost its rebuild.

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Let’s take a quick history lesson – very, very recent history lesson – before trying to peg how the Big 12 will play out in 2025.

Last year’s official preseason poll had the eventual conference champion, Arizona State, ranked 16th out of 16 teams. The preseason favorite, Utah, went 2-7 in Big 12 play. The team picked third last July, Oklahoma State, went winless.

We were promised unpredictability in this expanded, new-look Big 12, and the conference definitely delivered.

Looking ahead to this season, it’s easy to point to six or seven (or more) teams capable of winning the conference and earning a College Football Playoff bid. There is Arizona State, of course, and annual contenders such as Kansas State and Iowa State. Baylor is on the national radar. Brigham Young is fresh off a breakout season, albeit with quarterback questions.

But choosing which team rises to the top of the conference standings still feels like a fool’s errand. With media days set for Tuesday and Wednesday, here’s how USA TODAY Sports picks the Big 12 to unfold:

1. Arizona State

There are 17 returning starters, including a rising star in quarterback Sam Leavitt, and some major momentum after last year’s explosive growth under coach Kenny Dillingham. But there is one huge loss in running back Cam Skattebo, who carried the Sun Devils for much of his final season. How they replace that production will go a long way toward determining whether the Sun Devils can repeat.

TOP 25: Ranking the best college football quarterbacks

2. Kansas State

Avery Johnson has to take the next step in his development for the Wildcats to reclaim the Big 12 title belt. He’ll get a big boost in the backfield from do-everything running back Dylan Edwards. If Kansas State can recapture last year’s pass rush and its receiver corps helps Johnson develop, this could easily be a playoff team.

3. Baylor

The Bears are ready to roll on offense with an experienced front and a top passer in Sawyer Robertson, though the receiver group needs Alabama transfer Kobe Prentice to step up on the outside. Where Baylor could be even better in 2025 is on defense. Five returning starters are joined by a transfer group that include Travion Barnes (Florida International) to form a unit that could be one of the league’s best.

4. Iowa State

Locking in on two or three new receivers for quarterback Rocco Becht will be the biggest key to fall camp for the Cyclones are losing last year’s top targets to the NFL. Transfers Chase Sowell and Xavier Townsend are expected to pick up a huge chunk of that lost production. Defensively, Iowa State is extremely well-coached but will not have a ton of room for error given losses up front and in the secondary. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cyclones notch 10-plus wins in back-to-back years for the first time in program history.

5. Utah

The Utes are in a bit of a reboot mode after slumping way down the Big 12 ladder as preseason favorites in 2024. The biggest change comes by way of New Mexico: Kyle Whittingham hired Lobos offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, and then landed quarterback Devin Dampier in the portal. Dampier brings a new dimension to the Utes’ style with his running ability; he’s likely the most impactful transfer in the Big 12. In potentially Whittingham’s final year, whether the Utes rebound will come down to how quickly the offense hits its stride and if the team can avoid another rash of injuries.

6. Texas Tech

An eye-popping transfer class holds the key to Texas Tech’s season. There are some major additions, including maybe the best overall defender in the portal in edge rusher David Bailey (Stanford). He’s part of an overhaul of the defensive front. There are other additions on offense that could help quarterback Behren Morton play with more consistency. That’ll be needed for the Red Raiders to crack through eight wins and become a national factor.

7. TCU

The two big questions ask whether TCU has amassed the help at receiver to offset losses to the NFL and if the Horned Frogs will have the bodies in the secondary to run with Big 12 offenses. If so, this is a definite sleeper team with quarterback Josh Hoover leading the offense capable of making another unexpected march to the playoff. If not, TCU will win its share of shootouts but isn’t built to win the conference.

8. Houston

This is a program on an upswing under second-year coach Willie Fritz. After leaning on the defense last year, the Cougars look to be more offense-focused with new quarterback Connor Weigman (Texas A&M) and new coordinator Slade Nagle, who held the same job under Fritz at Tulane. With the defense expected to take a step back, the other side of the ball will help deliver a bowl berth.

9. Kansas

The Jayhawks look to carry over a really strong second half of last season and get back into the postseason, if not earn a spot in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. One reason for optimism is the health of veteran quarterback Jalon Daniels. The Jayhawks lost a ton of experience, though, and coach Lance Leipold will need to dig into his bag of tricks to get his lineup in order before September.

10. Colorado

The Buffaloes lose some high-profile star power from last year’s nine-wins quad, namely quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. While it will be hard to match that win total, the foundation has been set to win at least six or seven games and factor into the Big 12 race. Sophomore left tackle Jordan Seaton is a likely All-America pick.

11. Brigham Young

The outlook for BYU changed quickly. The Cougars have become much more of a wild card with would-be starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s departure. That changes the complexion of the offense and, combined with a ton of attrition on the defensive side, makes it very hard to picture the Cougars remaining in the playoff picture into November.

12. Cincinnati

While way off the pace set by the league’s best, Cincinnati seems better constructed heading into coach Scott Satterfield’s third year and ready to avoid the extended losing streaks that defined 2023 and 2024. The front six on defense looks good, though transfers will determine the secondary. There’s experience at quarterback and a nice group of tight ends on offense, though the receiver corps looks spotty.

13. Oklahoma State

Who knows what the Cowboys will bring to the table in 2025. After a nightmarish year, Mike Gundy completely rebuilt his coaching staff, brought in a pair of new quarterbacks and basically redid the Cowboys’ roster with transfers. His track record remains strong despite last season’s step back, so maybe Gundy still deserves the benefit of the doubt.

14. Central Florida

Scott Frost is back in Orlando after a failed stint at Nebraska and a few years off the sidelines. He’s clearly very comfortable at UCF and will have the runway to build a Big 12 contender. (In other words, no one is expecting another winless-to-unbeaten jump in two years.) The roster was decimated by the transfer portal and there is no sure thing among a group of potential quarterbacks, so patience will be needed.

15. West Virginia

WVU turned back the clock even farther than UCF by bringing back Rich Rodriguez, the architect of one of the finest stretches in program history before his departure for Michigan. While his return sparks high long-term hopes for the Mountaineers, this team is thin and inexperienced. For now, the roster just isn’t there for Rodriguez to turn things around from day one.

16. Arizona

There’s a pretty negative perception of Arizona’s program just one year into the Brent Brennan era, after last season’s team opened the year in the Top 25 before running aground in league play. There are some things to like, including quarterback Noah Fifita, but the Wildcats were wrecked by attrition and will need multiple Championship Subdivision transfers to hit to avoid another putrid finish.