March is traditionally one of the busiest months on the sports calendar, with the annual basketball tournament frenzy, baseball opening day, and for college football fans, the virtual kickoff of spring practice each year and the very Early team rankings will be confirmed. .
The 2024 college football season is expected to be one of the most historic and important in college football's long history, with a wave of massive conference realignment that will forever rewrite the national map and lead to the playoffs. The format will be expanded by moving from four teams to one team. 12 team field.
Now, with March Madness and the Sweet 16 finals on the horizon, let's make some early predictions of our own and predict what this year's version of college football will look like.
Predict the 2024 College Football Sweet 16
16. Freedom. Admittedly, the Flames aren't actually the 16th-best team in college football, but they are the favorite to win the Conference USA title and thus a berth in the expansion playoffs, especially after a rematch. They are the highest ranked team in the Group of 5 to win. -Commitment of quarterback Kaidon Salter.
15. Arizona. The Wildcats, a contender in the expanded Big 12 race this fall, lost their head coach but are buoyed by moves brought in by new coach Brent Brennan, with Noah Fifita and Teitairoa McMillan returning to a capable offense. , it's worth noting that they kept their star QB/WR duo.
14. Oklahoma. Mike Gundy retains key coaches and offensive production, most importantly star tailback Ollie Gordon, who will enter Heisman contention this fall and launch the Cowboys into a crowded Big 12 title chase. It should be.
13. Michigan. It may seem unfair to drop college football's defending champions this far in the rankings, but the Wolverines are losing a lot of on-field talent, primarily quarterback, O-line and receivers, as well as head coach and players. Both rosters have experienced significant turnover. But there are also many skills to work on.
12. Oklahoma. With the Sooners moving into the SEC and what appears to be a congested schedule, the return of key defensive personnel will provide stability on the ball side, while quarterback Jackson-Arnold will adjust to being behind a completely new offensive line. It is said that
11. Pennsylvania. James Franklin lost both of his coordinators, but gained strong replacements with a defense that remains one of the best in college football, two star rushers, a five-star quarterback in Drew Aller, and an OSU transfer receiver. They have an offensive line that includes Julian Fleming.
10. Missouri. Cody Schrader is off the table, as is defensive coordinator Blake Baker, but Eli Drinkwitz keeps quarterback Brady Cook, and elite targets Luther Burden and Theo Weese, and more. This may be the best schedule for the SEC going forward.
9. Notre Dame Cathedral. Marcus Freeman enters his third year with one of the best pass defenses in college football, transferred quarterback Riley Leonard and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock. ND loses two key blockers and has extended games against Texas A&M, Seminoles, and USC, but other than that, this is a very winnable schedule for the Irish.
8. Alabama. The post-Saban era finally marks the arrival of the Crimson Tide. Karen DeBoer, a proven player developer during his career, has lost notable players while retaining many players, including quarterback Jalen Milroe, whose play improved significantly throughout last season. ing. That year led Bama to an SEC title and a CFP bid.
7. Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin is once again active in the transfer portal, making notable additions on defense and building a roster that can compete in the SEC and beyond after retaining quarterback Jackson Dart. did.
6. Oregon. Dan Lanning secured and expanded the acquisition of two monster quarterbacks in veteran Dillon Gabriel and former five-star recruit Dante Moore, in addition to five-star wideout transfer Evan Stewart. They are building an offense that can compete for a Big Ten title right away. .
5. Texas. The Longhorns have Quinn Ewers at quarterback and key wide receivers in Matthew Golden and especially Alabama native Isaiah Bond, and expect to finish second in the expanded SEC title race in their conference debut. .
4. Utah. They're an expanded Big 12 championship favorite with veteran quarterback Cameron Rising, returning after a year of ACL recovery, and another strong Utes defense.
3. Clemson. The expanded playoffs should be welcome news for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers, who have missed the last three straight semifinals, but first they need to replenish lost defensive talent in the front seven, adding Cade Klubnik and play-caller We have to get more from this offense under. Garrett Riley.
2.Ohio. Key transfers like safety Caleb Downs, quarterback Will Howard, and tailback Quinshon Judkins, who led the SEC in rushing the past two seasons, are especially important to high-profile defensemen who choose to remain on the sidelines. Huge for Ryan Day in addition to the contributors.
1. Georgia. The Bulldogs, who remain college football title contenders at the Las Vegas sportsbook, have quarterback Carson Beck and another strong defenseman, and a slew of young talent ready to showcase, but Alabama and We had a date with Texas, which made the schedule much tougher.
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