RADIO
10. Indiana - One Hit Wonder?
There are no questions or concerns regarding Curt Cignetti’s ability to win football games and coach a team to their ceiling. However, the Hoosiers are losing veteran quarterback Kurtis Rourke, and Indiana won’t sneak up on anybody in 2025 after a breakout 2024 campaign. That said, Cal transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza could even be an upgrade over Rourke.
Even then, Indiana does not have as generous of a schedule this season compared to last. Ohio State was the only tough test for IU last season, while road games against Oregon and Penn State and a home game against Illinois will serve as difficult contests in 2025. Is Indiana ready to take the next step, or will the program lose its luster as a cinderella team?
9. Tennessee - Can Nico Take The Next Step?
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was a popular Heisman candidate heading into last season. The former five-star recruit was set to enter Josh Heupel’s potent offense and take over the SEC. However, although Tennessee won 10 games and qualified for the College Football Playoff, Iamaleava wasn’t the driving force for the Vols. The California native threw for just over 2,600 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions in his first full year as a starter. 11 of the 19 touchdowns game against Chattanooga, UTEP, and Vanderbilt.
Heading into 2025, the Vols are losing SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Dylan Sampson along with four starting offensive linemen and the team’s three leading receivers from last year. The 2024 Vols played around Nico’s weaknesses as a freshman, but the 2025 team will need him to be a game-changer if they want to replicate last season’s success. Tennessee has not defeated Alabama or Florida on the road since 2003. That will have to change this season for Tennessee to get back to the Playoff.
8. Boise State - Life Without Ashton Jeanty
Last season, the Broncos were led by Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty, who posted over 2,700 yards of total offense and scored 30 touchdowns in 14 games. With Jeanty out of the picture in 2025, it’s easy to question whether or not Boise State can be the best “non-Power-Four” program in 2025.
That said, the Broncos return quarterback Maddux Madsen and rank ninth in ESPN’s weighted returning offensive production heading into 2025. Rising redshirt freshman Sire Gaines, who averaged 7.8 yards per carry on 20 attempts last season, will be tasked with helping replace Jeanty.
7. Arizona State - Life Without Cam Skattebo
Like Boise State, Arizona State’s offensive ran through the running back spot. Cam Skattebo accounted for 1,711 rushing yards, 605 receiving yards, and 24 total touchdowns in 2024. With the workhorse out of the picture, Arizona State’s offense led by potential breakout quarterback Sam Leavitt will have to find more balance in 2025.
Luckily for the Sun Devils, Jordyn Tyson, who missed the Big 12 Championship Game and College Football Playoff game against Texas after posting 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season, stayed with the team this offseason. As we mentioned with Nico Iamaleava, Leavitt will need to take a step forward and become the engine of the offense for Arizona State to get back to where they want to be.
6. Georgia - The Gunner Stockton Era
Ironically, former walk-on quarterback Stetson Bennett got the Georgia program over the hump and helped Kirby Smart win his first two national championships in Athens. After Bennett went on to the NFL, Carson Beck had his ups and downs for Georgia over the next two seasons. Beck is now with the Miami Hurricanes, leaving Gunner Stockton as the QB1 for the Dawgs.
Stockton was called into action in the second half of the SEC Championship Game and started against Notre Dame in the College Football playoff quarterfinals due to a Beck shoulder injury. The Georgia native has thrown for 588 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in nine career game appearances. Needless to say, he’s an unknown commodity heading into 2025, and with Georgia’s run game lacking lately, they need a stronger passing attack in 2025 to run the SEC once again.
5. Penn State - Living Up To Expectations
Penn State was on the losing side of a last-second field goal in last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal, and it looked like that would be the Nittany Lions’ best chance to win a national title. However, Penn State returns quarterback Drew Allar along with its pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. The program lost standout defensive coordinator Tom Allen, but former Ohio State DC Jim Knowles might be the best defensive play-caller in the nation, and he’s now in Happy Valley.
Penn State has the recipe and personnel to win the Big One in 2025, but will the sky-high expectations be too much for James Franklin and company? It’s time for PSU to put itself back on the map as a college football elite, and living up to the pressure is likely the biggest obstacle.
4. Texas - Is Arch Manning For Real?
Quarterback Quinn Ewers led the Longhorns to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances, but Arch Manning is expected to be the one to take Texas to the next level. Texas and college football fans are expecting big things from Peyton and Eli’s nephew, and he’s flashed in his limited opportunities to play behind Ewers over the last two years.
As we have come to expect, Texas will have no shortage of talent and depth all over the field. It would be a shocker if Texas doesn’t make the CFP in 2025, but the next step is bringing home a National Championship trophy. Whether that happens or not will be largely dependent on Manning living up to the generational hype.
3. Oregon - Youth At Quarterback
Bo Nix started 34 games before transferring to Oregon, and Dillon Gabriel logged 50 games before taking over the QB1 job in Eugene. Dan Lanning has leaned on remarkably experienced quarterbacks to lead his team over the last three years, but that will be different in 2025.
Former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore is the favorite to start in 2025, and he has just nine games of starting experience on his resume. We can expect the Ducks’ defense to be a strong unit again under Lanning, but will the offense undergo growing pains with a fresh young face under center? To beat Ohio State and Penn State for the Big Ten crown, Moore will have to develop quickly.
2. Notre Dame - Replacing Riley Leonard
When you talk about Notre Dame football, you can count on the Irish having a strong offensive line and defense. Despite the departures of several depth pieces along the offensive line and defensive coordinator Al Golden, we shouldn’t be worried about those units. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are back, and the wide receiver group should be better with the addition of Virginia transfer Malachi Fields and the returns of Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison.
However, the quarterback spot is Notre Dame’s biggest question mark. CJ Carr and Steve Angeli appear to be the two in contention for the QB1 job. Carr has never played in a game, while Angeli has 80 career passing attempts. The team’s downfield passing game was its biggest weakness in 2024, and that needs to be corrected in 2025 to avoid embarrassing upsets like the one against Northern Illinois in Week 2.
1. Ohio State - Replacing Studs On Both Sides
Ohio State is fresh off a national championship win, which means the Buckeyes had no shortage of talent in 2024. Heading into next season, head coach Ryan Day will be tasked with replacing quarterback Will Howard, running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, edge rushers JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, along with many additional pieces on the offensive line and defense.
The Buckeyes are one of the nation’s best recruiters and will certainly backfill its talent, but last year’s Ohio State group was loaded with veteran leaders with tons of college football experience. There could be growing pains in 2025, and the team can’t ease into action since a Week 1 meeting with Texas awaits.
