As the 2023 college football season winds down, it’s time to start looking ahead to the 2024 campaign. Which teams will be in contention for the College Football Playoff? Who are some potential surprise teams? And what bold predictions can we make about the upcoming season? In this article, we’ll take a look at the early contenders for the 2024 AP Top 25, identify some potential surprise teams, and make some bold predictions about the upcoming season.
The 2024 college football season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. With a number of top teams returning key players, and a few up-and-coming programs looking to make a statement, it’s sure to be a wild ride.
Let’s start by taking a look at the early contenders for the 2024 AP Top 25.
Ap Top 25 College Football 2024
With the 2023 season winding down, excitement builds for the 2024 campaign. Here are five key points to watch:
- Returning Heisman Contenders: Several top players from 2023, including Caleb Williams and Bryce Young, will be back for another run at the Heisman Trophy.
- New Coaches, New Hopes: Several programs have new head coaches in 2024, including Oklahoma and Florida. How will these new leaders impact their teams?
- Up-and-Coming Teams: Keep an eye on teams like TCU and Kansas State, who could make some noise in 2024.
- Conference Realignment: The Big 12 will welcome four new teams in 2024, which could shake up the conference standings.
- Playoff Expansion: The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams in 2024. How will this impact the regular season and bowl games?
These are just a few of the storylines to watch in the 2024 college football season. It’s sure to be an exciting year with plenty of surprises along the way.
Returning Heisman Contenders: Several top players from 2023, including Caleb Williams and Bryce Young, will be back for another run at the Heisman Trophy.
The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding player in college football, and several top contenders from 2023 will be back for another run at the prestigious award in 2024.
Caleb Williams, USC: The reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Williams had a record-breaking season in 2023, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also rushed for over 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. With another year of experience in Lincoln Riley’s offense, Williams is the early favorite to win the Heisman Trophy again in 2024.
Bryce Young, Alabama: Young won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 and was a finalist again in 2023. He is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football, and he is known for his ability to make plays with his arm and his legs. With a new offensive coordinator in 2024, Young will be looking to prove that he is still one of the best players in the country.
Jaren Kanak, Oklahoma: Kanak is a rising star at Oklahoma, and he is one of the most exciting players to watch in college football. He is a dynamic playmaker who can score from anywhere on the field. In 2023, Kanak rushed for over 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he also caught 40 passes for over 600 yards and 8 touchdowns. With a new head coach in 2024, Kanak will be looking to take his game to the next level.
These are just a few of the returning Heisman Trophy contenders in 2024. With so much talent returning to the college football ranks, it’s sure to be an exciting season for Heisman Trophy voters.
In addition to the players mentioned above, here are a few other players who could be in the running for the Heisman Trophy in 2024:
- Drake Maye, North Carolina
- Michael Penix Jr., Washington
- Will Levis, Kentucky
- Devin Brown, Ohio State
- Bijan Robinson, Texas
New Coaches, New Hopes: Several programs have new head coaches in 2024, including Oklahoma and Florida. How will these new leaders impact their teams?
Several major college football programs will have new head coaches in 2024, including Oklahoma, Florida, and Auburn. These new leaders will bring their own unique philosophies and styles to their new teams, and it will be interesting to see how they impact their programs in 2024.
- Brent Venables, Oklahoma: Venables is a former Oklahoma player and assistant coach who returns to Norman after a successful stint as the head coach at Clemson. He is known for his defensive prowess, and he is expected to bring a more physical and aggressive style of play to the Sooners.
Billy Napier, Florida: Napier is a former Alabama assistant coach who had a successful run as the head coach at Louisiana. He is known for his innovative offensive schemes, and he is expected to bring a more up-tempo and exciting style of play to the Gators.
Hugh Freeze, Auburn: Freeze is a former Ole Miss head coach who has a reputation for being a great recruiter and motivator. He is known for his high-powered offenses, and he is expected to bring a more dynamic and explosive style of play to the Tigers.
Matt Rhule, Nebraska: Rhule is a former Baylor head coach who has a reputation for being a great program builder. He is known for his tough and disciplined teams, and he is expected to bring a more physical and hard-nosed style of play to the Cornhuskers.
These are just a few of the new head coaches who will be making their debuts in 2024. It will be interesting to see how these new leaders impact their teams and how they shake up the college football landscape.
Up-and-Coming Teams: Keep an eye on teams like TCU and Kansas State, who could make some noise in 2024.
In addition to the traditional powerhouses, there are a few up-and-coming teams who could make some noise in 2024. These teams have shown improvement in recent years, and they have the potential to make a run at a conference championship or even the College Football Playoff.
- TCU: The Horned Frogs had a breakout season in 2023, finishing with a 12-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. They return a lot of key players in 2024, including quarterback Max Duggan and running back Kendre Miller. With a favorable schedule, TCU could be a contender for the Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
- Kansas State: The Wildcats had a solid season in 2023, finishing with a 9-3 record. They return a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Adrian Martinez and running back Deuce Vaughn. With a favorable schedule, Kansas State could be a contender for the Big 12 championship and a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game.
- Utah: The Utes have been one of the most consistent teams in the Pac-12 in recent years, winning the conference championship in 2021 and 2022. They return a lot of key players in 2024, including quarterback Cameron Rising and running back Tavion Thomas. With a favorable schedule, Utah could be a contender for the Pac-12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
- Penn State: The Nittany Lions had a disappointing season in 2023, but they have a lot of talent returning in 2024. They return quarterback Sean Clifford and running back Kaytron Allen, and they have a strong defense led by linebacker Abdul Carter. With a favorable schedule, Penn State could be a contender for the Big Ten championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
These are just a few of the up-and-coming teams who could make some noise in 2024. With so much talent returning to the college football ranks, it’s sure to be an exciting season.
Conference Realignment: The Big 12 will welcome four new teams in 2024, which could shake up the conference standings.
The Big 12 Conference will welcome four new members in 2024: BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. This will expand the conference to 14 teams, and it could have a major impact on the conference standings.
BYU is a perennial Top 25 team and a national championship contender. They have a large and passionate fan base, and they will bring a lot of excitement to the Big 12. Cincinnati and Houston are both rising programs who have made recent appearances in the College Football Playoff. UCF is a two-time national champion, and they have a history of success in the American Athletic Conference.
The addition of these four teams will make the Big 12 one of the most competitive conferences in college football. The conference will now have six teams who have won a national championship in the past 20 years: Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU, and BYU. The Big 12 will also have a strong presence in the College Football Playoff, with at least two teams making the Playoff in each of the past six years.
The Big 12 is already one of the most exciting conferences in college football, and the addition of these four new teams will only make it more exciting. It will be interesting to see how the conference standings shake out in 2024 and beyond.
Here are some of the potential storylines to watch in the Big 12 in 2024:
- Can BYU compete for a national championship? BYU has been a Top 25 team for most of the past decade, but they have never won a national championship. With a favorable schedule in 2024, BYU could make a run at the College Football Playoff.
- How will Cincinnati and Houston adjust to the Big 12? Cincinnati and Houston are both coming from the American Athletic Conference, which is a much weaker conference than the Big 12. It will be interesting to see how these two teams adjust to the higher level of competition.
- Can UCF return to its former glory? UCF won two national championships in a row in 2017 and 2018, but they have struggled in recent years. With a new head coach in 2024, UCF could be poised for a return to prominence.
- Who will be the top team in the Big 12? Oklahoma and Texas have been the top teams in the Big 12 for the past decade, but both teams are losing a lot of key players in 2023. It will be interesting to see which team emerges as the top team in the Big 12 in 2024.
The Big 12 is sure to be one of the most exciting conferences to watch in 2024. With the addition of four new teams, the conference is now more competitive than ever before. It will be interesting to see how the conference standings shake out and which teams make it to the College Football Playoff.
Playoff Expansion: The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams in 2024. How will this impact the regular season and bowl games?
The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams in 2024, and this will have a major impact on the regular season and bowl games.
- More teams will have a chance to make the Playoff: With the Playoff expanding to 12 teams, more teams will have a chance to compete for a national championship. This will make the regular season more exciting, as more teams will be fighting for a spot in the Playoff.
- The regular season will be more important: With more teams in the Playoff, the regular season will be more important than ever before. Teams will need to win their conference championship and have a strong overall record in order to make the Playoff.
- Bowl games will be less important: With more teams in the Playoff, bowl games will be less important. The only bowl games that will really matter are the ones that are part of the Playoff.
- The Playoff will be more exciting: With more teams in the Playoff, the Playoff will be more exciting than ever before. There will be more upsets and more close games, and the national championship game is sure to be a thriller.
The expansion of the College Football Playoff is a major change that will have a significant impact on the sport. It will make the regular season more exciting, the bowl games less important, and the Playoff more exciting. It will be interesting to see how the Playoff expansion plays out in 2024 and beyond.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about the 2024 college football season:
Question 1: Which teams are the early favorites to win the national championship in 2024?
Answer: The early favorites to win the national championship in 2024 are Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State. These teams have all been ranked in the top 5 of the AP Top 25 poll at some point during the 2023 season, and they all return a lot of key players in 2024.
Question 2: Who are some of the top players to watch in 2024?
Answer: Some of the top players to watch in 2024 include Caleb Williams (QB, USC), Bryce Young (QB, Alabama), Jaren Kanak (RB, Oklahoma), Marvin Jones Jr. (WR, Georgia), and Will Levis (QB, Kentucky). These players are all expected to have big seasons in 2024, and they could all be Heisman Trophy contenders.
Question 3: Which teams are the biggest sleepers in 2024?
Answer: Some of the biggest sleepers in 2024 include TCU, Kansas State, Utah, and Penn State. These teams all have a lot of talent returning in 2024, and they could all make a run at a conference championship or even the College Football Playoff.
Question 4: How will the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams impact the regular season and bowl games?
Answer: The expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams will make the regular season more important than ever before. Teams will need to win their conference championship and have a strong overall record in order to make the Playoff. Bowl games will also be less important, as only the games that are part of the Playoff will really matter.
Question 5: Which new head coaches will have the biggest impact on their teams in 2024?
Answer: Some of the new head coaches who could have the biggest impact on their teams in 2024 include Brent Venables (Oklahoma), Billy Napier (Florida), Hugh Freeze (Auburn), and Matt Rhule (Nebraska). These coaches all have a history of success at their previous schools, and they could all lead their new teams to big things in 2024.
Question 6: Which conference will be the strongest in 2024?
Answer: The SEC is expected to be the strongest conference in 2024. The SEC has won the past three national championships, and they return a lot of talent in 2024. The Big Ten and the ACC are also expected to be strong conferences in 2024.
These are just a few of the frequently asked questions about the 2024 college football season. As the season gets closer, more questions will arise. Be sure to stay tuned to your favorite sports news source for all the latest information.
In addition to the FAQ section above, here are some tips for following the 2024 college football season:
Tips
Here are some tips for following the 2024 college football season:
Tip 1: Watch the games on TV or online.
There are many ways to watch college football games in 2024. You can watch games on TV, online, or even on your mobile device. Check your local listings or your favorite sports streaming service to find out how you can watch the games.
Tip 2: Follow your favorite teams and players on social media.
Social media is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest news and information about your favorite teams and players. Follow your favorite teams and players on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to get the latest scores, highlights, and analysis.
Tip 3: Listen to college football podcasts.
There are many great college football podcasts available that can help you stay informed about the latest news and analysis. Some popular college football podcasts include The College Football Experience, The Audible, and The Solid Verbal.
Tip 4: Attend a college football game in person.
There’s nothing quite like experiencing the excitement of a college football game in person. If you have the opportunity, try to attend a game at your favorite school or at a nearby stadium. You won’t regret it.
These are just a few tips for following the 2024 college football season. By following these tips, you can make sure that you’re up-to-date on all the latest news and information.
The 2024 college football season is sure to be an exciting one. With so much talent returning to the gridiron, there are sure to be plenty of great games and memorable moments. Be sure to follow these tips to make the most of the 2024 college football season.
Conclusion
The 2024 college football season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. With a number of top teams returning key players, and a few up-and-coming programs looking to make a statement, it’s sure to be a wild ride.
Some of the key storylines to watch in 2024 include the returning Heisman Trophy contenders, the new head coaches who will be making their debuts, the up-and-coming teams who could make some noise, and the impact of the College Football Playoff expansion to 12 teams.
It’s impossible to say for sure who will win the national championship in 2024, but there are a few teams who look like they could be in the mix. Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State are all expected to be strong contenders, but there are a few other teams who could make a run at the title, such as Oklahoma, USC, and TCU.
No matter who wins the national championship, the 2024 college football season is sure to be one to remember. With so much talent and so many storylines to follow, it’s sure to be a wild ride from start to finish.
So get ready for the 2024 college football season. It’s going to be a great one.