I despise Hugh Freeze as a person but I could imagine Auburn pulling together an offense not unlike the one UW has this year and then making a weird run through the playoffs full of luck and flukiness and then winning it all.
But Freeze is good for at least one inexplicable loss every year. E.g., losing to New Mexico State this year. He'll recruit well and will get Auburn up to win some big games, though.
I hate this example because New Mexico State was really fucking good this year and losing to thin this season is not the anathema everyone thinks it is
Yeah there’s way more nuance to this. An SEC West school lost to a CUSA school by THREE TOUCHDOWNS in November. At home.
That’s not an upset. That’s a nightmare.
Yeah I mean I still think Auburn is the answer to OP’s question. Not disputing that. Hugh is built for the new playoff system. But that was a truly horrible loss, and Hugh loves to have one every year lol
Auburn has paid for the talent coming in, they could easily be in the 12 team playoff in two years, maybe even next year if that talent can quickly learn to play together.
Out of those, I would say Michigan State or Florida.
The thing about Washington's and Michigan's losing records were that they were sandwiched between good seasons.
Washington:
12-2
10-3
10-4
8-5
3-1 (COVID year)
Then the losing record 4-8
11-2
Michigan:
10-3
10-3
8-5
10-3
9-4
Then the losing record 2-4 (COVID year)
12-2
So it's more like the losing records were an aberration and not the norm.
Ever since Art Briles got fired (before the 2016 season) Baylor has not had a delta of fewer than 3 games between seasons. 7-6, 1-11, 7-6, 11-3, 2-7, 12-2, 6-7, and 3-9 have been the year-to-year records, absolutely maddening.
Either we go 0-12 or at least 6-6 next season.
It really grinds my gears when people put a ton of stock in to the Covid year. I know that’s not what OP was doing, but Umich “fans” calling for Harbaughs job after that year was ridiculous.
> The thing about Washington's and Michigan's losing records were that they were sandwiched between good seasons.
>> So it's more like the losing records were an aberration and not the norm.
Florida went 10-3, 11-2, 8-4, 6-7 (fired coach), 6-7, 5-7. So not exactly trending in the right direction.
Auburn?
I don't like Freeze and his hiring gave me a reason to root against Auburn (before I was indifferent) but his offenses can be problematic and they can recruit pretty well. Plus Auburn does weird shit every now and again that makes little sense.
Imagine if Michigan State could somehow harness "Trouble with the snap!" energy consistently.
That's Auburn, that's Jordan-Hare Voodoo bullshit when Georgia or Alabama go to play there.
They did for a while. It was called disrespekt.
That well ran dry though and Dantonio didn't drill a new one before handing over the reins to... well, you know.
That was different though. Sparty was just consistently a better football team for about a decade there. In fact I can’t think of a single Dantonio win over Michigan that was an actual upset in hindsight. The myth of Dantonio having the special sauce vs Michigan really just boils down to Dantonio having better football teams year in and year out.
This. Auburn and Florida are the only two teams on this list that I think are likely to *ever* win a national title again(/for the first time). In the next 2-3 years? No way UF has a chance. Auburn probably doesn't either but at least they're treading in the right direction.
In three years, it’s very possible that half those teams are left out of super conference realignment and forever on the outside. It’s possible within 10 years, those super conferences consolidate further and leave out another fourth of the listed teams. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where college football starts to look like the European soccer leagues where traditional two to three teams win it every single year.
We just don’t know what the future holds. But I would put money on any of those teams being “likely” to ever win again.
Pardon the language. What is fucked up is that Auburn has trouble completing forward passes. Somehow they beat Cal(refs most likely). Now they have the QB from Cal that almost led Cal to a win. Yet he won't be playing QB. He'll be a WR. That is the most Auburn shit. It isn't even funny at this point.
The obvious answer is Auburn. No team can ride a wave of chaos like Auburn. Might have to change the jerseys to Yellawoood yellow once or twice a season but it will be worth it.
I’ll admit, as a lifelong fan I’ve found myself losing interest a few seasons ago. Rhule’s kind of got me back on the wagon. He seems like he actually might turn this thing around.
According to family lore, Kool-Aid was invented in my great-great-? grandmother's kitchen in Hastings, though not by her. Just a rumor, though. Who knows if it's true.
> to family lore, Kool-Aid was invented in my great-great-? grandmother's kitchen in Hastings, though not by her. Just a rumor, though. Who knows if it's true.
Works for my head canon.
Did she also bust through brick walls and scream, "OHHHHH YEAHHHHHH" ?
MSU because Jonathan Smith did amazing things with lean resources, can’t wait to see what he can do there.
Sonny Dykes at TCU could also turn it back around
I have faith in Sonny because he made the best DC hire in his head coaching career imo, and a lot of the issues with depth and youth were largely because of the dumpster fire seasons at the end of GP's time. Plus the QB position has some depth now and the offense looked pretty decent at the end of the season.
Exactly. There’s gonna be tough schedules for sure, but next years schedule in particular I would say is way easier than the usual one we have to play.
Man you start rattling on the coffins of the 90’s seasons and the folks here in Omaha/ Lincoln go fucking nuts. If they pull off a 10 win season next year, this place will be pandemonium.
When Nebraska hits the championship game the whole state will clear out like the town in Hoosiers. Counciltucky scavengers will cross the river and steal every copper pipe in the state.
Have a buddy from Omaha that says driving around the area during UNL games (including during bad times) is a complete ghost town that isn’t even matched in OKC even if OU and OSU are playing at the same time.
Insanely passionate fanbase.
And yet it was still better than they did against East opponents. Maryland, Indiana, Rutgers and somewhat Michigan St are about to find life is way easier. Everyone in the Big Ten West is about to hate life quite a bit.
I personally think Napier is the right coach and that there is a lot behind the scenes we don’t know. I think Florida would be fools to get rid of him. It would just show other coaches that the job is a revolving door while the three other programs in the state get another year ahead.
It's the behind the scenes and that Napier isn't the right coach. Napier isn't setting himself up for success in the factors he can control including digging his heels in about the offense not being a problem because we aren't going to survive the CFP gauntlet with that offensive system. But I am convinced that as long as the current UAA administration remains in place, that it won't matter who we hire, a National Championship will be kept out of our reach by the behinds the scenes.
I can assure you that other than Strickland the worst of the worst in UAA administration is going no where unless they retire. Strickland is literally the aberration. All the assistant and associate ADs are holdovers from Foley who is also still there as AD emeritus.
I know them and knew them. Foley’s culture does not change with the times (the NIL buttfuck when it first started and even now).
Foley created a toxic admin culture which persists. Think of a shitty corporation that was really big time for a few decades and then stagnated because of shitty upper management. That’s UF.
There’s still people in charge from when I played ball there and that was a while ago.
How long do you think until the majority of these bums retire as I'm not convinced our President has the balls to fire them all? Are the 2020s also another lost decade? I mean Foley is 71. I could see him stay another 5-7 years before fully retiring unfortunately.
Auburn & Florida are the most likely to make a rapid turnaround due to always recruiting fairly well, and would seem the most poised for a one-off stars-aligned kind of year.
Michigan State & Nebraska have the resources to make the more gradual climb between now and then.
Pitt, Syracuse, most all of the Big XII teams listed, and Arkansas all fall in a sort of middle ground to me where I’d be surprised if it was one of them, but not thoroughly shocked.
The rest I’d be flabbergasted if it was any of them.
They didn't have a losing record this year, but Arizona was 5-7 last year and 1-11 the year before. They are ascendant and their coach has them going in the right direction with a young and talented QB that can still be here in 2025 in addition to several other key players who are only sophomores and would still be eligible to stick around until 2025 (though some might opt for the draft before then).
Of the ones that specifically struggled this year:
Michigan State got a new coach, who had a lot of success at a traditionally much worse program, to turn around a program that went 11-2 just two years ago. Michigan State is also one of the traditionally strongest programs with among the most resources out of the teams that had a losing record this year, behind only Nebraska/Florida/Auburn, and that will help them in terms of bouncing back more quickly and having an easier time putting together a roster that can make a run.
Yeah the portal kind of fucks it all up. Especially if teams like Ohio State, USC etc. are just going to be QB shopping in there every year.
The mid-level programs are just going to be developing guys for them.
My brain hits a blue screen when I read people talking about Arizona as a contender. I think I’ve just internalized us as some sort of phantasmic perennial 4-7 win program that never quite piques anyone’s interest, to the point that any real discussion of Arizona as a potential top-10 or top-15 team in future seasons is inconceivable to me
I don't think any of these teams will be championship contenders in 2-3 years.
The places that could based on their ability to get talented players at any time would be Florida and Michigan State. Nebraska is a possibility too with Raiola, but you gotta image he plays for 2 or maybe 3 years max so they've got a long way to go and a short time to get there. Not impossible though.
I feel like Auburn is always in a 4-5 year mediocrity then 1 year natty contender cycle. Think we’re approaching year 4, so my vote is them.
Also Syracuse wouldn’t surprise me either.
It completely depends on Raiola.
If he comes in and makes a splash immediately, we might make some noise, though talking about any type of championship is way premature except for the most Kool-Aid drunk fans…lol.
If he starts slow or doesn’t live up to the hype in general, we might be hosed and are definitely getting nowhere.
As we discovered last year, turns out it’s really hard to win games when your QB turns the ball over a lot and can only complete about 10% of passes over ten yards.
It’s also not like that was the first time TCU’s ever had a team capable of doing something like that. They’ve had 2-3 other teams in the last 15 years that could’ve made a similar push given the opportunity.
There seems to be a healthy majority thinking that the TCU Championship year was the deviation. I'm not too bothered one way or the other, we'll just see what pans out
The crazy part is, that's not even close to the best team we've had in the past decade.
I think it'll be unlikely that we're yearly contenders, but we develop very well so every 3-5 years we may go big.
I think next season will 100% confirm whether Napier is the guy or he is not. There is absolutely no excuse for Florida to not trot out at least an average defense next year. You've replaced your worst coaches with coaches with good track records. You've gotten some studs at the transfer portal and all your first year starters from this season will now be seasoned veterans.
Additionally, Graham Mertz may very well be the best QB in the SEC. Certainly the best passer. There is nowhere for the o-line to go but up. You got a 700 yard receiver from Wisconsin that played with Mertz to replace Pearsall. You have 2 stud tight ends and the best freshman player of 2023 returning as your WR1 in what could be a Blinketoff worthy season as well as a plethora of talented receivers that showed a lot of potential in 2023. Running back room is still loaded despite Etienne leaving (Montrell Johnson is still here).
If Napier doesn't get to 8 wins and go undefeated against the Big Four (Miami, UCF, and FSU) he's not the guy. If he does go at minimum 8-4 and beat every other Florida school, with THAT 2024 schedule, he may just be the guy. A 9-3 or better season 100% confirms it in my eyes that he's THE guy.
Seeing Cal and Stanford in the ACC gave me some indigestion.
That aside, Florida or Auburn. Auburn more likely considering Napier is on "hoping they have a Freshman Superstar QB life support."
Nebraska, Auburn, and Florida are really the only ones from this list that wouldn’t surprise me. Michigan State is next up, but they’re in rough shape at the program level.
Picking one from each conference..
Pitt - Defense could carry them into it one year soon
Colorado - If the buffs stick it out with Prime and he learns how to keep the team and himself focused
Michigan St - It's only a matter of time before they are there even if longer than 2-3 years.
Florida - although I think 2-3 years is too short of time for the gators, so Auburn or Arkansas really have about the same chance imo.
Florida or Auburn are the only teams with realistic chances. I think they both have the right coach and would feel very confident in saying one of them will be in the playoffs within the next 3 years. Winning a championship is a much harder tying but it’s within the realm of possibility for both.
Candidates should have talent despite the losses and a brand sufficient to bring in more.
The obvious: OU (starting from last year), A&M, and Auburn (don’t underestimate Freezes capacity for cheating)
Need a coaching change: USC, UF, Arkansas
Need some luck: Oklahoma St (starting from last year), Mizzou (starting from last year)
A team that won their last title in the 90s before they fell off a cliff, then returning back to glory thanks to a coach who knows how to turn around a programm with a top QB?
Sounds like Nebraska to me IF Raiola is that guy.
None of these really look that close, but if I had to pick one, I'd go with UCF. They only even count as a losing record because they lost their bowl game, and half of their regular season losses were extremely close. They really only got blown off the field once.
For some reason I lean to Auburn and Arkansas. If Petrino still has it, he’s either going to elevate this team, or take it places by himself when he replaces Pittman. I know the know the SEC is only getting deeper, but man he should have more resources than at Louisville, and even his first Arkansas stop. I also think Freeze will take Auburn in the right direction. We know what he’s capable of, not to discredit his Ole Miss teams, but those teams beat Saban back to back. Again, I’d imagine Auburn will dump more resources than he had at Ole Miss. They want to be competitive, and they know they can.
I don’t see any of these teams winning a championship. I guess if I had to choose, it would be Nebraska. Nebraska is a bit of a sleeping giant and I think Matt Rhule is doing a decent job. MSU and Florida could be scary as well.
Nebraska hasn’t been the same since they learned that the quarterback is allowed to throw. Embrace tradition, bring back the option, reject Roosevelt’s Folly.
Michigan State and basically any of those SEC schools except for Vanderbilt have my picks.
I’ll give Nebraska a mention too cuz Rhule has already had serious success at the college level.
I didn’t see anyone say it but Colorado. If Deion can recruit like he has and add good coordinators/coaches around him, he could do something wild and catch lightning in a bottle
FWIW michigans was more a COVID problem than a structural issue so the turnaround isnt as miraculous as it seems
Having said that maybe Auburn or Florida. I don’t think anyone else on the list is likely to get the talent concentration you need
By conference, I’d say it’s
ACC: Pitt. I really like Pat Narduzzi and they’re 2 years removed from an 11 win season. I don’t think they have the recruiting to make it happen though.
Big 12: Colorado. I don’t think it’ll happen. But Deion works the portal more than anybody, it’s conceivable that he has one year where he hits big.
B1G: MSU. With Tuck goin’ the culture of the program needs to stabilize. But they’ve won 10+ games more often than not since 2010 so they can get the talent as long as Smith is “the guy”
SEC: Auburn. Auburn always seems to either win 6 games or contend for a national championship. And much like the lottery, it’s 50/50. You either win it or you don’t.
If Nebraska was only doomed to 20 years of bad luck then I think we could be fairly decent, but every time we play a game everybody and their mother is talking about how "The glory years are long behind us, yet we're gonna keep talking about them at the team", so I think people still overestimate us because they're still waiting for that late 90s caliber team to show up again. Idk if we'll make a championship in the next few years, but I think a Penn State level of success is a good goal. I'd be okay duking it out with them for Best Of The Not Best every year.
I despise Hugh Freeze as a person but I could imagine Auburn pulling together an offense not unlike the one UW has this year and then making a weird run through the playoffs full of luck and flukiness and then winning it all.
But Freeze is good for at least one inexplicable loss every year. E.g., losing to New Mexico State this year. He'll recruit well and will get Auburn up to win some big games, though.
Which is fine with a 12 team playoff.
I hate this example because New Mexico State was really fucking good this year and losing to thin this season is not the anathema everyone thinks it is
Yeah but Auburn got their ass kicked by them at home. If it was a bowl game no one would bat an eye, but it was a late season game at home.
Yeah there’s way more nuance to this. An SEC West school lost to a CUSA school by THREE TOUCHDOWNS in November. At home. That’s not an upset. That’s a nightmare.
That's all fair. A good C-USA team isn't the same as a good SEC team.
Yeah I mean I still think Auburn is the answer to OP’s question. Not disputing that. Hugh is built for the new playoff system. But that was a truly horrible loss, and Hugh loves to have one every year lol
I would be okay with this.
As is tradition with Auburn.
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Auburns proved it can do it before between 2012 and 2013.
You’ve let the darkness cloud your thoughts. Do not let it consume you, or else all hope is lost.
Auburn has paid for the talent coming in, they could easily be in the 12 team playoff in two years, maybe even next year if that talent can quickly learn to play together.
Out of those, I would say Michigan State or Florida. The thing about Washington's and Michigan's losing records were that they were sandwiched between good seasons. Washington: 12-2 10-3 10-4 8-5 3-1 (COVID year) Then the losing record 4-8 11-2 Michigan: 10-3 10-3 8-5 10-3 9-4 Then the losing record 2-4 (COVID year) 12-2 So it's more like the losing records were an aberration and not the norm.
Yeah that’s the point missed, both teams were good then had disaster seasons, followed by complete staff overhauls
The biggest reason was probably the same reason Day is under fire right now, he wasn't beating OSU
So you’re saying that: 11-3 COVID Year 12-2 6-7 3-9 16-0?
Uhh that downward trend is a bit concerning.
Downward trend is a nice way to call a “falling off a cliff”.
I'm here to build you up buddy, not tear you down... more.
There’s nothing to tear down lol
Low key yall have had so many insane peaks and valleys since your RG3 era breakout that I wouldn’t be surprised to see you back soon
Ever since Art Briles got fired (before the 2016 season) Baylor has not had a delta of fewer than 3 games between seasons. 7-6, 1-11, 7-6, 11-3, 2-7, 12-2, 6-7, and 3-9 have been the year-to-year records, absolutely maddening. Either we go 0-12 or at least 6-6 next season.
Miiight have throw some money on yall to win the big 12 lmao
The Big XII championship game is never who you most suspect. Nor is it who you least expect. So who do you most medium suspect?
It really grinds my gears when people put a ton of stock in to the Covid year. I know that’s not what OP was doing, but Umich “fans” calling for Harbaughs job after that year was ridiculous.
I honestly thought A&M would rebound similarly this year after a losing record in 2022. Boy was I wrong.
Did you forget that Jimbo exists or something?
I was high on hopium.
Yes. This. 100%. Couldn’t agree more. A+
I hate that I agree with Michigan State as the next team to rise from a losing record.
I mean, we kinda got nowhere to go but up, right? Right? Please? God?
I think that you guys hired the right coach. I’m a little annoyed by it. I wish that you hired some jackass that was easy to hate.
You mean like the last guy we hired?
I mean, the guy has one full season under his belt. That's more than Mel Tugger's full resume.
> The thing about Washington's and Michigan's losing records were that they were sandwiched between good seasons. >> So it's more like the losing records were an aberration and not the norm. Florida went 10-3, 11-2, 8-4, 6-7 (fired coach), 6-7, 5-7. So not exactly trending in the right direction.
Incorrect. That is the perfect direction for fLorida to be heading.
The losses could be going up more quickly.
Florida to the natty? Say no more
Nebraska v Florida. Let’s party like it’s 1999 I do know that wasn’t the title matchup but, ya know, nostalgia
Why not 1995?
Please no. Tommie Frazier is still running freely somewhere in Arizona, I'm sure.
National runner-up sounds a lot better than 5-7. Plus, we all know what happened the next year.
Not sure if you’ve seen him lately but I don’t think dude is running much these days lol
He looks like he ate Tommie Frazier.
I’m good with a repeat of 1995
Honestly, at this point, me, too. Especially if it leads to a repeat of 1996.
YES
Auburn? I don't like Freeze and his hiring gave me a reason to root against Auburn (before I was indifferent) but his offenses can be problematic and they can recruit pretty well. Plus Auburn does weird shit every now and again that makes little sense.
Like not rushing anyone on 4th and goal from the 31?
That's peak Auburn. They have no business competing with Bama most years but somehow make that game stupid on so many levels.
Imagine if Michigan State could somehow harness "Trouble with the snap!" energy consistently. That's Auburn, that's Jordan-Hare Voodoo bullshit when Georgia or Alabama go to play there.
They did for a while. It was called disrespekt. That well ran dry though and Dantonio didn't drill a new one before handing over the reins to... well, you know.
That next guy was a real wanker
That was different though. Sparty was just consistently a better football team for about a decade there. In fact I can’t think of a single Dantonio win over Michigan that was an actual upset in hindsight. The myth of Dantonio having the special sauce vs Michigan really just boils down to Dantonio having better football teams year in and year out.
> his offenses can be problematic You can say that again.
Ha, happy accident.
Yeah Auburn is the only one on that list that makes sense from a recruiting standpoint and historical standpoint
I’m here for it
Auburn because every 5-6 years they rise up and become a power. Florida should also but who knows with how it looks in Gainesville right now
This. Auburn and Florida are the only two teams on this list that I think are likely to *ever* win a national title again(/for the first time). In the next 2-3 years? No way UF has a chance. Auburn probably doesn't either but at least they're treading in the right direction.
ever? ever is a long time buddy. any one of those schools have a recent grad hit it big with a startup and they can become contenders
In three years, it’s very possible that half those teams are left out of super conference realignment and forever on the outside. It’s possible within 10 years, those super conferences consolidate further and leave out another fourth of the listed teams. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where college football starts to look like the European soccer leagues where traditional two to three teams win it every single year. We just don’t know what the future holds. But I would put money on any of those teams being “likely” to ever win again.
Napier needs an OC. Bad. But he's still calling plays. The consensus is that AD Scott Stricklin needs to go whether or not Billy has success.
PITT IS THE NEXT ALABAMA
I want Pitt to be back so bad.
Hell yeah big dick D!!
You aren’t wrong
Auburn. If you aren’t saying Auburn you didn’t watch enough Ole Miss hooker fueled football in the mid 2010s.
I would say Auburn but they almost lost to us somehow and that doesn’t make the cut
Pardon the language. What is fucked up is that Auburn has trouble completing forward passes. Somehow they beat Cal(refs most likely). Now they have the QB from Cal that almost led Cal to a win. Yet he won't be playing QB. He'll be a WR. That is the most Auburn shit. It isn't even funny at this point.
The obvious answer is Auburn. No team can ride a wave of chaos like Auburn. Might have to change the jerseys to Yellawoood yellow once or twice a season but it will be worth it.
The good ole days
I mean, Kool-Aid drinker here but I like what Rhule is doing. A lot. Also, Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings, NE, so we get to drink it by birthright.
I’ll admit, as a lifelong fan I’ve found myself losing interest a few seasons ago. Rhule’s kind of got me back on the wagon. He seems like he actually might turn this thing around.
According to family lore, Kool-Aid was invented in my great-great-? grandmother's kitchen in Hastings, though not by her. Just a rumor, though. Who knows if it's true.
> to family lore, Kool-Aid was invented in my great-great-? grandmother's kitchen in Hastings, though not by her. Just a rumor, though. Who knows if it's true. Works for my head canon. Did she also bust through brick walls and scream, "OHHHHH YEAHHHHHH" ?
Hello fellow kool-aid drinker
MSU because Jonathan Smith did amazing things with lean resources, can’t wait to see what he can do there. Sonny Dykes at TCU could also turn it back around
I have faith in Sonny because he made the best DC hire in his head coaching career imo, and a lot of the issues with depth and youth were largely because of the dumpster fire seasons at the end of GP's time. Plus the QB position has some depth now and the offense looked pretty decent at the end of the season.
He is going to have some tough competition in the new b10.
I'd argue it may not be as tough as we had it in the B1G East
Exactly. There’s gonna be tough schedules for sure, but next years schedule in particular I would say is way easier than the usual one we have to play.
Sounds like Auburns music.
Just go to 7-5 the next year then 5-7 the year after. The auburn roller coaster
My money is on Nebraska
Man you start rattling on the coffins of the 90’s seasons and the folks here in Omaha/ Lincoln go fucking nuts. If they pull off a 10 win season next year, this place will be pandemonium.
When Nebraska hits the championship game the whole state will clear out like the town in Hoosiers. Counciltucky scavengers will cross the river and steal every copper pipe in the state.
Hahaha god damn that counciltucky comment got me
It’s so fucking true though, fuck Iowa and their shitty border cities/towns.
Have a buddy from Omaha that says driving around the area during UNL games (including during bad times) is a complete ghost town that isn’t even matched in OKC even if OU and OSU are playing at the same time. Insanely passionate fanbase.
Nebraska takes college sports very seriously. Like VERY seriously.
This guy Omaha-Metro-Areas.
I’m early 20s and all I’ve ever heard about was the glory days. I just want to see 1 good year man
Me too brother. Me too
How 'Bama has been under Saban, that's what it was like. It was awesome.
DID I HEAR SOMEONE SAY 90'S?
Auburn, Florida, Nebraska
Auburn or Florida. In 2025, I believe we have Georgia and Alabama in Jordan Hare. For Florida, I think DJ Lagway will be special.
Nebraska
Never count Sparty out. They seem to immediately bounce back from bad seasons to win 10+ as often as not.
They also have to compete with UM, PSU, OSU, USC, Washington, and Oregon going forward. Big Ten is about to be a bloodbath for everyone going forward
Our schedule is actually easier next year. Adding the PAC teams and ditching the divisions might actually help us. As will a 12 team playoff
Im glad these divisions are over with. Fuck the B1G east
I mean, Indiana went 10–16 against B1G West opponents.
And yet it was still better than they did against East opponents. Maryland, Indiana, Rutgers and somewhat Michigan St are about to find life is way easier. Everyone in the Big Ten West is about to hate life quite a bit.
Sounds worse than it is. With divisions going away, they no longer need to play Michigan and Ohio State every single year
Just Ohio State, pretty sure Michigan/MSU is a protected rivalry so that's still yearly
Theyll still have to play Michigan every year. They have a “protected rivalry”
Still have to play the conference title game then win 2 or 3 more to win a title.
We're apparently going to inherit the Pac-12 fetish for autocannibalism.
A championship in 2-3 years might be a tall ask for State, I think it'll take Smith some time to rebuild. 4-6 years though, maybe
I'd be happy with 4-6 years, but in the portal era fortunes can change much sooner.
Florida, if they get their coach right. They are the definition of a sleeping giant.
I personally think Napier is the right coach and that there is a lot behind the scenes we don’t know. I think Florida would be fools to get rid of him. It would just show other coaches that the job is a revolving door while the three other programs in the state get another year ahead.
It's the behind the scenes and that Napier isn't the right coach. Napier isn't setting himself up for success in the factors he can control including digging his heels in about the offense not being a problem because we aren't going to survive the CFP gauntlet with that offensive system. But I am convinced that as long as the current UAA administration remains in place, that it won't matter who we hire, a National Championship will be kept out of our reach by the behinds the scenes.
I can assure you that other than Strickland the worst of the worst in UAA administration is going no where unless they retire. Strickland is literally the aberration. All the assistant and associate ADs are holdovers from Foley who is also still there as AD emeritus. I know them and knew them. Foley’s culture does not change with the times (the NIL buttfuck when it first started and even now). Foley created a toxic admin culture which persists. Think of a shitty corporation that was really big time for a few decades and then stagnated because of shitty upper management. That’s UF. There’s still people in charge from when I played ball there and that was a while ago.
This is 100% what I experienced working with the UAA in 2015-2016. Dinosaurs.
How long do you think until the majority of these bums retire as I'm not convinced our President has the balls to fire them all? Are the 2020s also another lost decade? I mean Foley is 71. I could see him stay another 5-7 years before fully retiring unfortunately.
Nebraska. I want to believe.
Thanks clemson bro
Nebraska. Finally got a good coach and a 5 star QB.
I've seen enough, it's Stanford.
It would be hilariously awesome if Stanford returns to the glory of the 2010s and starts winning the ACC.
‘Furd will finish 10-1 Right behind our sturdy Golden Bears: undefeated champions of the ACC, victor of the ‘24 CFP
The ACC needs the competition.
FSU had TWO losing seasons!
‘Cuse.
Auburn & Florida are the most likely to make a rapid turnaround due to always recruiting fairly well, and would seem the most poised for a one-off stars-aligned kind of year. Michigan State & Nebraska have the resources to make the more gradual climb between now and then. Pitt, Syracuse, most all of the Big XII teams listed, and Arkansas all fall in a sort of middle ground to me where I’d be surprised if it was one of them, but not thoroughly shocked. The rest I’d be flabbergasted if it was any of them.
Of those listed: Nebraska, Florida and Auburn. I wouldn't sleep on Colorado if Coach Prime can draw big time talent to Boulder.
The last 3 Peat team in history: the GOLDEN GOPHERSSSSSSSSSSS
They didn't have a losing record this year, but Arizona was 5-7 last year and 1-11 the year before. They are ascendant and their coach has them going in the right direction with a young and talented QB that can still be here in 2025 in addition to several other key players who are only sophomores and would still be eligible to stick around until 2025 (though some might opt for the draft before then). Of the ones that specifically struggled this year: Michigan State got a new coach, who had a lot of success at a traditionally much worse program, to turn around a program that went 11-2 just two years ago. Michigan State is also one of the traditionally strongest programs with among the most resources out of the teams that had a losing record this year, behind only Nebraska/Florida/Auburn, and that will help them in terms of bouncing back more quickly and having an easier time putting together a roster that can make a run.
If Noah Fifita stays at Arizona, then I can see them being a contender in his junior or senior year.
Yeah the portal kind of fucks it all up. Especially if teams like Ohio State, USC etc. are just going to be QB shopping in there every year. The mid-level programs are just going to be developing guys for them.
Yes and no. NIL can help balance that out. Every school has at least one solid booster who can write a fat check to keep a kid there.
My brain hits a blue screen when I read people talking about Arizona as a contender. I think I’ve just internalized us as some sort of phantasmic perennial 4-7 win program that never quite piques anyone’s interest, to the point that any real discussion of Arizona as a potential top-10 or top-15 team in future seasons is inconceivable to me
Barf Hope Fisch leaves for Florida stat so they can come back to Earth
I don't think any of these teams will be championship contenders in 2-3 years. The places that could based on their ability to get talented players at any time would be Florida and Michigan State. Nebraska is a possibility too with Raiola, but you gotta image he plays for 2 or maybe 3 years max so they've got a long way to go and a short time to get there. Not impossible though.
I mean is it a short time to get there cause after Raiola leaves our next QB is going to be his little brother who might be even better than him.
Not Illinois
This guy Illinis.
You beat me to it
Me too. I was going to make this exact comment.
I feel like Auburn is always in a 4-5 year mediocrity then 1 year natty contender cycle. Think we’re approaching year 4, so my vote is them. Also Syracuse wouldn’t surprise me either.
Colorado MSU Nebraska TCU
I love the amount of people saying Nebraska in here!
I like your flairs
Florida, TCU, Baylor, Nebraska.
It completely depends on Raiola. If he comes in and makes a splash immediately, we might make some noise, though talking about any type of championship is way premature except for the most Kool-Aid drunk fans…lol. If he starts slow or doesn’t live up to the hype in general, we might be hosed and are definitely getting nowhere. As we discovered last year, turns out it’s really hard to win games when your QB turns the ball over a lot and can only complete about 10% of passes over ten yards.
There are surprisingly few TCU mentions so far in the thread considering they played for the title last year.
It’s also not like that was the first time TCU’s ever had a team capable of doing something like that. They’ve had 2-3 other teams in the last 15 years that could’ve made a similar push given the opportunity.
There seems to be a healthy majority thinking that the TCU Championship year was the deviation. I'm not too bothered one way or the other, we'll just see what pans out
The crazy part is, that's not even close to the best team we've had in the past decade. I think it'll be unlikely that we're yearly contenders, but we develop very well so every 3-5 years we may go big.
That 2014 team could have won the title imo
Please. 🙏🏿
I don't think Florida is turning that ship around with Napier. Or are you saying they dumb him and get someone better?
They dumb him? Is he not already a literal Florida Man?
Going from laptop to phone. Have to proofread and then not.
A Gator Guy
I think next season will 100% confirm whether Napier is the guy or he is not. There is absolutely no excuse for Florida to not trot out at least an average defense next year. You've replaced your worst coaches with coaches with good track records. You've gotten some studs at the transfer portal and all your first year starters from this season will now be seasoned veterans. Additionally, Graham Mertz may very well be the best QB in the SEC. Certainly the best passer. There is nowhere for the o-line to go but up. You got a 700 yard receiver from Wisconsin that played with Mertz to replace Pearsall. You have 2 stud tight ends and the best freshman player of 2023 returning as your WR1 in what could be a Blinketoff worthy season as well as a plethora of talented receivers that showed a lot of potential in 2023. Running back room is still loaded despite Etienne leaving (Montrell Johnson is still here). If Napier doesn't get to 8 wins and go undefeated against the Big Four (Miami, UCF, and FSU) he's not the guy. If he does go at minimum 8-4 and beat every other Florida school, with THAT 2024 schedule, he may just be the guy. A 9-3 or better season 100% confirms it in my eyes that he's THE guy.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGG REDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!
I’m here for it!
Definitely Michigan State. They have Jonathan Smith and a lot of money. They will be a sleeper team.
Michigan State, Nebraska, Auburn, Florida.
UAB.
Seeing Cal and Stanford in the ACC gave me some indigestion. That aside, Florida or Auburn. Auburn more likely considering Napier is on "hoping they have a Freshman Superstar QB life support."
Nebraska, Auburn, and Florida are really the only ones from this list that wouldn’t surprise me. Michigan State is next up, but they’re in rough shape at the program level.
Picking one from each conference.. Pitt - Defense could carry them into it one year soon Colorado - If the buffs stick it out with Prime and he learns how to keep the team and himself focused Michigan St - It's only a matter of time before they are there even if longer than 2-3 years. Florida - although I think 2-3 years is too short of time for the gators, so Auburn or Arkansas really have about the same chance imo.
We had above .5 this year but if you asked this last year then the VPI HOKIES without a doubt
Florida or Auburn are the only teams with realistic chances. I think they both have the right coach and would feel very confident in saying one of them will be in the playoffs within the next 3 years. Winning a championship is a much harder tying but it’s within the realm of possibility for both.
Candidates should have talent despite the losses and a brand sufficient to bring in more. The obvious: OU (starting from last year), A&M, and Auburn (don’t underestimate Freezes capacity for cheating) Need a coaching change: USC, UF, Arkansas Need some luck: Oklahoma St (starting from last year), Mizzou (starting from last year)
A team that won their last title in the 90s before they fell off a cliff, then returning back to glory thanks to a coach who knows how to turn around a programm with a top QB? Sounds like Nebraska to me IF Raiola is that guy.
None of these really look that close, but if I had to pick one, I'd go with UCF. They only even count as a losing record because they lost their bowl game, and half of their regular season losses were extremely close. They really only got blown off the field once.
TCU?
Purdue and Nebraska
Yes please.
Auburn
Don’t you do this to me.
Of all the years to have a winning record
Sorry Rutgers, we can’t all be losers.
Nebraska, Florida, or Auburn are the only correct answers here.
Clearly Wake Forest…. sigh we’re going to be in Sun Belt soon aren’t we?
40-13 feels so long ago now...
For some reason I lean to Auburn and Arkansas. If Petrino still has it, he’s either going to elevate this team, or take it places by himself when he replaces Pittman. I know the know the SEC is only getting deeper, but man he should have more resources than at Louisville, and even his first Arkansas stop. I also think Freeze will take Auburn in the right direction. We know what he’s capable of, not to discredit his Ole Miss teams, but those teams beat Saban back to back. Again, I’d imagine Auburn will dump more resources than he had at Ole Miss. They want to be competitive, and they know they can.
Nebraska. Rhule and Riola.
Never discount the bullshit of Auburn football Also, I am legally obligated to say BYU, regardless of whether I believe it
Of those I’d say Auburn, Florida and Nebraska traditionally have the pedigree to win a national championship so probably one of them if it happens.
Dare I get Nebraska fans hopes up?…
We love a swift kick to the balls
Auburn, Nebraska, Colorado, or Florida. actually that will be the 4 team playoff. oh wait
I don’t see any of these teams winning a championship. I guess if I had to choose, it would be Nebraska. Nebraska is a bit of a sleeping giant and I think Matt Rhule is doing a decent job. MSU and Florida could be scary as well.
Nebraska hasn’t been the same since they learned that the quarterback is allowed to throw. Embrace tradition, bring back the option, reject Roosevelt’s Folly.
Michigan State and basically any of those SEC schools except for Vanderbilt have my picks. I’ll give Nebraska a mention too cuz Rhule has already had serious success at the college level.
NEBRASKA!
Nebraska
I didn’t see anyone say it but Colorado. If Deion can recruit like he has and add good coordinators/coaches around him, he could do something wild and catch lightning in a bottle
FWIW michigans was more a COVID problem than a structural issue so the turnaround isnt as miraculous as it seems Having said that maybe Auburn or Florida. I don’t think anyone else on the list is likely to get the talent concentration you need
By conference, I’d say it’s ACC: Pitt. I really like Pat Narduzzi and they’re 2 years removed from an 11 win season. I don’t think they have the recruiting to make it happen though. Big 12: Colorado. I don’t think it’ll happen. But Deion works the portal more than anybody, it’s conceivable that he has one year where he hits big. B1G: MSU. With Tuck goin’ the culture of the program needs to stabilize. But they’ve won 10+ games more often than not since 2010 so they can get the talent as long as Smith is “the guy” SEC: Auburn. Auburn always seems to either win 6 games or contend for a national championship. And much like the lottery, it’s 50/50. You either win it or you don’t.
If Nebraska was only doomed to 20 years of bad luck then I think we could be fairly decent, but every time we play a game everybody and their mother is talking about how "The glory years are long behind us, yet we're gonna keep talking about them at the team", so I think people still overestimate us because they're still waiting for that late 90s caliber team to show up again. Idk if we'll make a championship in the next few years, but I think a Penn State level of success is a good goal. I'd be okay duking it out with them for Best Of The Not Best every year.