Welcome to the day after college football season comes to an end which may as well be better known as National Way Too Early Top 25 for Next Season Day.
I don’t say that to knock any outlet that does it because where do all of our minds go the second the national championship game ends? Assuming we’re not fans of the team that won the title it goes to “how will next year be?”
The 2024 college football season will see major change. The Pac 12 essentially is no-more despite Oregon State and Washington State’s best efforts. That comes after Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC all bolted for the Big Ten.
Elsewhere the Big 12 (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah) and ACC (Cal, Stanford) pick up the rest of the Pac-12 scraps with SMU leaves the AAC to also join the ACC.
Got it all?
Great.
Oh, and Oklahoma and Texas finally join the SEC as they were the two that kickstarted this whole thing, anyway.
So who will be the favorites to land in the new-look, 12-team playoff next year?
Here is how ESPN ranked their 2024 top 25 in their version of the “Way Too Early” rankings.
Oh, and make sure you don’t forget to check for where Lincoln Riley and USC check in.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
2023 Record: 10-4 overall, 7-2 in Big Ten
One Question: Will it even matter that they’re changing offensive coordinators?
Visit Hawkeyes Wire
SMU
Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
2023 Record: 11-3 overall, 8-0 in AAC
One Question: Are the Mustangs in for a reality check as the level of competition takes a significant step up?
SMU will play football in the ACC in 2024
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
2023 Record: 9-4 overall, 4-4 in Big 12
One Question: Will that 4-4 mark in conference play be a building block or a sign of things to come in being able to beat the better conference foes?
USA TODAY SPORTS
2023 Record: 10-4…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-releases-way-too-early-004555558.html
Author : Fighting Irish Wire
Publish date : 2024-01-10 00:45:55
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