On Saturday: The Ultimate 2024 College Football Preview – Part 1
It’s August, summer is winding down, vacation time is wrapping up, kids are weeping as they will soon be forced to return to school. . . and I couldn’t be happier!
The end of summer means it’s time for college football.
The beautiful game made its return this past Saturday with a handful of games taking place for what’s known as week 0 and right off the bat we got chaos. The very first game of the 2024 season saw the number 10 ranked team in the nation, Florida State, fall to unranked Georgia Tech on a walk-off 44-yard field goal. Is FSU worse than we thought, or is Tech better than pundits believed? We’ll have a whole season to answer that question along with many others.
Speaking of returns, this article marks the return of Talent Alone’s premiere college football column On Saturday. It’s time to preview the upcoming season, however, there’s one problem. So much has happened since Michigan hoisted the National Title back in January that it’s hard for me to figure out what to preview or a coherent way to do it. Instead, what we have here, is a thought dump of all the things that have gone through my head over the past few months related to college football. I’m talking all those thoughts, adding some headers, finishing it off with some future bets and calling it, The Ultimate 2024 College Football Preview. Enjoy.
What's Changing in 2024?
The 12-Team Playoff
The most notable change this season is obviously the expanded playoff format. While expanding the playoffs to 12 teams was a heavily debated topic for a stretch of time, many came around on the subject after it became official, with most pundits’ change of heart coming in the wake of the undefeated ACC Champion Florida State Seminoles being left out of the playoff last season. The 12-team setup will prevent anything like that from happening again as the power four conference winners (The ACC, SEC, BIG 10, and BIG 12) are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. More specifically, they will get a top-four seed and the first-round bye that comes with it.
The new playoff format won’t just lessen any “what if?” questions surrounding left-out teams, it changes much much more. It extends the life of every team’s season. In the past, one loss severely hampered your playoff chances. Last year, Ohio State’s one loss was to the eventual champs, Michigan, and that one loss cost them a playoff spot. Georgia lost its first game in two years when they fell to Alabama in the SEC title game last season, and it left them on the outside looking in. This year, those teams would most likely be hosting a home game in round one. In the past, two L’s killed your season. Now, two-loss teams will still be very much alive. Last season, spots 8-12 in the Final regular season CFP rankings were occupied by two-loss teams. Depending on how the season shakes out, and strength of schedule, we could even see teams with three losses make the playoffs. For example, in 2022 Utah and Kansas St. finished the season ranked 8th and 9th despite each dropping three games.
This also alters how we look at teams’ schedules going in and how the ramifications of each week will play out. It all adds up to a win for fans and TV ratings. Schools once considered out of the race in the four-team format will still be alive later in the season. Even if a team loses a game they “can afford,” it will have a ripple effect on seeding and by extension what teams get a home game. While the L’s won’t be as detrimental in the 12-team format, more games will matter as the season progresses.
Headsets in Helmets
The NCAA finally decided to embrace the times, by which I mean doing the thing that the NFL has done since 1994, and allow the use of helmet communications. Just like The Shield allows, each team’s QB and Mike linebacker will have headsets in their helmets to hear play calls and the like. It won’t completely remove the use of sideline signals or the potential for them to be stolen, but it will vastly lessen it and hopefully avoid any future scandals.
RIP Conor Stalions. He died so helmet communications could finally live in college football.
Two-Minute Time Out
Last season we saw the NCAA tweak its clock management rules in an attempt to speed up the game. No longer did the clock stop after every first down and restart once the ball was set. Instead, that mechanic was now reserved for just the final two minutes of each half (a rule this writer thinks the NFL should adopt.) Adding onto that, this season is the introduction of a two-minute warning. Which ironically will now slightly slow down the game. Either way, it’s not an earth-shattering change, unless you’re someone who complains about all changes in sports.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WATCH ONE EXTRA JAKE FROM STATE FARM COMMERCIAL?!?? DAMN SNOWFLAKES!!!”
The biggest effect it will have on the game is giving trailing teams an extra time out, but if that leads to more comebacks and exciting games then why would anyone complain?
Conference Realignment DUH DUH DUH!
Realignment has been happening for years now, but this year feels like the biggest. Thanks in part to an entire conference, the Pac-12, basically collapsing and all but two teams leaving for a different conference. Here’s who will have a new home this year.
Big Ten:
The Big Ten reaped the most rewards from the Pac-12’s demise. The now 18-team conference will be welcoming in Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA. That’s a nice haul. Washington played in the Natty last season, USC is the biggest program on the West Coast, UCLA is that other California school not named USC, and Oregon is one of the favorites to win the national title. The addition of those teams also caused the end of the Big Ten East and West divisions where the winners of each played for the conference title. It’s a welcomed change. The prior setup saw Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State all occupy the same division meaning we never truly got the best two teams in the Big Ten Championship game. With the added competition from out west and the removal of separate divisions, it should be a long time before we are forced to watch another Iowa-level school play for the conference title.
Woo! The first article of the new season and my first dig at Iowa. It’s good to be back, baby!
SEC:
The South Eastern Conference is adding to its heavyweight mystique with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. Two long storied programs with one of the greatest rivalries in college football. A year removed from making the playoffs many expect Texas to come in and compete with the SEC’s top teams. Meanwhile, the Sooners come in with 19 returning starters and a five-star recruit taking over at QB. They won’t be an easy out for any team they play this year. Similar to the Big Ten, the SEC has opted to no longer have two separate divisions.
It’s unfortunate but I have to be honest, with all the changes happening in the conference, I don’t think this will be Vanderbilt’s year.
Big 12:
The Big 12 lost its two biggest programs and decided to reach into the Pac-12 bag and see what they pulled out. The result was the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah. If you want to rank the Big 12 fourth among the Power Four conferences that’s fair. However, you can’t deny it’s going to be arguably the most fun conference to watch play out. While they lack the heavy-hitting programs of the SEC or Big Ten and don’t even have a team ranked in the top ten of the preseason AP Top 25, they will have the one thing we’ve come to expect from the Big 12. Chaos. I could easily make the case for why six different teams are going to win this conference. The standings are going to shift weekly and the betting lines are going to be all over the place. It’s going to be another season where every time a team looks like they’ve established themselves as the team to beat, they lose their next game. To quote Bart Scott, “Can’t Wait!”
ACC:
It feels like the ACC added teams because they felt they had to in order to not fall further behind. However, they didn’t add any programs on the level of what the SEC or Big Ten did. Three teams are joining the conference, California, Stanford, and SMU. Of those three, The SMU Mustangs feel the most exciting as they come in on the heels of a spectacular 11-3 season where they won the AAC Championship. The Atlantic Coast Conference is teetering on having some real problems. Their top two programs right now, Florida State and Clemson, don’t appear keen on sticking around. While neither are leaving after this season, they both have filed suits against the conference in regards to what it would cost them to eventually leave. They’re basically arguing over a divorce settlement before either has officially filed for divorce.
PAC-12:
*Ques montage* I will remember you, will you remember me (please play up while reminiscing about the PAC-12)
Conference USA:
In what is no doubt the biggest of all the conference realignment moves, Kennesaw State is making the move up from the FCS. Go Owls!
Freshman Five
This may come as a surprise to some, *cough* Deion Sanders *cough* but you can get great players and build a winning team without using just the transfer portal. You can do it the old-fashioned way and recruit top-tier talent out of high school. With that said, let’s stop giving the portal all the love for a second. Let’s take a moment to highlight some true freshmen who will be making an impact on the field this season.
Jeremiah Smith WR, Ohio State
Michael Thomas, Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave, Garret Wilson, Jaxson Smith-Ngiba, and Marvin Harrison Jr. All of those men are former Buckeyes and examples of the wide receiver factory Ohio State has become. That factory is about to churn out another potential monster in Jeremiah Smith. The hype has been heavy for the 2024 number-one recruit in the nation who was recently given “Iron Buckeye” honors by the team. Standing 6’3” 213 lbs Smith is an athletic freak who possesses elite-tier speed and strength to go with his size. The Opa Locka, FL native is already penciled in to not just play, but be a starter as a true freshman. He’s spent the spring practicing against Ohio State’s talented defensive backs and still managed to be a human highlight reel.
Jeremiah Smith 😳 pic.twitter.com/8tG66Yltsn
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 6, 2024
Dylan Raiola QB, Nebraska
Who Rules? Matt Rhules!!!
Raiola was a five-star recruit and the 2nd ranked QB in the nation in the 2024 class. He had offers from plenty of top programs including Ohio State and his hometown Georgia Bulldogs. However, current Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule found a way to lure him to Lincoln, Nebraska. Now instead of spending his freshman season redshirted or riding the bench, Raiola walks into a situation where he will be starting day one. The true freshman has elite-tier arm talent fueled by a beautiful deep ball and a strong arm. I’m talking about a flick-of-the-wrist kind of strong arm.
HOUSE CALL @RaiolaDylan ➡️ @LloydJaylen
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) April 27, 2024
and yes, bro was triple jumping in the end zone 🤣#GBR | @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/8ehr5lPVoA
The hype around Raiola is high with there being some similarities to Patrick Mahomes. The kid wears number 15, has similar mannerisms, techniques, and even has the same hairstyle as the three-time Super Bowl winner. He also does goofy Mahomes-esque stuff like this.
.@RaiolaDylan gets it down the field to @JordanAllen_12 DESPITE the pressure 🔥@buford_football | #gpbsports pic.twitter.com/mZkx9yDSFa
— GPB Sports (@GPBsports) September 15, 2023
Ellis Robinson IV
As part of their number one ranked 2024 recruiting class, Georgia locked down not only the top safety in the nation, KJ Bolden, but they signed the top corner and number two overall ranked recruit Ellis Robinson IV. 6’ 180lbs, Robinson possesses the length and speed you expect from a top-tier DB. Kirby Smart has never been shy about giving freshmen play time if they are performing. On top of that, The Bulldogs are not deep at corner the way they are at safety. Robinson will get his chance to make an impact this season.
Crimson Tide Trio
The Crimson Tide lost a lot at defensive back this offseason. For starters, three DBs went in the NFL draft this past spring with two of them, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, going on day one. Making matters worse they lost safety Caleb Downs in the transfer portal to OSU, along with two other four-star DBs. Luckily for new head coach Kalen Deboar, few people could recruit like Nick Saban could. As part of his final recruiting class, Saban locked down three five-star defensive backs in Jaylen Mbakwe, Zabien Brown, and Zavier Mincey. With the large amount of turnover, it’s expected that one of, if not all three of them, will see the field throughout the season. Each has gotten their fair share of reps throughout spring practice with the 1s and 2s while Brown even got the start in the team’s spring game.
Sammy Brown LB, Clemson
Brown is a freak athlete who also excelled in wrestling and track while dominating on the football field, posting 350 tackles and 5000 rushing yards in his high school career. He has all the tools and skill to make an impact as a freshman. However, he may not see the field as much as others on this list due to the amount of Linebacking talent ahead of him on Clemson’s roster. Either way, I refused to keep him off my list. If only for the sole reason that people need to see what is now the greatest mullet in the history of college football.
Sorry, Bosworth.
Future Bets
Mizzou to make the CFP (+180)
These colors don’t run. Everybody who read this column last season knows I became a big fan of Mizzou and the 2023 they had. All signs point to them building on that this year. They’re returning a good offense featuring the best wide receiver in the nation, Luther Burden III, and senior QB Brady Cook. They helped mitigate what they lost on defense in the NFL draft through the transfer portal as well. The Tigers currently have three top-25 teams on the schedule, road games against Texas A&M and Alabama, and a home game against the Oklahoma Sooners. I have them splitting the road games, with them most likely suffering a loss in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide. If they beat OU and go 11-1 they are a lock to make the playoffs. However, even if they go 1-2 in those games, they could still get in depending on how things play out.
UNC Over 7.5 wins (-115)
Losing a QB like Drake Maye is tough to make up for, however, it helps when you have a cakewalk schedule like The Tar Heels have. As long as they can get past Minnesota on the road in their first game, UNC could start 6-0 thanks to this schedule. All I’m asking for is two more wins in the next six games out of this Tarheels squad. Which should be feasible when two of those games are against Wake Forest and Virginia. While replacing Drake Maye with Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson is a downgrade at QB, they do return RB Omarion Hampton who ran for 1500 yards last season. This should hit, but as we saw last season, UNC has a knack for losing games they should win. It’s been a problem throughout Mack Brown’s tenure as head coach in Chapel Hill. I know this, yet I am still betting on this. Why? Because I have an abusive relationship with sports and betting on them.
At least I can admit it.
Georgia to win SEC (+180)
Just bet this now before the odds flip to minus money.
Georgia will have the best defense in the SEC this season. That’s already known. On offense, they have the biggest part covered with the return of Carson Beck at QB. They also hit the portal hard to reload on weapons in the offseason, bringing in Ben Yurosek from Stanford, London Humphreys from Vanderbilt, Colbie Young from Miami, and Trevor Etienne from Florida. The Bulldogs are top to bottom a complete football team and one of the best recruiters in the nation. They have the most talent in the conference. They take a trip to Alabama in week 5. If Georgia is successful at avenging their loss to the Tide in the SEC title game, then these odds will flip. So I repeat. Just bet this now.
Michigan 10+ Wins (+152)
The defending champs do have their question marks on offense this season. Mainly at QB and receiver. Two pretty important areas. However, here’s what’s not a question. The one aspect of the offense that does give fans more hope is Donovan Edwards, who should give them the ability to learn on the run and control games the way they did last year. Edwards also adds an explosive play-breaking element to the team. Just ask the 2023 Washington Huskies.
Throwback to Donovan Edwards’ 2 touchdown game in the National Championship 〽️
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) July 20, 2024
Cover athlete things 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/Ailkn2dqNj
This defense will be as good as ever. Not only has Michigan recruited very well in recent years, but they are also returning some key pieces from last year’s title team with such players as DT Mason Graham and CB Will Johnson. The three notable games with loss potential on their schedules are Texas, USC, and Ohio State. The USC game is at home and it will be the post-Caleb Williams offense up against a Michigan defense that will prove to be overwhelming. I’m counting that one as a win. Meanwhile, the Ohio State game at the end of the season is on the road and The Buckeyes strike me as a more complete team this season. That one I’m putting down as a loss. That just leaves their early season showdown with the Longhorns. Win or lose this bet hits, but for the record, I’m taking UM here too.
Ohio State Undefeated Regular season (+250)
I just want to state for the record that, as a fan, I hate Ohio State. But as an unbiased journalist of the highest integrity, I have to go all in when I see a roster as impressive as this one. Ohio State very well may have the best defense in all of football. In particular, they sport a defensive line and secondary that very few can match. That side of the field is the same as last season, what they did in the offseason was address the offense. The Buckeyes went out and got Will Howard from Kansas State, which in theory should offer an improved more steady hand at QB, and they doubled down on their run game with the addition of Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss. Judkins will pair up with the returning Treyveon Henderson to create a dominant 1-2 punch for The Buckeyes.
The one game most circled as an L on their schedule is when they head to Eugene to play Oregon. An understandable take, however, I would like to remind everybody of one thing.
Defense travels.
If any team can slow down Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks it will be this squad. Following the showdown with the Ducks, they have two more notable games, both of which carry the theme of good defense and questionable offense. The first game on their schedule is at Penn State. Yes, that’s another top-25 road game, but let’s all be honest, Ohio State has won 11 of the last 12 meetings in that matchup. They’ve made a habit of depressing the happy valley. The other is the final game of their season when they host Michigan. Questions swirl around how productive the Wolverines’ offense will be so I’m sure we’ll be in store for another close low-scoring affair in this rivalry. The fact that the game is at Ohio State makes me lean towards The Buckeyes snapping their now three year losing streak to Big Blue and finishing the regular season perfect.
That’s all for this week. It’s good to be back and I look forward to covering the amazing roller coaster that is college football in the coming months for Talent Alone. I’ll be back soon to preview week one and laid down more spicy bets.
