College football rankings: Every top 25 team's biggest strength (2024)

25. Louisville Cardinals

Biggest strength: Defensive line

Ashton Gillotte brings 11 sacks and 14.5 tackles for last season back to Louisville's restructured defensive front, which includes a bevy of transfer portal additions who should provide immediate aid in the Cardinals' quest of returning to the ACC Championship Game.

24. Virginia Tech Hokies

Biggest strength: Defense

This might be the strongest unit seen in a decade in Blacksburg given the decisions by several draftable players to return.Edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland tallied 9.5 sacks, cornerbacks Dorian Strong and Mansoor Delane would've been mid-round selections and Duke transfer Aeneas Peebles has chosen Virginia Tech for added spotlight.

23. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Biggest strength: Running back room

When you bring back the Doak Walker Award winner, you simply feed him behind a strong, veteran offensive line and let him work. Ollie Gordon II figures to be one of college football's leaders in yards, touchdowns and total attempts this fall for the Cowboys in the Big 12.

22. West Virginia Mountaineers

Biggest strength: Running back room

UnlessGarrett Greenegobbles up most of the rushing touchdowns in the red zone, West Virginia's standout duo of CJ Donaldson andJahiem Whitefigures to be uber-productive in this spread attack from the Mountaineers. As a freshman last season, White used his 5-7, 190-pound frame to squeeze his way between defenders and managed several big plays en route to three 100-yard games over his final five, highlighted by 204 yards against Cincinnati.

21. USC Trojans

Biggest strength: Wide receiver room

Miller Moss takes over at quarterback for No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and has a plethora of talent to distribute the football to offensively. Zachariah Branch is a budding star at multiple positions, while Duce Robinson and Ja'Kobi Lane are emerging threats.

20. NC State Wolfpack

Biggest strength: Offensive line

Anthony Belton and Jacarrius Peakreturn as NC State's veteran starting tackles and the Wolfpack made sure to plug other holes with portal assistance. Guard Timothy McKay is one of the most dependable players at his position in the ACC and former Notre Dame center Zeke Correll -- a Top 10 interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal -- will look to lock up the middle in the trenches.

Biggest strength: Quarterback room

It bears repeating — the Aggies must do everything they can to keep Conner Weigman healthy. He was off to a terrific start last season through four starts before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the campaign. Texas A&M was able to look at several other signal callers as a result,including Fresno State transfer Jaylen Henderson, who stepped in following an injury to Max Johnson. True freshman Marcel Reed played well in the bowl game after Henderson got nicked up. New offensive coordinator Collin Klein has a wave of talent, but it starts with Weigman.

Biggest strength:Leadership

Assuming Cameron Risingreturned to normal following knee surgery causing him to miss the entirety of 2023, there might not be a Big 12 team that feels better about its quarterback situation from a leadership standpoint than the Utes. Utah appeared out of sorts at times offensively last fall without him and what Rising brings to the table can not be understated. He helped Utah reach the Rose Bowl in consecutive years previously and has ample experience in crucial moments.

Biggest strength: Running back room

DJ Gidden rushed for1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and to further strengthen the running back room, the Wildcats recently secured a commitment from Colorado transfer and Kansas State legacy Dylan Edwards in the post-spring transfer market. Edwards worked out at wide receiver some for the Buffaloes earlier this year, but expects to get most of his work in the backfield at Kansas State. These two should be dynamic help for new starting quarterback Avery Johnson following Will Howard's departure to Ohio State.

Biggest strength: Defensive line

Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. Those are the two names you need to know. Expect trench warfare when Clemson opens the season against Georgia given the production from those two former elite-level recruits.Much is expected up front from Cade Denhoff and Payton Page as well following the losses of Xavier Thomas and Tyler Davis from Clemson's pass rush. DeMonte Capehart has breakout star potential along the defensive front in Death Valley.

Biggest strength: Wide receiver room

Oklahoma'sDeion Burks— a transfer fromPurdue— could be theSEC's breakout star and lead the league in catches, yards and touchdowns. As one of the long options with the Boilermakers last fall, Burks snagged 47 receptions for 629 yards and seven scores despite being often double-teamed and schemed against. In the SEC, he'll have more one-on-one opportunities and if his spring practice production was any indication, he's already the preferred target forJackson Arnoldin Oklahoma's passing game. Andrel Anthony and Nic Anderson add big-play abilities as well at the position.

Biggest strength:Skill position talent

There's no reason why Miami shouldn't be one of the ACC's top teams in every offensive category given the firepower from the portal. Not only did the Hurricanes add Cam Ward at quarterback, but Oregon State's Damien Martinez was a post-spring signing to pair with Mark Fletcher in the backfield and Sam Brown at wideout is a big play waiting to happen. Pair that trio with a veteran offensive line group and Miami should have no issues scoring points in bunches given its offseason investments.

Biggest strength: Offensive line

With a combined 50 career starts between the pair, you're not going to find a better 1-2 offensive tackle punch than whatLSUbrings to the table this fall with WillCampbellandEmery Jones. There's a good chance both of those guys are first-round picks in 2025 and that's just the start of the good things up front in Baton Rouge.Garrett DellingerandMiles Frazierare also returning starters and Frazier's 37 starts at guard is more than any player in the conference at his position. If DJ Chester gets up to speed at center and joins this cast of difference-makers,Garrett Nussmeiershould have plenty of time to operate.

Biggest strength:Front seven

Everyone knows where Tennessee's bread is buttered on defense — starting and ending withJames Pearce Jr., who might be college football's top returning defensive player. He accumulated 14.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage with 10 sacks last fall, one of the best individual seasons in program history.Now, if the Vols can get dependable productionfromJoshua Josephsbehind him, this defense will be elite. Five-star freshman Jordan Ross is a summer enrollee and adds to the talent at the Leo position.Tennesseefeels great about seniorsBryson EasonandOmari Thomasat defensive tackle and Dominic Bailey is expected to get first dibs at the other edge opposite of Pearce.

Biggest strength: Running back room

Despite losing Trey Benson, the Seminoles feel great about their situation in the backfield with the return ofLawrance Toafili and Caziah Holmes, along with the transfer portal additions of Alabama's Roydell Williams and speedster Jaylin Lucas from Indiana. With a new quarterback starter in D.J. Uiagalelei, there's a sense Florida State could rely on its running game this season with a greater emphasis on bringing the boom at the point of attack.

Biggest strength:Secondary

Notre Dame is right up there with Ohio Statefor the nation's best secondary given the talent and production numbers returning at the back end for the Fighting Irish. Safety Xavier Watts was an All-American last fall after accumulating seven interceptions and there's several star-level cornerbacks who will help out, Northwestern transfer Rod Heard II and veteran playmakerBenjamin Morrison. Jaden Mickey and Jordan Clark, an Arizona State transfer, are the two other startersin the secondary.

Biggest strength: Running back room

The tandem of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton in Happy Valley has been vicious since the day they both stepped on campus a couple years ago, but that said, the duo's freshman season numbers in 2022 were slightly better than last fall's production. That's when Singleton rushed for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns while Allen added 867 yards and 10 scores. If the pair posts similar numbers as juniors,Penn Stateshould be a playoff team.

Biggest strength: Wide receiver room

When you can take the field with Luther Burden, Mookie Cooper and Theo Wease, your offense is going to feel great about its chunk-play potential. Don't be surprised if Missouri leads the SEC in explosive this fall through the air with Brady Cook returning at quarterback and this trio on the outside. The Tigers expect to use versatile weapon Burden in a variety of ways and if he's double-teamed, there's plenty of other reliable options to target. Burden said at SEC Media Days he expects to see an array of coverages to try and limit his production.

Biggest strength: Defense

There's first-round talent at all three levels defensively, so we're going with the entire position unit under first-year coach Sherrone Moore.Mason Graham andKenneth Grantreturn at the line of scrimmage andMichigancan absorb the loss of Colson withErnest Hausmannand Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham taking over in leadership roles.Makari Paigeis back too, and Will Johnson — one of the nation's top cornerbacks. SafetyKeon Sabbleaving forAlabamawas the only notable portal casualty following the coaching change. Impressive.

Biggest strength: Skill position talent

Lane Kiffincalls it rat poison, but this offensive personnel list is a wealth of riches this spring in Oxford. Equipped with the top-ranked transfer class in the country with a few of those newcomers in starting roles offensively, the Rebels will score points in bunches with Jaxson Dart leading. Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins return as leading options at receiver, but Ole Miss also welcomes productive target Juice Wells after starringat South Carolina and go-to tight end Caden Prieskorn.

Biggest strength: Kalen DeBoer's offensive philosophy

There's an expectation in Tuscaloosa that the new brains behind Alabama's scheme will not only help Jalen Milroe thrive at quarterback, but the Crimson Tide will produce a bevy of explosive plays at wide receiver and in the backfield due to scheme. Justice Haynes and Jam Miller are talented ballcarriers and five-star wideout Ryan Williams is expected to be an immediate go-to threat downfield. Toss in Washington transfer Germie Bernard and Alabama feels great about its arsenal on DeBoer's side of the football.

Biggest strength: Skill position talent

Not only did the Ducks add two top-level quarterbacks with Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore, but landing Texas A&M star wideout Evan Stewart to pair with sensation Tez Johnson gives Oregon arguably the filthiest tandem at the position in the Big Ten. Toss running backs Jordan James and Jordan Whittington in the mix and this offense will be fireworks-heavy under Will Stein.Theynow become focal points within a tempo-based offensive scheme at Oregon. The pair averaged better than seven yards per carry last season and combined for 13 touchdowns behindBucky Irving, the Ducks' leading rusher who bolted for the NFL.

Biggest strength: Quarterback room

You could certainly go offensive line here for the Longhorns, but after Texas lost quarterback transfersMaalik Murphyto Duke and Charles Wright toAppalachian State, this offensestillholds the most star-studded room in college football at the position with Quinn Ewers returning and Arch Manning — with supernova potential — behind him. Manning, despite being the top player in 2023, is seemingly content with being the Longhorns' emergency option behind Ewers andunderstands that his time will come in Austin. That's a testament to the level of buy-in at a program coming off its first College Football Playoff appearance that seems to be building considerable momentum under coach Steve Sarkisian. Considering theLonghorns' offensive arsenal as a group topped our "sweethearts" ranking earlier this springheading into the 2024 season, Ewers and Manning are going to have plenty of talent around them to flex a banner campaign through the air. And there's no controversy on who will start, either.

Biggest strength: Front seven

No team in the SEC churned out more elite-level, early-round picks in recent years along its defensive front likeGeorgiaand we're expecting more of the same this season leading into the 2025 NFL Draft. SeniorsWarren BrinsonandNazir Stackhouseat defensive tackle and nose are two talents who would start for any team in the country and the Bulldogs will go a couple players deep at end behindMykel Williams. Williams, who has the frame of an outside linebacker, is the potential superstar according to those close to the team and most are expecting rapid ascension for him this fall. And we haven't even mentioned how deep this unit goes at the linebacker spot with Smael Mondon and CJ Allen among the notables.

Biggest strength: Running back room

Over his first three seasons with the Buckeyes, TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 2,745 yards and 32 touchdowns. Quinshon Judkins, who transferred to Ohio State in January from Ole Miss, has those numbers (2,725 yards, 31 scores) intwoseasons as a collegian. This is a two-headed monster in Columbus which, on paper, is comparable to some of the bestbackfield duos of all-time. Don't be surprised if one of these two makes the trip to New York. Ohio State is loaded everywhere, but especially in the backfield.