Isaiah Hole
August 19, 2024 4:22 pm ET
College football is just days away if you’re counting on the four Week 0 games and just over a week and a half away if your eyes are set on Week 1.
With that in mind, though expected to be good, there aren’t as high hopes for defending national champion Michigan football compared to last year, with others such as Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, and Alabama getting most of the preseason attention.
Conferences are expanding this year with the SEC adding Oklahoma and Texas while the Big Ten adds USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon. The nonconference slate is perhaps more intriguing this year compared to others.
With the season about to commence, ESPN has updated its power rankings from spring ball to now. Here is what the worldwide leader thinks the college landscape looks like as of current.
25
Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 23 (-2)
2023 result: No. 24, 10-4, lost to Tennessee in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 30 (69% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin
24
Kansas Jayhawks
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 22 (-2)
2023 result: No. 23, 9-4, beat UNLV in Guaranteed Rate Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 78 (59% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Illinois, Kansas State, BYU
23
USC Trojans
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 25 (+2)
2023 result: NR, 8-5, beat Louisville in DirecTV Holiday Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 99 (50% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame
22
Texas A&M Aggies
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): NR
2023 result: NR, 7-6, lost to Oklahoma State in TaxAct Texas Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 18 (72% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: LSU, Notre Dame, Missouri, Texas
21
Arizona Wildcats
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 21 (-1)
2023 result: No. 11, 10-3, beat Oklahoma in Valero Alamo Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 43 (66% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Kansas State, Utah, UCF
20
NC State WolfpackPrevious (spring): 13 (-7)
2023 result: No. 21, 9-4, lost to Kansas State in Pop Tarts Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 80 (59% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Tennessee, Clemson, North Carolina
19
Miami Hurricanes
Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 24 (+5)
2023 result: NR, 7-6, lost to Rutgers in Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 45 (66% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Florida, Louisville, Florida State
18
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Sarah Phipps-The Oklahoman
Previous (spring): 19 (+1)
2023 result: No. 16, 10-4, beat Texas A&M in TaxAct Texas Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 4 (77% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Arkansas, Utah, Kansas State
17
Oklahoma Sooners
Bryan Terry-The Oklahoman
Previous (spring): 18 (+1)
2023 result: No. 15, 10-3, lost to Arizona in Valero Alamo Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 67 (62% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Ole Miss
16
Kansas State Wildcats
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 17 (+1)
2023 result: No. 18, 9-4, beat NC State in Pop Tarts Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 82 (58% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Arizona, Oklahoma State, Kansas
15
Clemson Tigers
Ken Ruinard-The Greenville News
Previous (spring): 16 (+1)
2023 result: No. 20, 9-4, beat Kentucky in TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 54 (64% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Georgia, NC State, Florida State
14
Tennessee Volunteers
Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 15 (+1)
2023 result: No. 17, 9-4, beat Iowa in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 94 (52% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia
13
LSU Tigers
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 14 (+1)
2023 result: No. 12, 10-3, beat Wisconsin in ReliaQuest Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 60 (63% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: USC, Alabama, Oklahoma
12
Utah Utes
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images
Previous (spring): 9 (-3)
2023 result: NR, 8-5, lost to Northwestern in SRS Distribution Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 16 (72% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Oklahoma State, Arizona, UCF
11
Missouri Tigers
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 8 (-3)
2023 result: No. 8, 11-2, beat Ohio State in Goodyear Cotton Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 31 (68% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: , Alabama, Oklahoma
10
Florida State Seminoles
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 11 (+1)
2023 result: No. 6, 13-1, lost to Georgia in Capital One Orange Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 83 (58% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame
9
Michigan Wolverines
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 10 (+1)
2023 result: No. 1,15-0, national champions
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 128 (36% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Texas, Oregon, Ohio State
8
Penn State Nittany Lions
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 12 (+4)
2023 result: No. 13, 10-3, lost to Ole Miss in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 23 (70% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: USC, Ohio State, Washington
7
Ole Miss Rebels
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 6 (-1)
2023 result: No. 9, 11-2, beat Penn State in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 68 (61% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia
6
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 5 (-1)
2023 result: No. 14, 10-3, beat Oregon State in Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 74 (60% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Texas A&M, Florida State, USC
5
Alabama Crimson Tide
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 7 (+2)
2023 result: No. 5,12-2, lost to Michigan in College Football Playoff semifinal
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 115 (44% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Wisconsin, Georgia, Oklahoma
4
Texas Longhorns
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 3 (-1)
2023 result: No. 3,12-2, lost to Washington in College Football Playoff semifinal
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 25 (70% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia
3
Oregon Ducks
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Previous (spring): 4 (+1)
2023 result: No. 6, 12-2, beat Liberty in Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 28 (69% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Ohio State, Michigan, Washington
2
Ohio State Buckeyes
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Previous (spring): 2 (same)
2023 result: No. 10, 11-2, loss to Missouri in Goodyear Cotton Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 70 (61% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Oregon, Penn State, Michigan
1
Georgia Bulldogs
Joshua Jones-Online Athens
Previous (spring): 1 (same)
2023 result: No. 4,13-1, beat Florida State in Capital One Orange Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 47 (65% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Clemson, Alabama, Texas
