College football rankings: Updated post-spring top 25 poll for 2024 season (2024)

Previous ranking: No. 2

No elite program made more power moves in terms of talent accumulation this springthan the Buckeyes. Ohio State went from College Football Playoff threat to one of the national title favorites given the roster and coaching staff additions accomplished by Ryan Day. On top of securing one of the nation's top transfer classes with Alabama All-American safety Caleb Down, Ole Miss standout ballcarrier Quinshon Judkins and multi-year Kansas State starting quarterback Will Howard, the Buckeyes also quickly replaced newly-hired offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien with UCLA head coach Chip Kelly.

Previous ranking: No. 1

There is plenty of ammunition left in the chamber for the Bulldogs despite Georgia seeing its school-record 29-game winning streak snapped in last year's SEC Championship Game by Alabama. That was the only blemish during another otherwise flawless season at a program with two national titles over the last three seasons. Where are the weaknesses for Georgia in 2024?One would be hard-pressed to find any. After signing another top-ranked recruiting class and convincing quarterback Carson Beck to return, the Bulldogs are one of the favorites to win another title. The schedule is arduous, but this team has enough talent to overcome it.

Previous ranking: No. 3

Equipped with the best quarterbackduo in the country, several difference-makers on defense and an offensive line that has a chance to be the SEC's best, Steve Sarkisian's national championship window at Texas is happening right now. The Longhorns' 2024 two-deep might be even betterthan last season when Texas finished one win short of a title-game appearance.Texas is a recruiting powerhouse and Sarkisian's calculated moves in the transfer portal this cycleshould pay immediate dividends in the big-play department.

Previous ranking: No. 4

Most expect Dan Lanning to make his first playoff appearance at Oregon this season. Anything less than that, given this program's rise, resources and offseason work in the portal, would underwhelm. Not only did Oregon button up its quarterback room with portal additions Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore, but the Ducks are being built on the defensive side of the football similar to Georgia in terms of depth, skill and ferocity — from the trenches out is the motto for Lanning. Former Texas A&M wideout Evan Stewart will be a star.

Previous ranking: No. 4

How much trust do you have in first-year coach Kalen DeBoer during his first go-around in the SEC? Will Jalen Milroe duplicate last season's success as a now seasoned vet? Can Alabama's secondary, littered with new faces, still produce at an elite level? There's a few questions facing the Crimson Tide in the post-Nick Saban answer we don't know the answers to yet, but given this program's level of prestige and overall talent level sans a few notable portal departures, Alabama gets the benefit of the doubt after spring.

Previous ranking:No. 5

This is the most-talented roster ever assembled in Oxford — on paper. Ole Miss grabbed a couple high-end defensive starters out of the portal, coaxed South Carolina's top returning playmaker Juice Wells to switch sides and feel good about their backfield despite the loss of Quinshon Judkins moving over to Ohio State. The Rebelsare one of the offseason's poster boys for "teams to watch" and have an impressivetrajectory based on what Lane Kiffin's group accomplished in 2023 with 11 wins. If quarterback Jaxson Dart has another banner season, Ole Miss will be one of the SEC's multiple playoff teams with a chance to win it all.

Previous ranking: No. 7

Michigan is a tough nut to crack. The quarterback situation remains undecided, but everyone knows the other side of the football will be championship-caliber based on what's coming back. Can Sherrone Moore keep it going at Michiganand have his team playing with an elite edge? Pounding the football with Donovan Edwards and others might be a winning recipe for a team on the nation's longest winning streak.

Previous ranking: No. 8

The Tigers return a ton of production despite filling a void through the portal after losing Doak Walker finalist Cody Schrader in the backfield.Unexpectedly having to replace defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who departed for LSU, was a headache Eli Drinkwitz may not have been all that prepared for this spring. Missouri has two former five-stars on its roster in wideout Luther Burden and freshmanWilliams Nwaneri, a returning starter at quarterback in Brady Cook coming off a statistically-noteworthy season and filledseveral major needswithtransfer market signings.

Previous ranking: No. 10

Penn State is a unanimous top-10 team for 2024 and it's staying that way despite the spring game performance from the first-team offense leaving much to be desired. By design, sometimes it looks that way in April. The proof of an improvements there come in September when the Nittany Lions take the field with a new play-caller and the promise of explosive plays for the first time in several years. That's what it will take to be an expected force in the Big Ten alongside other elites. James Franklin made changes to a 10-win team he felt were necessary to get over the hump and into the expanded playoff next season.

Previous ranking: No. 9

The Fighting Irish have been good — but not great — in Marcus Freeman's early tenure in South Bend. Hiring Mike Denbrock from LSU was a power move by Notre Dame, which expects to be much better offensively from a well-rounded standpoints.The Fighting Irish will be difficult to contain on that side of the football in 2024 if Clemson transfer Beaux Collins and othersare the immediate stars they were recruited to be. Much of Notre Dame's success will hinge on the shoulders of Duke transfer quarterback Riley Leonard, who missed the spring after recovering from surgery.

Previous ranking: No. 18

Mike Norvell is a transfer portal guru and again ensured the Seminoles have one of the ACC's top-tier rosters.Equipped with an elite signing classto pair with his portal additions, Norvell showcased his offseason expertise with another talent reload and should be one of the coaches who significantly benefits from playoff expansion. Former Oregon State and Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei learned the offense quickly and has a variety of weapons around him. FSU's defensive back seven are extremely athletic, too.

Previous ranking: No. 11

Nico Iamaleavaleads the Vols atquarterback in a new era of sorts offensively. He was responsible for four touchdowns in his first career start in the Citrus Bowl win over Iowa and last season's sensation at the position,Hendon Hooker,already deemed him "the chosen one" in Knoxville.That's high praise given Hooker's importance to the program and heightened success during his tenure. Like Michael Penix Jr. managed at Washington, Iamaleava is the type of talent that makes everyone around him better. Much of the defense is back, despite losing leading tackler Elijah Herring to the portal recently.

Previous ranking: No. 13

Brian Kelly swiped Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Bakerearlier thisspring to solve his program's Achilles heel after a 10-win season. It's hard to believe Jayden Daniels winning the Heisman almost played second fiddle to how bad the Tigers performed defensively, which cost LSU a shot at a second consecutive SEC West title and trip to Atlanta. Garrett Nussmeier is the new starter at quarterback in 2024 and he flexed impressive tools in the spring game. He has a blossoming group of lesser-known wideouts to throw to following Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.'s entry into the NFL.

Previous ranking: No. 12

Mario Cristobal's not done yet in the transfer portal as he continues to bolster what is shaping up to be Miami's best-looking depth chart in years. The addition of several vital pieces up front and at the skill spots, including Washington State quarterback Cam Ward, makes the Hurricanes one of the headliners in the ACC this offseason. There's no excuse why Miami shouldn't be challenging for a spot inside the top 15 entering November. Still have to prove it, however.

Previous ranking: No. 14

Deion Burks is a baller. The Purdue transfer at the wideout spot was one of the spring MVPs for the Sooners, who found their new go-to playmaker in the passing game. Jackson Arnold looked in full control of Oklahoma's offense heading into his first campaign as the starter as Brent Venables and this team heads into the SEC. Following several impact offensive linemen entering the transfer portal, the Sooners loaded up at the position and feel good about what they have up front. With their retooled front and a defense welcoming back a number of key contributors, Oklahoma will be a tough out in its new league despite facing one of college football's toughest schedules.

Previous ranking: No. 15

Are we still feeling about about the Tigers' chances near the top of the ACC race or is reigning champion Florida State the team to beat with Miami gaining steam? Coming out of spring, the hype seems to have simmered a bit on Clemson — just the way Dabo Swinney likes it. Clemson gets Phil Mafah back, but it's going to have to manufacture production elsewhere in the run game to take some of the pressure off Cade Klubnik, who's back for his second season as the Tigers' QB1. Swinney liked the progress his signal caller made this spring. Clemson's defense should be one of the nation's best.

Previous ranking: No. 16

You know why the Wildcats are one of the trendy picks to win the expandedBig 12? Avery Johnson is a rising superstar after throwing for two touchdowns and running for another during Kansas State's Pop Tarts Bowl win over NC State. After losing multi-year starting quarterback Will Howard to the transfer portal, this Kansas State offenses showed no ill effects of his departure after Johnson handled the offense with a flare for big plays on the move. Much like Kirk Ferentz's Iowa program in the Big Ten, you know what you're going to get out of a well-coached group from Chris Klieman in Manhattan.

Previous ranking: No. 17

Quarterback Cam Rising returns, but does he make Utah a championship contender? Utah joins the Big 12 with a couple other former Pac-12 departures in hopes of getting to the expanded playoff.

Previous ranking: No. 22

There was initial roster worries for Mike Elko upon his arrival in College Station at the end of the 2023 season given the rash of transfer exits for the Aggies, but he hit the portal hard and Texas A&M will take the field in September with an arsenal capable of disrupting how many of us thought the SEC title race will look. Conner Weigman has talent around him at quarterback and Purdue edge rusher Nic Scourton has softened the blow of a couple defensive line departures that had left a sizable hole in the plan up front.

20.NC State Wolfpack

Previous ranking: No. 21

21. USC Trojans

Previous ranking: No. 19

22.West Virginia Mountaineers

Previous ranking: N/A

23.Oklahoma State Cowboys

Previous ranking: No. 24

24.Virginia Tech Hokies

Previous ranking: No. 23

25.Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking: No. 20

Dave Doeren knows his Wolfpack team is capable of another finish inside the national rankings, perhaps this time getting to the program's first playoff appearance if NC State's defenses remains elite despite a couple departures. Few teams checked every box in the transfer portal like the Wolfpack, whose headline addition was Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall. ... Jump on West Virginia's wagon while there's still room. The Mountaineers were flying under the radar this time last season prior to a breakout campaign from several returning difference-makers, including quarterback Garrett Greene. This Big 12 title hopeful isn't getting enough attention this offseason, but that'sbeginning to change.