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CFB Power Rankings 2024 Top 25

Last Updated: Jan 15, 2024

Oh, there will be more movement. Let’s make that abundantly clear.

Trying to rank college football teams for the 2024-25 season now must come with the proper disclaimers. Coaches will switch jobs, the transfer portal will still be active, and the current rosters will still take on different shapes.

That doesn’t mean we won’t rank teams anyway. As we look forward to the future with Michigan’s CFB national championship firmly cemented, all eyes are still on college football.

With conference expansion set to take over the sport and playoff expansion poised to change it for good, it’s going to be a wild offseason.

Here are the way-too-early rankings for next season.

College Football Power Rankings Index

RkSchool
1Georgia
2Alabama
3Texas
4Michigan
5Ohio State
6Oregon
7Ole Miss
8Penn State
9Missouri
10Notre Dame
11Arizona
12Tennessee
13LSU
14Washington
15Florida State
16Clemson
17Oklahoma
18Utah
19Kansas State
20Oklahoma State
21Liberty
22Kansas
23USC
24SMU
25NC State

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NCAA Football CFB Power Rankings 2024-25

1. Georgia

They lose a lot, as great teams often do.

The good news? Quarterback Carson Beck returns and will be one of the best at the position — if not the best — in all of college football. The addition of running back Trevor Etienne is also a massive one, as he figures to thrive in this offense.

Tremendous years of recruiting will also continue to pay off. Georgia should be just fine in a new-look SEC.

2. Alabama

Although the season ended in disappointment, Alabama will remain a force (as expected).

Another offseason to develop should do wonders for QB Jalen Milroe, but look out for true freshman Julian Sayin. Defensively, safety Caleb Downs blossomed into one of the best players in the country as a true freshman. His impact will continue to expand.

The schedule has some teeth, but so does the team.

3. Texas

Will Quinn Ewers return for another season? If so — and the belief is that he will — Texas is right where it should be.

If not, the Arch Manning era will begin, and he’s still full of promise. Regardless, despite some significant departures on the offensive side, Texas has beefed up through the portal and solid recruiting.

Look for young linebacker Anthony Hill to make the transition to the SEC a little easier. He’s a superstar in the making.

4. Michigan

There are questions to be answered, that much is clear.

Will Jim Harbaugh be back? How about QB J.J. McCarthy? What other key pieces will be missing?

Even if some decisions go their way, the Wolverines are losing a lot. But the roster remains loaded, especially on defense, and whoever coaches can continue the success.

5. Ohio State

Ryan Day needs a big season, regardless of how many games he’s won.

His fate will likely be in the hands of Kansas State transfer quarterback Will Howard, who is almost guaranteed to be the starter next year. With many of the key weapons departing, the group will likely look mighty different.

Still, the Buckeyes should return a bunch on defense and have been close to putting it all together.

6. Oregon
7. Ole Miss

Ole Miss has loaded up via the transfer portal, and Lane Kiffin has assembled a fascinating roster for next season.

Given what we saw from QB Jaxson Dart, this team could be in line for a pretty dramatic rise. Although the Rebels have played well in recent years, 2024 feels like it could be something special.

8. Penn State
9. Missouri

Missouri returns plenty from a team that was competitive in every single game in 2023.

Quarterback Brady Cook and wideout Luther Burden III might be the best duo in college football next season. Couple them with other nice pieces, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Tigers duplicate this past season’s effort.

10. Notre Dame

Notre Dame should be fascinating. Transfer QB Riley Leonard is set to step in, and his transition will be huge in telling the Irish’s story next year.

Head coach Marcus Freeman needs to build some momentum. It hasn’t been a disaster since he took over, but the team can’t stagnate.

11. Arizona
12. Tennessee

The glimpses of Nico Iamaleava from the Vols’ bowl game were encouraging to say the least. If he morphs into the player many believe, Tennessee could be in business.

13. LSU
14. Washington
15. Florida State

Although the season ended poorly, Florida State should be able to reload. Enter QB DJ Uiagalelei, who will be tasked with getting the team to the playoff this time around.

16. Clemson
17. Oklahoma
18. Utah
19. Kansas State
20. Oklahoma State

In the expanded Big 12, Oklahoma State has a shot. The return of QB Alan Bowman should give the offense a jolt.

21. Liberty
22. Kansas
23. USC

Can the defense be fixed? And was Miller Moss‘ six-touchdown performance in the bowl a sign of things to come? There are a lot of questions still to be answered for Lincoln RIley.

24. SMU
25. NC State

How We Create NCAA Football Power Rankings

Everyone has a different formula, which is exactly how it should be. It’s also why Power Rankings vary wildly depending on where you look.

Depending on when you find them, the format and strategy can change, but the overall goal remains constant; rate teams appropriately. Here’s how I like to tackle it.

In the Preseason, Keep Your Head on a Swivel

The coaching carousel, conference realignment, recruiting and transfer portal make handicapping football teams an incredible challenge early on.

To do so, one must keep track of the many movements around the sport in order to have a comfortable understanding of each roster. From there, it comes down to returning talent and how all the new pieces will factor in.

Data is Paramount

Power Rankings are a mix of science and art, but results must drive all decisions. Often, we are hesitant to rank teams appropriately because of reputation.

Alabama will have a much easier climb into the top three than NC State, even when the reputations are similar. The goal should be to use strength of schedule metrics along with results and other key details to form fair, accurate rankings.

It Can Never Be Simply About Wins & Losses

Not all teams and conferences are created equally. A fair ranking will take into consideration factors beyond final scores.

A five-loss team in the best conference can be a considerably better football team than a one-loss team with a cozy path. It is here that results can sometimes lie, and the rankings need to tell the full story.

Author

Adam Kramer

Adam Kramer is an NFL, college football, and gambling analyst for The Game Day. While college football has long been his calling, he’s also covered sports such as boxing, horse racing, and baseball at The Game Day and in other places. He’s also written for Bleacher Report, VSiN, and various other outlets over the past decade-plus.

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