25 predictions for the 2024 college football season

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Congratulations - you made it through another college football offseason. Here are 25 of my sure-to-be-worst predictions for the 2024 season!

1. Georgia Tech upsets Florida State in Ireland

What better way to start a predictions article than with one that'll instantly make me look like an idiot?

Florida State lost a ton of production from last season's team, and now has a top-ten ranking that feels like it's partly based on pity for how they got left out of the playoff. They still could be the best team in the ACC, but it might take some time to get there. A week zero matchup on the whole other side of the planet against a feisty Georgia Tech team presents a unique challenge as their road to college football playoff redemption begins.

Tech has lively offense that can put pressure on FSU's new-look defensive front. If they can score 30 points, FSU counting on DJ Uiagalelei and an inexperienced group of receivers isn't a recipe for success to start the season. A shootout that goes in the Yellow Jackets' favor wouldn't be that shocking.

2. The teams that finish 13-16 in the final CFP rankings cry for more playoff expansion

Expanding the playoff to 12 means situations like Florida State getting left out last year are a thing of the past - which is great! But I've got bad news for you if you think that'll be the end of people whining about their team being left out.

What'll happen when a three-loss Big Ten/SEC team gets left out for two-loss Kansas State, or even a one-loss G5 team? You think James Franklin or Brian Kelly won't try to spin that losing to their biggest games is actually the reason their teams should be in? Hell, Dan Mullen already did it in the four-team system - right after his team lost! No matter how angry you were about the committee's decision on FSU, it's hard to deny that Alabama was at least worthy of a playoff spot. They had one loss and beat the undefeated, back-to-back National Champions in the SEC title game.

For all the flaws of the four-team system, I never felt like any of the teams who made it didn't deserve a shot at playing for the national championship. That won't be the case with 12, but people will still find ways to complain. Imagine these teams making a stink that they were left out last year:

Get ready, because that's exactly what's going down when the final CFP rankings are announced.

3. The circus around Alabama after Kalen Deboer's first loss will be like nothing we've ever seen

There's not much to suggest that Alabama will take much of a step back in Kalen Deboer's first year. They're still as talented as any team in the country, and will make the playoff. Picturing them running through a schedule that features Georgia, Missouri, and trips to Wisconsin, Tennessee, LSU, and Oklahoma unscathed is a bit much, though.

All I know is that whenever that first loss happens, the Paul Finebaum Show will be appointment viewing.

4. People pretend that Colorado making a bowl game isn't a big deal

Here's my issue with the conversation around Deion Sanders and Colorado:

The majority of you don't know what the hell you're talking about when it comes to CU Football.

Colorado was among the worst teams in the country in 2022. They went 1-11, getting outscored 534-185 (-349) overall, and 406-155 (-251) in Pac-12 play. Deion came in, gutted the roster, and improved those margins to 418-338 (-80) and 327-214 (-113), while winning three more games. You can dislike him and the way he does things all you want, but it's inarguable that Colorado got significantly better.

So what's next? A bowl game.

I'm sure that sounds crazy to most of you who never log off, but the Buffs have made one bowl in a full season since 2007. Just to give you an idea of how pitiful that is:

• Baylor cleansed their whole program after one of the most despicable scandals in college football history, and still has four bowl appearances after the fact - two of those being Sugar Bowls.
• Illinois somehow has five.
• Rutgers has eight total, including 3 from Greg Schiano alone in two separate coaching stints in different decades.
• Virginia has four, with an Orange Bowl appearance.
• Even Vanderbilt has six, despite playing in the SEC and not even making one since 2018.
• Kansas has two in the past two years alone.

Kansas employing Turner Gil, Charlie Weis, David Beaty and Les Miles for 11 years is the only reason Colorado can't be considered the worst power five team since 2007. Whether you think they're good enough to make a bowl is a different conversation, but the Buffs actually making it to the postseason in Sanders' second year would be a tremendous success - no matter what somebody who hasn't paid attention to CU Football for the majority of the last two decades says.

5. Billy Napier is fired before Florida plays LSU on November 16

Being on the hot seat at a school like Florida is tough enough on its own, so I can't imagine how Billy Napier will navigate saving his job while playing a schedule that's on Legendary Mode:

It's not completely out of the realm of possibility for the Gators to be 3-5 after playing Georgia, and I have no idea how they take more than one of those last four games. There are things to like about Florida- Graham Mertz was surprisingly a quality QB last season, DJ Lagway is undoubtedly the QB of the future, and their secondary is stocked. They've never put it all together, though, and I think the Texas game will be the final straw for an era that didn't get off the ground in the first place.

6. Dan Lanning leaves Oregon for Florida

Let's get bold.

Phil Knight is pumping enough Nike money into Oregon's recruiting that it could rank them on a GDP list. The Ducks are a realistic pick to not only win the Big Ten in their inaugural season, but make a deep run in the playoff and possibly win the national title. Dan Lanning looks like he can and should be the guy there for a very long time. There isn't a concrete reason for him to bolt Eugene for Gainesville.

However.

Despite everything Oregon can offer potential recruits/transfers money-wise, the hurdle of getting kids from across the country to the pacific northwest will always exist in a way that it doesn't at a place like Florida. Lanning seems like a highly competitive guy, and already spent five years in the fire that is competing in the SEC. I don't think he passes up the opportunity to run the show at an one of the conference's flagship programs.

7. (Against my better judgement) Miami is back

Last year I made the mistake of doubting Texas purely out of being a hater and wanting to see them lose. I'm not doing the same with Miami in 2024.

Yes, they're 12-13 in Mario Cristobal's two seasons, lost four of their final five games, and had the most embarrassing late-game fail in recent college football history. I'm not a believer in Cristobal, and I won't argue with you if you think he finds a way to bungle what looks like an incredible chance for Miami to finally re-join the ranks of the relevant. But against my better judgement, the Canes are my favorite to win the ACC.

They're loaded with talent, strong along the lines, made two huge moves in the portal adding QB Cam Ward and RB Damien Martinez, and have a schedule tailor-made for at least an at-large spot in the 12-team playoff:

Given Cristobal's track record, I'm still skeptical as hell writing this. But the ingredients are all there for a run, just like they were for Texas last year. It's up to him to not mess up the final product.

8. (With all my chest) Virginia Tech is back

I've been waiting for what feels like a decade for Virginia Tech to be on stable footing. I'm confident that they've finally found it entering Brent Pry's third season. The Hokies won seven games after a 1-3 start last year, led by explosive QB Kyron Drones and a rushing attack that averaged almost 250 yards over their final six games. Drones is back, as is a hefty chunk of last year's production on both sides of the ball. As a bonus, they avoid Florida State, SMU, NC State and Louisville in conference play. If you're looking for a random team besides your own to root for this season, VT is a strong choice.