These 10 college football teams can crack the top 25 rankings and make some noise in 2024
Everyone focuses on the 'way-too-early top 25,' but what about the teams just on the outskirts?
www.cbssports.com
CBS: 10 teams that could make the top 25 in 2024
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
www.cbssports.com
Our schedule is loaded and we still haven't added enough, imo, to the roster that we need too. 2nd NSD is coming up tho, hopefully we grab a few more guys.
6-7 for me. Right now.
6-7 for me. Right now.
Gonna be a tough year with the new scheduling. I hope they're right. Having a Top 25 season in 2024 will definitely mean we have earned it.
People keep talking about our schedule being loaded. IMO, it's very comparable to last years P5 schedule:
Same Opponents
USC
UGA
Vandy
UF
Tennessee
UL
New Opponents
Ole Miss - replaces Mizzou
Auburn - replaces Mississippi State (slight upgrade)
Texas - replaces Alabama
I feel like the schedule is very similar to last year in terms of opponents. Am I missing something? I'm hoping we have an upgrade in talent, but won't know that until they take the field. We were all very disappointed with last years results, but I'm not as down on the upcoming year or worried about the schedule as much as others.
From the linked article:
“Kentucky hasn't been this consistently ranked in the AP Top 25 since the early 1950s (34 weeks since 2018) when somebody named Bear Bryant was around.”
And according to Winsipedia we’ve had a total of 131 weeks ranked since the advent of the AP poll in 1936, ranking 66th in the nation in that category:
“131
Weeks INAP POLL
66th”
Stoops’ 11 seasons account for 12.5% of our years since 1936, but 27% of our weeks in the AP rankings, again since 1936.
“Kentucky hasn't been this consistently ranked in the AP Top 25 since the early 1950s (34 weeks since 2018) when somebody named Bear Bryant was around.”
And according to Winsipedia we’ve had a total of 131 weeks ranked since the advent of the AP poll in 1936, ranking 66th in the nation in that category:
“131
Weeks INAP POLL
66th”
Stoops’ 11 seasons account for 12.5% of our years since 1936, but 27% of our weeks in the AP rankings, again since 1936.
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Waaaaaay too early for me. Yeah it'd be super to be early in the top ranks, but gotta find some way to make a good, not decent team up.
It’s that we won 7 last year with some bad losses and then add those two upgraded opponents you cite
The only upgrade in opponents I feel is Auburn replacing Mississippi State. That's a marginal upgrade and we get Auburn at home, so might be a wash. Other than that, our schedule is pretty much the same as last year as far as how difficult it is. Don't get me wrong, it's a difficult schedule but it's not much more, if any, difficult than last year.
Carolina is still trying to find a QB, Vandy will be Vandy. UGA loses leading receivers and top 2 backs, but have hit the portal for a back and 3-4 WR, return 4 OL starters and Beck. Losing 4 end of year starters on D. I think Napier is in big trouble, may not make it through the season. UT will be dangerous, QB will be an upgrade. Don't know anything about L
OM is going to be loaded, they have gone all in the make the playoffs, multiple defensive players from the portal. I think AU will be much better than State, Texas will be good.
Going to be too many good teams for someone the have a cakewalk.
UF following the TN "Screw Pruitt Plan" on Napier. Bogus NCAA BS lynching Napier on a player UF didn't even sign while letting TN slide on buying a guy for $8M. Napier gets carved up and UF avoids his buyout.
yea I think what you missed is what games we play home vs away. Tennessee, Texas, Florida and Ole Miss are all extremely tough road games in very hostile environments. Last year we had Tennessee and Florida at home and Bama at home vs Texas on the road this year. We do get Auburn at home that replaces MSU but MSU was down last year so winning on the road was not that hard. Then look at the home games Georgia is a likely loss at either place and Vandy a win at either place so no gain. Home field never seems to matter in the UofL game either.
Add it up and the home schedule is a push at best and the road schedule is much more brutal IMO.
We aren't beating Texas, UGA and Ole Miss regardless of where we play them. Call it a defeatist attitude, I call it reality of UK's program. I'll get my hopes up that we can, but history says we can't beat that quality of an opponent in the SEC. I'd rather play those games on the road. I felt that way about UT and UF in the 90's. Play those games on the road because we weren't winning them regardless.
I agree about UT and UF, in terms of having them at home. Although, I do feel good about UF regardless of where we play them and feel bad about UT regardless of where we play them. I'd rather have games like USC, Auburn, Vandy and UL at home, as winning those type of games are much more important for the success of our season imo. Our loss to USC this past year and loss to Vandy the year before prove that. Win those games and you have back-to-back 8-4 regular seasons rather than back-to-back 7-5 seasons.
UK loses an inconsistent QB and replaces with a brand new starter in a brand new system.
UK’s leading returning rusher is a WR. Its projected starter has never rushed for more than 500 yards. Who fills the # 2 spot is anyone’s guess.
The most accomplished skill player on offense is a transfer WR who is transferring up (just about everyone who transfers to the SEC is transferring up). There is a lot of potential around him in the WR room if the QB can be at least as good as Leary.
The defense has potential to be as good or better than last year’s defense.
Those are a ton of questions at this point. And, how much can we trust the reports out of spring and fall camp with regard to QB and RB play? People were raving about Leary and while I really like the guy, his play in-season was not stellar.
Add to it all that our OC seems to want to court every NFL team with a pulse.
UK’s leading returning rusher is a WR. Its projected starter has never rushed for more than 500 yards. Who fills the # 2 spot is anyone’s guess.
The most accomplished skill player on offense is a transfer WR who is transferring up (just about everyone who transfers to the SEC is transferring up). There is a lot of potential around him in the WR room if the QB can be at least as good as Leary.
The defense has potential to be as good or better than last year’s defense.
Those are a ton of questions at this point. And, how much can we trust the reports out of spring and fall camp with regard to QB and RB play? People were raving about Leary and while I really like the guy, his play in-season was not stellar.
Add to it all that our OC seems to want to court every NFL team with a pulse.
Plus consider that the schedule is not front loaded with the three OOC games before we get into the SEC gauntlet. Plus the two open dates and eight of the games being at home. So while it's somewhat comparable to last years schedule in terms of strength, I think it lays out more favorably for us to avoid a 3-5 week nightmare stretch.
We're gonna find out who we are real fast with UGA at game 3.
Those road games are just brutal. Everyone knows what @UT means. We smoked them in 2020 but thats only the third win there in thirty years. Texas and Ole MIss are scary Ls. @UF is always dicey.
USCjr is always a PITA. Who saw us losing to Vandy at home a couple of years ago? Then you have Looserville. How fast can Brohm build?
And Auburn is way more than a small step up from MISS ST. They recruited well and weren't that bad last year. Freeze will be looking to build on Saban's retirement in the portal.
The way I read the schedule it could be a 7-5 year or a 5-7 year.
USCjr is always a PITA. Who saw us losing to Vandy at home a couple of years ago? Then you have Looserville. How fast can Brohm build?
And Auburn is way more than a small step up from MISS ST. They recruited well and weren't that bad last year. Freeze will be looking to build on Saban's retirement in the portal.
The way I read the schedule it could be a 7-5 year or a 5-7 year.
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I wouldn't exactly put Ole miss in the juggernaut category just yet. This is a team that only beat 5-7 Auburn and 3-9 Arkansas by 7 points each last season. I think Ole Miss at the Krog would be as competitive as Florida, Tennessee or LSU all teams we have beaten at home in recent years.
I too am concerned about lack of experience/depth at RB, that's why I was hoping UK could've signed Peny Boone or somebody similar. Who knows, Chip may end up being a superstar but he's inexperienced. You're right, who's #2 RB? Wilcox? Said to be a "super playmaker" when signed then thought to be dinged with a hammy at the beginning of last year and never even got a carry at the end of the year. Wright? Showed potential early in his career but has had trouble staying healthy. Keyes? He's probably a walk-on for a reason. Mizell? Rehabbing ACL/MCL surgery so who knows when he'll be healthy? Patterson, almost #2 by default. Spring will be massively important.
I prefer to look at the UK's last 2 games as what can be. How will the new pieces fit?
As for the D, it better be better. It better be substantially better. Can't have a repeat of the Clemson collapse.
And had Barion Brown paused another second UK likely would've won the last time they played there.
While true, that was an 8-5/4-4 Ole Miss team that finished the season unranked. I have a feeling Kiffin has them rolling and they will be more of an 11-2/6-2 team like this past season when they finished the season 9th in the nation..
Yeah I have read that. Pruitt is a horse's rear in everyday possible. Billy is a good guy, just like Pruitt at UT, UF agreed to the terms and UF is wanting to use their failed collective not to pay him.
Same Opponents
USC-L
UGA-L
Vandy-Close win
UF- Close win
Tennessee-L
UL- Close win......more talent this year
New Opponents
Ole Miss >Mizzou
Auburn >Mississippi State
Texas > Alabama
Could be a rough year trying to get bowl eligible.
If I had to put W’s and L’s in the schedule right now, I’d go:
USC - W
UGA - L
Vandy - W
UF - W
UT - L
UL - W
Ole Miss - L
Auburn - W
Texas - L
I wasn't predicting next year's outcome. Just how we fared this year against next year's common opponents and the new teams we play next year vs. the teams we played last year.
I'm hoping we hit a homerun on QB transfer, and the entire team, including the coaches, take a big step forward next year.
If not, 6 wins will be very difficult to attain.
You're still being a tad pessimistic. For starters, Florida and Vanderbilt were not "close wins". Anything over a 14 point margin isn't really all that close. Ole Miss is not necessarily above Mizzou, and Texas is not necessarily above Alabama, regardless if Texas won on one particular day. Ultimately this schedule is not that much tougher than 2023. If we're really good, we win 9, maybe 10; if we suck, we win 5, maybe only 4.
Schedule is like this.
Four absolutely winnable games- 3 OOC cannon fodder and Vanderbilt.
Four not at all easy games- Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia.
Four swing games, in which we should hope to be favored but by no means are a lock- South Carolina, Florida, Louisville, Auburn.
This looks like 7 and 5, maybe 8 and 4.
Four absolutely winnable games- 3 OOC cannon fodder and Vanderbilt.
Four not at all easy games- Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia.
Four swing games, in which we should hope to be favored but by no means are a lock- South Carolina, Florida, Louisville, Auburn.
This looks like 7 and 5, maybe 8 and 4.
When you put “close win” next to Vandy, who we beat by 17 and UF, who we beat by 19, I didn’t think you were talking about this past years schedule. Neither of those games were considered close wins.
AU and South Carolina are both trying to find a QB. UF is returning their starter, but they are extremely high on Lagway and fans look at him as the guy who turns them around. No idea what Louisville has . I expect AU to bring in a QB, they were pretty confident they were getting Vandagriff. They signed a couple 5* WR and a very good QB prospect who may win the job.
If Iowa marginally improves on offense, they'll sniff around top 10-15 and be in the playoff picture. Favorable schedule. They don't play Michigan and Washington is down their QB and HC.
Don't call it a comeback on Neal Brown's career and name rising up the carousel. Being an Air Raid disciple, we know he can draw up and execute a pass play, BUT last year WVU was a top 5 if not the best rushing attack in the nation. NB can coach, and he's not one dimensional.
Throw in an easy B12 minus Horns and Sooners. He could very easily win 11 games next season. Kansas St is the "elite...bellwether" program in that conference now...let that sink in for a minute.
Miami's return to glory seems inevitable in a NIL/pay for play era. It's always been a destination school in a destination city. They have more money and resources than anyone, and there's a 2-part ESPN documentary about what happens when Miami and their alumni spend those resources on players...it's legal now.
Money, boats, south beach, pretty girls...warm sunny coastal port city and all that comes with it. Plus, Florida's population has exploded which means more kids playing ball right in their back yard.
The rise of the SEC affected their southern talent dominance. Meyer and Saban penetrated that wall around their recruiting territories that was established and fortified late 80's through early 2000s.
The pendulum is ever swinging. Meyer gone, Saban gone, NIL has leveled playing field...only a matter of time before Miami hits it's stride again.
USC...see Miami's story arch...very similar. Warm, sunny, port city. We know what happens with rich private school alumni in a celebrity destination city uses resources, connections, and spends money...
Don't call it a comeback on Neal Brown's career and name rising up the carousel. Being an Air Raid disciple, we know he can draw up and execute a pass play, BUT last year WVU was a top 5 if not the best rushing attack in the nation. NB can coach, and he's not one dimensional.
Throw in an easy B12 minus Horns and Sooners. He could very easily win 11 games next season. Kansas St is the "elite...bellwether" program in that conference now...let that sink in for a minute.
Miami's return to glory seems inevitable in a NIL/pay for play era. It's always been a destination school in a destination city. They have more money and resources than anyone, and there's a 2-part ESPN documentary about what happens when Miami and their alumni spend those resources on players...it's legal now.
Money, boats, south beach, pretty girls...warm sunny coastal port city and all that comes with it. Plus, Florida's population has exploded which means more kids playing ball right in their back yard.
The rise of the SEC affected their southern talent dominance. Meyer and Saban penetrated that wall around their recruiting territories that was established and fortified late 80's through early 2000s.
The pendulum is ever swinging. Meyer gone, Saban gone, NIL has leveled playing field...only a matter of time before Miami hits it's stride again.
USC...see Miami's story arch...very similar. Warm, sunny, port city. We know what happens with rich private school alumni in a celebrity destination city uses resources, connections, and spends money...
Brown's OC at WVU is Chad Scott, ex-UK RB who played a couple years under I think Mumme then transferred to UNC.
I was pretty high on Cristobol 3-4 years ago but not so much now. Oregon is thrilled he left, and Miami found ways to snatch defeat from jaws of victory. Of course they can change coaches again but good coaches aren't tripping over each other to go there.
Georgia, ole Miss, and Texas will be preseason top 5. That’s just brutal when you know you absolutely cannot lose more than 3 games to be considered for a playoff.
We also played the 4th, 5th and 8th ranked team from the final AP poll this past year. There is very little difference in the top 3 from this past year to this upcoming season.
Agreed. And I'd say UK would have to go 10 and 2 to make the 12 team playoff anyways. You have to really finish 11th due to guarantee to non power 5 cupcake.
9 and 3 wouldn't have got it done in 2018 or 2021.
I look at the schedule and see 6 or 7 wins probably. Credit to Stoops winning 7 is a given most seasons to me. Lot harder to climb the ladder to a playoff being n the sec though.
Athlon Sports predicts FL to win five games. They predict us to win 6.5 games. Don't think that is possible.
