College Football Predictions 2024: 10 projections, including Heisman winner and national champion (original) (raw)
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The 2024 college football season kicks off next Saturday with Week 0 before every team across the country hits the field one week later for Week 1. Before the games kick off, we’re providing some college football predictions for 2024.
While there are far too many teams to do college football predictions for every program, we can highlight things we think will happen across the country. From coaches fired to the Heisman Trophy winner and an eventual national champion, here’s what we see happening in 2024.
Georgia Bulldogs steamroll Clemson Tigers in Week 1 opener
Credit: Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Georgia Bulldogs entered the season ranked as the No. 1 team in college football with a chance to immediately prove themselves against No. 14 Clemson. We’re expecting a much different result than the last time these programs met – Georgia won 10-3 in 2021 – with more points for both sides. However, the Bulldogs have a superior defense and Carson Beck is a much better starter than Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. The talent and coaching differences between the two programs will be apparent, with Georgia rolling to a 17-point victory in Week 1.
Related: College Football Games Today, College Football Schedule 2024
USC Trojans struggle in first season in Big Ten
Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
While we’re bullish on the USC Trojans long term, 2024 will not be the year where fans are elated with the on-field results. The Trojans schedule is likely beginning with a season-opening loss to LSU and then USC must travel to Ann Arbor to play one of the best defenses in the nation. Michigan will also bring a more physical style of football than USC is ready for. The Trojans will also be overmatched against Penn State, while a road trip to Washington feels like a coin flip. Between the quarterback downgrade and a transition year for USC defensively, 2024 will end with the Trojans losing five-plus games and coming nowhere close to the top-25 rankings after bowl season.
Related: College Football Defense Rankings 2024
Michigan Wolverines fall short of making the 12-team playoff
Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
There’s no doubt that defensive coordinator Wink Martindale boasts the talent and depth on the Michigan Wolverines defense to make this unit championship caliber. In fact, Michigan’s defense will win a majority of its games this year with the help of running back Donovan Edwards. What will hold Michigan back is its quarterback situation, which might be the most glaring issue among top-15 teams. It’s bad enough that even with an elite defense and top ground game, the Wolverines likely lose three games (vs Texas, vs Oregon at Ohio State) and miss out on the College Football Playoff.
Related: Longest field goal in college football history
Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and Deion Sanders leave Colorado after 5-win season
Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
No unranked team in college football has more hype surrounding it this season than the Colorado Buffaloes. Travis Hunter is a future NFL star and quarterback Shedeur Sanders does have a chance to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, the Buffaloes’ defense, play-calling and ability to win in the trenches are open questions. We’re projecting Colorado loses to North Dakota State, Nebraska, Baylor, Kansas State, Utah and Oklahoma State this year with just one victory against a ranked opponent. Once Sanders and Hunter declare for the NFL Draft, Sanders will leave the program.
Related: Highest-paid college football coaches
Kalen DeBoer goes 10-3 in first year as Alabama Crimson Tide coach, playoff heartbreak
Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports
There are few jobs better in college sports than being the head football coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide. There’s also no job we’d want less than to be the first coach replacing Nick Saban. Kalen DeBoer is an outstanding football coach with a track record of winning and maximizing his quarterbacks with exciting offenses. That bodes very well for Jalen Milroe and Alabama’s long-term plans for contention. However, he’s not in the same universe in terms of coaching as Saban and the Crimson Tide’s recruiting will start taking a hit. Making the College Football Playoff would be a banner season for many programs, we’ll see how Alabama’s fan base treats it after an early CFP exit.
Related: Highest-paid athletic directors
Nico Iamaleava leads the Tennessee Volunteers to a top-10 finish
Credit: Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
Whether you call it buying the hype about a former five-star recruit or being convinced of the talent in a single start, we’re all in on Nico Iamaleava. Rated by 247 Sports as the No. 2 overall recruit in 2023, Iamaleava’s physical tools are off the charts. He made the improvements he needed to as a freshman to earn the start in Tennessee’s bowl game. Now he gets to run Josh Heupel’s offense, one of the most quarterback-friendly schemes in football. We’re very bullish on Tennessee this season, predicting Iamaleava is a Heisman Trophy candidate who helps the Vols finish the season in the top 10.
Related: Heisman Trophy winners history
Billy Napier, Mario Cristobal, Sam Pittman among college football coaches fired in 2024
Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Billy Napier ended the 2023 season on thin ice and his fate felt sealed the moment the Florida Gators schedule came out. Even in a best-case scenario, the Gators will likely lose at least five games this season and there’s a real shot at a third consecutive seven-loss season. That gets Napier fired. Similarly, Sam Pittman needs to turn around last year’s four-win team and we just don’t see that happening with this Arkansas Razorbacks roster. Finally, we’re predicting that the Miami Hurricanes finish the season outside the top 15 rankings, forcing boosters to pay to get Cristobal out of town.
Related: College Football Coaches Hot Seat 2024
Liberty makes the College Football Playoff
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
There can’t be college football predictions without a Cinderella team in the College Football Playoff. Jamey Chadwell is one of the most underrated coaches in the sport and he’s got all the talent he needs to take advantage of Liberty’s schedule. The Flames went 13-0 last season in the regular season, mostly dominating their opponents. We’re betting on that happening again, allowing Liberty to make it into the CFP. The Flames’ season will burn out in a blowout first-round loss to Georgia or Ohio State, something reminiscent of the 45-6 victory for Oregon over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl last season.
Also Read: NFL defense rankings
Heisman winner: Dillon Gabriel beats out Will Howard, Nico Iamaleava, Carson Beck
Credit: Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
There are some outstanding Heisman Trophy candidates this year. Carson Beck will likely have a compelling case as long as Georgia goes wire to wire as one of the two best teams in college football. Nico Iamaleava, if he can live up to his potential, is in the perfect offense to put up eye-popping stats in the SEC. Meanwhile, Will Howard should have both the numbers and record to finish as a Heisman finalist. In the end, Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel is our pick because he has a clear path to putting up the best stats and leading a team to a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff.
Related: Heisman Watch 2024, Heisman Trophy candidates ranked
CFP National Championship Game: Ohio State Buckeyes over Georgia Bulldogs
Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
The Ohio State Buckeyes are all in on 2024. That’s not just money spent on creating the best roster in college football, it’s building a coaching staff that has Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. Ohio State could have the No. 1 defense in the nation this season with a high-powered offense to go with it. That could set up an unforgettable clash with the Georgia Bulldogs in the national championship game, with everything coming down to the final drives. Ultimately, the Buckeyes’ backfield tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins seals it late to give Ohio State its crown.
Related: Best college football coaches 2024