With USC DT Bear Alexander and UNLV QB Matthew Sluka redshirting the rest of the season and presumably entering the transfer portal when the window opens in December, it’s clear we’re in a new era of college football.
As such, the Trojans and Rebels aren’t the only programs that will face turnover this offseason.
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While we can’t speculate on coach-to-player promises that could go unfulfilled — whether related to NIL or playing time — we can analyze team trajectories to predict potential talent drains in the offseason.
Florida State Seminoles
The 2024 season started about as bad as it could’ve been for the Seminoles, as they went 0-3. In fact, FSU has started 0-3 four times in program history — three of them have been under current head coach Mike Norvell.
Florida State will likely be active once again in the transfer portal, causing current players to search for a higher chance of success and playing time elsewhere.
Colorado Buffaloes
Even if the Buffaloes don’t suffer a collapse like they did last year, the departures of QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way superstar Travis Hunter will have plenty of players questioning the viability of the program.
That does not even take into account Deion Sanders’ own murky future as a head coach, as it wouldn’t be surprising if he left Boulder, Colo., alongside his son and prodigee.
Auburn Tigers
The Tigers could compete in the SEC … if they had a QB who didn’t throw the ball to the opponent several times a game. But it’s more than just a QB problem — it’s a Hugh Freeze problem.
If he can’t figure out how to cater to his players’ strengths and build them up rather than publicly tear them down, he’ll be out just as quickly as his predecessor, Bryan Harsin, causing a mass exodus out of Auburn.
Florida Gators
Have the Gators turned it around under Billy Napier? Possibly, but a win over Mississippi State isn’t enough for me to remove the head coach from the hot seat. His tenure has been an utter disappointment in Gainesville, Fla., and the fanbase won’t take much more losing — and neither will the players.
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Napier is one embarrassing loss away from losing the locker room and the keys to the program. And if he does, Florida will struggle to return its playmakers next season.
UCLA Bruins
DeShaun Foster was supposed to be the homegrown savior, and while we knew it would take him time to establish a winning culture, the Bruins are 1-2 with a 16-13 win over Hawaii and blowout losses to Indiana and LSU.
The road doesn’t get much easier in the Big Ten, as the Bruins face Oregon and Penn State in their next two games, likely resulting in a 1-4 record. If they can’t turn it around from there, players such as WR J.Michael Sturdivant and RB T.J. Harden will leave for greener pastures.
Houston Cougars
The Cougars hired Willie Fritz to turn the program around after he led Tulane to back-to-back 10+ win seasons. A quick glance at the depth chart shows he got to work quickly, using the transfer portal to his advantage. He’ll likely have to do so again in the offseason as Houston sits at 1-3, with its only win coming against Rice.
Despite Donovan Smith’s struggles at QB, his departure after the season will only hinder the team’s prospects for 2025 and may cause potential transfers to overlook the Cougars.
Kansas Jayhawks
In just three years, Lance Leipold took the Jayhawks from 2-10 to 9-4 with a bowl victory. Unfortunately, the linear progression not only halted but reversed in 2024.
Starting QB Jalon Daniels has completed just 57.5% of his passes and thrown four TDs to seven INTs this year — if he doesn’t figure it out through the air, the Jayhawks are in for a long season.
While prospective RBs and offensive linemen will appreciate the offense’s rushing prowess, the passing attack’s ineptitude will deter skilled QBs and WRs from considering the program.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson took the baton from Drake Maye but handed it right off to sophomore Conner Harrell after suffering a broken leg in Week 1. Then, Harrell handed it to Arkansas transfer Jacolby Criswell after being benched.
Suffice it to say, head coach Mack Brown doesn’t have an answer at the sport’s most important position. But the team is 3-1; why would players want to leave? Because in that loss, the Tar Heels allowed a program record of 70 points to James Madison.
The offense put up 50 of its own, but it doesn’t matter. Should UNC let the loss define its season, Brown’s six-year reign could come to an unceremonious end.
NC State Wolfpack
NC State hasn’t won a bowl game since 2017, but the program was expected to compete for an ACC title this year. Those hopes were crushed when Tennessee (51-10) and Clemson (59-35) took the Wolfpack behind the woodshed early this season.
It appears Dave Doeren’s squad is destined for their fifth straight eight- or nine-win campaign, and while that level of consistency is nothing to scoff at, it’s not enough to satisfy a fanbase hungry for championship contention.
The ceiling under Doeren appears set, and without a significant change, the Wolfpack could see its best players get out of Wake County in pursuit of reaching greater heights.
Wyoming Cowboys
Wyoming has a new HC patrolling the sidelines for the first time in a decade after Craig Bohl retired. However, Jay Sawvel is a familiar face in Laramie, Wyo., as he has served as the team’s DC since 2020.
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But with Evan Svoboda under center, the Cowboys are staring down the barrel of their first full losing season (not counting 2020’s six-game schedule) since 2015 after dropping contests to Arizona State, Idaho, BYU, and North Texas.
The defense and offensive line feature several athletes who could start elsewhere and likely will in 2025.
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