Isaiah Hole
May 20, 2024 6:00 pm ET
Spring ball is in the books for the entirety of college football and unlike most years where the reigning national champion is expected to run it back, the field appears to be wide open in the eyes of analysts across the country.
Michigan football won it all last year but lost a lot of the components that helped get it there. Jim Harbaugh is off to the NFL as are star players such as J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum. Naturally, the schools who have either won it all before or have been climbing towards that goal are projected to be better than the Wolverines.
Such is the case in the latest college football power rankings released by ESPN. The Wolverines are still highly ranked, but some of the usual elite schools are a bit ahead of them. Here is how ESPN sees the field as of current with the College Football Playoff set to expand amid a ton of conference realignment.
25
USC Trojans
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: NR, 8-5, beat Louisville in DirecTV Holiday Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 99 (50% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame
24
Miami Hurricanes
Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: NR, 7-6, lost to Rutgers in Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bow;
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 45 (66% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Florida, Louisville, Florida State
23
Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 24, 10-4, lost to Tennessee in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 30 (69% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin
22
Kansas Jayhawks
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 23, 9-4, beat UNLV in Guaranteed Rate Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 78 (59% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Illinois, Kansas State, BYU
21
Virginia Tech Hokies
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: NR, 7-6, beat Tulane in Military Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 1 (86% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Miami (Fla.), Rutgers, Clemson
20
Arizona Wildcats
(Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
2023 result: No. 11, 10-3, beat Oklahoma in Valero Alamo Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 43 (66% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Kansas State, Utah, UCF
19
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Syndication: The Oklahoman
2023 result: No. 16, 10-4, beat Texas A&M in TaxAct Texas Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 4 (77% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Arkansas, Utah, Kansas State
18
Oklahoma Sooners
Sarah Phipps-The Oklahoman
2023 result: No. 15, 10-3, lost to Arizona in Valero Alamo Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 67 (62% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Ole Miss
17
Kansas State Wildcats
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 18, 9-4, beat NC State in Pop Tarts Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 82 (58% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Arizona, Oklahoma State, Kansas
16
Clemson Tigers
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 20, 9-4, beat Kentucky in TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 54 (64% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Georgia, NC State, Florida State
15
Tennessee Volunteers
Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel
2023 result: No. 17, 9-4, beat Iowa in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 94 (52% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia
14
LSU Tigers
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 12, 10-3, beat Wisconsin in ReliaQuest Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 60 (63% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: USC, Alabama, Oklahoma
13
NC State Wolfpack
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 21, 9-4, lost to Kansas State in Pop Tarts Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 80 (59% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Tennessee, Clemson, North Carolina
12
Penn State Nittany Lions
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 13, 10-3, lost to Ole Miss in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 23 (70% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: USC, Ohio State, Washington
11
Florida State Seminoles
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 6, 13-1, lost to Georgia in Capital One Orange Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 83 (58% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame
10
Michigan Wolverines
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 1,15-0, national champions
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 128 (36% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Texas, Oregon, Ohio State
9
Utah Utes
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images
2023 result: NR, 8-5, lost to Northwestern in SRS Distribution Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 16 (72% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Oklahoma State, Arizona, UCF
8
Missouri Tigers
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 8, 11-2, beat Ohio State in Goodyear Cotton Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 31 (68% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: , Alabama, Oklahoma
7
Alabama Crimson Tide
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 5,12-2, lost to Michigan in College Football Playoff semifinal
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 115 (44% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Wisconsin, Georgia, Oklahoma
6
Ole Miss Rebels
Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 9, 11-2, beat Penn State in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 68 (61% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia
5
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 14, 10-3, beat Oregon State in Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 74 (60% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Texas A&M, Florida State, USC
4
Oregon Ducks
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 6, 12-2, beat Liberty in Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 28 (69% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Ohio State, Michigan, Washington
3
Texas Longhorns
Aaron E. Martinez-USA TODAY Sports
2023 result: No. 3,12-2, lost to Washington in College Football Playoff semifinal
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 25 (70% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia
2
Ohio State Buckeyes
Photo: Isaiah Hole
2023 result: No. 10, 11-2, loss to Missouri in Goodyear Cotton Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 70 (61% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Oregon, Penn State, Michigan
1
Georgia Bulldogs
Joshua Jones-Online Athens
2023 result: No. 4,13-1, beat Florida State in Capital One Orange Bowl
2024 returning production rank (via ESPN): 47 (65% returning starters)
Toughest opponents in 2024: Clemson, Alabama, Texas
