It's 100 days to college football! Top games, players, contenders

In exactly 100 days, Florida State and Georgia Tech will kick off the season on Aug. 24 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. With what’s unofficially dubbed “Week 0,” college football’s offseason drought will mercifully end with a game that has ACC title implications.

But this isn’t just a countdown to kickoff.

It’s a flare ahead of a 12-team College Football Playoff — the most historic change to the sport’s postseason since the BCS ended in 2014. It’s the start of a football season without the Pac-12 for the first time in more than a century. And it’s the beginning of historic conference realignment that includes moving the L.A. schools to the Big Ten and the Big 12’s biggest brands to the SEC.

It’s also the end of some eras, as former Alabama coach Nick Saban has retired, and former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has moved onto the NFL after winning a national title.

To get you ready for 100 days from now, ESPN reporters compiled 10 lists of 10 (100! Even sportswriters can do that math). We’ve got you covered — from the best stories to the best games, Heisman hopefuls and upsets to watch, first-time playoff participants and first-time conference matchups. Just three more months and one week until it all unfolds.

Who’s counting?

Well, we are …

Ten best stories

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10. The Pac-2: What exactly will this season look like for Oregon State and Washington State as they embark on a new journey together as the Pac-2, left on the outside looking in during this latest round of conference expansion and realignment. Both teams took major hits in the transfer portal — losing their starting quarterbacks to the ACC (Cam Ward to Miami; DJ Uiagalelei to Florida State). Plus, Oregon State has a new head coach in Trent Bray.

9. Florida State after the CFP snub: The last time we saw Florida State take the field, the Seminoles played without the majority of their starters in a 63-3 loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, putting a damper on what was a 13-0 season filled with CFP hopes. So how does the team respond after such a devastating end to 2023? Coach Mike Norvell went into the transfer portal again to revamp his roster. Despite the new faces, this is an experienced team eager to get to the playoff.

8. Texas 2-QB Step? Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has made it clear the program is on the “cusp” of an “epic” run. Will that be with Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning? Ewers opted to come back for one more year and is entrenched as the starting quarterback. But after Manning threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game, there are renewed questions about who will be the guy to bring the Longhorns all the way back.

7. Georgia bounce-back: Like Florida State, Georgia felt it was snubbed from a spot in the four-team CFP a year ago after losing to Alabama in the SEC championship game. With quarterback Carson Beck returning, another No. 1 recruiting class and key additions from the transfer portal (running back Trevor Etienne, Colbie Young, Michael Jackson III, Benjamin Yurosek), the Bulldogs seem poised to make another run.

6. No Harbaugh, no problem? Reigning national champion Michigan will look decidedly different headed into 2024. Sherrone Moore replaces Jim Harbaugh, who left for the NFL, and has got a revamped roster to try and shape into another championship contender. Michigan had a school-record 13 players selected in the NFL draft, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Blake Corum, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and defensive back Mike Sainristil. Given all the turnover, it is hard to know what to expect from the Wolverines this season.

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5. Kalen DeBoer at Alabama: Everyone wants to know what the Crimson Tide will do without Nick Saban, and the most fascinating dynamic to watch is how the quarterback-friendly DeBoer will impact QB Jalen Milroe. For proof, look at the way Michael Penix Jr. flourished under DeBoer at Washington. If DeBoer can have the same effect on Milroe, Alabama will be in position to be just fine this season.

4. Now or never for Ohio State? Ryan Day has lost three straight to Michigan, and that has caused much consternation in Columbus. So what did the Buckeyes do? They rallied their collective to spend big — keeping important players in the fold (receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, cornerback Denzel Burke) while also going into the transfer portal for quarterback Will Howard, tailback Quinshon Judkins and defensive back Caleb Downs. It certainly feels as if this is a now-or-never type season for Ohio State.

3. What does Deion do for an encore? If you think Deion Sanders has become less polarizing because Colorado went 4-8 last season, look no further than the firestorm that erupted after he went on social media and criticized a former player who had been critical of the program. Sanders returns two players with first-round potential in the 2025 NFL draft in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. Sanders went back into the portal for another roster makeover, revamped the offensive line and has vowed to make a bowl game this season. Will the team get it done?

2. New faces, new places: We have talked a lot about expansion over the past two years, but now we get to actually see what it looks like when Texas and Oklahoma play SEC schedules; Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA play Big Ten schedules; and Stanford, Cal and SMU get into some #goacc action. Then there is the Big 12, which feels more wide open than ever with Texas and Oklahoma gone, and the additions of Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado. Buckle up!

1. Expanded playoffs! A 12-team playoff is here, and it could not have come at a better time after the way last season ended. The five highest-ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams will play for the national championship. How the committee will decide the rankings is always put under a microscope, and while there will not be the same pressure as getting four teams right, there will be scrutiny over how many of the at-large teams come from the same conferences. Add in first-round games played in home stadiums (a first!) Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, and there is plenty to get excited about … even if we are still 100 days from kickoff. — Andrea Adelson

Ten games to watch

10. Kansas State at Colorado, Oct. 12: By Week 2 of the 2023 season, Colorado-mania had taken over the country and Buffs games were the biggest show around. Sure, the hype didn’t last, but coach Deion Sanders is back with what should be an improved team in 2024 and there’s every reason to think the show could be even bigger this time around. Colorado starts with North Dakota State, Nebraska, Colorado State, Baylor and UCF — and only NDSU of the FCS finished with a winning record last year. So, imagine a world where Coach Prime has his team sitting at 5-0 with K-State, one of the Big 12’s top teams, coming to town? There’s a good chance Sanders will find some beef with coach Chris Klieman that no one quite understands but we will nevertheless talk breathlessly about for days.

9. Texas at Texas A&M, Nov. 30: It’s baaaaack! Realignment removed one of college football’s best rivalries from the schedule after Texas A&M left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2012, but 12 years later, another round of realignment has brought the two together again. When last we saw these two face off, Case McCoy and Ryan Tannehill were the starting quarterbacks. A lot has changed since then.

8. Clemson vs. Georgia, Aug. 31: Want to identify the moment Georgia became the behemoth of college football and Clemson started its slow decline from perennial playoff contender? It might well be the opener in 2021, when the Bulldogs outlasted the Tigers 10-3 thanks to a pick-six of DJ Uiagalelei. If Clemson wants to reverse those trends, winning the 2024 opener would be an excellent start — not to mention a healthy dose of redemption.

7. Florida State at Notre Dame, Nov. 9: This will mark the 12th time FSU and Notre Dame have faced off, and boy has this quasi-rivalry included some memorable moments — from the “Game of the Century” in 1993 in which the Irish prevailed 31-24 but FSU got the last laugh with a national title, to the 2021 game when FSU stormed back from down 18 in the fourth quarter to force overtime behind McKenzie Milton (in a game Notre Dame eventually won, but ended with Brian Kelly joking he wanted to execute his team).

6. Ohio State at Penn State, Nov. 2: In the four-team playoff era, no program knocked on the door of a berth without ever making the final cut more than Penn State. Why? As good as the Nittany Lions were against most teams, they simply couldn’t get past Michigan and Ohio State consistently. The scheduling overlords removed one obstacle from their slate for 2024, making the matchup with the Buckeyes the biggest of the year in State College.

5. Clemson at Florida State, Oct. 5: The 2023 season proved a return to normalcy in the ACC, with the FSU-Clemson showdown effectively determining who was top dog in the league. Both teams should be battling for a spot in the ACC championship game again this year, though the winner would probably prefer an exit from the ACC altogether.

4. Ohio State at Oregon, Oct. 12: Preseason expectations aren’t always accurate, but Oregon and Ohio State certainly look like the class of the Big Ten at this point, and their Week 6 showdown in Eugene could go a long way toward determining who will be atop the league and, likely, earn a playoff bye. Both teams are loaded with talent, including QBs Will Howard and Dillon Gabriel, and barring an upset, they’ll both be 5-0 and likely inside the top 10 when they meet up. More than all that, however, this game might mark the true start of a new era in the Big Ten — the first true showdown of powers from the old guard and the new faces added from the Pac-12.

3. Georgia at Texas, Oct. 19: These two blue bloods have played just once in the past 40 years — a 2018 thriller in New Orleans — but they’re now conference foes. The Longhorns are fresh off a playoff bid. Georgia had a good case as the best team that didn’t make the playoff last year. The teams will also have two of the top QBs in the country in what figures to be an epic showdown with SEC and playoff implications.

2. Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 30: There are lots of great games. There is only one called “The Game.” And while Michigan lost its head coach and a host of talent from last year’s national title team, the Wolverines still own a three-game winning streak in the series and turning around that trend might be necessary for Ryan Day to keep his job at Ohio State.

1. Georgia at Alabama, Sept. 28: These teams combined for nine championship game appearances during the 10-year run of the four-team playoff, and while much has changed over the past year at both schools, there’s no reason to assume the Dawgs and the Tide won’t be at the very top of the college football power rankings again in 2024. — David Hale

Ten potential FCS-over-FBS upsets

10. South Dakota State at Oklahoma State, Aug. 31: The Jackrabbits will take a 29-game winning streak into 2024 after winning the past two FCS national titles, but a trip to Stillwater will be their most difficult test in years.

9. Colgate at Akron, Sept. 14: With Akron coming off a 2-10 season without much reason to be optimistic for a major step forward, Colgate — which won six of seven to finish 2023 — is looking for its first win against an FBS team since 2003.

8. Saint Francis (PA) at Kent State, Sept. 7: This is more about the state of Kent State, which ranks No. 133 (of 134 FBS teams) in Bill Connelly’s preseason SP+ rankings and hasn’t earned the assumption that anything is a gimme.

7. Gardner-Webb at Charlotte, Sept. 14: After winning the Big South-OVC the past two seasons, Gardner-Webb will look to pick up its first FBS win since 2010, against a Charlotte team coming off a dismal 3-9 season.

6. Sacramento State at San Jose State, Aug. 29: Sac State was one of just four FCS teams to beat an FBS team last year (Stanford) and there is every expectation they’ll compete with San Jose State, which lost coach Brent Brennan to Arizona.

5. North Dakota State at Colorado, Aug. 29: North Dakota State is among the preseason national championship FCS favorites and will begin the season with what will almost certainly be its most-watched game ever at Colorado, which is full of question marks after losing eight of nine to end Deion Sanders’ first year in charge.

4. Nicholls at Louisiana Tech, Aug. 31: After going undefeated in the Southland Conference last year, Nicholls returns a pair of first-team all-conference running backs — Jaylon Spears and Collin Guggenheim — and an experienced offensive line. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech is coming off a disastrous 2023 that saw the Bulldogs lose their final six games and eight of nine.

3. Lafayette at Buffalo, Aug. 29: With Buffalo having lost to Patriot League teams in 2022 (Holy Cross) and 2023 (Fordham), Lafayette will be confident it can make it three in a row after finishing atop the league last year.

2. Montana State at New Mexico, Aug. 24: New Mexico’s first game under new coach Bronco Mendenhall has real potential to be dicey as Montana State comes into the season as an FCS national title contender.

1. UT Martin at Kennesaw State, Sept. 28: Considering Kennesaw State didn’t have a program until 2015, transitioned to FBS last year and has never beaten an FBS program, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. UT Martin finished tied for first with Gardner-Webb in the Big South-OVC last year and has won 25 games over the past three years. — Kyle Bonagura

Ten first-time conference matchups

10. Florida State at SMU, Sept. 28: The Mustangs host the defending ACC champs in their first ACC conference game.

9. BYU at Utah, Nov. 9: The Holy War is back after a three-year hiatus and, as a conference game going forward, should be the most hotly contested rivalry in the new Big 12.

8. USC at Michigan, Sept. 21: The Trojans make their Big Ten debut in Ann Arbor, as both teams try to replace quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 in last month’s draft (Caleb Williams, J.J. McCarthy).

7. Oklahoma State at Colorado, Nov. 29: This old Big Eight rivalry has been revived, with coach Mike Gundy facing off against Deion Sanders in a meeting that could hold Big 12 title game implications.

6. Michigan at Washington, Oct. 5: A rematch of last year’s national championship is set to feature several new players on the field as well as new head coaches (Sherrone Moore, Jedd Fisch) on the sidelines.

5. Oklahoma at LSU, Nov. 30: The Sooners, who have never faced LSU during the regular season, make their first trip to Death Valley.

4. Alabama at Oklahoma, Nov. 23: Alabama is Oklahoma’s only home bout during a brutal stretch against four straight conference opponents ranked in the top 12 of ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 (No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Missouri, No. 9 Alabama, No. 12 LSU). Welcome to the SEC.

3. Ohio State at Oregon, Oct. 12: Then a nonconference game, the Ducks won the last meeting in Columbus in 2021. Ohio State has won the other nine meetings, though, with victories over the Ducks giving the Buckeyes the 1957 and 2014 national titles.

2. Texas at Texas A&M, Nov. 30: After years of unsuccessful haggling to resume this series, this old Southwest Conference and Big 12 rivalry is back for the first time since 2011 with both schools now residing in the SEC.

1. Georgia at Texas, Oct. 19: In what could be a preview of playoff participants, the Bulldogs make their second-ever trek to Austin — and first since 1958. — Jake Trotter

Ten coaches to watch

Ohio State coach Ryan Day has lost three in a row to rival Michigan. Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire

10. Clemson’s Dabo Swinney: He’s a future Hall of Famer and the first coach to truly challenge Nick Saban’s stranglehold on the sport, winning national titles in 2016 and 2018. But his hands-off approach toward the transfer portal has raised questions, especially after Clemson dropped four games last season for the first time since 2011. A return to the CFP is essential for Swinney.

9. Washington’s Jedd Fisch: He takes over one of the most unusual situations in college football history — a national runner-up with no returning offensive starters, set to enter a new conference mostly based at least two time zones away. Fisch should benefit from a career hopscotching the college and NFL ranks, as he is accustomed to new settings.

8. Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman: He is more well-liked than his predecessor, Brian Kelly, and has made key gains in recruiting and further elevating the defense. But the expectations for Freeman in Year 3 are clear, especially with the CFP expanding to 12 and the possibility of Notre Dame hosting a playoff game.

7. Oklahoma’s Brent Venables: OU fans jilted by Lincoln Riley’s departure celebrated Venables’ return to Norman, but Year 3 overall and Year 1 in the SEC loom large for a program accustomed to CFP appearances. Venables ultimately must upgrade a defense that ranks 120th in yards allowed and 71st in points allowed under his watch.

6. Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin: The Lane Train is never boring, but he recently has added more substance to the entertainment factor. After two AP top-12 finishes in the past three seasons, Ole Miss made a significant push in the portal/NIL space and should deliver a team capable of earning the school’s first CFP berth.

Ten Heisman contenders

Georgia QB Carson Beck passed for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire

10. Avery Johnson, QB, Kansas State: Insert your “Hey, didn’t he play in the NBA and coach at Alabama” joke here. But the sophomore with the luscious locks electrified Little Manhattan one year ago whenever he had the football in his hands. Then again, he already owns a Pop Tarts Bowl MVP trophy, so a Heisman might feel like a letdown.

9. Cam Ward, QB, Miami: Miami’s back! Maybe. But Ward will most certainly be back on the national college football radar, taking his talents to South Beach(ish) after tossing a combined 13,875 yards and 119 TD passes at Incarnate Word and Washington State, aka the Incarnate Word of the Palouse.

8. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State: Judkins showed moments of true brilliance in Oxford — see: 31 TDs and 2,725 yards rushing in two seasons — but seemed to always be overshadowed by his quarterback (more on him coming up). Now he anchors the new-look Buckeyes, who had the best talent-seizing offseason of any organization not named the Philadelphia Eagles. Also, he’s a running back and we refused to do an all-QB list.

7. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU: After waiting patiently for four years, Nussmeier finally got to start for the Tigers in their ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin, where he won the game’s MVP award. Now he’ll try to become the third LSU quarterback to win the Heisman in the past six years. No pressure, kid.

6. Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss: Told you we’d get to this guy. Remember one year ago when there were doubts he’d even be the starter? The guy with the Anakin Skywalker eye black went full Jedi Temple attack with 3,364 yards passing and 31 total TDs versus only five INTs, then decided to come back for more.

5. Will Howard, QB, Ohio State: Kansas State’s Johnson is on this list because Howard, the guy Johnson was behind on the depth chart, transferred to Columbus. And the only reason Howard isn’t higher on this list is because he might not even be atop his new depth chart, sitting in what might be America’s most competitive position room. Devin Brown also has appeared alongside Howard on many preseason Heisman lists.

4. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama: New coaching staff. New offensive system. So many new teammates. Completely new SEC conference structure. Same QB, aka the dual-threat guy who went from being benched to leading the Tide to the CFP.

3. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon: How amazing is it to get to see a player who played for Knute Rockne still in action? Oregon is Gabriel’s third stop under center after being the starter at UCF and Oklahoma. He has thrown for nearly 15,000 yards and has more than 1,000 yards rushing. This also seems like an important note: The last QB who moved to Eugene was Bo Nix. That worked out pretty well.

2. Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: Everything’s bigger in Texas, especially expectations. Few came to Austin with bigger eyes upon them than Ewers, who finally cashed in on that promise last season, with a 12-2 season that was capped by a CFP appearance. Now he just needs to outrun his backup: His Royal Armness, Prince Arch Manning of New Orleans.

1. Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: The Dawgs are still raw over their lack of a CFP invite and will enter fall with Silicon Valley’s worth of chips on their big ol’ hairy shoulders. It’s the shoulders of Beck that will be asked to dish out that revenge, having made 14 starts one year ago and losing only once. It’s his fifth season in Athens and if he can improve even a little on his numbers — 3,941 yards, 24 TDs, 6 INTs, 72% completion — from a year ago on a CFP team, it’ll be impossible to keep him out of New York in December. — Ryan McGee

Ten breakout players

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was the No. 4 pocket passer in the Class of 2023 according to ESPN. AP Photo/John Raoux

10. Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon: It’s nearly impossible to mention one without the other. The two freshman edge rushers received plenty of snaps last season, combining for 28 tackles and four sacks. With a year under their chinstraps and better knowledge of the Ducks’ scheme, both Tuioti and Uiagalelei could have monster second seasons in Eugene.

9. Rueben Owens, RB, Texas A&M: Under new head coach Mike Elko, the Aggies’ offense may finally find its way out of the wilderness, and a large part of that could be thanks to Owens. In his first year at Texas A&M, Owens got 101 carries for 385 yards and three touchdowns, but as a five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, it feels like Owens’ true potential has not yet been fully unlocked. New offensive coordinator Collin Klein will aim to do just that with Owens and the rest of the Aggies’ backs this season.

8. Darrell Jackson Jr., DL, Florida State: No single player may be as motivated coming into this season as Jackson. After transferring from Miami to Florida State last season, NCAA eligibility rules prevented him from playing in the regular season and a waiver was also denied. The 6-foot-3, 334-pound lineman has all the potential to be a force for the Noles.

7. Zachariah Branch, WR, USC: One could argue that Branch already broke out last season. In his freshman campaign, Branch wowed the college football world with his unique speed and agility, which he most often displayed on special teams. The freshman saw his role as a wide receiver grow as the season went along. Now Branch will be expected to be a focal part of the Trojans’ offense without quarterback Caleb Williams.

6. Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami: Bain was one of the more impressive freshmen in the country on defense last season. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound edge rusher started 11 games and had 44 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 7.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. The Hurricanes disappointed as a team last year, dampening the shine on Bain’s season, but if his first year in college is any indication, the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year has the makings of a star.

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5. Justice Haynes, RB, Alabama: Last year in Tuscaloosa may not have gone the way Haynes, then a true freshman, envisioned. He finished with 168 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, but he showed enough flashes to let the Tide faithful know what was coming in the future. Now, under new head coach Kalen DeBoer and with the departure of both Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams, Haynes could be primed for a big second season.

4. Suntarine Perkins, LB, Ole Miss: With Lane Kiffin at the helm, there is always plenty of buzz surrounding his team’s offense, but Perkins is a talent on the defensive end ready for his close-up. In his freshman campaign, Perkins started only two games but finished with 38 total tackles (5.5 of those for loss) and 3.5 sacks. It was the ideal debut season for a player who will be crucial to the Rebels’ defense this season.

3. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State: Surprise, surprise — just as one star Ohio State receiver leaves for the NFL, another is waiting in the wings, ready to shine. Smith is a true freshman and one of the top prospects…

It’s 100 days to college football! Top games, players, contenders

Ten best stories

Editor’s Picks

Ten games to watch

Ten potential FCS-over-FBS upsets

Ten first-time conference matchups

Ten coaches to watch

Top stories of the week from

Ten Heisman contenders

Ten breakout players

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