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
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…
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