Blog Article

Georgia Football 2025: The Year Everything Must Come Together

Mark Haines on July 9, 2025

Georgia football stands at the most critical crossroads in the Kirby Smart era.

After an 11-3 season that included an SEC Championship but ended with crushing disappointment against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, the Bulldogs face a familiar question: Can they reload fast enough to compete for another national title?

The answer isn’t as simple as pointing to their second-ranked recruiting class or their elite defensive continuity. This is about execution under pressure. This is about proving that championship windows don’t close just because star players leave for the NFL.

For Georgia, 2025 represents the ultimate test of program sustainability.

The Quarterback Question That Changes Everything

Gunner Stockton holds the keys to Georgia’s entire championship hopes.

The redshirt junior from Tiger, Georgia, isn’t just replacing Carson Beck. He’s stepping into the most pressure-packed position in college football at a program where anything less than playoff contention equals disappointment.

But here’s what most people miss about Stockton’s situation: He’s not walking into this blind.

His limited 2024 action tells a story of readiness:

  • 67.8% completion percentage
  • 939 passing yards with 9 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
  • 10.4 yards per attempt (explosive play capability)
  • 4 rushing touchdowns (dual-threat ability)
  • Clutch performance in SEC Championship overtime win vs Texas

“Recent Georgia football history indicates that Gunner Stockton will be successful in 2025 as the starter,” according to Sports Illustrated’s analysis of Smart’s track record with first-year starters.

The evidence supports this optimism. Jake Fromm, Stetson Bennett, and Carson Beck all found immediate success in their first seasons as full-time starters under Smart. The system works because Smart builds it around his quarterbacks’ strengths, not against them.

Behind Stockton, the depth chart features genuine promise. Redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi would have been next in line during the Texas game, bringing four-star credentials and unwavering program loyalty. The 2025 class adds Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender, creating long-term stability at the position.

Elite Recruiting Meets Championship Pressure

Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class ranks second nationally for a reason.

With 28 commitments and an 82% blue-chip ratio, this isn’t just talent acquisition. This is championship-level roster construction designed to maintain elite standards while replacing NFL-bound stars.

The cornerstone is five-star defensive tackle Elijah Griffin, who becomes the first No. 1-ranked DT prospect to sign with Georgia during the Smart era. This isn’t just a recruiting win. This statement suggests that Georgia can still attract the nation’s top players despite recent setbacks.

The numbers tell the story of sustained excellence:

  • 4 five-star prospects
  • 17 ESPN 300 players
  • 25 of 28 signees enrolling early
  • Top-10 classes in three consecutive years

Five-star wide receiver Talyn Taylor and defensive tackle Isaiah Gibson provide immediate impact potential. But the real value lies in the depth across all position groups, ensuring that NFL departures don’t create fatal gaps in the roster.

“Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class ranks in the top 10 nationally,” ESPN reported, highlighting the program’s ability to continue attracting elite talent despite Sugar Bowl disappointment.

The Defensive Foundation That Never Breaks

Georgia’s defense in 2025 starts with a straightforward advantage: continuity.

The unit that allowed just 20.6 points per game in 2024 returns its core contributors, providing the foundation for continued excellence. This isn’t about replacing talent. This is about building on proven success.

Safety Malaki Starks anchors the secondary after recording 77 tackles and establishing himself as one of the nation’s premier defensive backs. His leadership and playmaking ability provide the steady presence that championship defenses require.

Linebacker Jalon Walker brings elite production (11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks) and veteran leadership to a position group with championship-level depth. The emergence of players like KJ Bolden, who finished 2024 strongly and projects as a breakout candidate, adds optimism to an already formidable unit.

The defensive line faces the most significant turnover but benefits from elite recruiting additions. Griffin’s early enrollment allows immediate competition for playing time while returning players like Christen Miller and Jordan Hall provide proven production.

This combination creates something special: veteran leadership merged with elite young talent.

Schedule Flip Creates Championship Opportunity

Georgia’s 2025 schedule represents the best possible scenario for a reloading team.

The same eight SEC opponents from 2024 return, but with home and away sites flipped. This creates massive advantages for the Bulldogs, who will host their most dangerous opponents while traveling to more manageable road environments.

The schedule highlights tell the story:

  • Texas makes its first-ever trip to Athens (November 15)
  • Alabama visits Athens for the first time since 2015
  • Ole Miss, Kentucky, also come to Sanford Stadium
  • Road games at Tennessee, Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Georgia faces the 13th most brutal schedule among FBS teams. Phil Steele ranks it 44th nationally and 13th in the SEC. These aren’t overwhelming numbers for a program with championship aspirations.

The non-conference slate (Marshall, Austin Peay, Charlotte, Georgia Tech) provides opportunities to build momentum and develop depth before conference play intensifies.

Offensive Questions Demand Immediate Answers

The departure of leading receiver Arian Smith creates the season’s most significant offensive question mark.

Smith’s 817 receiving yards and 17.0 yards per catch represented the explosive element that stretched opposing defenses. Replacing that production isn’t just about finding another receiver. It’s about maintaining the vertical passing game that makes Georgia’s offense dangerous.

Transfer receiver Zachariah Branch possesses elite potential and the ability to make an immediate impact. Players like Colbie Young and Noah Thomas offer proven experience. But the question remains: Can this group create the explosive plays that championship offenses require?

The running game features more certainty with returning talent:

  • Nate Frazier: 671 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry in 2024
  • Cash Jones: Versatile threat as runner and receiver
  • Bo Walker: Impressed during spring practice, adds depth

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo enters his second season with increased familiarity with the personnel. This continuity factor cannot be understated, as Bobo’s system becomes more refined with experienced players who understand their roles.

The Championship Window Stays Open

Georgia enters 2025 with legitimate championship aspirations for one simple reason: They have everything necessary to compete at the highest level.

The 12-team playoff format provides a margin for error that previous generations never enjoyed. The program’s infrastructure, from recruiting to player development, creates sustainable excellence that extends beyond individual seasons.

Smart’s track record of reloading rather than rebuilding provides confidence that the program can maintain elite status despite significant roster turnover. This isn’t about hoping for lightning to strike twice. This is about systematic excellence producing predictable results.

What Must Improve for Championship Contention

The 2024 season revealed specific weaknesses that championship teams cannot afford.

The areas demanding immediate improvement:

  • Turnover margin (minus one directly contributed to critical losses)
  • Penalty issues (5.7 per game stalled drives, extended opponents’ possessions)
  • Red zone efficiency in high-leverage situations
  • Defensive ability to create turnovers without surrendering explosive plays

These are correctable issues that coaching and experience can address. But they must be addressed for championship contention to become a championship reality.

The Verdict: Championship or Disappointment

Georgia’s 2025 season represents a classic reloading year disguised as something more dangerous.

The talent pipeline ensures competitive depth. The schedule flip provides a home-field advantage in crucial games. Smart’s proven ability to develop quarterbacks and maintain defensive excellence creates optimism for sustained success.

But here’s what makes this season different: The margin for error has shrunk.

For a program with two national championships in four years, anything less than playoff contention represents failure. Georgia enters 2025 with the expectation of competing for SEC and national championships, backed by the talent and infrastructure necessary to achieve those goals.

The championship window remains wide open in Athens.

The 2025 season presents another opportunity to prove that Georgia football belongs among college football’s elite programs, not just occasionally but consistently, year after year.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

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Missouri Football 2025: The Year Everything Must Come Together

Mark Haines on July 8, 2025

Missouri Football is about to find out if their recent success was real or just a beautiful accident.

After back-to-back 10-win seasons that shocked college football, the Tigers face the ultimate test of sustainability. Star quarterback Brady Cook is gone. Top receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. departed for the NFL. Nearly half of the roster turned over due to graduation and the transfer portal.

What remains is a program trying to prove that lightning can strike three times in Columbia.

Eli Drinkwitz Just Made the Boldest Promise in College Football

Most coaches lower expectations during rebuilding years.

Drinkwitz is doing the exact opposite. He’s openly targeting achievements that have never been accomplished in Missouri football history, starting with a third consecutive 10-win season.

“I think the challenge for us is to do something that’s never been done before. It’s never been accomplished at the University of Missouri to extend that [10-win season] streak to a third season,” Drinkwitz told ABC 17 Sports.

But he didn’t stop there.

The fourth-year head coach is also pursuing Missouri’s first SEC championship and College Football Playoff berth. According to CBS Sports analysis, “And in no way are they approaching this year like that’s their plan [to go 7-5]. I get the feeling around Columbia like Eli Drinkwitz is openly talking about, ‘We’re trying to do things that have never been done.'”

This isn’t coach speak.

This program believes its foundation is strong enough to support championship-level expectations while navigating massive roster turnover.

The $1.5 Million Quarterback Gamble That Changes Everything

Beau Pribula holds the keys to Missouri’s entire season.

The Penn State transfer didn’t just sign with the Tigers. According to sources who spoke to On3, his NIL package will pay him $1.5 million in 2025, putting him on par with starting SEC quarterbacks across the conference.

That’s not just an investment.

That’s a statement about Missouri’s commitment to maintaining elite quarterback play after losing Brady Cook’s 8,721 career passing yards and veteran leadership.

Here’s what makes Pribula special:

  • Completed 26 of 35 passes for 275 yards and five touchdowns at Penn State
  • Added 242 rushing yards and four touchdowns on just 38 carries
  • Dual-threat ability fits perfectly within Drinkwitz’s offensive system
  • Two years of eligibility remaining for program continuity

But there’s a catch.

Pribula will compete with redshirt junior Sam Horn, who missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Horn, a former four-star recruit, hasn’t completed a pass since 2023 but possesses the physical tools that made him highly recruited.

Missouri won’t name a starter until August.

Everything depends on which quarterback can master the system fastest while building chemistry with a largely rebuilt receiving corps.

How Missouri Rebuilt Their Roster in Record Time

Twenty-six new players arrived through the transfer portal.

That’s not roster management. That’s complete program reconstruction executed with surgical precision.

The Tigers lost 29 players but responded with what multiple outlets rank as a top-10 transfer portal class nationally. Instead of panic recruiting, Missouri targeted specific weaknesses from 2024’s two blowout losses to Alabama and Texas A&M.

The most impactful offensive additions:

  • Ahmad Hardy (RB, Louisiana-Monroe): 1,300+ yard rusher expected to lead the backfield
  • Kevin Coleman Jr. (WR, Mississippi State): All-SEC slot receiver to replace NFL departures
  • Keagen Trost (OT, Wake Forest): Immediate tackle depth
  • Dominick Giudice (OL, Michigan): Versatile guard/center option
  • Jaylen Early (OT, Florida State): Another tackle option for depth

The defensive game-changers:

  • Damon Wilson II (DE, Georgia): Five-star transfer headlines improved pass rush
  • Josiah Trotter (LB, West Virginia): Veteran experience and proven production
  • Mikai Gbayor (LB, Nebraska): Athletic upgrade at linebacker
  • Santana Banner (S, Northern Illinois): Secondary help for coverage issues
  • Mose Phillips (S, Virginia Tech): Additional safety depth and experience

This wasn’t random talent acquisition.

This was strategic problem-solving that addressed every weakness that cost Missouri games in 2024.

The Defense Keeps Missouri Competitive While the Offense Figures It Out

Missouri’s defense finished 2024 with 28 takeaways.

That ranked sixth nationally and included 18 interceptions from a secondary that showed dramatic improvement throughout the season. While the offense integrates new faces, this defensive foundation provides the stability needed to remain competitive in every game.

Key returning defenders include:

  • Triston Newson (LB): 71 tackles, 7 tackles for loss in 2024
  • Zion Young (DE): Led team in pressures, should benefit from attention on Wilson
  • A secondary trio that provides continuity and proven ball skills

Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon enters his second season with improved talent and scheme familiarity.

The combination creates optimism for a unit that must keep games close while the offense develops chemistry and rhythm.

The Schedule That Could Make or Break Everything

Missouri doesn’t play a road game until Week 8.

Read that again. The Tigers will host their first six games of the season, including tune-ups against South Dakota, Eastern Michigan, and Boston College, before SEC play begins.

According to CBS Sports, “Missouri doesn’t have its first road game until Week 8 (!!) at Auburn. The Tigers face Alabama at home the week before, following a tune-up game against UMass and a bye. That’s an incredibly fortunate draw for Drinkwitz and Co.”

This scheduling quirk provides something invaluable:

  • Time for new starters to develop chemistry at home
  • Opportunity to build confidence before hostile SEC environments
  • Six home games to establish offensive identity
  • Momentum-building potential before the road gauntlet begins

The schedule features the same SEC opponents as 2024, just with home and away flipped.

Missouri will host Alabama, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State while traveling to Auburn, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

As one analyst noted, “I don’t think Missouri has a single game on the schedule that you look at and say there’s no way you can win that, but they’ve also got about seven of them that they look at and say they could lose.”

Translation: Every game matters, but every game is winnable.

Why Vegas Is Wrong About Missouri’s Ceiling

FanDuel set Missouri’s win total at 7.5 games.

The oddsmakers clearly expect regression after losing so much production. But they’re missing something crucial about this program’s trajectory and foundation.

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt sees the bigger picture:

“It’s a team that could go 10-2. They might need 10-2 versus like Florida’s 9-3, but it’s certainly doable with the way that program has manifested itself over the last few years.”

Here’s what the betting lines don’t account for:

  • Drinkwitz’s proven ability to develop quarterbacks and maximize talent
  • Strategic portal additions that directly address 2024 weaknesses
  • Favorable scheduling that aids integration of new players
  • Cultural foundation built over five seasons of program building
  • Recruiting momentum that continues attracting elite talent

The disconnect between external expectations and internal confidence creates opportunity.

Missouri has consistently outperformed preseason projections under Drinkwitz, and 2025 could be the biggest example yet.

The Hidden Factors That Could Determine Everything

Special teams might be Missouri’s secret weapon.

Kicker Blake Craig returns after converting 70.6% of field goals as a freshman, providing reliability in close SEC contests. Punter Connor Weselman arrives from Stanford to upgrade field position battles that often determine outcomes in conference play.

Emerging players to watch:

  • Joshua Manning (WR): Poised for breakout season as primary boundary target
  • Chris McClellan (DT): Defensive anchor despite being overshadowed by transfers
  • Nicholas Rodriguez (LB): Reports suggest “monster offseason” could earn rotation spot
  • Donovan Olugbode (WR, Fr): “Day one ready” freshman who could contribute immediately

Coaching stability provides another advantage.

Drinkwitz and his coordinators return with proven adaptability and development track records. Their aggressive portal usage and scheme flexibility give Missouri competitive advantages that extend beyond pure talent comparisons.

The Bottom Line: This Is Make-or-Break Time

Missouri has everything necessary to achieve the impossible.

A potentially elite quarterback. Strategic roster construction. Favorable scheduling. Proven coaching. Championship-level ambitions backed by realistic pathways to success.

But potential means nothing without execution.

The 2025 season will determine whether Drinkwitz has built something truly sustainable in Columbia or whether back-to-back 10-win seasons were just a brief peak before returning to historical norms.

For the first time in program history, Missouri isn’t just hoping to compete in the SEC.

They’re expecting to contend for titles that have never been within reach.

The pieces are in place. The expectations are set. The schedule cooperates.

Now comes the hardest part: proving that lightning can strike three times in Missouri.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

Free Subscription
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LSU Football 2025: Brian Kelly’s Championship Window Is Closing Fast

Mark Haines on July 7, 2025

LSU Football Coach Brian Kelly is coaching for his legacy.

After three seasons in Baton Rouge that have produced solid records but no championship hardware, the LSU head coach enters 2025 with the best roster he has ever assembled and absolutely no margin for error.

The Tigers finished 9-4 in 2024, including a Texas Bowl victory over Baylor (44-31), but that’s not why Kelly was hired. He came to LSU with one mission: to deliver a national championship. ESPN listed Kelly among the 10 “coaches to watch” in 2025, joining Colorado’s Deion Sanders and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer as coaches facing make-or-break seasons.

The message from college football analysts couldn’t be clearer: “With [quarterback] Garrett Nussmeier, a guy I think will be the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft, (Kelly has) got to get it done this time around or Brian Kelly is going to be on the hot seat by November.”

This is “championship or bust” for LSU in 2025.

The Quarterback Question Is Finally Answered

Garrett Nussmeier isn’t just returning—he’s arriving as a legitimate Heisman candidate.

The redshirt senior threw for 3,738 yards and 26 touchdowns in his first year as the starter, completing 315.2 passing yards per game with a 64.4% completion rate. Those numbers powered LSU’s offense to 431.5 total yards per game, making them one of the SEC’s most explosive units.

But here’s what makes Nussmeier’s return even more valuable: he finished the 2024 season as LSU’s undisputed leader. The Tigers won their final three games, including victories over Vanderbilt, Oklahoma (37-17), and the Texas Bowl triumph over Baylor.

“He and I have talked about this, but he was as prepared as he could be and developed as much as he could have developed to play, but then there’s experience you have to get from playing,” offensive coordinator Joe Sloan said. “There were things that happened during the season that he’s now aware of how they transpired.”

The experience factor cannot be overstated. Nussmeier now understands SEC defenses, pressure situations, and what it takes to win championship-level games.

“You know, that’s not really my focus,” Nussmeier said about Heisman talk. “I think that I’m worried about doing the best I can to help LSU win a national championship. That’s the mindset; that’s the energy and intensity that I bring every single day.”

Portal Perfection: LSU Built A Championship Roster

Brian Kelly made the most crucial decision of his LSU tenure after the 2024 season.

He went all-in on the transfer portal, landing the nation’s No. 1 transfer class with 18 elite additions. This wasn’t just roster management—this was championship construction.

“We have a strong young nucleus in our program, but now it’s time to add to that,” Kelly said in December. “Those that have moved on, we wish them the best, and now we feel like we’ve put ourselves in a position where we can put together an SEC Championship roster.”

The results speak for themselves:

  • LSU landed 8 of the Top-100 transfer portal players
  • Every major weakness from 2024 was addressed
  • Immediate starters were added at critical positions
  • Depth was created across the entire roster

“It has put us in a position where we can be aggressive on anybody that comes into the portal. And that simply wasn’t the case before,” Kelly said of the new NIL approach.

The Offensive Additions That Change Everything

Wide Receivers: Barion Brown from Kentucky and Nic Anderson from Oklahoma join a receiving corps that already features Aaron Anderson (884 yards in 2024), Kyren Lacy (866 yards), and Mason Taylor (546 yards). This creates the deepest, most talented receiver room in the SEC.

Offensive Line: LSU’s biggest weakness in 2024 was their rushing attack, which averaged just 116.4 yards per game. The Tigers brought in Braelin Moore and Josh Thompson, two of the portal’s top interior linemen, to completely transform their ground game.

Tight Ends: After losing Mason Taylor, LSU added Bauer Sharp, Donovan Green, and JD LaFleur to create what many consider one of the nation’s best tight end rooms.

Running Backs: Five-star freshman Harlem Berry joins returning rusher Caden Durham (753 yards in 2024) to form a dynamic backfield capable of explosive plays.

Defense Gets A Complete Makeover

Blake Baker returns for his second season as defensive coordinator with a mission: fix everything that went wrong in 2024.

Last season’s defense allowed 364.4 yards per game and 24.3 points per game, struggling particularly against elite competition. The Tigers surrendered 140.1 rushing yards per game and couldn’t generate consistent pressure.

Baker’s solution? Reload through the portal with proven performers.

The Defensive Additions That Will Matter

Patrick Payton (Florida State): The crown jewel of LSU’s defensive haul. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder logged 109 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 12 pass breakups, and three forced fumbles in three seasons. He was rated as the No. 2 overall transfer and the No. 1 edge rusher in the market.

Jack Pyburn (Florida State): Adds proven pass rush ability alongside Payton.

Jimari Butler (Nebraska): Brings 16 tackles for loss over his last two seasons.

Mansour Delane (Virginia Tech): Elite cornerback who tallied 146 tackles, 16 pass breakups, six interceptions, and four forced fumbles in his ACC career.

A.J. Haulcy (Houston): First Team All-Big 12 safety who provides leadership and playmaking ability.

Bernard Gooden (South Florida): All-AAC defensive tackle who addresses interior line depth alongside returning starter Jacobian Guillory.

This isn’t hope-based roster building. This is a surgical improvement of specific weaknesses.

The Schedule That Will Define Kelly’s Future

LSU opens the 2025 season at Clemson on August 30.

This isn’t just a season opener—it’s a statement game that will set the tone for Kelly’s entire campaign. The Tigers face a Clemson team with championship aspirations and a hostile environment that will test everything LSU has built.

But that’s just the beginning. LSU’s schedule includes:

  • Road games at South Carolina, Alabama, and Texas A&M
  • Home contests against Florida, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma
  • Multiple opponents are likely to be ranked throughout the season

The schedule provides opportunities for statement victories but offers zero margin for error. Every game becomes a measuring stick for Kelly’s championship vision.

The Hot Seat Reality Nobody Wants to Discuss

Brian Kelly is widely considered to be on the hot seat entering 2025, and for good reason.

Every LSU head coach this century has won a national championship. That’s the standard. That’s the expectation. That’s what Kelly was hired to deliver.

After three seasons, Kelly has produced:

  • Two 10-win seasons
  • One 9-4 campaign in 2024
  • Zero SEC titles
  • Zero College Football Playoff appearances

At LSU, that’s unacceptable in the long term.

However, Kelly’s massive buyout of over $50 million provides some protection. An immediate firing after early losses is considered unlikely due to the financial implications, but that doesn’t mean he’s safe.

“They have playoff expectations here, and it’s a better depth chart than he’s had in Baton Rouge. If they aren’t in the CFP, I think there’s some serious pressure here,” an anonymous SEC coach noted.

The pressure is real, but Kelly has the tools to succeed.

The Psychological Hurdle That Could Derail Everything

LSU has lost five straight season openers dating back to 2020.

This isn’t just a statistical oddity—it’s a psychological burden that could impact everything Kelly is trying to build. The opener against Clemson represents more than just a game; it’s an opportunity to break a troubling pattern and establish early momentum.

In an expanded playoff format where early losses aren’t necessarily fatal, starting strong becomes even more critical for confidence and team chemistry.

The Moves Nobody Is Talking About

Several under-the-radar developments could prove crucial to LSU’s championship hopes:

Special Teams Transformation: After ranking last in the SEC in special teams efficiency, LSU hired Aman Anand as coordinator and dramatically increased practice emphasis. With proven returners like Barion Brown and Aaron Anderson, this unit could become a difference-maker.

Harold Perkins’ Evolution: The standout linebacker returns from injury to play a hybrid “STAR” role, maximizing his athleticism and creating matchup problems for opponents.

Coaching Staff Additions: Alex Atkins joins as tight ends coach and run game specialist, designed to transform LSU’s ground attack that averaged just 4.1 yards per carry in 2024.

Leadership Integration: With nearly 40 new players joining the roster, veteran leadership from Nussmeier and linebacker Whit Weeks becomes crucial for maintaining chemistry.

These aren’t glamorous storylines, but they’re the details that separate good teams from championship teams.

What Championship Success Looks Like

LSU enters 2025 with legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations.

“This is the best roster that we’ve put together,” Kelly acknowledged during a recent SEC Network appearance. The combination of elite quarterback play, strategic portal additions, and recruiting momentum has created championship-level expectations.

“It’s the closest team I’ve been a part of at LSU from top to the bottom of the roster and so that’s very exciting,” Nussmeier said. “There’s a lot of expectations for us, and we accept those expectations.”

The statistical foundation supports championship aspirations:

  • 2024 offense averaged 431.5 total yards per game
  • 30.3 points per game scoring average
  • Proven quarterback with 3,738 yards passing
  • Elite defensive additions addressing every weakness

Success in 2025 will be measured by playoff qualification and championship competitiveness.

Anything less represents failure.

The Bottom Line: Championship Window Is Now

Brian Kelly’s LSU tenure reaches its defining moment in 2025.

ESPN’s assessment captures the reality: “Kelly came to the Bayou with the expressed purpose of winning a national title, just like the three Tigers coaches before him. Instead, he watched his former team, Notre Dame, make a CFP run while he sat home again.”

Kelly has eliminated every excuse:

  • The quarterback situation is solved
  • The transfer portal class ranked No. 1 nationally
  • The recruiting momentum continues with elite classes
  • The coaching staff provides continuity and expertise

The resources are available. The talent is elite. The expectations are championship-level.

For LSU football in 2025, it’s a championship or consequences.

Kelly’s future in Baton Rouge depends on delivering the breakthrough season that has eluded him since leaving Notre Dame. The pieces are in place for historic success. Still, execution under pressure will determine whether Kelly joins the pantheon of LSU championship coaches or becomes another coach who fails to meet the program’s unattainable standards.

The window is open. The question is whether Kelly can walk through it.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

Free Subscription
BACK TO THE BLOG ARCHIVE
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Texas A&M 2025 Football Season Preview: Can the Aggies Break Through Under Mike Elko?

Mark Haines on July 2, 2025

Everything Texas A&M accomplishes in 2025 hinges on one player.

As the Aggies enter Mike Elko’s second season, the college football world is asking a simple question: Can this program finally escape its eight-win prison? After a frustrating 8-5 campaign that showcased flashes of brilliance followed by crushing disappointment, Texas A&M sits at the most critical juncture in recent memory.

The answer lies entirely with sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed.

The Most Polarizing Player in Texas

The most polarizing quarterback in Texas isn’t Arch Manning.

It’s not Kevin Jennings, Sawyer Robertson, Behren Morton, or Josh Hoover. The signal-caller who holds the most sway in the Lone Star State is Marcel Reed at Texas A&M. As he goes, or doesn’t go, so will the Aggies.

Reed’s 2024 emergence tells two completely different stories:

  • The Promise: 1,864 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, 543 rushing yards with seven rushing scores
  • The Reality Check: Just 27.8% completion rate on passes over 20 yards downfield
  • The Competition Factor: 4-0 against teams with a combined 25-26 record, 0-4 against squads with a 34-20 record

Here’s what makes Reed so fascinating: He ranked first among SEC quarterbacks, averaging 4.7 yards per carry, while his 22 total touchdowns ranked second in the SEC among freshmen. But when games mattered most against elite competition, the vertical passing game disappeared.

Head coach Mike Elko knows exactly what needs to change.

The Vertical Passing Game: Make or Break

“A lot of emphasis was placed on improving the downfield passing game,” Elko said. “That’s something we want to get better at.”

This single area of development will determine Texas A&M’s entire ceiling. With improved vertical passing, 10 wins and a College Football Playoff berth isn’t a mirage. Without it, the Aggies land in familiar seven-to-nine-win territory with another meaningless bowl game.

The coaching staff has surrounded Reed with better weapons:

  • Mario Craver (transfer): Explosive after-the-catch ability
  • KC Concepcion (transfer): Proven playmaker who ranks 35th in Pro Football Focus’s Top 50 NFL prospects
  • Jerome Myles (five-star freshman): Immediate impact expected

These additions aren’t just depth moves—they’re designed to give Reed easier reads and explosive play potential without requiring high-leverage throws over the top.

The Foundation is Already Built

Texas A&M returns the sixth-most production in FBS.

The numbers are staggering: 70% of the offense back, 73% of the defense returning, including all seven of their best offensive linemen. This level of continuity is rare in modern college football, and it provides the perfect foundation for a breakthrough season.

The backfield depth is elite:

  • Le’Veon Moss: 765 yards despite injury issues in 2024, now fully healthy
  • Amari Daniels: Proven contributor with 661 rushing yards
  • Rueben Owens: Returning from injury with high expectations

When you combine this rushing attack with an experienced offensive line anchored by potential top NFL draft pick Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, the foundation for offensive success is undeniable.

National Recognition Validates the Hype

ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index ranks Texas A&M as the eighth-best team in America.

This isn’t homer optimism—it’s data-driven recognition of talent and potential:

  • SP+: 15th nationally
  • Athlon Sports: 19th in preseason rankings
  • EA Sports College Football 26: No. 8 team nationally, 4th in SEC

The most telling statistic from 2024? Texas A&M was the highest-scoring SEC team in conference games, averaging 29.4 points in SEC play and exceeding 30 points in five of eight conference games.

That offensive explosion is about to get better.

Recruiting Momentum is Building Championship Culture

Mike Elko’s first full recruiting class ranked No. 6 nationally.

The 2025 class features immediate impact players:

  • Jerome Myles: Five-star wide receiver from Utah
  • Lamont Rogers: Five-star offensive tackle
  • 24 total signees providing depth across all positions

However, the real story is the momentum of 2026. ESPN named Texas A&M a “June recruiting winner” after securing several elite commitments, including five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington and five-star edge Tristian Givens.

Through the additions of top running backs and Rogers’ late commitment, Elko has proven he can win high-level recruiting battles in Texas—something that will pay dividends for years.

The Schedule Sets Up for Success (Or Failure)

Three consecutive home SEC games to start conference play could define the season.

The 2025 schedule provides both opportunity and challenge:

Early Season Setup:

  • UTSA (home opener)
  • Utah State (home)
  • Notre Dame (road test)

Critical Home Stretch:

  • Auburn (home SEC opener)
  • Mississippi State (home)
  • Florida (home)

Season-Defining Road Gauntlet:

  • Arkansas (first trip to Fayetteville since 2013)
  • LSU (always dangerous in Baton Rouge)
  • Missouri (trap game potential)

The season concludes with Texas A&M’s first trip to Austin since 2010—a game that could determine College Football Playoff positioning.

The Defensive Wild Card

This defense has three potential first-round NFL picks.

Pro Football Focus’s Top 50 prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft include:

  • Taurean York (linebacker): 23rd overall
  • Ar’Maj Reed-Adams (offensive line): 28th overall
  • KC Concepcion (wide receiver): 35th overall

The defense allowed just 22.2 points per game in 2024 and returns 73% of its production. With a full year in Elko’s system and improved secondary depth, this unit could be the difference between good and great.

What Could Go Wrong?

Late-season execution remains the biggest concern.

Texas A&M lost three of their final four games in 2024, highlighting persistent issues:

  • Quarterback depth: Recent history of injuries raises concerns despite Jacob Zeno transfer addition
  • Big-play defense: Must limit explosive plays that cost them in key losses
  • High-pressure situations: Proven inability to close out important matchups

The talent is undeniable, but translating potential into consistent performance against elite SEC competition is the ultimate test.

The Verdict: Breakthrough or Bust

Texas A&M has everything needed for a championship run except one thing: proof they can execute when it matters.

The pieces are in place. The coaching staff has demonstrated development ability. The recruiting momentum continues building. But Marcel Reed’s vertical passing development will determine whether this season ends in January playoff games or another December bowl disappointment.

For a program desperate to escape eight-win mediocrity, 2025 represents the perfect storm of talent, experience, and opportunity.

The only question left is execution.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

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Ole Miss 2025 Football Season Preview: Rebels Positioned for Playoff Breakthrough

Mark Haines on July 1, 2025

Ole Miss Football Coach Lane Kiffin has never been closer to his College Football Playoff dream.

After three 10-win seasons in four years and a dominant 52-20 Gator Bowl victory over Duke, the Ole Miss Rebels enter 2025 with the most talented roster in school history. The question is no longer whether they can compete with the SEC elite. The question is whether they can finally break through when it matters most.

The Austin Simmons Era Begins

Jaxson Dart is gone, drafted in the first round by the New York Giants.

Now it’s Austin Simmons’ time to shine. The 6-foot-4 redshirt sophomore completed 19 of 32 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in limited 2024 action, but those numbers barely scratch the surface of his potential.

What matters more is what Eli Manning recently said at the Manning Passing Academy: “I’ve been impressed so far with what he’s doing.” When an NFL legend gives that kind of endorsement, people should pay attention.

Here’s what separates Simmons from typical backup quarterbacks:

  • He reclassified in high school to get to Ole Miss faster
  • He’s been living like a college athlete since his sophomore year of high school
  • He stepped away from baseball to focus solely on football
  • He’s spent the entire offseason organizing extra sessions with receivers and linemen

“There’s a lot of competition, we talk a little smack here and there. We’re just all close,” Simmons said about the quarterback room that now includes Division II transfer Trinidad Chambliss, who threw for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,019 yards and 25 touchdowns at Ferris State.

The depth is there. The talent is there. The question is execution.

Offensive Explosion Waiting to Happen

The 2024 Ole Miss offense was absolutely ridiculous.

526.5 yards per game. 38.6 points per game. Just one turnover per contest. Those aren’t just good numbers. Those are championship-level numbers.

Sure, they lost Tre Harris (1,030 yards) and Jordan Watkins (906 yards), but Lane Kiffin didn’t become one of college football’s premier offensive minds by relying on any single player. He reloads through the transfer portal like other coaches change their socks.

Enter De’Zhaun Stribling from Oklahoma State and a host of other portal additions who will make defensive coordinators lose sleep. The offensive line returns significant experience, anchored by the addition of Maryland transfer Terez Davis.

But here’s the real secret sauce: Charlie Weis Jr. is still calling plays.

The system remains intact. The tempo remains devastating. And now they have a dual-threat quarterback who can extend plays in ways Dart never could.

Defense Ready to Dominate

Pete Golding’s defense was the real story of 2024, and nobody talked about it enough.

14.4 points allowed per game. 80.5 rushing yards surrendered per contest at 2.3 yards per carry. Those numbers would make Nick Saban jealous.

The core returns intact:

  • Linebacker Suntarine Perkins (future NFL first-rounder)
  • A secondary reinforced with Clemson transfer Tavoy Feagin
  • South Alabama transfer Ricky Fletcher adding depth
  • ULM safety Wydett Williams bringing experience

“The interior defensive line, built around Mississippi natives, has become a point of pride and an example of Lane Kiffin’s and Golding’s long-term vision,” according to recent reports. This isn’t just talent acquisition. This is program building.

The defensive improvement under Golding has been remarkable, and 2025 could be the year they become truly elite.

Schedule Sets Up Perfectly

Want to know why Vegas has Ole Miss at 8.5 wins? Look at this schedule.

The Rebels open with four straight home games: Georgia State, at Kentucky, Arkansas, Tulane, and LSU all before their first real road test. That’s not just favorable scheduling. That’s a launching pad for a special season.

The make-or-break stretch comes in October:

  • October 18: at Georgia
  • October 25: at Oklahoma

These two games will determine whether Ole Miss makes the playoff or watches from home again. The Georgia game is particularly telling since the Rebels dominated the Bulldogs 28-10 in Oxford last year in what became Kiffin’s signature victory.

November brings three consecutive home games against South Carolina, The Citadel, and Florida before the Egg Bowl at Mississippi State. If Ole Miss can survive October, they should cruise to double-digit wins.

National Respect Finally Arrives

CBS Sports put it perfectly: “Lane Kiffin’s work in the transfer portal helped him take Ole Miss to essentially unprecedented levels. His portal-heavy approach carries more risk this year, but he earned the benefit of the doubt when he led the Rebels to the playoff bubble with a squad built largely upon veteran newcomers.”

The national media isn’t just noticing Ole Miss anymore. They’re expecting them to deliver.

Vegas agrees:

  • 8.5 win total (behind only Alabama, Georgia, and Texas in SEC)
  • Legitimate playoff odds at multiple sportsbooks
  • Consistent top-15 preseason rankings across major outlets

This isn’t hype. This is recognition of sustained excellence.

The Kiffin Evolution

Here’s something most people don’t know about Lane Kiffin: he’s been sober for three and a half years.

“There’s a freedom in not feeling like you need a drink to celebrate a big win or get over a tough loss. There’s a freedom of not having to have acceptance of what some guy writes about you or what the fans think of you or if you’re on the hot seat,” Kiffin recently explained.

This isn’t the same coach who clashed with Nick Saban at Alabama or burned bridges at Tennessee. This is a mature, focused leader who has built something special in Oxford.

His job security has never been stronger. The only question isn’t whether Ole Miss might fire him. It’s whether another program might try to steal him.

Reality Check: What Could Go Wrong

Every great story has potential plot holes, and Ole Miss has a few.

Penalties killed them in 2024 (7.2 per game), often in crucial moments. Red-zone execution was problematic in losses, with touchdowns on just 50 percent of trips compared to 75 percent in wins. The secondary, despite portal additions, allowed 60 percent completion rates and 230.8 passing yards per game.

These aren’t talent issues. These are execution issues.

And execution issues can be fixed.

The Recruiting Foundation

Want to know why this success will continue? Look at the 2025 recruiting class.

Ole Miss secured five of Mississippi’s blue-chip prospects, headlined by five-star receiver Caleb Cunningham. The program’s NIL support and on-field results have created a recruiting momentum that rivals anyone in the SEC.

Building with Mississippi natives has become Kiffin’s signature strategy, creating both immediate impact and long-term sustainability.

Bottom Line: Playoff or Bust

This is it for Ole Miss.

All the pieces are in place. The talent is there. The coaching is elite. The schedule is favorable. The expectations are sky-high.

Lane Kiffin has spent five years building toward this moment. Austin Simmons has spent two years preparing for this opportunity. The program has invested millions in NIL and facilities to support this vision.

The expanded 12-team playoff format gives Ole Miss multiple pathways to achieve their goal. No more excuses about limited spots or impossible standards.

Either the Rebels breakthrough in 2025, or they prove they’re just another program that can’t get over the hump when the lights shine brightest.

The stage is set. The talent is there. The only question left is execution.

And in Oxford, that question is about to be answered.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

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South Carolina Football 2025: The Championship Window Is Wide Open

Mark Haines on June 30, 2025

Shane Beamer is about to find out if last year’s South Carolina football season was real or just a beautiful accident.

After a breakthrough 9-4 season that nobody saw coming, South Carolina enters 2025 with championship expectations for the first time in over a decade. The Gamecocks finished ranked 19th in both major polls, posted a school-record four wins against ranked opponents, and came within inches of their first College Football Playoff appearance.

The question isn’t whether they have talent.

The question is whether they can handle the pressure of being hunted, rather than being the hunters.

“You want high expectations,” Beamer said recently. “Our players and the people in our program, I believe, embrace those high expectations and understand that with those expectations, you have to prepare the right way, that it doesn’t just happen.”

LaNorris Sellers Is Either Going to Be a Superstar or Crack Under Pressure

Everything rides on one player.

LaNorris Sellers isn’t just South Carolina’s quarterback. He’s the most valuable player in the transfer portal who chose to stay home. Sellers holds an On3 NIL Valuation of $2.7 million and turned down massive offers from playoff contenders to remain in Columbia.

His 2024 numbers tell you why everyone wanted him:

  • 2,534 passing yards with 18 touchdowns
  • 674 rushing yards with seven touchdowns
  • Just seven interceptions on 65.6% completion rate
  • 6-0 record in his final six starts with 1,917 total yards

But here’s what separates Sellers from other “promising” quarterbacks: he got better as the season went on. Over his final six starts of the regular season, Sellers helped South Carolina go 6-0 with 1,917 yards of total offense and 17 touchdowns. When the lights got brighter, he shone brighter.

ESPN ranked him 7th in their Heisman Trophy predictions. That’s not hype. That’s recognition that Sellers has the tools to be elite in the SEC.

The pressure? Enormous. The upside? Even bigger.

Dylan Stewart Might Be the Best Pass Rusher You’ve Never Heard Of

While everyone talks about Sellers, Dylan Stewart might be South Carolina’s best player.

The sophomore edge rusher was a unanimous Freshman All-American after posting 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Stewart’s 48 generated pressures were 21 more than the next true freshman pass rusher in college football.

When asked which quarterback he most wanted to sack in 2025, Stewart’s response was perfect:

“Everybody. I like to play football. I like to hit people.”

That’s the mentality that separates good players from great ones.

Stewart returns to anchor a defense that must replace multiple NFL-bound stars, including All-American safety Nick Emmanwori and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Kennard. The Gamecocks added 10 defensive transfers to maintain their identity, but Stewart is the irreplaceable piece that makes everything work.

The Transfer Portal Became South Carolina’s Secret Weapon

Innovative programs no longer only recruit high school players.

They strategically attack the transfer portal to fill specific needs. South Carolina’s approach was surgical in its precision, identifying weaknesses as early as 2024 and finding proven solutions.

Key additions that will impact immediately:

  • Air Noland (QB, Ohio State): Elite backup with starting experience
  • Rahsul Faison (RB, Utah State): Explosive runner who averaged 7+ yards per carry
  • Nick Sharpe, Boaz Stanley, Rodney Newsom Jr. (OL): Three interior linemen to protect Sellers
  • 10 defensive transfers to replace NFL departures

The one area they didn’t address? Wide receiver.

South Carolina’s receiver room produced zero 400-yard receivers in 2024. Joshua Simon, a tight end, led the team with 519 yards. The development of Nyck Harbor and Mazeo Bennett Jr., plus incoming freshman speedster Malik Clark, will determine whether the passing game reaches its ceiling.

This gamble either pays off huge or becomes their biggest weakness.

The Schedule Is Brutal (And That Might Be Perfect)

South Carolina faces seven top-25 teams from 2024.

Here’s the gauntlet:

  • August 31: vs Virginia Tech (Atlanta) – Beamer faces his father’s former program
  • October 11: at LSU – First win in Baton Rouge since 1994
  • October 18: vs Oklahoma – Revenge game at home
  • October 25: vs Alabama – Another revenge game
  • November 1: at Ole Miss – Road test in hostile environment
  • November 15: at Texas A&M – Late-season trap game

“It’s a former SEC West-heavy schedule,” Beamer told SEC Network. “That’s basically what the month of October is.”

But here’s why this brutal schedule might be perfect timing: South Carolina has championship-level talent and needs championship-level tests to prove it. No more sneaking up on people. No more moral victories. Win or go home.

The Gamecocks have the talent to compete with anyone on this list.

Recruiting Success Creates Long-Term Sustainability

Championship programs recruit at championship levels.

South Carolina’s 2025 recruiting class ranks in the nation’s top 20, featuring four four-star prospects who could contribute immediately. This represents a fundamental shift in how elite prospects view the program.

The standouts who could impact Year 1:

  • Malik Clark (WR): 4.39 speed, who addresses receiver depth
  • Lex Cyrus (WR): Another speed threat for the passing game
  • Multiple defensive prospects to maintain depth

This recruiting momentum reflects South Carolina’s elevated status under Beamer. Elite prospects now see Columbia as a pathway to NFL success, not just a stepping stone.

The foundation is being built for sustained excellence, not just one magical season.

Vegas Knows Something Everyone Else Is Missing

South Carolina’s win total sits at 7.5 games.

That number reflects both the program’s trajectory and the difficulty of its schedule. Vegas isn’t predicting collapse. They’re acknowledging that championship-level talent faces championship-level competition.

For South Carolina to reach the College Football Playoff, they need:

  • 8+ regular season wins
  • Competitive performances in losses
  • 1-2 signature victories over ranked opponents

The pieces are in place: elite quarterback play, a dominant pass rusher, strategic roster additions, and proven coaching. But the margin for error is razor-thin.

“There’s still a great hunger for what we didn’t accomplish,” Beamer said during an appearance on Josh Pate’s show. “They’ve been very purposeful, very driven since they came back and that’s exciting to see.”

The Verdict: This Is Make-or-Break Time

South Carolina enters 2025 as college football’s most fascinating storyline.

The talent level is undeniable. Sellers and Stewart represent two of the SEC’s most dynamic players. The coaching staff has proven they can develop talent and win big games. The infrastructure continues improving under Beamer’s leadership.

But championship expectations change everything.

No more flying under the radar. No more “just happy to be here” mentality. Every opponent will bring their best shot. Every game becomes a referendum on whether South Carolina belongs among the elite.

The 2025 season will answer the ultimate question: Was 2024 a launching pad or a ceiling?

With Sellers under center and Stewart terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, the Gamecocks have the foundational pieces to make their first College Football Playoff appearance. The championship window is wide open in Columbia.

Now comes the ultimate test of whether they can walk through it.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

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Kentucky Football 2025: Mark Stoops’ Last Stand

Mark Haines on June 27, 2025

What happens when a coach with a $37.5 million buyout lands on one of college football’s hottest seats?

After a disastrous 4-8 season that snapped Kentucky’s eight-year bowl streak, the longest-tenured coach in the SEC finds himself on the hot seat. The Wildcats managed just one SEC victory in 2024. They averaged a league-worst 308.5 yards per game offensively. They finished with the program’s worst record since Stoops’ inaugural season in 2013.

The pressure couldn’t be more explicit.

As one anonymous SEC coach told Athlon Sports, “This is a make-or-break year for the future of this program. He’s got a very friendly contract that makes him hard to fire, but right now, it’s hard to look at the overall roster here and think they’re keeping pace with programs like Vanderbilt and South Carolina, who changed with the times.”

Another losing season would almost certainly end Stoops’ tenure, regardless of his contract extension, which runs through 2031, with a buyout approaching $37.5 million.

The Quarterback Gamble That Changes Everything

Everything about Kentucky’s 2025 season hinges on one player.

Zach Calzada arrives from Incarnate Word as Kentucky’s most experienced option after completing 65% of his passes for 3,791 yards, 35 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions in 2024. His journey back to the SEC represents both promise and risk for a program desperate for stability at the position.

Here’s what makes Calzada intriguing:

  • SEC pedigree from his memorable 2021 performance at Texas A&M
  • Threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in a stunning 41-38 upset of top-ranked Alabama
  • Earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors for that performance
  • Brings leadership and mobility to an offense that ranked 119th nationally in scoring

“He’s battle-tested,” offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said of Calzada. “He’s experienced the highs and the lows. This league is hard, but so is Zach.”

The 24-year-old quarterback’s ability to extend plays and avoid sacks could prove crucial behind an offensive line that allowed 2.1 sacks per game in 2024.

Complete Roster Reconstruction Through the Portal

Kentucky’s offseason approach bordered on desperation.

The Wildcats brought in 26 transfer portal additions while losing 29 players, fundamentally reshaping a roster that managed just 20.6 points per game in 2024. Only 40 players from last year’s team return. That’s a retention rate of just 47 percent.

The most dramatic changes occurred at these positions:

  • Wide receiver: Added five scholarship transfers and five high school signees while retaining only three players from 2024
  • Offensive line: Brought in Alex Wollschlaeger (Bowling Green), Cameron Jones (James Madison), and Shiyazh Pete (New Mexico State)
  • Defense: Added David Gusta (Washington State), Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (South Dakota), and Lorenzo Cowan (USC)

Key receiver additions include:

  • Kendrick Law from Alabama
  • Tory Stellato from Clemson
  • Ashton Cozart from SMU/Oregon

“We set that precedent right from the beginning,” Stoops said about integrating the new additions. “We always want to be player-led and player-led in the accountability phase, and these guys are working at it.”

The Schedule From Hell Awaits

Want to know why Vegas has Kentucky’s win total at just 4.5 games?

The Wildcats face one of the most challenging schedules in college football. They’ll host Ole Miss, Texas, Tennessee, and Florida at Kroger Field. All four opponents will likely be ranked. Road games await at South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, Vanderbilt, and rival Louisville.

According to Sports Illustrated’s analysis: “Realistically, all nine of these teams could be ranked this season, making this one of the toughest schedules Coach Stoops will have played during his time in Lexington.”

The numbers tell the story:

  • Vegas win total: 4.5 games at FanDuel, 5.5 at DraftKings
  • Early spread projections show Kentucky favored in only four games
  • Non-conference games against Toledo, Eastern Michigan, and Tennessee Tech provide the only realistic early victories

The SEC gauntlet begins immediately after.

Cultural Reset and Leadership Challenges

How do you build team chemistry when 31 new players walk through the door?

Stoops launched the “Yearbook” program to help players learn each other’s names and conducted home visits to foster personal bonds. This cultural emphasis represents a direct response to the challenge of integrating so many new faces while maintaining standards.

“I love this place. I’ve been here 12 years, going on 13, and I promise you — I’ll be honest with you, I’m emotional right now talking about it because my ass wants to get back to the office and get to work to make this team better,” Stoops told KSR in March.

The emotional weight of the situation is obvious.

The coaching staff remains largely intact, providing continuity during turbulent times:

  • Kevin Barbay joined as an offensive analyst to assist Hamdan
  • Brad Lambert was hired to work with the secondary
  • Focus on accountability and player-led leadership continues

Special Teams Excellence Remains

Kentucky’s special teams unit represents one of the few bright spots.

Punter Aidan Laros returns after earning All-SEC second-team honors. Kicker Alex Raynor brings back elite accuracy following a 93.8 percent field goal and 96.3 percent extra point conversion rate in 2024. These specialists provide the “hidden yardage” advantages that could prove decisive in close games.

The return game lost Barion Brown’s explosive ability, but the Wildcats have prioritized special teams as a way to create scoring opportunities when the offense stalls.

The Buyout Factor Creates an Unusual Dynamic

Stoops’ massive contract extension creates a complex situation.

The $37.5 million buyout makes firing him financially burdensome for Kentucky, providing some insulation despite fan frustration following back-to-back losing seasons. However, the pressure from fans and administration continues to mount.

Here’s what the numbers show:

  • Season ticket sales dropped 12.7 percent
  • Only a few hundred fans attended the spring game
  • Clear disconnect between fanbase and program leadership

This tension between fiscal reality and performance expectations creates an unusual situation where Stoops has job security despite on-field failures.

What Success Actually Looks Like in 2025

Bowl eligibility represents the absolute minimum requirement.

Most analysts project that Kentucky will finish with four to five wins. Six victories would require significant improvement and several upsets. The best-case scenario involves Calzada playing efficiently, the offensive line gelling quickly, and at least one transfer receiver emerging as a playmaker.

As Sports Illustrated observed: “If Stoops gets this team to a bowl game, it will be the best job he has done in a season during his time at Kentucky.”

The keys to exceeding expectations:

  • Reduce turnovers from 1.9 per game average in 2024
  • Improve red zone efficiency from 43 percent touchdown rate
  • Generate consistent defensive pressure after losing key pass rushers
  • Win close games through special teams excellence

The Bottom Line: Prove It or Lose It

Kentucky football stands at a crossroads.

Stoops has spent 12 seasons building the Wildcats from SEC doormat to occasional contender, achieving unprecedented consistency with eight consecutive bowl appearances from 2016-2023. Recent regression has erased much of that goodwill and placed his future in jeopardy.

The 2025 season will determine whether Kentucky’s recent success was sustainable progress or merely a brief peak that will return to historical norms.

For Mark Stoops, 2025 isn’t just another season in Lexington—it’s his final audition.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

Free Subscription
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Tennessee Football 2025: The Year Everything Changes

Mark Haines on June 26, 2025

Tennessee football is about to find out if its playoff run was real or just a beautiful accident.

After reaching their first College Football Playoff in program history, the Volunteers face the ultimate test of sustainability. The stars who carried them to new heights are gone. The quarterback who led their breakthrough season transferred to UCLA. The record-setting running back graduated.

What remains is a program trying to prove that lightning can strike twice in Knoxville.

The Quarterback Situation Is Either Going to Make or Break Everything

Joey Aguilar holds the keys to Tennessee’s entire season.

The UCLA transfer arrives in Knoxville as the presumptive starter, but here’s the problem nobody wants to talk about: he’s completely unproven in Josh Heupel’s system. Aguilar began his career at New Mexico before transferring to UCLA, where he threw for modest numbers. Now he’s expected to replace Nico Iamaleava, who guided Tennessee to its first playoff appearance.

The depth chart behind Aguilar tells an even more concerning story:

  • Redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger has almost zero game experience
  • True freshman George MacIntyre is a five-star prospect who isn’t ready to start immediately
  • The entire quarterback room combined has fewer SEC snaps than most backup quarterbacks

This isn’t just a position battle. This is the foundation of everything Tennessee hopes to accomplish in 2025.

They Lost Their Entire Offensive Identity in One Offseason

Dylan Sampson’s departure represents more than just losing a running back.

Sampson wasn’t just Tennessee’s leading rusher in 2024. He was their entire offensive identity, racking up 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns while setting multiple program records. When Tennessee needed a first down, they handed the ball to Sampson. When they needed to control the clock, they gave it to Sampson. When they needed to score in the red zone, Sampson was their answer.

Now he’s gone, along with:

  • Their top three wide receivers from 2024
  • Multiple starting offensive linemen
  • The continuity that made Heupel’s tempo offense work

Tennessee’s coaching staff is betting that they can replace elite production with unproven talent and additions from the transfer portal. That’s a massive gamble in the unforgiving SEC.

The Defense Might Be the Only Thing Keeping This Season Afloat

Here’s what most people are missing about Tennessee’s 2025 outlook.

While everyone focuses on the offensive losses, the defense returns the core of a unit that allowed just 16.1 points per game last season. That’s not just good. That’s elite by any standard, especially in a conference known for explosive offenses.

The secondary brings back proven playmakers:

  • Will Brooks and Jermod McCoy combined for eight interceptions in 2024
  • The linebacker corps maintains experienced depth across all positions
  • Defensive coordinator Tim Banks returns with a proven system

If Tennessee’s defense can maintain its 2024 level of play, it can keep games close while the offense figures out its new identity. That’s not a championship formula, but it’s a path to respectability during a transition year.

Recruiting Success Creates Long-Term Optimism

Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class ranks 11th nationally and 8th in the SEC.

That’s not just a number. That’s validation that Josh Heupel’s program has staying power beyond one magical playoff season. The class includes 25 new additions, with 18 blue-chip prospects who provide both immediate help and future potential.

Five-star quarterback George MacIntyre represents the future of the position. While he’s unlikely to start immediately, his presence provides both insurance and long-term vision. This isn’t about 2025. This is about building something sustainable.

The recruiting momentum extends across every position group:

  • Multiple offensive linemen to rebuild depth after graduation
  • Defensive additions to maintain the unit’s elite performance
  • Skill position players who can contribute immediately

The Schedule Offers a Lifeline During the Transition

Tennessee’s 2025 schedule might be perfectly timed for a rebuilding year.

The season opens against Syracuse at a neutral site, providing an opportunity to work out early kinks against manageable competition. Non-conference games against East Tennessee State and UAB offer additional tune-up opportunities before SEC play intensifies.

The conference slate includes the usual SEC gauntlet, but with key games at home:

  • Georgia visits Neyland Stadium in what could be a season-defining moment
  • Alabama comes to Knoxville for another massive test
  • Oklahoma’s first trip to Tennessee as an SEC opponent

Road games at Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi State present challenges, but these are winnable contests if Tennessee can establish early momentum and build confidence with new personnel.

Vegas Knows Something Everyone Else Is Missing

The betting line tells the real story about Tennessee’s 2025 prospects.

Oddsmakers set Tennessee’s win total at 8.5 games. That’s not the number of a program in freefall. That’s the projection of a team expected to remain competitive while navigating significant roster turnover.

This projection acknowledges both the losses and the foundation that remains. Josh Heupel has proven he can develop quarterbacks and maximize offensive potential. The defensive infrastructure remains intact. The recruiting pipeline provides both immediate help and future promise.

Bowl eligibility represents the baseline expectation, with upside potential if the quarterback situation stabilizes quickly.

The Foundation Still Exists for Something Special

Here’s what separates Tennessee from other programs dealing with similar transitions.

Josh Heupel returns for his fifth season with a proven track record of player development and system implementation. His ability to identify and maximize talent gives Tennessee a competitive advantage that extends beyond pure roster composition.

The coaching staff’s continuity provides stability during uncertain times:

  • Offensive coordinator Joey Halzle knows the system inside and out
  • Defensive coordinator Tim Banks orchestrated one of Tennessee’s best defensive seasons ever
  • Position coaches have established relationships and recruiting pipelines

Success Will Be Measured Differently in 2025

Tennessee’s 2025 season isn’t about matching their playoff appearance.

It’s about proving the program’s recent success wasn’t a fluke while building toward sustained excellence. The development of young talent matters just as much as wins and losses. Maintaining competitive standards becomes crucial for long-term momentum.

The combination of quarterback uncertainty, offensive reconstruction, and defensive continuity creates a unique dynamic. How Tennessee navigates these challenges will determine not only its 2025 record but also the trajectory of Heupel’s entire tenure.

This is the year Tennessee discovers whether they’re building something lasting or whether 2024 was just a beautiful moment that won’t be repeated anytime soon.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

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Texas Longhorns Arch Manning Era Is About To Change Everything

Mark Haines on June 25, 2025

College football has a new king waiting to be crowned courtesy of the Texas Longhorns.

The Texas Longhorns enter 2025 as the consensus national championship favorite, and it’s not even close. After a 13-3 season that ended one game short of glory, Steve Sarkisian’s program has reloaded with the nation’s top recruiting class and the most anticipated quarterback in college football history.

The pressure is suffocating. The expectations are sky-high. And Arch Manning is ready.

Everyone Is Betting On Texas (And Here’s Why)

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum didn’t mince words about Texas’s title chances.

“Absolutely,” Finebaum said during a Get Up appearance. “They have Arch Manning, in case you have not gotten that email from the front office. He is expected to be much better than Quinn Ewers. I was not that impressed with Quinn Ewers last year. I think Arch Manning, had he come in during the Cotton Bowl, may have had a better shot, may have even beaten Ohio State.”

The Manning hype isn’t just media noise—it’s backed by elite production in limited action:

  • 67.8% completion percentage in 2024
  • 939 passing yards with 9 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
  • Four rushing touchdowns show dual-threat ability
  • 10.4 yards per attempt, indicating explosive play capability

On3 captured the sentiment perfectly: “Manning was good enough in his relief action at quarterback early in the 2024 season that there were at least some calls for him to take over as the starter late in the year. Steve Sarkisian stuck with Quinn Ewers, of course, but the luxury to have a backup as capable as Manning was unmistakable.”

Translation: The apprenticeship is over.

The Supporting Cast Is Championship-Caliber

Here’s what most people miss about Texas—Manning isn’t walking into a rebuild.

The offense that averaged 437.5 yards per game returns its core playmakers. The defense that allowed just 283.4 yards per game brings back its stars. This isn’t a hope-and-pray situation.

Key returnees who will define Texas’s success:

  • Quintrevion Wisner (RB): 1,064 yards, 4.7 yards per carry
  • Jaydon Blue (RB): 730 yards, 5.4 yards per carry
  • Anthony Hill Jr. (LB): 17 tackles for loss, 8 sacks
  • Colin Simmons (DE): 9 sacks, 14 tackles for loss as a freshman
  • Ryan Wingo (WR): Emerging star with 800+ yards combined with Lockett

The portal additions show Sarkisian’s strategic thinking:

  • Emmett Mosley (WR) from Stanford
  • Jack Endries (TE) from California
  • Matthew Caldwell (QB) from Troy as Manning’s backup

This isn’t rebuilding. This is reloading.

The Recruiting Machine Just Hit Another Level

Want to know how elite programs stay elite?

They sign the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class while competing for national championships. Texas just did exactly that with their 2025 class featuring four five-star prospects and 17 ESPN 300 players.

The crown jewel? Justus Terry, the No. 8 overall prospect who shocked the college football world by choosing Texas over Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn.

Sarkisian’s reaction said everything: “I thought we signed a really nice defensive lineman class with him, (Josiah) Sharma, (Myron) Charles, and then obviously our EDGE players coming in so it was a nice ending to the early signing period for us. I think it made us feel really good that this is a balanced class but we addressed some real needs and obviously in our conference it starts up front and most notably the defensive front.”

The talent pipeline is overflowing:

  • Jonah Williams (S): No. 8 overall prospect, multi-sport athlete
  • Kaliq Lockett (WR): Five-star playmaker
  • Justus Terry (DT): Elite interior presence
  • Multiple immediate contributors across both sides of the ball

ESPN noticed: “The Longhorns finished with ESPN’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class, inking 17 ESPN 300 prospects and closing by winning a battle with Georgia for Terry, the No. 8 overall recruit.”

The Schedule Will Test Championship Mettle Immediately

August 30th in Columbus, Ohio will tell us everything we need to know.

Texas opens against defending national champion Ohio State in a rematch of the Cotton Bowl semifinal. It’s the ultimate litmus test for Manning and a completely retooled roster.

Why this game matters more than you think:

  • Both teams return less than 50% of their production from 2024
  • Ohio State lost 14 players to the NFL Draft (most in the country)
  • Texas lost 12 players to the NFL Draft (school record)
  • Manning has never attempted a pass in a true road environment

The rest of the schedule includes manageable non-conference games against San Jose State, UTEP, and Sam Houston before SEC play begins. But the conference slate presents multiple championship-defining moments:

Road tests that will define the season:

  • At Florida (October 4)
  • At Georgia (November 15)
  • At Kentucky, Mississippi State (various dates)

Home rivalries to close the season:

  • Arkansas (November 22)
  • Texas A&M (November 29)

Between facing Ohio State in Week 1 and Georgia in Week 12, the Longhorns won’t see a single opponent that finished 2024 ranked in the CFP Top 25.

The Biggest Concerns Are Fixable (But Critical)

Every championship contender has weaknesses.

Texas’s 2024 flaws were specific and costly: negative turnover margin (-0.3 per game), excessive penalties (6.4 per game), and red zone inefficiency in big games. The good news? These are correctable issues, not talent deficiencies.

The offensive line rebuild presents the biggest challenge:

  • Four NFL departures leave massive holes
  • Manning’s protection depends on unproven players
  • Quick-passing game must compensate for inexperience

But there’s reason for optimism. CBS Sports noted: “A couple of tipped passes led to two costly interceptions from Ewers in that meeting. Tipped passes were a season-long issue for the Longhorns, and Manning’s mobility and pocket presence should help resolve that problem in 2025.”

Manning’s skill set addresses Texas’s biggest problems in 2024.

The Championship Window Is Wide Open

Everything is aligning for Texas to capture its first national title since 2005.

The 12-team playoff format provides margin for error previous Longhorn teams never had. The financial investment and recruiting success create sustainable excellence. The coaching staff has proven it can compete at the highest level.

Finebaum’s final verdict: “He is going to be the leader of this team. They reloaded in the portal, to the tune of many millions and millions of dollars. I think Texas, other than having to go to Ohio State Week 1, is in great shape.”

The pieces are in place. The talent is elite. The expectations are championship-or-bust.

Manning’s mobility and leadership give Texas a golden opportunity to build on the foundation Ewers established over the past two seasons. The question isn’t whether the Longhorns belong among college football’s elite—they’ve already proven that.

The question is whether they can seize their championship moment when it arrives.

The Arch Manning era begins now.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

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Alabama Football 2025 Season Preview: The Year Everything Must Come Together

Mark Haines on June 24, 2025

Alabama football’s 2025 season will define Kalen DeBoer’s tenure.

After a 9-4 debut that fell short of Alabama’s championship standards, the second-year head coach faces immense pressure to return the program to playoff contention. The message from the college football world is crystal clear: another disappointing campaign won’t be tolerated in Tuscaloosa.

As one anonymous SEC coach told Athlon Sports, “Going 9-4 isn’t going to be tolerated at Alabama for very long. The expectations define this place.”

The Foundation Exists, But the Cracks Are Showing

Alabama’s 2024 season revealed a program caught between elite talent and inconsistent execution.

The numbers tell the story of a team that dominated at home but struggled when it mattered most:

  • 7-0 at home, averaging 472 yards and 42.3 points per game
  • 2-3 on the road, averaging just 353.8 yards and 19.6 points per game
  • 2.5 turnovers per game in losses vs. 1.2 turnovers per game in wins
  • Critical giveaways cost them against Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Michigan

Expert Cody Goodwin from Bama247 put it bluntly: “Gotta make the playoffs. They did not make the playoffs last year. You can’t leave it up to chance like that. You gotta find a way to drive the hammer home.”

The talent was there, but the results weren’t.

The Quarterback Question That Changes Everything

Everything hinges on one position.

Jalen Milroe’s departure leaves a massive void after his 36 total touchdowns and 3,570 scrimmage yards in 2024. As that anonymous SEC coach noted, “The biggest question will be quarterback, obviously.”

Three quarterbacks will battle for the starting job:

  • Ty Simpson: Third-year player with the most experience in the system
  • Austin Mack: Washington transfer who followed DeBoer but has limited game action
  • Keelon Russell: Five-star freshman ranked as the No. 1 player in the country by Rivals

Russell represents the most intriguing option. The Duncanville, Texas native threw for 4,177 yards and 55 touchdowns with just four interceptions as a senior. According to 247Sports, Russell ranks as the highest-rated recruit to ever sign with Alabama.

DeBoer made his expectations clear: “I think a lot of it is, we want that playmaker. We want that guy. I don’t want just a game manager out there.”

The quarterback competition will determine Alabama’s ceiling.

Strategic Roster Building Through the Portal

Alabama attacked their weaknesses with surgical precision.

Rather than chasing stars, the Crimson Tide made calculated additions to address specific problems from 2024:

  • Colorado LB Nikhai Hill-Green: Second-leading tackler at Colorado with 82 stops
  • Texas A&M G Kam Dewberry: Proven guard to shore up offensive line depth
  • Four-star OT recruits Jackson Lloyd and Mal Waldrep: Future building blocks

The offensive line received particular attention after allowing 25 sacks in 2024. Alabama’s inability to protect the quarterback and establish consistent rushing on the road directly contributed to their most devastating losses.

“He’s got an opportunity to make a pretty big impact this season,” Goodwin said about Hill-Green. “He offers a lot in the way of speed. He’s a pretty sure tackler.”

This wasn’t roster building for the sake of it—this was problem-solving.

A Schedule That Demands Immediate Excellence

The 2025 schedule will test every improvement Alabama has made.

Opening at Florida State on August 30 marks the first time Alabama begins a season on the road since the 2020 season. But the real test comes three weeks later at Georgia on September 27.

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt explained the stakes: “This is a huge early test for Kalen DeBoer in year two. If Bama wins by the way, there’s a bunch of winnable games after this.”

The schedule breakdown reveals both opportunity and danger:

Key Home Games:

  • LSU (November 8)
  • Oklahoma (November 15)
  • Tennessee (October 18)

Critical Road Tests:

  • Florida State (August 30)
  • Georgia (September 27)
  • South Carolina (October 25)
  • Auburn (November 29)

Alabama holds a 10-game home winning streak against Tennessee dating back to 2003. The Iron Bowl at Auburn presents a chance to win three consecutive games at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time in series history.

Every game matters when playoff selection is on the line.

Defensive Identity Under Kane Wommack

The defense showed flashes of dominance but needs to finish plays.

Alabama forced 28 takeaways in 2024, ranking sixth nationally with 18 interceptions. However, they managed just 25 sacks and failed to score a single non-offensive touchdown despite creating numerous opportunities.

Key returners provide hope for improvement:

  • LB Deontae Lawson: 76 tackles, 4 pass deflections, 2 sacks before injury
  • LB Justin Jefferson: Veteran presence and proven tackler
  • Transfer LB Nikhai Hill-Green: Speed and sure tackling from Colorado

The defensive line must replace significant production while integrating elite recruiting talent. Five-star defensive end prospects and four-star edge rushers provide optimism for improved pass rush in Wommack’s second season.

Creating turnovers is great—turning them into points is better.

Championship Expectations and Playoff Pressure

The mandate couldn’t be clearer.

Alabama enters 2025 with the third-best odds (+500) to win the SEC Championship according to FanDuel Sportsbook. More importantly, they face immense pressure to secure a spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff after missing the inaugural field.

ESPN’s SP+ projects approximately 9.5 wins for Alabama, suggesting a team capable of playoff contention with upside for more. But projections mean nothing without execution.

Historical precedent supports optimism:

  • Four of Alabama’s five national championship coaches improved in year two
  • Only Frank Thomas regressed (9-1 to 8-2) before winning the title in 1934
  • DeBoer’s track record suggests confidence in reaching baseline expectations

As DeBoer acknowledged, “Now we understand what this place is all about. All together, the relationships now are there with our players; we can just really take it to the next level.”

Making the playoffs isn’t just a goal—it’s a requirement.

The Bottom Line: No More Excuses

Alabama’s 2025 season represents the ultimate referendum on Kalen DeBoer’s vision.

The talent is undeniable. The recruiting momentum is strong. The schedule provides opportunities for statement victories. But as that anonymous SEC coach reminded us, “this is a new era. Bama’s not a surefire lock every season.”

DeBoer has had two years to build his foundation. He’s made strategic additions through recruiting and the portal. He’s identified and addressed the specific weaknesses that cost Alabama in 2024.

Now comes the hardest part: proving it works when everything is on the line.

For Kalen DeBoer and Alabama football, 2025 isn’t just another season—it’s the year everything must come together.

The Next Billion Dollar Game

College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.

Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. From the coaching carousel to NIL deals to transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.

Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.

The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?

Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.

Free Subscription
BACK TO THE BLOG ARCHIVE
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