One final look: A team to watch from each Power 4 conference

It’s hard to believe that college football has already snuck back up on us, but you certainly won’t hear me complaining about it.

In fact, I’ll be doing the exact opposite: Joining in on the last-minute hype with one last look around before diving headfirst into the season.

I’m not going to waste said look on the usual big hitters like Georgia and Ohio State, though.

Instead, we’re going to be breaking down the guys that have fallen out of public favor as of late, yet could find themselves ranked this season if they play their cards right — some of which you may already have in the back of your mind, while some others you may not expect in a million years.

But you know what?

We already have enough hype being built up for the season; I don’t have to make matters worse by continuing to hype up today’s topic along with it. So without further ado, let’s get this ball rolling.

ACC: Miami Hurricanes

Now yes, I am well aware that sources ranging from random voices on social media to the AP Preseason Top 25 have given Miami some love, but don’t be fooled, this choice is nowhere near a soft start when it’s coming from me.

Over the last 20 years, the Miami Hurricanes have been one of college football’s biggest failures (especially in regards to their ACC footing), consistently leaving the masses wanting more from what was once a powerhouse program.

Their underwhelming nature became so commonplace that I grew to be one of their more rigid critics, refusing to give them the benefit of the doubt when many others would, but that’s what makes them such a shocker to see on this list — for once, I’m hopping on the hype train, and it’s thanks to two factors: Their quarterback and their schedule.

The ‘Canes offense is now under the command of former Washington State QB Cam Ward, a stunning passer who is entering his fifth season of college ball, and what stands in his way?

Just two FBS schools finished 2023 with over eight wins (Louisville and Florida State, both of which will likely see a decline, with the latter having to go on the road).

Especially when considering the bowl game that should follow, this schedule resulting in anything under nine wins would make Miami look even more pathetic than usual.

Big Ten: Northwestern Wildcats

Alright here’s the first one that I’m really going to have to step up to the plate for.

The Northwestern Wildcats are in what has been one of college football’s toughest leagues (an image that has only been reinforced by the latest wave of conference realignment).

When combining that fact with their unflattering home environment, you’re left with a team that brings hardly anything to the table of public opinion…but just hear me out.

For starters, many will easily forget that the Wildcats aren’t pushovers to begin with, winning eight games in 2023. With that in mind, them reaching the rankings isn’t nearly as big of a leap as you might assume.

The other thing is their schedule which, while not easy by any stretch of the imagination, could be far worse. Don’t believe me? Then look at it this way:

1. They open the year with a home game against Miami (OH) — the RedHawks got railroaded the last time they faced a flawed Power 4 team.
   
2. They host Duke — which should suck now that it’s without Mike Elko and Riley Leonard. 
   
3. They go to Washington — the losses of its head coach and starting talent are so severe that the Huskies aren't even ranked in the preseason poll.
   
4. They go to Maryland — they beat the Terps last year, and they should be no better this time around.
   
5. They host Wisconsin — the Badgers could be good, but won't be great, and the Wildcats just beat them in Madison by two touchdowns.
   
6. They go to Iowa — the Hawkeyes still have a huge question mark for an offense and, despite winning 10 games and making the Big Ten title game, could only beat the Cats by a field goal last year.
   
7. They host Ohio State — unquestionably the toughest game on their schedule, but they host the Buckeyes for Homecoming after a bye week, so their chances of an upset are as accommodating as they can be.
   
8. They go to Michigan — a brutal match right after the OSU game, but the Wolverines are yet another squad that stands as a mere shell of its 2023 form.

Sure, Northwestern won’t be making any playoff pushes with names like those on its slate, but especially when including the ones that weren’t on the list (Eastern Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, and a potentially manageable bowl opponent), a nine-win run is certainly within the realm of possibility.

That’s worthy of at least some consideration for the rankings, no?

Big 12: UCF Knights

We likely have another stunner here, as the UCF Knights hold the crown for having the worst 2023 campaign of today's subjects, finishing with a negative record of 6-7. But, like the Hurricanes, they have a combination of quarterback and schedule that has me leaving a window open for them.

Starting with QB, they were able to steal the dual-threat behemoth that is KJ Jefferson and, just as I asked about Cam Ward: Who’s going to stop him? New Hampshire? Sam Houston? Colorado? Cincinnati? BYU? Arizona State? Nope.

Toss in a couple of the more-questionable-yet-still-beatable opponents (TCU, Florida, and Iowa State), along with the rowdy home-field advantage they have over both Arizona and Utah, and you’ve got yourself a strong chance of seeing the Knights finish with one pretty record.

SEC: Kentucky Wildcats

Lastly, we have the Kentucky Wildcats. If you know anything about their head coach and their consistency under him, this likely isn’t a heart-stopping pick.

For context, of the last eight years in the Mark Stoops era, seven of them saw the Cats go positive, and two of those reached the 10-win threshold. So yeah, UK football being competent should, at the very least, seem believable.

But, the Wildcats nonetheless have the misfortune of playing in college football’s top conference and are coming off of back-to-back 7-6 seasons, so what is it about their 2024 circumstances that make for anything noteworthy?

Well, just as it’s been for everyone else, the deciding factor is their schedule.

Simply put, there are eight games on Kentucky’s calendar that are very much winnable (Southern Miss, South Carolina, Ohio, Vanderbilt, at Florida, Auburn, Murray State, and Louisville) and four that are… not so much (Georgia, at Ole Miss, at Tennessee, and at Texas).

That means Kentucky has a fair shot at eight, maybe nine wins; not bad for a basketball school that will have had several bigger fish hanging around.

This piece may age like wine, or it may age like milk. Either way, one thing remains the same—by the time you hear back from me, the 2024-25 college football season will have officially begun. With that, now seems like as good of a time as ever to say: Good luck everybody, and let’s watch some football!

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