LSU, Alabama were down in 2024, but don’t count out either for next season.
Lane Kiffin whiffed with a loaded Ole Miss roster this season. He’s refueling for a mulligan.
Carson Beck to Miami makes Hurricanes an ACC contender.
Hope you enjoyed the College Football Playoff semifinals and are looking forward to the national championship game, because the four teams involved are great bets to return to the playoff for an encore.
You’re bound to find Ohio State, Texas, Penn State and Notre Dame nestled within the top 10 of any “too-early” rankings for next season. Each program possesses the framework and foundational talent to be a playoff regular, but this 12-team playoff format provides enough runway for fresh qualifiers from one year to the next.
That should be the case in the 2025. Here are five teams that didn’t make the playoff this season that could qualify next season.
LSU
Brian Kelly became a pundit’s favorite punching bag throughout this postseason, but upon closer inspection, two truths could operate simultaneously: Notre Dame thrives under Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s successor, but LSU is far from roadkill under Kelly. Garrett Nussmeier returns as the SEC’s most proven quarterback, and he’ll enjoy familiar weapons in running back Caden Durham and wide receiver Aaron Anderson. LSU crushed it in the transfer portal, adding key gains at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line and cornerback. The defense must improve in its second season under coordinator Blake Baker, but considering the additions, like Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton, that’s possible. We’ll quickly learn whether LSU is legit or fraudulent, after its September games at Clemson, versus Florida and at Mississippi.
Miami
While there’s no replacing what Cam Ward meant to Miami, Mario Cristobal did his best by snapping up Carson Beck, the Georgia transfer who’s been through the fires. Miami’s transfer haul also included LSU wide receiver CJ Daniels. The schedule stiffens, including an opener against Notre Dame, but that stronger schedule might allow the Hurricanes an at-large bid if they hit 10 wins. Plus, they’ll be among the favorites to win the ACC, and they avoid Clemson during the regular season. Defensive improvement will be necessary to a playoff run. Cristobal triggered a coordinator change, bringing in Corey Hetherman from Minnesota to prop up his slumping defense.
WHO WINS?: Expert picks for Notre Dame-Ohio State title game
BREAKDOWN: Analyzing the Notre Dame-Ohio State championship game
Brigham Young
The committee, as part of its overall disrespect for the Big 12, ignored BYU’s playoff credentials this season. The Cougars beat at-large qualifier SMU on the road and reached 10 victories, but the committee consistently disregarded them. The good news for BYU? The team’s core remains intact, including quarterback Jake Retzlaff, running back LJ Martin and wide receiver Chase Roberts, plus a dependable linebacking unit. In what should be another topsy-turvy season in the Big 12, BYU’s favorable schedule draw avoids Arizona State and Kansas State, two of the league’s front-runners.
Mississippi
By losing at home to feeble Kentucky, Lane Kiffin squandered a prime opportunity to make the playoff after building an impressive roster. Kiffin lives up to his “Portal King” reputation, though, and he loads up for a mulligan next season. Austin Simmons projects as a breakout performer, as Kiffin aims to continue his run of producing quality quarterbacks. Ole Miss’ portal prizes include multiple talented wide receivers for Simmons to weaponize. The schedule sets up beautifully, too, with eight home games, and two of the road trips will be against two of the SEC’s weakest teams. A 10-win season to unlock the Rebels’ first playoff bid is in play.
Alabama
Don’t write off Kalen DeBoer too quickly. His Alabama debut flopped. Absolutely, it did. But, consider Alabama’s No. 4-ranked recruiting class, which includes three five-star prospects. DeBoer’s transfer prizes include Miami’s Isaiah Horton, who will polish the receiving corps. Now, consider the schedule in which Alabama will play host for swing games against Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma. Let’s not bury the DeBoer era just yet. The key question – and it’s a biggie – is how Alabama will fill its quarterback opening. Backups Ty Simpson and Austin Mack return, and blue-chip freshman Keelon Russell is inbound. The committee nearly awarded a bid for three-loss Alabama this season, and it will boast a sturdy schedule strength again in 2025, upping its at-large qualification chances.
Five others under consideration: Kansas State, South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Illinois.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.