Three More Big Stories Heading Into 2025 College Football Season
Here are additional big stories in college football for 2025. These are stories number 10-12. They are stories that are important in college football and will become national news as we head toward the holidays. The three stories are a summary of the 2025 coaching carousel, which was very active, pressure in the Apex Conference in college football, the Southeastern Conference, and the fact that Clemson is the runaway favorite in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Have you heard of these stories?
Big Story #10: The Crazy Coaching Carousel
The coaching carousel has been spinning out of control after the last two seasons. There were 31 coaching jobs changing hands following the 2023 season, and there were 30 coaching jobs changing hands following the 2024 season. 23 of the jobs changing hands entering 2025 are in the Group of Five ranks, the best conferences in the United States. There was intrigue in the power conference ranks.
This year’s cycle brought homecomings to Scott Frost at the University of Central Florida and Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia University. Bill Belichick is taking over at North Carolina, and Barry Odom is taking over the moribund Purdue program, following a two-year run at UNLV. It gets better. Former National Football League stars are getting and moving to coaching jobs. Eddie George moves to Bowling Green, Michal Vick at Norfolk State, and DeSean Jackson at Delaware State.
There are only 136 Football Subdivision programs, so 30 new coaches is a bunch. Of those, only 18 had their current job before the 2019 season. The pressure to win now is enhanced by the Name, Image, and Likeness dollars. NCAA football is big business, and winning means more money, as well as recruiting success and success in the increasingly important transfer portal. With hot-seat jobs that include several Southeastern Conference jobs, as well as jobs at Florida, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech. The rate of change should be great before the 2026 season.
Biggest Of the Stories #11: Pressure In the SEC
In the last two seasons, the once-dominant SEC has taken a bit of a back seat to the Big Ten, the conference that has produced the last two national champions (and might make it three in a row). The struggles of the SEC are well-documented. Blue bloods LSU and Alabama did not make the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Oklahoma, a conference newcomer, has been just 6-7 in the past three seasons.
Once proud LSU has yet to make a playoff appearance. Things are about to turn around for the Bayou Bengals. Starting Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is back and is a budding star. The retirement of Nick Saban was a blow to Alabama, but new Head Coach Kalen DeBoer is making strides. The pressure on him will grow with another season of fewer than 10 wins. Hugh Freeze, at rival Auburn, is feeling the heat as well with back-to-back losing seasons and just an 11-14 record over the last two seasons. In Oklahoma, things may turn around. They hired an offensive coordinator and upgraded their roster through the portal.
Big Story #12: Clemson Is a Big Favorite In the AAC
Clemson is loaded and could easily win the national championship this year. Clemson was 9-4 in 2023, which was their first sub-10-win season since 2010. Clemson won 10 games last year. They were 10-4 and made the College Football Playoff. However, they have a Heisman Trophy favorite in Cade Klubnik, and they have an improving group of skill players to support the quarterback. They dipped into the portal to get help on defense. They are the heavy favorites to win the ACC. Clemson making a comeback would be one of the biggest stories in January. Their biggest competition is likely Miami (Fla) with transfer Quarterback Carson Beck.
Conclusion
Three additional big stories are the crazy coaching carousel, the mounting pressure for the Southeastern Conference, and the fact that Clemson is the heavy favorite in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In particular, the mounting pressures in the once-king SEC are the most newsworthy of these stories. Although the coaching carousel and the fact that Clemson could win the Atlantic Coast Conference are compelling.
