8 Hot Takes for the 2024 College Football Season

Oh, the takes will flow freely. They always do.

The moment the games are played, regardless of sample size, the opinions will start to flow. College football will do that to people.

Is Florida State absolutely cooked after a Week 0 loss? If that's your inkling, now would be the time to declare it so.

Some of these takes will be right. Many will be woefully inaccurate. That won't stop the masses from proclaiming these incomplete truths regardless.

As we are all keenly aware, the cycle can be vicious.

Today, we're getting ahead of things. Before the college football season begins, we're firing off a few hot takes of our own, talking teams, conferences, freshmen, the College Football Playoff, the media, the national champion and more.

There is much to cover and many takes to fire off. Let's get to it.

Nebraska Will Finally Show Signs of Being Back-ish

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LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - APRIL 27: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Nebraska Cornhuskers reacts to a call at the Nebraska Spring Football Game at Memorial Stadium on April 27, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Let's begin with a lukewarm take to get some blood flow to our extremities.

After years of ugly games, close losses and general unrest, the Cornhuskers might finally be settling in. Although many will cite freshman QB Dylan Raiola as their primary source of hope and optimism, the attention should start elsewhere.

Nebraska's defense ranked No. 13 in scoring in 2023, and many of the pieces from this group return. As Raiola settles, having this unit on the other side could be enormous.

Also helping Matt Rhule is a schedule that begins with seven extremely winnable games. Nebraska will handle this stretch and do enough against better opponents at the end to give this dormant program some much-needed life.

The Cornhuskers won't win the conference, but they will be a problem for many.

Jeremiah Smith Will Become the Most Exciting Player in the Country

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COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 13: Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs with the ball during the Ohio State Spring Game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on April 13, 2024. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Let's cozy up to the Big Ten for a while longer.

As of now, Jeremiah Smith has yet to play in a single college football game. Regardless, the true freshman will become one of the most interesting, talented and watched players in the sport in less than a month.

Is that a bit much? Maybe.

The reports on Smith, however, are that positive. The nation's No. 1 prospect of the 2024 class, according to 247Sports, is the latest elite wide receiver prospect to join Ohio State. At 6'3" and 215 pounds, he already has an NFL body.

He's special, and he'll see the field plenty. You won't have to look hard to find him.

College Football's Popularity Will Explode... Again

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: Washington Huskies fans celebrate after a 37-31 victory against the Texas Longhorns in the CFP Semifinal Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Is this a hot take? Or are we all on board?

In the offseason, many spent time bemoaning the transfer portal, conference realignment and the impact NIL is having on the sport. These criticisms aren't necessarily invalid. There is a certain bit of truth to the general state of chaos engulfing the sport.

But don't mistake chaos for disinterest. In fact, it's quite the contrary.

The expanded College Football Playoff is only going to make more games meaningful down the stretch. And the conference realignment, while confusing, will create plenty of drama and fascinating matchups along the way.

Beyond the playoff, the sport has gradually been growing in popularity for its excitement and imperfect nature.

Yes, the offseason is a bit broken. We'll get there soon enough. For now, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Alabama Will Look a Lot like, Well, Alabama

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DALLAS, TEXAS - JULY 17: Head coach Kalen DeBoer of the Alabama Crimson Tide speaks during SEC Football Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel on July 17, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

When Nick Saban abruptly retired after the 2023 season, it felt like Alabama's stretch of dominance retired with him. Then Kalen DeBoer was hired, the roster was somewhat quietly reassembled and optimism slowly started to accumulate.

While we love hot takes, let's be careful here. Losing Saban is obviously monumental. You don't simply replace the greatest coach to ever grace a sideline.

When you have to replace him, however, doing it with a coach who has a record of 104-12 in his career is not a bad place to start.

DeBoer's offensive influence coupled with Jalen Milroe's continued development will be the catalyst of the Crimson Tide's 2024 season, which will include a trip to the College Football Playoff.

This roster is still overflowing with talent, and it would appear they found the right leader at just the right time. It won't be the most dominant Alabama team we've seen, but it will be a problem.

Speaking of Alabama, Nick Saban Will be a CFB Media Star

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: ESPN commentator Nick Saban during the Clemson v LSU game in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Talking into a microphone isn't new for Saban. On the rare occasions Alabama wasn't playing in a meaningful bowl or College Football Playoff game, Saban often found himself at a desk, waxing poetic about a particular matchup.

Now that he's done coaching, Saban will spend the foreseeable future analyzing the sport for ESPN, with an emphasis on College GameDay.

And that is good news for all of us.

Saban is not only a football historian. He's also a situational expert, thoughtful analyst and an all-around fascinating personality. As youthful energy flows through the sport and the fan base expands, Saban is the perfect personality to both educate and assess throughout the year.

In the sample sizes we have had, Saban has been tremendous. With his coaching career complete, he will be able to focus on his new job full-time. The sport and presentation will be better for it, and we'll be smarter.

Oklahoma State Will Win the New-Look Big 12

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon II (0) and Oklahoma State Cowboys wide receiver Rashod Owens (10) celebrate a touchdown during the Big 12 Championship game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys on December 02, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It would be fitting to see Mike Gundy and his glorious, flowing hair in CFB's shiny new postseason. While few are projecting that to happen, that is precisely how the Big 12 will play out.

Utah and Kansas State are popular picks. Kansas and Arizona could be feisty. But Oklahoma State, led by the best running back in college football, will win the conference and earn a bye in the CFB Playoff as a result.

Yes, Ollie Gordon II is a stud, but the surrounding cast on offense is exceptional as well. Quarterback Alan Bowman has plenty of experience, the offensive line is talented and the wideouts have shown plenty of promise.

The Pokes don't have a dominant roster, but they have an elite player, a manageable schedule, plenty of experience and a head coach who knows how to make the most out of what he has.

Dillon Gabriel Will Win the Heisman (and Lead Oregon to the Playoff)

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EUGENE, OREGON - APRIL 27: Quarterback Dillon Gabriel #8 of the Oregon Ducks looks to receive the ball during the second quarter of the Oregon Ducks Spring Football Game at Autzen Stadium on April 27, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

In terms of pure odds, this take isn't necessarily scorching. Gabriel will open the season as the favorite to win the award.

With that acknowledged, calling the shot should be worth something. That's what we're after here. Gabriel, now with his third team, is poised to be the latest transfer quarterback to take the sport by storm.

Bo Nix was perhaps a game away from winning the Heisman under Dan Lanning. The Pac-12 Championship, however, had other plans. With Oregon positioned to be a playoff team, Gabriel should be able to utilize both his talent and the talent around him to take this a step further.

Transfer wideout Evan Stewart is poised for superstardom, and there are plenty of other pieces at his disposal. The talent and experience should allow Gabriel, who accounted for 42 touchdowns a season ago, to build on that foundation.

He's played a lot of football and done a lot of tremendous things. He's now poised to do his best work yet.

Ryan Day Will Conquer the College Football Universe and All the Haters

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PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 4: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes during a college football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium on November 4, 2023 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Few coaches in the history of the sport have a more complicated relationship with their fan base than this one.

On one hand, Day is 56-8 as a head coach at Ohio State with an absurd 39-3 record in conference play. On the other hand, those three conference losses came in emphatic, heartbreaking fashion against Michigan, the team's most hated rival.

The result of all this winning and the handful of alarming losses is a pressure-packed 2024 season, although Day will finally be up for it.

Day (and NIL) have assembled the most talented roster in college football, adding new pieces at key positions while also keeping last year's stars from leaving for the NFL or another team.

In an expanded Big Ten, Ohio State will be challenged. Oregon is loaded, Penn State remains formidable and Michigan won't just fade away. But the Buckeyes feel like a cut above, and all the frustration and troubling finishes will be washed away.

Ohio State will win it all, and we will never look at Day the same again.