Nick Saban, 72, surprisingly retired in January 2024 after spending 17 seasons with Alabama and a 30-year career as a head coach. Saban is widely regarded as one of the greatest college football coaches in history, boasting a remarkable career filled with unparalleled achievements. As the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Saban has led the team to six national championships since 2007, establishing a modern dynasty in college football. He also won a national championship with LSU. College football fans will have to get used to not seeing him on the sidelines this year. Instead, he will be a talking head on ESPN's College GameDay Saturday pre-game show.
Jim Harbaugh has carved out an impressive coaching career across both college football and the NFL, known for his intense competitiveness and ability to turn around struggling programs. As head coach of the University of Michigan, his alma mater, Harbaugh has revitalized the Wolverines, leading them to multiple Big Ten championships and College Football Playoff appearances. Fresh off winning the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship, you won't be seeing him on the sidelines at Michigan anymore. Instead, Harbaugh has signed a 5-year contract as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, a team he once played for.
The 2024-25 college football season marked the expansion of the College Football Playoff from 4 to 12 teams. This significant change, aimed at providing more opportunities for top-tier teams to compete for the national championship, has generated excitement and anticipation among fans. The expanded format features six first-round matchups between the fifth highest ranked conference champion and 7 other at-large big teams depending on thier College Football Playoff rankings. These first-round games will be hosted by universities.
The winners of these first-round games then advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face off against the four highest-seeded conference champions. These four champs will enjoy a bye with immediate placement into the quarterfinals. This new format promises to deliver more thrilling matchups and create a more inclusive postseason experience for college football fans.
The addition of Texas and Oklahoma to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the 2024-2025 season marked a significant shift in the landscape of college football. This realignment created one of the most powerful conferences in the nation, combining two historic programs with the already dominant SEC teams. The move has generated excitement and anticipation among fans, as it promises to deliver high-stakes matchups and increase the competitiveness of the conference. This expansion has also raised questions about the future of college football realignment and the potential formation of superconferences. Texas and Oklahoma came from the Big 12 Conference, but you don't need to worry about them losing 2 of their member schools.
The Big 12 Conference welcomed four new members this season: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah. These additions, known as the "Corner Four," expanded the conference to 16 teams and solidified its position as a major player in college athletics. The influx of new programs from the former Pac-12 Conference has created a renewed sense of excitement and competition within the Big 12, as well as led to a crisis among the Pacific State/West Coast schools.
The Pac-12 Conference experienced a significant decline in 2024 as most of its member schools announced their departure. This mass exodus was primarily driven by financial considerations and the desire to join more lucrative conferences like the Big Ten and ACC. As a result, the Pac-12 was left with only two remaining members: California and Stanford. The conference's future is now uncertain, and there are concerns about its ability to maintain its competitive position and viability in the landscape of college athletics. How quickly this former Power Five conference collapsed was surprising to many.
In 2024, the Big Ten Conference welcomed four new members: Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC. This expansion marked a significant shift in the balance of power in college football, as these prominent Pac-12 programs joined one of the most prestigious conferences in the nation. The addition of these teams has increased the Big Ten's geographic footprint which now spans from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coasts. The move has also raised questions about the future of college football realignment, the potential for further superconference formation, and resolving pain points around team travel across such long distances.
The 2024-2025 college football season introduced two significant rule changes: (1) a two-minute warning at the end of each half and (2) in-helmet communication between coaches and players on the field. The two-minute warning, a feature already present in the NFL, aims to provide teams with a designated timeout during crucial late-game situations. The expectation is that there will be more drama and strategy in the final minutes of games.
In-helmet communication allows coaches to directly communicate with a designated player on the field, providing real-time play-calling and adjustments. This technology is designed to improve communication and efficiency while also potentially reducing the risk of signal stealing.
Chip Kelly has made a significant mark on both college football and the NFL with his innovative, fast-paced offensive schemes. As head coach of the University of Oregon, Kelly revolutionized the college game with his up-tempo, spread offense, leading the Ducks to four consecutive BCS bowl games, including an appearance in the national championship game in 2011. His success at Oregon earned him numerous accolades. Kelly's offensive genius attracted the attention of the NFL, where he became the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. After his time with the Eagles, Kelly also served as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers before returning to the college ranks as the head coach at UCLA. After six seasons with the Bruins he left to head to Ohio State—not as a head coach, but the be their Offensive Coordinator.
Bobby Petrino was formerly the head coach at Arkansas. However, he was fired in 2012 following a scandal that unfolded after a motorcycle accident revealed he had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member. The incident led to his dismissal as head coach due to violations of university policies and a breach of trust. After leaving Arkansas, Petrino briefly retreated from the coaching spotlight before resurfacing as the head coach at Western Kentucky in 2013 before moving on to a second stint with the University of Louisville, where he coached from 2014 to 2018, then finally two seasons at Missouri State. He returns to Arkansas 11 years after his departure as the Offensive Coordinator.
