Joel Klatt releases Way Too Early Top 10 for 2024 season
Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt revealed his way-too-early top 10 rankings for the 2024 college football season and there are some familiar faces at the top.
But, let’s not forget about the 12-team playoff coming next season. It gives a lot more teams an opportunity to go deep into the season. Not to mention the conference realignment, so it’s about to get wild in seven months.
Let’s dive into Klatt’s way-too-early top 10 rankings for the 2024 season.
1. Georgia
Klatt’s take: “Talent’s never been a question. Think about their last five recruiting classes at Georgia. They finished nationally 1,2,3, 4 and 1. Hello. This program is still 46-2 over the last 48. I know that they lose Bowers and McConkey but you’ve got to at least assume that they’re going to reload and develop. Remember, this is a team that we don’t worry about losses. Why? Because they’ve recruited at the top end.”
The Bulldogs are the top dog, no pun intended. Carson Beck is back, Kirby Smart is still the head coach and the recruiting classes just reload this roster that’ll compete for a national championship.
2. Ohio State
Klatt’s take: “That’s the comparison because that’s what Michigan did. They brought back a ton of guys that were older which provided an enormous amount of depth on both sides of the ball. They were very good at the line of scrimmage and then that depth, maturity, culture all of it paid off and they won a national championship. That’s the type of run that I see out of Ohio State.”
Getting Will Howard to transfer in, Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson back and maybe a leg up on Michigan this offseason point the Buckeyes in the right direction. Can they prove the 2024 preseason hype this time around?
3. Oregon
Klatt’s take: “Heading into year three with Lanning. He stays since that epic tweet out him smoking the cigar at the end staying in Eugene. I love that he stayed in Eugene because I believe Oregon moving into the Big Ten, the new era of college football after we saw the last three of four national finalists be TCU, Michigan and Washington. You can do it at Oregon.”
Oregon should be better off than Washington next season off the bat. Lanning is a tremendous coach and recruiter so don’t think the Ducks can’t win the Big Ten in 2024, their first year in the conference.
4. Texas
Klatt’s take: “Sark got his new contract. He had one of the best seasons in all of college football, they only lose two games, they finished right up there in the top five. And this is a team that should be based on where they’ve recruited over the last couple of years should be right back in that position. I would be very surprised if they didn’t have a good year.”
Texas moves to the SEC but brings back Quinn Ewers, adds Isaiah Bond at wide receiver and Steve Sarkisian’s recruiting prowess continues to pay off. It’ll be a difficult schedule but the Longhorns should be one of the best items and make the 12-team playoff at this rate.
5. Alabama
Klatt’s take: “I love the fact that Greg Byrne, their athletic director, did not follow the prototypical SEC search like I have to have an SEC guy. I’ve always said this in any walk of life for any job opening anywhere forever and ever. True meritocracy, best person for the job, period. I don’t care where they came from … Kalen DeBoer was the best person for the job. He was the best man for the job in college football.”
With Kalen DeBoer at the helm, the consensus is the Crimson Tide are a playoff team. But, they’ll have to fill some holes, such as the departure of otherworldly defensive back Caleb Downs. But Jalen Milroe is back under center, giving DeBoer a dynamic quarterback.
6. Ole Miss
Klatt’s take: “Look at how (Dart) played in the bowl game. He’s going to be a third year starter, he has now 28 starts over his last two years. And he’s going to be in the middle and surrounded by a lot of talent.”
The Rebels attacked the transfer portal and get Jaxson Dart back at quarterback. This is quite the team for Lane Kiffin and again, the 12-team playoff makes a difference. Ole Miss should compete for the conference crown and/or an at-large spot in the postseason.
7. Michigan
Klatt’s take: “If he doesn’t leave, great. I would love if Jim Harbaugh stayed at Michigan. I hope that he does but in the event that he doesn’t Michigan is going to have to replace their quarterback, their head coach and several key pieces.”
This could be dependent upon if Jim Harbaugh is back or not. Sherrone Moore would be a seamless transition, but the Wolverines lose defensive pieces, as well JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum on the offensive side of the ball. However, the maize and blue will still be hard-nosed and competitive.
8. Utah
Klatt’s take: “That’s right, they’re back. Death, taxes and Utah football. If this team doesn’t get decimated by injuries, I mean, decimated. Now, every team out there is going to say Joel we have injuries too, look up Utah this year. They just got crushed by injury. If you go back to the years that they didn’t get crushed … double digit wins each of their last three full seasons.”
Cam Rising is back once again after not playing in 2023. So right there, Utah gets one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12 right away. Kyle Whittingham remained one of the best head coaches in America under injury circumstances last fall as well.
9. Notre Dame
Klatt’s take: “I believe in what Marcus Freeman is doing now. It’s been a bit of a rocky road and this offseason, they lose some guys that are hard to replace … But I really believe in what they’re doing offensively because they bring in Mike Denbrock to be their new OC now he was at Notre Dame with Brian Kelly and went down there was the OC at LSU. I just told you the success that LSU has been having over the last couple of years, number two in the country in yards per play over the last two years. So like this guy can coordinate there’s no doubt, he was a Broyles finalist.”
Marcus Freeman is doing some good things but has to get over the hump in Year 3. He has a prime opportunity as it seems like this could be the fall where everything clicks. Riley Leonard also transferred in so it’s another plug and play at QB while CJ Carr develops.
10. Penn State
Klatt’s take: “At least for two years now, I’ve been talking about this class that was sophomores now is going to be true juniors, that is going to be formidable, to say the least. This was one of James Franklin’s best recruiting classes that are about to be juniors. And so here we go. And this is a team that maybe more so than any other throughout the country is excited for the 12 team format.”
James Franklin’s biggest flaw is not winning the Big Ten since the 2016 season and making the playoff. But they have the quarterback in Drew Allar and the 12-team bracket gives the Nittany Lions an opportunity. It’ll just be a more loaded Big Ten with the four former Pac-12 teams coming in.
It is very early to look ahead to the 2024 season, but that’s why college football is fun. We project all the way out, months in advance. This list should continue to change as the months roll on.