CFB teams that have the most to prove in 2025
These five teams have the most to prove during the 2025 season
Football season is over and now the discussions for the 2025 season are already going so far. A major discussion is the teams that have the most to prove during the 2025 season. So, here are five teams that I believe have the most to prove.
1. Florida State
The 12-1 record during the 2023 season seems like it was a long time ago, especially after the Florida State Seminoles managed to only get two wins in the 2024 season. After the horrible 2024 season, coach Mike Norvell had to clear house, bringing in former Auburn and UCF coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and former Syracuse and Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White as defensive coordinator.
Along with those hires, the Seminoles brought in the No. 17 overall high school recruiting class and No. 7 transfer portal class. That transfer portal class was headlined by former Boston College quarterback transfer Thomas Castellanos, former Tennessee wide receiver Squirrel White and former USC wide receiver/tight end Duce Robinson.
I believe the most pressure for the 2025 season will be on Norvell himself as his job could be on the line if things do not go well. The main concern is actually how good will Castellanos be as the starting quarterback for the Noles. He was pretty good at Boston College but had a down 2024 season, including being benched half way through the season.
Florida State does have a very tough schedule in 2025. It kicks off the season against the Alabama, along with facing off against conference rivals Miami and on the road at Clemson before closing the season on the road against Florida. Should be an interesting team to watch in 2025.
2. Indiana Hoosiers
2024 was a historic season for the Indiana Hoosiers. After back-to-back 2-10 season under Tom Allen, Allen was replaced by former James Madison coach and proven winner Curt Cignetti. While taking advantage of a favorable schedule, the Hoosiers boasted a 11-1 regular season record, just falling short of the Big Ten Championship, while still making it into the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Indiana did fall short to Notre Dame in the first round, but, it showed a testament of what the Hoosiers could become in the near future.
Cignetti talked a lot a smack throughout the 2024 season and he proved once again that he can win wherever he is at. However, that will be put to the test in 2025 in his second season in Bloomington.
Cignetti will have multiple returners from last season, including defensive standout linebacker Aiden Fisher and offensive standout wide receiver Elijah Sarratt. The Hoosiers also brought in the No. 18 overall transfer portal class, landing their likely starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transfers in from California. From what it looks like, Cignetti is trying to replicate what he had last season with Kurtis Rourke, with another veteran under center.
The 2025 schedule will be much more difficult than 2024. Indiana kicks off the season against Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State before starting conference play against Illinois and at Iowa. However, the Hoosiers will have a trip out to Eugene, Oregon to take on the Oregon Ducks. They will also have a trip to State College to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions.
It will certainly be a test for Cignetti’s montra of being a winner.
3. South Carolina
The South Carolina Gamecocks just fell short of the College Football Playoff a season ago, realistically only one more win away from being one of the 12 teams. Shane Beamer’s squad will be returning many key players from last season. Those include quarterback LaNorris Sellers, edge rusher Dylan Stewart, safety Jalon Kilgore, etc. South Carolina was able to bring in Utah State transfer running back Rahsul Faison, who should be a big playmaker for the Gamecock offense. Especially with new offensive coordinator Mike Shula.
Shula was a senior offensive assistant and has spent time as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL. Most notably, he spent four years as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2003-2006, when he was replaced by Nick Saban.
This will play a huge factor in how much success the Gamecocks will have in 2025. A new look offense along with a strong defense will go a long way. The SEC isn’t forgiving and South Carolina’s success in conference road games will play a huge factor if it will be competing for a spot in the playoffs. If things go well, we could be seeing Beamer and South Carolina competing for the SEC championship in Atlanta and for a College Football Playoff berth.
4. Nebraska
After seven straight losing seasons, the Nebraska Cornhuskers finally landed a winning season, with a 7-6 record. The first step in coach Matt Rhule’s rebuild was achieved and now entering year three, the Huskers could be in line to make noise nationally.
The 2025 season will be first season that will have mostly just the players that Rhule has recruited in his time in Lincoln. One of those players is obviously former five star quarterback Dylan Raiola. Raiola’s first season in Lincoln was a bit of a roller coaster. However, it was a successful season, finishing with 2,819 yards and 13 touchdowns. His performance in 2024 was enough to give him the Nebraska freshman passing yardage record and completion percentage record with 67.1 percent.
Dana Holgorsen, who served as the team’s offensive coordinator during the final four weeks of the season, will have his first full season with Nebraska in 2025. The hope is that the offensive woes that the Huskers have had the past two seasons will be solved in 2025.
However, the Huskers lost defensive coordinator Tony White, who took off for the Florida State defensive coordinator opening and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton. That also led to multiple players entering the transfer portal with a few transferring to the Seminoles. Nebraska replaced White, elevating secondary coach John Butler.
In Rhule’s past two stops in college football (at Baylor and Temple), the third season is where those teams saw the biggest jump. The Huskers could be in line for a much improved season in 2025. Nebraska has a chance to make noise early with a favorable non-conference schedule and “easier” conference schedule. The Huskers will have a major matchup against the former No. 1 overall ranked quarterback Bryce Underwood and the Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 20, at Memorial Stadium.
5. USC
The fifth and final team that has a lot to prove in 2025 is the USC Trojans. Coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have had two straight disappointing seasons. In 2022, USC had the Heisman Trophy winner with quarterback Caleb Williams and only came up one game short of the College Football Playoff, losing the PAC-12 Championship to the Utah Utes.
In 2023 and final year in the PAC-12, the Trojans only won eight games after defeating Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. A lot of the issues for USC was the lack of competent defense and Riley made a change at defensive coordinator for the team’s first season in the Big Ten. He let go long time defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and brought in D’Anton Lynn from UCLA. However, 2024 was a tough season for the Trojans, going 7-6, but won a tough bowl game in the Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M.
2025 will be an important season for the Trojans. It will be a chance for quarterback Jayden Maiava to have a full season as the starter. They have the talent on the roster to make run in the Big Ten but it is something that will be much more difficult in a very competitive Big Ten. The Trojans have a couple of tough road games at Illinois, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Oregon. It will be certainly something to watch in the upcoming season.