CFB Pickem | Obstacles for 12 College Football Playoff contenders in 2025

Obstacles for 12 College Football Playoff contenders in 2025

Spring football is a time for optimism, hope and ... name tags.

With an influx of new players from high school and the transfer portal, new starting quarterbacks, and new coaches at key positions, there's no shortage of transitions happening from coast to coast. Teams that expect to contend for the 12-team College Football Playoff need answers, and it begins now.

As spring ball gets underway, here is the biggest obstacle facing 12 CFP contenders -- the kind of issues that could derail playoff hopes if they take the wrong turn.

Ohio State Buckeyes

2024 record: 14-2

CFP finish: Beat Notre Dame 34-23 in national championship game

Biggest obstacle in 2025? Replacing both coordinators. Former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly returned to the NFL as the Las Vegas Raiders' coordinator, and former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was hired for the same position at Penn State. Either one of those moves is a significant shake-up, but the two of them combined is a storyline worth watching this spring as their replacements begin the transition. Kelly and Knowles were integral in leading the Buckeyes to the national title.

Kelly called the plays for an offense that averaged 35.7 points per game. Knowles, whose departure was more jarring, led the nation's top defense, finishing No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense at just 12.9 points per game. Day hired former Patriots' defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to replace Knowles and promoted receivers coach Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator. With a season opener against Texas on Aug. 30, there's not much time to waste on introductions.

Texas Longhorns

2024 record: 13-3

CFP finish: Lost to Ohio State 28-14 in semifinal

Biggest obstacle in 2025? Four new starters on the offensive line. Even a quarterback with the last name Manning needs protection -- especially during his first season as the Longhorns' full-time starter. And with a road trip to Ohio State to start the season, the spring and summer practices will be critical to find cohesion before the Arch Manning era begins. The biggest departures were at tackle, where starters Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cam Williams left for the NFL, but four-year starting center Jake Majors is gone, too, along with left guard Hayden Conner. Texas has recruited well, so there is experience and versatility on the depth chart, but the staff needs this spring to determine who fits best where. It would help Manning if Texas has a strong running game, which also starts up front with the line. The Longhorns ranked No. 71 in the country last year with 158.8 rushing yards per game.

Penn State Nittany Lions

2024 record: 13-3

CFP finish: Lost to Notre Dame 27-24 in CFP semifinal

Biggest obstacle in 2025? Elevating the passing game. One of the most dubious distinctions of last year's CFP remains the fact that Penn State -- the No. 4 team in the country -- didn't complete one pass to a wide receiver in its biggest game of the year. Quarterback Drew Allar is back, but with much to prove -- and major questions about who he's going to throw it to. All-America tight end Tyler Warren is gone, and Penn State is hoping the transfer portal additions of former USC receiver Kyron Hudson and former Troy receiver Devonte Ross will help immediately. It helps that offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is entering his second season with Allar, and the running backs room with Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton could claim to be the best in the country. If the Nittany Lions want to go from good to great, though, and beat Oregon and/or Ohio State during the regular season, they've got to find some explosive playmakers at wide receiver, starting this spring.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2024 record: 14-2

CFP finish: Lost to Ohio State 34-23 in national championship game

Biggest obstacle in 2025? A first-year starting quarterback. It's the biggest question for the Irish heading into spring practice and one the transfer portal won't answer this year in South Bend. With Riley Leonard gone, the competition is focused on Steve Angeli, who has the edge in experience, and highly touted recruit CJ Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. Kenny Minchey, a junior who played in one game last year and completed two passes as a freshman in 2023, also has an opportunity. The Irish offense will miss Leonard's running ability, but if Notre Dame is going to compete for the national title again, it has to extract more from its downfield passing game -- immediately. Notre Dame's season starts at Miami and includes two SEC opponents (vs. Texas A&M and at Arkansas). It seems unlikely coach Marcus Freeman will determine a starter this spring, but that's when QBs will audition with not just their knowledge of the offense, but with leadership shown in the locker room as well.

Georgia Bulldogs

2024 record: 11-3

CFP finish: Lost to Notre Dame 23-10 in quarterfinal

Biggest obstacle in 2025? Offensive improvement. One specific area would be easier to zero in on this spring, but the reality is that Georgia ranked No. 102 in rushing yards per game (124.4), No. 132 with 35 drops by receivers and No. 117 with a 6.9 drop percentage. The Bulldogs also ranked No. 126 with 24 fumbles. All of those things halted promising drives and need to be corrected with four new starters on the offensive line, a new starting quarterback in front-runner Gunner Stockton, and transfer receivers who need to help drastically cut down on the number of dropped balls. The additions of USC's Zachariah Branch and Texas A&M's Noah Thomas should give the group an immediate boost, but this spring will start the acclimation and learning process. Georgia's offense wasn't bad last year, but it has to improve.

Oregon Ducks

2024 record: 13-1

CFP finish: Lost to Ohio State 41-21 in CFP quarterfinal

Biggest obstacle in 2025? The unknowns of quarterback Dante Moore. It's been a minute since Oregon has had to rely on an inexperienced quarterback. Transfers Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel came with an understanding of how to win and how to overcome adversity. Moore, who last played as a freshman starter at UCLA, benefited from a year at Oregon to learn from Gabriel and study with him, but can he win at Penn State? The good news is that's probably the toughest game on Oregon's schedule, which doesn't include Ohio State or Michigan. And the season opener is at home against Montana State, an elite FCS opponent that played for the FCS title last year and will test Moore.

Clemson Tigers

2024 record: 10-4

CFP finish: Lost to Texas 38-24 in the first round

Biggest obstacle in 2025? The SEC. Clemson is deep and talented enough to win the ACC, which would guarantee the Tigers a return trip to the playoff as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions, but what if they go 0-2 against LSU and rival South Carolina and don't win their conference? Last year, Clemson went 0-2 against the SEC, losing to Georgia and South Carolina, but the three-loss Tigers still made the playoff because they won the ACC. Clemson doesn't face Miami or SMU during the regular season, but what if the Tigers lost in the ACC title game and were a three-loss CFP contender again? They'd be banking on an at-large bid, and without at least splitting one of those SEC games, the selection committee could easily rank another team higher that either had fewer losses, more impressive wins -- or both. The most likely scenario -- at least looking at it in March -- is that Clemson either needs to win the ACC again, or avoid another 0-2 record against the SEC.