3 Surprising Teams of the 2024 College Football Season

The 2024-25 college football season is just under two weeks away from crowning its champion. In a year

that was full of headlines, there was no shortage of surprises, with certain teams making major waves.

These three teams exceeded expectations more than any other teams this season, much to the dismay

of college football pundits everywhere.

No. 1: Arizona State Sun Devils

The Arizona State Sun Devils were picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 Conference to begin the

season. Kenny Dillingham was in just his second season, the Sun Devils were gutted by the Transfer

Portal and departing players, they were starting a freshman quarterback and it seemed all facets were

working against them.

The thing about this team, though, is that they had two aces up their sleeve. One was the work ethic

instilled by Dillingham’s teachings, which taught the mantra of “having the most fun working harder

than anyone in the country.”

The other was running back Cam Skattebo, who finished No. 5 in Heisman Trophy voting after what was an

incredible year for him and his team. Skattebo finished with 1,711 yards, a 5.8 yards per carry average,

21 touchdowns and a Peach Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player award. This helped the Sun Devils

finish as the No. 29 team in total offense at 429.4 yards per game, the No. 20 rushing offense at 199.9

yards per game and the No. 30 scoring offense at 32.9 points per game.

Top that with a defense that finished No. 38 in total defense with 339.6 yards per game and you have a

well-balanced combination that led to great success. It’s unlikely, though, that anyone could have

predicted that this team would finish at the top of the Big 12, earn a bye in the College Football Playoff

and come oh so close to moving on to the CFP Semifinals.

That’s exactly what happened though, as the Sun Devils won the Big 12 title and took the Texas

Longhorns to overtime in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal matchup. A fantastic, unexpected look for a team

that was picked to finish last and projected to have four or fewer wins by most pundits. Things are

looking up for a Sun Devil program that struggled to find its way for years.

No. 2: Indiana Hoosiers

The Indiana Hoosiers have long been a doormat of the Big Ten Conference. They’re no stranger to

disappointment, heartbreak and letdown. The pundits in preseason thought it would be par for the

course, picking the Hoosiers to finish No. 17 out of the 18 teams in the conference.

To say that they outperformed expectations would be a vast understatement. Not only did the Hoosiers

finish No. 3 in the Big Ten, but they finished 11-1 and secured a College Football Playoff berth. The

Hoosiers finished with the No. 2-ranked total defense, allowing just 256.3 yards a game, as well as the

No. 2 ranked scoring offense in the nation at 41.3 points per game.

First-year head coach Curt Cignetti had this team firing on all cylinders. “I win, Google me.” Cignetti

stated at the beginning of the year, and won he did. Cignetti brought his winning formula from his years

with the James Madison Dukes, who found great success at both the FCS and FBS levels under the

eventual 2024 Associated Press Coach of the Year winner.

The Hoosiers may have been bounced in harsh fashion by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but still

managed the smallest margin of defeat out of any first-round team in the College Football Playoff. A

season to remember, however, and it can be assured that Cignetti and the Hoosiers want to build off their

success this season.

No. 3: BYU Cougars

Another Big 12 school picked to finish near the bottom of their conference, the success of the BYU

Cougars and Sun Devils is a testament to just how competitive the Big 12 was this season. The Cougars

went from being picked No. 13 out of 16 teams to early favorites to win the conference after rattling off

a 9-0 start.

Head Coach Kalani Sitake felt his seat get hot to begin the season after a disappointing 5-7 conference

debut. Sitake remained steadfast though, telling media at Big 12 Media Days in July 2024 that the first

year was “A learning experience, not just for our players and team, but for our fans … we belong on that

field.”

Sitake vowed that his team belonged and that this year was a “prove it” type of year. The Cougars did

more than prove, they also demanded they belonged. The Cougar defense allowed 308.8 total yards a

game, ranking No. 13 in the nation. They allowed just 19.62 points per game, ranking No. 18 in the land.

They forced the third-most turnovers at 29 and proved to be not just the Big 12’s most powerful

defensive unit, but one of the nation’s best.

The offense was no slouch either, however, as quarterback Jake Retzlaff was one of the most

underrated quarterbacks in the nation. Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards. 20 touchdowns and a 60 percent

completion percentage. The run game took a major step up as well, with Retzlaff rushing for 417 yards

and 6 touchdowns as well as running back LJ Martin leading the charge of multiple running backs with

723 yards. In total, the Cougars rushed for 2093 yards, jumping to No. 69 after finishing near the bottom

in rushing yardage last season.

If it weren’t for two unfortunate late-season losses to the Kansas Jayhawks and eventual Big 12

Champion Sun Devils, the Cougars could have made a case for the Big 12 title as well as a College

Football Playoff berth. There’s even an argument to be made they still should have made it this season,

however, it wasn’t to be. The Cougars still impressed in a blowout Valero Alamo Bowl win over the

Colorado Buffaloes 36-14.

Sitake not only saved his job but secured a long-term extension in December 2024. He will be the leader

of the Cougars “well into the future” the statement from BYU Athletics Director Tom Holmoe explained.

Should the Cougars be able to build off this season, their future as a top contender in the Big 12 is all

but guaranteed. No longer will a season like this be a surprise, it could be the norm.

Conclusion: College Football’s Best 'Underdawgs'

All three of these teams were counted out in the preseason, meant to be nothing more than a bottom-

feeder in their respective conferences. Clearly, they didn’t take that disrespect lying down, with two of

the three teams making the College Football Playoff with the other on the cusp of getting a berth and

finishing with an impressive bowl win.

One thing can be learned this season: Don’t count out the underdogs. College football is an

unpredictable, chaotic beast, but those who can tame it can see eternal glory. These teams conquered

the beast and will be remembered for years to come.