The offseason has arrived in college football, and every program is chasing a handful of priorities to prepare for the 2025 campaign.

For some, the main storyline is a change at quarterback. Several teams are looking at a significant rebuild on a particular side of the ball—or maybe both offense and defense. Others are adjusting to a new coordinator, and on and on.

Looking at all of that activity, we're summarizing it down to a single word and short description of what to expect.

The order reflects the final AP Top 25 from the 2024 season.

25-21. Colorado, Memphis, UNLV, Missouri, Army

25. Colorado: Rebuild

Consider this Phase 2 of Deion Sanders' tenure in Boulder. When he arrived, Coach Prime brought a star quarterback (his son Sheduer Sanders) and generational talent (Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner. Sanders turned a one-win program into a 9-4 team within two years; now, his challenge is making the Buffs an annual threat.

24. Memphis: Shifting

No quarterback in school history put up larger numbers than Seth Henigan, a four-year starter. He threw for 14,266 yards and 104 touchdowns while leading Memphis to 10-win seasons in both 2023 and 2024. The competition is set to include Harris Boyd, Arrington Maiden, transfer Brendon Lewis and Antwaan Hill Jr., an incoming freshman.

23. UNLV: Transition

Within the Top 25, UNLV is the lone program with a new coach. The good news is Barry Odom's replacement comes with a heck of a resume. Dan Mullen previously coached at Mississippi State and Florida, compiling a 103-61 record over 13 seasons in the SEC.

22. Missouri: Precise

Missouri sure is threading a needle this offseason. Not only is quarterback Brady Cook out of eligibility, so are running backs Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll plus key receivers Theo Wease and Mookie Cooper. Star wideout Luther Burden III is headed to the NFL draft, as well. Missouri is leaning on several transfers—led by Beau Pribula, formerly the backup QB at Penn State—to revamp the offense.

21. Army: Exciting

Considering the institution's mission, change is particularly inevitable at West Point. However, the football team has never been more attractive in the modern era. Army finished 12-2 and secured an AAC title during its debut season as a member of the conference.

20-16. Syracuse, South Carolina, Miami, Alabama, Illinois

20. Syracuse: Encouraging

Take a peek at the 2025 schedule, and Syracuse is preparing for a more challenging road. Still, there's no shortage of belief in Fran Brown's vision after the Orange rattled off a 10-3 record in his debut season. Replacing quarterback Kyle McCord is the first priority, but Brown has quickly endeared himself to the Syracuse fan base.

19. South Carolina: Optimistic

South Carolina navigated a difficult slate to finish 9-4 with marquee wins against Texas A&M, Missouri and rival Clemson. Between that strong campaign, a rising star in dual-threat QB LaNorris Sellers and what could be another elite defense, expect a ton of hype for the Gamecocks.

18. Miami: Tense

Mario Cristobal boasted about the trajectory of the program after the 'Canes beat Florida and Florida State in 2024. However, they faltered late and didn't win any hardware. Miami still has much to prove, and the opening month of 2025 includes home showdowns with Notre Dame and Florida. For that statement from Cristobal to carry weight, a Carson Beck-led offense and revamped defense need to thrive immediately. This is a vital offseason for Miami's future.

17. Alabama: Serious

Not so painless when Nick Saban isn't in charge, huh? The expectations haven't changed in Tuscaloosa, and Kalen DeBoer has proved he's a championship-caliber coach. The sky isn't falling at Alabama. Nevertheless, since the Crimson Tide ended shy of 10 wins for the first time since 2007, the noise around Bama will be a different kind of intense.

16. Illinois: Unassuming

Ohio State won a national title. Penn State is returning everyone and their mother. Oregon is becoming a power, Indiana just reached the CFP and Michigan will be a popular bounce-back candidate. Meanwhile, the Illini basically only needed to replace two receivers and some defensive linemen—which they seemingly did well in the transfer portal. Illinois will likely receive less attention than it deserves.

15-11. Iowa State, Clemson, BYU, SMU, Ole Miss

15. Iowa State: Sturdy

After the winningest year in program history, Iowa State is headed for a normal offseason. Head coach Matt Campbell has been connected to some vacancies—including in the NFL—and nonetheless will return to Ames. Although both sides of the ball have a few notable departures, Iowa State has a great reputation for developing players. Success is never guaranteed, but the program is stable.

14. Clemson: Confident

Reasserting itself as a national contender is the challenge for Clemson, which fell to Georgia, South Carolina and Texas last season. Within the ACC, however, the Tigers are once again the class of the league. They'll probably enter 2025 as the favorite, not in the least because quarterback Cade Klubnik is returning for his senior year.

13. BYU: Positive

We've seen this movie before at BYU, which posted an 11-2 record in 2024 after trudging to 5-7 one year earlier. Whether the Cougars will sustain this ascent is the main question, but that curiosity does not diminish the feeling of the program moving in a good direction.

12. SMU: Emboldened

Given how deep-pocketed its deep-pocketed boosters are, SMU is a not-so-sleeping giant in the ACC. The first season in the league ended with the Mustangs at 11-2, making both the ACC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. SMU needs to revamp the skill positions around QB Kevin Jennings, but confidence is spiking in Dallas.

11. Ole Miss: Typical

Lane Kiffin has made a habit of prioritizing the portal. This year, the list includes more than 20 names with an emphasis on edge-rushers and pass-catchers. Slotting those players into the depth chart is not a breeze to accomplish, but Ole Miss is plenty familiar with the task ahead.

10-6. Indiana, Tennessee, Boise State, Arizona State, Georgia

10. Indiana: Fascinating

Curt Cignetti has a history of winning; Indiana does not. The team put together a terrific 2024 campaign and benefited from a favorable slate. Both of those comparisons can coexist yet are fair to mention. The schedule looks tougher in 2025—Illinois, Iowa, Oregon Penn State and Oregon all on the docket—so opinions about IU may vary significantly.

9. Tennessee: Pressure

Don't confuse this as a "hot seat" for Josh Heupel. Unless the Vols shockingly collapse in 2025, job security isn't a topic to discuss. Rather, the point is Tennessee finds itself in that pesky "good, not great" window. It occasionally beats a top team yet isn't doing that consistently and isn't immune to a bad upset. The pressure on Heupel to propel UT into the "elite" category will slowly be rising.

8. Boise State: Compelling

In the final year before Boise State joins the restarted Pac-12, it will probably be the Mountain West favorite. That is good news, obviously. However, the road will be different without Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty in the backfield. Part of Boise's improvement will simply be filling the void of what Jeanty's departure creates.

7. Arizona State: Lively

Similar to Jeanty at Boise State, Cam Skattebo is a humongous loss for Arizona State. His versatility was nothing short of essential for the 2024 roster. Beyond him, though, the Sun Devils are on track to return a healthy majority of their production—especially on defense. The future seems pretty bright at ASU.

6. Georgia: Focused

Expectations are a funny thing. Georgia went 11-3, won an SEC crown and made the Playoff as the No. 2 seed. Yet here we are, basically all agreeing that UGA didn't have a great year. The schedule is a monster again but flips, so Georgia hosts Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas next season.

5-1. Penn State, Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame, Ohio State

5. Penn State: Impressive

Tight end Tyler Warren and edge-rusher Abdul Carter leave monstrous voids at Penn State. Also, the Nittany Lions are undeniably the early winner of the offseason. They're bringing back a load of NFL-worthy talent, from QB Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen to defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant. Penn State's dream of a championship run is well underway.

4. Texas: Hype

Have you heard the name "Arch Manning" lately? Would you like to learn more about Arch Manning? Arch Manning, who has several famous relatives, will be the quarterback at Texas next season. In all seriousness, the hype is warranted for the Longhorns as a whole. The defense was exceptional and should again be a loaded unit in 2025, setting up Texas for another CFP charge if the Horns can manage a schedule with trips to Ohio State, Florida and Georgia, among others.

3. Oregon: Calm

Though the CFP turned into a disaster for Oregon, that letdown is presumably only a blip on the radar. Armed with healthy financial support, the Ducks are major players on the recruiting trail and in the portal—with a strong coaching staff, too. How effectively the offense shifts from Dillon Gabriel to Dante Moore will determine Oregon's upside.

2. Notre Dame: Energized

The stunning loss to Northern Illinois won't be forgotten, but it certainly does not matter to Notre Dame anymore. That nightmare can merely be remembered as fuel for 2024's runner-up finish, one that legitimized Marcus Freeman's vision in South Bend. Notre Dame is always an attractive destination, and a 14-win season only increases the appeal.

1. Ohio State: Hectic

On the heels of winning a national title, Ohio State is faced with a juxtaposition. The program absolutely should celebrate that accomplishment—and fans, in particular, will be enjoying it during the offseason. However, the team is bracing for many changes as that senior-heavy roster moves on. Throw in an impending QB competition, and the Ryan Day-led coaching staff has a busy spring and summer ahead.