College football in 2024 is a completely different game than it was even just a few years ago. The transfer portal definitely brings a new dimension, but NIL is the biggest difference. Schools with good teams and strong support from donors are positioned to succeed.
Fan base, administrative relationships, facilities, lifestyle, program history and recent success aren't the only factors to consider when evaluating the best school for a college football coach in 2024. Resources in the form of NIL efforts now must be a major factor in recruiting and getting top prospects through the portal. With the NIL, some players may be more inclined to stay in college and try to improve their draft rating while earning money. This is an easier sell now than it was pre-NIL.
Just recently, 247 Sports ranked the top 10 best jobs in college football for 2024 and beyond, with Brad Crawford selecting the University of Georgia Bulldogs at No. 1 and the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 3. Here are the complete rankings:
#1 – Georgia Bulldogs
#2 – Texas Longhorns
#3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
No. 4 – LSU Tigers
No. 5 – Alabama Crimson Tide
No. 6 – Oregon Ducks
#7 – Oklahoma Sooners
#8 – Florida State Seminoles
#9 – Michigan Wolverines
#10 – Texas A&M Aggies
If all of these jobs were open in the same year, I wouldn't have any issues with Georgia being ranked at the top, and chances are, a new head coach in Athens will be set up for success.
As for number two on this list, that's where the disagreement probably begins. The Texas Longhorns have great resources and could be successful in the NIL era, but they have yet to win a national championship since 2005 with Vince Young as quarterback. They made the College Football Playoff last year and are expected to be even stronger this year. After moving from the Big 12 to the stronger and more competitive SEC, we need to evaluate Texas for at least a season or two before we state they are top two. This is definitely a top 10 job, but number two feels too high right now considering they were 5-7 in 2021.
If the Texas Longhorns drop, the Ohio State Buckeyes will move up from third to second. There has been a lot of talk recently about Ohio State lacking the NIL resources of other programs, but the Buckeyes continue to recruit at an exceptional level. With a rich history, a strong fan base, the vibrant city of Columbus, and a great chance to compete for a championship, Ohio State seems like a stronger team than Texas.
One last thing I want to mention is the Oregon Ducks, ranked at #6. Oregon has great facilities, a ton of unimaginable uniform combinations, and they help their young freshmen. Also, Eugene is a highly regarded college town. I can't think of a school with as much NIL support as Oregon. The Ducks have been consistently competitive for a long time, but their move to the Big Ten and NIL support will likely pay off in the near future. To be honest, I felt the Ducks were pretty low on the list.
If I were asked to rank the top six candidates for head coaching jobs in order, my list would look a little different than Crawford's.
#1 – Georgia Bulldogs
#2 – Ohio State Buckeyes
#3 – Oregon Ducks
#4 – Alabama Crimson Tide
No. 5 – Texas Longhorns
No. 6 – LSU Tigers
At the moment, this feels like pretty much where we're headed for 2024 and beyond.
