As spring practices continue to wind down with an assortment of fan fests and spring showcases, some programs are sticking with tradition and hosting spring games.
Among those hosting games this weekend are Michigan, which features ballyhooed quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood, and Colorado, where coach Deion Sanders remains but his biggest stars from last season, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, will be stepping onto a much bigger stage at next week’s NFL draft.
Here’s a look at the power-conference programs hosting spring games this weekend, including positions of intrigue and players to watch for each team.
All times Eastern.
Game time: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: Shane Beamer became only the second coach at South Carolina in the past 40 years to win nine regular-season games last season. (Steve Spurrier was the other.) The Gamecocks played their best football down the stretch and were a couple of plays and questionable calls away from making the College Football Playoff. They return two of the best young players in the country in redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers and sophomore edge rusher Dylan Stewart, but the key to the season will be how well the other players around those two stars develop.
Position of intrigue: Even with All-America defensive end Kyle Kennard headed to the NFL, South Carolina’s defensive front seven should again be stout. The Gamecocks finished in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense, yards per play and rushing defense. Stewart’s ability to get to the passer will be a major part of the 2025 defense, but Bryan Thomas Jr. also had 4.5 sacks last season. Transfers Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy at tackle (Texas A&M), Jaylen Brown at end (Missouri) and Justin Okoronkwo (Alabama) and Shawn Murphy (Florida State) at linebacker are on their way.
Player to watch: Being able to run the ball last season made a huge difference for South Carolina, and Sellers was a big part of that running game. But with Rocket Sanders gone, the Gamecocks needed a go-to running back, which is where Utah State transfer Rahsul Faison fits in. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Faison rushed for 1,109 yards and averaged 5.6 yards per carry last season. — Chris Low
Game time: Saturday, noon
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: Is Duke ready to push into the ACC’s upper echelon? Here’s a fun fact: The only teams with more conference wins in the past three years than Duke (14) are Clemson and Louisville. After last season’s surprising 9-4 finish, Duke spent big to land transfer Darian Mensah at QB, and expectations are incredibly high in Durham for the first time in — well, it’s been a while.
Position of intrigue: Mensah was the big offseason splash, but there remains a question as to who he’ll be throwing the ball to. The Blue Devils’ top two receivers and their leading pass catcher at tight end from 2024 are all gone. In their wake, Duke will rely on third-year option Que’Sean Brown, who emerged late in the season, and a pair of transfers in Andrel Anthony (from Oklahoma) and Cooper Barkate (from Princeton).
Player to watch: Jaquez Moore was supposed to be a centerpiece to Duke’s offense in 2024, but an early injury upended his season, and he finished with just 32 carries. He’s healthy again, and if he can get back into the form he showed as an all-around playmaker in 2022 and 2023, the Blue Devils should have a nicely balanced attack. — David Hale
Game time: Saturday, noon
2024 record: 4-8
Spring storyline: Willie Fritz begins his second season at Houston with two new coordinators: His first hire on offense, Kevin Barbay, was fired after the Cougars ranked last in the FBS in scoring offense and replaced by Fritz’s former Tulane OC, Slade Nagle. Defensive coordinator Shiel Wood departed for a big raise at Texas Tech and was replaced by Austin Armstrong, formerly Florida’s DC.
Position of intrigue: Offensive line. The Cougars’ struggles on offense last season started up front, and Fritz, who had arrived in December after Dana Holgorsen was fired, had to patch plenty of holes. This year, the Cougars landed five offensive linemen in the portal to help bolster their protection.
Player to watch: Former Texas A&M starter Conner Weigman, a five-star recruit when he signed with the Aggies, was a high school star in the Houston area and will get a fresh start after a coaching and scheme change in Aggieland. — Dave Wilson
Game time: Saturday, noon
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey arrives with a mandate to overhaul a passing game that finished above only the three service academies in 2024 in terms of passing yards per game. His development of incoming national No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood at quarterback will be closely watched, but Lindsey must take a global approach to getting more production from an offense that is also losing its top two running backs.
Position of intrigue: Defensive tackle. No FBS team is losing a better tandem of interior defensive linemen, as Michigan must replace Mason Graham, a projected top-five NFL draft pick, and Kenneth Grant, a possible late first-round pick. Rayshaun Benny’s return is significant, and Michigan must build depth around him with transfers Damon Payne (Alabama), Tre Williams (Clemson) and others.
Player to watch: Running back Justice Haynes. Even with a talent like Underwood at quarterback, Michigan will always lean on its run game, which loses Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards to the NFL. Haynes, a transfer from Alabama, has impressed his new coaches and teammates with his leadership and conditioning. Now he tries to become a featured back after averaging 5.9 yards per carry in limited work for the Crimson Tide. — Adam Rittenberg
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 7-6
Spring storyline: After the Razorbacks lost six games or more for the third straight season in 2024, it seems like another important year for embattled coach Sam Pittman. It won’t be easy against one of the most difficult schedules in the FBS — road games at Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU and Texas and home contests against Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Auburn and Missouri. There was plenty of turnover on the roster, with 25 scholarship players leaving, including several key contributors. The Hogs’ focus this spring is finding their 22 best players and building depth behind them.
Position of intrigue: Pittman is an old-school offensive line coach at heart, and he knows Arkansas is going to have do a better job protecting quarterback Taylen Green, who was sacked 32 times in 2024. The Hogs gave up 36 overall, which ranked 114th in the FBS. The Razorbacks brought in five FBS transfers and another lineman from junior college. Tackles JacQawn McRoy (Oregon) and Corey Robinson II (Georgia Tech) might be the biggest additions. McRoy is nicknamed “Shaq” because of his towering 6-foot-8, 375-pound frame. Fernando Carmona, who moved from left tackle to guard, told reporters this week that the unit will be better than last year. “And I know that for a fact,” he said. “Just the way the group is, the way we’ve meshed.”
Player to watch: The Razorbacks need help at wide receiver after Andrew Armstrong departed for the NFL and Isaiah Sategna transferred to Oklahoma. Arkansas added four transfer receivers, and former UAB standout Kam Shanks led the FBS with 329 punt return yards and two punt return touchdowns in 2024. He also added a team-high 62 receptions for 656 yards and six scores. The Hogs will also get their first looks at receivers Courtney Crutchfield (Missouri), Raylen Sharpe (Fresno State) and O’Mega Blake (Charlotte). — Mark Schlabach
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 2-10
Spring storyline: The Bulldogs went 2-10 and didn’t win an SEC contest in coach Jeff Lebby’s first season, so there’s plenty of work to do in Starkville, Mississippi, this spring. The Bulldogs have to figure out a way to improve their porous defense, which ranked 118th in scoring (34.1 points), 130th against the run (216.9 yards), 105th in passing defense (239.5 yards) and 126th in total defense (456.4). The offense also took some heavy portal losses, including quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (LSU) and receivers Kevin Coleman Jr. (Missouri) and Mario Craver (Texas A&M).
Position of intrigue: The Bulldogs’ problems on defense started up front, and that’s the reason Lebby and his staff added seven defensive linemen in the portal. State’s defense generated only 10 sacks in 2024, second fewest in the FBS. Red Hibbler had 6½ sacks at NC State in 2023, then redshirted after four games last season. Will Whitson had 8½ tackles for loss and five sacks in two seasons at Coastal Carolina, and Malick Sylla had four sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M. Adding former FBS head coaches Mike MacIntyre and Paul Rhoads as senior defensive analysts can’t hurt.
Player to watch: Quarterback Blake Shapen returned to Mississippi State after missing the final eight games with a shoulder injury. In four starts in 2024, he threw for 974 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. After Van Buren transferred to LSU, the Bulldogs signed former Florida State backup Luke Kromenhoek, who started two games in 2024. — Schlabach
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m.
2024 record: 3-9
Spring storyline: Coach Mike Gundy responded to the worst finish of his tenure (and a contract-related standoff with the university) by hiring an entirely new staff of assistants and he’ll enter 2025 with an equally unfamiliar roster. TCU transfer Hauss Hejny is the favorite to emerge from a crowded quarterback room, and Oklahoma State must replace the production of Ollie Gordon, De’Zhaun Stribling and a handful of key defenders if the Cowboys want to execute a quick turnaround in 2025.
Position of intrigue: Offensive line. Oklahoma State is replacing its top six snap-getters from an offensive line that allowed 13 sacks last fall, 10th fewest nationally. In 2025, the Cowboys’ blocking unit projects to be transfer-heavy following the portal arrivals of Tyler Brumfield (Snow Junior College), Louie Canepa (New Mexico State), Kasen Carpenter (Tulsa), Lavaka Taukeiaho (Weber State) and the recent transfer commitment of Appalachian State offensive tackle Markell Samuel. Alongside them, redshirt junior Austin Kawecki is the only returner who played more than 100 snaps last fall.
Player to watch: Defensive line transfer Kyran Duhon was a second-team All-CUSA selection after he totaled 43 tackles and seven sacks in his freshman season at UTEP. His ability to get into the backfield will be critical for a defense that lost a series of impact defenders this season, including Collin Oliver and Nick Martin. — Eli Lederman
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m., SECN+
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: Last impressions always seem to count for more in college football, and Texas A&M in its first season under Mike Elko lost four of its last five games a year ago. It was a disappointing close to the season after the Aggies won seven straight heading into November and were seemingly in position to make a playoff run. Look for Elko to take on a heavier role on defense. He wasn’t pleased with the way the Aggies played down the stretch a year ago and brought in several newcomers on the defensive line, which is losing three of its top players to the NFL.
Position of intrigue: The Aggies are set to return all five starters in their offensive line, a unit that could use a boost from the running backs staying healthy this season. Despite knee injuries to both Rueben Owens and Le’Veon Moss last season, Texas A&M still finished second in the SEC in rushing with an average of 195.5 yards per game. Owens didn’t play until the last two games of the season after being injured in preseason camp, and Moss missed the last month of the season. Amari Daniels also returns at running back, meaning the Aggies’ running game could flourish in 2025.
Player to watch: This will be Marcel Reed’s third year on campus, and the redshirt sophomore is Texas A&M’s future at quarterback. He had his ups and downs a year ago after shuffling between backup and starter, but played big on some big stages. Reed has said he wants to be more of a leader on this team, which starts in the spring. — Low
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m.
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: The Red Raiders were the talk of the college football personnel world this offseason, going big in the portal, spending more than $10 million to sign 17 new players, including seven on the offensive and defensive lines. But the expectation that go along with that, of course, is that Joey McGuire, 23-16 in his three seasons in Lubbock, wins the Big 12 and makes a run at the College Football Playoff.
Position of intrigue: Shiel Wood arrives as the new defensive coordinator after the Red Raiders finished 126th in total defense in 2024. The secondary was particularly troubling, giving up 308.1 passing yards per game, 132nd nationally. Five members of that transfer haul are defensive backs.
Player to watch: Romello Height is an interesting prospect. The 6-3, 240-pound edge rusher spent two seasons at Auburn out of high school, transferred to USC, then Georgia Tech and now Texas Tech. In 36 career games, he has 73 tackles (15.5 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. — Wilson
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m., ESPN+
2024 record: 5-7
Spring storyline: Utah is turning to first-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck and a cast of newcomers to revamp an offense that finished 115th nationally in yards per game last season. Beck brought transfer quarterback Devon Dampier with him from New Mexico, and the Utes will hope that eight new additions across their running back and wide receiver rooms can lift Utah back to Big 12 contention following the program’s first losing season since 2013.
Position of intrigue: Cornerback. After leading the Utes to the conference’s fifth-ranked pass defense in 2024, the cornerback unit projects to be a strength again in the fall despite the departure of former all-conference defender Zemaiah Vaughn. Upperclassmen Smith Snowden and Elijah Davis are back in 2025, and the Utes have reinforced at the position with the portal additions of Donovan Saunders (Texas A&M), Blake Cotton (UC Davis) and Rock Caldwell (Garden City Community College).
Player to watch: Transfer running back Wayshawn Parker carried 137 times for 735 yards as Washington State’s second-leading rusher in his freshman season last fall. He’s primed to take on an even bigger workload with Utah in 2025 stepping in to replace 1,000-yard rusher Micah Bernard. — Lederman
Game time: Saturday, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2/ESPN+
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: As Colorado prepares to retire the numbers of Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter this weekend, the question remains: Can the Buffaloes remain Big 12 contenders without them? Colorado found an experienced replacement for Sanders in Liberty quarterback transfer Kaidon Salter, though the 29-game starter is expected to face competition from five-star freshman Julian Lewis. Defensive backs DJ McKinney, Carter Stoutmire, Preston Hodge and Colton Hood return to a secondary that finished 40th in passing yards per game last season.
Position of intrigue: Wide receiver. Between the departures of Hunter and fellow pass catchers LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn, Colorado entered the spring down 255 receptions, 3,251 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns of production from a year ago. Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller remain the program’s only returning receivers who hit double-digit receptions in 2024. Tulsa transfer Joseph Williams — the reigning AAC Freshman of the Year — should be in position to produce, and spring portal transfer commit Sincere Brown (Campbell) presents another intriguing option for the fall.
Player to watch: Alabama defensive tackle transfer Jeheim Oatis started 13 games and recorded 52 tackles, five pass breakups and 1.5 sacks in two-plus seasons with the Crimson Tide. He could emerge as a key piece at the heart of a new-look interior defensive line unit at Colorado this fall. — Lederman
#College #football #spring #game #previews #Colorado #Michigan #Texas
