College football's biggest winners and losers from spring practice, transfer portal

While we still probably have a decent idea as to who will be good, and who will be bad, in major college football, spring practice and the subsequent transfer portal window have shaped our perceptions about a handful of teams. Of course, we are talking about players coming and going, as well as how teams are looking under the new regimes or the ones that have long been in place, too.

What spring practice and the second transfer portal did for me more than anything is reaffirm some notions I have about the Power Four. I know that teams like Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas will contend for national championships. I also know that teams like Arizona State, Florida, Indiana and Vanderbilt will be up against it. What I want to do today is look at the vibes, good and bad.

In time, somebody on FanSided.com will release their top 10 or top 25 for next season. Heck, we might even do conference power rankings for the Power Four and whatnot. I don't know, I'm not the editor. What I do know is some teams got markedly better during spring practice, while others got worse. While more than one team can win during spring practice, not everyone comes away so lucky.

These are the biggest winners and losers from spring practice and the subsequent transfer portal.

Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide

As expected, Alabama was always going to be a big winner after spring practice and the second transfer portal window. Not only where the Crimson Tide able to get offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor back from his ultra-brief Iowa stint, new head coach Kalen DeBoer was able to establish order in his attempt to do the impossible, which is to replace the greatest head coach of all time in Nick Saban.

As long as everyone is on the same page in Tuscaloosa, things will be fine for the Crimson Tide. Although the days of being the Evil Empire of college football may be over, Alabama can still be a 10-win program most years. I expect them to be that this season. If all goes well, Jalen Milroe will guide the Crimson Tide back to the College Football Playoff as a Heisman finalist and first-round pick.

Given DeBoer and his staff for putting out the grease fires of January and forging a new team identity.

Loser: Colorado Buffaloes

It was always going to be Colorado. The Buffaloes are getting their ass kicked in recruitment. They have done the worst job of any team in the Big 12 in that department. Meanwhile, head coach Deion Sanders is fighting those very important petty wars over on social media. As that was going on, key contributors like Dylan Edwards, Alton McCaskill and Cormani McClain all entered the transfer portal.

While Colorado was able to retain its two most important players, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, like they were going anywhere else to begin with. This is a critical year for not only those two players as NFL Draft prospects but also for Sanders as a serious Power Four head coach. If he wants to play daddy ball, fine, but the Buffs need to be far better than 4-8 for anyone to take them seriously.

The king of the big brand saw his big brand take a bigger hit than any other big brand in a few months.

Winner: Ole Miss Rebels

Despite losing Quinshon Judkins to Ohio State the second after Michigan beat Washington to win the national championship, you have to like what is coming out of Oxford these days. Clearly, the Ole Miss Rebels are all-in on 2024. They picked up Walter Nolen in the transfer portal after the Texas A&M bonfire got out of control again, thanks to some feckless drums of Jimbo Fisher snake oil seasoning.

This is the year Ole Miss needs to put it all together under Lane Kiffin. I have them as the third-best team in the SEC behind Georgia and Texas, respectively. They are almost a lock to make the College Football Playoff, just off the tails of Penn State, who I feel very strongly about in the expanded Big Ten. The vibes are immaculate in Oxford. There has never been a better time to hop aboard the Lane Train.

I feel like at worst, Ole Miss is going 9-3 this season, but even that feels like a bit of a stretch to me.

Loser: Arizona State Sun Devils

There is no juice in Tempe, just dust in The Valley of the Sun. Not only are the Coyotes leaving for Utah, but Arizona State is going nowhere as a college football program. I want it to work out so badly for ASU alum Kenny Dillingham back at his alma mater, but maybe he should have stayed put at Oregon? Will Stein will parlay Dillingham's former role as offensive coordinator into a far better job?

With starting quarterback Jaden Rashada transferring to Georgia to be Carson Beck's backup and to compete with the likes of Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi, Arizona State feels directionless. It is only a matter of time before their best player, Elijhah Badger, finds a new place to play in the transfer portal. I think he is going to Texas A&M, but Badger is certainly on his way out to a better program.

It would not shock me if the Sun Devils were the worst program across the Power Four next season.

Winner: Miami Hurricanes

Look what Mario Cristobal lucked into! He may not be able to coach his way out of a wet paper bag, but the man can sure recruit. Cristobal's crystal ball told him to go big-game hunting in the Pacific Northwest, and he came up with two of the best transfer portal additions anybody has landed all offseason. He got Cam Ward before spring practice began and landed Damien Martinez just after it.

The Pacific Northwest Step Brothers are about to go Prestige Worldwide in the Miami backfield. Move over, Huff and Doback. Ward and Martinez take center stage! With their powers combined, Miami will be bigger than Captain Planet was in his early 90s prime. Ward could be the first Heisman Trophy winner Miami has had since Gino Torretta. Martinez could be their best back since Willis McGahee.

All the while, Miami should be in the same ACC title talks with Florida State, Clemson and NC State.

Loser: Michigan Wolverines

This was bound to happen as well. For as great as it was to see Michigan win its first national title since 1997, it was always going to be a one-off. While they lost a ton of players to the NFL, they also lost many of their best coaches, including former head coach Jim Harbaugh. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore was promoted from within. His players may love him, but this is such a tough spot.

Michigan lost more players in the second transfer portal window than the first, meaning they did not like what they saw during spring practice. Alex Orji is the starting quarterback, who I am not sure can throw a football. Factor in another looming NCAA decision coming from the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal, and you have to believe that Michigan could be entering a world of pain here soon.

I do feel terrible for Moore. He was sold a bill of goods and will have to clean up Harbaugh's mess now.

Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes

Of the four teams who I think can realistically win the College Football Playoff next year, I am only including Ohio State on this list. This has nothing to do with what Georgia, Oregon or Texas did or didn't do, but what Ohio State did since losing the Cotton Bowl to Missouri cannot be overstated. They opened up the checkbook and were cashing more checks than even Bone Thugs N Harmony.

Not only did Ohio State land the likes of Julian Sayin and Caleb Downs in the portal from Alabama, but the Buckeyes were able to poach away a head coach from an in-conference foe in Chip Kelly. Yes, the move from UCLA head coach to Ohio State offensive coordinator was strange, but I get it. Kelly hates recruiting and wants to call plays. The only problem is he might want to overpower his own protege.

As long as Ryan Day can keep his wits about him, Ohio State should face Georgia for a national title.

Loser: Louisville Cardinals

For as great as it was to see Louisville pop under Jeff Brohm during his first season back at his alma mater, we should expect a regression to the mean for the Cardinals in 2024. Teams like NC State and Miami will take back what they gave U of L last season in some capacity. Although the Cardinals landed Tyler Shough in the transfer portal, nobody is talking about them winning the ACC this season.

While I would still say Louisville is a top-six team in the ACC, nobody outside of the Appalachian Mountains footprint is really going to care about that, not even Cal, Stanford or SMU... What Louisville needed to do was put its foot on the gas and recruit, recruit, recruit, recruit! I do expect the program to be a solid one under Brohm, but he must do more than win with Scott Satterfield's players.

Louisville went from a top-four team in the ACC to maybe only the sixth, seventh or eighth-best team.