Irish Breakdown Post-Spring Top 25 Rankings - Part 1
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In this follow-up episode of the Irish Breakdown Podcast, hosts Brian and Trevor revisit their preseason top 25 rankings after evaluating teams through spring practices, transfer portal moves, and offseason developments. They discuss how their rankings evolved from the 'way too early' list in January, emphasizing that this version is a projection of where teams should be ranked entering the 2025 season, not a prediction of final standings. The episode features a detailed breakdown of the top 25, grouped in fives, with candid analysis on teams like Texas Tech (now ranked 14th due to Brennan Sorsby's gambling allegations), Louisville (a major riser due to defensive improvements), and Alabama (a team they believe is underachieving due to stubborn coaching philosophy). The hosts highlight volatility in the middle tier, with several teams—like Clemson, Michigan, and USC—seen as capable of rising or falling dramatically based on quarterback play and offensive line development. They also address overlooked teams such as Arizona State, Houston, and SMU, praising their portal moves and coaching stability. The conversation is peppered with candid takes, including skepticism about Alabama’s system, excitement for SMU’s potential, and cautious optimism for Louisville’s defense. The episode concludes with a call for listener engagement via the mailbag, inviting fans to debate rankings and share their own insights.
Texas Tech's ranking dropped to 14th due to Brennan Sorsby's gambling allegations and uncertainty at quarterback, despite a strong skill-position roster.
Louisville is a major projected riser due to defensive improvements, a new coordinator, and a talented young quarterback in Lincoln Kineholz.
Alabama’s underperformance is attributed to Kalen DeBoer’s refusal to adapt his system to the team’s physical limitations, despite having a top-10 roster.
SMU is ranked highly not because of Notre Dame’s schedule, but due to elite offensive talent, strong portal pickups, and a remade defensive line that could be a game-changer.
The middle tier (11–25) is highly volatile—teams like Clemson, Michigan, and USC could either make a playoff push or fall short based on quarterback play and offensive line cohesion.
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Introduction and Purpose of the Ranking Show
The hosts introduce the episode as a follow-up to their 'way too early' top 25, explaining that this ranking is a projection of where teams should be entering the 2025 season based on spring evaluations, transfers, injuries, and coaching changes. They emphasize it’s not a prediction of final standings and will be updated throughout the offseason.
Teams Left Out: Utah, Penn State, Kansas State, South Carolina
The hosts discuss several teams they struggled to rank, including Utah (due to massive roster turnover and a new head coach), Penn State and Kansas State (with disappointing 2024 seasons and uncertainty), South Carolina (a talented team that underperformed due to coaching inconsistency), and others like Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, and Arizona.
Top 25 Group 1: 25–21 – High Volatility, Big Upside, Big Risks
The hosts analyze the 25–21 group, highlighting teams with massive upside but major question marks—Michigan (offensive line, quarterback), Clemson (offensive line, Chris Vazina), Tennessee (quarterback battle), Missouri (defensive line), and Virginia Tech (new coach, uncertain culture). They agree this group is the most volatile in the top 25.
Top 25 Group 2: 20–16 – Confident in Legitimacy, But Debate on Placement
This group includes Arizona State (a major riser due to strong portal moves), Washington (improved defense, DeMond Williams integration), USC (offensive improvements, but defensive uncertainty), Iowa (reliable 8–10 win team), and Houston (Willie Fritz’s influence). The hosts express confidence in their legitimacy but debate exact placement.
Top 25 Group 3: 15–11 – The 'Boomer Bus' Tier: Massive Potential, Massive Risk
“This 15 through 11 ranking is so fascinating when you look at it as a whole because this is almost like our boomer bus category. You could argue that none of these teams... will be where they are at at the end of the year next year because they could either be significantly higher or significantly lower.”
“The problem is that Kalen DeBoer is just stubbornly saying, I'm going to coach the way that I want to coach. And we've got to try to fit the town into the system.”
“This 15 through 11 ranking is so fascinating when you look at it as a whole because this is almost like our boomer bus category. You could argue that none of these teams... will be where they are at at the end of the year next year because they could either be significantly higher or significantly lower.”
“It's not about the schedule. And it's just about how good are you really if you are a completely different team when you go on the road.”
Hosts
Trevor
person
Alabama Crimson Tide
other
Louisville Cardinals
other
Brian
person
Texas Tech
other
Brennan Sorsby
person
SMU Mustangs
other
Arizona State Sun Devils
other
Kalen DeBoer
person
USC Trojans
other
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