Knockin’ on the Backdoor: The Next 5 In

Intro

All of you ASU & USC fans are probably bitching like crazy not seeing your teams in the Top 25. Well, I hope you feel better knowing they just barely missed it.

You ever place a bet on a team that almost covers… only to blow it in the last two minutes with a pick-six and a missed field goal? Welcome to the Next 5 In — the squads sitting just outside our Top 25.

They’re not quite playoff material, but they’re not trash either. These are the teams that’ll make you question your sanity when they go toe-to-toe with a Top 10 opponent… and then lose to Rutgers the next week.

Maybe they’re a QB away. Maybe their defense looks like it was drawn up on a Waffle House napkin. Maybe they’re just cursed. Whatever the case, they’re on our radar — and probably on your bet slip come Week 1.

Let’s break down the chaos waiting just beyond the Top 25.

The Next 5 In

26. USC Trojans

    The Trojans were so damn close to pulling off an impressive season last year. They led late against Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Maryland, and Notre Dame… and somehow managed to fuck up every single one of those games. Impressive in its own right, honestly. The offense was basically a walking red flag. Turnovers always came at the worst possible times — like clockwork. Now USC enters a weird grey area. Nobody really knows what to expect, and they lost a shitload of talent to the transfer portal. Most notably: QB Miller Moss to Louisville and star WR Zachariah Branch to Georgia.

    But hey — Lincoln Riley’s still around, and there are still some dudes on this roster. Wideouts Ja’Kobi Lane and Malaki Lemon are serious weapons, and there’s still talent on both sides of the ball. The real question is: how high can Jayden Maiava take this team? He’s got a fresh set of transfer weapons… but chemistry isn’t built overnight.

    Much like Michigan, this team’s fate rides on the new QB. Should I make a condom joke? Nahhhh.

27. Arizona State Sun Devils

    This team was an absolute blast to watch last year. I mean, who didn’t love watching Cam Skattebo run through a muthafucka’s face? Certified bulldozer. But the real question is: can they run it back? The Sun Devils return the 2nd-most production in all of college football — a damn good start. Sam Leavitt is back at QB and already drawing early first-round buzz for the 2026 NFL Draft. His top target, Jordyn Tyson, returns too, and he’s getting just as much love from scouts. Of course, losing Skattebo leaves a big-ass hole in the backfield. What’s left is a slightly chaotic three-headed monster of Kyson Brown, Raleek Brown, and Udoh. One of them’s gotta pop, right? Defensively, this team was nasty last year — #1 in run defense and #3 in scoring defense. Even better? They return 10 defensive starters. That’s massive for a squad looking to repeat as Big 12 champs. The only real concern? That pass defense. It got absolutely abused last year like a rented mule. If they tighten that up, Arizona State is going to be a problem. Do I have them WAY too low? After reading all that, I’d respond with an astounding yes. But hey — that’s what midseason model updates are for…

28. Kentucky Wildcats

    Now you're probably looking at this and thinking, “This dude is absolutely shitfaced behind the keyboard.” I’m not — at least not right now. But I might’ve been when I built the model, because I’ll be honest… I don’t love Kentucky here either. Let me explain. The Wildcats went 4-8 last year, a brutal drop after a few solid seasons. But oddly enough, the offense wasn’t the issue. They nearly shocked #1 Georgia (held them to just 13 points) and followed it up by beating #6 Ole Miss the very next week. So there’s something in the tank. Zach Calzada returns to the SEC after absolutely balling out at Incarnate Word (yeah, no shit). They’ve also reloaded the backfield with Dante Dowdell (Nebraska) and Seth McGowan (NMSU), plus brought in a solid group of transfer receivers. So the offense might actually cook a little. Now the defense… that’s where we hit the brakes. Yes, they were rock solid last year — just ask Georgia. But of the 9 guys in the front 6 (don’t think too hard about that math), 7 are gone. That’s a gut punch. They did bring in Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace from South Dakota — arguably the best defender in the FCS — and yes, I absolutely copy-pasted that name. The secondary also returns a good chunk of talent. If the SEC schedule doesn’t beat them down too bad, a bowl game would be a huge win for this squad. They’re a big question mark with sneaky upside — just enough to make me hate that they landed here.

29. Minnesota Golden Gophers

    Perhaps the most slept-on team in the Big Ten. SKI U MAH, row the fucking boat. This team under P.J. Fleck has been fantastic — they’re playing as well as they did in 1904 when the first car was invented. Minnesota football is back, baby. One thing they surprisingly struggled to do last year was run the football — wild, I know, under Fleck. But that should change. Darius Taylor returns as their top back, and A.J. Turner and Cam Davis enter the mix to give the backfield some juice. The O-line did lose 3 of 5 starters, but come on, it’s Minnesota — they’ll be just fine in the trenches. Drake Lindsey was… alright. But the passing game couldn’t carry the weight when the run game stalled. If both click this year, the offense might actually be dangerous. The real strength? That defense. They finished #5 nationally in 2024 and return a nasty linebacker core. The secondary took a few hits, but nothing too damaging. I’m telling you — the Big Ten is back, and Minnesota could be the sneakiest threat in the whole damn league.

30. Louisville Cardinals

    Louisville has been, let’s face it, painfully average since the Lamar Jackson era. They’ve been hunting for another star QB to drag them back into relevance — and maybe, just maybe, they found him. Miller Moss transfers in from USC after losing his job nine games into last season (tough scene), but he’s still a legit talent and might just fit better in this system. He’ll be handing the ball off to Isaac Brown — arguably the best running back in college football — and throwing to a solid group of receivers. But let’s be real: this offense better be ready to drop 40 a game, because the defense is shit. They lost big pieces on both the D-line and in the secondary, and while they plugged some holes through the transfer portal, it still looks like a patch job. If the Cards want to compete in the ACC, they’re going to have to win shootouts.