No.5 Justin Thomas anchors Georgia Tech’s countdown to kickoff in Boulder, a nod to a dual-threat whose GT Orange Bowl run paired passing with dangerous rushing to power an 11-3 season and big rivalry wins. His Alabama-to-Atlanta path, redshirt year, and breakout in 2014 illustrate a rare two-way impact that fed GT’s offense and left a lasting legacy in Yellow Jackets lore.

Thomas’ numbers frame a dynasty-like arc: 40 passing TDs, 22 rushing TDs, and top-10 marks in GT career passing and total offense. His Orange Bowl MVP honor capped a peak that included Georgia and Kentucky scalps and a TaxSlayer Bowl win over Kentucky. Post-college, he chased pro football through Saints, Rams, Steelers stints, plus AAF, CFL, and XFL stops, before this countdown revisits his journey and the openers ahead.

Vince Marrow’s move from Kentucky to Louisville signals a seismic shift in roster building for the Cardinals. In an NFL-style executive role, he blends recruiting heft with donor-driven budgeting to chase ACC prominence and a College Football Playoff berth. He’s already flipping targets and shaping a donor-backed NIL economy, while integrating Brohm’s coaching acumen with Marrow’s ground game—pushing Louisville toward a multi-year playoff push.

The plan hinges on marrying high-end transfers with targeted high-school talent, guided by a precise budget and a willingness to spend strategically. Marrow’s approach isn’t just about collecting stars; it’s about building depth, managing market value, and maintaining relationships with fans and boosters. If the pattern holds, Louisville could redefine how an up-and-coming program climbs the playoff ladder.

The COVID-era super senior class is nearing the finish line, and Deuce Hogan epitomizes the era’s final wave. After a multi-stop college run that began at Iowa, included a two-year stint at Kentucky under pro-style coaches, a season with New Mexico State in 2024, and a recent move to Nicholls, Hogan is set to start at Nicholls for a sixth season. Nicholls State, an FCS program in Louisiana with seven playoff appearances, opens the year with a Week Zero home date against Incarnate Word, broadcast by ESPN2 at noon. Hogan’s arrival signals a veteran quarterback at the helm for a Colonels squad aiming to lean on experience as it navigates a schedule that blends FCS play and a hopeful postseason push. The hire of first-year head coach Tommy Rybacki adds a fresh game plan as Nicholls tries to maximize Hogan’s seasoned decision-making and leadership.

Hogan’s trajectory — Iowa to Kentucky to New Mexico State and now Nicholls — highlights a broader trend in college football: seniors with extra years can redefine an offense in the FCS, especially when paired with a coach eager to deploy a pro-style attack. His journey also underscores the visibility of Week Zero games as early testing grounds for veteran quarterbacks trying to prove they still have ammunition at a new level. For fantasy-minded followers, Hogan’s Week Zero opportunity is a key early-season anchor to monitor, with the potential for steady if not explosive production should health cooperate and Nicholls’ game plan leverage his breadth of experience.

Marcus Spears Jr. sits atop ESPN’s SC NEXT 60 as the No. 1 basketball recruit in the Class of 2027, a designation that cements him as a marquee fantasy-scout prospect among high-school standouts. The 6-foot-7 power forward already has 12 offers, with heavy interest from Kentucky, Houston, and LSU, reflecting how quickly his stock is rising on the national stage. The piece highlights an extraordinary basketball pedigree: Spears Jr. is the son of Marcus Spears Sr., an ESPN NFL analyst who excelled at LSU, and his mother Aiysha Smith played college basketball at LSU before being picked in the WNBA draft. That lineage, plus ESPN’s hype, makes Spears Jr. a compelling long-term dynasty target for fantasy analysts watching future pros. His comment—focusing on work over recognition—signals a driven approach that could translate into rapid development wherever he lands. With LSU a potential fit and offers from major programs, Spears Jr.’s path will shape the 2027 recruiting class and could foreshadow a pro trajectory that fantasy managers will chase for years to come.