What a season to witness
With Ohio State defeating Notre Dame in the National Championship over a week ago, it's time to reflect on what an incredible season we just witnessed. The 2024-25 College Football season was nothing short of amazing—one that we’ll remember for years to come.
This season had a different feel from the start. With conference realignment shaking up the sport and the introduction of a new 12-team playoff, no one—including myself—knew exactly what to expect. But as fans, we were treated to an unforgettable year filled with thrilling games, wild upsets, and historic moments.
One of the biggest shockers of the year came in Week 2, when my Notre Dame Fighting Irish were stunned by Northern Illinois, 16-14. Notre Dame was ranked #5 at the time, making it one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. Another massive upset came during the final week of the regular season when Michigan took down #2 Ohio State for the fourth year in a row. As an Ohio State hater, that game was an absolute joy to watch.
Then there was Georgia vs. Alabama in Week 5, a matchup between two of college football’s biggest titans. In a game for the ages, Georgia came back from nearly 30 points down in the fourth quarter, only to have their hearts shattered by 17-year-old Alabama freshman Ryan Williams, who caught the game-winning touchdown. Unreal.
The Freshman Class Was Special
This season also introduced us to some incredible freshman talent.
Ryan Williams (Alabama) proved he belonged on the big stage at just 17 years old.
DJ Lagway (Florida) took over as QB after a few games and led the Gators to a bowl berth despite a brutal schedule.
Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee) showed flashes of stardom.
Cam Coleman (Auburn) emerged as one of the most underrated receivers in the nation.
But one freshman stood above them all—Jeremiah Smith.
Smith wasn’t just good. He was dominant. As an 18-year-old true freshman, he became the #1 receiver on an Ohio State team loaded with veteran playmakers like Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson. His final stat line? 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. The guy nearly scored in every game he played.
Even Egbuka—who’s played with guys like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr.—said that Jeremiah Smith is the best wide receiver Ohio State has ever had. That is INSANE. And the scary part? He still has at least two more years of college football left. If he continues at this pace, we could be looking at a future Heisman winner and multi-time national champion.
The Heisman Race & Travis Hunter’s Greatness
Speaking of the Heisman, we had an amazing class of finalists this year—and a winner who got way too much hate.
Travis Hunter took home the trophy, and honestly, it was well deserved. I know Ashton Jeanty had a historic rushing season, and I defended his Heisman case. But Hunter was simply the best player in college football—period.
His two-way dominance was underappreciated, and I don’t understand why so many people refused to acknowledge his greatness. Some of the plays he made on both offense and defense were absolutely insane. I get that people really wanted Jeanty to win, but why can’t people just appreciate greatness when they see it? (Separate blog post on this coming soon.)
And let’s be real—Jeanty didn’t play well against Penn State in the playoff. Yes, Penn State had an elite defense, but Jeanty was putting up big numbers against lower-quality opponents. Hunter deserved the Heisman and I am glad he won it.
As for the other two Heisman finalists:
Dillon Gabriel (Oregon) is an underrated draft prospect who deserves more attention.
Cam Ward (Washington State) is an absolute stud, and if the Giants draft him, I will be ecstatic.
Wrapping Up an Unforgettable Season
To close this blog post—and the 2024-25 college football season—I just want to say:
I am so damn proud of my Notre Dame Fighting Irish for their incredible season. They fought so hard and proved so many people wrong.
As a college football fan, I couldn’t have asked for a better season. I got to watch incredible games, experience wild upsets, and celebrate thrilling moments with friends and family. From last-second wins to dominant blowouts, this season had it all.
Oh, and let’s not forget—we finally got a new college football video game for the first time since 2014.
Here’s to another unforgettable season next year.
Go Irish!
