Historic College Football Powerhouse Crowned Biggest Offseason Winner

It's not an overreaction to call this the craziest offseason we've seen in the history of college football.

15 head coaches were fired last fall, including prominent names such as James Franklin, Brian Kelly, Mike Gundy, and Mark Stoops. The fallout resulted in over 30 openings across the country, creating unprecedented movement all over the sport.

One of the wildest scenes in recent memory was Lane Kiffin departing from Ole Miss for LSU on the eve of a College Football Playoff run. Rebels fans even chased Kiffin and the other defectors all the way to the airport.

Consequently, expectations are rising in Baton Rouge, and there will be plenty of people rooting for the Tigers to fail. Following a series of changes and an injection of funds into the roster, LSU will be in the conversation to return to the playoffs for the first time since the program won it all in 2019.

LSU Named Winner Of College Football Offseason

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A discussion has been going around recently regarding who should be named the winner of the offseason.

According to On3's Ari Wasserman, it's none other than the LSU Tigers.

In a ranking of the teams that have thrived the most since December, LSU came out on top, followed by the Oklahoma State Cowboys, USC Trojans, Michigan Wolverines, and Florida Gators.

The Tigers secured over 40 transfers, with some of those players regarded as among the best in the portal.

LSU also signed a top-15 prep class, headlined by four top-100 defensive linemen, including five-stars Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson.

"Just getting Kiffin brought LSU back to relevance, but what the program did after his arrival was on the table," Wasserman wrote. "LSU invested roughly $40 million in its roster, landing one of the country’s premier transfer portal classes, including quarterback Sam Leavitt, offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, safety Ty Benefield, edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, and others."

Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris after parting ways with Mike Gundy. Morris promptly brought over most of the top players from his North Texas roster, such as quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, and wide receiver Wyatt Young.

Though the rankings may not be impressive on paper, Morris has enough veteran talent to make noise in the Big 12 in year one. Mestemaker could develop into one of the stars of the sport.

USC is the only program within the top-5 of Wasserman's rankings that didn't make a coaching switch. Head Lincoln Riley recruited adequately during his first four seasons with the Trojans.

Riley took it to another level this past cycle, landing the No. 1 high school class in 2026. The group boasts eight top-100 signees, including five-star EDGE Luke Wafle and five-star tight end Mark Bowman.

The Trojans were able to retain most of their key pieces, with star quarterback Jayden Maiava back for another year. Though USC only signed nine transfers, four-star cornerback Jontez Williams (Iowa State), four-star wide receiver Terrell Anderson (NC State), and four-star EDGE Zuriah Fisher (Penn State) should make an immediate impact.

Michigan was involved in a chaotic situation at the 11th hour, as former head coach Sherron Moore was fired when the candidate pool was dwindling. That led the Wolverines to pull off a major move, bringing over veteran head coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah.

Whittingham convinced wide receiver Andrew Marsh, offensive lineman Andrew Sprague, and running back Bryson Kuzdzal to remain with the program. He also landed multiple transfers from Utah, such as four-star EDGE John Henry Daley, four-star wide receiver JJ Buchanan, and four-star cornerback Smith Snowden.

While Michigan secured a top-15 prep class and five-star running back Savion Hiter, the program's hopes will all come down to the development of quarterback Bryce Underwood.

Florida decided to fire Billy Napier, and tabbed another G6 out of Louisiana to lead the program into the future, bringing in Jon Sumrall from Tulane. The shift has been noticeable as Sumrall takes the reins in Gainesville.

The Gators were able to hold onto some of their most important players, namely running back Jadan Baugh. Linebacker Myles Graham, EDGE Jayden Woods, wide receiver Dallas Wilson, and wide receiver Vernell Brown III are all back for another year.

Sumrall navigated Florida to top 20 transfer portal and prep classes in a short period of time. That has continued into the 2027 cycle, as the Gators hold the No. 8 haul in the country.

Five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller, four-star quarterback Davin Davidson, and four-star wide receiver Elias Pearl make up a few of Florida's highly-rated pledges.

LSU Named Winner Of College Football Offseason

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