Ranking the 10 Best Offenses Going into 2024

Honorable Mentions:

Memphis

Arizona

Oklahoma

Notre Dame

Alabama

10. USC

To begin this list, we have the USC Trojans. While they lost quarterback Caleb Williams to the NFL, it's hard to find a Lincoln Riley-coached offense that wasn’t elite. Miller Moss will step in to replace Williams after throwing for six touchdowns in a bowl victory over Louisville. Moss also has a deep and young arsenal of weapons around him, including sophomores Makai Lemon, Duce Robinson, and, of course, Zachariah Branch. While they may not be quite as explosive offensively as last season, expect the Trojans to still light up the scoreboard in 2024.

9. Tennessee

In 2024, I expect Tennessee’s offense to resemble the explosive 2022 Volunteers more than the 2023 team. With freshman Nico Iamaleava taking over at quarterback, I believe the Vols are poised for an offensive breakout. Nico showed his potential with a solid first start in the bowl win over Iowa, and now, with a full offseason to prepare as the starter in Josh Heupel’s veer-and-shoot offense, he should be elite this season. They do lose running back Jaylen Wright to the NFL, but I think Dylan Sampson is more than capable of stepping up into that role. At receiver, they brought in Chris Brazzell from Tulane and return starters Bru McCoy and Squirrel White from last year as well. With all of these weapons, a solid offensive line, and a quarterback poised for a massive breakout, watch out for Tennessee’s offense this season.

8. Miami

There is nothing scarier than betting on Miami with high expectations. Despite the Hurricanes consistently underperforming year after year, I expect a big season from them again this year, led by their offense. Quarterback Cam Ward transfers in from Washington State where he threw for over 3,700 yards and 25 touchdowns. Ward is legitimately one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, and is the best Hurricane signal caller in years. They also brought in running back Damien Martinez (Oregon State) who ran for 1,185 yards with the Beavers. Mark Fletcher and Ajay Allen also return to form a really great room of backs. At receiver, the Hurricanes' starters are absolutely loaded. Xavier Restrepo returns as a potential All-American candidate after surpassing 1,000 yards, and his partner on the other side, Jacoby George, also returns. Sam Brown joins from Houston after catching 62 passes for over 800 yards and is a potential NFL draft pick. Four-star freshman Ny Carr is another name to watch as a potential impact player. Overall, the talent on offense is undeniable, and if the Hurricanes can put it all together, they will be a tough team to take down in 2024.

7. LSU

Replacing a Heisman-winning quarterback and two first-round pick wide receivers is not ideal, but I believe LSU has the quality depth to manage it. At quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier takes over after throwing for 395 yards in a bowl win over Wisconsin. While it will be hard to replace Jayden Daniels, Nussmeier has a high-level arm and could immediately become one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. Despite losing much of their rushing production, Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson are expected to step into bigger roles this year. However, the rushing game is my biggest concern, primarily due to the loss of Daniels, who ran for over 1,100 yards last year. At receiver, Kyren Lacy will assume a larger role following the departure of last year’s top two receivers. They also brought in CJ Daniels from Liberty and Zavion Thomas from Mississippi State to help fill the void. Finally, LSU’s offensive line might be the brightest spot on this offense. With Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr. at the tackle spots, this line will be one of the best in the country and should help lead this offense to many wins.

6. Ole Miss

It's hard to find problems with this Ole Miss offense. Quarterback Jaxson Dart returns after throwing for over 3,300 yards and rushing for just under 400 in 2023. He will lead an offense that, despite losing running back Quinshon Judkins, may still have one of the best rushing attacks in the country. Ulysses Bentley returns from last year along with two transfers, forming a deep and talented backfield. Henry Parrish comes in from Miami after running for 625 yards and six touchdowns, and Rashad Amos transfers in from Miami (OH) after surpassing 1,000 yards. But it isn't just the rushing game that will make this offense elite. Leading receiver Tre Harris returns after nearly reaching 1,000 yards last season. They also return Jordan Watkins and tight end Caden Prieskorn, forming an impressive group of pass catchers. Additionally, Antwane Wells transfers in from South Carolina. Though he lost his 2023 season to injury, he amassed nearly 1,000 yards in 2022, his first season at the FBS level. With these weapons and Lane Kiffin leading the offense, it's a safe bet the Rebels will put up a boatload of points in 2024.

5. Missouri

Missouri’s offense may be the most fun to watch in 2024. With potentially the best receiving corps in the country and a creative offensive system, the Tigers' offense is must-see TV. Quarterback Brady Cook returns to lead the team after throwing for over 3,300 yards and 21 touchdowns. Cook also adds a dynamic rushing threat, having scored eight touchdowns on the ground last season. Replacing running back Cody Schrader is no easy task, but coach Eli Drinkwitz brought in two transfers from the Sun Belt to help fill the void. Marcus Carroll, poised to start, transfers in from Georgia State where he ran for 1,350 yards and 13 touchdowns. Transfer Nate Noel will be a solid second option after putting up 834 yards at Appalachian State. The receiver room is led by one of the best receivers in the country, Luther Burden, who caught 86 passes for over 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns. Burden is an electric playmaker who can make anybody miss with the ball in his hands. His greatness is amplified by having other great receivers around him. Theo Wease and Mookie Cooper are also solid options that opposing defenses cannot ignore. With these receivers and a revamped rushing game, Missouri’s offense will be electric in 2024.

4. Texas

Coming off the best season in recent memory, Texas is poised to have a similar year in 2024, led by their offense and quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers returned to Texas despite having some NFL potential after throwing for just under 3,500 yards and 22 touchdowns. Looking to boost his draft stock as a potential first-round pick, Ewers should have the weapons to do so. At running back, while they lost Jonathan Brooks, sophomore CJ Baxter might be an upgrade with his incredibly high ceiling. They also bring back Jayden Blue, forming one of the best rushing duos in the country. At receiver, Texas hit the portal hard, bringing in three new starters. Isaiah Bond joins from Alabama after nearly 700 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. With his game-breaking speed, Sarkisian’s vertical scheme should unlock his full potential. Matthew Golden from Houston and Silas Bolden from Oregon State also join to form a solid group of starting receivers who should light up the SEC. Lastly, the offensive line should hold up well, filled with highly-touted prospects, all with starting experience in Austin.

3. Georgia

When most people think of Georgia football, they think of a physical, unrelenting defense, but the Bulldogs can more than hold their own offensively as well. Star quarterback Carson Beck returns as a potential first-overall pick candidate after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards last season. While they do lose Beck’s favorite target Brock Bowers to the NFL, tight end Oscar Delp is a valiant replacement and should even be a blocking upgrade in the run game. At receiver, they bring in Colbie Young from Miami who is looking to break out after a solid 2023 season. They also return Dominic Lovett on the outside after putting up 613 yards and four touchdowns last year. With solid contributors like Arian Smith and Dillon Bell also returning, the Bulldogs passing attack should light it up despite a tough SEC schedule. In the rushing game, however, they may be even better. Trevor Etienne transfers in from rival Florida after running for over 750 yards and eight touchdowns and they also return Roderick Robinson as well. The Bulldogs do have a decent amount to replace on the offensive line, but with the way they recruit, that shouldn’t be an issue for the Bulldogs as they look to win their third National Championship in four seasons.

2. Ohio State

Heading into 2024, Ryan Day and Ohio State have assembled a 'super team' in college football. With multiple NFL Draft prospects returning on both sides of the ball and one of the best transfer classes in the country, it’s national championship or bust for the Buckeyes this season. One of those key transfers is quarterback Will Howard from Kansas State, who threw for over 4,200 yards and 39 touchdowns in 19 games over the last two seasons. Howard is poised to lead the Buckeyes, but watch out for five-star transfer Julian Sayin from Alabama to challenge him for the starting position. In the rushing game, Ohio State not only returns Treveyon Henderson, who ran for just under 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, but also brings in Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss, who has over 2,700 yards and 31 touchdowns in two seasons. At receiver, the Buckeyes are once again loaded, with true freshman five-star Jeremiah Smith expected to step in and start right away. They also return Emeka Egbuka who caught 41 passes for over 500 yards last season and return both Carnell Tate and Brandon Innis. The Buckeyes are also very talented along the line of scrimmage, bringing in former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin to help lead the offensive line. Overall, while the Buckeyes may be more run-centered than usual under Ryan Day, this offense will undoubtedly be one of the most efficient offenses in college football.

1. Oregon

While all of these offenses are elite and should find plenty of success this season, the Oregon Ducks undeniably take the top spot. After losing quarterback Bo Nix to the first round of the NFL Draft, they replaced him with not just one, but two potentially elite signal callers. Former five-star Dante Moore transfers in from UCLA after a challenging freshman season, where he struggled with a 53% completion percentage and an 11:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. However, his future looks bright now in Eugene. The starter will surely be Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel transfers in from Oklahoma, where he put up elite passing numbers, throwing for over 3,600 yards and 30 touchdowns. He should absolutely torch defenses in Oregon’s high-flying offense. Not to mention, he has an outstanding cast of receivers to throw to. Tez Johnson returns after racking up over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Joining him is Evan Stewart, transferring in from Texas A&M, forming potentially the best receiver duo in the country. They also have returners Traeshon Holden, Gary Bryant, and tight end Terrance Ferguson, who all had over 400 yards last season. The running backs are no slouch either. Jordan James returns as the lead back after rushing for over 700 yards and 11 touchdowns. Noah Whittington returns to back him up, along with Jay Harris, who transfers in from the Division II level after being an All-American. The offensive line will also be one of the best in the country, with two anchors at the tackle positions in Josh Conerly and Ajani Cornelius. With all these weapons and a legit lack of weaknesses, expect the Ducks to torch opposing defenses throughout the 2024 season.