The 2025 college football season is still over three months away, but we are going to blink our eyes and the season will be here. In preparation of the season, fans are busy familiarizing itself with their favorite team’s depth chart. In the volatile world of the Transfer Portal and NIL, things can change so quickly. This offseason was no different. 

Looking back at some past recruiting classes, it’s always interest to wonder “what if” a player stuck with their commitment, or a recruit opted for another top contender over their eventual destination. I did just that, revisiting the 2023 and 2024 recruiting classes specifically. Here are some interesting hypotheticals that could have completely altered college football heading into the 2025 season. 

Arch Manning stays home 

LSU had interest in Manning early on in the 2023 recruiting cycle, but he never returned serious interest. Heading into the 2025 college football season, Manning is being projected as a potential breakout star nationally for the Texas Longhorns. In limited opportunities last season as a backup to Quinn Ewers, the 6-4, 220-pound passer flashed some huge potential. He was able to complete over 68 percent of his passes while throwing nine touchdowns to two interceptions. He also rushed for four more scores in the ground. 

If Manning somehow ended up with the home state Tigers, it’s interesting to think how things may have played out. Even if he was a backup to Garrett Nussmeier last offseason, would it be certain that Nussmeier would have returned in 2025? He gave serious thought to entering the 2025 NFL Draft class but opted to return. Would the Tigers have been open as much to a return if Manning was ready to take over? That would have been very interesting. 

Dante Moore sticks with Oregon originally 

The Michigan native was silently committed to Notre Dame, but he eventually went public with the Oregon Ducks. After some back and forth, Moore eventually signed with Chip Kelly and the UCLA Bruins. If Moore had stuck with that commitment to the Ducks, and not spent that one year with the Bruins, it would have potentially changed a lot in the landscape of college football. 

In the ideal scenario, Moore would have sat behind Bo Nix in 2023 and been the heir apparent to start last season. What would have happened to Dillon Gabriel in this scenario? With Moore projected to start for offensive coordinator Will Stein this season, he is expected to be a big breakout in 2025. If he would have never decommitted, it’s possible that Oregon is a national championship favorite this year with a second-year starter behind center. 

Notre Dame pushes for Spencer Fano or Caleb Lomu

Late in the 2023 recruiting class, Notre Dame had one more offensive line spot open after offensive tackle Elijah Paige decommitted and eventually ended up with USC. If Paige ended up with the Fighting Irish, it would have been interesting. He was a starter at left tackle for the Trojans last season, and he is very talented. It’s possible Paige would be the starting left tackle for the Fighting Irish right now. 

Even more interesting is that both Utah starting offensive tackles Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano were uncommitted at the time if that Paige decommitment. Both would have had varying levels of interest in Notre Dame, but the team opted to not explore those possibilities. Both are very talented, capable of playing left tackle, and head into the 2025 season as two of the better offensive tackles in all of college football. 

Dylan Raiola is a Bulldog 

Raiola, who some considered to be the top quarterback in the 2024 class, was originally committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes. He eventually reopened his recruitment, and committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. For him, third time was the charm, ultimately signing with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. That whole recruitment really created a lot of chaos in that entire quarterback cycle. 

Forgot about what would have happened if Raiola would have stayed with the Buckeyes. It’s possible Julian Sayin would have stuck with his pledge to Alabama, or have ended up elsewhere. If Raiola would have stuck with Georgia, the Bulldogs staff probably feels a lot better about their quarterback positon right now. They head into the 2025 season with uncertainty at the position while Gunner Stockton battles it out with redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi. 

I’d wager to bet that Georgia fans would be a lot more excited if they had Raiola under center, especially after learning for a year. 

Dakorien Moore doesn't flip to Oregon

LSU had a rough ending to the 2025 recruiting class when five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood decided to flip to the Michigan Wolverines for a huge payday. Michigan had been working on Underwood for some time, and there’s a chance he always would have flipped in the end. What if, however, fellow five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore stuck with his commitment to the Tigers earlier in that cycle? 

Underwood and Moore were very close prior to Moore decommitting (and ultimately ending up with Oregon), and it is interesting to think if Underwood would have had more reason to stay if the star wideout stuck with his initial pledge to the Tigers. Money talks, but relationships in the recruiting space can also have some pull as well. Who knows what kind of ripple effect the Moore situation would have had.