1 Word to Describe Every Top 25 College Football Team's Offseason

Our long national nightmare is almost over. The offseason is nothing but history, and the 2022 college football campaign is rapidly nearing its opening kick.

In these game-less months, we've shared tens of thousands of words looking ahead to this new year. You, my favorite CFB degenerate, probably read a bunch of them, too. But if your attention has drifted to other sports, let's get you caught up.

All in one word—and a brief explanation.

Both the teams included and the corresponding order are based on the recently unveiled AP Top 25.

25. BYU Cougars: Cohesive

Short of star running back Tyler Allgeier heading to the NFL, the Cougs return a strong majority of their production from 2021. Additionally, the coaching staff had no changes at any coordinator or positional spot. BYU has a tremendous chance for a third straight 10-win season.

24. Houston Cougars: Optimistic

After notching a 12-2 record last year, Houston enters the 2022 campaign as a well-regarded New Year's Six bowl contender. The bad news is running back Alton McCaskill (torn left ACL) will probably miss the season, but quarterback Clayton Tune leads a promising roster.

23. Cincinnati Bearcats: Relief

Cincinnati is no stranger to coaching transition. Given the program's recent success and some marquee job openings, the threat of Luke Fickell bolting elsewhere was very legitimate. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock left for LSU, but Fickell stayed. Huge victory for the Bearcats.

22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Unsure

Wake Forest recently set a record with a No. 22 ranking in the AP poll, the highest preseason mark in program history. However, it followed the disheartening news of a medical issue sidelining star quarterback Sam Hartman indefinitely. His health is the most important topic here, but the news nonetheless may significantly impact the Deacs in 2022.

21. Ole Miss Rebels: Prominent

Although he later deflected the nickname to USC's Lincoln Riley, Lane Kiffin jokingly called himself the "Portal King" this offseason. Ole Miss brought in USC quarterback Jaxson Dart, TCU running back Zach Evans and Central Michigan linebacker Troy Brown, among many others. It was a busy roster-building time for the Rebels.

20. Kentucky Wildcats: Curious

Last season, Kentucky posted only the fourth 10-win season in program history. The subsequent optimism has faded after star running back Chris Rodriguez's DUI arrest, projected starting nickelback Joel Williams' transfer and a bizarre feud between UK football coach Mark Stoops and basketball coach John Calipari. The season can't start soon enough in Lexington.

19. Arkansas Razorbacks: Unobtrusive

From a national perspective, Arkansas hasn't made a whole lot of noise. Wide receiver Jadon Haselwood and edge-rusher Drew Sanders were splashy transfer adds, but the Razorbacks have basically stayed out of the spotlight otherwise. And that's likely not a problem for the Hogs, who are working to build on a nine-win season..

18. Wisconsin Badgers: Ordinary

The sole outlier here is the Badgers' apparent flirtation with Caleb Williams before the Oklahoma quarterback headed to USC. Beyond that, it's been business as usual in Madison. Wisconsin is, as usual, a prime Big Ten West contender with skepticism about a higher ceiling.

17. Pitt Panthers: Conflicting

Star quarterback Kenny Pickett headed to the NFL, but Pitt brought in former USC starter Kedon Slovis. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple left for Nebraska, but new coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. did a nice job at Boston College for two years. All-American receiver Jordan Addison bolted for USC, but the Panthers still have Jared Wayne and added Akron transfer Konata Mumpfield. The replacements could work and keep Pitt in the ACC title conversation. Could.

16. Miami Hurricanes: Flashy

Miami swiped Mario Cristobal from Oregon, and he assembled a staff of big names and elite recruiters. That has immediately translated to a top-10 2023 class that includes five top-100 prospects—which has only happened once since Miami signed 2008's top-rated haul. Ignoring that surge would be foolish, but the 'Canes need victories in the fall to build on this off-field momentum.

15. Michigan State Spartans: Tame

Similar to last year, Michigan State was active in the transfer portal. Although the Spartans picked up five-plus immediate-impact players, none caused a lingering stir. They've basically stayed out of the national scope, save for being a constant presence in way-too-early and offseason Top 25s. Nothing wrong with that.

14. USC Trojans: Hectic

USC, on the other hand, has unquestionably been among the noisiest teams—and probably the loudest. Lincoln Riley put together an all-star portal haul, and the school announced it'll be leaving for the Big Ten in 2024. There are a ton of major changes both now and on the horizon at USC.

13. North Carolina State Wolfpack: Unfamiliar

Success is not uncommon at NC State, relatively speaking. During the last five seasons, the Wolfpack have posted an 8-4 mark or better in four years. However, they opened none of those campaigns in the AP Top 25—something that hadn't happened since 2003. This year, a veteran-filled roster has propelled NC State to a program-record-tying preseason No. 13 ranking.

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys: Challenging

Oklahoma State has notched a winning record for 16 straight years, and the 12-win 2021 campaign marked the seventh 10-win season along the way. Clearly, Mike Gundy can handle turnover. Nevertheless, the Pokes have to replace a bulk of the defense's back seven and standout coordinator Jim Knowles.

11. Oregon Ducks: Encouraging

Considering the team's recent success, Mario Cristobal's departure—while understandable—was irregular. The aftermath became a cause for uncertainty, but new coach Dan Lanning has steadied the team. Oregon reinforced the roster with a few impact transfers and picked up 5-star 2023 commits in quarterback Dante Moore and receiver Jurrion Dickey.

10. Baylor Bears: Bold

Last season, Gerry Bohanon accounted for 2,517 yards and 27 touchdowns to put Baylor on the brink of a Big 12 title. But a hamstring injury sidelined him in that contest, during which Blake Shapen led the Bears to a victory. Bohanon could have returned this fall, but Baylor announced in the spring that Shapen won the job. That might work out wonderfully! It is, nonetheless, a bold choice to effectively run off the incumbent QB of a successful team.

9. Oklahoma Sooners: Frenetic

Riley's exit to USC sparked a tsunami of transition in Norman. Brent Venables dealt with a stream of departures but balanced that with a dozen additions. The recruiting class initially lost a handful of blue-chip prospects, but Venables' staff has responded with a top-10 2023 group that includes 5-stars in quarterback Jackson Arnold and edge-rusher Adepoju Adebawore. The abrupt resignation of longtime OU assistant Cale Gundy added yet another layer to a restless offseason.

8. Michigan Wolverines: Mysterious

It'd seem sensible for Michigan to have a stable offseason after winning the Big Ten and making the College Football Playoff. Instead, head coach Jim Harbaugh flirted with the Minnesota Vikings—which apparently sparked offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' move to join Cristobal in Miami. By then, Michigan had already lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Baltimore Ravens. Not exactly an ideal payoff to a great season.

7. Utah Utes: Positive

Utah needs to replace about eight key contributors, but optimism has overshadowed that turnover. Dual-threat quarterback Cameron Rising sparked the Utes once he became the starter, winning nine of his 11 starts—and a concussion stopped him from finishing a close Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State, too. Utah's perceived upside is directly connected to his ascent in 2021.

6. Texas A&M Aggies: Dramatic

In February, Texas A&M inked the highest-rated recruiting class in history. It included a preposterous eight 5-star players and 10 more top-100 prospects. That alone is dramatic. But in May, Alabama coach Nick Saban said A&M "bought every player," which started a firestorm. Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher fired back at his former boss, leading to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey stepping in to quiet the feud. Bizarre. Hilarious. So college football.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Intriguing

Longtime coach Brian Kelly bolted for LSU, leaving star defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to take over. As expected, Freeman has excelled on the recruiting trail. Notre Dame is nearing the 2022 season with the No. 2 class for the 2023 cycle. Thanks to a half-dozen notable NFL-eligible returners, though, the Irish—now led by quarterback Tyler Buchner—have 11-win potential with a best-case scenario of squeezing into the CFP.

4. Clemson Tigers: Memorable

Even after a six-year ACC title streak ended, expectations aren't changing at Clemson. But the program's leadership certainly has been altered. Longtime coordinators Tony Elliott and Brent Venables finally took head coaching jobs, leaving for Virginia and Oklahoma, respectively. The new-look Tigers will be chasing the same old championship targets in 2022.

3. Georgia Bulldogs: Active

"Celebratory" is a tempting word, given that UGA secured its first national championship in four decades and had 15 players selected in the NFL draft. However, the reality is the Dawgs have dealt with a slew of coaching changes and the voids subsequently left by those NFL-bound talents. Busy, busy offseason in Athens.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes: Determined

Head coach Ryan Day has emphatically and repeatedly said that the Buckeyes' results in 2021 were unacceptable. It's a little much to call an 11-2 season a failure, but his point—losing to rival Michigan, not winning the Big Ten, not making the CFP—is well understood. Ohio State expects to accomplish all three (and more) annually, and that's been made abundantly clear this offseason.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide: Advantageous

Saban's comments about Texas A&M—even if true!—were unnecessary. Beyond that, the Crimson Tide have enjoyed another great offseason. Despite his well-known frustration with the transfer portal, he wisely snapped up potential stars in Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia wideout Jermaine Burton and LSU corner Eli Ricks. Add in last cycle's No. 2 recruiting class and 2023's current No. 1, and the ol' curmudgeon keeps on thriving.

All recruiting rankings via 247Sports' composite. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.