Klatt highlighted four teams he believes will be the biggest "climbers" in the 2023 college football season.
1. Colorado
2022 record: 1-11
Klatt on why the Buffaloes will be climbers: "Look what they’ve been able to do in the transfer portal. Deion Sanders is crushing recruiting. He went to a place that doesn’t generally recruit well, and he has made them a destination. They are crushing it in the transfer portal, they are going to totally transform their roster. They will probably have 20-25 new players and most of them, if not all of them, will be better than what left. Colorado is absolutely gonna be a climber next year. They will have a new quarterback, they’ll have a new coach, they will have a totally different identity and attitude."
2. Nebraska
2022 record: 4-8
Klatt on why the Huskers will be climbers: "They’ve got a new coach, and we all would say Matt Rhule is a really good coach. He has done a nice job in coaching, and he will change the culture. Every time he’s touched a college program, he was able to succeed. I think he’s one of the best coaches in the country. Can they go from four wins to eight wins? You bet."
3. Texas A&M
2022 record: 5-7
Klatt on why the Aggies will be climbers: "I get it if you want to roll your eyes at Texas A&M, but they won five games last year, and they just need to get to nine. I believe Bobby Petrino is going to improve their offense. If you don’t have to be the head coach, have that pressure, have that stress, be the focal-point person, and you can just focus on what you're good at, then I think Bobby Petrino makes a lot of sense. I think this is a zero or a 10 proposition. It’s either gonna blow up with too many cooks in the kitchen, which it might with Bobby Petrino and Jimbo [Fisher], or it's gonna work really well. And I’m gonna bet on the latter. I think that it's gonna work out really well. I think they’re gonna improve and go from five to nine wins."
4. Oklahoma
2022 record: 6-7
Klatt on why the Sooners will be climbers: "They were 0-5 in one-score games. All they have to do is start winning close games, which they should do, and they are easily a 10-win team, maybe an 11-win team. If we’re looking for a team that is next year’s TCU — make a run to the playoff and maybe even the national championship game — I’m looking at Oklahoma. In that conference, everybody is meshed together. One of the reasons we got TCU this year is because they were a team with a veteran presence, a very good quarterback, some good talent on the outside, they started winning those close games. That’s exactly what TCU did. That is the avenue I see next year for the Oklahoma Sooners. I think Brent Venables is a heck of a coach. This year was a ridiculously difficult situation to come in and succeed. And in large part, that’s why they lost those close games. They will be better in a conference where just a little improvement takes you from six to 10 wins."
