Ever since starting CFB Depth three years ago, a group of us set out to ‘fill gaps’ in the information center of a well-covered sport. The first step was building the databases, algorithms and public-facing website. We then wanted to get out a full-on “preview” magazine that uses the unique data that we’ve built to prepare our early followers for the coming season. Now, we wanted to find a way to ‘close the book’ on one season, with a look ahead at what’s to come. Enter The Year That Was: 2025 digital magazine.
Introduction:
Three years ago, we set out to build something different — a resource that college football fans, fantasy players, gamblers, and self-described “sickos” could genuinely call their own.
That goal has been realized. Last summer, we launched our first State of the Chart preview magazine — an unofficial coming-out party after years of building databases, connecting sources, crafting algorithms, and modeling. The response was overwhelmingly positive. We barely had time to enjoy it. The season arrived, and depth charts needed updating, content needed publishing, and sleep hit a minimum. We’d rest in the off-season.
Once we made it through the gauntlet of the 2025 season, we realized the “off-season” was no time for naps either. The transfer portal hit hard and fast — and we tracked it like we owned it. With spring camps now open, we spotted another void: a dedicated almanac capturing what really unfolded in that magical season — the one that ended with the Indiana Hoosiers hoisting the National Championship trophy.
“Study the past, if you would divine the future.”
— Confucius (551–479 BC)
Everything here is grounded in our player ratings — derived from multiple reliable data sources and social indicators. We recommend starting with the ratings explainer article before diving deeper. It makes everything else make sense.
Think of this as the essential precursor to the next State of the Chart, arriving in July. You can’t intelligently forecast 2026 without reckoning with what 2025 actually showed us. That’s the whole point.
We revisit every recruiting class through the lens of the completed season. True freshmen who saw the field are folded in, and updated ratings reshape the picture of who actually won their class — and who is on track to win it five years down the road. This is a living exercise, and we’ll follow these commits through their careers. Preview below of the Tennessee Volunteers:
Our advanced data powers a head coach score and grade for each of the 136 coaches at season kickoff. These are this year only — not career résumé grades. James Franklin is not a failed coach. But his “F” in 2025 is real, and it left a mark. The numbers don’t negotiate. Below is a screenshot of the Iowa Hawkeyes coaching grades:
We don’t just recap results — you can look those up anywhere. We analyze what was signal and what was noise. Which performances were sustainable? Which stats were misleading? That’s analysis only we can power through our unique data infrastructure, and you’ll find it in every team section.
A WORD OF THANKS
None of this happens without “The Squad” — dedicated college football obsessives who poured themselves into every page that follows. You know who you are.
To our readers: thank you for making this more than a hobby. Your trust, your feedback, and your hard-earned dollars mean everything. We know there are a lot of resources out there. We will keep iterating, keep filling gaps, and keep delivering what only we can.
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