Old Dominion

The departure of quarterback Colton Joseph to Wisconsin headlined a significant roster turnover that saw 22 players leave Norfolk, including top receivers Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (Maryland) and Tre' Brown III (LSU). The Monarchs brought in Washington State transfer Jaxon Potter to compete for the starting job, though their 15 portal additions generated just 28.7 PPA compared to 298.5 lost. Old Dominion enters 2026 ranked 68th nationally in JP+ with a defense grading 47th (+1.5) that must compensate for an offense sitting 75th (-0.8) and special teams units ranking a concerning 134th.

JP+ projects just 1.2 wins for the Monarchs in what appears to be a challenging slate, with Virginia Tech, UConn, and East Carolina representing both their toughest and easiest matchups depending on how the new signal-caller develops. The defensive foundation that helped produce last year's 9-3 record remains the program's strength, but replacing Joseph's 155.3 PPA will determine whether this transition year becomes a step back or maintains momentum. If Potter or another quarterback can quickly establish rhythm with a retooled receiving corps, the defense keeps them competitive in most games. If not, those projected wins might prove optimistic.