The confetti has fallen on another college football season, with Georgia capping off an undefeated season and a second straight national title by beating TCU in Los Angeles on Monday night. The last four months were full of twists and turns, from the rise of teams like the Horned Frogs and Tennessee to Alabama’s absence from the Playoff. While predicting what will happen next fall this far out may be an impossible exercise, we’re going to try anyway. Introducing Sports Illustrated’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2023 season:
1. Georgia
Where else do you want to start? Kirby Smart has taken the baton from mentor Nick Saban as the most dominant coach in the sport, with a talent pool that never dries up. He replaces the most accomplished quarterback in school history and several other studs on both sides of the ball, but there will be plenty of important pieces returning to Georgia (starting with the best tight end in college football, Brock Bowers) . Carson Beck, a highly touted 2020 recruit, figures to get his shot at the quarterback spot. Even with several likely early starters coming off defense, most of the ’22 team’s top tacklers are expected to return from a young unit. This also sets up as Georgia’s easiest schedule in years, with no major non-conference matchup — although Tennessee in Knoxville will be no picnic.
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2. Michigan
This is subject to radical revision if Jim Harbaugh bolts for the NFL. But until Big Ten East rivals Ohio State and Penn State prove they can even come close to beating the Wolverines, they deserve to be the top-rated team from that conference. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards return to keep the offense humming, with Colston Loveland looking like Michigan’s next dynamic end. Replacements are needed at wide receiver and on the offensive line. An excellent defense will also take some hits, but that was the case last year as well, and the unit maintained a high level of performance. Cornerback Will Johnson is a rising star. The non-conference schedule is soft once again.
3. LSU
Brian Kelly’s opening act in Baton Rouge was impressive: a 10-4 record that included an SEC West championship after taking over a disorganized program. Quarterback Jayden Daniels (nearly 3,800 yards of total offense in 2022) has announced his intention to return. Malik Nabers will be up top and promising tight end Mason Taylor will be back to catch Daniels’ passes. Offensive tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr. See the article : Season 6 of Outlander will not be coming to Netflix in July 2022. are rising stars who started as freshmen. Harold Perkins Jr., a wreaking havoc at linebacker, is a nice foundation to build around defensively. And a talented freshman class is coming in. LSU’s season opener against Florida State in Orlando looms as a huge game.
Washington, Georgia and Penn State are all among the 2023 College Football Playoff contenders.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports; Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union/USA TODAY Network; Dan Rainville/USA TODAY NETWORK
4. Penn State
If the Nittany Lions are ever going to break the Michigan-Ohio State stranglehold on the Big Ten East, now might be the time. They have a pair of running backs returning who rushed for more than 1,900 yards combined in 2022. Everyone is excited about quarterback Drew Allar. Left tackle Olu Fashanu, a projected first round pick, has already announced he will avoid the draft and stay in school. To see also : The Lake renewed for Season 2 on Prime Video. Linebacker Abdul Carter was one of the best freshmen in the country on that side of the ball in ’22, and North Carolina transfer defensive back Storm Duck fills a need. The schedule is manageable, with an intriguing potential advantage in the middle: Penn State’s two weeks before playing at Ohio State on Oct. 21 is an open date and a walk-off against Massachusetts.
5. Washington
Anyone ready for another purple-clad Playoff crash? The Huskies could have a chance. In the final analysis, Kalen DeBoer was the best first-year coach not named Sonny Dykes. He now has the chance for a huge second season. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who finished in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting, is coming back, as are most of his top receiving targets. The Huskies have done some work in the transfer portal that should strengthen the defense, especially Oklahoma State defensive back Jabbar Muhammad. As for the schedule, there will be a trip to USC, but Oregon must come to Seattle. We’ll see if Michigan State has improved enough to provide an early test in East Lansing.
6. Ohio State
The Buckeyes will replace C.J. Stroud, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, at quarterback. Even with capable candidates for the job, that’s a significant loss. But the best wide receiver in college football, Marvin Harrison Jr., will make that job easier — and he’ll have plenty of company in Wideout U, as usual. The defensive issues that Jim Knowles was brought in last year to fix remain unsettled, after the Buckeyes have given up more than 40 points in each of their last two games and been outscored by a combined by 39-6 in those fourth quarters. Ohio State has a pair of extremely talented defensive ends in JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer who need to become more consistent producers. A trip to Notre Dame on September 23 will be significant for both teams.
7. Alabama
Is there a genuine slide in Tuscaloosa? The 2023 season should reveal the answer. The Crimson Tide will be losing one of the best quarterbacks in school history Bryce Young. They will also lose outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr., whose 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks were actually disappointing totals after a huge ’21 season. Top rusher and No. 3 receiver Jahmyr Gibbs joins them for early entry into the draft, as does defensive back Brian Branch. That kind of talent churn is an annual thing for Nick Saban, and he always has the growing pool of players to make up for it. The quarterback spot is unsettled for the first time in several seasons. It is very possible that there will be changes in the co-ordinator’s posts. LSU, Tennessee and Texas all come to Bryant-Denny Stadium in ’23.
8. USC
Lincoln Riley has yet to show any inclination to fire defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, which is the biggest reason why the Trojans aren’t ranked higher here. Without significant improvement on that side of the ball, even a team with the best player in college football (quarterback Caleb Williams) has a limited ceiling. Points allowed in three losses in 2022: 45.3. That said, USC has scored well again in the gate and should be an offensive volcano once again, with the returning Heisman Trophy winner leading the way. Win the turnover margin as significantly as the Trojans did this past season (plus-21) and they can win a lot of shots. The schedule is tough: trips to Notre Dame and Oregon, along with visits from Washington and Utah.
9. TCU
There are many reasons to believe the Hornets will have staying power as a top 10 program and Playoff contender, starting with the wealth of talent from the Dallas-Fort Worth area – high school players and college players interested in transfer back closer to home. 2023 will be a bit of a reset with Heisman finalist Max Duggan and likely first-round wide receiver Quentin Johnston gone to the NFL, among others. But Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley thought enough of QB Chandler Morris to challenge him for Duggan at the start of the season, so if he can at all approximate Duggan’s ’22 season, the Frogs will once again be enough offensive Big-picture question: Can a program that was 9–1 in games decided by 10 points or less (heading into the title game) duplicate that crunch time posture — and good luck?
10. Florida State
It took a while, but Mike Norvell has changed the program. The Seminoles took giant steps back to prominence last year, going 10-3 and finishing the season on a six-game winning streak. Quarterback Jordan Travis is coming back, as well as leading receiver Johnny Wilson and leading rusher Trey Benson. FSU’s defense, which led the ACC in fewest yards allowed per play and per game, also got a boost when sack leader Jared Verse recently announced he will play another season of college ball. Some key transfers have also been added. A lot could be decided when LSU plays the ‘Noles in Orlando and when Florida State visits Clemson.
11. Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman scored big in the transfer portal with the addition of Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman (almost 13,000 career passing yards and 110 passing touchdowns). That addresses a pressing need for a program that was 98th in passing yards per game in 2022. Hartman should have a solid offense around him, though losing star tight end Michael Mayer leaves shoes big to fill in that position. Several defensive players have graduated and/or declared for the draft, so there will be some retooling on that side of the ball – but talent remains. The schedule will bring Ohio State and USC to South Bend, with a road trip to play Clemson.
12. Tennessee
There is a lot of skill position turnover for the Volunteers, starting with quarterback Hendon Hooker and star receivers Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. The offensive line loses a couple of mainstays as well. Tennessee had a couple of notable receiver failures in the gate, losing Dominic Lovett (Missouri) and Rara Thomas (Mississippi State) to Georgia, but Josh Heupel’s offense will still operate at a high rate. Defensively, where improvement must be made, the Vols got quite the linebacker in BYU transfer Keenan Pili (nearly 200 career tackles). The program’s overall momentum should continue, and playing eight games in the state of Tennessee won’t hurt.
13. Oregon
Bo Nix returns at quarterback, and he’s hoping he can repeat his outstanding season in 2022 with new offensive coordinator Will Stein. The pieces around Nix are in a bit of flux, with several draft/transfer decisions still pending, but Dan Lanning is a tremendous talent acquirer. Oregon has secured a couple of transfers from Alabama in receiver Traeshon Holden and defensive back Khyree Jackson, and also added a couple of other transfers to bolster the offensive line (including the Angels’ Texas Junior starter). Defensive end Brandon Dorlus’ recent decision to return to Eugene was a big one. The Ducks begin 2023 in kinder and gentler fashion than ’22, playing Portland State, Texas Tech and Hawai’i – no Georgia in sight. Road games in Utah and Washington will be big.
14. Clemson
Dabo Swinney needs a big season to convince his doubters that the Tigers’ window for national championship contention has not closed. As usual, the transfer portal flows only one way – away from Clemson. And there are a number of early NFL draft entries to account for. Clemson’s declining offense is in the hands of tight end Will Shipley and quarterback Cade Klubnik, who flashed promise as a freshman but also made some brutal decisions in the bowl loss to Tennessee. Receiver Antonio Williams could be Clemson’s best at that position in a couple of years. Defensively, linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (combined 24 tackles for loss) are the Tigers’ next generation of wreckers on the front seven.
15. Utah
Operating on the theory that Utah is nearly recession-proof, a fourth double-digit winning season since 2019 seems entirely possible — despite significant personnel losses to the draft and portal. Cornerback Clark Phillips III and tight end Dalton Kincaid lead Utah’s outgoing draft prospects, but quarterback Cameron Rising returns for his senior season. The Utes should be very strong on both lines and get good experience at the skill positions offensively if some top talent returns. You can always count on Kyle Whittingham’s team to be solid defensively and adept at generating turnovers. The schedule is an adventure, with Florida coming to Salt Lake City and the Utes traveling to Baylor.
Maye threw for 38 touchdowns as a freshman in 2022.
16. North Carolina
Drake Maye, who accounted for more than 5,000 yards of offense in his first season of college football, is a great center to build around. He will need a new No. 1 target, with receiver Josh Downs headed to the NFL, and the impact of offensive coordinator Phil Longo leaving will be something to watch. However, North Carolina’s biggest area of need is improving defense. The Tar Heels were dead last in the ACC in yards allowed per play and per game, and in points allowed per game. We’ll see if keeping Gene Chizik as DC is a wise move. The Heels nabbed a few defensive backs in the gate that could provide immediate help. North Carolina will play a pair of Power 5 opponents in the non-conference: South Carolina (at Charlotte) and Minnesota (at Chapel Hill).
17. Tulane
The Green Wave may not be going anywhere after their miraculous 12–2 season. They retained coach Willie Fritz, and quarterback Michael Pratt (more than 7,000 career passing yards) returns to lead the offense. The loss of star running back Tyjae Spears and a couple of key receivers will be felt, but a couple of young skill players have shown potential this past season. Tulane’s defense was led by a core of seniors in the back seven, but many underclassmen contributed. The transfer portal flows more into Tulane than out. The non-conference schedule is challenging, but Mississippi and South Alabama (a combined 18-5 last season) will be coming to New Orleans.
18. Kansas State
The Big 12 champions have been solidly built by Chris Klieman, winning 18 games over the past two seasons, so expect that to continue. Will Howard is a developing star quarterback who could have his entire offensive line back intact. Losing cornerstone running back Deuce Vaughn to the pros could be mitigated if the Wildcats land Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward. Leading receiver Malik Knowles has also declared for the draft, as has conference quarterback Julius Brents. Defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Big 12 defensive player of the year, has yet to announce his plans. The non-conference schedule includes a visit to Missouri; The Wildcats’ resounding victory over the Tigers in Manhattan last year was a sign of the success to follow.
19. South Carolina
Shane Beamer has pretty emphatically disproved the notion that he was hired just for his last name, winning 15 games in his first two seasons on the job and scoring some notable upsets (Tennessee, Clemson, North Carolina). And his recruitment increases the likelihood that South Carolina will continue on the rise. Still, there are some significant transfers to replace (defensive end Jordan Burch, running back MarShawn Lloyd), and quarterback Spencer Rattler has yet to declare his draft intentions. Beamer has work to do with his defensive unit, which gave up more yards than the Gamecocks gained last season. The SEC West crossover games are against relative peers (Mississippi State and Texas A&M) but the non-conference schedule includes a spicy opener (North Carolina) and a regular Clemson finale.
20. Oregon State
If Jonathan Smith can restore the quarterback game of Clemson transfer DJ Uiagalelei, this ranking could be too low for the Beavers after a 10-3 season. Oregon State seems like a good spot for Uiagalelei, playing in a run-oriented offense with a very good front line. Running back Damien Martinez put up nearly 1,000 rushing yards as a freshman despite limited carries in the first half of the season and looks like the center of 2023. The receiver is a bit of an unknown. There are some significant defensive losses, but steady recruiting has put some younger players in position to step in. A better pass rush would help, especially with Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix still in the conference.
21. Texas
Steve Sarkisian improved from five wins in his first season to eight in 2022 – decent progress, but he needs to do a lot more to convince anyone that he’s the man who can bring Texas back. This much is certain: The talent is improving in Austin. Even if mega-recruit Arch Manning isn’t ready to start as a freshman, Quinn Ewers has a chance to improve on an uneven season. He will play behind a more experienced line and throw to more experienced receivers. The No. 2 defense in the Big 12 has some holes to fill. The No. 3 recruiting class in America, which includes five-star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., should help.
22. Troy
First year coach Jon Sumrall was an instant success, going 12-2, winning the highly competitive Sun Belt Conference and then winning a bowl game. The Trojans take an 11-game winning streak into 2023, having established themselves as one of the best defensive teams in the country last year. Troy lost top receiver Tez Johnson to Oregon, but is bringing in Chris Lewis from Kentucky. Undersized but mighty running back Kimani Vidal is back after rushing for more than 1,100 yards last season. Troy travels to Kansas State in September for what will be a sneaky big game.
23. Wisconsin
The bet here is that new coach Luke Fickell will provide an immediate upgrade, and so will SMU transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai. Fickell fits well with Wisconsin’s defensive DNA but will have a chance to sink an old offense with coordinator Phil Longo (who coached Drake Maye last year) and the reach of Mordecai (76 career downs). The next task is to strengthen the body that receives through the portal. The Badgers will once again have the backs to run the ball in Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi. Several defensive players chose early entry into the draft, but don’t expect them to run out of quality options on that side of the ball. Wisconsin should be on the verge of returning to the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2019.
24. UTSA
Program stability has been underrated here under Jeff Traylor, with 23 wins in the last two seasons. The best way to continue that is with a seventh-year quarterback (not a typo) who has thrown for more than 9,000 yards in Frank Harris. The DIM deal helped keep him in San Antonio for an additional season. The Roadrunners are loaded with Texas talent that Traylor’s staff has done a good job of identifying and developing. Road games at Houston and Tennessee offer upset opportunities that could put UTSA in position for a New Year’s Six bowl bid.
25. UCLA
The Bruins were an old team this past season, so there will be a lot of lost experience from that squad. But once Chip Kelly broke through in 2021 and developed the program another step in ’22, there should be no turning back. UCLA could be counting on a few MAC transfers to do big things — running back Carson Steele from Ball State and quarterback Collin Schlee from Kent State. (Chip Kelly also signed one of the best quarterbacks in the 2023 class in Dante Moore.) The Bruins avoid playing Washington and Oregon in the regular season.
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