College football rankings of all 10 FBS conferences for the 2023 season.
We are just under two weeks away from the start of college football.
The 2023 college football season figures to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. Hanging over all of it, though, is the specter of conference realignment. With four new additions to the Big 12 for this year, we'll see the start — but it'll reach a fever pitch next season when Texas, Oklahoma, USC, UCLA and the multitude of teams who've since followed make their moves to new conferences.
Simply, this is the last year of college football conferences as we know them. But in what we know about these leagues heading into the 2023 season, how do they stack up against one another? We're breaking out our college football rankings by power ranking all 10 FBS conferences — sorry, independents.
College football rankings: Power ranking all 10 FBS conferences
10. MAC
It's going to be a tight race between the Ohio Bobcats and the Rockets of Toledo. Toledo returns Dequan Finn at quarterback, who struggled with injuries last season, but remains one of the best dual-threat passers in the Group of 5.
The Bobcats also return a stud quarterback in Kurtis Rourke. Before an ACL injury late last season, he was one of the nation's best passers with 3,256 yards 25 touchdowns, and 249 rushing yards. Add a 1,000+ yard rusher in Sieh Bangura and a couple of stud receivers, and you've got a truly competitive team, at least offensively.
Ohio's defense was ranked last in yards per play in the conference in addition to allowing 28.3 points per contest. They did make the most out of the transfer portal and return six starters, which will usually lead to improvement.
9. Conference USA
After saying goodbye to six of its programs, Conference USA added two conference newcomers in former independents Liberty and New Mexico State. The Flames only have five returning starters but should they should be in the conversation for the top of the league thanks to new hire Jamey Chadwell as head coach.
Western Kentucky looks to be a heavy favorite to win CUSA this fall thanks to a high-scoring offense led by quarterback Austin Reed. If the Hilltoppers or Flames falter look for teams like UTEP, Louisiana Tech, or Middle Tennessee to step up.
8. Mountain West
Last season saw the development of Fresno State. They finished the 2022 season with a 7-1 conference record. This year the Bulldogs hope to continue their dominance with UCF transfer Mike Keene. They won't be the only teams in the hunt for title contention though. Teams like SD State, San Jose State, Wyoming, and Air Force all look like they should be able to compete at the highest levels of the Mountain West.
All of these teams however will all need to go through perennial Mountain West powerhouse Boise State. Owners of the world-famous blue turf football field, Boise State looks poised to make another good showing in the Mountain West Conference. It's yet to be seen if Fresno State will finally be able to take down Boise State. Fresno State lost 40-14 last season to Boise State but it looks like they hope to conquer them in the upcoming season. Regardless of that matchup, the Mountain West looks to be super competitive in conference play.
7. American
The American Athletic Conference has big changes this season. With the loss of Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston the AAC lost some big names and big offenses. It's yet to be seen how this will affect some of the lesser teams now that these big-name schools are gone.
The AAC has some new additions too though. Six new schools have joined the American Athletic Conference this season. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA are the new add-ons. Tulane stands alone at the top of the conference. In one of last season's most memorable bowl games, the Cotton Bowl, Tulane took on and defeated a tough USC team 46-45. Despite losing star running back Tyjae Spears, Tulane returns six starters on each side of the ball as it looks for another conference title run.
This looks to be one of the most changed conferences in college football this year. With about half of this conference looking tough and the other half looking well not, I believe we will have a lot of turmoil in the AAC this season.
6. Sun Belt
The 2022 additions of Marshall, James Madison, Southern Miss, and Old Dominion beefed up the conference, and this season, James Madison continues its full transition to the FBS. Ineligible for a bowl game or Sun Belt title last season, the Dukes' first season in the league (8-3) was a smashing success.
Behind JMU, Coastal Carolina adds strength to the conference and dominance to the East division. With the Dukes ineligible to play for the Sun Belt crown, Marshall and Appalachian State will push the Chanticleers for a trip to the title game. The balance of power is in the West Division with South Alabama and Troy — arguably the Sun Belt's top teams for 2023 — battling for the No. 1 spot.
5. Big 12
Texas looks to be at the top of the Big 12 this season as they are 15 returning starters. They have a group of young players who look to break out in the 2023 season. Even with that, there isn't much of a talent gap between Sarkisian's team and the rest of the conference.
Reigning Big 12 champions Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma all have the talent to make a conference title game. Sonny Dykes, coach of TCU looks to reload an offense that carried the Frogs to the national title game. The 2023 season will also be the first for BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston as Power 5 programs. Needless to say, the Big 12 is one of the toughest-looking conferences in the country this season.
4. ACC
The toughest ACC team, Clemson, went 11-3 last season. That's disappointing by the standards Dabo Swinney has set for this program. It's Cade Klubnik who is now the starting quarterback, and he'll leave the play calling to fast-rising offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, who arrives after being poached from TCU. It looks as if Clemson plans to restore their national relevance.
Florida State is the biggest in-conference threat to Clemson. Mike Norvell's Seminoles are coming off a 10-win season and return a dynamic quarterback Jordan Travis with a deep cast of offensive playmakers to go with an improved offensive line. North Carolina also looks to be tough this year. Led by star quarterback Drake Maye, the Tar Heels look to also be in the mix for a trip to the conference title run. Maye threw for 4,321 yards as a freshman, which was good for fourth in FBS. He also led the team in rushing
Another interesting team is Louisville who are now under new coach Jeff Brohm. Miami also hopes to rebound in Mario Cristobal's second season. The ACC looks to have some tough teams that can compete against anyone in the nation, not just the teams in the ACC.
3. Big Ten
Half of the teams that reached the playoffs in 2023 were from the Big Ten, Michigan and Ohio State. This season looks to be a repeat of last year's talent as the East looks to reign supreme again.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy plus the running back duo of Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards should leave little cause for concern for this year's Wolverine team. Ohio State and Penn State are right on Michigan's heels, giving the Big Ten likely three top 10 programs in preseasn polls.
In the Big Ten West, Matt Rhule takeovers at Nebraska making the Cornhuskers maybe the conference's most intriguing team.
The Big Ten could have been the No. 2 ranked conference heading into the 2023 season but there is one other conference that I think could have the Big Ten's number this year. Regardless of their preseason rankings, however, this conference should be one of the most exciting in the nation.
2. Pac-12
The Pac-12 is stacked this year. Teams like USC, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and a resurgent/hungry Colorado team headline the league, one that boasts future first-round draft talent at quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. from Washington and USC's Heisman-winner, Caleb Williams, ranked second and third, respectively, in college football last year in passing yards. And Oregon's Bo Nix ranked 15th in the nation. All three teams return them as starters this season.
The Utes bring back Cameron Rising, who led Utah to back-to-back conference championships. Rising tore his ACL in the Rose Bowl but looks to be ready for the start of the 2023 season. Former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is headed to Oregon State to resurrect his career. Now Deion Sanders has put Colorado in the national spotlight as he becomes their new head coach. It's yet to be seen if the Coach Prime hype is for real, but it does make the Buffalos one of the nation's most interesting teams.
The Pac-12 looks to be stacked from top to bottom. The hope to get more of their teams in the conversation for a National Championship looks to be for real and the Pac-12 conference still has to run through the teams in the number one ranked conference if they want to be successful.
1. SEC
It's been four years in a row that the SEC has produced the national champion. Last year, No. 1-ranked Georgia demolished fourth-ranked TCU, 65-7. They scored 55 unanswered points in the College Football Playoff title game to win their second straight title.
In the win, the Bulldogs set the record for the most points and largest margin of victory in a BCS or CFP title game. Georgia has cemented their sport as the team to beat both in the SEC and the nation, taking that spot away from Alabama. This year Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and now teams like Kentucky all look like top-tier teams even though they face some of the toughest conference schedules in the nation.
An SEC team has made the playoffs every year, and the championship game has featured two SEC teams twice since the start of the College Football Playoff. That doesn't look to be changing any time soon with teams like Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Florida, and Kentucky battling it out for the top spot in the top conference. As I mentioned before Kentucky's conference schedule, as well as conference schedules for teams like the Gators and Tennessee, are some of the nation's toughest and, if they have any hope of conference titles, they'll need to overcome those.
The SEC is by far the nation's toughest conference. They are owners of six out of the last eight national championships and they hope to make it seven out of nine. Georgia has hopes of a three-peat and it is totally possible with the kind of talent that they are returning. Alabama and Nick Saban look to have other plans but regardless of how the conference race plays out, we know that some of these teams with definitely be in the conversation for another National Title.
