Preseason Top 25 college football rankings for the 2023 season. Florida State is coming for Georgia, Texas is back, Alabama and Ohio State have much to prove.
Week 0 is so close you can taste it and college football fans are already salivating.
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are going for a 3-peat coming off of back-to-back titles, but they won't be given it (even if their Charmin-soft schedule would have you believe otherwise). What's interesting, though, is it's not just the usual suspects of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines trying to run the Dawgs down.
Certainly, those programs are in the mix. But there is also a bevy of teams who are not only in the preseason mix to compete with Georgia and the top contenders, they have the talent to do so as well.
Preseason college football rankings, all told, are a bit hollow. We are looking on paper and that's not where the games are played. The most important thing that we can glean is where these teams stand in terms of perception coming into the 2023 season. So we're doing exactly that.
We've already projected what we believe the preseason AP Top 25 will look like and examined the Coaches Poll that came out on Aug. 7, but let's do one better with our FanSided preseason Top 25 college football rankings for the 2023 season.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 25-21
25. Ole Miss Rebels
The self-proclaimed king of the transfer portal put all of his reigning energy into quarterbacks this offseason as Lane Kiffin brought in both Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard to Ole Miss to compete with Jaxson Dart. The Rebels are hoping that the arrival of Pete Golding will shore up a leaky defense that caused the team to go 1-5 in the second half of last year. But the offense, no matter who wins a heated transfer QB competition, should be lethal still.
24. North Carolina Tar Heels
UNC may simply go as far as Drake Maye can drag them. The Tar Heels have one of the best quarterbacks in college football and weapons that are enticing, particularly with the transfer addition of Devontez Walker from Kent State. But the simple truth for North Carolina is that if the offensive line and defense don't improve from what they were in 2022, the Heels aren't going to live up to Maye's hype.
23. TCU Horned Frogs
Expecting TCU to replicate their College Football Playoff run from last season is a fool's errand, but the Horned Frogs should still be a quality team in the 2023 season. Chandler Morris appears capable of stepping in at quarterback and Sonny Dykes, as he's long been, has filled other holes by way of the portal. Again, the ceiling doesn't appear to be nearly as high as it was last year, but the overall outlook in Fort Worth is positive.
22. Texas A&M Aggies
Anyone who says that they know how things are going to work out in College Station is lying to you. In theory, bringing in Bobby Petrino to take over the offense on Jimbo Fisher's staff should help this program not disappoint yet again. On the other hand, that's a combustible situation. The talent that Texas A&M has recruited is undeniable, though, and I'm choosing to hesitantly believe that the changes and talent will ultimately shine through for the Aggies.
21. Texas Tech Red Raiders
The buzz building around Joey McGuire's Texas Tech is impossible to ignore at this point, so much so that it's hard to even call them "this year's TCU" as some have. Even with losing Tyree Wilson, the Red Raiders defense has been making big strides. Tyler Shough is back at quarterback as well and, if he can stay healthy, there is every reason to believe that tortillas will be on the mind of everyone in college football this season.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 20-16
20. Wisconsin Badgers
Luke Fickell is in Madison now and I'd be lying if I had any idea how completely changing the identity of Wisconsin from what we knew for years under Paul Chryst was going to work out. Alas, Phil Longo is taking over the offense that will have Tanner Mordecai at quarterback and All-Big Ten candidate Braelon Allen leading the backfield. If the offense works out, a veteran defense with eight returning starters should help carry the Badgers.
19. Oklahoma Sooners
Year one in Norman went awfully for Brent Venables — namely to the tune of the first losing season for Oklahoma in a quarter-century. Dillon Gabriel staying healthy for a full season would be a hugely advantageous turn of fortune that the Sooners weren't fortunate enough for last year. And with Venables adding a bevy of bodies by way of the portal to his trademark defense, I expect we see a big jump from year one to two for OU under their head coach.
18. Oregon State Beavers
Adding D.J. Uiagalelei to an Oregon State team that won 10 games last season could yield pretty special results in Corvallis this season. However, it was Damien Martinez that was the heart of the offense in 2022 and will be again in 2023. But the Beavers will have to prove quickly that they can replicate their strong defensive effort from a season ago after losing a bevy of starters, not the least of which was star linebacker Omar Speights hitting the portal.
17. Tulane Green Wave
Michael Pratt staying at Tulane instead of portaling is a huge victory for Willie Fritz who now has to provide an encore to the Green Wave's 12-win season from a year ago. Less easy will be replacing Tyjae Spears, who departed for the NFL, in the backfield. The defense has to replace key pieces in the back seven, but there is every reason to believe Tulane can get to double-digit victories again and battle it out with UTSA atop the AAC.
16. Kansas State Wildcats
Chris Klieman has given us every reason to believe that Kansas State will once again compete to make the Big 12 Championship Game at the very least, especially with quarterback Will Howard back in the fold. However, the question will be if that's enough. The Wildcats don't have immediate replacements on offense for the electricity Deuce Vaughn provided and the defense has several big holes, in the secondary particularly, that Klieman and his staff need to fill.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 16-11
15. Utah Utes
Doubting Kyle Whittingham and Utah is a bad long-term investment overall. That's especially true with Cameron Rising returning at quarterback. However, Rising is returning from a torn ACL that took him out of the Rose Bowl at the end of last season. Moreover, the defense has to replace some big-time talent in the back seven. If Rising returns at full strength, this team can win the Pac-12 — even with a brutal road schedule. I'm simply dubious of that being the case.
14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Just looking at a 9-4 season in Marcus Freeman's first year as Notre Dame head coach might mislead you into thinking it was a resounding success. When you then consider the Irish dropped games to Marshall and Stanford while looking less than stellar in others that should've been gimme wins, it's less rosy. Sam Hartman transferring in from Wake Forest could ignite the offense and the defense should retool. They'll be tested plenty to prove they deserve a higher ranking than this if they do take a step forward… and if Freeman's the right guy for the job.
13. Oregon Ducks
With Bo Nix returning and Dan Lanning continuing to work the portal at Oregon entering year two, there is a belief that the Ducks are one of the favorites to win the Pac-12. I'm a bit more dubious. Replacing four starters on the offensive line is a big ask, as is trying to replicate the magic Kenny Dillingham made with the offense now that he's in Tempe. With the defense also losing two high-end linebackers and Christian Gonzalez, that could be an issue too.
12. Tennessee Volunteers
Everyone's about to find out if Josh Heupel's turnaround at Tennessee last year was a blip on the radar or the new norm in Knoxville. Joe Milton might be the biggest arm in the SEC but he has not proven in his college career that he can harness that into being a successful quarterback. The Vols also have to replace a bevy of starters on both sides of the ball. I believe and Heupel's Tennessee, but it might not be quite as fruitful as the 2022 season.
11. Washington Huskies
Don't sleep on Washington to overtake USC and win the Pac-12 in what could be the final year for the conference. With Michael Penix Jr. and a host of weapons returning, the only concern on offense is replacing three starters on the line. The defense should be improved, however, and Kalen DeBoer's track record suggests that the Huskies will have no problem finding their groove with the new line on offense.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 10-9
10. Penn State Nittany Lions
How you feel about Penn State for the 2023 season really comes down to one question: Do you believe in Drew Allar?
Allar, the No. 1 QB in the 2022 class and the No. 3 overall prospect, clearly has all of the talent in the world. Moreover, that talent should represent an upgrade in the passing game from what Sean Clifford offered. But can he live up to the hype? Helping him in that plight will undoubtedly be an offensive line that should be stellar, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen forming one of the best backfield duos in the country, and a strong group of pass-catchers.
The floor for the Nittany Lions is extremely high, though, thanks to their defense. Yes, they have to replace Joey Porter Jr. and Ji'Ayir Brown in the secondary, but the front seven is lethal and they have reinforcements ready in the defensive back room. If Allar lives up to the hype, Penn State can challenge Michigan and Ohio State.
9. Clemson Tigers
Man, Clemson is just a giant question mark for me right now. Dabo Swinney has obviously built a tremendous program with the Tigers, but the past couple of years have been down by the standards that they set in the Trevor Lawrence years. The hope is that Cade Klubnik, now entering his first full season as the starting quarterback, can help usher in a new era with the help of star running back Will Shipley.
The Tigers, however, don't have the same amount of star power defensively that we've seen in the past few years for this program. Moreover, their offensive line is unproven, though not as much so as the pass-catchers. Can new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley overcome that and get this offense back off the ground? There's reason to believe so, but until we see it, call it cautious optimism about Clemson.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 8-7
8. LSU Tigers
Give Brian Kelly an "E" for "Exceeded Expectations" in his first year with the LSU Tigers. After coming over from Notre Dame and bringing in quarterback Jayden Daniels from Arizona State, the Tigers won the SEC West last year and could threaten Alabama to do so again this year.
On both sides of the ball, LSU has some elite strengths. Malik Nabers might be the best receiver in the country who doesn't reside in Columbus while Mason Taylor is an elite weapon at tight end. Meanwhile, getting Maason Smith back on the defensive front should be huge, especially with Harold Perkins ready to make another jump after flashing dominance.
Concern about the offensive line being good enough and the secondary turning over in personnel the way it has, but LSU's ceiling is that of a legitimate College Football Playoff contender.
7. USC Trojans
It's no secret that Caleb Williams is going to put up absurd numbers and lead the USC offense to do the same in the 2023 season as he comes off of a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign a year ago. They've replaced Jordan Addison with Dorian Singer and the offensive line looks better as well.
Unless Alex Grinch actually makes the defense better in his second year with the Trojans as coordinator, though, it won't matter.
Riley and his staff have done aggressive work in the transfer portal to assure that a step forward is in the cards, including adding former Georgia 4-star Bear Alexander late in the process, which could help the defensive line be much more formidable. The proof will have to be laid on the field, though, before I'm ready to believe they can truly be one of the four best teams in college football.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 6-5
6. Texas Longhorns
Perhaps the best argument against Texas truly making the leap this season is that we've said that about the Longhorns before and we've seen similar disappointing results almost every time. But Texas being back won't happen until it finally does — and I think this is the roster to get it done if Steve Sarkisian is the right coach to make it happen.
Quinn Ewers has the tools to be a legitimate challenger for the Heisman and the weapons around him, even with Bijan Robinson gone, are some of the best in college football, headlined by Xavier Worthy, Georgia transfer AD Mitchell, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, and more.
What really gives confidence in Texas this season, though, is their stoutness in the trenches. They return all five starters on the offensive line and have a breadth of talent on the defensive line. That's a game-changer where the Longhorns have been lacking and what will push this team to the next level.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
In the same line of thinking about Texas but in a much more negative sense, we won't see Nick Saban unable to figure out his team and have Alabama as a contender until we don't. And there is legitimate worry that might be the 2023 season.
That all hinges on the quarterback position. It was clear from everything Saban and the media said about spring practice that neither Jalen Milroe nor Ty Simpson is ready to carry the offense even in the way Mac Jones did, especially with inferior receiving talent by the standards in Tuscaloosa. Tyler Buchner, who transferred in late after Tommy Rees was hired to run the offense, probably isn't the answer either.
With that said, this defense could be the best in the country this season, the same of which is true for the O-line. There's a chance we could see a throwback Alabama team that grounds and pounds on offense and wrenches opponents defensively. Is that enough in modern college football? There's too much talent involved to not give Saban the benefit of the doubt.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 4-3
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
From what we've seen from Ohio State under Ryan Day's watch, the belief would be that the offense is never going to drop off and that the defense could hold the Buckeyes back. For the 2023 season, however, that narrative could somewhat change.
Jim Knowles showed real progress with the defense last year and that unit returns several starters and a boatload of talent, most notably potential first-round pick J.T. Tuimoloau. That unit could take a huge step forward. But the offense, on the other hand, needs to replace C.J. Stroud with unproven Kyle McCord behind a shaky offensive line.
Yes, the Buckeyes have perhaps the best collection of weapons in college football with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams and more. But they need to figure out the quarterback situation and the trenches to truly contend. The good news: Day has given full reason to believe that will work out.
3. Michigan Wolverines
Every reason that you should be high on Michigan for the 2023 season is obvious. Jim Harbaugh has taken the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff in two straight years, including back-to-back victories over rival Ohio State. Now, it's time for the next step with perhaps the most talented roster Harbaugh has coached at his alma mater.
The defense hasn't lost all that much coming into this year, which should bode well for a unit full of highly-touted players with NFL futures like Junior Colson, Will Johnson and others. Meanwhile, the offense has the two-headed monster of Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards back to lead the way behind a retooled line.
If there's one question, it's quarterback J.J. McCarthy making the leap. His recruiting pedigree says he's capable of doing that. We just need to see it for Michigan to actually make that leap.
College football rankings 2023, FanSided preseason Top 25: No. 2-1
2. Florida State Seminoles
Full disclosure, I'm going all-in on the Florida State Seminoles this year. People are high on them, but I'm calling them as the second-best team in college football entering the season.
The Noles have improved every year since Mike Norvell took over as head coach and, after a 10-3 campaign, that trend will continue. Jordan Travis made huge strides in the 2022 campaign and has every possible aadvantage working around him with Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman, Johnny Wilson, tight end Jaheim Bell, and one of the most underrated runners in the country, Trey Benson, around him and with the offensive line having been built up.
Then there's Jared Verse, maybe the best edge rusher in the sport, to led a defense with a ton of talent that has been added to in the portal. All of the making for a College Football Playoff berth are there and I don't believe in a world where Florida State doesn't live up to that hype.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Will Georgia 3-peat? That's an impossible question to answer in August. But what can be said is that they are the rightful favorites to do so entering the year.
Kirby Smart's recruiting has the Bulldogs in a position where they just retool, which they'll have to do in order to win another national championship. Carson Beck could actually be an upgrade over Stetson Bennett IV as he simply has more talent while the group of pass-catchers is still led by all-world tight end Brock Bowers and always-reliable Ladd McConkey but with newcomers in the fold like Dominic Lovett to add a new element.
And while the defense lost more draft picks this past offseason — and Bear Alexander to USC — they have readymade replacements and another group of budding stars capable of keeping defensive dominance running strong at Georgia. All the makings of this dynasty are in place, now it's just about staring down that pressure and conquering it.
One thing's for sure, though: Kirby might have a much more difficult time selling the "they doubted us" narrative again this season.
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