College football kicks off this weekend with Week 0 headlined by Navy versus Notre Dame. Our 2023 preseason college football power rankings include the back-to-back national champions at the top.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
The Dawgs lost beloved quarterback Stetson Bennett and others to the NFL, but Kirby Smart has built a juggernaut in Athens. Naturally, the defensive line is not as deep after how insanely stacked it was the past couple of seasons, so that’ll be a test for Smart’s defense. Junior Carson Beck was named the starting quarterback for Georgia after showing patience behind Bennett.
2. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan decided to self-impose a three-game suspension of head coach Jim Harbaugh, hopefully ending the recruiting investigation that’s been hanging over the program. The Wolverines continue to progress under Harbaugh, making the College Football Playoff each of the past two seasons—with aspirations to win it all with a tremendous returning group that includes quarterback J.J. McCarthy with a season of starting experience under his belt.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
The quarterback situation for Alabama has not been completely sorted out yet, with Jalen Milroe, Tyler Buchner, Ty Simpson, and Dylan Lonergan all vying for the job. Looking ahead, playing multiple quarterbacks against Middle Tennessee to begin the season could be advantageous to keep potential top-ten team Texas off-balance heading into a September 9 matchup.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State also still has a quarterback competition, with Kyle McCord and Devin Brown in a tight race to start the season opener at Indiana a week from Saturday. Head coach Ryan Day says he’ll continue to call the majority of the offensive plays after some discussion, but look for promoted offensive coordinator Brian Hartline—the program’s acclaimed wide receivers coach—to have some opportunities to do so as well.
5. USC Trojans
There’s no quarterback question at USC, where reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams enters his second year with Lincoln Riley in southern California with sky-high expectations. The Pac-12 is deeper than people might realize, and the ceiling for the Trojans might come down to their defense. Georgia transfer defensive lineman Bear Alexander will look to provide a boost for that group.
6. LSU Tigers
Brian Kelly had a strong first season in Baton Rouge, going 10-4 with a win over Alabama, a trip to the SEC title game, and an easy bowl win over Purdue. So, the Tigers are ranked as a clear top ten team in both the AP and Coaches polls as a potential CFP contender in the SEC—but the pressure and attention is on.
7. Clemson Tigers
The Clemson defense brings back several starters from last year, but getting production from the group up front will be the key after losing some headlining starters to the NFL. Offensively, running backs Will Shipley and Phil Mafah are a great duo, and quarterback Cade Klubnik should feel more comfortable after a full offseason as the starter.
8. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Big Ten is tough to break through, but Penn State has star players all over the field, including on every level on defense. Quarterback Drew Allar has a prototypical build and exciting talent, and the success of the Nittany Lions in 2023 might come down to how quickly he can grow on the field.
9. Florida State Seminoles
Head coach Mike Norvell has taken the Seminoles from three wins to five wins to ten wins in his three seasons at the helm, and the team is now neck-and-neck with Clemson as the preseason favorite in the ACC. Florida State potentially boosted the roster with transfer-portal additions this offseason as they look to get back atop their conference.
10. Oregon Ducks
The final spot in the top ten could’ve come down to several teams, including a couple more Pac-12 squads (Washington and Utah) in an intriguing conference with exceptional quarterbacks. We’re giving the preseason nod to Oregon and experienced fifth-year starter Bo Nix, who is entering his second year with the Ducks. The connection between Nix and new offensive coordinator Will Stein is one to watch.