The Associated Press released its preseason top 25 on Monday, as the College Football season is right around the corner. While most of the list is not a surprise, there are a few notable storylines represented in the rankings that will be worth watching throughout the season.
1. Georgia tops the list, while Alabama comes in at No. 4
After winning its second straight national championship, Georgia once again opens the season as the No. 1 team, showing no signs of slowing down. What makes the Bulldogs' spot intriguing is that they are once again ahead of Alabama, which begins the season in the No. 4 spot. For over a decade, Nick Saban and Alabama represented the gold standard in college football, but it seems like Kirby Smart has officially surpassed his mentor with the team to beat.
2. Michigan edges out Ohio State in the top 3
The nation’s hottest rivalry is back, as Michigan earns the No. 2 spot in the ranking, with Ohio State one spot behind at No. 3. Ohio State won four straight Big Ten titles from 2017 to ‘20, along with 15 of 16 matchups vs. Michigan, but the Wolverines have won the last two Big Ten championships and two games vs. the Buckeyes. Both teams lost in the first round of the College Football Playoff last year, and they are once again fighting with each other for a spot in the final four.
3. LSU Leads Notre Dame in Brian Kelly’s second season
Brian Kelly had a successful first season at LSU, going 10-4 with an SEC West title. His former team, Notre Dame, started slow but ended up with a 9-4 record in their first season under Marcus Freeman. The Tigers open this year at No. 5, while the Fighting Irish are at No. 13, as the two schools will once again be compared throughout the season.
4. USC and the country’s best player land at No. 6
The Trojans had a resurgence in the 2022 season with an 11-3 overall record, its best record since 2017, all while having the Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback. As Caleb Williams returns for what is likely his final collegiate season, USC begins the year at No. 6 for one more chance to make a run in the College Football Playoff before one of the best quarterback prospects in recent years leaves to take the next step in his career.
5. Texas opens at No. 11 amid quarterback drama
Texas has been trying to get back to being a national powerhouse for over a decade, and it took a positive step in Steve Sarkisian’s second season last year. The Longhorns, who went 8-5 in 2022, are ranked No. 11 and have arguably the most intriguing quarterback competition in the country. Quinn Ewers returns as the incumbent after a strong season, with top recruit Arch Manning right behind him, and their season may come down to which quarterback emerges throughout the year.
6. TCU drops to No. 17 a year after shocking season
Last year’s biggest surprise was TCU, who went undefeated in the regular season before losing in the Big 12 title game. The Horned Frogs still made the College Football Playoff, and upset Michigan before getting blown out in the title game by Georgia. Ahead of 2023, TCU falls all the way to No. 17, as the team must replace last year’s quarterback Max Duggan to find its way back to the Playoff.
7. Tulane cracks Top 25 as lone Group of Five team
There is only one Group of Five team in the AP top 25, and that is Tulane at No. 24. The Green Wave went 12-2 last year, their best record since 1998, and open this season as the Group of Five’s best chance to sneak its way into the national conversation.
Full Rankings
1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State
4. Alabama
5. LSU
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. Florida State
9. Clemson
10. Washington
11. Texas
12. Tennessee
13. Notre Dame
14. Utah
15. Oregon
16. Kansas State
17. TCU
18. Oregon State
19. Wisconsin
20. Oklahoma
21. North Carolina
22. Ole Miss
23. Texas A&M
24. Tulane
25. Iowa
