College Football's Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2023
A detailed look at a Way-Too-Early Top 25 college football team rankings for 2023 from the editors of the most accurate NCAAF preseason CFB ranking magazine.
athlonsports.com
6. Florida State
After winning double-digit games (10) for the first time since 2016, Florida State has a strong case to rank ahead of Clemson as the ACC’s preseason favorite for ’23. The Seminoles have improved their win total from three to five to 10 under coach Mike Norvell, so the next logical step is to win the ACC. The pieces are in place to reach that goal, starting with quarterback Jordan Travis, who should rank among the nation’s best at his position in 2023. Trey Benson headlines a loaded backfield, and Johnny Wilson (20.9 yards per catch) leads an improving set of receivers. Improvement along the offensive line has been instrumental in Florida State’s rise recently, and three transfers are on the way to push the returning starters. The ‘Noles are also trending in the right direction on defense after limiting teams to 20.6 points a game in ’22. The bulk of this group is slated to return and received a boost when end Jared Verse followed tackle Fabien Lovett in passing on the NFL. And similar to the offense, a couple of transfer additions – tackle Braden Fiske (Western Michigan) and cornerback Fentrell Cypress II (Virginia) – add to a solid core. A date in Orlando against LSU is a tough way to start ’23 and road treks to Florida and Clemson are also on tap in the regular season.
12. Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman’s first year had its share of ups (wins over North Carolina, Clemson and South Carolina) and downs (losses to Stanford and Marshall), but a 9-4 finish and another standout recruiting class provide plenty of optimism for the overall direction going into ’23. The addition of Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman gives Notre Dame one of the top 15 quarterbacks in college football. The Fighting Irish also possess a deep backfield with Chris Tyree, Logan Diggs and Audric Estime all slated to return, while left tackle Joe Alt is back to anchor a standout line. Finding more difference-makers at receiver and a replacement for tight end Michael Mayer tops the list of offseason priorities for coordinator Tommy Rees. Freeman’s defense should return largely intact after limiting opponents to just 5.2 yards per play in ’22. End Isaiah Foskey and safety Brandon Joseph leave big shoes to fill, but cornerback Benjamin Morrison is a rising star and leading tacklers JD Bertrand and Jack Kiser are back to man the second level. Key matchups against USC and Ohio State take place in South Bend, with a road trek to Clemson set for Nov. 4.
13. Clemson
The Tigers have won 10 or more games for 12 consecutive seasons but have missed the CFB Playoff in back-to-back years. With Florida State’s recent improvement, combined with the question marks surrounding Clemson in ’23, coach Dabo Swinney’s team may not rank as the preseason favorite in the ACC. Quarterback Cade Klubnik is one of the ACC’s rising stars, and running back Will Shipley will be one of the top playmakers in the conference. However, the Tigers need the receiving corps and offensive line to take a step forward to return to the playoff. Better play up front will be a challenge with left tackle Jordan McFadden off to the NFL. As usual, Clemson’s defense will rank among the best in the ACC. But coordinator Wes Goodwin must replace tackle Bryan Bresee, end Myles Murphy, and linebacker Trenton Simpson. Safety Andrew Mukuba, tackle Tyler Davis and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. are back as key defenders for ’22.
19. North Carolina
Putting North Carolina in the top 25 is a bet that quarterback Drake Maye can carry this team and overcome a few significant roster concerns in ’23. In his first year as the full-time starter, Maye threw for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns to just seven picks and led the team with 698 yards on the ground. The junior could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With No. 1 receiver Josh Downs (94 catches) leaving Chapel Hill, a pair of transfers – Nate McCollum (Georgia Tech) and Devontez Walker (Kent State) add insurance to a group that already has reliable options in tight end Bryson Nesbit and receivers J.J. Jones, Kobe Paysour and Gavin Blackwell. A line that’s allowed 89 sacks over the last two seasons has a few voids to fill, but Coastal Carolina transfer Willie Lampkin will help right away. While scoring points won’t be a problem, the Tar Heels need to be a lot better on defense to return to the ACC Championship Game. This unit allowed 27 touchdown passes (tied for No. 116th nationally), ranked last in the ACC in scoring defense (30.8 ppg), and surrendered 6.14 yards per play in ’22. While finding optimism after a dismal performance on defense might be tough, this unit returns the bulk of the two-deep, and coach Mack Brown landed a couple of impact additions through the portal.
31. Louisville
New coach Jeff Brohm inherits a solid foundation from a team that went 8-5 last year. Also, the Cardinals are bringing in one of the ACC’s top classes of transfers.
