Ranking Every Power Five Conference Football Program for 2023
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When it comes to where the power resides in college sports, college football and the elite programs that make up the Power Five conferences — the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and ACC as well as Notre Dame — are at the center.
In 2023, the ranks of Power Five football programs added four teams to the mix, with BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF joining the Big 12. The 2023 season will also be the last time the College Football Playoff has four teams before it expands to 12 teams beginning in 2024. It's also the last season before there's a major shakeup of conferences, with Pac-12 schools USC and UCLA headed to the Big Ten and Big 12 schools Texas and Oklahoma headed to the SEC.
This is where all 68 Power Five football programs and Notre Dame stand heading into the 2023 football season, ranked from worst to first.
69. Northwestern (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 1-11, 1-8 Big Ten
Head coach: David Braun (interim)
Bottom line: Longtime head coach and former Northwestern star Pat Fitzgerald was fired just a few months before the 2023 season in the wake of a hazing and bullying scandal — the Wildcats were already coming off one of the worst seasons in school history. Not good.
68. Stanford (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 3-9, 1-8 Pac-12
Head coach: Troy Taylor (1st year)
Bottom line: New head coach Troy Taylor is already making some big-time moves on the recruiting trail and has several elite prospects headed to Stanford … in 2024.
67. Rutgers (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 4-8, 1-8 Big Ten
Head coach: Greg Schiano (15th year)
Bottom line: Rutgers hasn't had a winning record since 2014 and hasn't had a winning record in conference play since 2012, when the Scarlet Knights were still in the Big East. The season opener against Northwestern on Sept. 3 will be important for both teams, as it may be each squad's only chance for a win in 2023.
66. California (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 4-8, 2-7 Pac-12
Head coach: Justin Wilcox (7th year)
Bottom line: Cal head coach Justin Wilcox increased his team's win total in each of his first three seasons, but they've been on a continuous slide with three straight losing seasons since 2020. With the uncertainty of the Pac-12's future, recruiting must be a nightmare right now.
65. Virginia (ACC)
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2022 record: 3-7, 1-6 ACC
Head coach: Tony Elliott (2nd year)
Bottom line: Virginia head coach Tony Elliott's first season in Virginia was defined by tragedy when four of his players were shot and three of them were killed by another former football player late in the season. On the field, there were questions about Elliott's ability to run an offense — something he specialized in as an assistant at Clemson — as the Cavaliers saw a steep decline in production.
64. Georgia Tech (ACC)
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2022 record: 5-7, 4-4 ACC
Head coach: Brent Key (2nd year)
Bottom line: It was bad luck for Georgia Tech that it hired Brent Key before the 2022 season — they probably stood a good chance of landing Jackson State's Deion Sanders just one year later. Going .500 in the ACC is nothing to turn your nose up at, but the Yellow Jackets have done little recently to indicate they can maintain any type of success.
63. Iowa State (Big 12)
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2022 record: 4-8, 1-8 Big 12
Head coach: Matt Campbell (8th year)
Bottom line: The bough finally broke at Iowa State in 2022 after almost a decade of overachieving under head coach Matt Campbell, and the Big 12 isn't getting any easier. Add in a gambling investigation that may sideline quarterback Hunter Dekkers, and the Cyclones have even more problems.
62. Boston College (ACC)
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2022 record: 3-9, 2-6 ACC
Head coach: Jeff Hafley (4th year)
Bottom line: Boston College took a big step back under head coach Jeff Hafley in 2022, going 3-9 after winning six games in each of Hafley's first two seasons. It was Boston College's worst season since 2015 — the Eagles haven't been more than two games above .500 since 2009.
61. Arizona State (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 3-9, 2-7 Pac-12
Head coach: Kenny Dillingham (1st year)
Bottom line: Arizona State fired head coach Herm Edwards just three games into the 2022 season, and the Sun Devils struggled the rest of the way. ASU's 3-9 record represented the worst season since 1994 and set the record for the most losses in a single season in school history.
60. West Virginia (Big 12)
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2022 record: 5-7, 3-6 Big 12
Head coach: Neal Brown (5th year)
Bottom line: The media picked West Virginia to finish last in the Big 12 this year — that's kind of insulting considering the Mountaineers picked up wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in two of their last three games. Plus, West Virginia has arguably the toughest schedule in college football in 2023.
59. Virginia Tech (ACC)
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2022 record: 3-8, 1-6 ACC
Head coach: Brent Pry (2nd year)
Bottom line: Virginia Tech's once-great football program has fallen on hard times — 2022 was the Hokies' fourth losing season in the past five years. They haven't finished in the Top 25 since 2017 and haven't played in a significant bowl game since losing in the Sugar Bowl in 2011.
58. Wake Forest (ACC)
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2022 record: 8-5, 3-5 ACC
Head coach: Dave Clawson (10th year)
Bottom line: No program in college football took a bigger hit in the transfer portal than Wake Forest after the Demon Deacons saw two-time All-ACC quarterback Sam Hartman exit stage left to Notre Dame. Hartman will be tough if downright impossible to replace — he threw for 12,967 yards and 110 touchdowns while rushing for 855 yards and 17 touchdowns in his time at Wake Forest.
57. Missouri (SEC)
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2022 record: 6-7, 3-8 SEC
Head coach: Eliah Drinkwitz (4th year)
Bottom line: Here's a thought — beg, borrow and steal to get back to the Big 12, and maybe salvage some of the fanbase Missouri turned its back on when they went to the SEC. Or just be happy being around .500 every year.
56. Arizona (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 5-7, 3-6 Pac-12
Head coach: Jedd Fisch (3rd year)
Bottom line: Arizona showed signs of life for the first time in years in 2022 — most notably by coming out of a late-season gauntlet against three consecutive ranked teams by playing No. 10 USC to within one score and defeating No. 9 UCLA for the first win over a ranked team under head coach Jedd Fisch. Don't forget Fisch went 1-11 in his first season at Arizona, which included a loss to FCS Northern Arizona. This is a different team.
55. Vanderbilt (SEC)
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2022 record: 5-7, 2-6 SEC
Head coach: Clark Lea (3rd year)
Bottom line: It's saying something about Vanderbilt football's current state lately that winning two games in the SEC is regarded as a minor miracle. Signs of life in Nashville.
54. Maryland (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 8-5, 4-5 Big Ten
Head coach: Mike Locksley (5th year)
Bottom line: Going 8-5 was a miracle for Maryland and head coach Mike Locksley. It won't happen again.
53. Houston (Big 12)
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2022 record: 8-5, 5-3 AAC
Head coach: Dana Holgerson (5th year)
Bottom line: Big 12 fans will get a charge out of seeing former West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen patrolling the sideline for Big 12 newcomer Dana Holgorsen — it won't be as fun when his teams start winning.
52. Indiana (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 4-8, 2-7 Big Ten
Head coach: Tom Allen (7th year)
Bottom line: It's hard to win football games at Indiana, where the Hoosiers haven't won a bowl game since 1991. But what Indiana does have is one of the most exciting players in the nation in sophomore running back/return specialist Jaylin Lucas, who was the only player in FBS with multiple kick returns for touchdowns in 2022 on the way to being named All-Big Ten, AP All-American and Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.
51. Duke (ACC)
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2022 record: 9-4, 5-3 ACC
Head coach: Mike Elko (2nd year)
Bottom line: Duke won a bowl game in Mike Elko's first season in 2022, going 9-4 and bringing home the Military Bowl championship. That represented a pretty incredible bounceback for the Blue Devils after three consecutive losing seasons. Also of note — Duke has won four consecutive bowl games.
50. Washington State (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 7-6, 4-5 Pac-12
Head coach: Jake Dickert (3rd year)
Bottom line: Washington State might have the most underrated quarterback in the nation with senior Cam Ward. Ward was the winner of the Jerry Rice Award as the top player in the FCS in 2021 and threw for 3,231 yards, 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2022.
49. Nebraska (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 4-8, 3-6 Big Ten
Head coach: Matt Rhule (1st year)
Bottom line: No fan base in college football is more desperate to become a contender again than Nebraska, where some of the greatest college football dynasties have been born. Forget the struggles Matt Rhule had in the NFL because coaching college football is where he belongs. Expect big things out of the Huskers moving forward.
48. Mississippi State (SEC)
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2022 record: 9-4, 4-4 SEC
Head coach: Zach Arnett (1st year)
Bottom line: Mississippi State endured a tragedy in the offseason with the death of legendary head coach Mike Leach. The Bulldogs will rely heavily on quarterback Will Rogers, a preseason All-SEC pick who holds almost every career and single-season passing record at Mississippi State.
47. Auburn (SEC)
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2022 record: 5-7, 2-6 SEC
Head coach: Hugh Freeze (1st year)
Bottom line: Putting Auburn this low might be a mistake — you have to bet Hugh Freeze is going to put a charge in the team that puts them above the middle of the pack in the SEC. The scandal-ridden Freeze gets another chance at Power Five football after turning Liberty (Liberty!) into a team to be reckoned with over the last few years.
46. Michigan State (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 5-7, 3-6 Big Ten
Head coach: Mel Tucker (4th year)
Bottom line: If we're giving Michigan State coach Mel Tucker the benefit of the doubt, then the very least we can do is say the 2023 season will be when we get definitive proof that he's any good at his job. In four seasons as a head coach — one at Colorado and three at Michigan State — Tucker is 18-14 overall with three losing seasons. In his only winning season as a head coach, Tucker went 11-2 at Michigan State in 2021.
45. Cincinnati (Big 12)
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2022 record: 9-4, 6-2 AAC
Head coach: Scott Satterfield (1st year)
Bottom line: Cincinnati fans should brace themselves for what could be a rough few years after the exit of head coach Luke Fickell for Wisconsin. One position that seems super sketchy for the Bearcats in 2023 is at quarterback, where Emory Jones looks like he'll be the starter. Jones played at Florida from 2018 to 2021 primarily as a backup and then went 1-6 as Arizona State's starter in 2022 before transferring to Cincinnati.
44. Illinois (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 8-5, 5-4 Big Ten
Head coach: Bret Bielema (3rd year)
Bottom line: Illinois saw a marked improvement in head coach Bret Bielema's second year in 2022, going 8-5 and making it to a bowl game — they also had a winning record in Big Ten play. That said, it's going to be really tough to replace star cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was selected No. 5 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
43. Syracuse (ACC)
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2022 record: 7-6, 4-4 ACC
Head coach: Dino Babers (8th year)
Bottom line: Sometimes, it's not completely clear if Syracuse realizes it still has a football team. Head coach Dino Babers has had a rollercoaster seven seasons leading the program, including a three-year stretch from 2018 to 2020 in which he went 10-3, 5-7 and 1-10. This team is almost impossible to predict year-to-year.
42. Louisville (ACC)
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2022 record: 8-5, 4-4 ACC
Head coach: Jeff Brohm (1st year)
Bottom line: Jeff Brohm turned things around in his time as Purdue's head coach and has now returned to his alma mater. It's reason enough to be excited about Louisville becoming an elite ACC team once again. Plus, quarterback Jack Plummer has been a starter at Purdue and Cal and will now take his shot at Louisville.
41. North Carolina State (ACC)
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2022 record: 8-5, 4-4 ACC
Head coach: Dave Doeren (11th year)
Bottom line: North Carolina State has been consistently good but not great in the last decade under head coach Dave Doeren. The team only has two losing seasons in that stretch but has never won more than nine games.
40. Purdue (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 8-6, 6-3 Big Ten
Head coach: Ryan Walters (1st year)
Bottom line: Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm left the program in good shape before taking off for Louisville. How the Boilermakers fare in 2023 will be largely determined by the play of transfer quarterback Hudson Card, who was a starter for parts of two seasons at Texas.
39. Arkansas (SEC)
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2022 record: 7-6, 3-5 SEC
Head coach: Sam Pittman (4th year)
Bottom line: Arkansas has won back-to-back bowl games under fourth-year head coach Sam Pittman and has one of its most talented teams in years. That said, Pittman has yet to post a winning record in SEC play. That's a thing.
38. BYU (Big 12)
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2022 record: 8-5, Independent
Head coach: Kalani Sitake (8th year)
Bottom line: There's no team people are looking forward to watching in the Big 12 more than BYU — they've played as an independent since leaving the Mountain West Conference in 2010. The Big 12 preseason poll had all four newcomers in the lower half of the league standings. That seems foolhardy, especially when it comes to BYU, which is 2-1 against Big 12 teams over the last three seasons, including an overtime win over Baylor in 2022.
37. Colorado (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 1-11, 1-8 Pac-12
Head coach: Deion Sanders (1st year)
Bottom line: Colorado has been the buzziest team of the offseason after hiring Deion Sanders as head coach and watching him come in and essentially gut the Buffs' roster — which was exactly what Colorado needed. This might be a little high to have the team, but you can't deny the talent Sanders has brought in. The bigger concern might be ongoing health issues for the Pro Football Hall of Famer, who had several toes amputated on his left foot and almost had to have the entire foot amputated in June 2023.
36. UCLA (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 9-4, 6-3 Pac-12
Head coach: Chip Kelly (6th year)
Bottom line: UCLA head coach Chip Kelly was on the hottest of seats before the 2021 season, but he put together back-to-back winning seasons, and you can bet he wants nothing more than to keep that going as the Bruins face down their last year in the Pac-12. UCLA's defense is stacked. They need some help on offense.
35. Minnesota (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 9-4, 5-4 Big Ten
Head coach: P.J. Fleck (7th year)
Bottom line: Where does the time go? P.J. Fleck is closing in on a decade as Minnesota's head coach and has led the Gophers to back-to-back, nine-win seasons the last two years. As long as Fleck is the coach there, you know Minnesota will be competitive in the Big Ten, but is that ceiling too hard to crack?
34. Baylor (Big 12)
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2022 record: 6-7, 4-5 Big 12
Head coach: Dave Aranda (4th year)
Bottom line: Baylor faltered down the stretch last season — losing four consecutive games to close out the year. The good news for the Bears is they have arguably the easiest schedule in the Big 12 and two potential stars in quarterback Blake Shapen and running back Richard Reese.
33. Kansas (Big 12)
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2022 record: 6-7, 3-6 Big 12
Head coach: Lance Leipold (3rd year)
Bottom line: This is putting a lot of faith in the Jayhawks to have them this high, but quarterback Jalon Daniels is special and could be a Heisman Trophy candidate. He just needs to stay healthy.
32. Central Florida (Big 12)
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2022 record: 9-5, 6-2 AAC
Head coach: Gus Malzahn (3rd year)
Bottom line: If you're seeing a pattern here, it's my absolute giddiness at the sheer chaos of the 2023 Big 12 football season — we know so little about how these four new teams will perform, and UCF might be the best of the bunch. Gus Malzahn in the Big 12? Yes, please.
31. Oklahoma State (Big 12)
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2022 record: 7-6, 4-5 Big 12
Head coach: Mike Gundy (19th year)
Bottom line: Oklahoma State's biggest distraction the last few years has been its conspiracy-theorist-in-chief, head coach Mike Gundy. We may finally see the true result of those off-field controversies after Oklahoma State looked pretty darn average in 2022 — what do you think comes up when schools recruit against Oklahoma State? Any guesses?
30. Pittsburgh (ACC)
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2022 record: 9-4, 5-3 ACC
Head coach: Pat Narduzzi (9th year)
Bottom line: Pat Narduzzi's teams summed up in one word: feisty. They've been one of the toughest outs in the ACC the last two years and continue to bring in NFL talent.
29. Kentucky (SEC)
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2022 record: 7-6, 3-5 SEC
Head coach: Mark Stoops (11th year)
Bottom line: If you just read the headlines in 2022, you probably thought that Kentucky's strength was on offense with quarterback Will Levis — going 7-6 with a losing record in SEC play would speak to something different. Kentucky has two preseason All-SEC picks on defense, with defensive lineman Deone Waller and linebacker J.J. Weaver.
28. Oklahoma (Big 12)
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2022 record: 6-7, 3-6 Big 12
Head coach: Brent Venables (2nd year)
Bottom line: The common thinking about Oklahoma is that 2022 was just an aberration — you would think the first losing record in 25 years would be more of a cause for concern. Second-year head coach Brent Venables has done nothing to show he's up to the task of leading one of college football's marquee programs.
27. Texas Tech (Big 12)
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2022 record: 8-5, 5-4 Big 12
Head coach: Joey McGuire (2nd year)
Bottom line: What is second-year Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire cooking up in Lubbock? The Red Raiders surprised everyone by going 8-5 in McGuire's first season and have been hot as a pistol on the recruiting trail. Bet on McGuire to keep it rolling.
26. TCU (Big 12)
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2022 record: 13-2, 9-0 Big 12
Head coach: Sonny Dykes (2nd year)
Bottom line: TCU shocked college football in head coach Sonny Dykes' first season in 2022 by making it to the CFP Championship Game … where it lost to Georgia 65-7. How will the Horned Frogs react after that blowout and with their top players — quarterback Max Duggan and wide receiver Quentin Johnston — off to the NFL?
25. Oregon State (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 10-3, 6-3 Pac-12
Head coach: Jonathan Smith (6th year)
Bottom line: Former Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith seems to have the Beavers on solid ground — back-to-back winning seasons with a 10-3 record and their first bowl win in a decade in 2022. Oregon State has seven players on the preseason All-Pac-12 team and could be a dark horse contender for the conference title.
24. Iowa (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 8-5, 5-4
Head coach: Kirk Ferentz (25th year)
Bottom line: The longest-tenured Power Five head coach in the nation is Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, who weathered multiple scandals over the last few years to keep his team right where it seems like they usually are — as one of the better teams in the Big Ten. Cornerback Cooper DeJean is also one of the nation's best players.
23. Miami (ACC)
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2022 record: 5-7, 3-5 ACC
Head coach: Mario Cristobal (2nd year)
Bottom line: This might be a reach putting Miami this high, but their talent alone makes them a team that should be able to crack the Top 25. Is Mario Cristobal actually a good head coach or just a great recruiter? We'll find out the answer for sure in 2023.
22. Washington (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 11-2, 7-2 Pac-12
Head coach: Kalen DeBoer (2nd year)
Bottom line: If you need any evidence as to why the Pac-12 is breaking up, look no further than the almost anonymity Washington endured while going 11-2 in 2022 — one of the best seasons for the Huskies in the last 20 years. Washington returns with the best player of that team in veteran quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
21. Wisconsin (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 7-6 , 4-5 Big Ten
Head coach: Luke Fickell (1st year)
Bottom line: Wisconsin got a real one when it hired Luke Fickell as its head coach one day after the 2022 season ended. Fickell was the man who led the first non-Power Five school to the BCS playoffs at Cincinnati in 2021 — so imagine what he can do with Wisconsin's resources. The Badgers also have a new quarterback in Tanner Mordecai, who is on his third college after previous stops at Oklahoma and SMU.
20. Texas A&M (SEC)
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2022 record: 5-7, 2-6 SEC
Head coach: Jimbo Fisher (6th year)
Bottom line: Jimbo Fisher may be at the end of his rope at Texas A&M if he can't put together a truly remarkable season in 2023 — the problem with the Aggies hasn't been talent; it's been producing on the field. The Aggies were ranked No. 6 in the 2022 AP Preseason Top 25 and then went 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the SEC. Get this: Texas A&M doesn't have a 10-win season under Fisher, who makes almost $10 million per year.
19. Florida (SEC)
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2022 record: 6-7, 3-5 SEC
Head coach: Billy Napier (2nd year)
Bottom line: Few teams in college football had a worse offseason than Florida, which had to withstand two scandals in the quarterback room after potential starter Jalen Kitna was charged with possession of child pornography and top quarterback recruit Jaden Rashad was allowed out of his National Letter of Intent after he said he was lied to by one of Florida's NIL collectives. And all of that comes after going 6-7 and 3-5 in the SEC.
18. Utah (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 10-4, 7-2 Pac-12
Head coach: Kyle Whittingham (19th year)
Bottom line: Kyle Whittingham is one of the nation's longest-tenured coaches and showed why he's also one of the best in 2022 as the Utes went 10-4 and pulled off the season sweep of USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game. If quarterback Cam Rising can stay healthy, Utah should be in the hunt for a third consecutive Pac-12 title.
17. Ole Miss (SEC)
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2022 record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC
Head coach: Lane Kiffin (4th year)
Bottom line: Ole Miss fell apart in the second half of the season in 2022, losing five of its last six games after rising to No. 7 in the national rankings. Ole Miss has two offensive stars in quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins, who set the school single-season rushing record and led the SEC in rushing with 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2022.
16. North Carolina (ACC)
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2022 record: 9-5, 6-6 ACC
Head coach: Mack Brown (15th year)
Bottom line: North Carolina might have the best player in the nation in quarterback Drake Maye, who threw for 4,321 yards and accounted for 45 total touchdowns in 2022. So, we know the offense will be stacked — but can the defense keep up?
15. South Carolina (SEC)
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2022 record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC
Head coach: Shane Beamer (3rd year)
Bottom line: South Carolina surprised everyone by how well it played at the end of the 2022 season as transfer quarterback and former five-star recruit Spencer Rattler finally found his footing. All signs point to that momentum carrying into 2023.
14. Texas (Big 12)
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2022 record: 8-5, 6-3 SEC
Head coach: Steve Sarkisian (2nd year)
Bottom line: The eyes of Texas — and the rest of the nation — will be on the Longhorns in 2023, with quarterback Quinn Ewers looking to establish himself as one of the nation's best quarterbacks before bolting to the NFL. All the while, freshman Arch Manning waits in the wings. If you want to see some truly dramatic internet posts, just wait until Ewers has a bad game.
13. Oregon (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 10-3, 7-2 Pac-12
Head coach: Dan Lanning (2nd year)
Bottom line: Oregon coach Dan Lanning showed he was the real deal in his first season, as he led the Ducks to a 10-3 record and gets quarterback Bo Nix back in 2023. All the pieces are in place for Nix, a former Auburn starter, to finally fulfill his potential.
12. Kansas State (Big 12)
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2022 record: 10-4, 7-2 Big 12
Head coach: Chris Klieman (5th year)
Bottom line: Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman led the Wildcats to their first Big 12 Conference Championship Game win since 2003 with an upset of TCU — the Horned Frogs went on to lose to Georgia in the CFP Championship Game. Kileman has a potential star back at quarterback in Will Howard and a potential star quarterback waiting in the wings with freshman Avery Johnson. The future is bright in Manhattan.
11. Notre Dame (Independent)
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2022 record: 9-4, Independent
Head coach: Marcus Freeman (2nd year)
Bottom line: Notre Dame fans haven't forgotten that god-awful start to the 2022 season under new head coach Marcus Freeman — back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Marshall. The Irish have boatloads of talent but can't afford to slip out the gate like that again. Do yourself a favor and watch offensive tackle Joe Alt play at some point this year — the son of former NFL offensive tackle John Alt could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
10. Tennessee (SEC)
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2022 record: 11-2, 6-2 SEC
Head coach: Josh Heupel (3rd year)
Bottom line: Tennessee is the team knocking on the door of the SEC's elite teams waiting to be let in, and the Volunteers came very, very close to just kicking in the door in 2022. Can head coach Josh Heupel's team make the leap? Can quarterback Joe Milton be the savior Tennessee fans want him to be?
9. Florida State (ACC)
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2022 record: 10-3, 5-3 ACC
Head coach: Mike Norvell (4th year)
Bottom line: No team in the country is going to have more hype than Florida State headed into the 2023 season, thanks to the return of quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive end Jared Verse. How well head coach Mike Norvell and his squad can block out all that noise will be the key.
8. Penn State (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 11-2, 7-2 Big Ten
Head coach: James Franklin (10th year)
Bottom line: Can you believe it's been an entire decade with James Franklin at Penn State? Franklin needs to get his program to the College Football Playoffs at some point. With an expanded field and what looks like a future NFL quarterback in Drew Allar, he's probably run out of excuses if he can't make it in 2023.
7. Clemson (ACC)
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2022 record: 11-3, 8-0 ACC
Head coach: Dabo Swinney (15th year)
Bottom line: All the talk about Florida State being the ACC's elite team has likely made its way to Clemson, where head coach Dabo Swinney has potential All-Americans in the backfield with quarterback Cade Kubnik and running back Will Shipley. Swinney and his team have taken some shots in the last few years — but this might be the year they hit back.
6. LSU (SEC)
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2022 record: 10-4, 6-2 SEC
Head coach: Brian Kelly (2nd year)
Bottom line: Few teams were playing football on the same level as LSU at the end of the 2022 season under first-year head coach Brian Kelly — so it's difficult to see the Tigers taking a step backward in year two.
5. Alabama (SEC)
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2022 record: 11-2, 6-2 SEC
Head coach: Nick Saban (17th year)
Bottom line: Only at Alabama could an 11-2 season be considered a disappointment, but you won't find anyone arguing that the Crimson Tide had a good year. The biggest problem for Alabama is at the quarterback position, where it's not clear yet who will be the starter.
4. Ohio State (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 11-2, 8-1 Big Ten
Head coach: Ryan Day (5th year)
Bottom line: The Buckeyes have the best wide receiver group in the nation, led by potential No. 1 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. And after two seasons as C.J. Stroud's backup, junior quarterback Kyle McCord seems poised for a breakout year.
3. Michigan (Big Ten)
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2022 record: 13-1, 9-0 Big Ten
Head coach: Jim Harbaugh (9th year)
Bottom line: Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has led his team to a seismic breakthrough the last two seasons, capped by a College Football Playoff berth following the 2022 season. With most of their nucleus back in 2023 the Wolverines have their sights on a national championship.
While a deal was in place for Harbaugh serve a four-game NCAA suspension to start the 2023 season for "impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities," that deal was called off and all disciplinary hearings and action appeared to be pushed back to 2024 until Michigan announced it was self-imposing a three-game suspension for Harbaugh in 2023.
2. USC (Pac-12)
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2022 record: 11-3, 8-1 Pac-12
Head coach: Lincoln Riley (2nd year)
Bottom line: USC's last year in the Pac-12 before it makes the leap to the Big Ten is the best chance the Trojans have had at winning a national title in almost two decades. Quarterback Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy last season and is a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Georgia (SEC)
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2022 record: 15-0, 8-0
Head coach: Kirby Smart (8th year)
Bottom line: The two-time defending national champs have dealt with myriad off-field issues since winning their last title, but they have arguably the nation's top offensive weapon in tight end Brock Bowers, plus another defense filled with future NFL Draft picks.