My final rankings for the college football season and my takeaways from the last year:
- Michigan Wolverines 15-0
- Washington Huskies 14-1
- Texas Longhorns 12-2
- Alabama Crimson Tide 12-2
- Georgia Bulldogs 13-1
- Ohio State Buckeyes 11-2
- Oregon Ducks 12-2
- Ole Miss Rebels 11-2
- Missouri Tigers 11-2
- Florida State Seminoles 13-1
- LSU Tigers 10-3
- Penn State Nittany Lions 10-3
- Arizona Wildcats 10-3
- Oklahoma State Cowboys 10-4
- Oklahoma Sooners 10-3
- Kansas State Wildcats 9-4
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10-3
- Oregon State Beavers 8-5
- Tennessee Volunteers 9-4
- Kansas Jayhawks 9-4
- Louisville Cardinals 10-4
- NCST Wolfpack 9-4
- Clemson Tigers 9-4
- Kentucky Wildcats 7-6
- SMU Mustangs 11-3
- Utah Utes 8-5
- Liberty Flames 13-1
- UCLA Bruins 8-5
- North Carolina Tar Heels 8-5
- West Virginia Mountaineers 9-4
- USC Trojans 8-5
- Iowa Hawkeyes 10-4
- Northwestern Wildcats 8-5
- Duke Blue Devils 8-5
- Troy Trojans 11-3
- Boise State Broncos 8-6
- Tulane Green Wave 11-3
- Memphis Tigers 10-3
- Iowa State Cyclones 7-6
- Maryland Terrapins 8-5
- UTSA Roadrunners 9-4
- Wyoming Cowboys 9-4
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 7-6
- Texas A&M Aggies 7-6
- Wisconsin Badgers 7-6
- Rutgers Scarlett Knights 7-6
- Texas Tech Red Raiders 7-6
- Miami Hurricanes 7-6
- New Mexico State Aggies 10-5
- Miami (OH) RedHawks 11-3
- Fresno State Bulldogs 9-4
- Virginia Tech Hokies 7-6
- Auburn Tigers 6-7
- UCF Golden Knights 6-7
- Florida Gators 5-7
- California Golden Bears 6-7
- Toledo Rockets 11-3
- UNLV Rebels 9-5
- Air Force Falcons 9-4
- James Madison Dukes 11-2
- Boston College Eagles 7-6
- South Carolina Gamecocks 5-7
- TCU Horned Frogs 5-7
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks 9-4
- Appalachian State Mountaineers 9-5
- Ohio Bobcats 10-3
- Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 8-5
- BYU Cougars 5-7
- San Jose Spartans 7-6
- Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 8-5
- Illinois Fighting Illini 5-7
- Texas State Bobcats 8-5
- Houston Cougars 4-8
- Minnesota Golden Gophers 6-7
- USF Bulls 7-6
- South Alabama Jaguars 7-6
- Nebraska Corn Huskers 5-7
- Syracuse Orange 6-7
- Mississippi State Bulldogs 5-7
- Bowling Green Falcons 7-6
- Old Dominion Monarchs 6-7
- Georgia State Panthers 7-6
- Louisiana Rajun Cajuns 6-7
- Arizona State Sun Devils 3-9
- Washington State Cougars 5-7
- Rice Owls 6-7
- Arkansas Razorbacks 4-8
- Utah State Aggies 6-7
- Northern Illinois Huskies 7-6
- Purdue Boilermakers 4-8
- Marshall Thundering Herd 6-7
- Arkansas State Red Wolves 6-7
- Georgia Southern Eagles 6-7
- Stanford Cardinal 3-9
- Colorado Buffaloes 4-8
- Virginia Cavaliers 3-9
- Pittsburgh Panthers 3-9
- Baylor Bears 3-9
- Colorado State Rams 5-7
- Michigan State Spartans 4-8
- Cincinnati Bearcats 3-9
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons 4-8
- Army Black Knights 6-6
- Navy Midshipmen 5-7
- North Texas Mean Green 5-7
- UAB Blazers 4-8
- FAU Owls 4-8
- Vanderbilt Commodores 2-10
- Indiana Hoosiers 3-9
- Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 5-8
- Eastern Michigan Eagles 6-7
- San Diego State Aztecs 4-8
- New Mexico Lobos 4-8
- Western Michigan Broncos 4-8
- Ball State Cardinals 4-8
- MTSU Blue Raiders 4-8
- Charlotte 49ers 3-9
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane 4-8
- Nevada Wolfpack 2-10
- Buffalo Bulls 3-9
- Sam Houston State Bearcats 3-9
- Central Michigan Chippewas 5-7
- Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 3-9
- UConn Huskies 3-9
- UTEP Miners 3-9
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles 3-9
- FIU Panthers 4-8
- UMass Minuteman 3-9
- Temple Owls 3-9
- ULM Warhawks 2-10
- East Carolina Pirates 2-10
- Akron Zips 2-10
- Kent State Golden Flashes 1-11
My Preseason Predictions
I’d just like to say that I kinda nailed most of my predictions in the preseason. Michigan was my no. 1, and I had both Alabama and Texas making the playoffs as well. Michael Penix Jr. was my pick for Heisman and he was my runner up, and I had Kansas higher than a lot of people did by having them in my Top 25, and their performance this season without their starting QB justified it. Finally, I also predicted Washington would win the Pac 12 unlike most people who picked USC (who didn’t even think would make the Pac 12 championship).
Alabama
I am a huge Alabama fan, and this season was a weird one. We had a terrible start with a home loss to Texas and an awful performance against USF. I feel like the season really turned around with the win at home against LSU. That was when Jalen Milroe truly showed that he had the potential to be an elite QB. I think he kinda took a step back against Auburn and Michigan, but overall I am optimistic about Milroe’s future. The defense was awesome and probably the best since 2020. Of course I am disappointed with ending in a loss, but I’m glad Alabama played the eventual national champions so well.
Looking to Next Season
With the 2023 season in the rearview mirror, let’s look forward to 2024 and the 12 team playoff. Opportunities will be open to a lot of new teams. I’m excited to see how it will all shakedown. I do think though, the playoffs will be dominated by the SEC and the Big Ten. I think the SEC will get 5 teams, Big Ten will get 3, Big 12 will get 2, ACC will get 1, and the group of 5 will get 1. My picks right now would be Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, and LSU from the SEC. Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon from the Big Ten. Utah and Kansas State from the Big 12. Florida State from the ACC. Boise State from the group of 5.
Here’s my way too early top 25:
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Oregon Ducks
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Texas Longhorns
- Michigan Wolverines
- Utah Utes
- LSU Tigers
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Arizona Wildcats
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Washington Huskies
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Florida State Seminoles
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Missouri Tigers
- Clemson Tigers
- USC Trojans
- Auburn Tigers
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Louisville Cardinals
- Michigan State Spartans
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