I’ve seen a handful of these out there since the end of the season, and to be honest, some of them left me scratching my head. So, in my initial article for the website, I decided to put together my own. We’ll see if it makes you scratch your head too, along with a little commentary on each one, including a game I think the country would love to see that team play on its schedule. Please share your thoughts here with the group also – love some college football feedback and banter!
1. Georgia – “In order to be the man, you got to beat the man! WOOOO!” The 2-time defending champs are here until they’re beaten. Along with a Top 2 creampuff non-conference games schedule, and playing in the SEC East, they have the clearest path to 2023 CFP.
Non-conference schedule – UT Martin, Ball St., UAB, @ Georgia Tech
Why are they not playing – Alabama? (Ok, we’ll wait…)
2. Alabama – For anyone that thinks The Tide are going anywhere, think again. Yes a lot of key pieces to replace, but the #1 recruiting class plus Tricky Nicky out for revenge for not getting in the CFP this year - get your popcorn ready for the first week in December in Atlanta.
Non-conference schedule – Middle Tenn St., Texas, @ USF, UT Chattanooga
Why are they not playing – Georgia? (Ok, we’ll wait…)
3. Michigan – News flash, the NFL doesn’t want Harbaugh back, which means Michigan should be good for a while. With the other Top 2 creampuff non-conference schedule, their only game this year is Ohio State, who they get at home and have beaten twice in a row.
Non-conference schedule – East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green
Why are they not playing – Notre Dame? (Makes too much sense to not play that rivalry)
4. Ohio State – I think the Suckeyes could be getting close to the slippery slope of sliding back to the pack, but that’s another topic for another day. They are here because Michigan beat them twice, and have one additional marquee game aside from Michigan that they need to survive.
Non-conference schedule – Youngstown St., Western Kentucky, @ Notre Dame
Why are they not playing – Cincinnati? (Closest in-state rival possible)
5. Utah – 2-time defending Pac 12 champs get the nod here. With Cam Rising returning at QB and some key pieces back from injury, this could be the time where bypass the Rose Bowl and go straight to the CFP. And undoubtedly will have revenge on their minds at home week 1.
Non-conference schedule – Florida, @ Baylor, Weber St.
Why are they not playing – BYU? (Love a good Holy War!)
6. USC – Sure the reigning Heisman trophy winner and presumptive #1 overall pick in the 2024 draft is back, but who did they bring in to play defense? The SSP crew could have held Utah and Tulane to less points by ourselves! Improvement here will be needed to be a real threat.
Non-conference schedule – San Jose St., Nevada, @ Notre Dame
Why are they not playing – Tulane? (Bowl re-match)
7. Tennessee – Was it Heupel or Hooker that made the offense go last year? We’ll find out with Joe Milton set to be QB1 this year. There’s a reason he next got the job back once he was healthy. Do get the champs at home this year, will that be enough to take them down?
Non-conference schedule – Virginia (Nashville), Austin Peay, UTSA, UConn
Why are they not playing – Ole Miss? (Sign me up for the Lane Bowl every season!)
8. LSU – I was one that scratched my head at the Brian Kelly hire last year, wondered if it would work, and wondered if Daniels could play in the SEC. By the end of the year though, it looked like they could be scary. Also have revenge on their mind week one.
Non-conference schedule – FSU (Orlando), Grambling St., Army, Georgia State
Why are they not playing – Tulane? (In-state rival, give the AAC Champs a chance!)
9. North Carolina – This starts my ACC thruple. They get the nod here because I’ll go with coach with a natty on his resume AND the QB. Maye is pretty much locked in as the #2 overall pick in 2024. Shore up some spots around him and they can get back to Charlotte.
Non-conference schedule – South Carolina (Charlotte), App St., Minnesota, Campbell
Why are they not playing – East Carolina and Western Carolina? (Play all the Carolinas!)
10. Clemson – Tigers get the nod here because they have a coach with a natty on his resume too. They’ve shown they can win in spite of dreadful QB play, which means they have talent everywhere. Dabo figures out that spot, and they could run away with the conference again.
Non-conference schedule – Charleston Southern, FAU, Notre Dame, @ South Carolina
Why are they not playing – Oklahoma? (the old Coach vs former DC chess match)
11. Florida State – The one with the coach with no natty. Yes they bring a ton back, but now is the time to show that they’re back. Storming the field when you beat a 6-6 team doesn’t prove that. Getting to Charlotte might. Going from the hunter to the hunted, how will they handle that?
Non-conference schedule – LSU (Orlando), Southern Miss, North Alabama, @ UF
Why are they not playing – Colorado? (Prime vs his alma mater – MUST SEE TV!!!)
12. UCLA – Following the ACC is the Pac-12 foursome. Anyone who expected Chip to turn them around overnight didn’t know the situation there. But the gradual progress is there, and when he’s flipping 5-star QB’s from his previous school now, there’s something brewin’ there. (Get it?)
Non-conference schedule – Coastal Carolina, @ San Diego St., NC Central
Why are they not playing – Oregon? (Pac-12, I mean come on, you must make it happen yearly)
13. Oregon – Has Eugene become a steppingstone job? (Chip? Willie? Mario?) Lanning has proved he can be a P5 HC, and has a potential Top 10 class coming in, so will he get wandering eyes too? Plus, we all know that at some point Bad Bo Nix will reappear, right?
Non-conference schedule – Portland St., @ Texas Tech, Hawaii
Why are they not playing – UCLA? (Pac-12, I mean come on, you must make it happen yearly)
14. Oregon State – Jonathan Smith has quietly and methodically brought his alma mater up from the ashes. A fully renovated stadium now will only make going to play them more difficult. Hopefully DJU gets the fresh start he needs, but also not derail the good thing going there.
Non-conference schedule – @ San Jose St., UC Davis, San Diego State
Why are they not playing – USC? (Held the Heisman trophy winner to 17, let’s see it again!)
15. Washington – Penix coming back is huge, as shown by what that HC-QB combo can do by beating Texas in Texas. Schedule is tricky, but get Oregon and Utah at home. Talent is there, will they make the next step forward?
Non-conference schedule – Boise St., Tulsa, @ Michigan St.
Why are they not playing – UCLA? (Seriously I could make a better schedule than the Pac-12)
16. TCU – The national runner-up gets the benefit of the doubt here. Yes they lose top QB, RB, WR, and also their OC. But have some key transfers coming in, and the Big 12 appears to look wide open next season, so there is no reason why they can’t be back at the top. Do it again.
Non-conference schedule – Colorado, Nicholls, SMU
Why are they not playing – Texas A&M? (Beat the Aggies and Horns claim king of the state!)
17. Penn State – The quintessential “they could be good but are they?” team. Rose Bowl champs yes, aided by knocking out the other team’s QB. They are here because they do play BOTH Michigan and Ohio State. Need to realize they need to beat them to join the CFP conversation.
Non-conference schedule – West Virigina, Delaware, UMASS
Why are they not playing – Pitt? (Keystone rivalry!)
18. Notre Dame – Is it me or has the luster lost its shine already with HC Freeman? They feel mid to me. I also think the narrative of playing an independent schedule is deceiving. A lot of mid teams who they should overwhelm with talent, but they didn’t last year. Will they this year?
Top 3 key games on schedule – Ohio State, USC, @ Clemson
Why are they not playing – Michigan? (Makes too much sense to not play that rivalry.)
19. Kansas State – They are solid and should remain consistent. They play a style that most teams don’t see often, and after winning the Big 12 title game and hanging with Alabama for a while, they have seen what they need to do to take that next step.
Non-conference schedule – SE Missouri, Troy, @ Missouri
Why are they not playing – Nebraska? (Old Big 8 rivalry.)
20. Ole Miss – They have the running game, they just brought in Alabama’s DC, so that should help with their D. Now they just need to fix their passing game, and if anyone can do it, Lane would be at the top of that list. Bringing Dart back and 2 transfer QB’s, one of them is going to stick.
Non-conference schedule – Mercer, @ Tulane, Georgia Tech, UL Monroe
Why are they not playing – Tennessee? (Sign me up for the Lane Bowl every season!)
21. Arkansas – KJ Jefferson is coming back, who could be a Day 1 and the 3rd QB taken in the 2024 draft, so that’s good enough for me. An injury-free season with a few new weapons coming in should once again make Fayetteville an unpleasant stop along the gauntlet that is the SEC West.
Non-conference schedule – Western Carolina, Kent St., BYU, FIU
Why are they not playing – Texas? (a real border war.)
22. Boise St. – The Broncos seemed middling for a while as they were trying to find their next QB, but once they settled on Taylen Green, they took off. The non-conference schedule is harder than it looks but they could be the favorite G5 team to make the NY6 next season.
Non-conference schedule – @ Washington, UCF, North Dakota, @ Memphis
Why are they not playing – Oklahoma? (Rematch of Fiesta Bowl classic.)
23. Texas – Anyone else feel that the Vince Young team was the aberration and that they are who they are? The talent is there though. But seriously the most intriguing matchup of the year for them is Quinn Ewers vs. Arch Manning. That is not going to end well for anyone.
Non-conference schedule – Rice, @ Alabama, Wyoming
Why are they not playing – Texas A&M (remember when this was the Thanksgiving night game?)
24. Tulane – A great run and story from last season that could continue. QB Pratt coming back is a huge win already. The defending AAC champs also should have a lighter conference load with 4 of its best teams now gone. Beat Ole Miss early and 2023 may be a repeat of 2022.
Non-conference schedule – South Alabama, Ole Miss, @ Southern Miss
Why are they not playing – USC? (Bowl re-match)
25. (Tie) Miami – We all know Mario is a phenomenal recruiter, but when does he become a great game day coach? That was the frustration Oregon fans had with him, and his alma mater needs him to figure that out, because there were some bad losses there last year that can’t happen.
Non-conference schedule – Miami OH, Texas A&M, Bethune-Cookman, @ Temple
Why are they not playing – Florida? (Hold please.)
26. (Tie) Florida – Yes the optics are bad, the end to last season was bad, the offseason hasn’t been optimal. But all the shine from a year ago today is not gone, so some patience is needed. Week 1 revenge spot on the road is not ideal, but after that, only big game not in state is at LSU.
Non-conference schedule – @ Utah, McNeese St., Charlotte, FSU
Why are they not playing – Miami? (Hold please.)
A quick sidebar for you two tied at 25 – Listen, year 1 at a new place can always have bumps in the road. Those jobs didn’t become open because everything was smooth sailing prior to you getting there. We both lost the same top QB and DB recruit. But let’s look at reality here – you both are in a state where you roll out of bed and 4- and 5-star recruits are proverbially growing on trees outside your door. It’s up to you to figure out a way to keep them in-state and specifically make sure they find a way into your programs, and then it’s your job to coach them up and not fail them on Saturdays. Because in 2024, you two play each other, and if there is a repeat of a 5 and 6 win season again this year, I’ll be the first to say it, but if 2023 goes the way 2022 did the game in 2024 might be the proverbial “Loser Leaves Town” match! Now, figure it out and do better. And really, don’t lose to Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee and you’re already doing better, and then that game in 2024 can be what it should be for – bragging rights and for dominance in the state.
Also receiving votes – UCF, UTSA, Illinois, Louisville, Iowa, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Maryland
Brian- How do the Miami hurricanes get ranked while they won 5 games and have the #7 recruiting class. While Oklahoma won 6 games and has the #4 recruiting class. Oklahoma also has one of the top defensive transfer portal classes which was a weak point of the team. On top of that out of Oklahomas 7 losses last year they lost by 3 points in 4 of them. Also UCLA at 12 is criminal. Somehow Maryland is “receiving votes“ but Oklahoma isn’t.. who is running this circus!? The Sooners got something cooking for next year and it ain’t ya aunties meatloaf.
As a Canes fan I don’t think we should be near anybody’s Top 25 lol. Mario & Co need to go earn it.