Preseason Power Rankings: Top 25 heading into the season

In just five days, college football will be back on your television screens to kick off Week 0, but a lot of change has occurred since early January. With offseason movement between the transfer portal, coaching changes, injuries and players drafted to the NFL, which teams have enhanced their rosters for this upcoming season? And which teams might have dropped?

Can Georgia make an appearance back in the national championship game after missing the College Football Playoff last season? With new faces on the field and a new head coach, what can Michigan bring this season coming off a national championship?

Here’s how our college football experts have ranked the top 25 teams heading into the season.

All times Eastern.

No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs

The Bulldogs had won 29 straight games, including back-to-back national championships, before losing to Alabama in last season’s SEC championship game. Kirby Smart insists his team won’t need that loss, not to mention being left out of the playoff, for motivation. He said every team and every season is different. What’s not different is that Georgia will again be one of the most talented teams in the country with one of the best quarterbacks (Carson Beck), perhaps the best offensive line Smart has had at Georgia, and a defense that will again be deep with new faces ready to emerge. This could be Mykel Williams’ breakout season at defensive end, and three-year starter Malaki Starks is one of the best safeties in college football. The road schedule, in particular, isn’t easy. The Bulldogs have to play at Alabama, at Texas and at Ole Miss. They open the season against Clemson in Atlanta on Aug. 31. But even with that gauntlet, Georgia has all the pieces in place to be back in the playoff for the fourth time under Smart. — Chris Low

Week 1 matchup: vs. Clemson on Aug. 31 (noon, ABC)

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes

The stakes could not be higher for coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, who try to end a three-year losing streak against archrival Michigan and win their first national title since 2014. Ohio State has one of its most talented rosters ever, after retaining almost every non-senior NFL draft hopeful and making key portal additions such as running back Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss), safety Caleb Downs (Alabama) and quarterback Will Howard (Kansas State). Few teams will have more depth than Ohio State at defensive line, running back, secondary, wide receiver and quarterback. Offensive line will be an area to watch after some shakiness last season. The schedule includes no nonleague games against major conference competition, trips to Oregon (Oct. 12) and Penn State (Nov. 2), and a finale against Michigan at Ohio Stadium. Anything less than a win over Michigan and a deep CFP run would be deemed disappointing. — Adam Rittenberg

Week 1 matchup: vs. Akron on Aug. 31 (3: 30 p.m., CBS)

No. 3 Oregon Ducks

Despite losing a Heisman Trophy-level quarterback to the NFL and switching conferences, the Ducks are primed for yet another big year under Dan Lanning. Oregon has shored up the quarterback position by bringing in Dillon Gabriel from Oklahoma and Dante Moore from UCLA, while adding a ridiculous amount of talent at both skill and strength positions. Players such as former Texas A&M wide receiver Evan Stewart should thrive alongside returning players such as wide receiver Tez Johnson, while defensive additions such as cornerback Jabbar Muhammad from Washington and defensive lineman Derrick Harmon from Michigan State should complement the young talent that’s already part of the Ducks’ defense. If the quarterback fit is as seamless as it was for Bo Nix, reaching the title game is well within reach for one of the Big Ten’s new additions. — Paolo Uggetti

Week 1 matchup: vs. Idaho on Aug. 31 (7: 30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

No. 4 Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns went on a revenge tour in their last season in the Big 12, making their first College Football Playoff appearance before falling short against Washington in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. They’ve got the QB in Quinn Ewers, with Arch Manning right behind him along with a stout offensive line, to make another run. But Ewers will have a nearly all-new supporting cast at receiver and running back — where Texas has already lost RB CJ Baxter with a knee injury — but Steve Sarkisian has a deep roster and still has four options in the backfield. The schedule takes a leap with the SEC slate and a Week 2 nonconference trip to Michigan, before Georgia visits in October. Two of the past three games are road trips to hostile environments at Arkansas and Texas A&M, two teams eager to revisit their rivalries. — Dave Wilson

Week 1 matchup: vs. Colorado State on Aug. 31 (3: 30 p.m., ESPN)

No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide

Saying it’s a new era at Alabama might be the biggest understatement in football since saying the forward pass might change the game. Nick Saban is gone after winning six national championships in 17 seasons at Alabama, and Kalen DeBoer takes over after guiding Washington to the national championship game last season in his second year in Seattle. Following a legend like Saban is not for everyone, but DeBoer hasn’t flinched. He knows what he’s getting into, and he inherits a talented roster.

Jalen Milroe is back at quarterback after finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season and should flourish in DeBoer’s system. Washington transfer Parker Brailsford adds to a big, physical offensive line, and Alabama fans are eager to see freshman sensation Ryan Williams at receiver. The middle of the defense should be strong, but there are questions in the secondary. The Crimson Tide lost three elite defensive backs to the NFL and the transfer portal. Georgia visits Alabama on Sept. 28 in one of the more anticipated games of the season, and four of the Tide’s last six games are against teams ranked in the preseason Top 25. At Alabama, no matter who’s the coach, it’s always going to be playoff-or-bust — at the very least. — Low

Week 1 matchup: vs. Western Kentucky on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., ESPN)

No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Irish have a roster that looks playoff-caliber. On defense, Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner Xavier Watts returns alongside potential first-round draft picks Benjamin Morrison and Howard Cross. On offense, Notre Dame returns one of the nation’s top tight ends (Mitchell Evans) and made some strong upgrades in the receiving corps with transfers Kris Mitchell and Beaux Collins. Much will come down to the performance of quarterback Riley Leonard, who arrives from Duke following a 2023 campaign mired by an injury that came against, ironically, Notre Dame. Leonard’s upside is significant, however, and if the offensive line develops as head coach Marcus Freeman hopes, the Irish figure to be primed for a playoff run. — David Hale

Week 1 matchup: At Texas A&M on Aug. 31 (7: 30 p.m., ABC)

No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels

If not now, when for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss? Kiffin believes the Rebels look the part of an elite SEC program for the first time in his five seasons in Oxford. That’s primarily down to Ole Miss’ offseason work in the transfer portal, where the Rebels beefed up their offensive line with 15-game Washington starter Nate Kalepo and retooled on defense with additions from across the SEC, led by defensive tackle Walter Nolen (Texas A&M), edge rusher Princely Umanmielen (Florida), linebacker Chris Paul Jr. (Arkansas) and cornerback Trey Amos (Alabama). That group will bolster a rising defense under coordinator Pete Golding. On offense, quarterback Jaxson Dart returns for a third season at Ole Miss, and the Rebels bring back Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins, who combined for 107 receptions last season, to go with the addition of South Carolina’s Antwane Wells Jr. Ole Miss has a Quinshon Judkins-sized hole to fill in the backfield this fall, but otherwise the Rebels have all they need to finally push to the very top of the SEC. — Eli Lederman

Week 1 matchup: vs. Furman on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., ESPN+)

No. 8 Penn State Nittany Lions

The Nittany Lions boast the top returning quarterback in the Big Ten who actually played in the Big Ten last season. Drew Allar quietly had a promising first season, throwing for 25 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He also finished 26th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten in Total QBR (73.7). Penn State, however, is hoping that new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki can help unlock Allar as a downfield passing threat; Allar ranked just 92nd in yards per passing attempt (6.76) and 109th in air yards per attempt (7.05). With Kotelnicki calling plays, Kansas ranked third in yards per attempt (10.04) and 10th in air yards per attempt (11.20) last year. The Nittany Lions have the talent on both sides of the ball to make a run to the playoff — if the passing attack takes another step forward. — Jake Trotter

Week 1 matchup: At West Virginia on Aug. 31 (Noon, FOX)

No. 9 Michigan Wolverines

The defending champs don’t go through as hard of a reset as the team they beat for the title (Washington), but there will be new faces on the field and the sidelines. Still, Michigan has arguably the best players at three different positions in cornerback Will Johnson, defensive tackle Mason Graham and tight end Colston Loveland. Johnson, Graham, Kenneth Grant and others lead a defense that should remain elite under veteran coordinator Wink Martindale. Michigan will need to figure out its quarterback situation, where both Jack Tuttle and Alex Orji are likely to play early on. The Wolverines return running back Donovan Edwards, Loveland and a receiving corps that is generating some internal optimism. First-time coach Sherrone Moore doesn’t face overwhelming pressure right away, and Michigan’s toughest games are at home — Texas (Sept. 7), Oregon (Nov. 2) and USC (Sept. 21) — before finishing the regular season at Ohio State (Nov. 30). — Rittenberg

Week 1 matchup: vs. Fresno State on Aug. 31 (7: 30 p.m., NBC)

No. 10 Florida State Seminoles

There are myriad questions Florida State must answer this season — chief among them, how do the Seminoles respond after the heartbreak of last season? Coach Mike Norvell says they have left their disappointment over their College Football Playoff snub in the past, but several players have said they want to prove that their undefeated run to an ACC championship was no fluke. They enter the season with a completely revamped offense, starting at quarterback, where Clemson/Oregon State transfer DJ Uiagalelei takes over for Jordan Travis. Will this be his best season yet? Then there are the receivers, largely unproven, tasked with replacing Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson. Florida State returns an experienced offensive line and deep running back room, so expect a different look on offense. Defensively, Florida State once again has depth on the defensive line — watch for Georgia transfer Marvin Jones Jr. — and a top-tier secondary. The talent is there for the Seminoles to make their long-anticipated return to the playoffs. — Andrea Adelson

Week 0 matchup: vs. Georgia Tech on Aug. 24 (Noon, ESPN)

No. 11 Missouri Tigers

There hasn’t been this much momentum surrounding Missouri’s football program since the Tigers were coming off a 12-win season in 2013 and SEC championship game appearance in only their second year in the league. It all starts with the pass-catch combination of quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III. Both will be in their third year as starters. Missouri lost several productive players to the NFL, including first-round pick Darius Robinson on the defensive line. But coach Eliah Drinkwitz hit the transfer portal hard and brought in players at key spots on both sides of the ball. Among them: running backs Marcus Carroll and Nate Noel, offensive tackle Marcus Bryant and defensive end Zion Young. Missouri lost its defensive coordinator, Blake Baker, to LSU and replaced him with Corey Batoon. The Tigers are fortunate to have one of the SEC’s more favorable schedules, including a cushy nonconference slate. In the league, Missouri avoids Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, LSU and Tennessee. Another season of double-digit wins certainly looks doable, which could include a playoff trip. — Low

Week 1 matchup: vs. Murray State on Aug. 29 (8 p.m., SEC Network)

No. 12 Utah Utes

It was a big offseason for the Utes as the program officially announced that defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley would be taking over as head coach when Kyle Whittingham (whose contract runs through 2027) retires. It’s unclear whether this could be Whittingham’s last hurrah, but it will be Cam Rising’s final shot at taking Utah to the College Football Playoff and beyond. After sitting out last season due to his recovery from knee surgery, Rising, who has already won two Pac-12 titles for the program, decided to return to Salt Lake City. Now in the Big 12, the Utes are one of the favorites to win the conference and have added key talent like former USC wideout Dorian Singer to bolster an offense that was without an identity last year. The defense, like any under Whittingham, should also be back to its typical form. — Uggetti

Week 1 matchup: vs. Southern Utah on Aug. 29 (9 p.m., ESPN+)

No.13 LSU Tigers

As Brian Kelly enters his third season at LSU, the Tigers will have a different look on defense, and with good reason. They couldn’t stop anybody a year ago, wasting an offense that led the country in scoring (45.5 points per game) and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. Kelly brought in Blake Baker from Missouri as defensive coordinator along with three new assistants on defense. It’s that side of the ball that has to improve significantly if the Tigers are going to make a playoff run. On offense, Garrett Nussmeier gets his shot at quarterback after waiting his turn behind Daniels. Nussmeier passed for 395 yards and three touchdowns last season in the ReliaQuest Bowl. And while first-round draft picks Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. have departed at receiver, LSU is excited to see what Kyren Lacy can do in an expanded role. The Tigers have the best offensive tackle tandem in the country in Will Campbell and Emery Jones. The Sept. 1 season opener against USC in Las Vegas will be key. If the Tigers can win that one, they have an excellent chance to be 5-0 going into a home date with Ole Miss on Oct. 12. — Low

Week 1 matchup: vs. USC in Las Vegas on Sept. 1 (7: 30 p.m., ABC)

No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee’s 27 wins in three seasons under Josh Heupel represents the program’s best three-year run since Phil Fulmer won 28 games from 2002 to ’04. Still, pressure hangs over the Volunteers, who enter 2024 with College Football Playoff expectations. Nico Iamaleava takes over under center, tasked with rejuvenating an offense that dipped from its historic 2022 levels last fall, while Dylan Sampson (5.7 yards per carry in 2023) returns in the backfield. There should be stability on the offensive line as LSU transfer Lance Heard settles in next to three returning starters, but Tennessee’s strength lies with a defensive line that led the SEC in tackles for loss in 2023, a group set to be powered again this fall by potential first-round draft pick James Pearce Jr. A Week 2 neutral-site meeting with NC State will be a litmus test for the Volunteers. Can Tennessee navigate a relatively favorable SEC schedule on the way to the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance? — Lederman

Week 1 matchup: vs. Chattanooga on Aug. 31 (12.45 p.m., SEC Network)

No. 15 Clemson Tigers

Once a top-five mainstay, Clemson has not made the College Football Playoff in three years and won nine games in 2023 — the first time in 12 years the Tigers failed to reach double-digit wins. But coach Dabo Swinney remains unconcerned, firmly believing in the direction the program is headed. Swinney has defended his decisions and his offense, starting with Cade Klubnik, who enters a crucial second season as the starter with Garrett Riley calling the plays. Clemson is banking on a better offensive line and young receivers to step up and show improvement. Meanwhile, the defense is expected to return to form after a bit of a dip a year ago, with Barrett Carter leading the way, along with super sophomores Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. We will know much more about Clemson after the first five games of the season — the Tigers open against Georgia, then have NC State and Florida State in two of their first three league games. Clemson lost to both last year. — Adelson

Week 1 matchup: vs. Georgia on Aug. 31 (Noon, ABC)

No. 16 Kansas State Wildcats

All QB transfers are not created equal: Will Howard was a productive starter for the Wildcats before exiting for Ohio State. But Howard’s exit clears a path for Avery Johnson, a Kansas native and four-star recruit who had five rushing TDs off the bench against Texas Tech last year as a true freshman, then started in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, where he was named the MVP. Chris Kleiman’s teams play tough defense, and his offensive system will remain despite the loss of coordinator Collin Klein to Texas A&M. New co-OC’s Conor Riley and former Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells will have to break in an offensive line that returns just one full-time starter but added pieces like Colorado RB Dylan Edwards and Kent State/Penn State WR Dante Cephas. After a 3-2 start last season, K-State finished 9-4 a year after a Big 12 title, losing those four by a combined 21 points, including taking Texas to overtime in Austin. The Wildcats will continue to be one of the toughest outs on the schedule. — Wilson

Week 1 matchup: vs. UT Martin on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., ESPN+)

No. 17 Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma is 16-10 in two seasons under coach Brent Venables and the stakes are high for the Sooners as they make their SEC debut this fall. Linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman Jr. lead a deep group of returners in a defense finally taking shape in Year 3 of the Venables era, now led by first-year defensive coordinator Zac Alley. On offense, pressure rests on the shoulders of first-year quarterback Jackson Arnold and an offensive line down four starters from a year ago. Around them, the Sooners carry optimism in running back depth that includes Gavin Sawchuk, Jovantae Barnes and freshman Taylor Tatum, and a deep wide receivers group headlined by Purdue transfer Deion Burks. Initial conference meetings with Tennessee (home), Auburn (away) and Texas (neutral) will provide early tests for Oklahoma, while trips to Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU, and a visit from Alabama await in a daunting back half of the season. — Lederman

Week 1 matchup: vs. Temple on Aug. 30 (7 p.m., ESPN)

No. 18 Oklahoma State Cowboys

With Texas and Oklahoma off to the SEC, there is an obvious void atop the Big 12. Oklahoma State is well-positioned to fill it. The Cowboys have been good for nearly all of Mike Gundy’s