The 2022 college football season had both expected (Georgia in the national title game) and unexpected (TCU in the national championship game). It was a season filled of breathtaking moments (Tennessee’s field-storming after defeating Alabama), breathtaking performances (Caleb Williams against a variety of teams), and breathtaking developments (a 12-team playoff in 2024!).
The season has ended, and it is time to begin the longest offseason in major American sports.
Who wants to see Sporting News’ way-too-early top 25 for 2023?
These lists were created to be roasted. The transfer site will change these rankings, and it will be a long time until the preseason polls are out in August. After all, the Horned Frogs weren’t even in these rankings to begin last season.
However, eight of the top ten teams in our ‘way-too-early
It’s far too early, but this is college football. So, it’s never too early to start planning for the following year. The Sporting News college football panel selected their top teams for next season.
With that, let’s look at Sporting News’ Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2022:
‘ rankings last year finished ranked this season, and six qualified for the New Year’s Six bowl games. And Georgia was ranked third, one position behind second-place Ohio State. They met in this season’s College Football Playoff semifinals.
Which teams, besides the typical powerhouses, have something coming back in 2023? What teams have anything to prove?
Kirby Smart has created a machine, and spring will begin with a quarterback fight between Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff, and Gunner Stockton. There is still plenty of star power in tight end Brock Bowers, linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and safety Javon Bullard. Georgia’s first four games are at home, and the schedule leads up to a Nov. 18 matchup at Tennessee, which might decide the SEC East championship.
The Crimson Tide lose Bryce Young and Will Anderson, but Nick Saban still has more than enough talent to win another national championship. Quarterbacks Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson will compete for the starting job unless the transfer portal plays a role. A quality bunch of receivers, headlined by Ja’Corey Brooks and Kobe Prentice, will have more experience. Linebacker Dallas Turner and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry will head the defense. This time around, Bryant-Denny Stadium will host Texas, Tennessee, and LSU.
There are more Jim Harbaugh-to-the-NFL rumors to sort through, but the Wolverines appear poised for another Big Ten championship run. Blake Corum’s comeback was a pleasant surprise, and it will work nicely with quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Donovan Edwards. The defense should improve around a nucleus of Junior Colson, Will Johnson, and Mike Sainristil. Ernest Hausmann, a transfer from Nebraska, was among those discovered through the transfer site. The Wolverines’ schedule also sets them up for another fast start.
