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ScaratheBear Ballot for 2023 Preseason

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Aug. 21, 2023, 3:26 p.m.

Rank Team Reason
1 Georgia Bulldogs The Dawgs sit atop the CFB world, and they look poised to stay there. The Dawgs possess the longest active winning streak (17) and are, of course, the 2 time defending National Champions. Sure, they lost 1st rounder Jalen Carter and legendary QB Stetson Bennett, but the team returns an absolute gluttony of talent everywhere and has an extremely soft schedule to warm new QB Carson Beck up.
2 Michigan Wolverines Michigan won 13 games last year and proceeded to lose practically nobody off of an extremely talented roster. JJ McCarthy is back. Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards spearhead arguably the best RB group in the country. 4 starters from last years Joe Moore winning OL return. The defense is absolutely loaded with experienced vets. Better yet, the schedule, like Georgia's, is charmin soft. Jim Harbaugh might be suspended 3 games, but the schedule doesn't really begin until a visit to Happy Valley on November 11th.
3 Ohio State Buckeyes The Buckeyes were a missed field goal away from playing in, and likely winning, the CFB playoff last year. A tough loss to swallow, the Buckeyes return this year with the Nation's best player, Marvin Harrison Jr., but have serious questions elsewhere on the roster. Who will replace Heisman runner up CJ Stroud? Who takes the reign at both offensive Tackle spots? Can the defense step up in the big games in year 3 of Jim Knowles? The team is stacked, but can it come together to be the best in the country?
4 LSU Tigers The scariest part about LSU is how far ahead of schedule they are. Last years LSU team was supposed to be a foundational team. Set the stage for the Brian Kelly era. All he did was win 10 games, make the SECCG, and keep LSU in contention for the playoff until a late season loss to Texas A&M. The season starts tough with Florida State, and of course the SEC West slate is relentless, but LSU returns plenty to keep up.
5 Alabama Crimson Tide There's questions basically everywhere on the Alabama roster. Who starts at QB? Will there be a dominant WR room? How do the new coordinators... coordinate? Does any of it matter? It's Alabama. They're stacked with 5 stars everywhere, they're coming off a dominant Sugar Bowl win, and Nick Saban is the greatest HC in history. The schedule starts tough and stays tough, but I can't imagine Saban would have it any other way. Never bet against the Dark Lord.
6 Penn State Nittany Lions At some point, Penn State HAS to make the leap right? Since 2016's B1G Champion team, Penn State has been the bridesmaid of the Big 10. Ohio State and Michigan have kept the Nittany Lions at bay, but this season has the feel of something different. 5 star QB? Check. Talented, veteran roster from top to bottom? Check. Favorable schedule? Check. All Penn State needs to do is best Ohio State in the Shoe and Michigan at home. No biggie right?
7 USC Trojans Oh, Lincoln Riley. CFB's biggest and best mercenary. He is arguably CFBs best offensive mastermind, and he brings with him the reigning Heisman winner and probable 1st overall pick Caleb Williams. Regardless of who's playing on that side of the ball, I wouldn't worry. It'll be a dominant force. All USC needs is a defense. Any kind of defense. Even a marginal improvement over last years D means that USC is sliding right into the playoff picture. We'll see the Trojans in action against this Saturday against SJSU.
8 Clemson Tigers For all the doom and gloom surrounding the Tigers, here's the facts. Clemson was a point away from being in the playoff. They won the ACC for the 7th time in 8 years. They brought in the latest hotness with Garrett Riley to spearhead a new offensive effort. Clemson sits atop the ACC throne, and they'll remain there until someone forcibly takes it from them.
9 Florida State Seminoles Speaking of the team to forcibly take the ACC throne, Florida State travels to Death Valley in week 4 to try and knock the Tigers off. The Noles return the most production in the nation, a staggering 87% of last years 10 win team. Jared Verse, who would have been a first round pick this year, comes back. Jordan Travis returns for his 6th year after putting up 31 TDs last season. The schedule, however, is the biggest obstacle. Neutral site week 1 against #4 LSU, then right to Death Valley for potentially the game of the year in the ACC against Clemson.
10 Washington Huskies Only two teams return two 1000 yard receivers. One is Ohio State, and the other are the Huskies of Washington. Kalen Deboer led a stunning turnaround from the disappointment of 2021 by leading the Huskies to an 11-2 record and a #8 finish in the final AP poll. QB Michael Penix returns for his final year, flanked by his two 1k yard receivers and all Pac-12 OTs. The defense should be much improved, and a favorable schedule getting Oregon and Utah at home means that the Huskies are potentially primed for Pac-12, and maybe national, glory.
11 Tennessee Volunteers Those damn Gamecocks. If not for laying a fat egg in Colombia, Josh Heupel and the Vols may have been in the playoff instead of Ohio State. The biggest question for the Vols? Can Joe Milton fill Hendon Hookers shoes? If not, can Nico Iamaleava step up in his Freshman year? The Vols must navigate a mine filled schedule, with UTSA, Texas A&M, Alabama, and of course Georgia. Other problems are creeping around too. The Vols must replace 3 members of last years good offensive line. More importantly, can the secondary improve from... lets be honest, outright atrocious to serviceable? The ceiling for the Vols is high, but the floor is low too.
12 Texas Longhorns Texas must, at some point, be back. And if there was a year to do it, this is it. Quinn Ewers leads a fearsome looking offense spearheaded by overwhelmingly talented OL and receiving groups, and though do everything star Bijan Robinson is gone, the RB room doesn't look shabby either. The defense, though young, is monumentally talented and could absolutely stand with any team in the country. Pair that with a new and arguably down Big 12, and you've got a recipe for the Horns to come alive in their last year of Big 12 membership. And early season trip to Alabama will tell what the Longhorns expectations should be, but even a loss there shouldn't put dampers on Big 12 title hopes.
13 Utah Utes Does the season rest on Cam Rising's health? Utah's golden boy, the player most singlehandedly responsible for Utah's back to back conference championships, is unlikely to play against Florida in the season opener. Could that potentially derail Utah's hopes of a 3peat? The rest of the Utah team looks strong, and certainly capable of picking up the slack should Rising be out for an extended period. The bigger problem is the schedule. Trips to Oregon State, USC, and Washington, as well as home games against UCLA and Oregon, make it seem as though the Pac-12 is going to have another year of cannibalization.
14 Kansas State Wildcats Lost in the hubbub surrounding Texas as well as a crushing loss to Alabama last year in the Sugar Bowl, K State quietly looks very capable of repeating as Big 12 Champs. Will Howard is one of, maybe the best QB in the Big 12. They return an excellent offensive line, and brought in All-ACC RB Treshaun Ward to replace "small but mighty" Deuce Vaughn. The defense will need to find replacements, and HC Chris Klieman will need to lead the team through a tough draw in the new Big 12, but K-State is well primed to compete amongst the best in the conference and maybe Nationally.
15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Ah, what to say of Notre Dame. They lost to Marshall as well as 3-9 Stanford, but beat up the ACC Champs and red hot South Carolina in an eventual 9-4 season. Year 2 of the Marcus Freeman era is headlined by 2 things. First, Sam Hartman comes in as maybe the best QB the Irish have had since... Brady Quinn? Two, the Irish play almost inarguably the toughest schedule in the country, with Ohio State and USC coming to town as well as a trip to Death Valley in November. If the Irish are to return to the playoff, they'll have earned it. The season starts this Saturday (8/26) with a trip to Ireland against Navy.
16 Wisconsin Badgers Dairy Raid time in Wisconsin. Tanner Mordecai should lead a revamped, retooled offense spearheaded by new OC Phil Longo. Longo was uniquely responsible for UNC's devastating passing attack, along with grooming Sam Howell and Drake Maye to national recognition. Wisconsin's schedule is perfectly winnable, with a visit from Ohio State being the only significant roadblock on their path to the Big 10 Championship. Luke Fickell should have the Badgers on the national stage in year 1.
17 Oregon Ducks Amongst all of the Pac-12 contending teams, it is Oregon who has the most experience with success. And yet it doesn't really feel that way does it? Oregon has won 9 or more games in each of the last 4 non-covid seasons, but it's always felt as though they've underachieved. This season, Oregon fans hope, will be different. They've got a legit Heisman caliber QB in Bo Nix, with talent to match any Pac-12 team all across the roster. Dan Lanning should have the defense in a better spot for 2023, but the question remains. Can Oregon avoid the silly losses? Can they win the big games? Time will tell.
18 Ole Miss Rebels If I had to ask you who the 3rd winningest program in the SEC over the last 3 years was, who would you say? LSU? Tennessee? No, it's the Lane Train and Ole Miss who've established themselves as SEC boogeymen. The offense should be electric again, and if the defense can be even average, Ole Miss could really stun some folks.
19 Tulane Green Wave Last years Tulane team had a dream season. Win the conference, 12 wins, and beat snobby USC in the Cotton Bowl in a GOTY candidate. The classic AAC powers are gone, and Tulane returns star QB Michael Pratt behind the best OL in the AAC. They should be favorites in all but one of their games (Ole Miss), and Fritz can coach with the best of them. Could be talking about Tulane being a dark horse for the playoff in a month or two.
20 TCU Horned Frogs It's going to be a tough season for the Frogs, for a number of reasons. First, to improve upon last year would mean winning the National title. That's a hell of a mountain to climb in the first place. Second, TCU's turnover from last season is immense. They're ranked 118th in returning production, with only 3 starters coming back on what was a clutch offense from last year.
21 North Carolina Tar Heels Drake Maye.
22 Duke Blue Devils Did you know Duke went 9-4 last year? Do you know that they return 71% of their overall production from last year, as well as 82% of their offensive production? You do now. I don't expect them to win the ACC, but don't be surprised when they're in the hunt for the ACC title late in the season.
23 Texas A&M Aggies Can the Aggies put it together? That's the question. The talent to compete with the best in the country is there. There's enough 4 and 5 star players on the roster to make Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State sweat. And yet, Texas A&M is "only" 39-21 under Jimbo Fisher, and 23-18 in conference. There has to be an uptick at some point.
24 UTSA Roadrunners Meep Meep, the Roadrunners are coming to the AAC. 23-5 over their last 2 years with B2B conference titles, UTSA has been one of the best G5 programs in the country. Last years team took Houston to the wire and teased the hell out of Texas. This years team must travel to Houston, Tennessee, and Tulane, and hopefully keep the Meeps rolling. Frank Thomas is fun, and Jeff Traylors offense if fun.
25 Oklahoma Sooners The first year under Brett Venables was... not the best. First losing season since 1998, a 49-0 blank against Texas, and a loss to FSU in the Cheesiest Bowl. But looking deeper, maybe it's not all that bad. The Sooners lost 5 one score games. Turn over 2 or 3 of those, and the talking points around Oklahoma are totally different. Dillon Gabriel is back, Venables should have the defense better in year 2. Don't sleep on the Sooners to make a run in their last year of Big 12dom.

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