The 2022 college football season brought the requisite amount of expected (Georgia in the national title game) and unexpected (TCU in the national title game). It was a season full of breath-taking moments (Tennessee's field-storming after beating Alabama), breath-taking performances (Caleb Williams vs. a variety of teams) and breath-taking developments (a 12-team playoff is coming in 2024!).
The season is over, and now it is time to kick off the longest offseason in major American sports.
Who wants to see Sporting News' Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2023?
These lists are made to be roasted. The transfer portal will alter these rankings, and it's a long way until the preseason polls come out in August. After all, the Horned Frogs weren't even close to these rankings to start last season.
MORE: Tracking the key quarterback transfers in 2022-23
But eight of the top 10 teams we had in our 'way-too-early' rankings last year finished this season ranked and six made New Year's 6 bowls. And Georgia was slotted at No. 3, one spot behind No. 2 Ohio State. They met in this season's CFP semifinals.
After the usual powerhouses, which teams have something coming back in 2023? Which teams have something to prove?
It's way too early, but this is college football. So really, it's never too early to think about next year. The Sporting News college football panel voted on their top teams for next season.
With that, a look at Sporting News' Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2022:
2023 Way Too Early Top 25
1. Georgia
Kirby Smart has built a machine, and spring will open with a three-way quarterback battle among Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton. There remains more than enough 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 builds toward a Nov. 18 matchup at Tennessee – which could decide the SEC East championship.
2. Alabama
The Crimson Tide lose Bryce Young and Will Anderson, but Nick Saban still has more than enough talent to make another national championship run. Quarterbacks Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson will battle for the starting job unless the transfer portal becomes a factor. A talented group of receivers led by Ja'Corey Brooks and Kobe Prentice will be more experienced. Linebacker Dallas Turner and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry will lead the defense. Texas, Tennessee and LSU come to Bryant-Denny Stadium this time.
3. Michigan
There is another round of Jim Harbaugh-to-the-NFLrumors to sort out, but the Wolverines are primed for another Big Ten championship run. Blake Corum's return was a welcome surprise, and that will mesh well with quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Donovan Edwards. The defense should be better around a core that includes Junior Colson, Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil. Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann was among the transfer portal finds. The Wolverines' schedule sets up for another fast start, too.
MORE: Will Harbaugh bolt for NFL this time?
4. Ohio State
There is a touch more pressure on Ryan Day this season, but the Buckeyes showed against Georgia that their heavyweight credentials are not expired by any means. Kyle McCord will have the first crack at the starting quarterback job if C.J. Stroud turns pro, and the skill-position talent still features Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson. Edge rusher J.T Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer lead the defense. Ohio State runs back the home-and-home with Notre Dame and Penn State comes to Ohio Stadium, but the circle-it-date remains the same. The Buckeyes haven't lost three straight times to Michigan since 1995-97.
MORE: Where to Ohio State Michigan go from here after CFP losses?
5. Tennessee
Yep, the Volunteers are the third SEC team in the top five. Josh Heupel proved the system works, and there is quarterback depth with Orange Bowl MVP Joe Milton and five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava. Bru McCoy and Squirrel White will be his favorite targets. The defense will need to rebuild, but another recruiting cycle should help. Virginia is on the non-conference schedule, and the road games at Florida and Alabama will not be easy. Where will the Vols be when Georgia visits Neyland Stadium this year?
6. LSU
Who had Brian Kelly winning 10 games in his first season? The Tigers have talent, and quarterback Jayden Daniels' decision to return to school is huge. The offensive line could return all five starters. The defense will have some holes to fill, but edge rusher Harold Perkins showed flashes of superstar potential. He returns on that side. The rematch with Florida State in Orlando could be a top-10 showdown. LSU is ahead of schedule, and now Kelly will have to deal with increased expectations. That's a good thing.
7. USC
USC finished 11-3 under first-year coach Lincoln Riley, and was an impressive turnaround from last year's 4-8 season. Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy, and his brilliant play-making skills will be on display again in 2023. Will Riley work the transfer portal again to add some more playmakers? Mario Williams and Brenden Rice should step up for an offense that loses Jordan Addison. What about the defense? The Trojans allowed 29.2 points per game, which ranked 94th in the FBS. That is the difference in becoming a playoff team and national championship contender.
MORE: Caleb Williams named SN's Player of the Year
8. TCU
TCU made the CFP championship game in Sonny Dykes' first season, but several key pieces will be gone. Max Duggan is gone, and Kendre Miller and Quentin Johnston have NFL Draft decisions to make. Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson also might be NFL-bound. That said, Dykes proved he can work the transfer portal (he has three players from Alabama headed to Forth Worth already) and the offense has a system that can welcome new pieces. Will TCU lead another charmed season? The opener against Colorado and first-year coach Deion Sanders will be a visible first test.
9. Penn State
James Franklin broke the losing streak against top-10 teams with Penn State's impressive 35-14 victory against Utah in the Rose Bowl. Now, the Drew Allar era at quarterback begins, and running back Nick Singleton seems primed to be one of the best running backs in the country. Tackle Olu Fashanu is back, too. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz returns a solid unit that features Abdul Carter and Kalen King. This might be their best team since the 2016 Big Ten championship team. Michigan visits Happy Valley, and the Nittany Lions have to win at Ohio State. The stakes have not changed.
10. Washington
We wanted to go higher with Washington, who impressed with an 11-win season in Year 1 under Kaleb DeBoer. Michael Penix Jr., who ranked second in the FBS with 4,641 passing yards this season, surprised by returned to school for another year. So did edge rushers Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui – a tandem that combined for 13.5 sacks. Washington has a non-conference game at Michigan State and visits Oregon State and USC in Pac-12 play. It looks like an all-in year for the Huskies.
11. Oregon
Dan Lanning's first year was a success, but there were hiccups along the way. Quarterbacks coach Will Stein takes over for offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who took the Arizona State job. Bo Nix returned for another season at quarterback after compiling 43 total TDs last season. Oregon's non-conference schedule is soft, and USC comes to Autzen Stadium this season. Road trips to Utah and Washington won't be easy either. Still, the Ducks will be a factor in a competitive Pac-12 race.
12. Florida State
Are the Seminoles ready to get back to CFP contention? Mike Norvell silenced the critics with a 10-win season, and Jordan Travis took hold of the quarterback position with 31 total TDs. Travis is one of the most-exciting offensive talents in the FBS, and Trey Benson bypassed the NFL Draft. That gives Florida State one of the strongest backfields in the country. The opener against LSU should be a thriller and trips to Clemson and Pitt are the toughest tests on the ACC schedule.
13. Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman won nine games in his first season. Record-setting Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman is headed to Notre Dame and is expected to beat out Tyler Buchner at quarterback and all three pieces of ND's running game (Chris Tyree, Logan Diggs and Audric Estime) are back. Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Jayden Thomas lead the receivers. Cornerback Benjamin Morrison leads what will be a rebuilt defense. Home games against Ohio State and USC and a road trip to Clemson are the highlights of a tough schedule.
14. Clemson
Is this disrespecting the ACC champions? Clemson went 3-3 in its last six games with losses to Notre Dame, South Carolina and Tennessee. Cade Klubnik and Will Shipley form what should be a prolific backfield, and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. leads a defense that will have to retool up front after Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy entered the 2023 NFL Draft. Clemson and Florida State will battle for the ACC title. It's on Dabo Swinney to get back to the College Football Playoff for the first time in three years.
15. Utah
Are we under-valuing Utah again? Cam Rising is back, and that is huge for the two-time defending Pac-12 champions. Cole Bishop returns as the leading tackler from the defense. Longtime coach Kyle Whittingham is no stranger to the under-the-radar treatment, and the return game against Florida in the opener will be an early chance to prove it on the national stage again. Utah goes to Baylor in Week 2. That's beefing up the non-conference schedule.
16. Oregon State
Here is the fifth Pac-12 team on this list. The Beavers will be one of the more-interesting sleeper teams of 2023 with the arrival of quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, a Clemson transfer who should benefit from the change of scenery. Damien Martinez rushed for 982 yards and seven TDs. There are some key pieces to replace on defense, but Jonathan Smith can build off a 10-win season. The Beavers also have beaten rival Oregon two of the last three seasons.
17. Kansas State
Winning the Big 12 championship was a break-through for Chris Klieman, and Will Howard returns at quarterback. The Wildcats did get a reality check in the Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama, but that is a measuring stick the program can use for the future. The top-to-bottom-gap in the Big 12 is close. Kansas State visits Missouri in its toughest non-conference game.
18. Texas Tech
Will the Big 12 actually run through Lubbock? The Red Raiders won their last four games, and that was a successful season for first-year coach Joey McGuire. That included a sweep of Oklahoma and Texas. Tyler Shough is back at quarterback for one more year, and he has top receiver Jerand Bradley to work with. The defense loses Tyree Wilson but should be improved in its second year. The Red Raiders were 2-4 against ranked teams this season. Can they improve that record?
19. Wisconsin
This is faith in first-year coach Luke Fickell to engineer a quick turnaround with the Badgers in the Big Ten West – which is there for the taking. SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai and Oklahoma transfer Nick Evers will join a quarterback derby with Chase Wolf, and Braelon Allen could be ready for that full-scale breakout in the offense. Fickell will have a hand on a defense that should be solid. September has some pot-holes with trips to Washington State and Purdue, and an Oct. 28 visit from Fickell's alma mater Ohio State is the highlight of the schedule.
20. Texas
Steve Sarkisian enters his third season with the most-intriguing five-star quarterback battle in the FBS. How long will Quinn Ewers hold off Arch Manning? That is the question. Texas has brought in back-to-back elite recruiting classes, and there is depth on the roster on both sides. Other than that, it is the same-old story. Texas has five losses of eight points or less each of the last two seasons. Which quarterback can flip that trend? The clock is ticking before this program joins the SEC.
21. Texas A&M
The Aggies are coming off a 5-7 season and 23 players entered the transfer portal through the 2022 season. How could Jimbo Fisher possibly turn this around? Connor Weigman, who had eight TDs and no interceptions and led the victory against LSU in the regular-season finale, is a good start. Teamed with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, this should work. Sophomore receiver Evan Stewart will break out, and there is enough young talent through the recruiting that should surface this season. The Oct. 7 matchup against Alabama will be telling, but the Aggies have road games at Miami, Tennessee and LSU. Fisher has a lot to prove.
22. North Carolina
The Tar Heels had some transfer portal defections, and offensive coordinator Phil Longo left for Wisconsin. Mack Brown still took this program to the ACC championship game for the first time in four seasons, and Drake Maye is back at quarterback. Maye is an elite talent who ranked second in the FBS with 358.5 total yards per game. The Tar Heels' late-season slide in 2022 is noted, but with Maye they can get back to the ACC championship game. Early-season tests against South Carolina and Minnesota are good barometers for how that ACC season might look.
23. Tulane
The Green Wave inherited the title of Group of 5 buster for 2022 after their impressive Cotton Bowl victory against USC. How long can Willie Fritz keep it rolling? Quarterback Michael Pratt is back, but the running game will have to find a replacement for Tyjae Spears, who entered the NFL Draft. The defense was beefed up by transfer portal additions last season. Will Fritz continue that trend? Ole Miss visits Tulane for a Sept. 9 matchup. That will be a fun showcase for the Green Wave.
MORE: TCU, Tulane, Cincinnati show change is coming to CFB
24. UTSA
Jeff Traylor is 23-5 the last two seasons with the Roadrunners, and he was not scooped up by a Power 5 school on this turn of the carousel. The non-conference schedule features matchups at Houston and Tennessee, and the good news is Frank Harris – who ranked sixth in the FBS with 333.2 yards of total offense – is back for another season. UTSA can score with anybody, and this is the team to beat in Conference-USA. Can they evolve into that New Year's Day Six buster?
25. South Carolina
The Gamecocks were one of the hottest teams at the end of the 2022 regular season, but the Gator Bowl loss to Notre Dame was a reminder that Shane Beamer has work to do on both sides of the football. Will quarterback Spencer Rattler and star receiver Antwane Wells stick around for another season? Freshman Nick Emmanwori was the leading tackler of what should be an improved defense. A tough early-season schedule which features North Carolina in the opener and September road trips to Georgia and Tennessee won't be easy.
First five out: Nebraska, Minnesota, Oklahoma, UCLA, Ole Miss
