CFB rankings: How the top 25 looks after spring practice
Recruits have all signed, the transfer portal door has swung shut, and spring practices are officially in the books at college football programs across the country.
While the spring practice session isn't always the most telling, the amount of transfers changing hands makes it a vital exercise in today's college football landscape.
Here's how the top 25 looks heading into the summer break, with last year's record in brackets.
25. Iowa (8-5)
Once again, Iowa found itself with one of the nation's best defensive units last season. Unfortunately, that was offset by one of the worst scoring offenses in the country. It's time to put up or shut up, as coordinator Brian Ferentz was hit with the ultimatum of averaging 25 points per game this year or losing his job. The Hawkeyes' big move on that side of the ball was bringing in Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara, a talented passer who led the Wolverines to the CFP two seasons ago.
24. Ole Miss (8-5)
Lane Kiffin has never been one to shy away from roster and coaching turnover at Ole Miss, and there are once again great changes heading into the 2023 season for the Rebels. The biggest addition to the staff was former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who will fill the same role. The defense was torched for 35 points per game over the final six contests last season with Ole Miss going 1-5 over that stretch. The offense will feature one of the most high-profile quarterback battles in the country with Jaxson Dart looking to hold off Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders and ex-LSU prized recruit Walker Howard for the starting gig.
23. Oklahoma (6-7)
Brent Venables' first season at Oklahoma didn't go as smoothly as hoped, as the Sooners finished with a losing record for the first time since 1998. Injuries absolutely decimated Oklahoma last season, and keeping quarterback Dillon Gabriel healthy should be priority No. 1 on an offense that moved the ball well with him behind center. Venables surely had his hands all over the defense in the spring, with the second-to-last unit in the Big 12 needing big improvement heading into 2023.
22. North Carolina (9-5)
Drake Maye is back for a likely push at the Heisman, but the star passer will be in a new offense this year with coordinator Phil Longo gone to Wisconsin. Maye's favorite target, Josh Downs, is gone to the NFL, but North Carolina dipped into the portal to add plenty of weapons for the prolific quarterback. The defense ranked 114th in the nation last season and will face a tough test with the opener against South Carolina.
21. South Carolina (8-5)
South Carolina closed the season on an absolute heater with back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents Tennessee and Clemson. Spencer Rattler shone in those victories as the offense put up a combined 94 points total. He returns to keep the points coming fast and furious in Columbia, but the defense will need to take a drastic step forward to help the Gamecocks threaten in the SEC East.
20. Tulane (12-2)
The last time we saw Tulane on the field was when the Green Wave were pulling off a shocking upset of USC in the Cotton Bowl. The AAC champions will look to build off that in 2023, with the offense buoyed by the return of star passer Michael Pratt. The Green Wave lost plenty of skill talent but return 80% of the offensive line from last season. That should keep the offense cooking in New Orleans.
19. TCU (13-2)
TCU will be in tough to follow up its dream season that saw the team go all the way to the national championship game. Only three starters return on offense, with stars Max Duggan, Quentin Johnston and Kendre Miller all off to the professional ranks. However, if there's one thing Sonny Dykes has proven throughout his career, it's that his teams never have a problem generating offense. With eight starters back on defense, the Horned Frogs should be able to remain among the Big 12's best in 2023.
18. Kansas State (10-4)
Kansas State loses standout running back Deuce Vaughn and star edge-rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah but returns at least 12 starters from last year's Big 12 championship roster. Quarterback Will Howard showed he's ready to be a star with a gaudy 15-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio since he took over the job from Adrian Martinez. Expect another jump from the talented passer to keep the Wildcats among the conference's best.
17. Wisconsin (7-6)
The worst full season of Wisconsin football since 2008 brought massive change to Madison, with Luke Fickell the new boss of the Badgers program. The former Cincinnati boss immediately transformed the offense with the hire of new coordinator Phil Longo and the addition of quarterback Tanner Mordecai from SMU. Fickell also added four new receivers to complement the dominant running style of Braelon Allen. That much-needed offensive upheaval has brought plenty of positivity and fresh expectations to Wisconsin.
16. Oregon State (10-3)
The Oregon State quarterback battle is one of the most heated entering the season, with Clemson transfer D.J. Uiagalelei trying to get the starting job ahead of the incumbent Ben Gulbranson and standout freshman Aidan Chiles. Whoever wins the job will be tasked with improving the nation's 105th-ranked passing attack last season. The Beavers still won 10 games despite those struggles, which bodes well for an even better showing in 2023.
15. Texas (8-5)
It seems like it's been forever since a Texas team lived up to the preseason hype, but this year's bunch has a very good chance to do so. The offense should be a problem for the opposition with Quinn Ewers back behind center and a trio of talented receivers giving him plenty of options. The Longhorns lost five different one-possession games last season, a series of results that, had they gone the other way, could have seen them compete for the Big 12 title.
14. Clemson (11-3)
A second straight three-loss season led Dabo Swinney to make some big changes at Clemson heading into this season. Garrett Riley comes in from TCU to rebuild the offense and bring the best out of star sophomore passer Cade Klubnik. They will be buoyed by a defense that returns eight starters and should be one of the best in the nation.
13. Utah (10-4)
Utah once again entered the season without much fanfare in the Pac-12 and once again rose to the occasion with its second straight conference title. With quarterback Cam Rising expected to be fully recovered from a torn ACL, a third consecutive crown is definitely in the cards for the Utes.
12. Oregon (10-3)
Bo Nix returns for a fifth season as one of the most experienced players in the country at 47 career games played. The talented passer was a star in his first season since transferring from Auburn and figures to once again lead an explosive offense for Oregon. Coach Dan Lanning is hoping to strike it rich with South Carolina transfer Jordan Burch, bringing in the talented edge-rusher to fix the anemic pass rush. The Ducks ranked 125th in the nation in sacks per game last season.
11. Notre Dame (9-4)
There's been a wholesale change on offense at Notre Dame as coordinator Tommy Rees is gone and prolific Wake Forest passer Sam Hartman joins via the transfer portal. If Hartman can inject some life into the nation's 92nd-ranked passing attack, the Fighting Irish could be in for a strong showing in Marcus Freeman's second year as head coach.
10. Tennessee (11-2)
Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, and Cedric Tillman are among some big losses from the nation's top offense last season, but Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has shown he can produce points regardless of who is wearing the jerseys. Joe Milton is the likely starter at quarterback after he helped the Volunteers put up 31 points in the bowl win last year.
9. USC (11-3)
Speaking of offense, there likely won't be a more explosive attack in the nation this year than USC's. Reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams returns with a full arsenal of weapons at his disposal - including prolific Arizona transfer Dorian Singer. It's the defensive side of the ball that kept the Trojans from winning the Pac-12, as that unit ranked 119th out of 131 teams in the nation last year. Riley addressed the issue with four transfers, with Georgia's Bear Alexander expected to play a big role on the line.
8. Penn State (11-2)
Vibes are high on the Penn State campus with the Drew Allar era truly about to begin. The No. 2 pocket passer in the nation for the Class of 2022 is now the starter in Happy Valley and joins star running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton in a loaded backfield. Add highly-touted lineman Olu Fashanu to the mix, and the Nittany Lions' offense should be one of the better ones in the Big Ten.
7. Alabama (11-2)
Last year, Alabama's offense was led by quarterback Bryce Young and coordinator Bill O'Brien. That pair is now in the NFL, and to help keep the offense clicking, Nick Saban has turned to ... Notre Dame? Saban hired Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to the same job in Tuscaloosa - a slightly puzzling move to say the least. Making matters even more confusing was the team adding Notre Dame's opening-week starting quarterback from last year, Tyler Buchner, to the roster very late in the transfer portal. The move came after less-than-inspiring appearances by Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson in the spring game. The big question for Alabama this season is whether an outstanding defense can carry the weight while the offense figures itself out.
6. Washington (11-2)
Washington ranked eighth in the nation in scoring last season in Kalen DeBoer's first season with the program. With prolific passer Michael Penix Jr. back on campus again, don't be shocked if the Huskies improve on that in Year 2. The offense is set, but an improvement on defense will be needed if Washington is going to compete for the Pac-12 title. The spring preview offered a glance at how the team might do that with defensive backs Jaivion Green and Elijah Jackson both turning in strong performances.
5. Ohio State (11-2)
C.J. Stroud is gone, and it appears Kyle McCord will be the man to replace the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft at quarterback. With Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and a quartet of highly-touted freshman at receiver, McCord should be able to step in and keep the Ohio State offense cooking. The defense runs off the elite pass rush provided by Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, and it should make strides in the second season under Jim Knowles. However, the schedule isn't kind to the Buckeyes with road games at Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan all on the slate.
4. Florida State (10-3)
Florida State ripped off six straight wins to end last season and scored a whopping 42 points per contest while doing so. That performance has the Seminoles entering the 2023 schedule flying high and quarterback Jordan Travis garnering serious Heisman buzz. With 16 starters back in the fold and star edge-rusher Jared Verse anchoring the defense, the Seminoles are set to make a run at their first ACC title since 2014.
3. Michigan (13-1)
Michigan now has back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff under Jim Harbaugh, and the 2023 team might represent his best chance to advance through the semifinals. At least 13 starters are back, including offensive stars JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, while the dominant defense added Coastal Carolina edge-rusher Josaiah Stewart in the transfer portal. The Wolverines host Ohio State to end the regular season with the chance to claim three straight wins over their rival for the first time since 1995-97.
2. LSU (10-4)
Last year's SEC West title was ahead of schedule for Brian Kelly at LSU, and the Tigers are set for an even better campaign in his second season with the program. Jayden Daniels improved drastically over the course of the season and will once again have star receiver Malik Nabors to look for in the passing game. The defense will be boosted with the return of star lineman Maason Smith from injury to partner with breakout star Harold Perkins in a terrifying front seven.
1. Georgia (15-0)
Georgia may have lost a significant portion of its roster from the back-to-back title-winning teams, but Kirby Smart simply reloads with another batch of five-star prospects in Athens. At least 14 players with starting experience are back for the Bulldogs, including All-American tight end Brock Bowers. Carson Beck seems poised to take over at quarterback for the departing Stetson Bennett, and the new starter should be helped by a very manageable schedule for the 2023 campaign.