College football rankings: Updated SP+ top 25 poll from ESPN
We're inside 80 days until the kickoff of the 2023 college football season and moving into the summer portion of the preseason as teams wrap up the second transfer portal window, integrate new players and recruits into the roster, and prepare to answer important questions around position battles and depth charts. All of which makes it a perfect time to get a look at the updated top 25 rankings predictions.
The SP+ top 25 rankings created by ESPN football analyst Bill Connelly are based on three primary factors: returning production, recent recruiting performance, and recent overall history, creating a score for each team and ranking them top to bottom.
Related: ESPN reveals FPI preseason college football rankings
No surprises that Georgia is the No. 1 team in the nation according to that or any other metric, returning as back-to-back College Football Playoff national champion, and the odds-on favorite to become the first team to pull off the ultra-rare three-peat since the 1930s.
After the Bulldogs, there is room for debate, especially between a pair of Big Ten rivals, where Alabama belongs after a two-loss season and some notable roster and coaching turnover, the position of USC with its dynamic offense and very unproven defense, and where to place ACC contenders Clemson and Florida State.
ESPN updates SP+ top 25 rankings ahead of 2023 college football season
- Georgia
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Alabama
- LSU
- Tennessee
- USC
- Penn State
- Texas
- Florida State
- Oregon
- Clemson
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Notre Dame
- Texas A&M
- Washington
- Ole Miss
- Wisconsin
- TCU
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Kansas State
- UCLA
- Mississippi State
Where we ranked 'em: College Football HQ Post-Spring Top 25
Best returning offenses: That honor goes to USC, which returns Heisman quarterback Caleb Williams to lead what should be another dynamic attack, this time with transfer wide receiver Dorian Singer coming in to help. Ohio State ranks No. 2 in this category, followed by Tennessee at No. 3, Oregon at No. 4, and Alabama at No. 5.
Best returning defense: Iowa holds the pole position with the nation's best projected defense coming into 2023, a year after posting the 4th best unit in college football and the 6th best scoring defense. Texas A&M ranks 2nd here, with Georgia in at No. 3, Michigan at No. 4, and Kentucky in fifth place.
Where is Colorado? Deion Sanders and his (very) new-look Buffaloes come in at No. 103 on the SP+ rankings, No. 84 offensively and No. 115 defensively, holding the worst place among Power Five teams. But they have a chance to make a good impression with a road game at TCU to open, Nebraska at home the week after, and games at Oregon and against USC after that.
When does it all become official? When the Associated Press reveals its officially-official preseason top 25 football rankings. But we'll have to get through the dog days of summer first, as that poll comes out in mid-August.
(SP+)
More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | All Teams