College football rankings: ESPN reveals final preseason SP+ poll

The college football season is right around the corner, giving us our last chance to look at the preseason top 25 rankings from around the country.

Up next is the SP+ poll released by ESPN for the final time before this fall's kickoff.

The SP+ projections are based on some key factors: how much production a team has coming back, recent history on the field, and recent recruiting success.

It's not your usual ranking of the best teams per se, like the AP poll, but a prediction tool that helps gauge where teams are based on current information.

College football rankings: ESPN's final SP+ preseason projections

25. BYU — Jaren Hall returns at quarterback for another tough schedule coming off 10 wins before joining the Big 12... Projected win total: 8.4

24. Oregon — Dan Lanning comes off coordinating Georgia's historic defense to lead the Ducks program with a pretty good defense to work with again... Projected win total: 8.5

23. Pittsburgh — Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison are gone, but the ACC champs have Kedon Slovis in at quarterback and some good skill options working downfield... Projected win total: 8.9

22. Texas — Sark won just five games in Year 1, but brings on some great transfers, including quarterback Quinn Ewers, but this is a very unproven group... Projected win total: 7.5

21. Auburn — An optimistic ranking for the Tigers, coming off a 6-7 season and with 2nd year coach Bryan Harsin already on the hot seat... Projected win total: 6.6

20. Mississippi State — The SEC's fourth-ranked defense plus quarterback Will Rogers are back, but this schedule is absolutely brutal... Projected win total: 6.8

19. Oklahoma State — College football's third-ranked defense loses several pieces in addition to OSU's leading rusher, but gets experience back at QB with Spencer Sanders returning... Projected win total: 8.3

18. NC State — About 80 percent of a team that was four combined points away from a perfect ACC record is back, including quarterback Devin Leary... Projected win total: 8.8

17. Wisconsin — Braelon Allen could be the best young back in college football and he's running behind a strong line, but the Badgers also need more from quarterback Graham Mertz... Projected win total: 8.4

16. Cincinnati — Nine vital pieces are gone to the NFL, leaving Luke Fickell with the job of replacing that talent to show this program still belongs... Projected win total: 9.9

15. Michigan State — Sparty loses Kenneth Walker, the engine behind its offense last fall, and has to repair one of college football's worst pass defenses... Projected win total: 8.2

14. Arkansas — This year will show if the Hogs are the real deal or if last season was a blip, with quarterback KJ Jefferson returning to drive this offense again... Projected win total: 7.0

13. Penn State — There should be a good 1-2 strike with Sean Clifford dealing to transfer wideout Mitchell Tinsley, but how well can this team run the ball?... Projected win total: 8.2

12. Utah — The defending Pac-12 champs return Cam Rising and Tavion Thomas to this offense, but open at Florida in a game that could affect the entire season... Projected win total: 9.2

11. Kentucky — Coming off a 10-win season, the Wildcats have Will Levis back under center and a good shot at the No. 2 place in the SEC East... Projected win total: 8.1

10. Tennessee — Hendon Hooker returns as the leader of college football's 9th ranked offense a year ago, but the Vols need to tighten up this secondary first... Projected win total: 8.0

9. Ole Miss — There's some work to do filling holes on this offense, but a solid transfer class should keep the Rebels perfect going into October... Projected win total: 8.2

8. Texas A&M — This could be the year Jimbo puts it all together, fresh off that elite recruiting class and with some great skill players to work with... Projected win total: 8.0

7. Notre Dame — Get through this schedule, which includes Ohio State, BYU, Clemson, and USC, with one loss, and the Irish will easily be in College Football Playoff contention... Projected win total: 9.4

6. Michigan — Expect a slight step back after losing vital playmakers, but the Wolverines still have enough talent to stay in the Big Ten race all fall... Projected win total: 9.6

5. Clemson — Returning healthy players to an elite defensive front and getting better play from quarterback DJ Uiagalelei should put the Tigers back in the top four... Projected win total: 9.6

4. Oklahoma — A new-look program all around, but with enough perimeter speed and Dillon Gabriel at QB to put the Sooners in the Big 12 chase... Projected win total: 9.8

3. Ohio State — The core of college football's No. 1 offense is back, but the question is how well Jim Knowles can repair the Buckeyes' sloppy defense... Projected win total: 10.4

2. Georgia — The defending national champs have much of this offense back while it patches up open spots on that ferocious defense, all while the Bulldogs play a very winnable schedule... Projected win total: 10.6

1. Alabama — Heisman winner Bryce Young and linebacker Will Anderson, the two best players in college football, highlight another elite roster changeover for the Tide, which now includes several key transfer pickups... Projected win total: 10.5

(h/t ESPN)

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