College football rankings: PFF reveals preseason Top 25
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As the preseason moves forward, we're starting to get a better idea of where things stand in the Top 25 college football rankings predictions.
Pro Football Focus unveiled its early football poll this week, and it looks a little different than the other projections up to now. Of course, the SEC is predominant, with eight conference teams making the early poll. But notably, not LSU.
The recent wave of spring practices and games gave us a closer look at teams on the field, the latest idea of where position battles are headed, and a rough early glance at how starters and backups look on teams around the country.
We won't get a look at the official AP Top 25 preseason poll until some time in August, but the ESPN Football Power Index poll is out, as are the first Pro Football Focus rankings.
Scroll through to see the latest preseason prediction.
PFF announces preseason Top 25 college football rankings
25. Oregon
College Football HQ says: A strong College Football Playoff favorite most of last season after beating Ohio State on the road, the Ducks suffered a losing streak late and lost head coach Mario Cristobal.
The school hired Dan Lanning as his replacement, and hope to get quick results from the man who orchestrated Georgia's championship defense last season. Watch for the Ducks to make a run at the Pac-12 North, but we'll hold off any NY6 bowl predictions until we get a closer look. Oregon's Week 1 game: against Georgia in Atlanta.
24. Ole Miss
College Football HQ says: A ton of that incredible offense that ranked in the top 10 nationally is out the door, but the Rebels logged a number of very important transfer players including quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Zach Evans.
There's still plenty of perimeter speed to make this team go, and there could be enough experience coming back on defense to preserve the unit's gains from last season. But it's always murder in the SEC West and this team should take a slight step back in 2022.
23. Houston
College Football HQ says: This could be the team to beat in the ACC this season with Cincinnati taking a step back after losing all the talent that helped get it to the playoff last year. Clayton Tune returns at quarterback after throwing for 3,546 yards with 30 touchdowns last fall for a 12-team Cougar team that won 11 straight.
22. Tennessee
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College Football HQ says: The Vols outpaced expectations in Josh Heupel's first time out, winning seven games and posting an offense that ranked top 10 nationally. But Heupel needs answers for a defensive unit that allowed almost 34 points per game to SEC opposition a year ago and has holes in the secondary. It'll be tough to match 7 wins against UT's schedule this time out, a slate that includes a Week 2 trip up north against defending ACC champion Pitt.
21. Wisconsin
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College Football HQ says: This team probably isn't winning the Big Ten this season, but should be one of the better groups in the West Division. Defensively, the Badgers ranked No. 1 nationally last season in total yards allowed, but loses some of that firepower. There's enough to replace it, but Wisconsin needs a dramatic upgrade at quarterback if it wants to get anywhere. Running back Braelon Allen returns after a 1,268 yard effort in 2021, but can this team get the ball downfield on a regular basis?
20. Baylor
College Football HQ says: Defending Big 12 champion Baylor has two quarterbacks returning in addition to most of this offensive line, but has to find new inputs at receiver and running back. This defense was one of two in the Big 12 to surrender fewer than 20 points per game, and brings back most of that production. Baylor is a serious contender to make it two straight in this conference.
19. BYU
College Football HQ says: This was a 10-win team last season despite playing a tough schedule and losing quarterback Zach Wilson. Now the Cougars return with Jaren Hall under center, his top two receivers, most of the offensive line, and the lion's share of a physical, aggressive defensive unit. And ready to play another brutal schedule that includes games against Notre Dame, Baylor, Oregon, and Arkansas.
18. Kentucky
College Football HQ says: Preseason rankings are split on Kentucky, a 10-win club last year that beat LSU and Florida and returns its two most important offensive players: Will Levis, a 2,800-yard passer with 24 TDs last year, and lead rusher Chris Rodriguez, who ran for 1,379 yards and nine scores (and over 100 yards in all but three games) in '21.
But gone is Wan'Dale Robinson at receiver, three O-line starters, and six defensive contributors. A home tilt in November against Georgia could go a long way in sorting out the SEC East race again.
17. NC State
College Football HQ says: Four points kept the Wolfpack from an undefeated mark in ACC play, a run that included a win over No. 9 Clemson with losses at Miami and at Wake. An expected 10 starters on defense that ranked No. 3 in the ACC last fall come back for a reunion in 2022, as does quarterback Devin Leary, a 3,400-yard passer in 2021 with 35 touchdowns against three picks.
16. Miami
College Football HQ says: Miami is averaging inside the top 20 on most preseason rankings, high on speculation that followed Mario Cristobal coming in as head coach. He's built a solid support staff and inherits quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who passed for almost 3,000 yards a year ago with 25 TDs and six picks. He didn't have a turnover in seven games and the Canes went 5-2 in that stretch.
If the Canes can get a W on the road at Texas A&M early, anything seems possible, especially looking at what should be a very competitive ACC Coastal race. Overall, just eight combined points kept The U from an undefeated mark in ACC play in 2021.
15. South Carolina
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College Football HQ says: Shane Beamer is another SEC rookie coach that outpaced expectations in Year 1, winning seven games and becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018, beating rival North Carolina in the Mayo Bowl.
Now comes a pair of major Oklahoma transfers in quarterback Spencer Rattler — who came into 2021 a Heisman favorite — and tight end Austin Stogner. But can Beamer and his staff develop its receiver corps and better protect Rattler after surrendering 31 sacks last fall? If not, signing Rattler will seem like an awful waste.
14. Texas
College Football HQ says: Bijan Robinson is back after rushing for 11 scores and over 1,100 yards last fall, and wideout Xavier Worthy returns after catching 12 TDs and covering a shade under 1,000 yards. Add in 5-star quarterback transfer Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns' offense should have some steam.
But Texas was third-worst in the Big 12 in total defense last season, and fourth-worst in allowing 31.1 points per game, a number that rose to 35 ppg allowed in conference games. An early home tilt with Alabama could get this program back on track, or it could be a punch in the face that sends it back to square one.
13. Pittsburgh
College Football HQ says: Kenny Pickett is gone from the defending ACC championship squad, but Pitt scored what could be the difference-maker at the position in former USC starter Kedon Slovis. A 65% passer with 11 TDs and eight picks last fall, he inherits a major release valve in wide receiver Jordan Addison, one of the nation's top five pass catchers, whose 17 TDs led college football overall and were the ACC's most since Deandre Hopkins' 18 in 2012. Pitt's season opener against rival West Virginia took an interesting turn after the Mountaineers signed transfer quarterback JT Daniels. That makes this game must-see TV.
12. Arkansas
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College Football HQ says: Sam Pittman pulled the Hogs out of the SEC basement last season, winning nine games, including a W over Texas, playing a tight 7-point game at Alabama, and beat Penn State by two TDs in the bowl game. Now comes the hard part of maintaining that success against one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
KJ Jefferson — one of the SEC's top quarterbacks a year ago — will return, but he won't have star Treylon Burks, a thousand-yard receiver in 2021, to lean on. He does get Oklahoma transfer Jadon Hazelwood, a former 5-star recruit who had seven TDs and 736 yards in his career with the Sooners. Watch how the Razorbacks patch up some holes on defense with four returning starters.
11. Notre Dame
College Football HQ says: There's a lot to like about this Fighting Irish team as it embarks on its first full season under head coach Marcus Freeman. Plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, returning assistant coaching experience, and a schedule full of challenges to test it right off the bat.
Notre Dame has an 18 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN's prediction model, a shot that goes up to 50 percent if the Irish can knock off Ohio State in Columbus in the season opener. ND has already recruited very well and Freeman brings a track record of coaching quality defense.
10. Wake Forest
College Football HQ says: Wake started out 8-0 last fall behind the No. 11 ranked offense nationally and the fourth-best scoring unit before finishing 2-3, including a loss to Pitt in the ACC title game. Nine of those offensive starters are back, including quarterback Sam Hartman, a 4,200-yard passer with 39 touchdowns in 2021.
But can first-year DC Brad Lambert repair a defense that ranked 91st in the nation last season? The Deacs allowed 58 to North Carolina, 42 from NC State, 48 to Clemson, and 45 to Pitt, going just 1-3 in that stretch. The defense should bring back enough experience to patch things over. Will those vets improve this unit's standing, or just struggle through another repeat of last year?
9. Oklahoma
College Football HQ says: Former Clemson and OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables finally took the plunge and comes into 2022 as a head coach for the first time. That should ensure the Sooners play solid defense over the long run, as PFF projects this team to win the Big 12.
Time will tell on that score with a very good Baylor coming back. Jeff Lebby comes over from Ole Miss to call offensive plays and he gets transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, too — together, Lebby and Gabriel orchestrated a top 10 offense at UCF three seasons ago.
8. USC
College Football HQ says: Very high praise from PFF for the Trojans, everyone's sexy preseason pick after Lincoln Riley came over from OU with an arm-full of blue-chip transfer players.
Caleb Williams makes this offense a contender off the bat, but Southern Cal has major surgery to do on its defense, one of the worst in the Pac-12 and nationally a year ago. Hype is one thing, and production another: USC gets a pretty winnable first-half schedule, but a midseason road tilt at Utah should tell the tale.
7. Utah
College Football HQ says: Another trendy preseason pick, Utah won the Pac-12 last fall despite losing four games, though beat CFP contender Oregon twice, and then played Ohio State and its No. 1 offense to the wire in the Rose Bowl.
Cameron Rising returns at quarterback following a great outing in 2021 that included nearly 2,500 passing yards with 20 TDs and five picks. As does Tavion Thomas, a proven rusher who had over 1,100 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Utah could hold the Pac-12's playoff hopes in its hand.
6. Texas A&M
College Football HQ says: You feel like anything could happen with the Aggies this season. A year ago, they beat No. 1 Alabama but still lost four games and finished unranked in the AP Top 25 poll.
A&M just signed what could be the greatest recruiting haul in modern history, a group that should shore up this defensive front seven for a few years, and there's plenty of speed on the perimeter and in the backfield to get this offense somewhere special. This could be Jimbo's best team, but as always the murderer's row of the SEC West schedule will have the final say.
5. Michigan
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College Football HQ says: There isn't exactly a "quarterback competition" at Michigan this year, but second-year dual threat J.J. McCarthy could make a run at the position against starter Cade McNamara. Especially if Michigan's other roster losses throw this team off course early in the season.
Both stud edge rushers are gone, and UM needs new inputs at running back to defend its Big Ten championship. Michigan also lost offensive play-caller Josh Gattis to Miami. Jim Harbaugh finally got this team over the hump last season, including a W over Ohio State, but now he has to prove it wasn't a one-hit wonder.
4. Clemson
College Football HQ says: Not so much a top five team as a top 10 club this preseason, Clemson brings back the bulk of what should be an aggressive defensive front coming back from some prominent injuries. But the Tigers also replace both coordinators and need dramatic improvement at quarterback.
DJ Uiagalelei brings 5-star pedigree to the position and looked like a stud in 2020 when Trevor Lawrence was out with the virus. But his nine touchdowns and 10 picks from last season aren't going to cut it, numbers that played a huge role in Clemson missing out on an ACC title and CFP berth for the first time in six straight seasons.
3. Georgia
College Football HQ says: Now is the time for Kirby Smart to build that dynasty at Georgia and finally supplant Alabama as the kings of the SEC. It'll take some work as he re-stocks the shelves on a historically-great defense that propelled this team to its first national championship in 40 years.
Kirby has recruited more than well enough to fill those holes, and the Bulldogs' offense brings back an expected nine returning starters including quarterback Stetson Bennett and lead receiver Brock Bowers. Taking the SEC East again is the bare minimum here, with nearly every projection putting Georgia back in the playoff.
2. Ohio State
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College Football HQ says: Losing two NFL-caliber receivers in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson won't exactly help the Buckeyes, who led the nation in total offense a year ago, but they bring back the most important remaining pieces: Heisman finalist quarterback CJ Stroud (4,435 yds, 44 TD, 6 INT), lead back TreVeyon Henderson (1,28 yds, 15 TD), and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1,606 yards 9 TD), fresh off breaking college football's record for bowl game receiving yards.
Then there's this defensive unit. Last season, it failed in every phase against Oregon and Michigan, two very consequential losses that kept Ohio State just outside playoff contention. Enter Jim Knowles, who as DC at Oklahoma State last season, coached a unit that placed No. 3 in total defense and led the nation in sacks and TFLs.
1. Alabama
College Football HQ says: What else is new? Alabama returns a stock of talent on both sides of the ball — namely Heisman winning quarterback Bryce Young and linebacker Will Anderson, who led the nation in sacks and TFLs last year.
Some elite transfers made the move over, too, including Jermaine Burton, Georgia's leading wideout from 2021, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, cornerback Eli ricks, and offensive tackle Tyler Steen. Steen's addition, in particular, is important as the Tide looks to improve its offensive line rotation.
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