College Football Rankings 2022: Projected preseason AP Top 25

The hype surrounding Texas A&M is on another level this year simply because Jimbo Fisher landed the best recruiting class ever, but I’m not ready to buy in. Still, it’ll be tough to name five more talented teams than the Aggies next season and for that reason alone, I think Texas A&M begins the year in the top five with a couple of other SEC foes.

DJ Uiagalelei’s 2021 season was a nightmare and Dabo Swinney lost his offensive and defensive coordinators to head coaching jobs elsewhere in the offseason. Is Clemson trending down? Absolutely not. The Tigers are pegged as a team that could bounce back in a big way and I’d honestly be shocked if they aren’t in the playoff discussion in late November.

The CJ Stroud-Jaxon Smith-Njigba connection may be one of the best college football has seen since Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase or Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith. The Buckeyes’ offense is going to put up some serious numbers and they’re out for blood after losing to Michigan and Jim Harbaugh for the first time. Missing the playoff isn’t an option.

Stetson Bennett returns at quarterback which was slightly surprising, but that won’t matter because the Bulldogs’ defense is going to reload. Brock Bowers returns as arguably the best tight end in the country and this team is just stacked at every position. Plus, Kirby Smart figured out the recipe for beating Nick Saban.

Saban went as far as to say 2021 was a rebuilding year for the Crimson Tide, but I don’t think that was the case. Alabama had a great team, but Georgia was just a little better. I think the Tide will get back to the top this year with Heisman winner Bryce Young back at quarterback and Jahmyr Gibbs transferring in at running back. This team legitimately has a few Heisman candidates.