College football: Preseason AP Top 25 projections for 2023

Do I think South Carolina is a top 25 team at this point? I’m not 100 percent sold, but that’s why this is projections rather than just my personal take. The Gamecocks are a popular team showing up on a lot of AP Top 25 projection polls. This was a close one between Texas Tech and South Carolina, but with Spencer Rattler returning, I figured the hype would surround the Gamecocks more.

Oregon State shocked everyone and won double-digit games last season but they got even better by adding DJ Uiagalelei at quarterback. OK, so maybe DJU has been considered inconsistent, but if he can live up to his potential in Corvallis, the Beavers could legitimately win the Pac-12 title. This is one of the best teams from the dying conference.

Tulane came out of nowhere last year and won 12 games, beating USC in the Cotton Bowl. Willie Fritz has 14 starters returning to that New Year’s Six bowl-winning team including starting quarterback Michael Pratt who could be the difference between 10-plus wins again and a disappointing season. This is still the best Group of Five team out there.

Conner Weigman should be the steady force that Texas A&M needs at quarterback and the offense will be vastly improved this year. Defensively, there’s as much talent as there’s ever been in College Station following a couple of elite recruiting classes so that side of the ball will be a strength. As long as the offense improves, that 5-7 season in 2022 will be a long-lost memory.

People seem to forget that Kansas State won the Big 12 title last season because TCU went on to make the national title game, but Chris Klieman is building something special in Manhattan. The Wildcats return Will Howard at quarterback and bring in Treshaun Ward from Florida State at running back, but that defense has to improve if they plan on repeating.