Phil Steele predicts 2023 AP College Football Preseason Top 10
Every preseason, college football reporter Phil Steele predicts what the AP College Football Preseason top 10 will look like. Steele has been excellent with his predictions, hitting at a 96 percent clip over the last 14 years.
It’s no surprise that Steele has two-time defending national champion Georgia projected to be No. 1 in the preseason for this year. However, things get interesting after the Bulldogs as there is no clear cut No. 2 team in college football.
Here is the full prediction from Phil Steele for the 2023 AP College Football preseason top 10:
1. Georgia
The Bulldogs lost a lot of talent off of last year’s roster, including starting quarterback Stetson Bennett. However, Georgia just continues to reload. Kirby Smart has built a juggernaut in Athens, and Georgia is the favorite to win the national title once again.
There are some question marks for the Bulldogs, including at quarterback. But from top-to-bottom the roster is loaded, and Georgia should rightfully be ranked No. 1 in the preseason.
2. Alabama
Nick Saban‘s team didn’t reach the College Football Playoff last year, and like Georgia, Alabama has a question mark at quarterback for 2023, too. Still, Phil Steele believes the Crimson Tide will be ranked No. 2 in the AP preseason poll.
While some are not sold on Alabama as a national championship contender, others have been talking the Crimson Tide up. That includes ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who has picked Alabama to win the national title.
3. Michigan
Jim Harbaugh has led Michigan to back-to-back College Football Playoff berths and back-to-back wins over Ohio State. The Wolverines came up just short of playing for a national title last season but could be right back in the CFP in 2023.
Michigan has arguably the best running back group in college football with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards and a veteran proven winner at quarterback in JJ McCarthy.
4. Ohio State
The Buckeyes were quite possibly a field goal away from winning a national title last season as they nearly upset Georgia, before the Bulldogs went on to stomp TCU. The Buckeyes lost quarterback CJ Stroud but are loaded at receiver, with Marvin Harrison Jr. leading the way.
If the Ohio State defense is improved in 2023, the Buckeyes could find themselves right back in the playoff. With that said, there is some pressure on Ryan Day to not lose a third straight game to Michigan. The OSU-Michigan game is one of the most highly anticipated matchups for the 2023 season.
5. LSU
Brian Kelly had an outstanding first season at LSU, leading the Tigers to an SEC West title. There is hope that LSU will be even better in 2023, and Steele expects them to be in the top 5 in the preseason.
Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels is arguably the best returning QB in the SEC, and he has plenty of playmakers around him to get the ball to. LSU could still be a year or two away from being true national title contenders, but Kelly has impressed in Baton Rouge.
6. Penn State
Speaking of programs on the rise, Penn State falls into that category with what James Franklin has done. The Nittany Lions have a ton of young talent, including running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
Like several teams in Steele’s projected preseason top 10, just how good the Nittany Lions are could come down to how good the quarterback play is.
7. Florida State
There is finally a true contender for Clemson in the ACC. Florida State is receiving a ton of hype heading into the 2023 season with quarterback Jordan Travis, wide receiver Johnny Wilson and running back Trey Benson all back in Tallahassee.
Mike Norvell also brought in a talented transfer class that includes receiver Keon Coleman. This could be the year the Seminoles make some noise and are squarely in the College Football Playoff conversation.
8. Clemson
Speaking of Clemson, Dabo Swinney has to love the fact that the Tigers aren’t getting a lot of preseason hype. Clemson should be loaded on defense, particularly in the front seven with guys like Tyler Davis and Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
The hope is that quarterback Cade Klubnik and first-year offensive coordinator Garrett Riley can turn the Tigers offense around and get Clemson back in the College Football Playoff after it missed out the past two years.
9. USC
Heisman trophy winner Caleb Williams is back at quarterback, and he has plenty of weapons on offense. Defensively is where the Trojans struggled last season.
Head coach Lincoln Riley still believes in defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. If Grinch rewards Riley with a much-improved defense, the Trojans could reach the CFP in Riley’s second season at USC.
10. Notre Dame
It was an up-and-down first season for Marcus Freeman as the head coach at Notre Dame. The Irish struggled early on but went on to beat Clemson in November and ended the season with a win over South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.
With Sam Hartman transferring in, the Irish have a chance to be much-improved on offense. Hartman put up impressive numbers at Wake Forest, and if he does the same in South Bend, Notre Dame could be contenders this year.
The college football season is only 50 days away and soon games will be decided on the field. But before that, it’s fun to debate who the contenders are for 2023. Phil Steele offered a look at several with his prediction for the AP College Football Preseason top 10.