NCAA.com releases way-too-early college football preseason Top 25

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•02/06/22•

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The calendar may read the month of February but it’s never too early to begin projecting the upcoming college football season.

NCAA.com put out their way-too-early rankings for next season, giving a top 25. Georgia will enter the season looking to defend their national title but a few teams will be gunning for the No. 1 spot until Week 0 kicks off in late August.

NCAA.com college football top 25

  1. Alabama Crimson Tide
  2. Ohio State Buckeyes
  3. Georgia Bulldogs
  4. Texas A&M Aggies
  5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
  6. Utah Utes
  7. Clemson Tigers
  8. Oklahoma State Cowboys
  9. Michigan Wolverines
  10. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
  11. Oregon Ducks
  12. Baylor Bears
  13. Pittsburgh Panthers
  14. Michigan State Spartans
  15. North Carolina State Wolfpack
  16. Houston Cougars
  17. Arkansas Razorbacks
  18. Kentucky Wildcats
  19. Iowa Hawkeyes
  20. Oklahoma Sooners
  21. USC Trojans
  22. BYU Cougars
  23. Wisconsin Badgers
  24. Tennessee Volunteers
  25. Cincinnati Bearcats

The usual three are at the top, as Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia make up the top three. Of the seven editions of the College Football Playoff, they have won five of the national championships. Expectations will be the same during the 2022 season, as those three will be the favorites until proven otherwise.

Michigan debuts in the top 10, despite all of the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff. Head coach Jim Harbaugh was flirting with the Minnesota Vikings, while offensive coordinator Josh Gattis just left for Miami. Nonetheless, there is still a Big Ten Championship once again in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh will be looking to continue the momentum with a new staff in place.

The final playoff participant from last season, Cincinnati, just squeaks into the top 25 with the final spot.

Overall, the SEC has the most teams present, with six. Texas A&M is the highest-rated team not named Alabama or Georgia, coming in at No. 4. Arkansas and Kentucky run in the middle of the pack, while Tennessee rounds everything out at No. 24.

Clemson, who is ranked at No. 7, will be looking for a bounce-back season after missing out on all of the playoff fun. It will be a more experienced group returning for head coach Dabo Swinney, hopefully, led by quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and the offense. Losing both offensive coordinator Tony Elliot and defensive coordinator Brent Venables definitely hurt. A big season is upcoming for the Tigers.

Two programs that will be compared a lot next season, Oklahoma and USC, rank right next to each other. The previously mentioned Venables will be taking over in Norman, while former Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams are heading out west to Los Angeles. There might not be a matchup on the field but bragging rights will be at stake between the two programs.