College football rankings 2023: Georgia leads charge for 3-peat, Michigan, Alabama close behind

College football rankings 2023, way-too-early Top 25: No. 2-1

2. Michigan Wolverines

Even if it might not always be pretty, the fact of the matter is that Michigan has two straight College Football Playoff berths under its belt and is now in line to take the next step. The offensive line will have some turnover from the Joe Moore Award-winning unit but the big key is quarterback J.J. McCarthy returning and hopefully developing with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards also coming back to headline the offense out of the backfield.

What’s really promising for the Wolverines, though, is the defense returning a ton of key players from a unit that was strong outside of facing TCU. Will Johnson, Junior Colson and Eyabi Okie, among others, look to be the core of this group that should help continue to win under the hard-nosed, gritty identity that has been built in Ann Arbor.

The only question, though: Will it be Jim Harbaugh coaching the Wolverines?

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Back-to-back titles has everyone thinking about Kirby Smart’s budding dynasty at Georgia. And if they were able to win a second straight national championship after losing five first-round picks and more from the previous year’s team, who’s to say they aren’t primed for a three-peat?

Stetson Bennett IV will be gone but they will continue along with another star-laden stable of running backs, an elite offensive line, the best tight end in the country in Brock Bowers, strong receiver talent and either Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff or Gunner Stockton stepping up to take the place of the departing Mailman.

Georgia will lose more stars like Jalen Carter, Kelee Ringo and Christopher Smith but the Dawgs are more than loaded in the depth chart to have former 4-and-5-stars stepping up to take their places. Smart has proven he’s capable of sustaining success despite losing talent and the Bulldogs should be the favorites to do so again as they go into next season as back-to-back reigning champs.

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