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College football rankings 2023: Alabama outside Top 4 in preseason AP Top 25 prediction

By Cody Williams

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks on during pregame warmups prior to facing the Texas A&M Aggies at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 08, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks on during pregame warmups prior to facing the Texas A&M Aggies at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 08, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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College Football Rankings 2023, AP Top 25
Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State Buckeyes. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

College football rankings 2023, projected preseason AP Top 25: No. 6-5

6. Ohio State Buckeyes (2022 record: 11-2)

Things are going to be tricky outside of the Top 2 in the initial college football rankings and Ohio State is a posterchild for that.

Kyle McCord, though he’s not yet been named the starter, seems likely to replace C.J. Stroud at the helm of an offense with the best collections of weapons in college football, not the least of which is Marvin Harrison Jr., who is joined by Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, TreVeyon Henderson, and several others. The offensive line and inexperienced quarterback, however, create some potential stumbling blocks.

Led by J.T. Tumoloau and Jack Sawyer up front, the pass rush should be a weapon for the Buckeyes in the 2023 season, but they need help from the back seven. The secondary, specifically, needs to prove it can handle elite competition, something it frankly didn’t do a good job of last season.

There are plenty of questions, but Ryan Day hasn’t given us many reasons to question that he’ll deliver results in Columbus.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (2022 record: 11-2)

When Alabama fans were pining for Nick Saban to move on from Bill O’Brien and Pete Golding, they were probably hoping for bigger-name replacements (See: Upgrades) at the coordinator spots, which it remains to be seen if Tommy Rees and Kevin Steele are that.

Normally, that would be the biggest story for the Crimson Tide, but the questions at quarterback overshadow that. Alabama should have one of the best offensive lines in the sport and the weapons are enticing. Yet, no one from Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson or late transfer addition Tyler Buchner has a track record to prove they’re the guy. That quarterback decision and the subsequent performance on the field is the most vital aspect of Alabama’s offense and how it performs.

Steele has a much easier task in his new role as the Crimson Tide defense should be a monster, even with Will Anderson Jr. departing. Dallas Turner is a star in the making, freshman Caleb Downs could be one of the best newcomers in the country, and the unit is simply loaded at every level. It would be a failure on the new DC’s part if this group doesn’t end up as one of college football’s best.

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