College football rankings 2023: Winners and losers from preseason AP Top 25
By John Buhler
College football rankings 2023: Winners and losers from first AP Top 25 Poll
Winner: No. 10 Washington Huskies
The Pac-12 may have a terminal disease as a dying conference, but its final football season as we know it could be going out with a bang. Although USC might be overrated heading into the campaign, look at Washington rounding out the top 10 under second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. With my favorite to win the Heisman Trophy in Michael Penix Jr. back, look out for U-Dub!
The reason why seeing the Huskies ranked inside the top 10 is so significant is that the Pac-12 is actually in a tremendous spot to get one final team into the College Football Playoff before the league bites the dust. Other quality teams in-conference are ranked in the teens, but the Associated Press seems to suggest the winner of USC vs. Washington in Las Vegas is getting in.
The Pac-12 could do what it usually does and cannibalize itself, but this season might be different.
Loser: No. 16 Kansas State Wildcats
Would it shock you if Chris Klieman’s Kansas State Wildcats repeated as Big 12 champions? Not really. They are incredibly well-coached. Will Howard should be even better at quarterback behind an incredibly experienced offensive line. Losing Deuce Vaughn to the NFL Draft stinks, but that’s life. What stinks even more is that K-State only starts the season out ranked No. 16. What gives?
The Wildcats may be the second highest-ranked team in the initial AP Poll out of the Big 12, but K-State may not play in as good of a league as everyone thinks it does. TCU is pulling back this year, as the Horned Frogs came in at No. 17. The fourth-best team is thought to be Oklahoma, but do you honestly trust Brent Venables? Me neither, and that is why the Big 12 could be in rough shape.
The Big 12 being the only Power Five conference without a team ranked inside the top 10 matters.