Bulldogs Won National Titles in 2021, ’22
One season removed from missing the College Football Playoff, Georgia comes into this year ranked No. 1.
The Bulldogs, which won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and ’22, earned the highest preseason honor in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. They received 46 of 55 first-place votes.
Georgia (13-1 last season) returns top-notch talent on both sides of the ball, led on offense by quarterback Carson Beck and on defense by safety Malaki Starks.
Coach Kirby Smart has guided Georgia to top-five finishes in five of the last seven seasons.
A preseason No. 1-ranked team has not won the national title since Alabama did it in 2017.
Ohio State (11-2 a year ago) comes into the season ranked No. 2. They tallied seven-first place votes.
Alabama transfer Caleb Downs could be a game-changer for Ohio State. The free safety is one of the best defensive players in the country. Emeka Egbuka continues a long line of great wide receivers at the school.
The Buckeyes will face a stacked schedule in the new, expanded Big Ten. Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington all left the Pac-12 to join the 18-team super conference of the Big Ten.
Oregon earned the No. 3 preseason ranking, followed by Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, and reigning national champion Michigan. Texas and Michigan both earned one first-place vote.
The first games of the college football season will be Aug. 24. The key matchup will be No. 10 Florida State vs. Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland.
