Ranking every FBS college football team, from 1 to 133

Read the latest edition of The Athletic’s college football rankings of all 133 FBS teams. 

Welcome back to college football, now bigger than ever.

The Athletic’s ranking of all Football Bowl Subdivision teams has grown once again. It started at 130 in 2017, decreased to 76 to begin the COVID-impacted 2020 season, returned to 130 in 2021 and grew to 131 in 2022 with the arrival of James Madison. Now it’s up to 133 as Sam Houston and Jacksonville State join the FBS.

It’s still a time of change in the sport, from conference realignment to transfers to new TV deals. It’s also the last year of the four-team College Football Playoff, with a 12-team field coming next year, even if the details of the format may still change.

The top of the sport looks to be the same once again. TCU made a surprise run to the national championship game in 2022, but this remains a sport where the same handful of teams are often in the mix at the end. But we love college football not just because of the top few teams, but because of everyone in it. That’s why we rank every single FBS team here.

A reminder: These rankings will fluctuate a lot early in the season simply based on who you’ve played or who you haven’t. The preseason rankings are just an educated guess. I try not to hold onto them too strongly. They’ll change as data comes in.

So who wins it all? Who could surprise this year? Who takes the Group of 5’s New Year’s Six spot? Is Texas back?

Week 0 is here, so let’s get into it.

1-10

There is no “disrespect” for Georgia this year, not as the two-time defending national champion. The Bulldogs have lost a lot of pieces on defense and quarterback Stetson Bennett, but Carson Beck has looked good taking over. Michigan is as loaded as ever after consecutive CFP appearances and a ton of weapons around quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Alabama, meanwhile, actually has a lot of questions. After years of first-round draft picks at quarterback, what do the Tide get out of that position and can they find electric skill position players again? But still, it’s Alabama. Ohio State similarly needs to replace its quarterback after a string of great ones, but it has the best receiving corps in the country. After a 10-win debut season under Brian Kelly, LSU is a popular pick in the SEC West this year with Jayden Daniels and Harold Perkins back.

USC was one win away from the CFP in Lincoln Riley’s first season as coach, but concerns about the defense showed up and cost the Trojans late in the year. Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is back and the defense added bodies in the portal, but time will tell whether Riley can ever field a good defense. Penn State has built for this season with talent and depth across the board, but can former five-star quarterback Drew Allar live up to the hype?

Florida State has rounded back into form with elite transfer additions and player development, led by players like quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive end Jared Verse. How do these Seminoles handle the hype? Washington rebounded to an 11-win season in Kaleb DeBoer’s first season as head coach. The offense will be one of the best in the country, but can the defense make enough stops? Tennessee has been electric on offense under Josh Heupel, and Joe Milton takes over at quarterback after beating Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

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11-25

Utah has won consecutive Pac-12 championships, but are the Utes being disrespected again? The health of quarterback Cam Rising will be key; his early-season status is uncertain. If Texas doesn’t get the job done this year, will the Longhorns ever do it? Quarterback Quinn Ewers should take a big step forward, the offensive line has grown into place and the defense should be better. But I understand if you’re sick of Texas hype.

TCU lost a ton of star power from its surprise run to the CFP title game, but Chandler Morris won the starting quarterback job from Max Duggan before last season and has continued to impress. Kansas State won the Big 12 last year but must replace several skill position starters around QB Will Howard. Oregon State could become America’s darlings after conference realignment fallout, and if DJ Uiagalelei can find his form again, the Beavers could start the year 9-1 before big games late.

What does the new Wisconsin look like? If the potential in the passing offense matches the typical running game, the Badgers could have a huge year. Sam Hartman should help the Notre Dame passing game, but can the Irish find some speed at receiver? Tulane beat USC in the Cotton Bowl and completed the largest single-season turnaround in college football history from 2-10 to 12-2. Quarterback Michael Pratt is back, and the Green Wave are the favorite in the new-look AAC. UTSA is 23-5 over the last two years and brings seventh-year quarterback Frank Harris back as the Roadrunners move into the AAC. Can Oklahoma get back on track after going 0-5 in one-score games and dealing with QB injuries?

26-50

Boise State might be back after the emergence of Taylen Green at quarterback last year. South Alabama and Troy surprised the nation last season, and the Sun Belt title may again come down to these teams. South Alabama looks complete on both sides of the ball, and Troy’s 11-game winning streak is the second-longest in the country behind Georgia. For all the Iowa jokes, the Hawkeyes have won at least 61 percent of their games in a season every year since 2014. Texas Tech is a popular dark horse pick in the Big 12 with a loaded offense. Duke won nine games in Mike Elko’s first season, but will the Blue Devils have the same turnover luck in Year 2?

Texas A&M will be one of the most scrutinized teams in the country again. The pieces are in place for a potentially big year, but they were last year amid a 5-7 collapse. In Jeff Brohm’s first season at the helm, Louisville has the pieces and schedule to surprise a lot of people. Florida faces a lot of pressure in Billy Napier’s second season. He’s not going anywhere, but another 6-7 season will not be good enough for fans. UCF moves into the Power 5 in the Big 12, and John Rhys Plumlee should be better in Gus Malzahn’s offense. Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall will try to become a four-time Sun Belt Player of the Year, but will a new coaching staff be enough to fix the Chanticleers’ defensive holes? Michigan State and Auburn look to rebound from losing seasons, and Auburn will do it with last year’s MSU quarterback, Payton Thorne.

51-75

San Diego State found an offense in the second half of last season, but the defense has a lot to replace up front. Kansas looked like a breakthrough team last year until quarterback Jalon Daniels got hurt. Now Daniels is back as the Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year. Air Force must replace its quarterback and top running back from a 10-win team, but the Falcons usually figure things out. Appalachian State missed a bowl game for the first time as an FBS team and now has a new quarterback. James Madison stunned everyone with an 8-3 record and division title in its first FBS season, but quarterback Todd Centeio is gone and they won’t surprise anyone this time around. The Dukes again are not eligible for the Sun Belt championship or a bowl game as a transitioning FCS team (unless there aren’t enough 6-6 bowl teams).

Iowa State is 3-10 in one-score games since winning the Fiesta Bowl in 2020. Can Matt Campbell turn that around, or will gambling suspensions wreck this team’s hopes? Cincinnati moves to the Big 12 but must do so without Fickell and some key players he took to Wisconsin. Journeyman Emory Jones will take over at quarterback. Liberty has joined an FBS conference for the first time (Conference USA) and hired coach Jamey Chadwell from Coastal Carolina. With a favorable schedule, it could be a big year. Toledo and Ohio faced off for the MAC championship last year and will be favored to do so again behind talented quarterbacks. Fresno State won the Mountain West last year but must replace Jake Haener and struggled last year when he was hurt.

76-100

Tom Herman is back, taking over an FAU team that went 5-7 but has some pieces. Army enters a new era, sort of, by moving to the shotgun for a new kind of offense. Colorado is impossible to predict right now with such unprecedented roster turnover. The Buffaloes have some real talent and some major holes.

Both Jim Mora (UConn) and Clay Helton (Georgia Southern) got their programs to bowl games in their first seasons, and pieces are in place to do it again. Southern Miss could be a breakout Sun Belt team if the Golden Eagles stay healthy at quarterback. Virginia Tech and Virginia could both be in for rough seasons unless some surprise players really break out. Eastern Michigan won nine games for the second time in school history last year; coach Chris Creighton remains underrated for the job he does there. Northwestern comes off a 1-11 season and now has an interim head coach after Pat Fitzgerald was fired amid a hazing investigation. A long year in Evanston could get even longer.

101-133

*Played 2022 in FCS

Jerry Kill took New Mexico State to a bowl game in his first season, and the Aggies could do it again in CUSA. Louisiana Tech is another breakout candidate with former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier taking over and a good crop of receivers around him. Navy begins a new era with Brian Newberry stepping in as head coach, and the Midshipmen have practiced more physically than they have in years, but it always comes down to quarterback play.

Sam Houston and Jacksonville State are tough to predict moving up from the FCS. Sam Houston redshirted a slew of starters last year to prepare for the move, while Jax State brings most key pieces back from a nine-win season. Kent State lost all of its playmakers to the portal when head coach Sean Lewis left for the Colorado offensive coordinator job. UMass has been the bottom-ranked team more than anyone else in these rankings, and that continues to start 2023.

(Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)