2023 College Football Conference Power Rankings: SEC at the top, but Pac-12 takes No. 2 spot

While The Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches Poll preseason rankings gave us our early looks at the pecking order for individual teams, the time has come to debate which conference reigns supreme entering the 2023 season. 

As has been the case for more than a decade, the SEC is top-loaded with teams ready to push for the College Football Playoff Championship. The Big Ten has two teams who can contend for the sport’s top spot, while the Pac-12’s quarterback depth could vault it into the discussion in its last season before its collapse. Meanwhile the Big 12 is coming off its first-ever CFP semifinal win last season. 

It’s talking season, so let’s break down where the FBS conferences rank for 2023.

1. SEC

The SEC boasts three legitimate national championship contenders in No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 LSU. What does the beefy middle of the conference look like, though? It’s pretty strong. Tennessee — which spent time at No. 1 in the CFP rankings last year — chimed in at No. 12 in the AP Top 25. Ole Miss (No. 22) and Texas A&M (No. 23) both got some love from the voters, and South Carolina and Arkansas just missed out of cracking the rankings. The poll isn’t the only thing that matters, though. Arkansas’ offense is almost impossible to prepare for with big KJ Jefferson taking the snaps and Raheim Sanders toting the rock. We know just how powerful Tennessee’s offense can be with Josh Heupel running things. Speaking of offense, coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels have running back Quinshon Judkins — a first-team All-American in the recently released CBS Sports All-America Team — behind an offense that will undoubtedly “click” from the time toe meets leather.

USC QB Caleb Williams will be worth staying up late for this season….


Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2023-college-football-conference-power-rankings-sec-at-the-top-but-pac-12-takes-no-2-spot/

Author : Barrett Sallee

Publish date : 2023-08-18 16:02:57

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