College Football: Early Storylines to Watch for the 2023 Season
College football's 2022 season ended with Georgia's thumping of TCU on Monday night. And while the offseason hasn't really started yet, the countdown to '23 is already underway. With the transfer portal, recruiting and signing day upcoming, and then eventually spring practice, quiet moments in the world of college football are likely to be minimal for the next few months. While the world of college football has plenty of time to dissect preseason debates and rankings, several storylines have already caught our attention for next year. Coach Prime's arrival at Colorado, a changing of the guard potentially in the ACC, and new quarterbacks at top contenders are just a few storylines to watch in '23.
What are some of the biggest storylines to watch next year? Here are 10 very early storylines we are excited to watch play out for the 2023 college football season:
College Football: Early Storylines to Watch for the 2023 Season
The 2023 Season Will be the Last of Its Kind
College football is going to look a lot different by the start of the '24 season. Oklahoma and Texas are likely to join the SEC by then, and USC and UCLA will certainly be members of the Big Ten in time for '24. And if conference realignment wasn't enough, the CFB Playoff will expand to 12 teams that year. The '23 season is going to be the last of its kind for a variety of reasons, as the sport is set to undergo some significant shifts for '24.
New Quarterbacks Take Over at Top Teams
Take a quick peek at Athlon's Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 for '23 and you will see some familiar teams atop the rankings. Defending champ Georgia ranks No. 1, and as expected, Ohio State, Michigan and Alabama all find a spot in the top six. Although those programs should make it to late November in the mix for a playoff spot, the Bulldogs, Buckeyes and Crimson Tide are all likely to have new starting quarterbacks. Carson Beck is the front-runner in Athens, Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will battle in Columbus (assuming C.J. Stroud declares for NFL draft), and Ty Simpson and Jalen Milroe are set to compete to replace Bryce Young. In recent years, top teams replacing standout quarterbacks hasn't resulted in much of a drop-off. Will that hold true again in '23?
A Three-Peat in Athens?
Winning back-to-back titles in college football is hard. However, Georgia made it look easy as it checked off that box with a 65-7 blowout of TCU on Monday night. Can the 'Dawgs make it three in a row? No team since the BCS era has won three straight national championships. But with a loaded roster and a favorable schedule, coach Kirby Smart's team has a realistic path to a third title in a row. Georgia will get every team's best shot and will have obstacles in the way, but given the roster talent in place, another national championship wouldn't be a surprise.
Related: College Football's Early Top 25 Rankings for 2023
Coach Prime in Boulder
With Deion Sanders at the helm, Colorado will be must-see television each week. The Buffaloes are 9-21 over the last three years, but Coach Prime in Boulder will not only add intrigue to a program in need of a spark, but this team should also take a step forward thanks to the addition of several players from the portal. The schedule isn't easy, so a bowl game would be a good first step for Sanders. But make no mistake, even if Colorado goes 3-9, we will tune in every week to see what Coach Prime can do in his first year on the sidelines in Boulder.
Michigan vs. Ohio State... and Penn State?
After Michigan has claimed the Big Ten and played in back-to-back trips to the CFB Playoff in each of the last two years, the path to the conference title runs through Ann Arbor. The Wolverines bring back one of the Big Ten's top quarterbacks in J.J. McCarthy, as well as running backs Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum. Ohio State won't be far behind its bitter rival, but coach Ryan Day has to hope the defense continues to progress under coordinator Jim Knowles, and the offense quickly reloads behind a new quarterback (Kyle McCord or Devin Brown) and a rebuilt line. Although The Game is likely to decide the winner of the East, this is likely to be a three-team competition with Penn State joining the mix. The Nittany Lions bring back a strong core of players from a team that went 11-2 in '22 and features rising stars like quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton.
New King in the ACC?
Clemson has won the ACC in seven out of the last eight years. However, could '23 mark a changing of the guard in the ACC? Florida State should get plenty of preseason buzz as the favorite to win the conference after a 10-3 finish this year. The Seminoles are clearly on the rise under coach Mike Norvell and return quarterback Jordan Travis, running back Trey Benson and defensive end Jared Verse. Also, another standout transfer class is headed to Tallahassee. With the ACC ditching divisions, Florida State-Clemson could happen once in the regular season and again in the conference title game. Is '23 the year Florida State returns to the top of the ACC and the CFB Playoff?
Related: College Football Transfer Tracker: Which Players are in the Portal?
Caleb Williams Back to Defend Heisman and Lead USC to CFB Playoff
USC quarterback Caleb Williams set the bar high in his first season in Los Angeles. What's next for an encore? In his first season with the Trojans, Williams threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for 382 yards and 10 scores en route to winning the Heisman Trophy and nearly leading his team to the CFB Playoff. If USC is going to take the next step and make the four-team playoff in '23, it will once again be on the right arm of Williams. Coach Lincoln Riley opted to bring back coordinator Alex Grinch after the defense struggled overall in '22, but especially in the Pac-12 title game against Utah and in the Cotton Bowl versus Tulane. While scheme is a concern, the Trojans still need to improve the personnel on this side of the ball and additions through the portal could provide another immediate boost. With a high-powered offense and Williams back, improvement on defense could equal a Pac-12 title and a trip to the CFB Playoff. However, the Pac-12 features plenty of obstacles to USC's march to the playoff, including Washington, Oregon, Utah, UCLA and Oregon State – all potential Top 25 teams.
A New Rhule in Lincoln
Scott Frost was believed to be the right coach to get Nebraska on track in the Big Ten, but the former 'Husker quarterback's tenure ended with a 16-31 overall mark and just 10 wins in Big Ten play. Nebraska has just one overall and Big Ten winning season since '15 and the 4-8 mark in '21 was the sixth consecutive year the program won five or fewer games. Athletic director Trev Alberts is banking on former Baylor and NFL head coach Matt Rhule to turn things around but some patience is needed. Rhule went 1-11 in his debut with the Bears in '17 before jumping to 7-6 the following year and 11-3 in '19. How far will Nebraska improve in Rhule's first season?
Related: Nebraska Hires Matt Rhule to Lead Big Red Into the Future
Another Wide-Open Big 12 Title Race?
TCU went from 5-7 to the Big 12 title game and CFB Playoff. Could another team match what the Horned Frogs did next year? On paper, '23 appears to be another wide-open year in the Big 12. Texas will get some consideration as the favorite after making a three-game jump in wins from '21. Oklahoma should improve in coach Brent Venables' second year, while Texas Tech and defending Big 12 champ Kansas State will be teams on the radar. And we can't forget the Horned Frogs even though coach Sonny Dykes' squad is facing significant turnover. Add in Baylor looking to improve after a disappointing 6-7 mark, a Kansas team on the rise, and four new additions – UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati – which only add to the intrigue in the Big 12.
Related: Team-by-Team Tracker of College Football Transfer Additions
Bobby Petrino Rides Again in College Station
A 5-7 record and an anemic offense didn't sit well in College Station. As a result, coach Jimbo Fisher was forced to make changes and hand over the play-calling duties to a full-time coordinator. After an extended search, Fisher landed on the well-traveled Petrino, who arrived in College Station after working less than a month as UNLV's offensive coordinator. The former Arkansas head coach has baggage but his play-calling ability isn't in doubt. Also, Petrino's scheme and philosophy aren't too different than Fisher, so the styles should mesh with the current personnel. Texas A&M averaged only 22.8 points a game and 5.73 yards per play last season, but the returning roster (QB Conner Weigman, WR Evan Stewart and incoming freshman RB Rueben Owens) isn't devoid of talent. How fast (and how well) Petrino can get this offense on track could make or break Fisher's tenure at Texas A&M.
