College Football Playoff Rankings after Week 1: First four in, first two out

You know how there’s Way-Too-Early-Top 25’s posted right after the national championship game or Way-Too-Early-Mock Drafts in April? Well, how about some Way-Too-Early-College-Football-Playoff-Projections after Week 1 of the 2023 season. Reckless? Foolhardy? Definitely. 

But let’s lean into the lunacy. 

For most teams, we have a single sample size to judge. For others like USC and Notre Dame, we know a little bit more. We take what we know (which again, is not much!) and make fun, educated (quote on quote) guesses. 

The two College Football Playoff Semifinals this season will be played at the Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl. 

Here’s how we project the 2023 College Football Playoff Rankings would like after Week 1:

1. Georgia

The Bulldogs didn’t light the world on fire in their opener against UT-Martin — a ho-hum 48-7 win — like they did a year ago when they blitzkrieg’d Oregon, but the reigning two-time defending two-time champions will get the benefit of the doubt until otherwise. 

Kirby Smart has won 18 straight games — with Georgia’s dominant defense allowing fewer than 20 points 13 times. Carson Beck has plenty of room to grow at quarterback, and the Dawgs hope to be healthier offensively in a couple of weeks when SEC play starts. 

2. Michigan

With Jim Harbaugh suspended, J.J. McCarthy got to cook a little bit in Week 1, throwing for 280 yards and three touchdowns with 86.7% completion. The junior had 26 completions, more than he had in all but one game in 2022. 

The Wolverines might not get tested until after Halloween, providing plenty of time for transfers like Ernest Hausmann, who led the team in tackles in the 30-0 win over East Carolina, and pass rusher Josiah Stewart to become even more comfortable in Jesse Minter’s defense.

3. Alabama

The Tide were quite crisp in their 56-7 pummeling over Middle Tennessee State. Quarterback Jalen Milroe seemingly locked down the QB1 job with five total touchdowns (including a crazy busted play run for a score) and total command of Tommy Rees’ offense. 

Alabama’s offensive line was punishing, and the Tide’s defense — with guys like Deontae Lawson, Caleb Downs, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Dallas Turner — might challenge Georgia for the best unit the SEC (or country for that matter) by season’s end. A monster matchup with Texas next weekend is on deck. 

4. Florida State

Apologies to Deion Sanders, but the Seminoles had the most impressive win of Week 1, routing LSU behind a dominant second-half showing in a 45-24 win. Jordan Travis overcame some yips to finish with 380 total yards, four touchdowns and 11.0 yards per attempt. 

On a field full of future NFL Draft picks, Keon Coleman was the best player, as FSU’s transfer wideout had nine catches for 122 yards and three scores against his home-state Tigers. FSU’s defensive line punished a quality LSU OL (four sacks), and the Seminoles came up with multiple goal-line stands in the first half. 

Mike Norvell clearly has a roster that looks capable of running the table the rest of the season. 

First Two Out:

5. Ohio State

Despite a sluggish start offensively to the 2023 season (zero touchdown passes, just five combined catches for 34 yards from Marvin Harrison and Emeka Egbuka), it would be silly to think Ryan Day isn’t going to figure something out. Maybe it will be Kyle McCord. Or perhaps Devin Brown can seize the job. 

The Buckeyes showed signs of improvement defensively in the 23-3 win over Indiana (just 2.83 yards per play allowed), but we’ll know a lot more about 2023 Ohio State in a few weeks when it travels to Notre Dame. 

6. USC

News flash: Caleb Williams is still awesome. Like the awesomest. A Heisman Trophy redux certainly looks possible after two weeks where USC’s quarterback has 12 touchdowns to zero picks, is completing 74% of his passes and is averaging 300 yards per game. 

The Trojans showed the same warts defensively in the Week 0 opener against San Jose State, but they were much better in the Week 1 blowout of Nevada. USC held the Wolfpack to just 49 yards rushing, five sacks and 10 TFLs.