College Football Rankings: CBS Sports releases Preseason Top 25

With fall camp underway for teams across the country, college football is closer than ever. Which means it’s officially preseason rankings season.

CBS Sports provided the latest CBS Sports 134, specifically a Top 25, as August gets rolling. And there’s little surprise about who is at the very top of the list.

See the full Top 25 from CBS below.

1. Georgia

Georgia and the No. 2 team on the list — Ohio State — are pretty interchangeable atop the rankings heading into the season. Both have loaded rosters and expect to contend for national championships.

But the edge probably goes to Georgia, given a more proven commodity in quarterback Carson Beck. And one who isn’t playing in his first year at a new school after transfering.

2. Ohio State

No team attacked the transfer portal and pulled out blue-chip talents quite like Ohio State did this offseason. And the expectations in Columbus are thusly through the roof.

If quarterback Will Howard can deliver as promised, Ohio State should be a legit national championship frontrunner. But they’ll face plenty of challenges along the way, including the next team on the list.

3. Oregon

The Ducks also loaded up in the offseason, and are off to a new conference in the Big Ten. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel has proven himself as a transfer option and will need to settle in.

But there’s little doubt that he and the rest of the Ducks can fly high in 2024. If it weren’t for Ohio State, they’d likely be runaway Big Ten favorites.

4. Texas

Fresh off a first-ever College Football Playoff berth and with Quinn Ewers back in the fold, Texas has every reason to feel good about where things are headed. And 2024 is expected to be more of the same on the 40 Acres.

The biggest challenge staring down the Longhorns: Surviving an SEC schedule. But the roster seems to be in a place, especially in the trenches, to hold up over 12-plus games.

5. Alabama

No Nick Saban? No problem. Alabama is still widely expected to keep it’s perch near the top of college football. And it’s hard to say there’s not the talent for the Tide to compete.

That’s especially the case with quarterback Jalen Milroe still under center. The dynamic quarterback should be the engine for one of the more exciting offenses in college football.

6. Ole Miss

Speaking of great offense and returning quarterbacks, Ole Miss brings back starter Jaxson Dart to a loaded offensive room. There have been some tough departures at the skill positions, but the overall picture is still quite rosy.

And if the talent all coalesces into something greater than the sum of it’s part, Ole Miss could be in for a historic season.

7. Penn State

The 2024 season seems to, finally, be the moment for Penn State to break the glass ceiling and reach the College Football Playoff. Anything less would likely be a major disappointment in Happy Valley.

On paper, the team is there on paper for Penn State to contend, with a returning starter at quarterback, two highly-talented running backs and a defense that should re-up as one of the better units in the country. Now it’s just a matter of getting over the hump.

8. Notre Dame

Notre Dame already got some tough injury news to start fall camp, losing its starting left tackle. But the Irish should still be in strong shape to finish 2024 with a berth in the College Football Playoffs first ever 12-team field all but sewn up.

Much like the Buckeyes and a few others, the question for Notre Dame will be how fast transfer quarterback Riley Leonard — who has been hurt — gets up to speed. If he and the overhauled receiving corps click, things could look good in a hurry for the Irish.

9. Michigan

The reigning national champions are going to be defending their title this season by doing a lot of just that: Defending. With a plethora of talent back on that side and plenty of turnover on offense, it’s likely to be the recipe Michigan leans on early and often in 2024.

While the offensive line is replacing all five starters, there’s confidence the group can reload with players waiting their turn. But bigger questions remain at receiver and, most importantly, quarterback.

10. Utah

A picture of consistency through the years, Utah enters the Big 12 as a preseason title contender. And while the Utes might not win a championship in Year 1 in the league, they’re expected to be among the best no matter what.

The biggest benefit Utah has going for it will be the return of quarterback Cam Rising, a veteran presence returning from a knee injury. If he looks like he did pre-injury, there’s little doubt the Utes can get to contending right away.

Teams No. 11 through 25

11. Missouri
12. LSU
13. Florida State
14. Clemson
15. Tennessee
16. Miami
17. Kansas State
18. Oklahoma
19. Oklahoma State
20. Texas A&M
21. USC
22. Arizona
23. Iowa
24. NC State
25. Kansas

Notably, no Group of 5 teams made the cut for the Top 25, which was dominated by teams from the SEC and Big Ten, especially in the Top 10. But that might just be the way college football is headed right now.