NCAA.com releases way-too-early college football preseason Top 25

The calendar may read the month of February but it’s never too early to begin projecting the upcoming college football season.

NCAA.com put out their way-too-early rankings for next season, giving a top 25. Georgia will enter the season looking to defend their national title but a few teams will be gunning for the No. 1 spot until Week 0 kicks off in late August.

NCAA.com college football top 25

1. Alabama Crimson Tide
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
3. Georgia Bulldogs
4. Texas A&M Aggies
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
6. Utah Utes
7. Clemson Tigers
8. Oklahoma State Cowboys
9. Michigan Wolverines
10. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
11. Oregon Ducks
12. Baylor Bears
13. Pittsburgh Panthers
14. Michigan State Spartans
15. North Carolina State Wolfpack
16. Houston Cougars
17. Arkansas Razorbacks
18. Kentucky Wildcats
19. Iowa Hawkeyes
20. Oklahoma Sooners
21. USC Trojans
22. BYU Cougars
23. Wisconsin Badgers
24. Tennessee Volunteers
25. Cincinnati Bearcats

The usual three are at the top, as Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia make up the top three. Of the seven editions of the College Football Playoff, they have won five of the national championships. Expectations will be the same during the 2022 season, as those three will be the favorites until proven otherwise.

Michigan debuts in the top 10, despite all of the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff. Head coach Jim Harbaugh was flirting with the Minnesota Vikings, while offensive coordinator Josh Gattis just left for Miami. Nonetheless, there is still a Big Ten Championship once again in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh will be looking to continue the momentum with a new staff in place.

The final playoff participant from last season, Cincinnati, just squeaks into the top 25 with the final spot.

Overall, the SEC has the most teams present, with six. Texas A&M is the highest-rated team not named Alabama or Georgia, coming in at No. 4. Arkansas and Kentucky run in the middle of the pack, while Tennessee rounds everything out at No. 24.

Clemson, who is ranked at No. 7, will be looking for a bounce-back season after missing out on all of the playoff fun. It will be a more experienced group returning for head coach Dabo Swinney, hopefully, led by quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and the offense. Losing both offensive coordinator Tony Elliot and defensive coordinator Brent Venables definitely hurt. A big season is upcoming for the Tigers.

Two programs that will be compared a lot next season, Oklahoma and USC, rank right next to each other. The previously mentioned Venables will be taking over in Norman, while former Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams are heading out west to Los Angeles. There might not be a matchup on the field but bragging rights will be at stake between the two programs.