Comprehensive guide to the 2023 college football season
The 2023 college football season represents the end of an era of sorts, with a number of traditional powerhouses set to leave longtime conferences next year.
That includes Texas and Oklahoma signing on with the SEC and USC, respectively, and Oregon, Washington, and UCLA joining the Big Ten. Other movement among programs includes Colorado and Arizona leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12.
On the field, all eyes are on Georgia and its quest for a stunning three-peat after claiming the last two College Football Playoff championships.
theScore has compiled all the preview content for the 2023 season in this guide to get you ready for kickoff.
Power 5 previews
Big Ten
For the second straight season, Michigan took down Ohio State and was crowned King of the Big Ten. While the Wolverines have fallen in the CFP semifinal both years, Jim Harbaugh is still on a heater in Ann Arbor. Can Ohio State get back on track with an unproven starting quarterback, or is it Penn State's time to jump into the national conversation? Change is the key word in the West Division, with Nebraska, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Northwestern all taking the field with new head coaches in 2023. See full preview.
SEC
The theme over the past two years in college football is that it's Georgia's world and the rest of the country is just living in it. The Bulldogs turned in two of the most impressive campaigns in history to claim back-to-back national championships with a host of future NFLers leading the way. Kirby Smart's dogged recruiting efforts have the roster loaded once again, with star tight end Brock Bowers hoping to make Heisman noise. Tennessee represents the stiffest challenge in the East with the usual suspects of LSU and Alabama providing some stiff competition from the West. See full preview.
Big 12
TCU stunned the world last year with an incredible run all the way to the CFP title game, but the Horned Frogs will be in tough to repeat that success in 2023. That paves the way for Texas to finally make some playoff noise in its final season in the Big 12. Elsewhere, Oklahoma is playing out its last schedule in the storied conference while coming off its worst season since 1998. There are also the newcomers to keep an eye on, as UCF, Houston, Cincinnati, and BYU join the party and push the league membership to 14 this year. See full preview.
ACC
Clemson isn't alone at the top any longer in the ACC, with Florida State poised to make a run at its first conference title since 2014. Dabo Swinney tabbed Garrett Riley as the man to take the Tigers' offense to the next level, hiring the TCU coordinator in the offseason. They will try to keep up with a Seminoles squad that features star quarterback Jordan Travis and a very stout defense. Other storylines to follow in the conference include Drake Maye's Heisman push, Miami's hope to turn things around, and what the conference looks like in the first year without divisions. See full preview.
Pac-12
There's no conference stacked with strong quarterback play like the Pac-12. USC's Caleb Williams gets the headlines, but Washington's Michael Penix and Oregon's Bo Nix are superstars in their own right. Add DJ Uiagalelei's transfer to Oregon State, Shedeur Sanders playing for his father in Colorado, and Cameron Rising back at Utah, and each conference game should be full of fireworks. See full preview.
Things to watch across the nation
There are plenty of national storylines to follow - both serious and silly - for the 2023 season. It's the final year that the Power 5 conferences will take the form we have grown accustomed to as major realignment hits before the 2024 campaign. It's the last dance for Texas and Oklahoma in the Big 12, and the majority of the Pac-12 will disband after the season as Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA head to the Big Ten, while Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado join the Big 12. How Michigan handles Jim Harbaugh's three-game suspension will be something to watch, as well as Iowa's attempt to average 25 points per game and save its offensive coordinator's job. Oh, and Wisconsin is running an Air Raid offense. Wisconsin! See full post.
Heisman race
There hasn't been a back-to-back winner of the Heisman Trophy since Archie Griffin accomplished that feat in 1975. However, Caleb Williams might hold the best chance among anyone since then, as the USC quarterback should have another monster year after winning the award in December. Once again, there's plenty of quarterback talent to keep an eye on, from Drake Maye to Michael Penix and Jordan Travis. The biggest non-quarterback to watch this season is undoubtedly Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison, with the son of the Hall of Famer touted as a top-three pick in next year's NFL draft. See full list.
News
- Texas A&M AD says Fisher's job safe despite 5-7 season: 'No panic here'
- Report: ACC mulls financial pool amid renewed talks about expansion
- Former USC star Reggie Bush plans defamation lawsuit against NCAA
- USC's Williams: Declaring for 2024 draft will be in-the-moment decision
- Washington starting RB Davis out for season with lower-body injury
- Michigan self-imposes 3-game suspension on Harbaugh
- USC's Williams, Georgia's Bowers top AP preseason All-Americans
Betting preview
Georgia paying +225 for a third straight national title might not be something that interests you, but there's plenty of other ways to bet college football this season. There will be weekly picks throughout the campaign on theScore, but get set for the season with our full betting guide featuring conference betting previews, season win totals, the best bets in the future market, and more. See full preview.
National championship odds
Georgia +225
Alabama +600
Ohio State +700
Michigan +800
LSU +1,200
USC +1,600
Clemson +2,000
Penn State +2,000
Florida State +2,500
Notre Dame +2,500
Texas +2,500
Oregon +4,000
Tennessee +4,000
Washington +5,000
Odds via theScore Bet