NCAA Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll Revealed: Michigan Wolverines To Begin Season Ahead of Alabama, Ohio State – Updated Odds to WIn 2024 College Football Title
The preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll for the 2023 college football season has been revealed. Now the questions begin. Will Georgia make it a three-peat? Will Michigan finally reach the pinnacle? How will Alabama and Ohio State fare with new QB’s running the offense? Time will tell. However, before the season kicks off we here at Sports Odds Digest will give you our predictions and “take it to the bank” top prop wagers! Look for those later this month!
UGA No. 1, Michigan Wolverines No. 2
Reigning national champion Georgia finds itself leading the pack for the third consecutive year, but do they deserve the No.1 slot? It’s hard to not give the champs their due, however, the Bulldogs will enter the new campaign without several key players from 2022, including quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Starting at the No. 2 spot are the Michigan Wolverines. The reigning Big Ten champions are heading into the new season with tons of weapons on both sides of the ball.
Michigan’s No. 2 ranking comes as a result of its impressive performance over the past couple of years, but interestingly, Michigan did not secure a first-place vote from the coach’s panel. Ironically, No. 3 Alabama received four first-place votes, and No. 4 Ohio State managed to secure one vote. This indicates that there is no clear consensus among the coaches when it comes to deciding who deserves the top spot, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the season’s narrative.
The top five rankings are completed by LSU and USC, while perennial contenders Penn State, Florida State, Clemson, and Tennessee round out the top 10. Each of these teams has a rich football history and passionate fanbases, making the competition at the highest level even more intense.
Best of the rest
Notable mentions go to TCU, who reached the national finals last year but now find themselves at No. 16 due to the departure of key players to the NFL. Utah, the reigning Pac-12 champion, starts the season at a respectable No. 14, indicating their strong standing within the conference.
In a nod to the Group of Five, Tulane secured a spot at No. 23, making them the sole representative of smaller conferences in the top 25. This demonstrates the growing competitiveness of teams from outside the traditional powerhouses, adding diversity to the college football landscape.
It’s worth mentioning that the Coaches Poll is compiled from the votes of 66 coaches, each with their own perspectives and insights into the teams they face throughout the season. As the games commence and the results start to unfold, these rankings will undoubtedly change week by week, reflecting the evolving strengths and weaknesses of the teams.
Georgia is favored to win CFP again
While they may have a new QB running the show and have sent 10 players from last season’s roster to the NFL, the Georgia Bulldogs are still listed as the early favorites to win the NCAA title next January.
Bet MGM has the Bulldogs set at +225. Right behind UGA are the Crimson Tide at +600. Ohio State at +700, Michigan at +800. LSU rounds out the Top 5 list of favorites at +1200.
Below is a look at the first Top 25 NCAA Coaches Poll, along with the latest list of teams listed as the early favorites to take home the crown.
| Team | Title Odds |
| Georgia | +225 |
| Alabama | +600 |
| Ohio State | +700 |
| Michigan | +800 |
| LSU | +1200 |
| USC | +1400 |
| Florida State | +1800 |
| Clemson | +1800 |
| Texas | +2000 |
| Penn State | +2500 |
| Notre Dame | +3000 |
| Tennessee | +3500 |
| Oregon | +3500 |
| Washington | +4000 |
| Texas A&M | +4000 |
| Oklahoma | +6000 |
| Wisconsin | +6000 |
| Utah | +8000 |
Preseason Coaches Poll
- Georgia (61)
- Michigan
- Alabama (4)
- Ohio State (1)
- LSU
- USC
- Penn State
- Florida State
- Clemson
- Tennessee
- Washington
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- Utah
- Oregon
- TCU
- Kansas State
- Oregon State
- Oklahoma
- North Carolina
- Wisconsin
- Ole Miss
- Tulane
- Texas Tech
- Texas A&M
