Everyone saw Georgia coming last August, even if voters in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll voted Alabama No. 1, not the Bulldogs.
It would take just a few weeks, though, before the defending national champions would take over atop the Top 25. From there, Georgia cruised to an unbeaten finish and second straight crown, setting up the possibility for an unprecedented three-peat this season.
Now TCU? Voters didn’t quite see that one coming.
The national runners-up were nowhere to be found in the preseason Top 25 last year and were not even in the top half of the preseason Big 12 poll, which picked the Horned Frogs to finish seventh in the conference standings.
It just goes to show: There are always teams lurking outside the Top 25 in August who make a big splash when teams take the field in September. Looking ahead to the 2023 season, here are five teams unranked in the preseason Coaches Poll who are set to make noise beginning in just a few weeks.
Iowa
So much has been made of Iowa’s misfiring offense and the contractual metrics placed on embattled offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz that it’s overshadowed the meaningful steps the Hawkeyes have taken this offseason, beginning with the addition of Michigan transfer quarterback Cade McNamara. He’s a potentially dramatic upgrade.
Iowa also brought in Michigan transfer tight end Erick All, who joins holdover Luke Lachey in one of the Big Ten’s best position rooms. The offensive line hasn’t earned the same degree of national praise in recent years but will benefit immensely from McNamara’s ability to keep defenses off the line of scrimmage. Iowa’s own defense is again expected to be one of the best in the Big Ten or even the entire Bowl Subdivision, making it easy to pick the Hawkeyes to exceed preseason expectations and compete for a New Year’s Six bowl.
Kentucky
Last year’s team took a somewhat surprising step back to seven wins after rising as high as No. 8 in the Coaches Poll following a 4-0 start. The big issue? An offense that plummeted to last in the SEC in yards per play. Despite losing quarterback Will Levis to the NFL, Kentucky’s offense promises to be improved thanks to the return of former offensive coordinator Liam Coen. He ran the show in 2021, when the Wildcats went 10-3 and finished sixth in the league in averaging 6.4 yards per play. While nothing comes easy in the SEC, Kentucky is good enough to finish second to Georgia in the division.
LEFT OUT: The five biggest snubs in the preseason rankings
GRAPHIC: Why history is against Georgia finishing at No. 1
BREAKDOWN: Preseason outlooks for every preseason Top 25 team
Pittsburgh
The personnel changes on defense are tough to ignore; losing defensive tackle Calijah Kancey alone might be enough to cripple most defenses. But the scheme and system put in place by Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi continues to yield very strong results despite an always-changing cast, building hope that this year’s unit will stick among the best in the ACC. The offense will have another new quarterback in Boston College transfer Phil Jurkovec, who struggled with injuries the past two seasons and could use the fresh start.
Texas-San Antonio
The best team in Conference USA for two years running could very well be the best team in the American. UTSA has flourished under coach Jeff Traylor, claiming back-to-back Conference USA crowns, and the Roadrunners are poised to move ahead of Tulane to capture the new-look AAC. UTSA will surprise opponents unfamiliar with the program’s speed, toughness and experience. There’s also veteran quarterback Frank Harris, one of the top passers in the entire country, let alone the Group of Five. The finale against Tulane on Nov. 25 could be one of the biggest games of the regular season.
UCLA
The program is very clearly on an upward trajectory under coach Chip Kelly, with recent on-field results mirroring the coaching staff’s effective rebuild of what was one of the Pac-12’s flimsiest rosters. This growth is best seen in an offense that finished last season ranked eighth nationally in scoring and fifth in yards per play. The UCLA defense has largely failed to hold up its end of the bargain, though.
But when it comes to the 2023 offense, the loss of longtime starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has led to a crowded competition that could land on five-star true freshman Dante Moore. If so, Moore’s learning curve might keep the Bruins out of the top four in the conference standings while helping the program get into the best position for life in the Big Ten beginning in 2024. But if Kelly can keep the quarterback position on-point, UCLA will be a real contender for the Pac-12 championship.
