Picking the No. 1 team in the preseason USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-133 was more difficult than you might think. In the end, though, the choice was clear: Georgia, the two-time defending national champions, over Michigan.
The Bulldogs will begin the 2023 season as the No. 1 team in the re-rank despite losing a parade of all-conference starters to the NFL, including quarterback Stetson Bennett and defensive lineman Jalen Carter. Georgia remains a formidable force in the quest to become the first Bowl Subdivision program in the modern era to win three straight championships.
But Michigan is close behind.