For the first time since 2008, Georgia will start the season at No. 1.
The Bulldogs are No. 1 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25, which matches their ranking in last week's USA Today Sports UFCA Coaches Poll.
Georgia won the last two national championships under Kirby Smart, and the Bulldogs return a talented roster for the 2023-24 season that features future first-round picks in tight end Brock Bowers and safety Javon Bullard. This is the seventh time in the last 10 years the reigning national champion has been voted the preseason No. 1.
Michigan – which has reached the College Football Playoff the last two seasons – opened the season at No. 2. Jim Harbaugh also returns a loaded roster that features quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the running back tandem of Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Sporting News has a CFP championship game of Georgia vs. Michigan in our 2023 Bowl Projections.
Ohio State, Alabama and LSU rounded out the top five. The Crimson Tide was the preseason No. 1 in 2021 and 2022 under Nick Saban but is coming off a two-loss season. The Buckeyes have opened in the top five each of the last seven seasons.
Preseason AP Top 25
A look at the Preseason AP Top 25.
| RANK | SCHOOL | POINTS |
| 1. | Georgia | 1,572 (60) |
| 2. | Michigan | 1,490 (2) |
| 3. | Ohio State | 1,400 (1) |
| 4. | Alabama | 1,398 |
| 5. | LSU | 1,276 |
| 6. | USC | 1,245 |
| 7. | Penn State | 1,177 |
| 8. | Florida State | 1,147 |
| 9. | Clemson | 1,032 |
| 10. | Washington | 977 |
| 11. | Texas | 882 |
| 12. | Tennessee | 868 |
| 13. | Notre Dame | 863 |
| 14. | Utah | 811 |
| 15. | Oregon | 732 |
| 16. | Kansas State | 501 |
| 17. | TCU | 416 |
| 18. | Oregon State | 406 |
| 19. | Wisconsin | 386 |
| 20. | Oklahoma | 296 |
| 21. | North Carolina | 292 |
| 22. | Ole Miss | 281 |
| 23. | Texas A&M | 227 |
| 24. | Tulane | 224 |
| 25. | Iowa | 131 |
Others receiving votes: Texas Tech 101, South Carolina 73, UCLA 66, UTSA 64, Arkansas 22, Boise St. 17, Pittsburgh 16, Kentucky 14, Louisville 10, Troy 10, Kansas 10, Auburn 7, Minnesota 6, Toledo 4, Duke 4, Mississippi St. 4, Florida 4, Illinois 3, Baylor 3, Coastal Carolina 3, South Alabama 1, NC State 1, James Madison 1, Liberty 1.
How many Preseason No. 1 teams won national championship?
Georgia will try to become the 12th team to open as No. 1 in the AP Preseason Poll to win the national championship. Alabama was the last team to accomplish that feat in 2017.
MORE: Preseason No. 1 teams who won national title
Preseason No. 1 teams in CFP era
Here is a look at how the Preseason No. 1 team has finished in the CFP era:
| YEAR | PRE. NO. 1 | FINISH | NAT. CHAMP | PRE. |
| 2014 | Florida State | 5 | Ohio State | 5 |
| 2015 | Ohio State | 4 | Alabama | 3 |
| 2016 | Alabama | 2 | Clemson | 2 |
| 2017 | Alabama | 1 | Alabama | 1 |
| 2018 | Alabama | 2 | Clemson | 2 |
| 2019 | Clemson | 2 | LSU | 6 |
| 2020 | Clemson | 3 | Alabama | 3 |
| 2021 | Alabama | 2 | Georgia | 5 |
| 2022 | Alabama | 5 | Georgia | 3 |
| 2023 | Georgia | ? | ? | ? |
Alabama is the only team that opened No. 1 that won the national championship in the last nine seasons. The eventual national champion has started at No. 6 or higher, with the 2019 LSU team the only one to start outside the top five in the last nine years.