The preseason AP Top 25 has officially been released.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 8-4Key game: vs. Clemson at Atlanta, Aug. 31
The Bulldogs' season opener against the Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will provide the first look at a revamped passing game that lost star tight end Brock Bowers and receivers Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. Quarterback Carson Beck will play behind one of the best offensive lines in the country, but Dominic Lovett, Dillon Bell, Arian Smith and others will be asked to step up on the perimeter. How quickly can Beck develop in-game chemistry with his new pass catchers against what should be another salty Clemson defense? -- Mark Schlabach
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 8-4Key game: vs. Iowa, Oct. 5
The Buckeyes will wait a while for a true gauge, as they don't face a nonleague opponent from a power conference. An Ohio State offense pegged to be among the nation's best will face an Iowa defense that annually is among the stingiest and most opportunistic and features stars such as defensive back Sebastian Castro. Coach Ryan Day also is seeking more consistency from the offensive line, which should be stressed by defensive end Deontae Craig and the Iowa front. -- Adam Rittenberg
3. Oregon Ducks
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 9-3Key game: vs. Ohio State, Oct. 12
While the Ducks cannot overlook the likes of Boise State, Oregon State and Michigan State early on in their schedule, the Oct. 12 matchup against Ohio State in Eugene will set the course for their season -- and their title aspirations. It will be Oregon's first marquee matchup as part of the Big Ten and there's a decent chance both teams will go into the game ranked among the top five in the country. -- Paolo Uggetti
4. Texas Longhorns
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 8-4Key game: vs. Oklahoma at Dallas, Oct. 12
Forget the change of conference address, Oklahoma still matters as much as ever. For one, OU has won four of the last five matchups with Texas, including last season's 34-30 stunner when the Sooners drove 75 yards in 1:02 to win. But following a big nonconference trip to Michigan in Week 2, the Horns should be 4-1 at worst when they face the Sooners. A week later, Georgia comes to Austin with SEC title and CFP hopes on the line. -- Dave Wilson
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 7-5Key game: vs. Georgia, Sept. 28
Not only will this be Kalen DeBoer's first SEC game as Alabama's coach, but it's against Kirby Smart and Georgia, one of the most talented teams in the country. Everybody will be watching, especially an Alabama fan base that isn't used to losing at home. Nick Saban went 108-9 at Bryant-Denny Stadium as Alabama's coach and lost only one SEC game at home in his final eight seasons. -- Chris Low
6. Ole Miss Rebels
Ceiling: 10-2 | Floor: 6-6Key game: at South Carolina, Oct. 5
Ole Miss has one of the most forgiving schedules to open the season in college football. The Rebels don't go on the road in the SEC until they face the Gamecocks in Week 6. Williams-Brice Stadium is underrated in terms of difficult places to play, particularly at night. If Ole Miss rolls in there 5-0, which it should, we'll find out a lot about the Rebels' maturity in a hostile environment. -- Low
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 8-4Key game: vs. Texas A&M, Aug. 31
Sure, the Aggies were just 7-6 last year -- but that was another era. Mike Elko arrived this offseason and has injected both talent and energy into a program desperately in need of it, so this will undoubtedly be a marquee Week 1 matchup. Moreover, the game is in College Station, where even last year's mediocre Aggies team went 6-1. Winning on the road would be a huge accomplishment for the Irish. But perhaps the most significant takeaway from this matchup will be at the line of scrimmage. Texas A&M might have as good a pass rush as any team in the country, giving Notre Dame's new-look offensive line -- which recently lost starting left tackle Charles Jagusah for the season -- a massive test. If it passes that test, the Irish could easily open the season 8-0 before hosting Florida State in early November. -- David Hale
8. Penn State Nittany Lions
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 8-4Key game: at USC, Oct. 12
Though the season opener at West Virginia figures to be tough, Penn State has a manageable first five games to the schedule. This trip to Los Angeles, however, kicks off a rugged four-game stretch that includes Wisconsin, Ohio State and Washington. A win over the Trojans would set the tone for the rest of the season -- and potentially catapult Penn State into the thick of the playoff conversation. -- Jake Trotter
9. Michigan Wolverines
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 6-6Key game: vs. Texas, Sept. 7
The defending champs will face the first of two meetings with CFP participants from last season in a national showcase game at Michigan Stadium. Michigan could still be sorting out its quarterback position, where seventh-year player Jack Tuttle and dual-threat junior Alex Orji are both top candidates. A Wolverines defense now led by veteran coordinator Wink Martindale and featuring stars such as cornerback Will Johnson and defensive linemen Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant will be tested by quarterback Quinn Ewers and a Texas offense that should thrive up front and on the perimeter. -- Rittenberg
10. Florida State Seminoles
Ceiling: 12-0 | Floor: 6-6Key game: vs. Georgia Tech at Dublin, Aug. 24
Opening in Ireland against a good Georgia Tech team, then following that up with a Labor Day night game at home against Boston College, should give us a good feel for where Florida State stands right out of the gate. On paper, some might expect the Seminoles to roll over both the Yellow Jackets and Eagles. But playing overseas, no matter the opponent, provides a unique set of challenges. And Boston College nearly upset Florida State a season ago. Two more games in the first half of the schedule to keep an eye on: at SMU on Sept. 28, then home vs. Clemson on Oct. 5. -- Andrea Adelson
11. Missouri Tigers
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 7-5Key game: at Texas A&M, Oct. 5
Missouri's first four opponents this fall -- Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College and Vanderbilt -- won a combined 14 games during the 2023 season, so the Tigers' first true test may not come until they travel to College Station on the first weekend in October. A relatively favorable schedule this fall means Missouri must take advantage of its opportunities to post high-quality wins. A victory at Kyle Field would bolster the Tigers' postseason hopes and hand Eli Drinkwitz a résumé-cushion before late-season meetings with Alabama and Oklahoma. -- Eli Lederman
12. Utah Utes
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 5-7Key game: at Oklahoma State, Sept. 21
The Utes' true introduction into the Big 12 will come Sept. 21 when they head to Stillwater to face off against Oklahoma State. Kyle Whittingham's team is expected to contend for the conference title and a win against the Cowboys -- who expect to contend for that same title -- would set them well on their way to reaching that goal. -- Uggetti
13. LSU Tigers
Ceiling: 10-2 | Floor: 5-7Key game: vs. USC at Las Vegas, Sept. 1
The Tigers won't have to tangle with former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams and receivers Brenden Rice and Tahj Washington in the opener in Las Vegas, but the Trojans should still be a good test for LSU's rebuilt defense. The Tigers were woefully inept at stopping opponents in 2023, leading Brian Kelly to lure Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to Baton Rouge. USC quarterback Miller Moss played well in a 42-28 victory over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl, throwing for 372 yards with six touchdowns. -- Schlabach
14. Clemson Tigers
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 6-6Key game: vs NC State, Sept. 21
We're tempted to say the Georgia game will be the telltale matchup of the season for Clemson, but that's like judging Clemson's chances to win a game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos against an actual hippopotamus. It'll be interesting, but it probably isn't relevant to what the rest of the season will look like. The Week 3 matchup with the Wolfpack -- a team that has beaten Clemson two of the past three years and is far more talented in 2024 than in either of those previous seasons -- will be a far better indication of the Tigers' ACC title hopes and something of a preview of how well Dabo Swinney's crew will hold up two weeks later against Florida State. -- Hale
15. Tennessee Volunteers
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 6-6Key game: vs. NC State at Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 7
After a home opener with Chattanooga, Tennessee will get an early test in Week 2 against NC State at Bank of America Stadium. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava's first regular-season start away from Knoxville will come against a Wolfpack secondary that led the ACC in interceptions last season. A talented offense led by Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Grayson McCall should present an early challenge to a promising Volunteers defense. In Charlotte, Josh Heupel & Co. can claim a résumé-building win and an early tone-setter for Tennessee's 2024 season. -- Lederman
16. Oklahoma Sooners
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 6-6Key game: vs. Tulane, Sept. 14
Oklahoma's stiffest pre-SEC tune-up may well come when Tulane visits Norman for the third time since 2017. Oregon quarterback transfer Ty Thompson and running back Makhi Hughes, the reigning AAC Rookie of the Year, should test the Sooners' experienced defense, and a Green Wave defense that held opponents to 20.5 points per game will challenge first-year starter Jackson Arnold. A week before Tennessee visits to open SEC play, Oklahoma can't overlook Tulane -- it was only three years ago that the Green Wave nearly upset the Sooners in Norman. -- Lederman
17. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Ceiling: 10-2 | Floor: 5-7Key game: vs. South Dakota State, Aug. 31
Oklahoma State opens its 2024 campaign with a visit from reigning FCS national champion South Dakota State, the division's top-ranked program in the FCS Coaches Poll. More important games lie ahead for the Cowboys in the first half of the season, with visits from Arkansas (Sept. 7) and Utah (Sept. 21) and a Sept. 28 trip to Kansas State, but the first challenge to Oklahoma State's CFP aspirations comes against the Jackrabbits on the opening weekend of the regular season. Remember: The Cowboys suffered a 33-7 home loss to South Alabama last September before rolling to the Big 12 title game. -- Lederman
18. Kansas State Wildcats
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 6-6Key game: vs. Oklahoma State, Sept. 28
The Wildcats face a strong Arizona team Sept. 13, but it's considered a nonconference game since it was scheduled in 2016. Two weeks later, K-State hosts Oklahoma State in what is likely to be an early battle for conference supremacy. Both have made Big 12 championship game appearances in the past two seasons, including Kansas State claiming the 2022 title. But the Wildcats have lost four of the past five meetings with the Cowboys. -- Wilson
