The Future Power Rankings train has reached its final stop for 2023: the team rankings.
By now, we’ve broken down the outlooks for quarterbacks, defenses and offenses for the next three seasons: 2023, 2024 and 2025. FPR doesn’t get too wrapped up in current rosters, especially if significant turnover is on the horizon. Track records matter, as certain programs and coaches have earned the benefit of the doubt. So does recruiting and the transfer portal, an increasingly significant factor in shaping personnel projections.
The three previous 2023 breakdowns aren’t the only predictors for the team rundown, but they certainly inform the philosophy. Some teams that didn’t rate well in one particular category still made it in the overall rundown because their trendlines are promising. There aren’t many surprises at the top.
At its core, FPR is a personnel-based forecast, and it assesses how current and future players will impact performance for their teams. Recent recruiting or projected success in 2023 carries weight. But some programs consistently outperform their recruiting rankings and deserve to be recognized appropriately in the team list.
Alabama has led off the past two team rankings, but there’s a new No. 1 team this year, which will surprise no one. The 2022 rankings had Texas A&M at No. 4, a prediction that totally fell flat, and left out TCU entirely. But promising forecasts for teams like Michigan, USC and LSU worked out.
Now it’s time to rank college football’s top 25 teams during the next three seasons.
2023 Future QB ranking: 4
2023 Future defense ranking: 1
2023 Future offense ranking: 3
2022 Future team ranking: 2
