Top 10 College Football Team Rankings 2023-2024

Updating the College Football Team Rankings for the Week 15 2023-2024 NCAA season as Blake Corum and the Michigan Wolverines are #1

By admin | April 29, 2024

The action on the football field during the 2023 NCAA Football schedule delivered a ton of fireworks from the opening week of the season to the final whistle of the National Championship Game. As the final season of the four team NCAA Football Playoffs has come and gone, and the hype of the new 12 team NCAA Football Playoffs begins to grow, the time has arrived to take a look at the best teams in college football from the 2023 NCAA Football Season. One of those teams well deserving of a spot among the Top 10 Best College Football Teams 2023-2024 Rankings list is the Michigan Wolverines who ran the table all season long in route to winning their first National Championship since the 1997 NCAA season.

The Wolverines used their top ranked defense to roll to an impressive 15-0 season while knocking off an extensive list of high caliber teams along the way including the Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Alabama Crimson Tide, and the Washington Huskies.

As all eyes are on Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines as the best team in college football, it is hard to look past the other well deserving teams including the Washington Huskies who came up on the losing end within the National Championship game.

Other teams joining the Wolverines and Huskies include the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida State Seminoles, Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns, and Oregon Ducks.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Best College Football Teams 2023 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

LSU Tigers (11-3)

Conference: SEC

Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention

Just missing the Top 10 Best College Football Teams 2023 Rankings list is the LSU Tigers. The Tigers, who finished at 11-3 over the course of the season, were as dangerous offensively as any team in the country built around an offense led by Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.

Over 13 games, the Tigers led the country in scoring while averaging 45.5 points per game while also averaging 543.5 yards per game.

All in all, the Tigers struggles came against top ranked opponents including the #8 Florida State Seminoles, #20 Ole Miss Rebels, and the #8 Alabama Crimson Tide while taking care of business against other opponents including picking up a 35-31 over the Wisconsin Badgers within the Reliaquest Bowl without Daniels and other top stars within the lineup.

Penn State Nittany Lions (10-3)

Conference: Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 10

The Big Ten is loaded with talented teams with the Penn State Nittany Lions ranking among the best within the conference joining the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines.

Overall, the Nittany Lions finished the season with an 10-3 overall record with all three losses coming against AP Top 25 ranked opponents including both the #3 Buckeyes and #3 Wolverines.

The Nittany Lions finished the season as well balanced on both sides of the football joining only the Georgia Bulldogs, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, SMU Mustangs and Oregon Ducks to rank among the top 12 in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

In 12 games played the Nittany Lions allowed the third fewest number of points scored per game (11.4) while scoring the 12^th most points per game (36.2).

Top 10 College Football Team Rankings

10. Ole Miss Rebels (11-2)

Conference: SEC

Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention

Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 Best College Football Teams 2023 Rankings list is the Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebels may have been the biggest surprise team from the SEC during the 2023 NCAA Football season alongside the Missouri Tigers.

The Rebels entered the season unranked before running off three straight wins including a key 37-20 win over a Tulane Green Wave ranked 24^th in the country. Over the next 10 games the Rebels would go 8-2 picking up key wins over both the #10 Penn State Nittany Lions within the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl as well as the #13 LSU Tigers while dropping both games to top ranked opponents in the Alabama Crimson Tide and #2 Georgia Bulldogs.

Over the season the Rebels offense averaged 462.1 yards per game to go along with 35.1 points per game led by Jaxson Dart at quarterback and Quinshon Judkins at the running back position.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2)

Conference: Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 8

As a top ranked football program within the College Football landscape the Ohio State Buckeyes have had to deal with top talent leaving for the NFL year in and year out.

However, despite the turnover the team continues to rank among the best teams within the country each season. The 2023 NCAA Football season was no different as the Buckeyes rolled to an 11-2 overall record while turning to a brand new starting quarterback after losing CJ Stroud to the NFL.

While the offense was solid the team’s second ranked defense that allowed just 11 points per game allowed the team roll to 11 straight wins to open up the season before losing to both the #3 Michigan Wolverines to end the regular season as well as the #9 Missouri Tiger within the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.

8. Missouri Tigers (11-2)

Conference: SEC

Previous Ranking: 9

Another powerful SEC team to land among the best teams within College Football is the LSU Tigers who rolled to an 11-2 record including a Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic win over the #7 Ohio State Buckeyes team.

In addition to that win the Tigers finished the season 3-2 against teams ranked within the AP Top 25 with their two losses coming against the #23 LSU Tigers and #2 Georgia Bulldogs.

The Tigers were loaded with fire power on both sides of the ball including quarterback Brady Cook who finished the season throwing for 3,317 yards with 21 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

Meanwhile the Tigers defense finished the season allowing just 22.3 points per game including holding the Buckeyes to just three points to finish the season.

7. Oregon Ducks (12-2)

Conference: PAC-12

Previous Ranking: 6

When it comes to the top seven ranked teams in the country each team were in position to compete for a spot within the College Football Playoffs and a potential chance at a National Championship game.

One of those teams was the Oregon Ducks who finished the season 12-2 picking up both their losses to the Washington Huskies including within the PAC-12 Championship Game.

As a team the Ducks were as polished as any on the offensive side of the ball led by Bo Nix at quarterback while finishing ranked 2^nd in the country in scoring (44.2) and total offense (531.4).

On the opposite side of the football the Ducks were just as impressive allowing just 17.3 points per game and 320.3 yards of offense per game. The Ducks capped off a strong career within the PAC-12 as their new future begins within the Big Ten.

6. Texas Longhorns (12-2)

Conference: Big 12

Previous Ranking: 5

The future looks promising for the Texas Longhorns after a strong 2023 NCAA football season propelling the team to their first ever appearance within the College Football Playoffs. A roster loaded with talented players at the quarterback position including Quinn Ewers who threw for 3,479 yards with 22 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

Overall, the Longhorns finished the season averaging 35.8 points per game to go along with the 9^th most yards per game (477.5). Led by their strong offensive attack the Longhorns posted a 4-2 record against ranked opponents including a statement win during week 2 of the season against a strong #3 Alabama Crimson Tide team.

5. Florida State Seminoles (13-1)

Conference: ACC

Previous Ranking: 6

Rounding out the Top 5 College Football teams landing on the Top 10 Best College Football Teams 2023 Rankings list is the Florida State Seminoles. The one big question surrounding the Seminoles is what may have happened if the team was selected for the College Football Playoffs?

Unfortunately, no one knows how the outcome would have played out, but one thing is for certain: playing in a down ACC hurt the Seminoles from playing in the playoffs along with the injury to Jordan Travis.

That said, the Seminoles for the majority of the season with Travis at quarterback were a balanced team with a stellar defense. A defensive unit that finished the season allowing just 15.9 points per game and 305.7 yards per offense helping the team rack up 13 straight wins to open the season.

4. Georgia Bulldogs (13-1)

Conference: SEC

Previous Ranking: 4

Could the Georgia Bulldogs have made more noise within the College Football Playoffs than the three teams that all lost? Possible as the Bulldogs loaded roster of playmakers made it difficult for opponents to score on them while opposing defenses had their hands full of the opening whistle to the final whistle.

The Bulldogs finished the season as one of only two teams including the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to finish in the top 10 in scoring (40.1) and top 10 in fewest number of points allowed per game (16.6).

Overall, the Bulldogs finished the season 13-1 while posting a 5-1 record against AP Top 25 ranked opponents including an impressive 63-3 win over the Seminoles within the Capital One Orange Bowl.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-2)

Conference: SEC

Previous Ranking: 3

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) dynasty has possibly come to an end after failing to reach the National Championship game after the Alabama Crimson Tide fell to the Michigan Wolverines.

Despite dropping two games during the season, it is hard to look past how good of a Crimson Tide team took the field this season after turning to a new quarterback and rolling to an 12-2 overall record with both of their losses coming to teams ranked within the top 10 on the AP rankings.

After a slow start scoring more than just 24 points in just one of their first four games of the season, the Crimson Tides offense picked up steam as Jalen Milroe adapted to the position posting more than 24 points in eight of their last 10 games. The hot streak helped the Crimson Tide knock off the Georgia Bulldogs as well as Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers, and LSU Tigers all ranked at kickoff.

2. Washington Huskies (14-1)

Conference: PAC-12

Previous Ranking: 2

What an amazing run it was for the Washington Huskies during the season finishing undefeated during the regular season with two PAC-12 wins over the talented Oregon Ducks.

Leading the way for the Huskies was the team’s high powered offense led by Michael Penix Jr who played himself into contention for the Heisman Trophy Award.

The Huskies offense finished the season averaging 462.1 yards per game and 36 points per game. Over the course of the season Penix Jr would finish the season throwing for college best 4,903 yards to go along with 36 touchdowns.

With the hot hand at quarterback the Huskies would post a 6-0 record against ranked opponents before losing to the Wolverines within the National Championship Game. The only major weakness of the Huskies all season was on the defensive side of the ball where the team allowed at least 30 points in seven games.

1. Michigan Wolverines (13-0)

Conference: Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 1

In at number one on the Top 10 Best College Football Teams 2023 Rankings after an impressive 15-0 undefeated season is the Michigan Wolverines who capped off an amazing season knocking off both the Alabama Crimson Tide and Washington Huskies to win the National Championship.

The Wolverines used their impressive defense to lead the way all season while eventually holding the Huskies to just 13 points to win the championship. Over the course of the team’s 15 game season, the Wolverines defense allowed just 9.5 points per game to go along with 239.7 yards of offense.

Meanwhile the Wolverines offense was led by running back Blake Corum who posted 1,245 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns while the team averaged 35.9 points per game.

In addition to the impressive wins within the College Football Playoffs, the Wolverines posted a 3-0 record during the regular season against ranked opponents including a 30-24 win over Ohio State to finish the regular season.

How would you rank these teams in the College Football Rankings 2023-2024 BCS season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings