Predicting college football's dark horse teams in the 2023 season

It's not always the teams at the top of the college football rankings who dominate. Who can shock the world this season?

James Parks | Aug 22, 2023

Predicting college football's dark horse teams in the 2023 season /

Looking over the history of the preseason college football rankings, it's pretty easy to tell which teams will be in contention for most of the season, but history also shows that a team further down in the polls, or not ranked at all, can make a run at the right time and shock the world, like TCU did last season in its run up to the national title game.

These days, with all the roster turnover we see every offseason, thanks to NFL Draft departures, and the upheaval that comes with the college football transfer portal, there's a chance for teams to make some moves and get themselves in the conversation. Who are those teams as we move into the 2023 season?

Texas Tech

Joey Maguire's team won four straight to end last season and also beat Texas while returning more than a dozen starters, including quarterback Tyler Shough, who is 8-0 in games he's started and finished with 29 touchdown passes. If Tech can protect him well enough to distribute to his speedy skill targets, then a viable path to the Big 12 title game can open up thanks also to a more favorable schedule.

Auburn

Don't expect to see the Tigers make a run for the College Football Playoff in Hugh Freeze's debut season, but playing in the SEC West always gives teams enormous potential to make a statement, especially with both Alabama and Georgia on the schedule. Auburn should improve on both lines of scrimmage after making some key transfer additions, and the offense should open up with transfer quarterback Payton Thorne, a passer of considerable accuracy and consistency, and incoming Ohio State transfer wideout Caleb Burton, a former top 100 recruit who can spread the field.

Louisville

First-year head coach Jeff Brohm doesn't return a ton of starters, but cleaned up in the transfer portal, finishing with a top 10 class this offseason, making key additions especially to the secondary, and at quarterback and receiver, plus the Cardinals have a winnable schedule that doesn't include games against Clemson or Florida State.

Wisconsin

Maybe no college football team will undergo more top-to-bottom change on its roster than the Badgers under first-year head coach Luke Fickell. His first order of business was to bring on offensive coordinator Phil Longo and a class of major transfers including quarterback Tanner Mordecai, who has over 7,000 career passing yards, and four key receiver pickups. That should open things up while tailback Braelon Allen balances things out on the ground and this defense plays its usual brand of smash mouth football.

Oregon State

With all the talent at the top of the Pac-12 coming into this season, it's easy to overlook the Beavers despite their winning 10 games a year ago. But they return one of the league's premier offensive lines and rushing attacks, and its passing offense, a weakness last year, seems to get a major boost with the addition of Clemson transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. But how well can OSU replace its defensive departures, especially in the secondary?

Texas A&M

It's hard to argue that A&M wasn't the most disappointing team in college football last season, going from a historic recruiting class to a five-win outing. But with the addition of some key transfers and what might be the SEC's most talented wide receiver corps, new play-caller Bobby Petrino has plenty to work with on an offense that was 13th in the conference a year ago.

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | All Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks