SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – APRIL 22: Gi’Bran Payne #13, Sam Hartman #10, Jaden Greathouse #19 and of Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate after a touchdown during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring Football Game at Notre Dame Stadium on April 22, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
100 Days Until the 2023 College Football Season Kicks Off. Today marks 100 days to the start of the college football season on Saturday, Aug. 26.
All eyes will be on Georgia to see if the Dawgs can become the first team to win three consecutive national championships since the AP Poll debuted in 1936.
Right now, Kirby Smart and company are the favorites to hoist the trophy in Houston according to Caesars Sportsbook.
This year, three of the top four favorites reached the College Football Playoff last year, with perennial powers Michigan and Ohio State joining the defending champion Dawgs. Among the pack, there’s also a team from Tuscaloosa in the mix.
Favorites to Win National Championship
Georgia +220 SEC
Alabama +550 SEC
Michigan +800 Big Ten
Ohio State +850 Big Ten
LSU +1200 SEC
USC +1400 Pac-12
Expanding the list of title favorites, each of the top five teams have been mainstays in the College Football Playoff, with four winning titles (only team that has not: Michigan).
One team that is looking to crash the party is USC, who returns Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams under center. Incredibly, Craig Shemon's Indiana Hoosiers are no where to be found.
Williams is the favorite to win the Heisman again this year, but Archie Griffin is the only player to win the award twice, let alone in consecutive years in the history of the Heisman Trophy (1974-75).
End Of An Era
This will be the final season for USC in the Pac-12, as the Trojans along with UCLA will make the move to the Big Ten for the 2024 season. For the upcoming year, the American Athletic Conference, Big 12, and Conference USA will all look a bit different.
Looking specifically at the Big 12, the lone Power 5 conference that will have changes for the upcoming season, it has already undergone two previous changes in the last decade.
Colorado and Nebraska left in 2011, followed by Missouri and Texas A&M the next year, when West Virginia and TCU were added.
Going into the 2023 season, lots of quarterbacks have once again been on the move. Here are a few:
Sam Hartman--Wake Forest to Notre Dame
Hartman’s career 12,967 passing yards are the 2nd-most in ACC history, trailing only Philip Rivers’ 13,484 yards.
His 110 pass TD are the most in ACC history. Hartman has at least 1 Pass TD in 30 straight games, the longest active streak in FBS.
Hartman’s 60 pass TD against the blitz are the most in the FBS since 2018 Notre Dame will host Wake Forest on Oct. 28.
Hartman should be a major upgrade for Notre Dame. He had a better QBR, more Yards per attempt, and a better TD-Int ratio than ND starting QBs Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner last year.
DJ Uiagalelei--Clemson to Oregon State
22-6 as a starter in his career.
Thrown 17 interceptions in the last two seasons and posted a 54 Total QBR – ranking 14th in the ACC in that span among qualified QBs
Devin Leary--NC State to Kentucky
17-9 as a starter in his career, went 5-1 last season before suffering a season-ending injury.
In 2021, Leary had 35 passing TD, 3rd-most in the ACC and set a school record previously held by Philip Rivers.
Leary will get to work with OC Liam Coen, who returns to Kentucky after spending a season as the OC of theLA Rams.
Cade McNamara--Michigan to Iowa
13-3 career W-L, went 12-2 as Michigan’s starter in 2021, leading team to College Football Playoff.
Started 1 game in 2022 before being replaced full-time by J.J. McCarthy.
Drew Pyne--Notre Dame to Arizona State
8-2 in 10 starts at Notre Dame in 2022.
Threw for a career-high 318 yards with an 89% comp pct in his 2022 finale against USC.
Graham Mertz--Wisconsin to Florida
19-13 in 3 seasons as Wisconsin’s starter.
