2013 College Football Rankings: Athlon Sports releases a very early Top 25

Gamedayr | December 12, 2012 at 7:14 pm | 39 Comments

With the close of the 2012 regular season, and the 2013 BCS Championship game set between Notre Dame and Alabama, fans are already turning their attention to next season; especially those that won’t be making a trip to sunny South Beach this January.

Athlon Sports has released a very early look at next season’s rankings. To no one’s surprise, the Alabama Crimson Tide come in at the top spot. The Tide will be returning QB AJ McCarron, who announced recently that he would be back for his senior season.

[Related: 2013 Heisman Watch List]

Ohio State and QB Braxton Miller will also be one of the preseason favorites. The Buckeyes were banned from bowl participation this year due to NCAA sanctions, but next year will be a different story for head coach Urban Meyer and crew.

The top 10 is once again littered with SEC teams, as the league places five in the top seven and six in the top 11.

Following is the top 25, however, we want to know who you think will be in the top five. Sound off in the comments below!

Alabama Crimson Tide
Ohio State Buckeyes
Oregon Ducks
LSU Tigers
Georgia Bulldogs
Florida Gators
Texas A&M Aggies
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Oklahoma Sooners
Stanford Cardinal
South Carolina Gamecocks
Clemson Tigers
Oklahoma State Cowboys
TCU Horned Frogs
Louisville Cardinals
Florida State Seminoles
Boise State Broncos
UCLA Bruins
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Michigan Wolverines
USC Trojans
Texas Longhorns
Wisconsin Badgers
Oregon State Beavers
Arizona State Sun Devils

Who is in your top five for the 2013 season?

2013 College Football Rankings: Way too early preseason top 25

Rating: 2.3/5 (19 votes cast)

Who will be the Top 5 teams in 2013?

Nicole

Florida Gators need to be higher than number 6, come on.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
cubanazo24

Florida should be 1 or 2, but it’s ok, we’ll do it again next year like last year…Go Gators!!!

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- Guccimane
  
  Oh you guys are in the national championship. That’s what I thought. Gators suck, tebow blows, get some athletes that actually attend school. SEC cheaters. Wolverine nation. Gardner for heisman
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
JDG92

I agree with you Florida needs to be rated higher. They beat LSU so until LSU beats them they need to ranked above them

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- notheydidnot
  
  Oh, Florida already beat LSU next year.
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
flybatboyflyy

have to think youall are right Gators should be higher than this oll has them, Just sayin! and we can do it again just like this year. Goooooooooo Gators!!!

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Ashton

1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Notre Dame
5. Georgia

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: +1 (from 1 vote)
RTR2011

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Notre Dame
4. Georgia
5. Alabama (2nd string)

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- Bret
  
  lol, i like this
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- BamaViK77
  
  EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Bama Brad

1. LSU
2. Florida
3. Alabama
4. Stanford
5. Texas A&M

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Bama Brad

Bama is losing most of it’s O line and Eddie Lacy, not to mention a few more on defense. They’re still gonna be a fine football team but UF and LSU could end up playing twice next year. LSU started alot of underclassmen as did UF. I’m not selling Bama short but LSU and Florida look like the teams to beat, right now. And yes, all you SEC haters, we will take home the NC this year and it will stay down here for the next several years. Roll TIde Roll!!

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- BamaViK77
  
  Honestly, we just need a SEC CHAMPIONSHIP & let all of the other little conferences play each other for a title. <3 ROLL TIDE ROLL <3
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Bret

LMAO at people thinking Florida needs to be #1….Alabama, Texas A&M, Oregon, Ohio State, and LSU

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Gamecock4life

S. Carolina will beat UGA for the 4th straight year early in the season, and be in the top 5.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- Heathbar09
  
  And then will find a way to blow their lead in the East, again.
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
  - http://www.facebook.com/kfhowell1 Kenneth Furman Howell
    
    Can’t really say they “blew” the lead this year. SEC was very “courteous” to Uga with the schedule the past two years, and really, is losing at LSU and at UF blowing it when UGa didn’t play LSU, Bama, or A&M.
    
    VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
    Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Matthew Briscoe

I also think there are 5 or 6 SEC teams that will have a legitimate shot at playing in the NCG with a few of the other league champs sprinkled in:

1. Alabama

2. LSU

3. Florida

4. Ohio State

5. Florida State (I don’t think they are the 5th best team in the country but I think the league they play in and the schedule that goes with it will give them a great shot at going undefeated, Florida is all that should stand in their way.)

6.Texas A&M

7. Oregon

8. Georgia

9. Stanford
ban Meyer
10. South Carolina
My bet is a showdown between Nick Saban and Urban Meyer for all the marbles with Alabama solidifying its DYNASTY with 3 in a row and 4 out of 5.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Dude e pants

Miami, watch out

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rob-Schaller/760965369 Rob Schaller

1.) Alabama 12-1
2.)Ohio State 12-0
3.)Notre Dame 12-0
4.)Oregon 11-1
5.)Florida 11-1
6.)Texas A&M 10-2
7.)Oklahoma 10-2
8.)Stanford 11-2
9.)LSU 10-2
10.)Georgia 11-2

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- REDnBLACK
  
  LMAO!!!How do you have FL in front of GA by 5 spots, or at ALL!!! wow…cmon man…FL lost to LOUISVILLE!!! AND THE DAWGS!!! gtfoh hahahaha
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Heathbar09

Why does everyone think UF should be higher? I have a lot of close friends who are UF grads and they all say the Gators are not that good. Has everyone forgotten about Bowling Green and Louisiana Lafayette? Florida is good, but not #1 in the country good. I realize they return a lot of players, but they aren’t the 3rd best team in the country this year and shouldn’t be #1 next year.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
- Heathbar09
  
  On the flip side, they will still be pretty good. #6 sounds right to me.
  
  VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
  Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
  - Tra
    
    Everyone knows bama is top right now and should be ranked #1 but oregon is clearly the second best team in the nation. They hammered kansas st. And I’m not sure if there is any other team in the country who could’ve beating them like oregon did. Just saying guys really think things over before speaking. Go husky’s
    
    VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
    Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
BamaViK77

Who cares about anyone under #1…..ALABAMA BABY ALABAMA!!!!!!! RTR!!!!! We’ll take care of business in Miami & then start thinking about the 2013 season & on to #16 in ’14!!!!

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Mark it

1. Ohio State
2. Stanford
3. Oregon
4. Georgia
5. Louisville

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
SAM

Virginia Tech should be in the Top 25 for 2013 they will play Alabama for the start of the 2013 season

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Garland Batson

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Washington
4. Georgia
5. Clemson

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Tom

1. Alabama
2. South Carolina
3. Louisville
4. Ohio State
5. Boise State

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
cards fan

alabama, louisville, georgia, notre dame, florida

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
RobDog

Georgia should be well above LSU, Aaron Murray is returning with the same dynamic offense…he’s out for a national championship.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Ted

Oh, how I love to hear the Bama fans run the mouth! Next year they will have more than they can handle if they make it to the title game. OSU is not Michigan! I love it. I seriously can’t wait for the buckeyes to put them into perspective.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Mark L

How did LSU make number 4? Florida should be at least number 4 and SC gamecocks should be in the top 10 too. But I think its way to early to predict, need to see how many players go pro, and see how the recruiting goes. Highschool players jump at the chance to play in the sec.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Mark10

Florida needs to be higher than 6? Are you high? They lost to Louisville. LOUISVILLE. Even 6th is a gift they dont deserve. Talk about embarrassing yourselves. And it was a BCS Bowl. Way to represent the SEC. UGA or the Aggies should have gotten that bowl. The Gators played like crap all year. Just because they had a good record doesnt mean they played well. Especially not to be ranked 6th in this or any other poll.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
David

The Huskers should be ranked #10 because their schedule is says 11 wins .Toss up game: @Michigan . Nebraska will have an awesome OFFENSE. Don’t be surprised if the Defense is a lot better. BO reshirted his best Defensive players last year instead of playing them..

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Brett

1. Oregon

2. Texas A&M

3. Ohio State

4. Alabama

5. Louisville

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Truth

okay since everyone commented on this before the bowls ended here how it should be:

1. Alabama

2. Ohio State

3. Oregon

4. Georgia

5. I don’t give any fucks, maybe the Aggies, LOL.

LSU cannot be on the top 5 for losing to #14 Clemson in the bowl game and to Florida in the regular season.

Florida cannot be on the top 5 for losing to #21 Louisville in the bowl game and plus to Georgia (which they are better than the Gators) in the preseason.

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Alabama1949

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Ohio State
4. Georgia
5. LSU
6. Texas A&M
7. Florida
8. South Carolina
9. Louisville
10. Florida State

VA:F [1.9.10_1130]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Pingback: Top 5 NCAA Football Ranking 2013 | Sports Crowd Wisdom