Next Up: College Football Programs on the Rise Ahead of 2023 Season

Photo Credit: @TexasTechFB on Twitter

Teams rise and fall in college football. Stanford had a period of West Coast dominance before falling behind in recent years. Kansas State suffered through decades of mediocrity before becoming a consistent contender in the Big 12. Virginia Tech has entered the dark ages after the Frank Beamer era. Wisconsin became the standard for consistency in the 2010s before hitting the reset button in the past two seasons.

While some dynasties may linger, every program has periods of ups and downs. This group of teams has the potential to finally work out of a “down” period and step back into the national spotlight in the coming seasons.

*All recruiting statistics via 247Sports Composite*

Florida State

Past 3 Year-Record: 18-16

Head Coach: Mike Norvell (18-16, 3 seasons)

Key Returners: Jordan Travis (QB), Jared Verse (EDGE), Johnny Wilson (WR)

2023 Recruiting Class: No. 20 overall (18 commits)

Why: This has been a long time coming. Plain and simple, college football is just better when Florida State is nationally relevant. The Seminoles have a well-documented history of championships and winning at this level, and their fan base rivals the best in the nation.

However, FSU’s downfall coincided with Clemson’s rise to power in the ACC. Following the 2016 Orange Bowl season, problems sprouted up everywhere within this program. Offensive line issues, coaching turmoil and a lack of talent development spelled doom for Florida State. The ‘Noles fired Jimbo Fisher after a controversial end to his tenure, but the Willie Taggart era proved to be just as unsuccessful.

Then, Mike Norvell arrived from Memphis in late 2019. The 41-year-old coach loves his up-tempo offense and aggressive defenses, and after some early struggles, he has won over this fan base. A breakthrough 2022 season that saw FSU go 10-3 with a Cheez-It Bowl win over Oklahoma has Seminoles fans incredibly excited about what is to come. 

Norvell is winning on the recruiting trail, but his main focus is on this 2023 squad. With Jordan Travis and Jared Verse returning to lead their respective sides of the ball along with plenty of offensive weapons and a coaching staff that remains largely intact, Florida State is receiving plenty of championship hype this offseason.

Regardless of if they live up to their playoff expectations in 2023, the Seminoles are sitting in a great spot for the future with Norvell committed for the long haul.

Texas Tech

Past 3 Year-Record: 19-17

Head Coach: Joey McGuire (8-5, 1 season)

Key Returners: Tyler Shough (QB), Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (S), Xavier White (WR)

2023 Recruiting Class: No. 26 (26 commits)

Why: Since the magical 2008 season where the Red Raiders went 11-2 and rose to as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll under Mike Leach, Lubbock has only experienced mediocre football.

Enter Joey McGuire, who was hired away from his associate head coach role at Baylor and has provided a spark for Texas Tech. McGuire’s in-state connections have paid dividends on the recruiting trail, as the Red Raiders are now competing for the major Texas recruits that usually only Texas, Oklahoma and SEC schools have a shot at. 

The program was arguably ahead of schedule in 2022, as the Red Raiders knocked off Oklahoma and Texas in the same season for the first time ever and finished with a winning record in conference play for the first time since 2009. McGuire fielded one of the better defenses TTU has seen in years this past season and guided his team to a four-game winning streak to cap off the season, which included a dominant 42-25 win over Ole Miss.

After this offseason, McGuire will be able to bolster his recruiting pitch by saying that he had a top 10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (Tyree Wilson). As he continues to develop more NFL-caliber talent and have on-field success, this program will continue to flourish. 

The Red Raiders return six starters on defense, Tyler Shough at quarterback, and the majority of their skill position players. Expect to see the Red Raiders consistently competing for Big 12 titles sooner rather than later.

Washington

Past 3 Year-Record: 18-11

Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer (11-2, 1 season)

Key Returners: Michael Penix Jr. (QB), Alphonzo Tuputala (LB), Rome Odunze (WR)

2023 Recruiting Class: No. 29 (20 commits)

Why: There is a very strong argument to be made in favor of Kalen DeBoer being the best hire of the 2022 offseason. Washington hit a home run in reeling him in from Fresno State, as DeBoer completely changed the narrative in Seattle. After two seasons of horrific offensive football under the since-departed Jimmy Lake, DeBoer pulled in Michael Penix Jr. from Indiana to lead one of the nation’s most explosive offenses.

Penix Jr. became a Heisman contender over the course of the season as he threw for 4,641 yards (second in the nation) and 31 touchdowns. The lefty resorted back to his 2020 self under DeBoer, and he now enters the 2023 season as one of the faces of college football. It also helps that he will return his favorite target in Rome Odunze and the majority of the offensive talent. The Huskies return eight total players that could have opted to leave for the draft, and with the transfer portal additions they made on top of that, it’s clear that players want to be a part of what is being built in Seattle.

The team has hopes of winning UW’s third national title in 2023, but this program is also set up for the long haul. DeBoer’s exciting offense has brought the swagger back to the Huskies program, and they should continue to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Oregon and Utah in the future.

Oregon State

Past 3 Year-Record: 19-14

Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (26-31, 5 seasons)

Key Returners: Damien Martinez (RB), Kitan Oladapo (S), Ryan Cooper Jr. (CB)

2023 Recruiting Class: No. 50 (19 commits)

Why: Corvallis is one of the toughest places in the country to win. Just ask Gary Andersen, who suffered through a 7-23 tenure in less than three years, or Mike Riley, who is considered one of the Beavers’ most successful coaches ever despite only winning 10 games in a season once. Oregon isn’t recognized as a state brimmed with talent on the recruiting trail, and going out-of-state to compete with the likes of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington is very difficult for a small market program without much historical success.

Leave it to the man that led Oregon State to its greatest season in school history to right the ship. Jonathan Smith was a four-year starter at quarterback with the Beavers and led them to an 11-1 season in 2000, good for a share of the conference title and a fourth-place finish in the final AP Poll. After years of working with quarterbacks and offenses at a variety of programs, Smith got his dream job at his alma mater.

The rebuild has not been easy, as Oregon State continued to struggle on the field in 2018, ‘19 and ‘20. Then, 2021 saw Smith make his first bowl game, and the team really broke through in 2022 with wins over Oregon and Florida. Now, the former quarterback hopes to lead this program back to the promised land through player development and a hard-nosed style of play. Martinez returns as the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and the defense should remain stout if not improved in 2023. The next goal for Smith and co. is a conference championship, something that seems well within reach at this point.

Tennessee

Past 3 Year-Record: 21-15

Head Coach: Josh Heupel (18-8, 2 seasons)

Key Returners: Joe Milton (QB), Bru McCoy (WR), Jabari Small (RB)

2023 Recruiting Class: No. 9 (25 commits)

Why: There is just so much to get into here. One of college football’s most historically dominant programs became the laughing stock of the sport after Phillip Fulmer left. From Lane Kiffin to Derek Dooley to Butch Jones to Jeremy Pruitt, the Vols have had a myriad of questionable coaching hires that have not worked out. They fell so far out of relevance that many began to wonder if anybody would be able to handle the drama and pressure that comes with that job.

Then, Danny White took over as athletic director from UCF. He hired his former football coach, Josh Heupel, to follow him to Knoxville. Most people were unsure of the under-the-radar hire. Some people said that Heupel was a guy who only benefitted from Scott Frost’s recruits and success and that his offense would not last in the SEC. Some didn’t think he was able to handle the immense attention and pressure that comes with this job.

Well, Heupel managed to do what Kiffin, Dooley, Jones and Pruitt could not. He returned Tennessee to national relevancy, and in only two quick seasons. His spread offense has stumped (most) opposing SEC defenses, and he has created a system that attracts top-tier offensive talent. What high school quarterback or wide receiver wouldn’t want to play in a system that sets you up for success and manufactures explosive plays with ease? Five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava out of California headlines a 2023 recruiting class that sees what Heupel is building on Rocky Top.

The 2022 season rewarded Tennessee fans for years of suffering through losing seasons. Taking down Alabama showed that the Vols are ready to compete for SEC titles, and the win over Clemson solidified that this program will be here for the long haul. The losses of Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt will sting, but so many recruits have seen how Heupel developed them into stars and are now flocking to Knoxville.

First, Joe Milton will get to run the show in 2023, and he has an offense returning around him that should rival the 2022 unit. The Tennessee Volunteers have arrived, and they are going to be a contender in the SEC for years to come. Much like Florida State, college football is just better when UT is relevant.

About the author

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I grew up a Tennessee fan in Atlanta, and yes it was certainly rough to live amongst so many UGA fans. Oregon has also been a favorite team of mine for as long as I can remember. I currently attend the University of Missouri studying sports journalism. I also cover Mizzou's FB and MBB teams for Rock M Nation.