Before the beginning of the 2022 season, most outlets and experts had TCU finishing at the bottom of the Big 12 Conference and had an over/under of 6.5 wins in most sports books. It was coming off a 5-7 season in 2021, where it saw longtime head coach Gary Patterson resign halfway through the year. With a new coach and a good amount of uncertainty on the roster, it was easy to see why nobody outside of the fan base was doubting the Horned Frogs in 2022. Against the odds, TCU grinded its way to a surprising 13-2 season and a trip to the National Championship Game.
TCU’s run got me thinking: are there any teams going into 2023 that could possibly make a surprise run? I looked at every Power Five conference and picked a team that, although not being looked at as a contender, could make a surprising run at a national title. The odds of any of these teams being in contention are low, so this is by no means a prediction. More than likely, these schools will finish the season toward the bottom of the conference, but it is fun to imagine the chaos.
Pac-12: Colorado
After a 1-11 season in 2022, Colorado cleared house and made a major splash when it brought in Deion Sanders as head coach after three successful seasons as the head coach of Jackson State. A name like Sanders carries massive weight among players and recruits, and many high-profile names decided to join Sanders in Boulder. Among the players who followed Sanders to Colorado are two-way star and former No. 1 overall player Travis Hunter and Deion’s own son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Five-star athlete Cormani McClain highlights a much-improved 2023 recruiting class for the Buffaloes. The uptick in talent and a relatively favorable schedule where early conference favorite USC travels to Boulder may be the recipe for success for the Buffs to have one of the greatest turnarounds in FBS history and find themselves in the CFP.
SEC: Missouri
The team has talent, especially on offense. Wide receiver Luther Burden III is an absolute stud, and quarterback Brady Cook has solidified himself as the starter for the Tigers. With Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida having to replace key pieces, especially all four quarterbacks, there is definitely a chance for those teams to face growing pains and stumble out of the gate, opening the door for Mizzou in the SEC East. It was the Tigers who gave Georgia its toughest test last year, losing by four and leading by double digits most of the game. If the chips fall in its favor, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Missouri to find itself in the SEC title game for the third time since joining the conference in 2012.
Big Ten: Nebraska
14 of Nebraska’s 17 losses in the past two seasons have been by single digits. FOURTEEN! The talent is definitely there, but it just needed to make the right hire. Enter Matt Rhule, who has shown the ability to squeeze every little bit of potential out of his teams. Like Missouri, the Cornhuskers are in a conference where many of the top teams are looking to replace elite, first-round talent. With an already talented roster, Rhule was able to attract high-profile players from the transfer portal as well, headlined by former five-star tight end Arik Gilbert. The door is wide open for the Cornhuskers to return to their former glory. Sometimes all it takes is the right man at the helm for a team to reach its potential. This could definitely be the case for Nebraska.
Big 12: Kansas
Good old Kansas. The lovable loser of the Big 12 showed some flashes last season, making its first bowl game since 2008 and fell a game short of its first winning season since that same season. This is probably the most far-fetched team on this list, but hear me out. 10 offensive starters return this season after being at the top of many offensive categories last year. Quarterback Jalon Daniels played like one of the best quarterbacks in the country last season, and all expectations are that he will be even better this coming season. Having the most experienced team in the conference will definitely benefit the Jayhawks as they maneuver through a new-look conference. Kansas’ biggest test will be Texas on the road, who Kansas beat the last time the two teams played in Austin. Everything will have to go perfect for the Jayhawks to find themselves in contention at the end of the year, but this is not your dad’s Kansas Jayhawks and they deserve to be taken seriously.
ACC: Duke
The ACC is probably the weakest conference top to bottom going into the 2023 season, with many teams in rebuilding mode following losses of massive talents. Duke, however, is in the advantageous position of having the majority of key starters on both sides of the ball return. Head coach Mike Elko built a solid foundation in his first season at the helm in 2022, guiding the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record. Quarterback Riley Leonard has most of his weapons back for another year, and with All-ACC tackle Graham Barton solidifying the line, the offense is primed to build on that foundation. Florida State, Clemson and North Carolina may, and should, have the better teams this upcoming season, but there are legitimate questions to be answered for all those teams. Playing Clemson in Week 1 gives Duke the opportunity to take advantage of the growing pains early and set the Blue Devils on the right path to the ACC title game.
Group of Five: UTSA
Any Group of Five schools will be a long shot to make the CFP, but if we learned anything from Cincinnati’s trip to the playoff a couple of years ago, it’s that the committee definitely has a criteria for allowing a G5 team in. It seems that a G5 team needs to have a couple years of success, beat a ranked or Power Five opponent, be undefeated and, finally, have chaos among the P5 schools. Being in the American Athletic Conference definitely helps as well, as it is widely regarded as a step above the other G5 conferences. One team can check all these boxes this season — the UTSA Roadrunners. Making its debut in the AAC after back-to-back 10-win seasons that resulted in Conference USA championships, UTSA is in prime position to make a run toward the playoff. The majority of the offensive weapons return, led by quarterback Frank Harris and the Runners are bringing in the best recruiting class among the Go schools. A schedule that includes Houston, Tennessee and Tulane will be tough to get through, but if the Roadrunners can somehow beat all those teams, they’ll be firmly in the CFP regardless of what happens elsewhere.
About the author
I was raised in Texas, but I am a Georgian by heart. I come from a long line of Dawgs. I have been a diehard Georgia Bulldogs fan since the day I was born. I have hosted multiple podcasts, and college football has always been my passion. I went to the University of Texas at San Antonio to study education, but I plan on returning to get a degree in Journalism. Go Dawgs! P.S. Tyler Simmons was onsides.
