As we enter College Football season, most analysts and fans alike have a pretty good grip on who the Top Dogs will be. That being said, every season there are teams that exceed expectations. Below are our picks for four CFB teams that will do so in 2023.
1. Mississippi State
Mississippi State has had to deal with a lot of tragedy and transition these last few years, but this season it could begin to turn around on the field. The momentum is on their side, wrapping up last year in the Top 25, and retaining a medium amount of talent with half decent recruiting to boot. Plus, Will Rogers is proving to be an absolute stud at QB.
2. UCF
UCF is well known for punching above their weight, but questions arise with their new transition to the Big 12 conference. While UCF likely won’t be sniffing a title game in their first year in the P5, boasting the 3rd most returning production in the Big 12 will keep them competitive despite a 4th worst recruiting class in the Big 12.
3. Purdue
New coach? No problem. Despite being an intense transition period in a Top-2 conference, we see Purdue exceeding expectations this season. Purdue is just outside the Top 50 in terms of returning production from their Top 30 roster last year, potentially enough to make a night game vs Ohio State on upset watch.
4. Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky is the sportsbook favorite to win Conference USA, so it’s tough to declare them as exceeding expectations. That being said, WKU could be this year’s Tulane. They’ve been a consensus Top 50 team for the last 2 years, but we expect Coach Helton’s (Tyson, not Clay) 5th season to be his best yet with a potential for a New Years Six match, the first from CUSA.
CFB Select 