College football rankings from 1 to 134, from Georgia to FBS newcomer Kennesaw State

The 2024 college football season features 134 teams, and for at least for a few more days everybody is 0-0.

Florida State and Georgia Tech will kick off Week 0 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, a soft preview for Week 1 – which features three games between teams ranked in the AP Top 25.

Georgia takes on Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game at noon on Saturday in Week 1. The Bulldogs and Tigers won two national championships each in the four-team College Football Playoff era.

MORE: Week 0 picks against the spread

West Virginia takes on Penn State in the Big Noon Kickoff game. The Mountaineers are just outside the Top 25. Notre Dame faces Texas A&M in prime time in a game that features former Duke coach Mike Elko – now with the Aggies – and former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard – now with the Irish.

LSU and USC meet at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday in a high-profile coaching matchup featuring Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley.

All of those matchups suggest there will be some movement after our initial 1-134 rankings – which include FBS newcomer Kennesaw State – for the 2024 season.

Here is a look at those rankings ahead of Week 0.

MORE: Sporting News 2024 preseason All-America team

College football rankings 2024

Top 25 for Week 0

1. Georgia (0-0)

The Bulldogs face Clemson in a rematch of the 2021 season opener Georgia won 10-3. Carson Beck is among the Heisman Trophy favorites, and Kirby Smart will find a way to play the underdog card all season. This is the first of five games against teams ranked in the top 15 in the preseason AP Poll .

2. Ohio State (0-0)

The Buckeyes will unveil a loaded roster against Akron, and Will Howard should be able to ease in as the new starting quarterback in Chip Kelly’s offense. Will Caleb Downs make plays on both sides of the ball? Ohio State is 29-0 all time against MAC opponents, and they have won the last three under Day by an average of 59.7 points per game.

3. Oregon (0-0)

Oregon beat FCS opponent Portland State 81-7 in the opener last season. Will Idaho face a similar fate? Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel will be at the controls for the first time in what should be a Big Ten championship contender.

MORE: Top 25 QBs for 2024 | Ranking FBS coaches 1-134

4. Texas (0-0)

While the focus is always the quarterbacks with Quinn Ewers – and, of course, Arch Manning – the running game will be the key here after losing CJ Baxter and Christian Clark to injuries in fall camp. Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner will carry the workload against Colorado State ahead of the Week 2 showdown at Michigan.

5. Notre Dame (0-0)

The Irish had five players spread across Sporting News Preseason All-American team, and Marcus Freeman has built a legitimate national championship contender. The first test, however, must be passed at Kyle Field. The Irish are 7-4 against top-25 teams under Freeman, with a 5-1 record against teams ranked outside the top 10.

6. Alabama (0-0)

The Kalen DeBoer era begins with the home opener against Western Kentucky. Alabama still has more than enough power to win a SEC championship, and the development of second-year starter Jalen Milroe will come into focus. How will the new-look 4-2-5 defense unfold under new coordinator Kane Wommack?

7. Ole Miss (0-0)

Expectations are high for Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin, and Jaxson Dart will be able to take a first run with a deep receiving group that features Tre Harris, Juice Wells and Jordan Watkins.

8. Michigan (0-0)

The Wolverines have won 22 straight home games – the second-longest home win streak behind Georgia at 25 games. Sherrone Moore will make his debut as the full-time coach against Fresno State, and Michigan’s quarterback question will be answered. Will it be Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle or Davis Warren?

9. Florida State (0-0)

Florida State opens with Georgia Tech in Dublin and plays Boston College in Week 2 – back-to-back ACC games that will test Oregon State transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. He was 5-0 as a starter against those teams with Clemson from 2020-22.

10. LSU (0-0)

Brian Kelly has won at least 10 games in seven straight seasons, including the last two at LSU, but the Tigers have lost their opener in four straight seasons. Garrett Nussmeier will start at quarterback, and a defense led by new coordinator Blake Baker is on the spot in the Sunday opener against USC.

11. Utah (0-0)

Utah – the Big 12 preseason favorite – opens with FCS Southern Utah, which will allow for a chance for quarterback Cam Rising to get back in action after a lengthy rehab from the 2023 Rose Bowl injury against Penn State. The Big 12 debut against Baylor follows in Week 2.

12. Tennessee (0-0)

Tennessee faces Chattanooga in the opener, which will allow for new quarterback Nico Iamaleava to get comfortable before the Week 2 test against NC State. Keep an eye on edge rusher James Pearce – who had four sacks in three non-conference games last season.

13. Penn State (0-0)

The Nittany Lions are ranked outside the 12-team College Football Playoff border, at least for now. James Franklin can change that, and Drew Allar is the spot at West Virginia. Allar passed for 325 yards and three TDs in a 38-15 victory last season. Penn State has won the last five meetings against the Mountaineers dating back to 1989.

14. Missouri (0-0)

The Tigers are looking for an encore after an 11-2 breakout season under Eli Drinkwitz in 2023, and the combination of quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III should get off to a fast start against Murray State.

15. Clemson (0-0)

The Tigers are 20-13 against SEC schools under Dabo Swinney, and that includes victories against South Carolina and Kentucky last year. Will Clemson start 0-1 for the second straight season?

16. Kansas State (0-0)

Expect a handful of highlight plays from quarterback Avery Johnson – a value pick as a Heisman Trophy sleeper – in the opener against UT-Martin before a Week 2 road test at Tulane.

17. Oklahoma (0-0)

The Sooners are 16-10 the last two seasons under Brent Venables, and sophomore Jackson Arnold takes over at quarterback. Temple is 6-18 the last two seasons under third-year coach Stan Drayton.

18. Oklahoma State (0-0)

Alan Bowman, Ollie Gordon and a veteran offensive line are back for the Cowboys. This is a tricky opener for the Cowboys given South Dakota State has won back-to-back FCS national championships. The Jackrabbits lost to Iowa 7-3 in the 2022 season opener.

19. Arizona (0-0)

Arizona – now in the Big 12 – opens against New Mexico. That's also the debut for new coach Brent Brennan. Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan could be the nation's best QB-WR tandem this season.

20. Iowa (0-0)

What will the Hawkeyes' offense look like under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester? Cade McNamara and Brendan Sullivan will both get their opportunities against Illinois State.

21. USC (0-0)

What will the Trojans' defense look like under new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn? That comes into focus against LSU. USC has not played an SEC school since the 52-6 blowout loss against Alabama in the 2016 opener at Jerry World.

22. Kansas (0-0)

Jalon Daniels is healthy, but the running back tandem of Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. should go to work against Lindenwood. Neal and Hishaw combined for 1,906 rushing yards and 24 TDs last season.

23. Louisville (0-0)

Louisville is coming off an ACC championship appearance, and Jeff Brohm reloaded the offense through the transfer portal. Seventh-year quarterback Tyler Shough gets one more turn, and that starts against Austin Peay.

24. NC State (0-0)

Grayson McCall – who is 33-7 as a starter – makes his Wolfpack debut against Western Carolina. It's an excellent tune-up for the Week 2 matchup against Tennessee in Charlotte.

25. Texas A&M (0-0)

The Aggies open the Mike Elko era with Notre Dame, and it's a prime-time opportunity for junior quarterback Conner Weigman. Texas A&M beat Notre Dame 24-3 in the last meeting on Sept. 29, 2001.

College football 1-134 rankings: (1-25)

A look at the top 25 teams in the FBS heading into Week 0:

Rest of FBS (26-133)

Here is a look at the rest of the FBS heading into Week 0: