Georgia takes No. 1 spot in AP top 25 college football poll to start 2024 season

Michigan is the defending national champion

The Associated Press released its first top 25 college football poll of the season and the Georgia Bulldogs were on top to start what is poised to be an interesting 2024.

Georgia wrapped the 2023 season with a 13-1 record, missing out on the College Football Playoff and a chance at a third consecutive national title after losing the SEC Championship to Alabama.

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Carson Beck vs Florida State

Carson Beck of the Georgia Bulldogs rolls out to pass during the Capital One Orange Bowl game against the Florida State Seminoles at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 30, 2023, in Miami Gardens. (Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)

The Bulldogs return Heisman Trophy hopeful Carson Beck at quarterback and welcome running back Trevor Etienne to the fold after he transferred from Florida. Smael Mondon Jr. leads the linebackers and Malaki Starks is back in the secondary.

The Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Ohio State was 11-2 and missed the Playoff after losing to Michigan in the final regular-season game of the season. Then, a depleted Buckeyes team lost to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.

The team landed big-time transfers in quarterback Will Howard and center Seth McLaughlin. TreVeyon Henderson and Emeka Egbuka are also big-time returnees to the offense.

Jalen Milroe vs Auburn

Quarterback Jalen Milroe of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the Auburn Tigers game at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 25, 2023, in Auburn, Alabama. (Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Alabama will start the 2024 season at No. 5 in the nation as the Crimson Tide have had an offseason of change. Nick Saban retired and the team hired Kalen DeBoer from Washington to take over.

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Jalen Milroe will have the eyes of the nation on him as well. He returns to the team after throwing for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns. He saved the team’s season with a last-second touchdown pass to defeat Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

The defending national champion Michigan Wolverines will not have Jim Harbaugh at the helm as part of their own season of change. Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers and Sherrone Moore is in charge of the program.

Michigan will have Alex Orji as its quarterback and Donovan Edwards will lead the running game.

Read below for the full top 25 rankings.

Lane Kiffin at Peach Bowl

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin greets Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin following the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 30, 2023, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

  1. Georgia
  2. Ohio State
  3. Oregon
  4. Texas
  5. Alabama
  6. Ole Miss
  7. Notre Dame
  8. Penn State
  9. Michigan
  10. Florida State
  11. Missouri
  12. Utah
  13. LSU
  14. Clemson
  15. Tennessee
  16. Oklahoma
  17. Oklahoma State
  18. Kansas State
  19. Miami (FL)
  20. Texas A&M
  21. Arizona
  22. Kansas
  23. USC
  24. North Carolina State
  25. Iowa

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Authored by Ryan Gaydos via FoxNews August 12th 2024