2023 NCAAF Season and What We Learned From It

The 2023 NCAAF season was filled with ups and downs, lots of drama and plenty of surprises. As bettors prepare for college football bowl season, we’re going to recap the 2023 NCAAF season.

We’re going to examine the biggest stories, surprises and failures in our 2023 NCAAF season recap.

Don’t forget to sign-up to Sports Hub to access NCAAF bowl game picks. Our experts crushed the CFB season and will be releasing predictions for all of the bowl games starting this weekend.

Stay updated with NCAA Football Odds and Scores.

Most Profitable Handicappers During the 2023 NCAAF Season

Al Grant was our big winner during the 2023 NCAAF season and we hope you tailed him. We ended up with five handicappers turning a four-figure profit. We had 63 handicappers turn a profit.

You can view the complete 2023 NCAAF season betting results on our leaderboard.

Here were the most profitable handicappers during the 2023 NCAAF season:

  • Al Grant: 47-25 (+$1950)
  • The Bookie: 42-24 (+$1552)
  • Ben Miller: 53-36 (+$1345)
  • Pure Lock: 22-10 (+1105)
  • Sports Central: 65-50 (+$1026)

These guys will all be releasing college football bowl game picks over the next several weeks.

Biggest Stories During the 2023 NCAAF Season

Here are some of the biggest stories during the 2023 NCAAF season:

  • Coach Prime Puts Colorado on the Map

Was the Colorado season a surprise or failure? It’s debatable. Either way, Coach Prime put the Buffaloes on the map. The hype surrounding this program after starting the season 3-0 was unrivaled.

We know how it ended, though. Colorado closed the season 1-8 and won’t be playing in a bowl game.

  • Who Is Coaching the Michigan Wolverines?

What’s exactly going on at Michigan? Jim Harbaugh served a three-game suspension at the start of the 2023 NCAAF season due to alleged violations during COVID-19. Harbaugh then had to serve another three-game suspension later in the regular season due to alleged sign-stealing.

Whatever the Wolverines are doing is working, though. They went undefeated 13-0 (9-0 in Big Ten).

  • Florida State Gets Absolutely Burned

The goal in college football is to win. Florida State did just that. They went 13-0 (8-0 in ACC). Even after losing star QB Jordan Travis to injury, the Seminoles defense stepped up big when it mattered the most.

FSU were one of just three power five teams to go undefeated, but they’re not in the CFP.

  • Georgia Won’t Have a Chance to Three-Peat

The Bulldogs went undefeated during the regular season (12-0). They weren’t as dominant as in year’s past, but did they deserve to make the CFP? Georgia lost to Bama in the SEC Championship (27-24).

After the loss, Georgia went from #1 to #6. The selection committee was hyping up the fact they were selecting the “best four teams”, but is that the case? Georgia have two losses in the last three years.

Biggest Surprises During the 2023 NCAAF Season

Here are some of the biggest surprises during the 2023 NCAAF season:

  • Washington Huskies Go Undefeated

After going 4-8 in 2021, Washington brought in Kalen DeBoer as the head coach. He went 11-2 in 2022 and 13-0 this season. The Huskies finished as the #2 seed and will be competing in the CFP.

What makes this season more interesting is the fact the Huskies had eight wins of nine points or less, which has only happened to five teams in CFB history. The last time it happened was 2012 (Stanford).

  • Northwestern Overcome Hazing Scandal

Northwestern had a hazing scandal emerge prior to the start of the season. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired this summer and the Wildcats weren’t expected to have a good season.

In fact, Northwestern had a win total of three, but went 7-5, finishing second in the Big Ten West.

  • Jeff Brohm Elevates Louisville

The ACC was filled with surprises this season. FSU went undefeated. NC State exceeded expectations. Louisville also surprised many NCAAF fans, as they went 10-3 (7-1 in ACC) with Brohm.

It was the first time the Cardinals made the ACC Championship since joining the conference in 2014.

2023 NCAAF Season
On November 5, 2022, in Athens, Georgia, Zion Logue #96 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacted after a play in the first quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium.

Biggest Failures During the 2023 NCAAF Season

There were some failures that failed to meet expectations during the 2023 NCAAF season.

  • What Happened to USC?

USC started the season 6-0, but closed the season on a 1-5 run. The Trojans failed to defeat a single ranked opponent. They were also one of the worst teams against the spread (3-9 ATS).

QB Caleb Williams went from Heisman Trophy favorite to not receiving a single vote.

  • Notre Dame Crash and Burn

QB Sam Hartman was supposed to be the missing piece for the Fighting Irish. When they needed him the most, he struggled. Notre Dame finished 9-3, with losses to Ohio State, Louisville and Clemson.

Hartman is heading to the NFL, so the Fighting Irish will be back to the drawing board.

  • Clemson Need to Retool

Dabo Swinney has turned Clemson’s fortunes around. Since 2015, they have won the ACC in seven of nine seasons. Clemson have also won two National Championships (2016 and 2018) in that time.

Clemson went 8-4 (4-4 in ACC) this season and finished sixth in the ACC standings.

2023 NCAAF Season – Award Winners

We’re going to examine all of the college football award winners in our 2023 NCAAF season recap.

  • Heisman Trophy: Jayden Daniels (LSU)
  • AP Player of the Year Award: Jayden Daniels (LSU)
  • Bronko Nagurski Award: Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)
  • Chuck Bednarik Award: Payton Wilson (North Carolina State)
  • Dave Rimington Trophy: Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon)
  • Davey O’Brien Award: Jayden Daniels (LSU)
  • Dick Butkus Award: Payton Wilson (North Carolina State)
  • Doak Walker Award: Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State)
  • Fred Biletnikoff Award: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State)
  • Jim Thorpe Award: Trey Taylor (Air Force)
  • John Mackey Award: Brock Bowers (Georgia)
    John Outland Trophy: T’vondre Sweat (Texas)
  • Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award: Jayden Daniels (LSU)
  • Lou Groza Award: Graham Nicholson (Miami OH)
  • Maxwell Award: Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
  • Ray Guy Award: Tory Taylor (Iowa)
  • Ronnie Lott Trophy: Junior Colson (Michigan)
  • Ted Hendricks Award: Laiatu Latu (UCLA)
  • Vince Lombardi Award: Laiatu Latu (UCLA)
  • Walter Camp Player of the Year Award: Jayden Daniels (LSU)

Jayden Daniels was the big winner for college football awards this season. He’s the first SEC player since Johnny Manziel (2012) with 3,500+ passing yards and 1,000+ rushing yards in a season.

2023 NCAAF Season – Stats Leaders

Here are the stats leaders from the 2023 NCAAF season:

  • Passing Yards: Michael Penix Jr. (4,218)
  • Passing Touchdowns: Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels (40)
  • Rushing Yards: Ollie Gordon (1,614)
  • Rushing Touchdowns: Blake Corum (24)
  • Receptions: Malik Washington (110)
  • Receiving Yards: Malik Nabers (1,546)
  • Receiving Touchdowns: Brian Thomas Jr. (15)
  • Field Goals Made: Bert Auburn (28)
  • Solo Tackles: Trevor Williams (85)
  • Tackles for Loss: Laiatu Latu (22)
  • Sacks: Javon Solomon (16)
  • Interceptions: Xavier Watts (7)

That wraps up our 2023 NCAAF season recap. Sign-up to Sports Hub for our NCAAF bowl predictions.

About the Author
Joe Berra
Joe Berra
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Joe takes care of the bits and pieces that sometimes slip through the cracks of the sports world. Efficiency and consistency is what makes SportsHub.com different. JB helps keep Sports Hub’s content fresh and exciting, managing its many authors. From the New York area, Joe knew he had a knack for sports betting when his uncle was always asking him which side he was on as a young boy. His meticulous approach to the numbers formed his career path as a professional handicapper. Joe is sometimes called Jimmy Bagpipes, JB or Mr. B.