Before you know it, the weather will be turning colder, everything will be turning into something pumpkin spice flavored, and college football will be back on our television screens every Saturday. There's not a better time of the year. But before sweater weather arrives and we hear the marching bands and student cheering sections combine to make harmonious melodies of school spirit and camaraderie, let's take a look at how the 2023 college football season is set to begin, with the recent USA TODAY Sports AFCA football coaches poll.

The coaches poll, honestly, is useless. No team should be ranked before the season even begins because it is more or less a guessing game — just like any poll any college football has ever been. However, it's a great argument point heading into the season, looking at the votes that the 63 head coaches at Football Bowl Subdivision schools made. With that being said, let's look at who is potentially underrated in the first preseason poll.

LSU – #5

While it's probably an appropriate ranking, LSU feels like a dangerous team this season, capable once again to cause a few upsets on their way back to the SEC Championship game in December. Of course, the Tigers will most likely still have to go through Alabama, who they beat last season. That game was essentially the coming out party for Brian Kelly as a legit coach in the SEC, proving he could handle what has historically been the best team in the conference for almost the last two decades.

This year's LSU football team ranks 10th in returning production, according to ESPN. However, the defense ranks 72nd, losing some key players in their secondary that they're hoping will be fixed via the transfer portal. Overall, there's still a ton of talent on this LSU team, some which I feel is getting overlooked. Now that they have their coach, the sky will be the limit for LSU football once they get all the key pieces in place. Don't overlook the team in Baton Rouge this year.

Like I said, the fifth ranking is fine, but if they would have been third, above both Ohio State and Alabama, it would have been justified.

Clemson – #9

Clemson football certainly didn't have the season they were looking for in 2022. They lost three games for the second consecutive year, giving up more than 30 points in each of those contests. It's easy to understand why the Tigers football program has coaches and analysts reluctant to put them much higher than nine in the first poll. However, it shouldn't be forgotten that this team still has plenty of talent to not only win the ACC but get into the College Football Playoff. They've continued to recruit well, even if head coach Dabo Swinney doesn't believe in using the transfer portal.

Clemson's biggest competition will be FSU, who looks to be trending upward and will be bringing in a wealth of returning talent along with some from the transfer portal. That will be a late September matchup worth a watch, but outside of that, it's fairly smooth sailing for the Tigers football team.

If Clemson believes that Cade Klubnik is the answer at quarterback and they can fix the issues on their defense that seemed to fold against better opponents last season, the Tigers will more than likely win the ACC again and be right back in the playoff.

While you never predicate off season's past — even though that literally happens every season — Clemson at six feels more reasonable here as they have the talent and depth of a team better than USC and Penn State, and more proven than FSU thus far.

Oregon – #15

Oregon feels way too low on this poll. I'm not sure they are good enough to get in the top-10 because then you have to look at who they deserve to take the place of. They at least deserve to be one better than Utah, a spot above them. But are they better than Notre Dame, Texas and Washington? Maybe Notre Dame, but it gets really tricky with Texas and Washington, who beat the Ducks football squad last year.

After the loss of then-head coach Mario Cristobal back to his alma mater Miami at the end of 2021, the Ducks recovered nicely last season, proving they were still a formidable team in the Pac-12, finishing the season at 10-3 and ranked 14th.

Second-year Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning, who replaced Cristobal, will not only have the talented group the now Miami Hurricanes head coach brought in during his tenure in Eugene, but will have his own full class that he's bringing in this season that ranked ninth overall in the country, according to 247 sports.

In what will be the Ducks football team's final year in the Pac-12 (along with about every other team), they should be one of the favorites to win the conference, competing with USC, Washington and Utah.