The Athletic’s rankings of every FBS college football team are back, and there’s a new 131st member this year.

The 2020 rankings began with just 76 teams due to the pandemic and momentarily canceled seasons. The 2021 season got back to full strength at 130, and now we’re at 131, as James Madison has moved up to the FBS and the Sun Belt. A hearty welcome to the Dukes.

The 2022 season comes at a time of change. Name, image and likeness, and the transfer portal are in full swing. Nick Saban was finally toppled by one of his former assistants last year (two, actually). Major conference realignment is on the horizon. Media deals will change how we watch games.

And yet, the top of the college football rankings have familiar faces. Saban referred to last year’s College Football Playoff finalist Alabama team as going through a rebuilding year. Georgia and Ohio State remain stacked. Can anyone challenge them? Elsewhere, conferences like the Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC feel wide-open. The rankings outside of the top three are tough to order, but that’s the fun of the sport.

Will the same teams make the Playoff again? Who could surprise and win a conference? Who will take the Group of 5 New Year’s Six spot? And who is No. 131?

With Week 0 games finally here, let’s get into it.

If it was possible to show, the gap between Nos. 3 and 4 here would be massive. You can make the case for close to a dozen teams to be ranked fourth after Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia, but there has to be someone.

Ten wins would not be a bad year at most schools, but Dabo Swinney raised the bar at Clemson. This season, with new coordinators on offense and defense and questions at quarterback, will tell us if the Tigers can get back to the elite level.

Utah is the Pac-12 favorite with quarterback Cameron Rising and running back Tavion Thomas behind a strong offensive line, though the Utes have big defensive holes to fill and a tricky schedule that opens at Florida. Michigan is coming off a Playoff appearance, and quarterback Cade McNamara made big strides as the season went on. The Wolverines should still run the ball well, but replacing two game-changing defensive ends will be difficult. Notre Dame’s offensive line will be among the best in the country and tight end Michael Mayer is an All-America candidate, but how will new quarterback Tyler Buchner handle the spotlight?

Texas A&M has a lot of offseason hype despite coming off an 8-4 season, as it signed one of the highest-rated recruiting classes ever. Devon Achane is one of the best running backs in the country, but will the Aggies’ quarterback play be enough?

Picking the Big 12 feels impossible, with defending champion Baylor, new-look Oklahoma and defending runner-up Oklahoma State all even. The Sooners brought in Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables to be the head coach, but with UCF transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel and his former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, the Sooners should still have an explosive offense.