College football Re-Rank 1-130: A preseason breakdown of the 2021 teams

Familiar faces lead the way but several surprise teams are lurking just beyond the top five in the first USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-130 of the 2021 college football season.

Last year's national champion, Alabama, remains in the top spot while breaking in new faces in key positions on its offense. The Crimson Tide are followed by No. 2 Clemson, now quarterbacked by DJ Uiagalelei after Trevor Lawrence's tenure ended; No. 3 Oklahoma, suddenly home to a very solid defense; No. 4 Ohio State, the unquestioned boss of the Big Ten; and No. 5 Georgia, the biggest threat to Alabama's ownership of the SEC.

While these five teams are again expected to stay one step ahead of the field, No. 6 Iowa State, No. 7 Cincinnati and No. 8 North Carolina are legitimate contenders for the College Football Playoff. In fact, the Cyclones placed four players on the USA TODAY Sports' preseason All-America team, equaling the number of picks from the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes.