Last year was one of the more entertaining college football seasons in recent memory. The 2024 slate kicked off with Georgia Tech knocking off preseason top 10 Florida State in Ireland. The former ended up going 7-6, the latter finished 2-10. 

This was also the first year of a new College Football Playoff format, which has already changed. Again. From Ashton Jeanty’s historical season at Boise State to Cam Skattebo’s insane playoff performance to Ohio State raising the trophy, the 2024 season was one to remember. And I didn’t even mention Travis Hunter doing things we’ve never seen done before. 

Having now demonstrated the unpredictability of college football, there is only one thing left to do. Try to predict the best teams in 2025, naturally. 

1. Penn State Nittany Lions 

2024 record: 13-3 (8-1 Big Ten)

Projecting Penn State this high may not seem right to those who believe James Franklin can’t win the big games. However, PSU did beat SMU and Georgia in the playoffs last year, and that’s enough for me to believe they could build on their 2024 campaign. 

The returning production is incredible. Quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton all elected to return to the Nittany Lions and forgo the NFL Draft. All of them could have been drafted on day one or two. Combine that with a slew of transfer portal wide receivers including Trebor Pena and the acquisition of Jim Knowles to run the defense, and all of the sudden this team sounds terrifying. The biggest matchups for them are hosting Oregon and traveling to Ohio State. 

2. Clemson Tigers

2024 record: 10-4 (7-1 ACC)

The top two teams on these rankings are largely due to quarterback experience. Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, and Alabama (among others) will all have a new face under center. I strongly believe Allar and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik are the two best signal callers in college football at the moment. Clemson also returns plenty of offensive line production and has a slew of dangerous wide outs. The biggest question mark on offense is at running back. If Clemson figures that out, they will have a very potent offense. 

The area of concern last year was the defense, especially against the run. This year, the Tigers boast the best defensive line in the nation thanks to Peter Woods, T.J. Parker, and Purdue transfer Will Heldt. New defensive coordinator Tom Allen (formerly of Penn State) will also have linebackers Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown, as well as cornerback Avieon Terrell (brother of Atlanta Falcon and former Clemson standout A.J. Terrell) on his defense. The ceiling is high for Dabo Swinney and co. in 2025. 

3. LSU Tigers

2024 record: 9-4 (5-3 SEC) 

Are you noticing a trend? Quarterback is the most important position, and Garrett Nussmeier is arguably in the same tier as Klubnik and Allar. On top of that, LSU’s transfer portal class was unreal to say the least. EDGE Patrick Payton comes to Baton Rouge from Florida State, Wide receiver Nic Anderson left his post at Oklahoma to don the purple and gold, and former Virginia Tech Hokie Mansoor DeLane could be the next great cornerback to suit up for the Tigers. 

Still not convinced? The receiver room is also adding Barion Brown from Kentucky and returning players include Nussmeier, running back Caden Durham, and linebackers Harold Perkins and Whit Weeks. This roster is loaded. If Brian Kelley wasn’t at the helm, I might have put them higher on this list. There is a chance this is the best LSU team since Joe Burrow’s squad in 2019. 

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

2024 record 14-2 (7-1 Big Ten)

The defending national champions lost a ton of talent and both coordinators. However, it is Ohio State and they might have the best player in the country on both sides of the ball  in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs. We know their wide receiver room will be elite, we know they have a ton of talent in the secondary, and we now know Ryan Day can take OSU all the way. But what do we not know?

Julian Sayin is likely the next quarterback in a long line of good quarterbacks at Ohio State. Historically, there isn’t much reason to doubt that the Buckeyes can reload at QB, and Sayin will have elite weapons around him in Smith, Carnell Tate, and Purdue transfer tight end Max Klare. I am more concerned about the production lost in the front seven. Looking at the schedule, their only conference game that really feels losable is Penn State. Can they finally break the streak against Michigan?

5. Texas Longhorns

2024 record: 13-3 (7-1 SEC)

Okay guys, I have a dilemma. I don’t like Texas. I don’t think that’s a unique take and I know most CFB fans agree with me. However, as a fan of the sport, how can you not be excited to watch Arch Manning, Anthony Hill, and Colin Simmons? 

This team is athletic and the defense, on paper, looks like it could be one of the best units in the country. They have stars at every level. The concern is the loss of their top three leading receivers Isiah Bond, Matthew Golden, and Gunnar Helm to the NFL. I believe in Arch, and really I wanted to put Texas at No. 4, but they lost to OSU in the playoff last year so I gave OSU the edge for now. Thankfully, the Buckeyes and Longhorns play week 1, so we’ll see if I got this right sooner rather than later. 

6. Georgia Bulldogs

2024 record: 11-3 (6-2 SEC)

I see Gunnar Stockton as a Stetson Bennett 2.0. Bennett won two championships, so that should be a good thing for UGA right? However, many would agree that Stetson Bennett was an elite game manager, not a star, and he benefited from some absolutely stacked Georgia rosters (I mean their starting defense made up half of the NFL defense that just shut down Patrick Mahomes in a blowout Super Bowl win). 

I’m afraid I don’t feel Georgia is that loaded anymore. Tight end Oscar Delp and USC transfer receiver Zachariah Branch should help Stockton adjust, but they aren’t Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey. With Kirby Smart at the helm, this team will remain competitive at the highest level, but I don’t think the floor or ceiling is as high for UGA as it has been in recent years. Their schedule features Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida, and Texas. Going 3-1 in those games would go a long way, and it’s very possible. I think there is a small gap between the top six teams on this list and everyone else, and UGA just ended up at the bottom of that totem pole. 

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2024 record: 14-2

There is a real argument that the best player in college football wears a Notre Dame jersey on Saturdays. Jeremiyah Love may have been overshadowed for most of the season by running backs like Ashton Jeanty and Cam Skattebo, but don’t get it twisted. Love is a serious baller. 

Quarterback Steve Angeli transferred to Syracuse, leaving freshman CJ Carr as the likely starter. He will be behind an offensive line that lost multiple contributors, but the Irish added wide receivers Malachi Fields and Will Paulding in the transfer portal. The secondary added talent with transfers Devonta Smith and Jalen Stroman, but defensive coordinator Al Golden left for the Cincinnati Bengals. Chris Ash will step in and try to fill some big shoes. Notre Dame’s schedule is front heavy, kicking off the year at Miami and then returning home to play Texas A&M. Those two games could be tone setters for the Irish, who may need a Heisman caliber season from Jeremiah Love to have a chance of repeating their success from 2024. 

8. Oregon Ducks

2024 record: 13-1 (9-0 Big Ten)

Yet another major program with a new face at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Austin Novosad and redshirt sophomore Dante Moore will battle for the starting spot, with Moore, the former 5-star, seen as the favorite. Whoever wins the battle will likely be without star wide receiver Evan Stewart, at least for a while. Stewart suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury this offseason and his status for next season remains in question. 

The offense will still be dangerous with Dan Lanning at the helm and Tulane transfer running back Makhi Hughes in the backfield. The former Green Wave standout rushed for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns a season ago, and was widely viewed as the top running back in the portal. The offensive line was also bolstered in the portal as the Ducks added Isiah World from Nevada, Alex Harkey from Texas State, and Emmanuel Pregnon from USC. Darkorien Moore, one of the top receivers in the 2025 freshman class could be the X-factor for the Ducks, who will look to improve upon a disappointing CFP loss last year. 

9. Alabama Crimson Tide

2024 record: 9-4 (5-3 SEC)

Not many first year starting quarterbacks will have the talent around them that Ty Simpson will. Running back Jam Miller, offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, and wide receivers Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams, and Isaiah Horton should make the transition a little easier for the redshirt sophomore signal caller. 

Alabama still feels like it is in a transition period with head coach Kalen DeBoer taking over for Nick Saban. Most teams in the country would take a 9-3 season in the SEC in a heartbeat, but for the Crimson Tide, that is a season to forget. Bama has elite talent all over the field, but it doesn’t feel like it has the depth that Saban’s teams did. In the SEC, that depth is crucial. 

10. Illinois Fighting Illini

2024 record: 10-3 (6-3 Big Ten)

The Fighting Illini return 76% of their production from 2024’s 10-win team, the first Illinois team to win 10-games since 2001. That return ranks third in the FBS and includes all five starting offensive lineman, the entire secondary, and starting quarterback Luke Altmeyer, who has impressed in his time in Champaign after transferring from Ole Miss.

Illinois managed to avoid Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan this year with their toughest games being at Indiana and hosting Ohio State. Another 10-win season feels likely for the Illini, who should be firmly in the playoff race. 

11. Arizona State Sun Devils

2024 record: 11-3 (7-2 Big 12)

Arizona State came out of nowhere to win the Big 12 last season and captured the hearts of many fans during an all-time classic game against Texas. While star running back Cam Skattebo is now a New York Giant, the Sun Devils are still stacked with star-level talent in 2025. Quarterback Sam Leavitt and wide receiver Jordan Tyson are among the top QB-WR duos in the country and a good defense from last year returns 10 starters. ASU has everything they need to repeat as Big 12 champs. 

12. Iowa State Cyclones

2024 record: 11-3 (7-2 Big 12) 

I will confess, I am a Rocco Becht believer. The third-year starter will lead an Iowa State team that is fresh off its first 10-win season in program history. The Cyclones looked very good in 2024 apart from back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas. While the Big 12 championship wasn’t all that competitive, I believe Iowa State deserved to be there. I think this is an improved team going into 2025 and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the playoffs. The Cyclones will kick off the year against Kansas State in Dublin, and they were lucky enough to get both BYU and Arizona State on their home slate. 

13. South Carolina Gamecocks

2024 record: 9-3 (5-3 SEC)

A lot of people out there are big on the Gamecocks this year. I am not one of them. I put them here strictly because I do believe LaNorris Sellers is the kind of good that can lead to this team winning some games it shouldn’t. I can say the same about defensive end Dylan Stewart. But the schedule is just too difficult for me to believe they will win enough games to make the playoffs. Their first four games include a neutral site game with Virginia Tech in Atlanta, hosting Vanderbilt, and traveling to Missouri. Then comes a trip to LSU before hosting Alabama and Oklahoma, all in a 3-week stretch. Does the schedule get easier after that? No. The Gamecocks go on the road to Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The cherry on top is their season finale against Clemson. Woof. 

14. Texas Tech Red Raiders

2024 record: 8-5 (6-3 Big 12)

Talk about a portal haul. The Red Raiders loaded up for 2025 by adding defensive end David Bailey, offensive tackle Howard Sampson, and defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard among many other portal additions. The defense should be much improved, which was the achilles heel of this team a year ago. Quarterback Behren Morton returns as well as receivers Coy Eakin and Caleb Douglas. Texas Tech is in a similar spot as South Carolina for me, meaning I believe in the talent of this team, but the schedule isn’t easy. At Utah, at Arizona State, at Kansas State, at West Virginia, and hosting BYU. This team will need to reach a new level of consistency to be a real playoff threat. 

15. Michigan Wolverines

2024 record: 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten)

The Michigan defense should once again be very very good. Replacing Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant isn’t easy, but the Wolverines still return a ton of talent on that side of the ball. The real intrigue here is with the quarterback position. Signs are pointing to true freshman 5-star Bryce Underwood starting the year at QB1. With Michigan’s run heavy-offense, Underwood may not have to do too much, allowing for him to feel comfortable and make big plays when he can. I don’t know exactly how good this team will be, but I do know I am excited to tune in. 

16. Indiana Hoosiers

2024 record: 11-2 (8-1 Big Ten)

Indiana shocked everyone in head coach Curt Cignetti’s first season, reaching the CFP as an at-large team. The Hoosiers added quarterback Fernando Mendoza from California, who also brought wide receiver Jonathan Brady. The offensive line has been beefed up and the defensive line and secondary added talent. With a tougher schedule this time around, I think the Hoosiers have a good season, but fall short of a CFP return. 

17. Louisville Cardinals

2024 record: 9-4 (5-3 ACC) 

Some recent Louisville teams have fielded very good defenses. This team probably won’t. However, the offense is led by USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss and returning receivers Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy. Running back Isaac Brown is one of the best in the country at his position. If the defense progresses into a formidable unit, I like the Cardinals to be a dark horse playoff team. 

18. SMU Mustangs

2024 record: 11-3 (8-0 ACC)

SMU overachieved in their first year in the ACC, running the table and making the CFP despite losing the ACC title game to Clemson. An easy schedule may have contributed to that run, and I don’t think they will be catching anyone off guard this year. With Syracuse, TCU, Baylor, Clemson, Miami, and Louisville on this year’s schedule, I don’t see the Mustangs repeating 2024’s success. I just don’t think this team improved enough. Kevin Jennings is a very talented quarterback though, and SMU added a ton of talent to their defensive line. 

19. Missouri Tigers

2024 record: 10-3 (5-3 SEC)

Missouri is one of the harder teams to project. While they have the easiest schedule in the SEC, no SEC schedule is easy. Their roster is littered with talent and proven players everywhere, except maybe the two most important positions–quarterback and left tackle. The defense was ranked in the top 20 last year nationally and added All-American safety Jalen Catalon from UNLV and Freshman All-American linebacker Josiah Trotter from West Virginia. Five-star transfer EDGE Dame Wilson came over from Georgia as well as App State EDGE Nate Johnson. The offense returns Marquis Johnson, Josh Manning, and Brett Norfleet as pass catchers and freshman All-American running back Ahmad Hardy comes over from Lousiana-Monroe. The play of the winner of the quarterback battle between former 4-stars Beau Pribula and Sam Horn will likely determine if this is a 7-5 or 10-2 team. 

20. BYU Cougars

2024 record: 11-2 (7-2 Big 12)

Full transparency, I had BYU at No. 10 before the Jake Retzlaff situation that resulted in him leaving the program. I really like this team, and they were my favorite to win the Big 12 and make the playoffs. But Retzlaff is a stud and the situation didn’t allow BYU to search for a replacement. The starting QB will now be one of McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and Bear Bachmeier. I don’t think this team can win the conference with any of them, but I would love to be proven wrong. I just don’t think the offense will be as dangerous and the defense lacks the depth needed for a deep run into the postseason. 

21. Kansas State Wildcats

2024 record: 9-4 (5-4 Big 12) 

Kansas State returns Dylan Edwards at tailback and added a slew of transfer receivers to bolster the offense. Three starters departed from the offensive line and Brendan Mott is no longer in Manhattan after exhausting his eligibility. The fate of this team rests on quarterback Avery Johnson. The talent is obvious as a dual-threat star, but he needs to take the next step in a sneaky-competitive Big 12. We will learn about this team and the conference in the 2025 season opener between the Wildcats and Iowa State in Dublin. 

22. Ole Miss Rebels

2024 record: 10-3 (5-3 SEC)

The Lane-Train is far from derailing, but at some point it has to make a stop at the playoffs, right? Last year felt like a great opportunity, but the Rebels just missed out. Now Jaxson Dart is off to the NFL and Austin Simmons is ready to take over. Per usual, Mississippi loaded up in the portal, but it feels like the Rebels missed a window. We will see what Simmons is capable of, but I am not expecting a better record in 2025 for Ole Miss. 

23. Miami Hurricanes

2024 record: 10-3 (6-2 ACC)

Last year, I firmly believed that Miami was the best team that wasn’t in the playoffs. That was mostly due to Cam Ward, who was taken first overall in the NFL Draft. Miami recruits well, they made some nice portal additions. The Hurricanes have NFL talent on the roster and the ACC is a pretty open conference. But I am not a believer in Carson Beck. I wasn’t big on him before the UCL tear, and I definitely haven’t changed my mind since. Miami has the talent to win a bunch of games, but this isn’t a playoff team. 

24. Texas A&M Aggies

2024 record: 8-5 (5-3 SEC)

Texas A&M had a very Texas A&M season last year. The Aggies lost a big season opener to Notre Dame, rattled off seven straight wins, and then lost four of their last five games. Quarterback Marcel Reed now has a season under his belt and he is surrounded by tailbacks Le’Veon Moss and Rueben Owens as well as wide receivers Kevin Concepcion, Mario Craver, and Jonah Wilson. The offense should be great. The challenge comes in replacing Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton, and Shemar Turner who will all be playing on Sundays now. They added a bunch of defensive line talent in the portal, and we will see how it pans out. 

25. Florida Gators

2024 record: 8-5 (4-4 SEC) 

Including Florida on this list is a formality and a nod to D.J. Lagway. He has the makings to be a college football superstar. His freshman season was up and down, but I am expecting him to make a big jump. So what do I mean by this is a formality? Let me break it down. Do I believe Florida is a top 25 team in the country? Yes. Do I think they will finish this season ranked in the top 25? No. I’m sorry, but LSU, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Tennessee, and Ole Miss? Yikes. I think Florida is set up to have a VERY good 2026. This season is about getting more experience for Lagway and the younger guys, maybe winning some big time matchups, and building the hype for 2026. 

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