Yahoo Sports Top 25: College football rankings for the 2025 season

Yahoo

17 hours ago

We are now just days away from kickoff of the college football season.
And since the season is so quickly approaching, what better way to get in the mood for the action than fighting over where teams should be ranked in preseason polls!
Here's our Top 25 for the upcoming season (click on each team to read more):
No. 25: Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones are in a strong position to get back to the Big 12 title game. QB Rocco Becht and RB Carson Hansen are back, though ISU will need to find someone to step up at receiver with the departures of Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins to the NFL. The defense lost its two leading tacklers but could and should be better in 2025.
No. 24: Florida Gators
This ranking is largely dependent on a healthy season from QB DJ Lagway. The QB showed flashes of brilliance in 2024 while dealing with a hamstring injury. If he can stay on the field all season, Florida has a very high ceiling despite back-to-back games at LSU and Miami as well as matchups against Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee on the schedule.
No. 23: Indiana Hoosiers
A return trip to the College Football Playoff is not out of the question for the Hoosiers. QB Fernando Mendoza arrives from Cal as his replacement and is a favorite of NFL Draft analysts. He also has two solid weapons to throw to in Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper.
Aiden Fisher is back to lead the defense after recording a team-high 118 tackles and the schedule is favorable outside of trips to Oregon and Penn State.
No. 22: South Carolina Gamecocks
LaNorris Sellers had one of the breakout seasons last year as he rushed for 674 yards and threw for 2,534 yards. Mike Shula, the former Alabama head coach, will call the plays for the Gamecocks after serving as an offensive assistant last season.
The defense may not be as great as it was a season ago. South Carolina lost six of its top seven tacklers from 2024 and will face a schedule that includes LSU, Alabama and Clemson.
No. 21: Texas A&M Aggies
Running backs Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels return, along with quarterback Marcel Reed. Moss was one of the most dynamic rushers in the SEC before suffering a season-ending knee injury. If Moss is close to where he was a season ago, the Aggies should have one of the best rushing attacks in the country. That will help cover for a receiving group light on weapons.
No. 20: Arizona State Sun Devils
No one is sleeping on the Sun Devils after they won the Big 12 title in 2024 in a season where hardly anyone expected them to be competitive. QB Sam Leavitt is back after a fantastic first season in Tempe with over 2,800 yards passing and 24 TDs, and the return of WR Jordyn Tyson is huge. Replacing Cam Skattebo may not be as difficult as it once seemed after the offseason arrival of former Army RB Kanye Udoh.
No. 19: Ole Miss Rebels
The Rebels reloaded with one of the top transfer classes in the country after posting at least 10 wins for the third time in the last four seasons. QB Austin Simmons is replacing Jaxson Dart as the starter and could quickly end up being one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. He has a bevy of weapons at running back and receiver.
The defense added Princewill Umanmielen from Nebraska and other key transfers; Ole Miss was a much more competitive team a season ago thanks to its improvement on both the offensive and defensive lines.
No. 18: Kansas State Wildcats
Avery Johnson is one of the most talented running QBs in college football, but he still needs some polish as a passer. Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards is in line to start at running back; the Wildcats' leading receiver and three starters return on the offensive line. The defense needs to replace six starters, but K-State should once again be a contender in the Big 12.
No. 17: Illinois Fighting Illini
The Illini are a serious threat to make the College Football Playoff. Illinois brings back a host of starters on both sides of the ball following the school's first 10-win season since 2001.
The offense returns QB Luke Altmyer, two running backs and the entire offensive line. The only question on offense is who will step up at receiver. The defense returns its top five tacklers, including Gabe Jacas, and the Illini's schedule is extremely friendly. There's a plausible path to 11 regular-season wins and a trip to the Big Ten title game.
No. 16: Boise State Broncos
The Broncos should again be the leading candidate to represent the Group of Five in the College Football Playoff. Yes, Ashton Jeanty is gone, but the offense should be in good hands with QB Maddux Madsen returning along with four starters on the offensive line.
The defense loses a lot of pass rush juice, but the Broncos should be favored in 11 of their 12 games this season. The only time they could be an underdog is an Oct. 4 trip to Notre Dame.
No. 15: SMU Mustangs
After a first season in the ACC that avoided games against both Clemson and Miami, the Mustangs play both teams in 2025, along with Louisville. The good news is that Kevin Jennings is back at QB; the bad is they need to replace a star running back and three of their four leading receivers from last year. The defense needed to reload up front as well, but coach Rhett Lashlee stacked up on defensive line talent in the transfer portal.
No. 14: Utah Utes
After a year of sub-par quarterback play, Utah moved quickly to address the position in the transfer portal. QB Devon Dampier, who threw for over 2,700 yards and rushed for over 1,100 at New Mexico a season ago, is the new Utes starter.
Simply having a competent offense could make the Utes playoff contenders. The defense has allowed fewer than 23 points per game in each of the last six full seasons and brings back three of its four leading tacklers along with DE Logan Fano.
No. 13: Texas Tech Red Raiders
Just how much can a stellar transfer portal class and a healthy quarterback do for the Red Raiders? They're among the massive group of favorites in the Big 12 due in large part to the top portal class in the country.
Tech added edge rusher David Bailey from Stanford, DL Lee Hunter from UCF, RB Quinten Joyner from USC and 28 other players this offseason. QB Behren Morton is back after throwing for over 3,300 yards in 2024, but he did have offseason surgery. Another full season from him is key for Tech's playoff hopes.
No. 12: Oklahoma Sooners
John Mateer was really, really good at Washington State in 2024. Assuming Mateer is cleared to play after a sports betting controversy in mid-August, could he be the answer for Oklahoma in 2025? Oklahoma's offense was dreadful in 2024. OU averaged 24 points per game as Michael Hawkins replaced Jackson Arnold (now at Auburn) at QB during the season.
The defense did its part last year and allowed just 21.5 points per game and fewer than 5 yards per play. With players like R Mason Thomas (9 sacks) back, along with seven other starters, Oklahoma could be in line for a big year despite a really tough schedule if the offense is simply above average.
No. 11: Michigan Wolverines
You may sense a theme among three of the last four teams. Michigan got eight wins and beat Ohio State and Alabama to end last season despite a passing offense that was one of the worst in the country. That should change in 2025. Even if five-star freshman Bryce Underwood doesn't start right away, former Fresno State QB Mikey Keene should be a significant upgrade.
Last season's defense wasn't as good as it was in 2023, but it was still excellent. Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham are back at linebacker and Arkansas transfer TJ Metcalf could make a big impact at corner. TJ Guy will be counted on, along with Derrick Moore, to provide the edge rush. A Week 2 matchup between the Wolverines and Sooners should be fascinating.
No. 10: Miami Hurricanes
Former Georgia QB Carson Beck comes to Miami hoping to finish his college career with a flourish and also improve his NFL Draft stock. Beck was fantastic in his first year at Georgia but struggled at times in 2024, and his season ended with an elbow injury in the SEC title game. With a talented receiver in transfer CJ Daniels and an offensive line featuring potential first-round pick Francis Mauigoa, Beck should be comfortable in his new digs.
The Miami defense can't be as bad as it was in 2024. Miami gave up at least 31 points six different times in 2024 and its defensive stats were buoyed by early non-conference performances. Coach Mario Cristobal made sure to address the defense in the transfer portal.
No. 9: Alabama Crimson Tide
Kalen DeBoer's debut season at Alabama did not go as planned as the Tide stumbled to a 9-3 regular season record and just missed the expanded playoff. Lack of discipline (penalties) was a real problem for Alabama. Ty Simpson was officially declared the starting QB on Aug. 11, so he'll take the opening snap against Florida State. One thing he has going for him: Star wideout Ryan Williams, who delivered highlight-reel grabs almost weekly in his freshman season.
Finding more pass rush is key for the Crimson Tide in 2025. The good news is the defense is loaded at linebacker and on the line. A monster game looms at the end of September against Georgia; both teams should be 3-0 heading into the showdown in Athens.
No. 8: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame should be back in the playoff mix after coming oh-so-close to a national title last season. The bad news is that Riley Leonard is gone; he was clutch for the Irish in key moments during their run to the championship game. The good news is that they have two monster running backs and a very pliable schedule this season. Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price running behind a stout line should keep the Irish moving forward offensively.
There will be some turnover on the defensive line, but they should still be one of the better defenses in college football after allowing fewer than 16 points per game last season.
No. 7: LSU Tigers
What awaits the Tigers in Year 4 of the Brian Kelly experience? With a 29-11 record at the school, the longtime coach has been solid but hasn't yet lifted LSU to the playoff. Garrett Nussmeier returns at QB and will be looking to improve his NFL Draft stock with another strong receiving corps.
After five straight seasons with at least three losses, this is LSU's best chance to compete for a national title since that iconic 2019 campaign. The schedule is a gauntlet, but this team should be well-equipped to navigate it.
No. 6: Ohio State Buckeyes
Will the Buckeyes run it back and win another title this season? Or, maybe more importantly for OSU fans, will they finally beat Michigan? They'll have to do it all with a reloaded (but very talented) roster. The QB position is up for grabs between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz. Whoever wins out will have plenty of help with a running game featuring West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson. Oh yeah, and they have this guy named Jeremiah Smith catching passes, so it may not matter who ends up under center.
The biggest questions come on defense, where the unit will be led by a new coordinator and needs to replace a ton of talent. All-American defensive back Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles are back on that side of the ball, but the only other returning starter is Davison Igbinosun. Can Texas exploit all the turnover in Week 1?
No. 5: Georgia Bulldogs
With Kirby Smart at the helm, the Bulldogs have been to the playoff three times in the last four years and won it all twice. They should be right back in the mix again with Gunner Stockton replacing Carson Beck at QB. They've added some talented receivers in Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas, and a solid run game is almost a guarantee with Nate Frazier leading the way.
This is where years and years of recruiting prowess pay off. Georgia may not have a bunch of players on this year's team who casual fans know about, but there's a ton of talent across the roster and it's all but certain that stars will emerge over the course of the season. Additionally, Georgia gets to live the good side of the SEC's schedule rotation this season.
No. 4: Oregon Ducks
One year after a perfect regular season and Big Ten championship (and disappointment in the playoff), the Ducks are reloading at key positions. Dante Moore will helm the offense under center and has a talented line and backfield around him. But there are some question marks at wide receiver.
The defense had to replace several starters, and Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman should be a stalwart centerpiece there. LB Bryce Boettcher is back after leading the team in tackles and the defensive line added transfer Bear Alexander to help out Matayo Uiagalelei, who led the Ducks with 9.5 sacks in 2024.
A friendly schedule should put Oregon in the driver's seat for a second straight Big Ten title game appearance.
No. 3: Texas Longhorns
It's Arch Manning's time to shine. After two years of spot duty as a backup, the heralded quarterback is the Heisman favorite heading into the season despite throwing fewer than 100 career passes in college football. The Longhorns lost a lot of talent at wide receiver, but Manning has shown he can use his legs if the replacements disappoint.
Coach Steve Sarkisian calls this Texas defense 'the deepest and most talented that we've had.' Texas gave up just over 15 points per game in 2024. If this defense is better than that one, Manning shouldn't have to put up gangbuster numbers for Texas to be a top-four CFP seed.
No. 2: Penn State Nittany Lions
We'll ask it before the season even begins: Can James Franklin win the big one? Or several big ones? Because this year's Penn State team has the talent to win a national title, but it'll surely encounter some juggernauts along the way.
Drew Allar is back at QB after a strong 2024 season and he has plenty of weapons with which to work. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen form what may be the best running back duo in the country, and Franklin got some receiver additions in the transfer portal.
The aforementioned 'big games': The Big Ten title game rematch with Oregon at home on Sept. 27 will be huge. Ohio State has bossed Penn State for much of James Franklin's tenure, so the Nov. 1 showdown in Columbus will weigh heavy on everybody in Happy Valley. The rest of the Nittany Lions' schedule is palatable, but they'll run into more heavyweights in the playoff. Can James Franklin and PSU finally deliver when the stakes are highest?
No. 1: Clemson Tigers
This is the Tigers' best shot to replicate the program's late-2010s success. This team is loaded and it doesn't have to navigate a conference schedule like many in the SEC and Big Ten.
Clemson's roster continuity should go a long way, with QB Cade Klubnik returning for his third season as the starter behind an experienced and talented offensive line. The team also brings back nine starters on defense, including TJ Parker, who had 11 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2024. He could be the top edge rusher taken in the 2026 NFL Draft with another double-digit sack season.
Head coach Dabo Swinney said in early August that it's now a race to be the first 16-0 team at the top level of college football and he believes his team can do it.