2025 College Football predictions: Why Clemson is a national title contender
Every summer, there is a group of college football teams that become hype machines.
Whether it be due to a new coaching hire, a strong finish to the previous season, or because of the transfer portal, there's always a handful of programs that become trendy, and that love seeps into the betting market.
Last summer, Florida State and Utah had their bandwagons full by Week 1, only to go a combined 7-17, with the Seminoles footing the table in the ACC.
Other trendy teams from last summer, like Texas, SMU, and Tennessee, fared much better, but the point is that just because a program becomes a popular pick in the offseason doesn't guarantee that it will make good on that promise when school is back in session.
We've identified a few teams that have become trendy this summer and will discuss whether or not they will live up to the hype in the fall.
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway during the annual Spring Game.
Getty Images for ONIT
2025 College Football predictions
Florida Gators
It's been a while since Florida has been relevant. The Gators haven't won an SEC Championship since 2008, and they've gone 25-26 in the last four seasons.
Pressure was starting to build up on head coach Billy Napier before the 2024 campaign, but he was able to save his bacon with a strong finish en route to an 8-5 campaign against a brutal schedule.
Not only did Florida's four-game winning streak to close out 2024 likely save Napier's job, but it also turned some heads and put the Gators on the radar for 2025.
A huge part of Florida's turnaround in 2024 was the play of quarterback DJ Lagway, who is getting considerable Heisman hype heading into his sophomore season.
Lagway gives the Gators a high ceiling, but the problem is that, once again, Florida is going to go up against one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
According to ESPN's Bill Connelly, only Oklahoma will face a more daunting path than the Gators in 2025.
There are some positive signs in the Swamp, but Florida's schedule makes it really hard to get caught up in the hype surrounding the Gators for 2025.
The Verdict: Pass
Clemson Tigers
Dabo Swinney and Clemson re-emerged with a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2024, and all signs point to another step forward in 2025.
The Tigers are 11/1 to win the National Championship at FanDuel Sportsbook, and they are the clear favorites to win the ACC.
Clemson's Cade Klubnik is one of the favorites to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Getty Images
Those may seem like steep prices to pay on the Tigers, but there's reason to believe that Clemson is going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2025.
The biggest positive for the Tigers is that they lead the country in returning production at 81 percent.
For a program that's been hesitant to dip into the portal, it's a huge positive that Clemson is bringing back so many snaps from 2024.
In addition to the stability, the Tigers will also go up against a manageable schedule in the ACC this season.
The Tigers are already getting plenty of love in the betting market, but it's warranted. Watch out for Cade Klubnik and Clemson in 2025.
Verdict: National Title Contender
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Illinois Fighting Illini
Everybody is wondering who will be this year's Arizona State or Indiana, and Illinois is going to be a popular answer to that question.
The Illini went 10-3 in 2024 and wrapped up the season by defeating South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl.
That may be a sign of things to come for the Illini, who rank third in returning production, have a stud quarterback in Luke Altmyer, and will play as easy a schedule as you could hope for in the Big Ten in 2025.
Illinois won't have the talent to go up against the heavyweights in the Playoff, but they have legitimate hopes of making it to the Big Ten Championship, making the 40/1 (BetMGM Sportsbook) on the Illini to win the conference quite tempting.
Verdict: Big Ten Dark Horse
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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