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Jackson's most significant college football storylines and biggest questions for 2025. His key CFB preseason questions this season, including for Clemson, Texas, LSU, and more.
At last, college football is upon us. On Saturday, Week 0 kicks off with an appetizer of games. We even get an immediate ranked vs. ranked matchup featuring two Big 12 contenders, Kansas State and Iowa State. While even the most casual college football fans will tune in to that one, the die-hards will be checking out the UNLV vs. Idaho State, Fresno State vs. Kansas, Sam Houston State vs. Western Kentucky, and Stanford vs. Hawai'i.
The offseason feels never-ending, and the season flies by in an instant, so be sure to soak up all the college football you can. In this article, we'll dive into 10 key storylines for 2025, including questions for Notre Dame, LSU, Clemson, Penn State, Texas, Alabama, Florida State, North Carolina, and the entire Big 12.
"Talkin" season is almost in the rearview mirror, but let's do one last preseason check-in ahead of the sure-to-be-dramatic 2025 campaign.
Is Notre Dame Here to Stay?
Oh, what a season it was for Notre Dame in 2024. The Irish collected a Week 1 road victory in Kyle Field over No. 20 Texas A&M, setting them up for a potential undefeated season. Then, the mighty Northern Illinois Huskies came to South Bend and put another embarrassing loss on the ledger of Marcus Freeman's resume. Surely, many thought that loss would be the beginning of the end for Notre Dame's season and Freeman's potential job.
Then, the Golden-Domers ripped off 10 straight regular-season wins. Nine of those wins were by at least two scores, and eight were by at least three possessions. We know Notre Dame eliminated Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State en route to a loss against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Freeman and the program proved they could compete with the best of the best on a national stage, but will they continue to be a legitimate contender moving forward?
Redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr will likely take time to get comfortable in Mike Denbrock's offense, but the offensive line in front of him has a high ceiling, and he should not have a shortage of weapons.
Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison are back at wide receiver, and they'll be joined by Virginia stud transfer Malachi Fields. At running back, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and Aneyas Williams rival any RB trio in the country.
Notre Dame wide receivers Logan Saldate, Malachi Fields, Jaden Greathouse and Elijah Burress, among other Fighting Irish players, shared the CJ Carr QB1 announcement on Instagram.
Backing their starter. pic.twitter.com/oKQBLAUbm4
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) August 20, 2025
Although Al Golden is out as defensive coordinator, Freeman and Chris Ash should have a steady unit that is loaded with talent. A Week 1 date with Miami awaits.
Can Brian Kelly Get Over the Hump?
Speaking of Notre Dame, its former longtime coach needs to show something big in 2025. According to Kelly and LSU insiders, this is the most depth the Tigers have had since he arrived in Baton Rouge, and all the pieces should be there for a potential national title run.
Redshirt senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier could compete to be the best quarterback in the country this year if he can cut down on the turnovers, and wide receiver additions Barion Brown (Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) via the transfer portal give him plenty of options alongside Aaron Anderson and running back Caden Durham.
Kelly has also stated he is confident in the depth of the defense and Blake Baker's ability to turn it into a top-flight unit in 2025. It sounds like any excuses are out the window, and we'll get an early look at LSU facing adversity during its Week 1 trip to "the other" Death Valley. As a reminder, LSU is 0-3 in season-openers under his direction.
Kelly is one of the most accomplished coaches in college football, but a national championship has been elusive. It feels like this is the team that he should be able to get it done with.
Is Clemson Back?
Let's make one thing clear. Clemson has not been horrible despite the narrative surrounding Dabo Swinney and his unwillingness to evolve in the era of the transfer portal.
Since the Tigers' last College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018, Clemson has won the ACC four times in six years and competed in the CFP three times. This program has remained one of the best in the country, but yes, it has not been an elite title contender. In 2025, Clemson is looking to rejoin that group and has all the pieces to do so.
Cade Klubnik is entering Year 3 as a full-time starter, and he became a real game-changer instead of a game manager by the end of his junior campaign. The Texas native tallied over 4,000 yards of offense and put 43 touchdowns on the board.
His top three leading receivers from last season, Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., and T.J. Moore, all returned for this season. Does this make him a potential Heisman winner? That will be fun to find out.
CADE KLUBNIK WAS DETERMINED TO FIND THE END ZONE 😤 pic.twitter.com/MvvOq0tunx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 16, 2024
Defensively, the Tigers have one of the best defensive lines in the country, headlined by future first-round NFL Draft picks T.J. Parker and Peter Woods. Swinney doesn't hit the portal hard, but adding Will Heldt from Purdue is an underrated addition. Oh, and Clemson stole one of the game's greatest defensive coordinators, Tom Allen, from Penn State this offseason.
Clemson can score points in bunches and dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides. That's a strong recipe for success, and why Clemson might be the best value pick to raise the natty trophy at season's end. If it isn't elite this season, Clemson might be stuck as a B-tier contender for a while.
Will Drew Allar Lead Penn State to the Promised Land?
Penn State flashed its potential to compete for a national title last season, but ultimately, it still didn't necessarily beat any team it was not "supposed to." 13 wins and a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinal is nothing to scoff at, but it's time to win big games against elite teams like Ohio State and Oregon.
With Drew Allar and his elite running back duo back in action for 2025, the program and its fans should expect nothing less than to legitimately contend for college football's greatest team award.
The loss of All-American tight end Tyler Warren isn't ideal, but James Franklin and company attacked the transfer portal at wide receiver and added Trebor Pena (Syracuse), Devonte Ross (Troy), and Kyron Hudson (USC) this offseason. The WR group was a glaring weakness in the loss to Notre Dame on Penn State's biggest stage last year.
While Clemson stole Tom Allen from Penn State, the Nittany Lions stole Jim Knowles from Ohio State. It would be a surprise if the defense isn't elite once again in 2025.
Ultimately, Penn State's title hopes ride on Allar becoming a true game-changer who can put the cape on when it matters. He's likely headed for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, so let's see if he can end his career as an unquestioned Penn State legend.
Does Arch Manning Live Up to the Hype?
Read the question again. "Does Arch Manning live up to the hype?" Is that even possible? The next member of the first family of quarterbacks is here, but this model has game-breaking rushing ability along with a "full" life of being around legendary NFL quarterbacks. And now, he's with one of the game's greatest offensive minds, Steve Sarkisian.
If you expect Manning to lead Texas to an undefeated record, win the College Football Playoff National Championship, and take home the Heisman Trophy, you're honestly not alone. But is that a fair expectation for any first-year starter with just 95 career passing attempts under his belt?
ARCH MANNING 49-YARD TOUCHDOWN TO DEANDRE MOORE JR. 🔥
STOOD IN THE POCKET AND DELIVERED A DART 🎯 pic.twitter.com/TaTNIteEIs
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 28, 2024
There's no doubt Manning is set up to succeed and has the physical tools to reach his ceiling, but there could be growing pains. A Week 1 trip to Columbus to face the crown in The Shoe isn't exactly a soft beginning. That said, Texas has knocked on the door of a CFP National Championship each of the last two years, and Manning is expected to be the one to get the Longhorns to the next step.
Good luck!
Will Kalen DeBoer Uphold His Year 2 Trend?
Across four college programs (Sioux Falls, Fresno State, Washington, and Alabama), Kalen DeBoer has tallied a 34-11 (.756) record in Year 1. That's not bad at all. But in Year 2, he's 37-4 (.919). The Alabama faithful might give him a pass for his four-loss season in 2024, but the trend of Year 2 success better continue if DeBoer wants the fan base to stay on his side.
The Third Saturday in October rivalry loss to Tennessee is not a good one since it's a rivalry game, but coming out on the wrong side of games against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt was a horrible look. The College Football Playoff Committee was surely going to give the Tide the benefit of the doubt if they won either of those games. Hopefully, the distraction of replacing the greatest college football coach in history is behind him.
As always, Alabama has the talent to defeat everyone on its schedule and add more hardware to a trophy case that is already crowded. It will be interesting to see how long Alabama gives him to get on the right track if the 2025 season goes south.
Is There a Clear Leader in the Big 12?
Kansas State, Arizona State, Utah, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, and Iowa State. Couldn't we see any of those programs taking home the Big 12 crown this year?
And if you wanted to add more teams to that mix, I wouldn't blame you. Many view the Big 12 as "watered down" after the departure of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. But if you did not catch Big 12 action last season, you missed out.
v2 Projected Big 12 Standings
🏈Every single team has at least a 1% chance of being T2
🏈Every single team has at least a 32% chance to win at least 4 conference games
🏈No team has better than a 32% chance to win at least 7 conference games
Take your heart meds and buckle up pic.twitter.com/UDABFXnsiO
— Kelley Ford (@KFordRatings) July 30, 2025
This was the most exciting and dramatic conference to follow as a fan in 2024, and you should "get your popcorn" ready for 2025. The quarterback talent in this conference is overlooked by many, but if one of the teams pulls away in the conference, its signal-caller will likely be in the Heisman Trophy race.
Seriously, do not miss the opportunity to watch Big 12 football this year.
Can Florida State Rebound?
We all know by now Florida State turned in a 2-10 season last year, but it's still hard to believe. The wheels fell off the program after a 13-1 campaign in 2023, and DJ Uiagalelei's return to the ACC went about as bad as it could have.
Mike Norvell, who was seen as an elite coach this time last offseason, is now quickly in hot water, and he'll count on Boston College transfer QB Thomas Castellanos to cool things down.
Unfortunately, the schedule doesn't set up well for an easy turnaround. The Noles will face off against four preseason AP Top-15 teams. Trips to Clemson and Florida in the final month of the season could mark the end for Norvell if FSU gets off to a shaky start.
On the flipside, he has the opportunity to establish himself as the clear head coach of the future if he exceeds expectations.
Does Bill Belichick Fit in the College Game?
Bill Belichick's off-the-field headlines have almost overshadowed the fact that the greatest NFL head coach in history will be strolling the sidelines in Chapel Hill this year. His personal life has already been discussed enough, so let's focus on football.
The Tar Heels have a favorable schedule in the ACC with just one preseason-ranked opponent on the list (Clemson). It would be a shocker if Belichick's squad was "elite" this year, but look at the schedule and tell me there's not an outside shot it could qualify for the ACC title game? Maybe that's too far, but an eight-win season is not out of reach.
The Bill Belichick era is here. 🏈🐏 pic.twitter.com/sOSbzEJWgk
— Great Day Tar Heel (@GreatDayTarHeel) August 8, 2025
The man who can often be found wearing a cutoff hoodie will begin his UNC career against TCU in a standalone Monday night game. This should be fun!
How will the College Football Playoff Committee Upset People this Year?
After a bizarre first season of the 12-team College Football Playoff era that featured Boise State and Arizona State getting a first-round bye, the CFP will now seed the teams 1-12, straight up. Last season, the big debate for the final CFP spot was between SMU, South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Alabama. Some argued for Miami, too.
With SMU going into Penn State and getting stomped, will the CFP committee overreact and choose an SEC team next time? Coming from a fan of a team in the SEC, I hope not.
The buzzwords "best" and "most deserving" are here to stay. Let's see how it plays out in December.
