RADIO
Mike's 2025 college football power rankings for the top 25 teams. His projections for the best college football teams in 2025, including Texas, Ohio State, and more.
Preseason Top 25 College Football Teams
Western Kentucky and Memphis kept adding players even after the spring transfer portal window “closed,” proving that the transfer portal is never truly closed. Some of those additions have helped shake up the ratings a bit since the spring window closed. So have some camp battles. Let’s take a final look at our college football top 25 before the 2025 season begins. The Spring rankings are in parentheses.
Just Missed The Cut
Florida State: They can’t be any worse than last year. Should win eight games with that schedule.
UTSA: I love Owen McCown. If I thought they could beat Memphis, I would rank them. Maybe both crash the party this year!
Kansas State: If Avery Johnson makes the leaps that Will Howard did in his last season in Manhattan, they could win a wide open Big 12 (16).
Colorado: Reps split among QBs leaves them out of my rankings.
Nebraska: It’s Matt Rhule’s third year in Lincoln and the Cornhuskers added receivers for Dylan Raiola to play with.
25. Memphis (25)
I want to have UTSA here, but Memphis just kept adding through the portal. They snagged Brendon Lewis’s favorite target (Cortez Braham Jr.) from Nevada last year, and Middle Tennessee RB Frank Peasant will start this year. I’m a believer in what Lewis showed on a bad Nevada team last year. Let’s see what he and Braham can do with a defense.
24. Georgia Tech (NR)
It’s not about what the Wreck added in the portal this year. It’s about what they added in the portal last year that stuck around for this year. Haynes King and Jamal Haynes had this offense humming last year. Add in FIU’s Eric Rivers (he was the first All-American in FIU history and had 295 receiving yards against New Mexico State last year), and this offense is as dangerous as any in this conference. Tech could be this year’s SMU.
23. Illinois (NR)
QB Luke Altmyer made huge strides in the last half of 2024, but losing WRs Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin is going to hurt. The RB room is still solid even without Josh McCrae, but not adequately replacing the receivers who helped stretch this offense might be a glaring oversight from a team who has playoff aspirations.
22. Michigan (NR)
The best incoming freshman that money can buy (QB Bryce Underwood) has won the starting job for Michigan. That’s an instant upgrade at the most important position on the field. The defense is still elite. Best best-case scenario is Michigan contends for a Big Ten (18) title. Worst worst-case scenario is that they’re Iowa with a larger stadium. Either way, it’s a huge improvement for the Wolverines over 2024.
21. Miami (FL) (19)
Hear me out…what if Georgia fans were right about Carson Beck? What if he limited Georgia instead of enhancing it? I watched Xavier Restrepo bail out a better QB (Cam Ward) than Beck last year. Both are gone, and CJ Daniels is not Restrepo. Don’t expect a repeat of Miami’s magical 2024.
20. Oklahoma (20)
This isn’t homerism. It’s just simply not possible for Oklahoma to suffer as many injuries as last year. Washington State’s John Mateer replaces Jackson Arnold, which is a massive upgrade. Cal’s Jaydn Ott is a massive upgrade to the RB room. Oklahoma’s schedule is really tough this year, but I still expect the Sooners to take the SEC by surprise this year.
19. Texas Tech (21)
Don’t be shocked if QB Behren Morton is a Heisman Trophy candidate this year. Miami-Ohio’s Reggie Virgil is the perfect receiver to add to this team. Replacing Tahj Brooks — arguably the best player in school history — is impossible, but adding Quinten Joyner from USC is big. I don’t think the offense will be worse than last year, and the defense might be better.
18. Tennessee (15)
Joey Aguilar is less talented than Nico Iamaleava, but he is much better for this team. Adding New Mexico State’s Star Thomas to the backfield was big for Tennessee, but I can’t stop thinking about how average this offense looked without Dylan Sampson last year. Losing Sampson, Dont’e Thornton, Squirrel White, and Bru McCoy — with no big names to replace them — is a big deal. It looks as if the Vols will take a step back this year.
17. Texas A&M (17)
We’re in prove-it territory for the Aggies. Every year, they’re ranked in the preseason polls. Every year, they finish outside of the top 25. I like Marcel Reed at QB. KC Concepcion is a game-changer at WR. Le’Veon Moss is a giant in the backfield. Everything is in place for the Aggies. All they have to do is prove it.
16. Iowa State (11)
I believe in Rocco Becht and the run game. I’m a little less convinced that Chase Sowell (East Carolina) and Xavier Townsend (Central Florida) can replace the two best receivers in school history in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. On top of that, the Big 12 (16) looks better than last year. It will take a lot for the Cyclones to hold on.
15. Arizona State (18)
I’m coming around to Arizona State. Sam Leavitt played better in each game last year. Adding Fresno’s Jalen Moss to Jordyn Tyson gives the Fun Devils one of the best WR duos in the Big 12 (16). Army’s Kanye Udoh is not Cam Skattebo, but I don’t think ASU is looking for him to be. Look for this team to be centered around Leavitt this year, not the run game.
14. Notre Dame (6)
I still think Marcus Freeman was the right hire for the Irish, but settling for CJ Carr at QB is a little concerning to me. Jeremiyah Love might be the best returning RB in college, and the defense is still good, but what’s the backup plan if Carr doesn’t work out? There’s no backup option. At least Michigan went out and got a backup option.
13. Oregon (12)
Dan Lanning is a great coach, and the addition of RB Makhi Hughes from Tulane was one of the better grabs in the portal. I have questions about Dante Moore, but maybe the situation at UCLA wasn’t for him. Maybe learning the system for a year here last year was the best thing for him. I’m not going to make Oregon a playoff team based on maybe. This team lost a lot on offense last year and doesn’t have a proven QB. I need to see something first.
12. Mississippi (22)
QB Austin Simmons is in his third year in the system and has looked great this summer. The Rebels got two big hauls at WR in the portal in De’Zhaun Stribling (Texas Tech) and Harrison Wallace III (Penn State). The defense might be better than last year. If they can avoid that one inexplicable loss like they had in 2024, this might be a playoff team.
11. Alabama (14)
Ty Simpson is unproven, and I’m not convinced that Jam Miller is good enough to carry the run game. However, Ryan Williams is better than last year, and the defense might be the best in the SEC. If Simpson is that dude, Alabama could be back atop the SEC.
10. Baylor (13)
Baylor won their last six Big 12 (16) games last year before falling to LSU in the Texas Bowl. QB Sawyer Robertson, RB Bryson Washington, and WR Josh Cameron are all back from that team. This is the best Baylor team of the last decade. You’ve been warned.
9. South Carolina (9)
This offense is mostly intact from last year. Rocket Sanders is being replaced by Utah State’s Rahsul Faison, but trust me when I say that’s not much of a step down. I’m more concerned about the losses of Nick Emmanwori and Debo Williams on defense.
8. Georgia (8)
Gunner Stockton’s first action came against elite teams. It’s fine that he didn’t look great. He has looked good in the spring, and Zachariah Branch is going to be a huge addition at WR. Georgia didn’t lose much, and it can be argued that the replacements are just as good as the departed.
7. Indiana (7)
Cal’s Fernando Mendoza is a better QB than Kurtis Rourke. The running game is still strong. The leading receivers are back. The best defenders are back. There’s no reason to think that Indiana can’t be where they were in 2024.
6. Ohio State (3)
Jeremiah Smith is elite, but the rest of the team is going to take a step back. The Buckeyes simply lost too much, and they will likely start the season 0-1. I’m not saying that they won’t be back where they ended the 2024 season, but it will be a tougher task to get there. Julian Sayin hasn’t been as hoped this summer to the point where the Buckeyes are considering starting Lincoln Kienholz. That’s not good, people.
5. Florida (4)
DJ Lagway needs to avoid some of the bad decisions that cost Florida at times last year. Jadan Baugh is ready to take over the backfield, and I think that J. Michael Sturdivant is going to burst back on the scene after a quiet year at UCLA. Florida’s defense is still one of the better units. This team has enough talent to win the title this year.
4. LSU (5)
The Tigers have one of the best WR rooms in the country, and QB Garrett Nussmeier is one of the best returning QBs in the country. I have no issues with the talent on this team. I have an issue with the coach. Brian Kelly can build a team, but he hasn’t shown that he can lead it to the promised land.
3. Clemson (10)
Gideon Davidson has looked good in camp, and Cade Klubnik might be the best QB in college. Continuity is king in the portal era, as long as the players you have are good to start with. We’re about to see what the anti-portal team’s build looks like.
2. Penn State (2)
The Nittany Lions have the best RB tandem in the country with Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Drew Allar made a couple of regrettable plays in big spots, but overall, he was much better. If he takes that next step, he’ll be the best QB in State College since Todd Blackledge. Everything is in place for Penn State. Can James Frankin FINALLY win the big one?
1. Texas (1)
As an Oklahoma fan, I hate to admit when Texas is good. As a writer, I need to put personal preferences aside and call it like I see it. Texas might have the most talented team in the country, and has had the most famous backup in the country for two years. Arch stayed put for this reason.
The backs in Austin are almost as good as the ones at Penn State. The Texas defense might be the most talented unit that the Longhorns have had in decades. We’re going to see a big-time run from Texas this year.
