RADIO
Brant Henson predicts the initial AP Poll for the 2025 college football season prior to the initial release. College football power rankings and projections.
1. Texas Longhorns
Possibly the most loaded roster going into 2025 is the Texas Longhorns. Arch Manning’s first season as the starter is garnering quite a bit of hype, and he is surrounded by weapons on offense. The backfield is three deep with Tre Wisner, CJ Baxter, and Jerrick Gibson all having shown flashes. The receiver room is loaded with talent between Stanford transfer Emmett Mosley IV, returners DeAndre Moore Jr. and Ryan Wingo, and stud freshmen Kaliq Lockett and Jamie Ffrench.
The Longhorns may have the nation’s best defense, led by sophomore EDGE Colin Simmons and junior linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Captain safety Michael Taaffe and junior cornerback Malik Muhammad lead a somewhat revamped secondary. It feels like natty or bust for Steve Sarkisian, who has his work cut out for him with a road matchup against Ohio State kicking the season off.
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
Despite losing their best offensive player (Tyler Warren) and their best defensive player (Abdul Carter), Penn State might return more star production than any other team in the nation. Quarterback Drew Allar is back for his senior season, joined by senior running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. The receiver room is completely revamped for the better, with Syracuse transfer Trebor Pena, Troy transfer Devonte Ross, and USC transfer Kyron Hudson likely to take on the top three spots.
On defense, Dani Dennis-Sutton is set to pick up where Abdul Carter left off last season after breaking out with 8.5 sacks. The Nittany Lions are stacked. There is no better year than this year for James Franklin to finally go all the way.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
The defending national champs obviously lost a ton of production on both sides of the ball, but this team is still incredibly talented. Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs are arguably the best offensive and defensive players in college football. Redshirt freshman and former five-star quarterback Julian Sayin is expected to win the job after a strong spring.
Joining Downs in the secondary are returners Sonny Styles, Davison Igbinosun, and Jermaine Matthews Jr. While the front seven is undergoing a retool, Ohio State has plenty of blue-chip talent to work with.
4. Clemson Tigers
The only team that can rival Penn State’s returning talent is Dabo Swinney’s Clemson squad. Quarterback Cade Klubnik is back for his senior season, joined by his top three receivers from a year ago in T.J. Moore, Bryant Wesco Jr., and Antonio Williams.
On defense, the Tigers return a plethora of potential first-round picks in EDGE T.J. Parker, defensive tackle Peter Woods, and cornerback Avieon Terrell. Clemson is the clear-cut favorite to repeat for the ACC title, and anything less would be a disappointment.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last season’s runner-ups should be a force again despite a bit of turnover. Riley Leonard is gone, but replacing him is redshirt freshman CJ Carr, who has garnered a good amount of hype this offseason. Jeremiyah Love is the best running back in college football, and the receiver room has brought in two underrated players in Virginia transfer Malachi Fields and Wisconsin transfer Will Pauling to join Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison.
The defense may take a step back after losing a lot of production, but breakout cornerback Leonard Moore will be one of the nation’s best. The Fighting Irish start the season off with a bang, playing at Miami, followed by a home matchup with Texas A&M. We will learn a lot about this team early.
6. Georgia Bulldogs
Gunnar Stockton is in line to start the season for Georgia. He was not very impressive when filling in down the stretch a season ago for Carson Beck, but he is surrounded by talent in sophomore running back Nate Frazier, USC transfer receiver Zachariah Branch, and returners Dillon Bell, Colbie Young, Oscar Delp, and Lawson Luckie.
Kirby Smart’s strength is often his defense, and the same should hold true in 2025 despite losing a lot of talent to the NFL. It seems that the Bulldogs lose defensive talent year in and year out to the league, yet always find new gems. They will have two get-right games as they take on Marshall and Austin Peay before diving into SEC play with back-to-back games against Tennessee and Alabama.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is looking to bounce back from last season’s disappointing 9-4 campaign, and they will have to do so with a lot of question marks entering the season. First things first, there is a three-way battle for the starting quarterback job. Ty Simpson appears to be the frontrunner given his longevity with the program, but Austin Mack and freshman Keelon Russell each have high potential and could pry the job away.
Whoever does win the job will have a talented group of receivers to work with, led by sophomore Ryan Williams. Senior Germie Bernard and Miami transfer Isaiah Horton round out a great top three. On defense, defensive tackle LT Overton and safety Keon Sabb will lead the way. The Tide start the season off against a rejuvenated Florida State squad and have a grueling SEC schedule. A playoff berth is the goal, but getting there will not be easy.
8. LSU Tigers
Brian Kelly has a long road ahead of him this season. The Tigers are talented, but the schedule is not easy. Anything less than 9-3 might put him squarely on the hot seat, yet LSU has to play at Clemson, Florida, at Ole Miss, South Carolina, at Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, at Alabama, and at Oklahoma. That is eight losable games.
Garrett Nussmeier is back under center, and with another year of experience, he is a candidate to be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after throwing for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns a season ago. He should have plenty of support on the ground from Caden Durham and five-star freshman Harlem Berry. The receiving room is loaded with playmakers, including returners Aaron Anderson and Chris Hilton Jr., along with Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson and Kentucky gadget guy Barion Brown.
The team will be defensively anchored by linebackers Harold Perkins Jr. and Whit Weeks, who have both shown flashes of elite upside throughout their careers. The Tigers will go as far as Nussmeier and Kelly can take them in what feels like a make-or-break season for Kelly’s tenure.
9. Oregon Ducks
Dan Lanning has rebuilt this team through the transfer portal after last year’s perfect season had an imperfect ending in the Rose Bowl. Former five-star quarterback Dante Moore will be under center, and fans are excited about his upside. Tulane transfer Makhi Hughes will be the next workhorse running back, following in the footsteps of Bucky Irving and Jordan James before him. Ducks fans are already making Jeremiah Smith comparisons for freshman receiver Dakorien Moore. The offensive line has three stud transfers, Isaiah World (Nevada), Emmanuel Pregnon (USC), and Alex Harkey (Texas State), slated to start.
On defense, Matayo Uiagalelei (10.5 sacks in 2024) will anchor the line while Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman will hold down the back-end. Oregon dodges both Ohio State and Michigan, but plays a tough road game at Penn State at the end of September and has a few other pesky teams like Indiana, Iowa, USC, and Washington on the schedule. All things considered, it would be a shock if Lanning did not land back in the playoffs this season.
10. Florida Gators
Ten might be a little high for Florida, but this Gators team is going to come into the season with quite a bit of hype surrounding them. After finishing 2024 off with a four-game win streak against LSU, Ole Miss, Florida State, and Tulane, Billy Napier’s squad looks to be among the best in the SEC heading into 2025.
Of course, this all hinges on sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway. He showed flashes as a freshman last season, but needs to put it all together if Napier’s team is going to live up to the hype and compete with the best teams in the nation. Lagway should get some support in the run game from last year’s breakout running back, Jadan Baugh. Eugene Wilson III is healthy heading into the season, and is joined by freshman studs Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III, along with UCLA transfer J.Michael Sturdivant.
The defensive line should be strong, anchored by Caleb Banks and Tyreak Sapp. The Gators’ season comes down to how they come out in their first two road games. They open up with two cupcakes, then play LSU and Miami on the road in back-to-back weeks. Wins there would have the Swamp buzzing for a huge October 4th matchup with Texas, which could be a tone-setting game if all goes well.
11. South Carolina Gamecocks
LaNorris Sellers developed throughout the season in 2024 and heads into 2025 as a potential Heisman candidate. Shane Beamer’s squad is surrounded with hype like many SEC teams are heading into the season, but as we all know, preseason rankings show quite a bit of SEC bias. The Gamecocks certainly can live up to it. 10-2 is very possible with their schedule this year, which would likely net them a spot in the playoffs.
Sellers will be throwing to physical freak Nyck Harbor and sophomore Mazeo Bennett Jr., two of his top three targets from a season ago. The defense, which was a strength a season ago, undergoes a bit of an overhaul, but sophomore EDGE Dylan Stewart will be one of the SEC’s best defenders, and safety DQ Smith will look to fill the shoes of Nick Emmanwori.
12. Texas A&M Aggies
Three straight SEC teams as Texas A&M rolls in at twelve. Year two of Mike Elko brings a packed schedule including Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida, LSU, South Carolina, and Texas. The Aggies will likely be run-first with sophomore Marcel Reed at the helm. Reed scrambled for 547 yards and seven touchdowns a season ago. Both running backs, Le’Veon Moss and Rueben Owens, should be back healthy, along with Amari Daniels, who filled in nicely, returning to round out the room.
KC Concepcion, a talented gadget player, makes his way over from NC State to lead the receiving room. Elko should have a fun group to work with that fits his style of ball. The Aggies will be a scrappy group and a tough out this season.
13. Illinois Fighting Illini
If you are looking for this season’s Indiana, look no further than Illinois. Outside of hosting Ohio State, Bret Bielema’s squad may be favored in the rest of their games. An early-season road game at Duke and the Big Ten kickoff at Indiana could be challenging, along with going out west to play Washington, but the rest of the schedule looks very manageable for a team that returns a majority of last season’s production.
Luke Altmyer is back to run the offense, with running back Kaden Feagin and West Virginia transfer receiver Hudson Clement ready to make plays. Veteran EDGE Gabe Jacas, safety Matthew Bailey, and corner Xavier Scott should be impact players on defense once again.
14. Ole Miss Rebels
Lane Kiffin’s team is rebuilding, but redshirt sophomore quarterback and genius Austin Simmons is ready for the challenge after having filled in for Jaxson Dart and leading a touchdown drive against Georgia a season ago. The receiver room is rebuilt, but full of proven talent behind Oklahoma State transfer De’Zhaun Stribling and Penn State transfer Harrison Wallace III.
The defense is completely rebuilt with six transfers expected to start, led by Princewill Umanmielen on the defensive line. Linebacker Suntarine Perkins will again be the heart and soul of this defense, and they will go as he goes. The ceiling is high, but the floor is low for the Rebels heading into the season, and they could easily be the SEC team that is propped up too high simply from being in the SEC. Only time will tell what Kiffin is able to do with this group.
15. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee is the eighth SEC team in the last ten ranked teams, going to show how much SEC bias I predict the day one AP polls to hold. The Volunteers are likely to underachieve based on this ranking after the departure of quarterback Nico Iamaleava, although Joey Aguilar could prove to be a good fit in Josh Heupel’s offensive system.
Regardless, this team has a lot to replace on both sides of the ball from last year’s playoff team. Even Week 1’s matchup against Syracuse isn’t a gimme, and they have to dive into SEC play by their third game of the year. Cornerback Jermod McCoy is a bright spot on the defense, but replacing James Pearce’s production won’t be easy on the defensive line.
16. Miami Hurricanes
Miami has a lot to replace from last season’s team, starting at the quarterback position with Cam Ward having been the first selection in the NFL Draft. Former Georgia Bulldog Carson Beck will be under center for the Hurricanes this year after an up-and-down tenure at UGA.
The offensive line is anchored by future first-rounder Francis Mauigoa, and the defensive line is anchored by potential future first-round EDGE Rueben Bain. Outside of those two players, Mario Cristobal is working with a lot of unproven talent. This team will be tested right out of the gates with Notre Dame coming to town, and plays another tough non-conference matchup when they host Florida on September 20th. They dodge Clemson in ACC play, which could put them in position to compete for an ACC title if all goes to plan.
17. Arizona State Sun Devils
Kenny Dillingham’s squad had a magical run a season ago, and there is a lot of reason to believe that they can do it again as the defending Big 12 champions. While Cam Skattebo is off to the NFL, quarterback Sam Leavitt is back under center, and his top receiver, Jordyn Tyson, is fully healthy entering the season. Former Army running back Kanye Udoh will team up with Kyson Brown to replace Skattebo, and red zone target Chamon Metayer is back at tight end.
Dillingham is confident in his team, and there is a lot of reason to have confidence. The only power-five team on the non-conference schedule is SEC bottom-dweller Mississippi State. Road games at Baylor, Utah, Iowa State, and Colorado could be tough, but this team very well could find itself back in the playoffs.
18. BYU Cougars
BYU returns a lot of its offensive production after an impressive 10-2 season. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff is back, although his status is up in the air as he faces sexual assault allegations. Running back L.J. Martin and receiver Chase Roberts, the two most productive pieces of the offense, are both back.
The non-conference schedule is a cakewalk featuring Portland State, Stanford, and ECU. The Cougars avoid Arizona State in conference play, with their toughest game looking to be a road trip to Ames. Kalani Sitake’s team will have an opportunity to finish what they started a season ago.
19. Kansas State Wildcats
Quarterback Avery Johnson may not have been everything that Wildcats fans were hoping for in his first season as the starter, but he showed plenty of flashes while passing for 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns, along with 605 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Kansas State was inconsistent last year, but Chris Klieman has all the talent on this team to clean it up this year. Running back Dylan Edwards will carry the load. When we last saw him, he put up 223 yards and three touchdowns in the Rate Bowl win over Rutgers.
Top receiver Jayce Brown is back, joined by tight end Garrett Oakley and five-star freshman tight end Linkon Cure. Johnson has weapons at his disposal. On defense, linebacker Austin Romaine and Ohio State transfer Gabe Powers form a hard-hitting duo. We will find out a lot about this team early in the season, as they clash with rival Iowa State in Week 0 in Ireland and have another tough matchup with Army in Week 2. This team has to be a lot more consistent to make a playoff push, and it is very possible in 2025.
20. Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are not done after their miracle season in Curt Cignetti’s first year at the helm. Cignetti hit the transfer portal again, landing former California signal caller Fernando Mendoza to lead the offense. Star receiver Elijah Sarratt is back, and Cignetti grabbed three potential starters on the offensive line out of the transfer portal. Defensively, EDGE Mikail Kamara will lead the way after logging 10 sacks last season.
Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds is joined in the secondary by safety Louis Moore, who is returning to Indiana after a season with Ole Miss. On paper, this team is probably more talented than last season’s playoff team. The catch is that the schedule is a lot tougher, with games against Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State lined up. To make things tougher, three of those four games are on the road. Getting back to the playoffs is a stretch, but the Hoosiers would have to be happy to crank out an eight-win season.
21. SMU Mustangs
Another playoff team from a season ago, SMU should be a force in the ACC once again. Quarterback Kevin Jennings is back after breaking out, and former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke joins him in the room in case he looks more like he did against Penn State in the playoffs than he did the rest of the season.
RJ Maryland is back healthy and should again be one of the best tight ends in the nation. The Mustangs’ first test will come in Week 2 when they host Baylor, and the game to circle is an October 18 matchup on the road at Clemson. It won’t be an easy path to get back to the playoffs, but SMU should find themselves in the top 25 to open the season.
22. Oklahoma Sooners
Brent Venables is firmly on the hot seat after what was a very disappointing 2024 season that resulted in a losing record for the Sooners. Venables turned to the transfer portal to address his quarterback issue, bringing in Washington State transfer John Mateer. California running back Jaydn Ott joined Mateer in the transfer portal class, creating an intriguing haul of players. Deion Burks is healthy after missing a good chunk of time in 2024, and he is joined by Arkansas Pine Bluff transfer Javonnie Gibson to round out an interesting receiver room.
R Mason Thomas will lead the way on defense after tallying nine sacks in 2024. Former Florida State EDGE Marvin Jones Jr. joins him, creating an athletic group of pass rushers. The Sooners’ first season in the SEC was nothing to write home about, and they can only go up from here. The season truly starts with a huge home game on September 6 when they host Michigan. The schedule is littered with tough road games at South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. It’s a do-or-die year for Venables, and the Sooners can’t afford another poor season.
23. Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State lost 66% of their receiving production between Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel heading off to the Houston Texans. With that being said, quarterback Rocco Becht is back in business. Between Becht and returning running backs Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III, this year’s Iowa State team may be a bit more run-heavy than last year’s.
Matt Campbell will be thrown into the fire early with a Week 0 conference matchup against Kansas State, and then a rivalry matchup with Iowa on September 6. The Cyclones got a tough conference draw, with games against Kansas State, Colorado, BYU, and Arizona State, but they have the coaching and the quarterback play to survive it.
24. Boise State Broncos
Spencer Danielson’s team will undoubtedly miss their star in Ashton Jeanty, but Boise State should be right back in the thick of the playoff race in 2025. Maddux Madsen is back under center, offering up continuity at the game’s most important position. The conference schedule is manageable, with both UNLV and Colorado State being home games.
The Broncos will travel to South Bend on October 4 for a rare non-conference matchup with the Fighting Irish in what will be their game of the year. Keep that one close, much like with Oregon last season, and a playoff spot is very in reach.
25. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Matt Rhule steadily improves teams everywhere he goes, and the same should be true this season with his mix of roster retention and using the transfer portal to plug holes. Dylan Raiola should be set for a strong sophomore season, surrounded by talented receivers in the form of Kentucky transfer Dane Key and rising sophomore Jacory Barney Jr.
The non-conference schedule is easy, starting with a road game against Cincinnati. The Big Ten schedule is also not bad, with a road game at Penn State standing out as the clear-cut toughest matchup. This is a sleeper team to keep an eye on for a playoff spot. Dodging Ohio State and Oregon in-conference is only going to help the Cornhuskers get to where they want to be.
