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Mike's 2025 college football rankings reaction to the USA Today coaches poll. His analysis and insight for the preseason top 25 CFB teams.
Top 25 College Football Teams
The first major poll of the 2025 college football season has dropped. That means we are getting closer! We are under three weeks away from Farmageddon. That’s not a bad thing!
The USA Today Coaches Poll ballot is sent randomly to a selection of FBS coaches. The coaches then rank the teams from 1 to 25, with 25 points issued for a No. 1 ranking and one point for 25th. Let’s take a look at what the coaches think about the 2025 college football outlook. The point totals for each team are in parentheses.
25. Boise State (246)
This is a spot where some coaches may have just punted. You have to include a Group of 5 team, right? Why not Boise? They were good last year. The bad part is that they lost the player who likely should have won the Heisman in RB Ashton Jeanty. Boise returns the rest of the offense and brought in Malik Sherrod from Fresno State to replace Jeanty. Boise will likely be good again, but how good? They relied on Jeanty a lot last year.
24. Texas Tech (261)
In any proper world, QB Behren Morton is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Tech lost do-everything RB Tahj Brooks and replaced him with USC’s Quinten Joyner. He’s not Brooks, but he may not have to be. The passing game is even stronger with the addition of Miami-Ohio’s Reggie Virgil. Joey McGuire has built a team that Lubbock can be proud of. I have them a lot higher than 24th!
23. BYU (287)
QB Jake Retzlaff’s violation of the University Honor Code and subsequent dismissal leaves a glaring hole in a team that was a favorite to contend for the Big 12 (16) title. Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead will likely keep the seat warm until true freshman Bear Bachmeier can take over throwing balls to his brother, Tiger, who transferred in from Stanford. If they don’t have another brother named Lion, the Bachmeiers did it wrong. I like L.J. Martin and Chase Roberts, but QB is a big question mark. This is a fair demotion for BYU.
t-21. Texas A&M (392)
The Aggies are perennial underachievers at the polls, and it appears the coaches are acknowledging that this year. QB Marcel Reed and RB Le’Veon Moss return to an offense that was strong last year. They added a great receiver in KC Concepcion from North Carolina State and talented TE Amari Niblack from Alabama. The Aggies could be under-ranked here, but the coaches want them to earn the ranking this year.
t-21. Iowa State (392)
The Cyclones return QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, and RB Abu Sama III. The bad news is they lost two of the best receivers in school history in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. If UCF’s Xavier Townsend and East Carolina’s Chase Sowell can replace Noel and Higgins, Iowa State will be just as good as last year — which is better than 21st.
20. Kansas State (438)
QB Avery Johnson and RB Dylan Edwards return, as does leading receiver Jayce Brown. The Wildcats added Jaron Tibbs from Purdue and Jerand Bradley from Texas Tech to jumpstart an anemic passing game. If it works, look out. This team is talented on both sides of the ball.
19. Indiana (460)
If this ranking is right, the honeymoon is over in Bloomington. Honestly, I think this team is better offensively than last year. QB Fernando Mendoza was very good on a very bad Cal team. Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper are still there to catch passes. The RB room is as strong as ever with Maryland transfer Roman Hemby backing up Jaelon Black. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Hoosiers make the playoff again.
18. Tennessee (492)
I’ll say the quiet part out loud: Tennessee is better off without Nico Iamaleava. Joey Aguilar brings a winning pedigree without the drama from Appalachian State. That said, the Vols did little to replace RB Dylan Sampson. That’s a problem. Sampson carried this team at times last year. The defense does look stronger, and if it can help carry the offense, Tennessee will be in the thick of things again in 2025.
17. Florida (498)
True freshman QB DJ Lagway and RB Jadan Baugh showed flashes of brilliance last year. The addition of former Cal star (and UCLA forgotten man) J. Michael Sturdivant gives Lagway a major threat in the passing game. All 11 players on the defense were on this team last year. We’re going to find out what Billy Napier is made of this year. If Florida fails with this kind of talent, he may be fired before the season is over.
16. SMU (555)
Gone are the easy schedule, RB Brashard Smith (1,332 rushing yards), and WR Roderick Daniels (823 all-purpose yards). QB Kevin Jennings returns, and the team brought in T.J. Harden from UCLA. Is that enough? In an ACC that looks to be tougher than last season, I doubt it. This ranking looks generous.
15. Mississippi (573)
The loss of Jaxson Dart might be a big deal. New QB Austin Simmons has been in this system for two full seasons behind Dart. That kind of continuity (and the continuity on defense) should be huge for the Rebels. The addition of WR De’Zhaun Stribling from Texas Tech and Harrison Wallace III from Penn State could make Mississippi at least as good as last year if Simmons is anywhere near Dart at QB.
14. Michigan (580)
It looks more and more likely that prized recruit Bryce Underwood will start as a true freshman at QB. Honestly, he can’t be any worse than the QB room last year. Alabama’s Justice Haynes was brought in to replace RB Donovan Edwards. The WR room is unproven. How far can a really good defense carry the Wolverines? We’re about to find out. Coaches are valuing the ability of the Michigan staff to get everything out of Underwood from the beginning. That’s too big a leap of faith for me.
13. South Carolina (665)
The Gamecocks, to the surprise of almost everyone, were a blown call against LSU from making the CFP last year. QB LaNorris Sellers returns with all three starting receivers from 2024 and a gaggle of incoming freshmen. Utah State’s Rahsul Faison and Oscar Adaway III (who transferred from North Texas in 2023) are more than enough to replace Rocket Sanders. The defense looks at least as good as last year. The Gamecocks are a dangerous team in the SEC this year.
12. Illinois (734)
The coaches believe that Illinois is this year’s Indiana. Former Mississippi QB Luke Altmyer closed strong in 2024, including a bowl win over South Carolina. Aidan Laughery and Kaden Feagin return in the backfield. The biggest concern is replacing WR Pat Bryant with West Virginia’s Hudson Clement. Illinois is a strong team with a stronger defense, but I’m not sure they are a CFP-good.
11. Arizona State (806)
This ranking ignores how much RB Cam Skattebo meant to the Sun Devils last year. Army transfer Kanye Udoh is a good back, but he’s not Skattebo. Considering how tightly contested the Big 12 (16) was last year (and it’s even better this year), this is an ambitious take on the Sun Devils. This is a good team, but Udoh and Fresno State transfer Jalen Moss aren’t going to be enough to offset the losses of Skattebo.
10. Miami (FL) (823)
Georgia fans will be quick to tell you that QB Carson Beck isn’t everything that Miami thinks he is. Replacing what Cam Ward did for this team last year is next to impossible, but choosing an experienced veteran like Beck to lead the new receiving corps isn’t the worst idea. Miami still has a strong run game and a strong defense. Beck is being asked to do what he did at Georgia: keep the ship from capsizing. If he can do that, Miami might live up to this ranking.
9. LSU (1056)
Fans are drawing parallels between Garrett Nussmeier and Joe Burrow. Nussmeier, like Burrow, was good-but-not-great in his first year as a starter. Burrow exploded in his second year in the system, but this system is not the same. Nussmeier likely won’t have a historic 2025 campaign.
RB Caden Durham impressed as a freshman last year. If Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson and Kentucky’s Barion Brown can turn into Jordan Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, the sky is the limit for LSU. If not, the Tigers might still be a top 10 team. The talent is there.
8. Alabama (1210)
What’s in a name? The question that William Shakespeare first asked in 1596 is still relevant today. Alabama is the name. Ty Simpson, who is a veteran of this system, will replace Jalen Milroe under center. Miami’s Isaiah Horton joins super sophomore Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard to form a better-than-advertised WR room.
I have questions about Simpson and Jam Miller as the feature back. If Simpson is anywhere near Milroe, the Tide could roll into the playoff. If not, they could lose five games for the first time since 2007 (Nick Saban’s first year). That’s too much of a gap in range of outcome for me to rank the Tide this high.
7. Oregon (1307)
This is the first time in three years that Oregon won’t have a high-profile transfer at QB. Dante Moore did transfer from UCLA, but he did so in 2023. He gets the keys to the Oregon offense that has super-back Makhi Hughes from Tulane to replace Jordan James. Who will replace Tez Johnson (83-898), Traeshon Holden (45-718), and Evan Stewart (48-613), the three leading receivers on this team last year? Florida State transfer Malik Benson and super-freshman Dakorien Moore.
Dan Lanning has a penchant for getting the best out of his players, but the Ducks barely finished in the top 8 last year with a more talented roster. Oregon will lean more on a revamped (and far more talented) defense than the offense. Can the paradigm shift for Oregon create a different path to the top?
6. Clemson (1324)
QB Cade Klubnik is entering his senior season with the same team. That’s unheard of in this era of instant gratification in college football. That kind of experience, coupled with the return of Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco, and T.J. Moore, makes Clemson a very dangerous offense. True freshman Gideon Davidson is tasked with replacing Phil Mafah. If he can do that successfully, Clemson may end up being underrated!
5. Notre Dame (1360)
The Irish may have the best returning RB in the country in Jeremiyah Love. High-profile WR transfer Malachi Fields from Virginia will help CJ Carr get acclimated to running the offense. Like Oregon, this is the first year that Marcus Freeman didn’t bring in a high-profile QB transfer. Can the Irish replicate the success of the last two seasons with a redshirt freshman at QB? That’s enough of a question for me to keep the Irish out of the Top 5 (that and a tougher schedule than 2024).
4. Georgia (1466)
QB Gunner Stockton had limited success in relief of Carson Beck, but it was against elite competition. USC transfer Zacharian Branch is slated to replace Arian Smith. Illinois RB Josh McCray will replace Travis Etienne. It’s elite recruits replacing elite recruits. Rinse and repeat.
3. Penn State (1525)
Penn State is the only top 5 team with the same QB this year (Drew Allar). Allar made big strides last year (much like Klubnik) and returns the best backfield in college football in RBs Nic Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Add in high-profile receiver transfers in Trebor Pena (Syracuse), Devonte Ross (Troy), and Kyron Hudson (USC), and this could be the best offense in the Big Ten (18). The only real question with Penn State is, can James Franklin finally reverse 1-14? This team is talented enough to win it all. Is the coach?
2. Ohio State (1565)
So much is riding on redshirt freshman Julian Sayin that no one is talking about the RB room. James Peoples and West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson are asked to replace Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Ouch. The receivers (Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss) are still an elite bunch, but there are enough questions on offense for me to question this ranking just a little bit.
1. Texas (1606)
I (begrudgingly) admitted that Texas is almost as loaded this year as last year. Arch Manning has been the most talked-about backup in history for two years now. He’s ready, and everyone knows it. The RB room (Quintrevion Wisner, CJ Baxter, and Jerrick Gibson) is loaded with talent and experience. Emmett Mosley V, who was excellent on a bottom-10 Stanford team, helps replace Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond. If Manning is half of what everyone thinks he is, this team has enough to win the Championship. I can’t argue this ranking.
