As we find ourselves in early June, the countdown to the 2025 college football season has begun, with just under three months remaining before the first kickoff. In true ESPN fashion, they’ve jumped ahead to offer us a glimpse of what the upcoming season might look like, unveiling their Football Power Index (FPI) rankings for the top college teams.
Last year’s national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, defied expectations by overcoming two regular season losses to clinch a playoff spot and ultimately take home the title. However, the offseason saw Ohio State lose several pivotal players from that championship squad, which has resulted in them dropping out of the top ranks for this year’s early predictions.
Claiming the top position in this year’s FPI rankings are the Texas Longhorns, and there’s certainly a buzz surrounding them. Much of the excitement stems from the arrival of the highly touted Arch Manning, a third-year quarterback and a member of the legendary Manning family. Following closely behind Texas are perennial powerhouses Georgia and Alabama, further solidifying the SEC’s dominance in the early season chatter. Ohio State, while not leading the charge, remains a force at fourth in the rankings, flanked by Big Ten rivals Penn State and Oregon.
Here’s the complete top-25 ranking:
- Texas
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Penn State
- Oregon
- Notre Dame
- Texas A&M
- Miami (FL)
- Tennessee
- Clemson
- LSU
- Ole Miss
- Auburn
- South Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- Florida
- USC
- SMU
- Kansas State
- Arkansas
- Missouri
- Arizona State
- Nebraska
As usual, the SEC flexes its muscles, with 13 of the conference’s 16 members making the top 25, including the entire top three. The Big Ten also makes a strong showing with six teams in the rankings, three of which sit in the elite top six.
Looking ahead to the 2025-26 College Football Playoff, the projected twelve teams that could qualify include:
- Texas (conference champion, bye)
- Ohio State (conference champion, bye)
- Miami (conference champion, bye)
- Kansas State (conference champion, bye)
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Penn State
- Oregon
- Notre Dame
- Texas A&M
- Tennessee
- Tulane
An interesting note in these projections is the inclusion of Tulane, which currently holds a spot at 36th in the overall power rankings. Should the current playoff structure remain in place, Tulane would be the fifth conference champion to gain automatic entry, setting the stage for a debut playoff matchup against Georgia in Athens. This would undoubtedly mark a milestone for the program.
Projected first-round matchups paint an exciting picture of what could unfold: Alabama hosting Tennessee, Penn State taking on Texas A&M, and Oregon facing off against Notre Dame. The winners of these encounters would advance to challenge the four remaining conference champions, setting up a thrilling playoff landscape.
With these rankings in mind, it will be intriguing to see how close they align with reality as the season progresses. College football is often full of surprises, and predicting outcomes so far in advance is always a challenge. But one thing’s for sure—the anticipation for the 2025 season is building, and fans are eager to see how these teams measure up on the field.
