The Longhorns, led by new starting quarterback Arch Manning, received 25 first-place votes and 1,552 points, narrowly surpassing the Nittany Lions’ 23 first-place votes and 1,547 points. Defending national champions Ohio State secured the third spot with 11 first-place votes, setting up a blockbuster opening weekend as they host Texas on August 30.
The 2025 preseason AP Top 25 is especially notable for its competitiveness at the top, with six teams earning first-place votes — the most since 2016. After Texas and Penn State, the poll rounds out the top five with Clemson (4 first-place votes) and Georgia (1 first-place vote). Other notable teams in the top 10 include Notre Dame, Oregon (which also received a first-place vote), Alabama, LSU, and Miami.
The SEC continues to assert its dominance with 10 teams in the rankings, while the Big Ten follows with six. The Big 12 and ACC have four and three teams, respectively, and Boise State is the only non-Power Four program to crack the top 25 at No. 25.
Expectations are sky-high for Texas this season. Arch Manning, nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, steps into the starting quarterback role following the departure of Quinn Ewers to the NFL. Manning, a former five-star recruit and the Heisman Trophy favorite according to BetMGM, inherits a loaded roster featuring returning defensive standouts like Anthony Hill and Colin Simmons. Offensively, the Longhorns are retooling with four new starting offensive linemen and a young but talented receiving corps.
For Penn State, the No. 2 ranking marks their best preseason position since 1997. Quarterback Drew Allar headlines a roster packed with experience and ambition, as the Nittany Lions look to challenge for the national title after finishing just outside the Playoff last season.
Ohio State, despite being the reigning national champions, opens at No. 3—a rare occurrence, as defending champs typically start higher. Their Week 1 matchup with Texas is already shaping up to be one of the season’s most anticipated games.
This year’s schedule features three top-10 showdowns in the opening week, including No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State and No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson on August 30, plus No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami on August 31. Such a high concentration of elite matchups so early in the season is unprecedented in college football.
Historically, being ranked preseason No. 1 is both a mark of elite status and a significant challenge. In 75 years of the AP preseason poll, only 11 teams have started and finished No. 1, most recently 2017 Alabama. Since the advent of the College Football Playoff, all preseason No. 1 teams have finished in the top six, but only one (2017 Alabama) has won the national championship. Texas, notably, is a 2.5-point underdog in their season opener at Ohio State according to BetMGM, and a preseason No. 1 hasn’t lost its first game since 1990.
The full Top 25 also includes perennial contenders like Alabama (No. 8), who are outside the preseason top five for the first time since 2008, and rising programs such as Arizona State (No. 11) and SMU (No. 16), who are making their highest preseason appearances in decades.
As the 2025 season kicks off, the storylines are set: Texas aims to end its national title drought since 2005, Penn State seeks its first championship since 1986, and Ohio State looks to repeat as champions. With parity at the top and a demanding early schedule, college football fans can expect a thrilling and unpredictable season.