In a historic milestone for the University of Texas, the Longhorns have secured the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 preseason college football poll for the 2025 season, marking the first time the program has ever started the year ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. Texas garnered 25 of the 65 first-place votes, narrowly edging out Penn State, which received 23 first-place votes to claim the No. 2 position.
The announcement of the preseason poll was made on Monday, highlighting a highly competitive landscape as the college football season draws near. Texas’s emergence as the preseason No. 1 follows a similar distinction in the Coaches Poll and caps a period of significant success for the Longhorns, who reached the College Football Playoff semifinals in each of the last two seasons.
Texas’s status at the top is notable not only because of the close vote but also because it represents the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) fifth consecutive preseason No. 1 ranking by AP voters. The Longhorns’ rise coincides with high expectations for sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, who is stepping into the starting quarterback role after serving as a backup and playing sparingly in 2024. Manning’s dual-threat capabilities — passing and rushing — are expected to power the Texas offense, which showed strong performance in the previous seasons.
Penn State, the closest challenger in the poll, earned its highest preseason ranking since opening as No. 1 in 1997. Led by returning quarterback Drew Allar and an experienced roster, the Nittany Lions are poised for a strong campaign. They were followed in the polls by Ohio State, the reigning national champions, who received 11 first-place votes and were ranked No. 3. This sets the stage early for a potentially dramatic season opener, as Texas is scheduled to face Ohio State in Columbus on August 30, a game that could feature a clash of two of the top three teams in the nation according to the AP poll.
The top 10 according to the AP preseason poll comprises a mixture of Power Five conference heavyweights: Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, LSU, and Miami complete the elite group, with Georgia and Oregon each receiving a single first-place vote. The SEC and the Big Ten dominate the poll, combining for 16 of the top 25 teams, underscoring the continuing strength of these conferences in college football.
Other notable teams include Oklahoma and Texas A&M representing the Big 12, and smaller conference teams like SMU making the cut. The University of Oklahoma Sooners opened the season ranked No. 18 in the AP preseason poll, reflecting a competitive Big 12 landscape as well.
This year’s poll indicates an intensely competitive landscape ahead, with Texas beginning a new chapter as the top-ranked team and a compelling season kickoff scheduled between the Longhorns and Ohio State. Fans will be watching closely to see if Texas can justify their top billing and if Penn State or Ohio State will challenge for supremacy throughout the season.