Texas Tops AP Preseason College Football Poll for 2025 Season, Followed by Penn State and Ohio State
The Associated Press released its preseason Top 25 college football poll for the 2025 season on Monday, ranking the University of Texas at Austin as the No. 1 team for the first time in the preseason AP poll’s history. The Longhorns secured this spot after consecutive appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinals over the past two seasons and are now poised to contend for the national championship with sophomore quarterback Arch Manning taking the helm.
Texas received 25 of the 65 first-place votes, underscoring significant confidence from the voters in their roster and coaching under Steve Sarkisian, who has led the program deeper into playoff contention. Manning, who spent the last two seasons as a backup, showed promise in limited action in 2024, amassing 939 passing yards and 13 touchdowns with dual-threat capabilities, bolstering expectations for Texas’s offense moving forward.
Behind Texas, Penn State claimed the No. 2 spot in the poll, leapfrogging rivals Ohio State and signaling a strong returning team look for the Nittany Lions. Penn State, led by quarterback Drew Allar and a formidable running back duo in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, also boasts a stout defensive unit with Dani Dennis-Sutton expected to anchor their defense.
Ohio State, the defending national champions, sits at No. 3, setting up a highly anticipated early-season matchup against Texas on August 30 in Columbus, Ohio. This game is poised to be one of the highest-ranked Week 1 matchups in AP poll history, featuring two of the top three teams in the nation. Ohio State faces the challenge of replacing its previous quarterback but looks to defend its title and navigate a competitive 12-team College Football Playoff structure.
The full preseason AP Top 25 poll includes other perennial powerhouses such as Clemson (No. 4), Georgia (No. 5), and Notre Dame (No. 6), highlighting the depth of talent and competition ahead in the 2025 college football season:
- 1. Texas
- 2. Penn State
- 3. Ohio State
- 4. Clemson
- 5. Georgia
- 6. Notre Dame
- 7. Oregon
- 8. Alabama
- 9. LSU
- 10. Miami
- 11. Arizona State
- 12. Illinois
- 13. South Carolina
- 14. Michigan
- 15. Florida
- 16. SMU
- 17. Kansas State
- 18. Oklahoma
- 19. Texas A&M
- 20. Indiana
- 21. Ole Miss
- 22. Iowa State
- 23. Texas Tech
- 24. Tennessee
- 25. Boise State
The Texas-Ohio State Week 1 showdown could be pivotal despite the expanded playoff format that grants some margin for error; with Texas and Ohio State ranked first and third respectively and Penn State second, all eyes will be on these top-tier Big Ten and Big 12 programs early in the season.
Expert analysts note that while Texas shows promise given Manning’s development and Sarkisian’s leadership, questions remain about maintaining consistency, especially with tough matchups later in the season against teams like Georgia and Florida. Penn State and Ohio State both bring strong squads aiming to seize or defend the championship opportunity.
The 2025 college football season is shaping up to be highly competitive, with a wide-open race at the top and several powerhouse teams ready to contend for the national title.