2025 College Football Week 1 Top 25 Poll: Texas vs Ohio State, Clemson vs LSU, Iowa State up, K-State down

Week 1 is here and after Iowa State beat Kansas State to kick the season off in Dublin, Ireland for one chaotic Week 0 experience, we prepare ourselves for a loaded Thursday, Friday, Saturday, plus Sunday and Monday of College Football!

Not much has changed from the Week 0 poll, but of course, expect a lot to change for Week 2 as Clemson hosts LSU, Texas goes to Ohio State, plus Notre Dame takes a trip to Miami as some of the biggest brands in college football go head to head. Let’s take a look at the Week 1 Top 25 Poll.

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Vaughn Dalzell’s Week 1 Poll

1. Texas Longhorns (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET — Texas (+1.5) at Ohio State

Texas is a +1.5 point road underdog at Ohio State in Week 1 and the winner will be undoubtedly the No. 1 team in the country moving forward. The Longhorns were knocked out of the College Football Playoff last season by Ohio State (28-14), so Texas can extract immediate revenge in Columbus. Get your popcorn ready!

2. Clemson Tigers (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET — LSU at Clemson (-3.5)

Clemson hosts LSU for the second-most anticipated matchup of the week headlined by two Heisman quarterbacks — Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier. Klubnik has one of the best WR trios between Antonio Williams, T.J. Moore, and Bryant Wesco, plus nine defensive starters back that on paper appears to have three top-10 units on every level of the defense (DL, LB, DB).

3. Penn State Nittany Lions (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET — Nevada at Penn State (-44.5)

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Penn State’s defense remains a top notch unit that could hold Nevada scoreless to open the season. The Nittany Lions allowed 16.5 points per game (8th-best) last year, and the offense has a big three. With all of the potential — James Franklin will still have to overcome their 1-15 record against top 5 opponents and 4-20 record versus the top 10 when they host Oregon and visit Ohio State this season.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET — Texas at Ohio State (-1.5)

Ohio State will get its first look at Julian Sayin under center versus Texas. Will Howard threw for 289 yards and a touchdown against Texas in the playoffs, while Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson combined for three touchdowns — all three are gone. Who will step up besides Jeremiah Smith or will he be enough against Texas?

5. Georgia Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET — Marshall at Georgia (-39.5)

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Georgia hosts Marshall this week (-39.5 point favorite), then Austin Peay next weekend before preparing for four ranked opponents over the next six games. Since 2021, the Bulldogs defense has allowed 3, 3, 7, and 3 points with three of the matchups coming against Top 10 opponents.

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Sunday at 7:30 PM ET — Notre Dame (-2.5) at Miami

Notre Dame and Miami (FL) are one of two matchups on Sunday, August 31 and the only ranked matchup for the day. The Irish opened last season with a 23-13 win at ranked Texas A&M — the last time they lost a season-opener was in 2021 to Ohio State. Both Miami and Notre Dame will be break in new quarterbacks for the Week 1 matchup.

No. 7 Oregon Ducks (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 4 PM ET — Montana State at Oregon (-26.5)

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Dan Lanning and Oregon has one of the best schedules in the country in terms of strength of schedule and that road starts with Montana State. However, due to Oregon playing in the Big Ten, the travel is wild! Oregon will travel the third-most miles of any program this year at 8,371 miles — but that travel doesn’t start until Week 3.

8. Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET — Alabama (-13.5) at Florida State

Kalen Doboer and Ty Simpson go to Florida State to open their season versus a Seminoles squad that has a lot to prove in 2025. Alabama hasn’t played on the road in a season-opener since 2020 when they beat Missouri 38-19. The Tide play only one ranked team over the next seven weeks and only two games are on the road in the first six games.

9. LSU Tigers (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET — LSU (+3.5) at Clemson

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Garrett Nussmeier and LSU versus Cade Klubnik and Clemson kick starts the ninth slate on Saturday as LSU travels to Clemson. Surprisingly, LSU will travel 7,416 miles this season for five road games, which ranks as the eighth-most miles traveled after coming in 16th last year.

10. Miami Hurricanes (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Sunday at 7:30 PM ET — Notre Dame at Miami (+2.5)

Miami has the second-best chance to make the College Football Playoff behind Clemson and avoid playing the Tigers in the regular season. Unfortunately, Miami starts the season with top-10 ranked Notre Dame, but luckily, the game is in Miami. The Hurricanes only travel to four states this season (FL, PA, TX, VA) and Week 1 is the toughest game of the season (on paper).

11. Florida Gators (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7 PM ET — Long Island at Florida (-45.5)

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Florida has seven preseason ranked opponents on the schedule, which seems unfair, but at least they start with Long Island University. The Gators are one of the most hyped teams entering 2025 as DJ Lagway went 6-1 as the full-time starter last season. The Gators are tied for third-largest favorite of the weekend.

12. South Carolina Gamecocks (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Sunday at 3 PM ET — Virginia Tech vs South Carolina (-7.5)

A strong start is a must for the Gamecocks if they want to make the playoff and a neutral field contest with Virginia Tech is a good test to where South Carolina stands. Six of the final seven games on South Carolina’s schedule come against preseason top 25 teams: LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Clemson, so South Carolina games will be must-see TV.

13. Arizona State Sun Devils (0-0 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 10 PM ET — Northern Arizona at Arizona (-28.5)

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The Sun Devils are loaded as they return 17 starters this season to follow up a Big 12 Championship in their first season as a conference member. Arizona State opens the season with Northern Arizona before going to Mississippi State in Week 2, then Texas State in Week 3. The Sun Devils have a beautiful start to endure over the first month of the season.

14. Texas A&M Aggies (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7 PM ET — UTSA at Texas A&M Aggies (-23.5)

In year two with Mike Elko, Texas A&M is one of the sleepers to make the College Football Playoff. Before going to Notre Dame in Week 3, the Aggies host UTSA and Utah State. A&M’s Marcel Reed will be a key player for the Aggies as he will be in his first season as a full-time starter at QB behind an experienced offensive line (156 career starts) and one of the best RBs in the SEC (Le’veon Moss).

15. Illinois Fighting Illini (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET — Western Illinois at Illinois (-45.5)

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One of the most veteran teams in the country are the Illini who return 10 starters on offense and 9 on defense. Illinois will host Western Illinois Friday night on Peacock as a -45.5 point favorite making Illinois tied as the third largest favorite of the weekend with Florida (vs Long Island). Texas Tech is the largest favorite at -52.5 (Vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff).

16. Oklahoma Sooners (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 6 PM ET — Illinois State at Oklahoma (-35.5)

The Sooners return eight starters on each side of the ball, and are one of the most hyped up teams in the SEC. Oklahoma ends the season with six preseason ranked opponents in the final seven games, and has seven ranked opponents on the schedule. The Sooners open the season versus Illinois State before hosing Michigan for a Top 25 matchup in Week 2 (Sooners favored by -2.5 points).

17. Michigan Wolverines (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET — New Mexico at Michigan (-34.5)

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The quarterback position at Michigan this offseason compared to last year is night and day. Bryce Underwood and Mikey Keene are each upgrades at the position and a Week 1 meeting with New Mexico on NBC and Peacock will be worth monitoring to see if Underwood is the real deal.

18. Ole Miss Rebels (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:45 PM ET — Georgia State at Ole Miss (-34.5)

Ole Miss finished 10-3 last year and lost by 3, 3, and 7 points in those losses. The Rebels open the season by hosting Georgia State before starting SEC play in Week 2 (At Kentucky). Outside of the quarterback position, the offensive line will be a key for the Rebels. Ole Miss used six different starting line combinations last year but has upgraded with 78 career starts entering this season.

19. Iowa State Cyclones (1-0, 1-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET — South Dakota at Iowa State (-15.5)

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The Cyclones earned a 24-21 ranked win over Kansas State in Week 0 as the two met in Dublin, Ireland. Iowa State has now won five of the last six games versus K-State. Rocco Becht will be behind an offensive line that has 105 career starts entering this season compared to 13 last year, so Becht should be in for a career year. He started with 185 yards, three total touchdowns (2 pass, 1 rush) on 14-of-28 passing and took four sacks (-32 yards).

20. SMU Mustangs (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 9 PM ET — East Texas A&M at SMU (-50.5)

Last year, SMU avoided Clemson, Miami, and Louisville in the regular season to go 8-0 in ACC play, but this year they play all three, plus Baylor and TCU in non-conference action. The Mustangs open with East Texas A&M in Week 1 for a tune-up before hosting Baylor in Week 2. SMU is the second-largest favorite of the weekend at -50.5!

21. Louisville Cardinals (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET — Eastern Kentucky at Louisville (-38.5)

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The Cardinals open the year with three consecutive home games: Eastern Kentucky (FCS), James Madison, and Bowling Green before kicking off the ACC schedule. Louisville started last season with a 62-0 win in Week 1 over FCS Austin Peay.l

22. Nebraska Cornhuskers (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Friday at 9 PM ET — Cincinnati vs Nebraska (-6.5)

The Cornhuskers bring back 10 starters on offense and will have a relatively different schedule than last year with only three repeat teams from 2024! One of the new teams that Nebraska will face is a Cincinnati team that was 5-7 last year at Arrowhead Stadium.

23. Texas Red Raiders (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET — Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Texas Tech (-52.5)

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Texas Tech spent millions in the offseason retooling the roster and adding more four star prospects (17) than another Big 12 team by a landslide (4 was the next closest). Not to mention, the Red Raiders have 10 starters back on offense and all 11 on defense. Texas Tech opens the season with Arkansas-Pine Bluff as the heaviest favorite of the weekend (-52.5) before hosting Kent State.

24. Utah Utes (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 11 PM ET — Utah (-5.5) at UCLA

This season, 10 starters on offense, including one of the best offensive lines in the Kyle Whittingham era (21 seasons), a stellar defense, and a new QB in Devon Dampier and OC in Jason Beck both coming over from New Mexico. Utah opens the season at UCLA for one of the most exciting flying under the radar type of games.

25. Kansas State Wildcats (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7 PM ET — North Dakota at Kansas State (-25.5)

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Avery Johnson and Kansas State return from Dublin for a meeting with North Dakota. The Wildcats fumbled twice, had six penalties for 48 yards, went 6-of-17 from third and fourth down, and lost the time of possession battle (33:52-26:08) in the Week 0 loss to Iowa State.

Honorable mentions

There are three teams that were difficult to leave off this list — the Iowa Hawkeyes, USC Trojans, and Baylor Bears. USC was one of the few teams to experience four or more close losses, while Baylor is one of the most experience teams in the country, then there is Iowa, who could have the quarterback needed to take that jump in the Big Ten.

Iowa Hawkeyes (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 6 PM ET — U of Albany at Iowa (-37.5)

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Iowa is the talk of the midwest because of Mark Gronkowski who is the new quarterback for the Hawkeyes. Iowa had an offensive explosion of 27.7 points per game and look primed to take a step forward, especially considering they avoid Ohio State, Michigan, and Illinois. Iowa hosts Albany in Week 1 before going to Iowa State for a rivalry game in Week 2.

Baylor Bears (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 8 PM ET — Auburn (-2.5) at Baylor

Baylor returns 10 starters on offense and eight on defense to follow up a 8-5 year. The Bears have a deep running back room to go along with an experienced quarterback and offensive line, so the offense could be a surprise top-10 unit after 34.4 points per game last year (T-19th). The Bears can crack the top 25 with a win over Auburn in Week 1.

USC Trojans (0-0, 0-0)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET — Missouri State at USC (-35.5)

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USC lost four of five games by a combined 14 points last year, which if the ball bounced a different way, the Trojans wouldn’t have needed two wins in the last three games to be bowl eligible. USC returns nine starters on offense, seven on defense, and has a beautiful start with home games versus Missouri State and Georgia Southern, then a road game at Purdue.

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