College Football Power Rankings: Week 0 (2025)

After months of waiting, Week 0 kicks off the 2025 college football season on Saturday afternoon. None of the preseason teams currently ranked inside the AP Top 10 are playing, but it’s never too early to rank some of these preeminent FBS programs ahead of Week 1.

I’ve analyzed and ranked each of the top 10 college football teams for the first edition of my 2025 college football power rankings. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more college football betting analysis and free picks.

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College Football Power Rankings: Week 0

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

1. Texas

Texas sophomore QB Arch Manning finally gets a full-time role as the Longhorns’ QB1 in 2025. There are high expectations on his shoulders following Texas’ College Football Playoff Semifinal loss to Ohio State.

The Longhorns return key starters on defense and should remain one of the most stout units in the country, finishing 2024 ranked third in opponents points per game at 15.3. Manning’s biggest test comes right out of the gate during a marquee Week 1 matchup on the road against the No. 3 Buckeyes.

2. Ohio State

The defending National Champions no longer have QB Will Howard, OC Chip Kelly, or DC Jim Knowles. QB Julian Sayin, a redshirt freshman transfer from Alabama, has been named the Buckeyes’ Week 1 starter against Texas.

Ohio State still has one of the best defensive players in the country in its secondary, Caleb Downs. Along with standout WR Jeremiah Smith, there is enough five-star talent on this roster to embark on another National Championship run.

3. Penn State

The AP polls currently have Penn State ranked No. 2 in the country ahead of Ohio State. Until head coach James Franklin and QB Drew Allar can beat the Buckeyes, it doesn’t feel like a warranted position. Losing edge rusher Abdul Carter is another setback for this program in 2025, although Zane Durant is more than capable of stepping up in Carter’s absence.

Allar’s return with top running back tandem Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen is a massive reason why the Nittany Lions are so heavily favored entering 2025. After all, they did surrender a late lead against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, falling just short of making the National Championship.

4. Clemson

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik was a production machine in 2024. After a disheartening 34-3 loss to Georgia in Week 1 last season, the Tigers’ signal-caller went red-hot, finishing with a 63.4 percent completion rate, 3,639 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions.

The defense was a bit loose, which got exposed by Texas in the First Round of the College Football Playoff, giving up 38 points to the Longhorns. Head coach Dabo Swinney can never be counted out though, especially playing in the ACC, which is the weakest Power 4 conference.

5. Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish had a fantastic 2024 campaign, going 14-2 under head coach Marcus Freeman. QB Riley Leonard is now in the NFL but star RB Jeremiyah Love remains on Notre Dame’s roster in 2025.

The schedule is front loaded, with back-to-back matchups against No. 10 Miami (FL) and No. 19 Texas A&M. If the Fighting Irish win both games, they should be able to replicate another double-digit win total in 2025.

Love is the heartbeat of this offense and he’ll be running behind one of the best offensive line units in the country. QB CJ Carr is a redshirt freshman who will have a lot of veteran talent surrounding him, plus a defense that ranked fifth in opponents points per game last season.

6. Georgia

Despite going 11-3 and making the College Football Playoff after winning the SEC Championship Game against Texas, 2024 was not a great year for Georgia’s standards. Former QB Carson Beck is now with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes, leaving QB Gunner Stockton as QB1 in 2025.

There’s a lot of turnover on the Bulldogs’ offense, while the defense should remain a formidable unit under head coach Kirby Smart. Beck’s turnover prone tendencies are no longer a concern and Stockton flashed plenty of moxie as Georgia’s starter in the SEC Championship Game and College Football Playoff.

7. LSU

I’m bullish on QB Garrett Nussmeier after his highly productive 2024 season. The Tigers finished last year with a9-4 record, going 5-3 in the SEC. Head coach Brian Kelly is infamous for losing in Week 1 and it’ll be another difficult matchup on the road against No. 4 Clemson this season.

LSU averaged over 30 points per game with Nussmeier last season, so expect more high-octane offense in 2025. WR Zavion Thomas is another player to monitor, while the offensive and defensive lines were both shored up in the transfer portal.

8. Oregon

Oregon’s 2024 season ended in disappointment with a lopsided loss to Ohio State in the second round of the College Football Playoff. The Ducks went undefeated during the regular season under QB Dillon Gabriel, who is now in the NFL.

Head coach Dan Lanning turns to redshirt sophomore QB Dante Moore in 2025. Their RB1 will be Tulane transfer Makhi Hughes, while there are three new starting offensive linemen. It feels like Oregon is due for a bit of regression in 2025, which is why I’ve ranked them one position lower than the AP.

9. Alabama

Getting QB Jalen Milroe out of Alabama could wind up being a good thing for head coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide had an up-and-down season in 2024, with Milroe struggling to make consistently good decisions, especially in the passing game.

QB Ty Simpson takes over as a first-year starter, with star WR Ryan Williams and RB Jam Miller set to be the focal points of the offense. Alabama was a top-ten defense in points allowed per game under DeBoer during his first season as head coach, so expect another physical unit this year.

10. Michigan