The latest College Football Playoff predictions are here, utilizing the AP Poll Top 25 Preseason Rankings. The 12-team field is projected based on the five-highest ranked conference champs and the highest ranked teams in general.

The top four seeds, which are given byes in the first round, no longer automatically go to conference champs. It’s simply a straight ranking. That was a huge point of change from decision-makers ahead of the 2025 season.

Without making it more complicated, let’s dive into the projected field based on the AP Poll. Check it out below, as anticipation continues to rise for what should be an awesome season of college football this year.

1. Texas (SEC Champion)

Texas is the projected No. 1 team in the Playoff. As the SEC Champion, the Longhorns are likely 12-1 or 13-0 by season’s end.

If that’s the case, everything breaks right for Texas and Arch Manning is as good as advertised. It’ll be a well-earned first round bye for the Longhorns.

2. Penn State (Big Ten Champion)

Penn State will rise above and become Big Ten champions, according to these AP Poll projections. Breaking through the glass ceiling, they’ll get a bye week this time around in the CFP.

The Nittany Lions will run it back with Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, Dani Dennis-Sutton and more. This team is certainly talented enough to win the entire thing, after making it to the Semifinals last season.

The defending national champions are slotted in the No. 3 spot. W while they’re not champions in the Big Ten, Ohio State would get a bye in the CFP based on the poll. The Buckeyes remain among the best.

Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs give the program two of the best overall players in college football. Julian Sayin is expected to step in at QB and based on Ryan Day’s track record, it might be a seamless transition.

4. Clemson (ACC Champion)

Clemson is projected to win the ACC for the second straight year and will make the CFP again. The Tigers will receive the final bye this time around, after once again clinching their spot as the champion of their conference.

Cade Klubnik is back under center this fall, and Clemson might have two first round picks on the defensive line. TJ Parker and Peter Woods will certainly wreak havoc this year.

The Bulldogs fall to Texas in the SEC Championship this time around. They’ll just miss out on the final bye in the CFP, it seems, but remain a dangerous squad.

A lot hinges on QB Gunner Stockton this season, but it helps that WR Zachariah Branch is in the fold. The defense should be able to reload and be excellent under Kirby Smart.

With the CFP adjustments, Notre Dame could actually play itself into a top four seed and a first round bye. But for now, the AP Poll had them at No. 6, so they’ll host a first round game once again.

Marcus Freeman led this team to the national championship last year, and he could do it again this time around. They bring it a lot back, including Heisman contender Jeremiyah Love at running back.

Oregon will return to the Playoff for the second straight year under Dan Lanning. They’ll be on the outside looking in though, as far as the top of the Big Ten is concerned. The good news is, since the Ducks are No. 7 in these rankings, they’ll host a first round game in Eugene.

Dante Moore takes over at quarterback after sitting a year to develop. He’ll be the biggest key to Oregon’s success in 2025. We’ll see if he can reach the heights Dillon Gabriel took them to last season.

The Crimson Tide will return to the CFP, and get there for the first time under Kalen DeBoer. All is right in Tuscaloosa. The pressure is on, but DeBoer has the talent and the mettle to handle it.

Quarterback Ty Simpson is expected to step in and operate the offense with superstar wide receiver Ryan Williams being his top target. A revamped defense should help the Tide more often than not in 2025. Based on projections, they’ll host a first round game.

LSU will finally make the CFP under Brian Kelly, but they’ll have to go on the road in the first round. Still, they’ll be in the tournament, based on the projections via the AP Poll, and a dangerous draw for any opponent.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will be in the Heisman conversation, and he’ll likely be the biggest reason why this team is great. Don’t underestimate a resurgent season from linebacker Harold Perkins, as well.

The Hurricanes were Playoff bound last year, until they went 1-2 down the stretch. Mario Cristobal brings back a talented squad in 2025, along with a new star at quarterback, with a motivation to make things right.

Carson Beck takes over at the position after coming over from Georgia and the defense should be a strong suit this season. Based on the projections, Miami will be the ACC runner-ups.

The Sun Devils will return to the Playoff as Big 12 champions once again. However, they won’t get a first-round bye this time around, based on the AP Poll rankings.

Sam Leavitt returns at QB, giving ASU one of the better ones in the country. Kenny Dillingham, if he’s not already, is a rising superstar of a head coach. We’ll see how far he can take his team in 2025.

12. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)

The Broncos are back in the CFP, but will get the last seed considering they’ll be the lowest ranked conference champ and outside the top 12 overall. Boise State will still make two straight Playoffs, which is an awesome accomplishment.

Before their move to the PAC 12 next year, the program is looking to finish their final season in the MWC on top of the college football world. However, based on these rankings, they’ll have to head to Georgia in the first round, so it won’t be easy for Boise State.

Playoff Bracket

First Round Byes: No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Penn State, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Clemson
No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Georgia
No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Notre Dame
No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Oregon
No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Alabama

First Four Out: Illinois, South Carolina, Michigan, Florida
Next Four Out: SMU, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

— On3’s Nick Kosko contribited to this article.

LSU enters Year Four under head coach Brian Kelly with national championship-or-bust expectations, as the Tigers seek the program’s return to the College Football Playoff for the first time since winning it all in 2019. Suffice it to say, it’s been a long five years for fans in Baton Rouge.

That championship appetite led Kelly and company to dive head-first into the NCAA Transfer Portal this past offseason, supplementing an already-talented LSU roster with the nation’s second-ranked transfer class, according to the On3 | Rivals Team Transfer Portal Rankings. That included adding four-star SEC receivers Nic Anderson and Barion Brown, from Oklahoma and Kentucky, respectively, as well as four-star EDGEs Patrick Payton from Florida State and Jack Pyburn from Florida among the Tigers’ 18 transfer newcomers.

It’s LSU’s overwhelming NIL commitment to improving its roster this offseason that has longtime NFL Draft expert Todd McShay believing 2025 might just be the Tigers’ year. Of course, that starts with Kelly, who is 29-11 overall and 17-7 in SEC play over his first three years in Baton Rouge but hasn’t managed to break through the 10-win plateau yet.

“The Tigers allocated more NIL funds, is what I’ve read, to this portal cycle than any other program in the country. … But essentially LSU and Texas Tech are the two programs that just … opened it up,” McShay said during Monday’s episode of The McShay Show on YouTube. “LSU always has edge rushers, they haven’t developed the guys they wanted, apparently, so they brought in two guys (Payton and Pyburn) to make sure they always have edge rushers. And they’ve brought in weapons for Nuss(meier). Now, can Brian Kelly do what Lane Kiffin couldn’t do (at Ole Miss) and make it all gel, to a national championship level? Lane did it, they were a damn good football team, they just couldn’t take that next step. So, it’ll be fascinating to see.”

Whether or not the Tigers finally break through and secure a Playoff bid this season will undoubtedly rest on the shoulders of senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who bypassed the 2025 NFL Draft after a breakout 4,000-yard and 29-touchdown season in 2024. Of course, that championship plan appeared to hit a bit of a snag last week when reports of a preseason knee injury sent shockwaves through Baton Rouge. Kelly later clarified the situation, downplaying Nussmeier’s injury as a “(pissed off) patella tendon.”

Still, that injury raised a pre-existing red flag for McShay, who saw serious wear-and-tear impacting Nussmeier’s play late last season. Which is why McShay, for one, believes LSU’s ability to run the football, and thus taking pressure off Nussmeier to do it all offensively, will be the single determining factor whether the Tigers finally break through in Year Four under Kelly.

“And now, Nuss – the reports are that Garrett Nussmeier and this patella tendinitis in his knee – they call it a 1.5 out of 10. It’s nothing to see here, right? But I told you last year, it was unique to me because I don’t always see from a quarterback that the season wore on the quarterback and (Nussmeier) didn’t have the same twitch and urgency,” McShay continued. “Mentally, he did, but physically, with his body, it was too much on him. They gotta run the football this year. That’s the No. 1 thing. … If they can’t run the football significantly better than last year, it’s gonna end with disappointment.

“These are the programs that think they solved all their issues and threw a lot of money at it, now it’s kind of on the coaching staff to make it all work.”

For over a decade, the Alabama Crimson Tide ruled college football. Coach Nick Saban seemingly got all the best players en route to an astounding six national championships. But the college football power structure always shifts eventually. Has Texas replaced Alabama on top of college football’s highest perch? The Athletic says the Longhorns have.

The start of the 2025 college football season is just 12 days away, and it’s sure to start off with a bang.

Week 1 is set to feature a handful of electric heavyweight matchups of nationally top-ranked teams and a plethora of storylines, including first-year head coaches making their debuts and the impact of NIL and the transfer portal.

That said, FOX Sports’ RJ Young put together a list of one standout player from each of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 college football preseason poll, which was unveiled Monday.

[Related: RJ Young’s Ultimate 136 college football rankings]

Six of these 10 players will be facing off against one another in Week 1, as there are three top-10 tilts on the schedule: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Clemson vs. No. 9 LSU and No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.). 

10 Best College Football Players from AP Top 10 Teams

Francis Mauigoa is one of the top offensive linemen in college football. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)

Stats: Started 26 games in two seasons for the Hurricanes, anchoring an offensive line that led the nation in scoring (43.9 points per game); projected to be the first offensive tackle drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Mauigoa enters the year as one of the top OT draft prospects. At 6-foot-6, Mauigoa is massive and will be vital to protecting quarterback Carson Beck this season, giving the Hurricanes hope to make their first CFP appearance.

Garrett Nussmeier is entering his second season as LSU’s starting QB. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Stats: Finished fifth in FBS in passing yards (4,052 yards) and tied for eighth in pass touchdowns (29) last season.

Like Mauigoa, Nussmeier will also vie to be one of the top players selected at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was one of the best passers in the SEC last year, which was his first season as a starter, while also having the pressure to replace then-reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. 

Ryan Williams had a shining freshman season. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Stats: Freshman All-American and first-team All-SEC selection; one of seven SEC players to record 8 touchdown catches last season.

Williams had a season to remember in 2024, and he was only 17 years old. His touchdown catch that helped Alabama beat Georgia was widely viewed as one of the top plays of the season, showing his ability to make contested catches and speed. That also helped him earn a spot on the cover of “College Football 26.”

Dillon Thieneman was a star at Purdue before transferring to Oregon. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Stats: Led all Big Ten defensive backs with 104 total tackles last year with Purdue.

One of the best defensive players to transfer this past offseason, Theineman was a standout for a Purdue team that has been one of the worst programs in a power conference over the past couple of years. He won Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023, when he recorded six interceptions. 

Jeremiyah Love was a key reason for Notre Dame’s deep CFP run. (Photo by Edward Diller/Getty Images)

Stats: Scored a rushing touchdown in 13 consecutive games last season, setting a Notre Dame record; was one of 10 FBS players to record 1,100-plus rushing yards and 19-plus total touchdowns.

Love was instrumental in Notre Dame’s breakthrough season, which ended with an appearance in the national championship game. His 98-yard touchdown run against Indiana was key for Notre Dame in its first-round win, which was also one of the five games he rushed for over 100 yards in.

CJ Allen has been a do-it-all linebacker for Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Stats: Made 12 starts last season and finished second on the team with 76 total tackles.

Entering his junior year, Allen is part of the next wave of Georgia defenders with NFL promise. He’ll look to capitalize on a strong 2024 season, as the Bulldogs seek to make their first College Football Playoff semifinals for the first time in three years.

Cade Klubnik was one of the best quarterbacks in college football last season. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

Stats: Top five all-time in Clemson history in passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts and completions; only player in FBS to throw for 35 touchdowns with six or fewer interceptions.

After an underwhelming first season as Clemson’s starting quarterback in 2023, Klubnik broke through in 2024. He certainly wasn’t the reason why Clemson lost to Texas in the CFP, either. He threw for 336 yards in that game as he seeks to be one of the top quarterbacks selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Jeremiah Smith had a freshman season for the ages. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

Stats: Set Ohio State freshman records in receptions (76), receiving yards (1,315) and touchdown catches (15); was tied for second in FBS in touchdown catches and fourth in receiving yards; his nine catches of 40-plus yards are tied for the most in the FBS.

Smith is arguably the best player in college football entering the 2025 season, with many preseason lists ranking him as such. Even though he’s only a sophomore, some have even said that he would’ve been a top-10 pick had he been draft-eligible following his freshman season. 

Dani Dennis-Sutton is one of many key players returning for Penn State. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Stats: Finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (13) and tied for sixth in sacks (8.5); also forced two fumbles and recorded 42 total tackles.

The Nittany Lions had several players that Young could’ve named the best on their roster. Drew Allar is viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation entering the year, while Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen make up the best running back tandem in the sport. Sutton gets the nod, though, after his 8.5-sack season.

Arch Manning is entering his first season as Texas’ full-time starting QB. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

Stats: Only FBS or NFL quarterback in the past 25 years to record a 75-plus-yard touchdowb pass, a 65-plus-yard touchdown run and another 50-plus-yard touchdown pass in the same game; went 2-0 as a starter last year, throwing for 583 yards and totaling 5 touchdowns (4 passing, 1 rushing) in those two games.

Similar to Penn State, Texas also has a lot of returning players who could’ve been named the top player on its roster. Ultimately, Manning got the honor, and it’s hard not to see why. He showed his promise as one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory in the handful of games he played in last year, showing tremendous arm strength and an ability to operate as a runner. 

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