College Football Top 25 And QB’s To Watch To Kickoff 2025 Season

The college football 2025 season is less than six weeks away, and the biggest early season games are already drawing major media and watch and wager coverage. While the AP Top 25 poll is not released until mid-August, noted college football handicapper, publisher and media influencer Phil Steele has released his 2025 college football preview and early-season Top 25.

Many of the top annual power programs top the list again, but Penn State opens No. 1 followed by Clemson, with Notre Dame, Texas and Ohio State ahead of annual top-3 ranked teams Georgia and Alabama in the SEC.

College Football Top 25

1. Penn State
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas
5. Ohio State
6. Georgia
7. Alabama
8. Oregon
9. Oklahoma
10. Michigan
11. LSU
12. SMU
13. Baylor
14. Miami
15. Boise State
16. Illinois
17. Florida
18. Utah
19. Texas A&M
20. Indiana
21. Iowa State
22. USC
23. Arizona State
24. Kansas State
25. Toledo

Next group of teams to watch for rankings and performance include: Ole Miss, Memphis, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State, James Madison, Iowa, Louisville, North Carolina, TCU, Pittsburgh, UTSA, Liberty, San Jose State, NC State, Minnesota, Tulane, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Florida, Washington, Georgia Southern, UNLV, Air Force.

Top Quarterbacks And Heisman Trophy Odds

One notable situation to watch and evaluate is that these five top teams in bold above all have new first-time starting quarterbacks.

Oklahoma dual-QB John Mateer was Washington State’s starter last year with 44 total TD’s passing for 3,100+ yards and rushing for 800+ yards.

Mateer (+2200) is top-10 in odds to win the Heisman Trophy in 2025 behind Texas QB top choice Arch Manning (+600), LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier (+800), Clemson QB Cade Klubnik (+800), Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (+1600), Oregon QB Dante Moore (+1800) and Penn State QB Drew Allar (+2500). Georgia’s projected new QB is Gunnar Stockton, who replaces Carson Beck after he transferred to Miami. Alabama turns to 22-year QB Ty Simpson as starter this season and he’s been in the Crimson Tide program for four years.

Check back for more college football updates and information you can bet on.