An action-packed and insightful Week 1 of the 2025 college football season is in the books. We had high-profile matchups and a few upsets. Now, we have a new set of rankings.
For the fifth consecutive year, I’m an AP Top 25 voter. Each week, I’ll be sharing my full ballot, explaining why I ranked everything the way I did.
The official Associated Press Top 25 poll will be published on Tuesday after a Labor Day weekend full of games. But before that drops, here’s my complete AP Top 25 ballot.
(Previous rankings on my ballot in parentheses.)
1. Penn State (Prev: 1): Nothing that happened this weekend made me move Penn State out of the top spot — not even Ohio State’s win over Texas. Penn State is still the best team in the country in my eyes, even though other voters will be swayed to put the Buckeyes No. 1.
2. Ohio State (4): What new Buckeyes DC Matt Patricia did against Arch Manning was impressive. But don’t let Arch’s poor game overshadow the iffy debut by Julian Sayin. Obviously the new QB has time to figure it out. Throwing to Jeremiah Smith should help.
3. LSU (8): I had the Tigers higher in my post-spring top 25, and I let the idea of banking on Brian Kelly sway me to move them back a bit. But that was an impressive win at Clemson. LSU has a title-contending roster.
4. Georgia (7): The Dawgs dismantled Marshall, 45-7, with QB Gunner Stockton accounting for 263 total yards. We’ll find out more about Stockton and Georgia when they visit Tennessee in a couple weeks.
5. Texas (3): Some might have Texas (and Clemson and Notre Dame, for that matter) plummeting. But I don’t like penalizing teams too much for scheduling high-profile non-conference games and playing them tightly.
Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks for somewhere to run and Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) closes in for the stop during action in the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns in Columbus on Saturday, August 30, 2025.
David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com
6. Miami (10): Miami’s biggest offseason addition wasn’t Carson Beck. It was defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman. He had his unit hunting in a significant win over Jeremiyah Love and Notre Dame.
7. Clemson (2): I picked Clemson to reach the national title game, and I still believe that can happen with the talent it has on defense. But Cade Klubnik wasn’t great against LSU, and neither was the Tigers’ offensive line.
8. Oregon (9): The Ducks did what they were supposed to do, throttling Montana State, 59-13. QB Dante Moore was efficient (18/23, 213 yards, 3 TDs) in his debut.
9. Notre Dame (5): The last time the Irish played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, they secured a spot in the national championship game. Sunday was a different story. They’ll need to rebound with Texas A&M coming to town.
10. South Carolina (12): The Gamecocks entertained getting upset by Virginia Tech for a while there, but LaNorris Sellers showed why he’s one of the most electric players in the country.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) looks to pass in the second half an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)AP
11. Illinois (11): The Illini smoked Western Illinois, 52-3. Next week’s game at an upstart Duke program under Manny Diaz should be a solid test.
12. Michigan (13): Granted it was against New Mexico. But five-star freshman Bryce Underwood looked like a competent QB, which Michigan didn’t have last year. Alabama transfer running back Justice Haynes also impressed (159 yards, three TDs).
13. Florida (14): The Gators chomped on Long Island, 55-0. Nothing to see here.
14. Iowa State (18): The Cyclones followed up their big Week 0 win over Kansas State in Ireland with a blowout against South Dakota. Up next? A rivalry game vs. Iowa.
15. Florida State (NR): How about the Seminoles? After a two-win 2024 season, Florida State whooped Alabama in a stunner. Tommy Castellanos in Gus Malzahn’s offense is a fun watch — and makes Florida State an unexpected challenger in the ACC.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, front, leaves the field after a loss to Florida State in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)AP
16. Alabama (6): I’m going to need to update my CFP projections after having Bama making a national title push. The Tide, especially QB Ty Simpson, looked lost at Florida State. He and Kalen DeBoer have time to figure it out. But Bama fans will be short on patience.
17. Arizona State (15): The Sun Devils ran all over Northern Arizona in the first game of the post-Cam Skattebo era. Next up? Mississippi State.
18. Oklahoma (18): Transfer QB John Mateer was electric (392 passing yards, four total TDs) in his debut. That was expected against Illinois State. Big one in Norman coming up as they welcome Michigan.
19. Utah (NR): What a start for New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier, who threw for 206 yards, rushed for 87 and accounted for three TDs in a 43-10 beatdown of UCLA.
20. Tennessee (22): The Vols put it on Syracuse in Atlanta, 45-26. UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar threw for three TDs to complement a 248-yard running game.
21. Texas Tech (21): After an offseason spending spree in the portal, the Red Raiders ran roughshod over Arkansas Pine-Bluff, 67-7. A Sept. 20 game at Utah looms.
22. Louisville (23): Louisville (23): I said it before, but watch out for Isaac Brown. In a 51-17 win over Eastern Kentucky, he had 126 yards and two TDs … on six carries.
23. Ole Miss (NR): Does a 63-7 win over Georgia State move the needle? Not really. But Ole Miss was on my top 25 bubble. Austin Simmons looks like the next talented Lane Kiffin QB.
24. Indiana (17): The Hoosiers’ post-CFP transfer reload wasn’t all that convincing in a 27-14 win over Old Dominion. We’ll see how Curt Cignetti’s team progresses.
25. SMU (20): Is this the year wide receiver Romello Brinson breaks out? The former Miami transfer had seven catches for 121 yards and a TD against Texas A&M Commerce. Brinson and SMU will be tested this weekend against Baylor.
Dropped: Kansas State (19), Texas A&M (24), Boise State (25)
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