Texas claims top spot in preseason rankings narrowly above No. 2 Penn State
Texas Tops Preseason AP Top 25 Poll for First Time in Program History
In a historic turn of events, the preseason AP Top 25 poll for the 2025 college football season has placed Texas at No. 1 for the first time in the program's history14. The Longhorns edged Penn State by just five points, marking the closest preseason vote since 199814.
Texas earned 25 of 65 first-place votes with 1,552 points, while Penn State garnered 23 first-place votes and 1,547 points1. Ohio State ranked third with 11 first-place votes.
The SEC leads all conferences with 10 teams ranked in the AP Top 25, while the Big Ten has six teams1. Notably, Texas starts the season with a high-profile opener on Aug. 30 against No. 3 Ohio State, a rematch of the previous season’s College Football Playoff semifinal13.
Other notable inclusions in the Top 10 include Oregon (1st-place vote), Alabama, LSU, and Miami (1st-place vote)1. Florida is ranked 15th, giving the SEC seven teams in the top 15 and a total of 11 in the Top 251.
Indiana, who finished last season with an 11-2 record, is ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll1. The Hoosiers started the 2024 season 10-0 and reached the College Football Playoff in Curt Cignetti's first year in Bloomington1.
Defending Big 12 champion Arizona State is ranked 11th, while SMU is ranked 16th in the preseason poll1. Interestingly, Iowa State is ranked below Kansas State (No. 17)1.
The Coaches' poll differs slightly, ranking Texas first, Ohio State second, Penn State third, and Georgia fourth, with similar top-team compositions3. Boise State is ranked 25th in the preseason poll1.
Texas helped set a record by becoming the fifth SEC team in five seasons to claim the No. 1 spot in the AP preseason poll1. Illinois is ranked No. 12, and South Carolina is one spot behind1.
The Longhorns' journey to the top begins on August 30 against defending national champion Ohio State. The stage is set for an exciting college football season ahead.
- The Longhorns' football team took the top spot in the preseason AP Top 25 poll for the first time, surpassing teams like Oregon, Alabama, and LSU in American football.
- Texas will be facing stiff competition in the upcoming NCAA Football season, with Ohio State, the defending national champion, ranked third in the poll, setting up a rematch of last season's College Football Playoff semifinal.
- While the SEC leads with 10 teams in the AP Top 25, the Big Ten follows closely with six teams, including Penn State, who lost to Texas by just five points in the preseason vote.
