College Football Post-Spring Top 25 Rankings For 2025

The spring is behind us and the majority of the players in the transfer portal have found new college football homes, at least for the time being.

With the roster shake ups and the new information we've learned it feels like the perfect time to put out our post-spring Top 25 rankings.1.

Ohio State Buckeyes2024 Record: 14-2I am a strong believer that you're the champs until someone beats you, unless a roster goes through a traumatic change.

Well, the Buckeyes went through a traumatic change, losing 14 players to the NFL and losing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State.

Despite those departures this is still a very talented football team, and the rest of the Big Ten and college football needs to know them off of the mountain.

Ohio State returns the nation's best receiving corps and it added Purdue transfer Max Klare at tight end.

The Buckeyes should still be really good at linebacker and on the back end thanks to the return of All-American Caleb Downs.

Whether or not Ohio State can stay number one will be determined by how well the new-look likes play and how well quarterback Julian Sayin can get comfortable.2.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish2024 Record: 14-2Notre Dame will look to prove that its run to the title game in 2024 wasn't a fluke, and judging by the talented roster it returns the Irish will have a great shot to do just that.

Notre Dame should have dominant line play and it returns arguably the best running back duo in the country in star Jeremiyah Love and his big-play sidekick Jadarian Price.

First-year defensive coordinator Chris Ash inherits a loaded defense that is led by sophomore Leonard Moore and a deep, athletic linebacker room.

Notre Dame is going through a quarterback battle, and when the dust settles I expect CJ Carr to be the winner.

He'll have some weapons to work with thanks to the arrival of Malachi Fields and Will Pauling to go with Jaden Greathouse and Eli Raridon.

If the pass game can develop the Irish offense will be dangerous.3.

Penn State Nittany Lions2024 Record: 13-3The Nittany Lions lost a pair of Top 15 NFL Draft picks but they return the majority of their 2024 roster, which is why they go into 2025 with a chance to make another run to the semifinals.

Quarterback Drew Allar is joined in by standout running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, giving Penn State the nation's best re turning backfield.

Penn State went out and got him a brand new receiving corps, and if that group can grow together quickly the offense should be really good in year two in Andy Kotelnicki's offense.

Landing Knowles to replace Tom Allen was huge, and Dani Dennis-Sutton is poised to become the next defensive line star for the Nittany Lions.

They still need to prove they can beat Ohio State and Oregon, but Penn State has a chance to make a run this season.4.

Texas Longhorns2024 Record: 13-3Texas is a very intriguing team that has a very, very talented roster, but also one that has some very important questions that must be answered.

While much of the focus will be on talented quarterback Arch Manning, who adds a more dual-threat skillset to the offset, Texas will have to replace its top three pass catchers and four starting offensive lineman.

How quickly the line gels and how well Manning and the talented young receivers get up to speed will determine if the offense can improve in big games.

Texas needs to learn to be more physical if it wants to win a title, but the athleticism is impressive.

Texas spent a lot of money to rebuild its defensive line, and former edge Trey Moore is making the transition to linebacker.

If Texas is going to make deep run in the playoffs the front seven needs to earn its money.

5.

Alabama Crimson Tide2024 Record: 9-4Alabama had a rough first year under Kalen DeBoer, and the way it ended doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence, I get.

But I really like this Alabama team's potential.

The only receiving corps in the country that can contend with Ohio State's is this one, which returns star Ryan Williams and had one of my favorite portal pickups in Isaiah Horton.

Alabama's offensive line should be much improved, If I knew who the quarterback was going to be I'd be even higher on the Tide.

Getting Ryan Grubb back was a huge offseason coaching edition, and going into year two of DeBoer's system will be huge.

The biggest question mark is on defense, where the transition into Kane Wommack's was far from smooth.

I expect more from the LT Overton led defensive line and the secondary should be much improved.6.

Clemson Tigers2024 Record: 10-4Clemson was a major disappointment last season and the underachieving defense was a big factor, which makes the offseason hire of Tom Allen huge for the Tigers.

Clemson has NFL talent on all three levels, but key number one for Allen is getting the talented defensive line going.

There's a lot of talent on that unit and my projection has a lot to do with expecting that unit to dominate.

If the defensive line plays to its potential the Tigers will get back to dominating the ACC.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik made a big jump last season and his supporting cast in the pass game is very talented.

When Clemson struggled last season it was due largely to inconsistent play from the line, which kept the run game from thriving.

If the offensive line can be more consistent the Tigers will have their best team since 2019.7.

Oregon Ducks2024 Record: 13-1Oregon has to turn over a big chunk of its roster, especially on offense, but they remain a talented program.

Oregon is turning to Dante Moore at quarterback as the Ducks continue building around portal pickups at the position.

The good news for Oregon is Moore arrived a year ago so he has a full season in the system under his belt, and he has plenty of weapons to throw to.

The rebuilt offensive line will need to come together quickly to support Moore and keep the offense rolling.

The secondary was rebuilt through the portal and Oregon needs that group to get going quickly.

Oregon's front seven remains talented despite key losses, and end Matayo Uiagalelei has a chance to be a star, and the linebacker room is strong as well.

Oregon will once again be one of the best teams in the Big Ten.8.

Georgia Bulldogs2024 Record: 11-3Georgia remains a talented football team and will likely once again contend for the SEC title.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton is more of the gamer type of player that has thrived under Kirby Smart and in some ways he's an upgrade over Carson Beck.

The key for Georgia is finding a way to get its run game going behind Nate Frazier and a rebuilt offensive line.

Georgia got some big names out of the transfer portal, but none of the pickups are proven big game players.

Georgia's defense returns one of the best linebacker rooms in the country, and CJ Allen is an All-American caliber player.

Sophomore safety KJ Bolden and senior corner Daylen Everette are returning standouts, but the rest of the secondary has to be better than it was last season if Georgia is going to get back on a championship track.9.

Indiana Hoosiers2024 Record: 11-2We will find out if Indiana under Curt Cignetti is for real after their surprise run to the College Football Playoff.

Indiana returns both coordinators and a number of key components from its 2024 squad.

On defense, the return of defensive end Mikail Kamara, linebacker Aiden Fisher and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds gives the Hoosiers All-Big Ten players on all three levels.

The defense is poised to continue playing the outstanding football we saw last season under coordinator Bryant Haines.

Landing former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza was huge for the Hoosiers, and he'll have an extremely talented group of pass catchers led by Omar Cooper Jr.

and Elijah Surratt.

The big question will be the rebuilt offensive line, which has to play better in the bigger games.10.

Arizona State Sun Devils2024 Record: 11-3The turnaround that Kenny Dillingham orchestrated last season was incredibly impressive as the Sun Devils went from 3-9 in his first season to the College Football Playoffs in his second season.

The star of that Big 12 title winning team was running back Cam Skattebo, but he's now in the NFL.

The good news is that the majority of the team returns, including rising star quarterback Sam Leavitt and big time wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.

The arrival of Army running back Kanye Udoh (1,117 yards, 10 TD) is intriguing.

He was highly productive for the Black Knights but he's going from the option to a more traditional offense.

The offense has a shot to take another jump this season.

On the other side of the ball the defense has to get better, but it returns the majority of its starting lineup from a season ago.11.

Texas A&M Aggies2024 Record: 8-5Year two under Mike Elko should be even better than year one.

Texas A&M faded down the stretch last season, lost four of the final five games, but their last three losses were by a combined 16 points.

Marcel Reed goes into year two as a starter and he'll be playing behind one of the biggest and most experienced offensive lines in the country.

That will also benefit a backfield that has a chance to be one of the nation's best this season.

My biggest question with the Aggies is the receiving corps, which needs Kevin Concepcion to become a more dynamic player.

The Aggies should have a strong front seven despite several key departures, with Cashius Howell poised for a breakout season.

The safety duo of Bryce Anderson and Dalton Brooks is solid, but the Aggies need Dezz Ricks and Julian Humphrey to up their games.

12.

LSU Tigers2024 Record: 9-4Like Texas A&M, I expect a big jump from LSU compared to the four-loss team we saw a season ago.

LSU is a talented football team that returns one of the nation's most productive quarterbacks in Garrett Nussmeier.

If he can be more consistent in his final season he'll give the Tigers a chance to have a more explosive offense.

LSU adding portal wideouts Nic Anderson and Barion Brown to go with dynamic returner Aaron Anderson gives Nussmeier some talented weapons to throw to.

My biggest question for LSU is the rebuilt offensive line.

If that unit can't find some answers - and find them in a hurry - that skill talent will be somewhat negated.

On the other side of the ball year two of the Blake Baker should result in the defense finally looking competent.

LSU needed a major boost in the secondary and the portal gave them that.13.

Illinois Fighting Illini2024 Record: 10-3This might be the least sexy team in the Top 25 but the Fighting Illini are finally taking on the identity of their head coach.

Illinois returns all five starting offensive linemen from last year's 10-3 squad, and quarterback Luke Altmyer is a steady leader.

Landing West Virginia transfer receiver Hudson Clement was a sneaky good pickup for an offense that was going to have a really tough time replacing Pat Bryant.

Illinois should be better on defense this season, which is a big reason I have them this high in my rankings.

Senior edge Gabe Jacas is one of the best returning pass rushers in the Big Ten and could build on his eight-sack performance from a season ago.

Illinois also returns a big chunk of its secondary, which has a chance to be improved this season.

14.

BYU Cougars2024 Record: 11-2BYU had an impressive 11-2 record last season and I don't believe it was a fluky season.

The Cougars are a well coached and physical football team that should once again contend for a Big 12 title.

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff needs to do a better job protecting the football if the Cougars are going to reach their full potential.

The good news is he'll have a lot of good weapons to throw to, including underrated wideout Chase Roberts and Stanford transfer Tiger Bachmeier.

Landing Keanu Tanuvasa from the portal should help the Cougars overcome some key losses up front.

BYU had a much-improved pass defense last season but it lost some important pieces, including cornerback Marque Collins.

They had a lot of depth there last season and those players become starters.

15.

Florida Gators2024 Record: 8-5I don't feel incredibly confident in this selection based on how Florida has played so far under Billy Napier, including last season's 8-5 campaign that included four losses by double figures.

Despite some key departures the Gators return a talented football team with quality depth, which in part came about while battling injuries last season.

Quarterback DJ Lagway has star potential, but Florida needs him to stay healthy.

If he can do so this offense should be really good.

Florida had two huge losses at receiver, but getting Eugene Wilson back from injury and landing Cal transfer J Michael Sturdivant gives Lagway impressive weapons to throw to.

Florida has a lot of raw talent in the front seven, but if that potential becomes production it will have one of the best units in the SEC.

16.

SMU Mustangs2024 Record: 11-3SMU had an outstanding first season in the ACC, but the season ended with back-to-back losses.

Despite the rough finish the Mustangs head into the 2025 season with a roster capable of getting back to the league championship game.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings has to shake off his rough playoff performance and get back to being the playmaker that fueled the offense last season.

SMU should remain good up front, but the skill positions will look a lot different.

An underrated part of SMU's success last season was the defense, but that side of the ball had several key losses.

SMU hit the portal hard to rebuild the two-deep, and how quickly that group comes together could ultimately determine SMU staying a Top 25 team.17.

South Carolina Gamecocks2024 Record: 9-4South Carolina is getting a lot of preseason love - and hype - after its 9-4 campaign a season ago.

South Carolina has a chance to once again contend for a playoff spot, something it fell short of last season, but I think it still has a lot to prove.

South Carolina still lost all but one of its big games last season, and it won that game in the final seconds.

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers is the embodiment of the South Carolina hype.

There's a lot of good there, but still a lot to prove if the results are going to match the hype.

He'll need to live up to the preseason expectations for South Carolina to earn a playoff spot.

South Carolina rebuilt its front seven through the portal, but that group joins sophomore Dylan Stewart, an elite talent that racked up 10.5 tackles for loss and 51 pressures (PFF) as a rookie.18.

Kansas State Wildcats2024 Record: 9-4The Wildcats are one of the more challenging evaluations for me.

There is a lot to like about this Kansas State team, but there are also more questions surrounding their projection than almost any team in my Top 25.

A big reason for my optimism about this team is that the offense should be dynamic.

There likely isn't a backfield duo in the country that is more explosive athletically than quarterback Avery Johnson and running back Dylan Edwards, and wide receiver Jayce Brown averaged over 17.0 yards per catch last season.

Portal pickups Jerand Bradley and Jaron Tibbs add size to the receiving corps.

If Kansas State can overcome the loss of talented edge Brendan Mott and the portal pickups in the secondary pan out the defense should be able to improve upon its inconsistent 2024 performance.19.

Nebraska Cornhuskers2024 Record: 7-6This is my biggest risk in the Top 25.

For all of its talent - and Nebraska absolutely has a Top 25 roster - the Cornhuskers still have to prove they can win.

A 5-1 start was negated by a 2-5 finish and the Cornhuskers lost five more one possession games.

But I'm banking on Matt Rhule doing some more year-three magic.

Temple went 8-16 in his first two seasons and Baylor went 8-17 in his first two seasons there.

The Owls went 10-4 in year three and Baylor went 11-3 and earned a spot in the Big 12 title game in year three.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola has a veteran offensive line that includes Notre Dame transfer Rocco Spindler, and the Husker coaches landed him two really good portal pickups in Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter.

If the defense can be more consistent the Huskers will get their first 10-win season since 2012.20.

Miami Hurricanes2024 Record: 10-3The quarterback position will continue to get much of the focus for the Hurricanes, but the reason I have them in my Top 25 is their lines.

Led by preseason All-American tackle Francis Mauigoa, the Miami offensive line should be very good.

They will open up a lot of holes for running backs Mark Fletcher Jr., Jordan Lyle and CharMar Brown.

The Miami defensive line also has a chance to be outstanding with Rueben Bain returning to health.

Miami had to completely revamp its secondary through the transfer portal and they landed a number of very talented players on the back end to go with a new coordinator.

How quickly that unit gels will say a lot about whether or not Miami can get more stops.

Carson Beck gets a lot of the attention, but the former Georgia quarterback has to protect the ball better and handle pressure more effectively.

The receiving corps didn't get the impact portal pickups it needed, which is a big concern.21.

Ole Miss Rebels2024 Record: 10-3Lane Kiffin had his first back-to-back 10-win seasons, but I would contend that last season's 10-3 campaign was a disappointment.

Ole Miss had an absolutely loaded roster on both sides of the ball but still managed to lose to 4-8 Kentucky, 8-5 Florida and lost in overtime to LSU.

Ole Miss was also ravaged by NFL Draft departures, forcing the Rebels to bring in a 28-man transfer portal class.

I'm not sold that Ole Miss will have the same talent it had a season ago, especially in the front seven.

Its receiving corps also isn't as talented, but last year's group struggled to stay healthy.

I do like De'Zhaun Stribling the most of all the portal pickups in the pass game.

Quarterback Austin Simmons gets a chance to become a big time SEC quarterback.

I loved what he did off the bench against Georgia and now he gets a chance to prove he can be a big time starter.22.

Boise State Broncos2024 Record: 12-2No, Boise State won't be as good in 2025 as it was last season when it had star Ashton Jeanty toting the rock.

But not being as good doesn't mean a Top 10 team becomes an unranked team.

Boise State still has plenty coming back next season, and it got some really good news last week when All-Mountain West defensive tackle Braxton Fely announced he was coming back.

Boise State returns three starters up front, and that unit should be able to open up plenty of room for talented redshirt freshman running back Sire Gaines and Fresno State transfer Malik Sherrod.

Boise State will need to develop some weapons for quarterback Maddux Madsen.

Boise State's defense started poorly last season but they finished well, and that needs to carry into the 2025 season.23.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets2024 Record: 7-6Georgia Tech is another team that has to prove it can win games after going 7-6 the last two seasons, but I really like what Brent Key has coming back and how well they battled last season.

Going 7-6 against the schedule they faced last season was an accomplishment and this year's schedule won't be quite as difficult.

If quarterback Haynes King can stay healthy he will pair with talented running back Jamal Haynes to form one of the best one-two backfield punches in the country.

Losing Eric Singleton stings but I really like the Malik Rutherford/Isiah Canion pair, and Eric Rivers was a 1,000-yard receiver out of the portal.

Georgia Tech will have to rebuild its defensive line and it lost some key blockers on offense, so they'll need their portal pickups to be a hit.24.

Iowa Hawkeyes2024 Record: 8-5Iowa lost some very important pieces from its 2024 team, but the Hawkeyes could still be improved.

The offensive line should still be good and running back Kamari Moulton rushed for 114 yards in a November win over Maryland and 96 yards (6.9 YPC) in the bowl loss to Missouri.

He's poised for a breakout season.

My biggest reason for optimism is the arrival of former South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski, who went 49-6 as a starter and won back-to-back national titles (2022-23).

He's not an elite physical talent but he's smart, he's a dual-threat playmaker and he's incredibly experienced with 10,330 career yards, 1,767 yards career rushing yards and 130 career touchdowns.

Iowa also returns three highly productive pass rushers up front.25.

Navy Midshipmen2024 Record: 10-3Whether or not Navy makes me look good for having them in my preseason Top 25 will be determined by the ability of quarterback Blake Horvath to stay healthy.

When he was healthy last season the Midshipmen offense was dynamic, which you saw in a 56-44 win over Memphis.

Navy averaged 44.8 points per game through its first six games before he started to battle injuries.

Navy averaged 17.2 points in its final five regular season games.

The break between the last game and the Army/Navy game gave him time to heal, and he went off in the 31-13 win over the Black Knights.

Horvath rushed for 155 yards in a 21-20 upset bowl win over Oklahoma.

Horvath is far from a one-man show thanks to the return of fullback Alex Tecza, slot back Eli Heidenreich and a defense that returns a lot of its top 2024 performers.Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions LoungeIrish Breakdown Content2025 Scholarship Chart2025 Football ScheduleNotre Dame 2026 Scholarship Offers2025 Commit Rankings - Offense2025 Commit Rankings - Defense2024 Recruiting Class2023 Recruiting Class2022 Recruiting ClassBecome a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.BECOME A MEMBERBe sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!Join the Irish Breakdown community!Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channelSubscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunesFollow me on Twitter: @CoachD178Like and follow Irish Breakdown on FacebookSign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter.

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