Few sports are as rankings-obsessed as college football. There are committees, television specials, and any number of fans dedicated to crafting the perfect list of NCAA football teams, only to do it all again the following week.
College football is also an ever-changing landscape. There are 134 FBS teams taking the field on a weekly basis, all of which builds up to the College Football Playoff. e.
Here are my top 50 college football rankings — plus some teams to keep an eye on as the weeks progress.
All NCAAF odds are current as of Thursday, August 28 and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
College Football Power Rankings Index
| Rank | School |
|---|---|
| 1 | Texas |
| 2 | Penn State |
| 3 | Ohio State |
| 4 | Clemson |
| 5 | Georgia |
| 6 | Notre Dame |
| 7 | Oregon |
| 8 | LSU |
| 9 | Alabama |
| 10 | Arizona State |
| 11 | Miami |
| 12 | Illinois |
| 13 | South Carolina |
| 14 | Michigan |
| 15 | Florida |
| 16 | SMU |
| 17 | Oklahoma |
| 18 | Kansas State |
| 19 | Texas A&M |
| 20 | Ole Miss |
| 21 | Texas Tech |
| 22 | Indiana |
| 23 | Iowa State |
| 24 | Tennessee |
| 25 | Boise State |
| 26 | Utah |
| 27 | Baylor |
| 28 | Missouri |
| 29 | Louisville |
| 30 | TCU |
| 31 | Auburn |
| 32 | Nebraska |
| 33 | Georgia Tech |
| 34 | Iowa |
| 35 | USC |
| 36 | Duke |
| 37 | BYU |
| 38 | Minnesota |
| 39 | Kansas |
| 40 | Washington |
| 41 | Florida State |
| 42 | Arkansas |
| 43 | Syracuse |
| 44 | Tulane |
| 45 | Vanderbilt |
| 46 | Virginia Tech |
| 47 | UCLA |
| 48 | Wisconsin |
| 49 | Colorado |
| 50 | Pittsburgh |
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College Football Teams to Watch
Texas (No. 1)
Texas is viewed as the top team in the nation coming into the 2025 college football season, and it’s hard to disagree. Led by 2025 Heisman Trophy odds favorite Arch Manning, the Longhorns are in a good spot to go deep this year. Don’t be surprised to see them live up to expectations with such a stud quarterback under center.
Penn State (No. 2)
Despite losing stud tight end Tyler Warren, Penn State looks like a legit contender in 2025 National Championship odds, led by an experienced roster with senior quarterback Drew Allar at the helm. The Nittany Lions are one of my favorite bets to win the Big 10 this season.
Ohio State (No. 3)
Ohio State is looking to repeat as National Champions, which is always a daunting task. With that said, this is still a strong roster with a generational wide receiver in Jeremiah Smith. That certainly makes life easier on quarterback Julian Sayin, who is a true sophomore. Don’t count out this balanced roster.
LSU (No. 8)
What makes LSU intriguing to me is senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who is a legit candidate to win the Heisman Trophy. It wouldn’t surprise me to rise up these ranks quickly, as they have a balanced roster highlighted by a strong transfer portal that bolstered their overall talent.
South Carolina (No. 13)
Here we have a team led by LaNorris Sellers, who is my pick to win the Heisman Trophy this year. This is a dual-threat quarterback who has the ability to carry a team and exceed expectations. South Carolina is one of my dark horses this year, just because of Sellers. I’d bet that they move up these ranks quickly.
How We Create NCAA Football Power Rankings
There will be some constants between power rankings, but ultimately, no two lists are the same. I like to focus primarily on the data, but you can’t avoid inserting opinion, either. It’s never just about wins and losses or how a team looks.
Not All Wins Are Created Equally
A victory in the MAC simply isn’t going as far as a win in the SEC, which is why metrics like strength of schedule are so important. That doesn’t mean we should always sleep on programs outside of the Power 5 conferences, but it’s why you’ll sometimes see a one- or two-loss team ranked ahead of an undefeated one.
Don’t Get Caught Up In The Hype
Anything can happen in college football. Upsets and improbable moments are a huge part of what makes the sport so beautiful. However, it’s important to stay as level-headed as possible when evaluating how much a team should rise — or fall — based on one or two results.
It’s rare to see drastic movement in the most reputable college football polls, and I stick to a similar set of principles. A big win or loss will certainly affect your standing, but it takes consistency to truly find out what a team is made of.
Power, Not Record
Let’s say a top-10 team sees its star quarterback suffer a season-ending injury. They may still go on to win the game, and thus, improve their standing in the polls, but you can’t deny that the team likely doesn’t have as high a ceiling as it did before.
Situations like these factor into my decisions. Rankings must be based on the bulk of a team’s work, but they should also be indicative of what’s to come.
