3 Takeaways From The First College Football Preseason AP Top 25 Poll

The first college football AP Top 25 poll has been released this preseason. View the poll and our three biggest takeaways below.

AP Preseason Top 25

First-place votes in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25:

•  Texas: 25
• Penn State: 23
• Ohio State: 11
• Clemson: 4
• Georgia: 1
• Oregon: 1

Texas Opens As The No. 1 Team In The Country

No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Penn State were separated by just FIVE total points 😳

That’s the closest margin between the top two teams in the AP preseason poll since 1998. pic.twitter.com/ikXqnc8yof

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 11, 2025

The Texas Longhorns open the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25. This is the first time in program history that the Longhorns are No. 1 in the preseason poll.

Texas edged out Penn State by five points in the closest preseason vote since 1998.

Texas was also No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Heisman hopeful Arch Manning takes over for Quinn Ewers at the starting quarterback position. We’re going to know a lot about Texas by Sept. 1 because the Longhorns play No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus on Aug. 30.

In the SEC, Texas faces potential roadblocks at No. 15 Florida on Oct. 4 and at No. 5 Georgia on Nov. 15. Notable Texas home games include No. 18 Oklahoma (Oct. 11) and No. 19 Texas A&M (Nov. 28).

Steve Sarkisian’s group lost in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff to Ohio State last season.

Penn State Ranked Higher Than Ohio State

2023 Michigan:
• Preseason AP #2
• 1st in Big Ten preseason poll
• Won National Championship ✅

2024 Ohio State:
• Preseason AP #2
• 1st in Big Ten preseason poll
• Won National Championship ✅

2025 Penn State:
• Preseason AP #2
• 1st in Big Ten preseason poll
•… pic.twitter.com/OXcfKrHsJP

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) August 11, 2025

Two of the top three spots belong to the Big Ten, with Penn State at No. 2 and Ohio State at No. 3.

Is this the year James Franklin finally wins the big game? The Nittany Lions enter the season as the second-ranked team in the country, mainly due to the return of quarterback Drew Allar, who could be a first-round NFL draft pick next year.

Penn State only faces two tough games this season: at home against No. 7 Oregon (Sept. 27) and on the road against No. 3 Ohio State (Nov. 1).

Speaking of the third-ranked Buckeyes, Ryan Day has a decision to make at quarterback. Will the defending national champions start Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz against Texas on Aug. 30?

Also, is this the year Ohio State beats No. 14 Michigan (Nov. 29) for the first time since 2019?

Three Top-10 Matchups In Week 1

Perhaps the best College Football Week 1 in the last 25 years.

#1 Texas at #3 Ohio State
#9 LSU at #4 Clemson
#6 Notre Dame at #10 Miami

Three top 10 matchups to kickoff the year. Banger.

— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) August 11, 2025

Week 1 of the college football season is headlined by three top-10 matchups.

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State is the big one at noon ET on Aug. 30.

Later that night, Garrett Nussmeier and the No. 9 LSU Tigers travel to the ACC to play No. 4 Clemson at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Finally, No. 6 Notre Dame renews their “Catholics vs. Convicts” rivalry with No. 10 Miami on Aug. 31.