B/R's College Football 2025 Top 25 Rankings After Week 1
A stacked Week 1 of college football action did not disappoint, and when the dust settled on the first full Saturday of the 2025 season, national championship hopefuls Alabama, Clemson and Texas had each suffered their first loss.
With another matchup of top 10 teams on Sunday night, Notre Dame joined the list of top-tier teams with a loss out of the gates.
Now it's time for Bleacher Report's first updated top 25 ranking of the new season, with the college football writing staff of David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard making up our voting panel.
Let the debate begin!
Nos. 25-21
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25. Texas Tech (1-0, Previous Rank: 25)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (67-7)
Next Week: vs. Kent State
The Red Raiders led 47-0 at halftime, with returning quarterback Behren Morton completing 16-of-18 pass attempts for 201 yards and four touchdowns in his two quarters of action. After a lengthy weather delay, Texas Tech cruised to victory in the second half, finishing with 608 total yards of offense.
24. Oklahoma (1-0, Previous Rank: 21)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Illinois State (35-3)
Next Week: vs. Michigan
After piling up 44 total touchdowns at Washington State a year ago, John Mateer was one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal, and he took a nice first step toward living up to lofty expectations in his Sooners debut. He completed 30-of-37 pass attempts for 392 yards and three touchdowns, chipping in 24 yards and another touchdown on the ground. The Sooners defense allowed just 34 passing yards and held Illinois State to 1-of-11 on third-down conversions.
23. Texas A&M (1-0, Previous Rank: 22)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. UTSA (42-24)
Next Week: vs. Utah State
The Aggies led by just four points early in the third quarter on Saturday night, but scored 21 unanswered points to pull away from a pesky UTSA team and avoid an early upset. After doing a lot of his damage on the ground last year with 543 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 11 games, Marcel Reed had a big day through the air, throwing for 289 yards and a career-high four touchdown passes.
22. Indiana (1-0, Previous Rank: 24)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Old Dominion (27-14)
Next Week: vs. Kennesaw State
The Hoosiers allowed a pair of long rushing touchdowns of 75 yards and 78 yards to Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph, but in between they scored 27 straight points and forced three turnovers to come away with a victory. The Indiana running game piled up 309 rushing yards on 57 carries and dominated time of possession by a 41:28 to 18:32 margin.
21. Alabama (0-1, Previous Rank: 6)
Week 1 Result: LOSS (7-14 at Florida State)
Next Week: Louisiana-Monroe
Alabama was a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday, and opened the game with a 16-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. However, that was followed by 24 straight points by Florida, and the Crimson Tide defense was not able to come up with the big stop it needed after pulling within 24-17 early in the fourth quarter. Alabama losing the rushing battle by a 230-74 yardage margin was the story of the game.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Ole Miss (1-0, Previous Rank: 22)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Georgia State (63-7)
Next Week: at Kentucky
The Rebels overcame two first quarter interceptions to run away with a 56-point victory over Georgia State, racking up 400 passing yards and 295 rushing yards along the way. Running back Kewan Lacey (16 carries, 108 yards, 3 TD) and wide receiver Harrison Wallce III (5 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD) led the way, while Austin Simmons finished with 341 yards and three touchdown passes.
19. Louisville (1-0, Previous Rank: 19)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Eastern Kentucky (51-17)
Next Week: vs. James Madison
The Cardinals overcame three turnovers and a staggering 12 penalties for 106 yards to still score a blowout victory, outgaining the Colonels by a 542-150 margin in total yardage. USC transfer Miller Moss threw for 223 yards with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown while only playing the first half, while Isaac Brown led the running game with 126 yards and two scores on only six carries.
18. Florida (1-0, Previous Rank: 18)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. LIU (55-0)
Next Week: vs. South Florida
The Gators tallied 451 total yards on offense and allowed a mere 86 yards and two total first downs on the defensive side against an overmatched FCS opponent in Long Island University. Quarterback DJ Lagway completed 15-of-18 pass attempts for 120 yards and three touchdowns while building a 38-0 halftime lead before turning things over to backup Tramell Jones Jr. coming out of the break.
17. Michigan (1-0, Previous Rank: 15)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. New Mexico (34-17)
Next Week: at Oklahoma
Justice Haynes rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns and the Michigan defense picked off New Mexico quarterback Jack Layne three times as the Wolverines cruised to victory. True freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood played a clean first college game, completing 21-of-31 pass attempts for 251 yards and a touchdown, but a much tougher test awaits on the road against Oklahoma next week.
16. Tennessee (1-0, Previous Rank: 17)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Syracuse (45-26)
Next Week: vs. East Tennessee State
The Volunteers built a 31-14 halftime lead and put things out of reach with a touchdown drive to open the second half en route to a lopsided win over a quality ACC opponent. Joey Aguilar finished with 247 yards and three touchdowns through the air, and the running game pounded out 246 yards and 6.2 yards per carry to seal the victory.
Nos. 15-11
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15. SMU (1-0, Previous Rank: 16)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. East Texas A&M (42-13)
Next Week: vs. Baylor
Expectations are high for the Mustangs with a lot of returning talent from last year's College Football Playoff team, and they started the season with a convincing win. That said, there are some things to iron after they allowed 351 total yards on defense, turned the ball over three times and committed eight penalties for 84 yards against an FCS opponent.
14. Iowa State (2-0, Previous Rank: 20)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. South Dakota (55-7)
Next Week: vs. Iowa
Third-year starter Rocco Becht was nearly perfect on Saturday piloting the Cyclones offense, completing 19-of-20 pass attempts for 278 yards and three touchdowns as the offense put points on the board in each of their first nine drives. The Cyclones converted 9-of-10 third-down attempts and racked up 529 yards of offense, avoiding a letdown after last week's gritty victory over Kansas State in Ireland.
13. Illinois (1-0, Previous Rank: 13)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Western Illinois (52-3)
Next Week: at Duke
Western Illinois was outscored by a combined 131-18 margin against Northern Illinois and Indiana a year ago, so take the Illini's blowout win with a grain of salt, but the offense was clicking under returning starter Luke Altmyer. The preseason All-Big Ten selection completed 17-of-21 pass attempts for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while the Illinois defense allowed just 163 total yards.
12. Notre Dame (0-1, Previous Rank: 11)
Week 1 Result: LOSS at Miami (27-24)
Next Week: Bye
A 17-point fourth quarter comeback came up short, and Notre Dame is 0-1 to start the new season. The Fighting Irish couldn't overcome two giveaways opposite a clean game from the Hurricanes, and star running back Jeremiyah Love was limited to 33 yards on 10 carries. They have a week off to regroup before a Week 3 matchup against Texas A&M.
11. Florida State (1-0, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Alabama (31-17)
Next Week: vs. East Texas A&M
The Seminoles were a tough team to fully buy in on after a disastrous 2-10 finish last season, but they made a statement on Saturday with a convincing win over a top-10 opponent in Alabama. Transfer quarterback Thomas Castellanos looked like a difference maker under center, tallying 152 passing yards, 78 rushing yards and a touchdown while providing a welcome swagger. Florida State did not score more than 21 points against an FBS opponent all of last season.
Nos. 10-6
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10. South Carolina (1-0, Previous Rank: 10)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Virginia Tech (24-11)
Next Week: vs. South Carolina State
The Gamecocks seized control of a low-scoring game with 14 fourth-quarter points, sealing the victory with a 65-yard touchdown pass from LaNorris Sellers to Nyck Harbor. With no shortage of Heisman buzz heading into the season, Sellers got off to a slow start, but still finished with 209 passing yards, 25 rushing yards and two touchdowns to lead the way in a quality season-opening win.
9. Miami (1-0, Previous Rank: 12)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Notre Dame (27-24)
Next Week: vs. Bethune-Cookman
It looked like the Hurricanes might pull away from Notre Dame when they built a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter. That quickly devolved into a 24-24 tie, but Carter Davis hit the game-winning, 47-yard field goal with 1:03 left on the clock to give Miami a huge Week 1 victory. Carson Beck completed 20-of-30 pass attempts for 205 yardas and two touchdowns in his Miami debut.
8. Arizona State (1-0, Previous Rank: 9)
Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Northern Arizona (38-19)
Next Week: at Mississippi State
The Sun Devils were one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season, winning 11 games and the Big 12 championship to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff after they were picked to finish last in the conference's preseason poll. Now they face legitimate expectations, and quarterback Sam Leavitt (257 passing yards, 73 rushing yards, 4 total TD) and returning 1,000-yard receiver Jordyn Tyson (12 catches, 141 yards, 2 TD) led the way on Saturday night.
7. Clemson (0-1, Previous Rank: 2)
Week 1 Result: LOSS vs. LSU (17-10)
Next Week: vs. Troy
It was a disappointing start to the season for one of the title favorites in Clemson and their Heisman Trophy candidate Cade Klubnik, who completed 19-of-38 pass attempts with 230 yards and an interception. The running game managed just 31 yards on 20 carries, and the offense closed out the game with an interception, a punt, a turnover on downs, a punt and a turnover on downs in their final five possessions.
6. Texas (0-1, Previous Rank: 1)
Week 1 Result: LOSS at Ohio State (7-14)
Next Week: vs. San Jose State
The Longhorns did not put points on the board until there was 3:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, turning it over once on an interception and four times on downs in a hard-fought, defensive game. On a positive note, they outgained Ohio State by a 336-203 margin in total yards, and Arch Manning (17-of-30, 170 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) started to look more comfortable under center in the second half. A season-opening loss is tough, but this still has the potential to be one of the nation's elite teams.
5. Oregon Ducks (1-0, Previous Rank: 7)
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Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Montana State (59-13)
Next Week: vs. Oklahoma State
The Oregon Ducks offense appears to be in good hands, with former 5-star recruit Dante Moore throwing for 213 yards and three touchdowns in his first start since his true freshman season at UCLA.
The Ducks defense also dominated the line of scrimmage, allowing only 45 rushing yards on 27 carries while tallying three sacks and seven tackles for loss.
A tougher test awaits next weekend against Oklahoma State, who won their opener 27-7 against Tennessee-Martin.
4. LSU Tigers (1-0, Previous Rank: 8)
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Week 1 Result: WIN at Clemson (17-10)
Next Week: vs. Louisiana Tech
The LSU Tigers snapped a five-game losing streak in season openers to finally start a new campaign on a high note, scoring a marquee victory over national title contender Clemson to vault into the top five in the B/R Top 25.
Garrett Nussmeier completed 28-of-38 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, avoiding the mistakes that plagued him last season when he often tried to do too much. Much of that stemmed from a need to outgun opponents, and an improved LSU defense was on full display against Clemson's high-powered offense.
After giving up 447 total yards in last year's season-opening loss to USC and 364.4 total yards per game (61st in FBS) on the year, limiting Clemson to 261 yards represented a significant step forward for the defense as a whole.
3. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0, Previous Rank: 5)
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Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Marshall (45-7)
Next Week: vs. Austin Peay
The Bulldogs took care of business against a Marshall team that won 10 games last season but is in a state of transition after head coach Charles Huff was not retained, limiting the Thundering Herd to just three third-down conversions and seven total first downs.
Quarterback Gunnar Stockton made an impact with his arm and his legs, throwing for 190 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 73 yards and two more scores on the ground as he got off to a strong start to his first season as starter.
Despite the lopsided final score and strong numbers from Stockton, the Bulldogs did punt six times and Stockton completed only 14-of-24 pass attempts, so there is still work to be done finding more efficiency on the offensive side of the ball.
2. Penn State Nittany Lions (1-0, Previous Rank: 3)
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Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Nevada (46-11)
Next Week: vs. FIU
It was dominance across the board from Penn State against an overmatched Nevada team, with the Nittany Lions scoring on each of their first seven drives, though they did have to settle for four field goals along the way.
Drew Allar completed 22-of-26 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown while building a 39-3 lead through three quarters before he spent the fourth quarter watching from the sidelines with the game well in hand.
The defense forced three turnovers and allowed just 78 rushing yards on 31 carries, and they had allowed just 153 total yards of offense before the Wolfpack put together a 50-yard touchdown drive with a successful two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0, Previous Rank: 4)
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Week 1 Result: WIN vs. Texas (14-7)
Next Week: vs. Grambling State
The Buckeyes welcomed preseason No. 1 Texas to Columbus on Saturday afternoon and sent them packing with a loss, grinding out a seven-point win to make a convincing early case to be the nation's new top dog.
Julian Sayin did a solid job managing the game in his first start at quarterback, completing 13-of-20 passes for 126 yards and connecting with Carnell Tate on a 40-yard touchdown strike in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference.
On the other side of the ball, new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia put together a stout gameplan, limiting the Longhorns offense to 5-of-14 on third down and 1-of-5 on fourth down while keeping Arch Manning uncomfortable in the pocket.
B/R Top 25 Ranking After Week 1
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B/R Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. Georgia
4. LSU
5. Oregon
6. Texas
7. Clemson
8. Arizona State
9. Notre Dame
10. South Carolina
11. Florida State
12. Miami
13. Illinois
14. Iowa State
15. SMU
16. Tennessee
17. Michigan
18. Florida
19. Louisville
20. Ole Miss
21. Alabama
22. Indiana
23. Texas A&M
24. Oklahoma
25. Texas Tech
Others receiving votes: Auburn, Utah, USF, Tulane, Georgia Tech
What's Next?
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The 2025 season started with three marquee matchups of preseason top-10 teams, but there is just one matchup of ranked opponents on deck next weekend as Michigan travels to Oklahoma.
The Wolverines pounded out 201 rushing yards and forced three turnovers on defense to help take some pressure off freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood in his debut, while Washington State transfer John Mateer showed out in his first game with the Sooners by piling up more than 400 total yards and four touchdowns.
Beyond that high-profile matchup, the in-state rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State carries plenty of weight this year, with the Cyclones eyeing a run at the Big 12 title and the Hawkeyes looking to secure a signature win before the start of Big Ten play.
Illinois (at Duke), Ole Miss (at Kentucky) and Arizona State (at Mississippi State) all have tough tests on the road against quality foes, while SMU (vs. Baylor) and Oregon (vs. Oklahoma State) also play host to talented opponents.
If you're looking for an upset special, keep an eye on South Florida on the road against Florida. The Gators will be heavily favored, but the Bulls just demolished Boise State in a 34-7 win behind a stellar game from dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown.
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