In a stunning turn of college football fortune, the Texas Longhorns have been named the No. 1 team in the country in the 2025 Preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll—a historic first for the program. It’s a moment decades in the making, as the Longhorns, long considered a sleeping giant in the national landscape, finally ascend to the top spot, fueled by an offseason full of hype, headline talent, and a fan base hungry for redemption.

For head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorn faithful, the preseason ranking is both validation and a massive target on their backs. Texas edged out Penn State in the closest preseason vote in more than two decades, narrowly claiming the top ranking with 25 first-place votes and a razor-thin points margin. The anticipation for this season is palpable, with Texas leaning into the spotlight behind breakout quarterback Arch Manning, the most watched college football prospect of this generation.

While preseason polls often ignite debate, this year’s rankings have struck a unique chord. Penn State follows Texas at No. 2, marking their highest preseason ranking since 1997. Meanwhile, defending national champion Ohio State begins the season at No. 3, despite returning much of their championship core and a coaching staff with a winning pedigree. Clemson and Georgia round out the top five, both programs having retooled and reloaded for another deep postseason run.

Perhaps the most fascinating subplot of this preseason poll is what it says about the evolving hierarchy of college football. With Texas leading the way, the Southeastern Conference cements its reputation as the sport’s dominant force. The SEC placed a record 10 teams in the Top 25, a feat that underscores its competitive depth and recruiting supremacy. Four of the top ten teams hail from the conference, setting the stage for what could be a brutal intra-league battle throughout the fall.

The Big Ten isn’t far behind. Alongside Penn State and Ohio State, perennial powerhouse Michigan checks in within the top 10, joined by surging programs like Illinois, who have seen a remarkable turnaround under their current leadership. This sets up a potential arms race between the SEC and Big Ten, with each league vying to prove itself as the true king of college football.

Amid the traditional powers, a few underdog stories have captured attention. SMU returns to the preseason Top 25 for the first time in four decades, checking in at No. 16. Their reemergence after years in the wilderness is one of the most compelling narratives heading into the season. Meanwhile, Boise State, the lone non-Power Four representative in the rankings, lands at No. 25, continuing its legacy as a perennial disruptor from outside the power structure.

On the flip side, notable omissions have sent shockwaves through fan bases. Programs like USC, Utah, and Iowa were all left out of the Top 25 entirely, marking a surprising fall from grace for teams that have become staples of the college football elite in recent years. The exclusion raises questions about recruiting trends, coaching turnover, and the increasing difficulty of maintaining relevance in an era defined by rapid change and transfer portal chaos.

Texas’s leap to No. 1 comes with immense pressure. The program hasn’t won a national championship since the Vince Young era in 2005, and expectations have often outpaced results in the years since. Now, with Arch Manning leading the offense and a defensive unit full of NFL-caliber talent, the Longhorns are no longer just contenders—they are the hunted. Their season opener against No. 3 Ohio State is already being billed as a potential game-of-the-year candidate, a rematch of last season’s epic College Football Playoff semifinal where the Buckeyes narrowly prevailed.

That matchup isn’t the only must-watch early in the season. Clemson faces off against LSU in a top-10 showdown that could shape the playoff picture from the outset. Miami, retooled with a new quarterback and high-profile transfers, hosts Notre Dame in a matchup of historic programs seeking a return to prominence. From the very first kickoff, the 2025 season promises intensity, unpredictability, and postseason implications at every turn.

Individual storylines are also adding fuel to the preseason fire. Arch Manning is the clear Heisman favorite entering the season, but he’s not alone in the spotlight. Notre Dame’s quarterback situation, with highly touted CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey battling for the starting role, has drawn national intrigue. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik is looking to take the next step and lead his team to the playoff after several seasons of promise. Miami’s Carson Beck, a high-profile transfer, adds yet another wrinkle to an already deep field of Heisman hopefuls.

Coaching is another layer to watch. Texas’s Steve Sarkisian has turned doubters into believers, but anything short of a playoff appearance will be viewed as a disappointment. Penn State’s James Franklin finds himself in a golden position—armed with veteran leadership and one of the most complete rosters in school history, he must now translate promise into results. At Ohio State, the defending champs will try to manage expectations without letting complacency set in, a common challenge for reigning titleholders.

The broader context of the sport also looms large. With conference realignment continuing to shape the future of college football, this season may be one of the last that resembles the structure fans have grown accustomed to. The expansion of the College Football Playoff looms in the near future, and the performance of this year’s top teams could influence seeding, selection criteria, and even how future schedules are designed.

More than anything, the 2025 Preseason AP Top 25 sets the tone for a season overflowing with anticipation. The razor-thin margins at the top, the unexpected returns of long-dormant programs, and the glaring absences of traditional powers suggest that nothing is guaranteed and everything is in play. It is a poll that reflects both the consistency of giants and the chaos that lies just beneath the surface.

As fans prepare for tailgates, rivalries, and thrilling finishes, one thing is abundantly clear—college football is back, and it might be better than ever. Texas stands atop the mountain, for now, but the chase is on. Whether the Longhorns can turn preseason glory into postseason triumph remains to be seen. But for a program that has waited two decades to be back in the national conversation, the moment is now. And the entire country will be watching.