Texas leads in 2025 predictions

The Athletic staff weighs the 2025 national title, Heisman, and playoff bids with bold takes and new dynamics.

Texas Leads 2025 College Football Predictions

Texas is the preseason favorite to win the national title. The Longhorns captured 12 of 28 votes in The Athletic staff poll, leading by seven votes over the next closest team. The same Texas team sits atop the preseason coaches poll and AP poll, underscoring broad confidence in its talent and depth.

Jeremiah Smith leads the Heisman voting with 15 votes, while Garrett Nussmeier and Arch Manning each draw five and three votes respectively. Cade Klubnik also appears among the top choices. The staff shows a wide field for the Heisman, reflecting a year with high-profile games and multiple standout players. In the playoff landscape, Texas, Clemson, Ohio State, and Penn State are repeatedly cited as contenders, with the bracket projections showing a mix of veterans and rising teams across conferences.

The spread of picks suggests solid faith in Texas while keeping doors open for upsets and breakout seasons. The Heisman race appears unsettled, with a quarterback heavy field and the possibility that a dominant playmaker at another position could defy the trend. The data also shows how the NIL era and transfer portal dynamics are shaping expectations, from quarterback stability to line play and depth across rosters.

The playoff outlook highlights a broader, more diverse field than in years past, mirroring a landscape where no single conference dominates every path. The 12-team framework adds volatility, rewarding strong regular seasons but increasing the impact of early losses. Preseason bets are inherently provisional, serving as a conversation starter rather than a forecast etched in stone.

Highlights

The season will test assumptions about talent, depth, and opportunity in college football.