College football season is almost upon us! With games officially being underway later this month, we are now beginning to see where the dominoes lie to start the season. On Monday, the preseason Coaches Poll was released in all its glory. While we typically end up using the AP Top 25 Poll as our guiding light up until the first College Football Playoff rankings come out, this is a good starting point.
One of the best things about college football is the debate aspect of it. Whose team is better? What conference is the best? It is often hard to tell because not all leagues, schedules and programs are built the same. Thankfully, we have an expanded playoff to sort this all out in the end. Of course, it is important about getting the right 12 teams into it, given the parameters set forth by the committee.
For those unaware, or need a reminder, here is the first US LBM Coaches Poll of the college season.
Preseason Coaches Poll for 2025 college football season
- Texas Longhorns: 1,606 points (28 first-place votes)
- Ohio State Buckeyes: 1,565 points (20 first-place votes)
- Penn State Nittany Lions: 1,525 points (14 first-place votes)
- Georgia Bulldogs: 1,466 points (3 first-place votes)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 1,360 points
- Clemson Tigers: 1,324 points (2 first-place votes)
- Oregon Ducks: 1,307 points
- Alabama Crimson Tide: 1,210 points
- LSU Tigers: 1,056 points
- Miami Hurricanes; 823 points
- Arizona State Sun Devils: 806 points
- Illinois Fighting Illini: 734 points
- South Carolina Gamecocks: 665 points
- Michigan Wolverines: 580 points
- Ole Miss Rebels: 573 points
- SMU Mustangs: 555 points
- Florida Gators: 498 points
- Tennessee Volunteers: 492 points
- Indiana Hoosiers: 460 points
- Kansas State Wildcats: 438 points
- Texas A&M Aggies: 392 points
- Iowa Sate Cyclones: 392 points
- BYU Cougars: 287 points
- Texas Tech Red Raiders: 261 points
- Boise State Broncos: 246 points
To add more context, here is a list of every college football team that received at least one point.
- Oklahoma Sooners: 221 points
- Missouri Tigers: 142 points
- Louisville Cardinals: 126 points
- USC Trojans: 116 points
- Utah Utes: 86 points
- Baylor Bears: 76 points
- Auburn Tigers: 50 points
- Iowa Hawkeyes: 49 points
- Memphis Tigers: 34 points
- Army Black Knights: 33 points
- Tulane Green Wave: 31 points
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: 27 points
- TCU Horned Frogs: 24 points
- Nebraska Cornhuskers: 19 points
- Syracuse Orange: 16 points
- Washington Huskies: 15 points
- Navy Midshipmen: 14 points
- Arkansas Razorbacks: 14 points
- Duke Blue Devils: 12 points
- Colorado Buffaloes: 12 points
- Minnesota Golden Gophers: 11 points
- UNLV Rebels: 8 points
- Florida State Seminoles: 8 points
- Kansas Jayhawks: 6 points
- Vanderbilt Commodores: 3 points
- Buffalo Bulls: 1 point
This last grouping of teams is what I really want to look long and hard at today. Whether it be the Oklahoma Sooners getting 221 points or the Buffalo Bulls getting just one, expect for some of these teams to potentially crash the top 25 after only one week. Teams inside the top 25 currently will lose; they always do. It is also important to recognize that college football is, in fact, a television product...
If I had to guess, these are the five teams currently ranked outside of the top 25 who will be in it soon.
5. Missouri Tigers
I have the Missouri Tigers cracking this list for primarily two reasons. Yes, a third could be that Eliah Drinkwitz's team plays in the SEC, but that is not really the point of this exercise. To me, it is about the fact Missouri had the second-most votes of any team to not crack the preseason top 25 in the Coaches Poll with 142 points. Only rival Oklahoma had more at 221... Mizzou is close, but there is this.
While I fully expect they will breeze past Central Arkansas at home in Week 1, look who is finally coming back to town in Week 2... That would be the arch rival Kansas Jayhawks. The Border War will be back in our lives once again. Although KU did receive some votes, the Jayhawks' six pales in comparison to the 142 garnered by Mizzou. Frankly, I would not be shocked if Kansas won in Week 2.
Regardless, having at least one of the teams taking part in the Border War is an easier marketing sell.
4. Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes may be a good bit down on the others receiving votes list at only 49 points, but we all need to accept these two things about Kirk Ferentz's team before this season begins. The first is they actually might have a great quarterback this season. Mark Gronowski is coming over from FCS South Dakota State ready to make some noise. We also have to look at who Iowa is playing in Week 2.
Should Iowa beat the brakes off the Albany Great Danes in Week 1, it may serve FOX to have both teams playing for the CyHawk Trophy being ranked. Iowa State is a serious contender to win the Big 12 this season after finishing as runner-up. With the Cyclones cracking the initial top 25 at No. 22, having a pair of in-state rivals duking it out as two of the top 25 teams in the land is a smart move.
It may be too steep of a climb, but Iowa will be ranked if the Hawkeyes do beat the Cyclones in Ames.
3. Baylor Bears
When my FanSided.com colleague and False Start co-host Cody Williams and I get to our Big 12 preview episode on the show, you all will start to realize how high I am on the Baylor Bears to start the season. While I am dubious about their chances of making the playoff, I think they stand a really great shot of knocking off visiting Auburn at home in Week 1 on a Friday night. Will that be enough, though?
Frankly, it may be short-lived, as I have a hard time seeing the Bears going on the road and beating SMU in the non-conference. Assuming that their only other obvious loss on the season is home vs. Arizona State, this team might go 9-3, maybe even 10-2 if the Bears are so lucky? They may have only received 76 points in the preseason Coaches Poll, but they have early opportunities for glory, alright.
By the end of the season, there may not be a hotter team in the Big 12 than Dave Aranda's program.
2. Utah Utes
I have a bad feeling the Utah Utes are going to get me in so much trouble again... I had them going undefeated and winning the Big 12 last year en route to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. They did not even make it to a bowl game... Where I feel different about the Utes is Kyle Whittingham is running out of time to get it done before retirement, also their new star quarterback...
If Devon Dampier is as good as advertised coming over from New Mexico, then I will be a big believer in all things Utah. The Utes may have only received 86 votes to start the season from the Coaches Poll, but I believe a dominant road win over former Pac-12 South foe UCLA will be huge for them. It could be Dampier's coming out party, as many football fans will be watching out for Nico Iamaleava.
If Utah wins this game, they should be easily ranked and 3-0 by the time conference play does arrive.
1. Oklahoma Sooners
This is so painfully obvious... It has to be the Oklahoma Sooners. They are the first team out of the top 25 in the preseason Coaches Poll. They had been a staple in it for the last quarter century. While coaches have their reasons to doubt Brent Venables and his program, I have a feeling that their offense could really take off this fall. John Mateer and Jaydn Ott should flourish under Ben Arbuckle.
With 221 points, the Sooners are only 25 off the pace of No. 25 Boise State. Yes, Boise State should be much higher, but that is not the point. The point is OU is going to destroy Illinois State in Week 1, just in time for Sherrone Moore to come back to his alma mater to potentially take a whooping from Venables' team. Moore will be suspended in Weeks 3 and 4 following Michigan's game vs. Oklahoma.
Oklahoma is a team Cody Williams and I like a lot, but the Sooners have such a brutal schedule, man...