Looking ahead to the top teams entering the 2025 season as spring practices wrap and the transfer portal closes

College football's calendar is slowing down ahead of the 2025 season, and there's no better time to update the preseason top-25 rankings. Anchored by Heisman hopefuls, transfer portal additions and top-end coaching staffs, most of these squads appear to have what it takes to generate buzz as contenders in a few months.

USC is setting the pace for the 2026 recruiting cycle with a class that ranks No. 1 and is anchored by a two five-star recruits, both of whom have come on board in recent days. The combination of Keenyi Pepe and Elbert Hill has added size and speed to the class,