Through Aug. 22, Sports Illustrated will count down its preseason college football Top 25 with overviews of each team. Here are the full rankings so far.
No. 18 Michigan Wolverines
There’s nowhere to go but up for the Wolverines offense, so it’s not foolish to think Michigan can return to the playoff conversation while dealing with a more manageable schedule. Read more on the Wolverines.
No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers
Some natural regression from being a fringe SEC and CFP contender is probably to be expected for Tennessee this season, but the schedule and a salty defense still keep the Vols’ floor pretty high in 2025. Read more on the Vols.
No. 20 Missouri Tigers
After losing so much production from last season, it’s easy to see why Missouri might regress some on the field. But the floor is set pretty high given the schedule and, if the Tigers get better than expected on offense, they should once again be punching above their weight as a consistent Top 25 squad. Read more on the Tigers.
No. 21 Boise State Broncos
The schedule isn’t dramatically different from last season with a marquee trip to South Bend to face a likely CFP team in Notre Dame and a handful of question marks on offense. Still, until proven otherwise, this remains the team to beat in the Group of 5 and a dangerous matchup in the first round if all of its players live up to expectations with another season under their belts. Read more on the Broncos.
No. 22 USC Trojans
The Trojans implemented a lot of changes since moving to the Big Ten but still haven’t quite found their footing in the league amid disappointing results—especially on the road. The 2025 season offers the chance to prove some wrong about the direction the program is headed. If the group can turn those close losses from last season into wins in this one, that would get USC back into the national conversation. Read more on the Trojans.
No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats
A lot of the narrative about Kansas State will be set based on how well it plays in the Week Zero opener against a fellow Big 12 contender. The talent level is high enough in Manhattan, Kans., to keep the Wildcats in the thick of the conference race through the end of the season. Read more on the Wildcats.
No. 24 Louisville Cardinals
We all expect—heck, know—the offense will be good under Jeff Brohm & Co., but it will likely be the defense that determines Louisville’s ceiling in 2025 and whether some of those close losses turn into enough wins to be an ACC challenger to Clemson. Read more on the Cardinals.
25. Oklahoma Sooners
It would not be a surprise if Oklahoma became one of the most improved teams in the country simply as a result of having an offense that goes from atrocious to slightly above mediocre. The SEC slate is always difficult, but the overall talent level is better in what promises to be a 2025 season that will go a long way in determining whether Brent Venables’s massive buyout gets paid in December or not. Read more on the Sooners.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sports Illustrated’s College Football Preseason Top 25.