With 100 days until Week 0, we preview the 2025 college football season, highlighting top storylines, key games, and bold predictions for what promises to be an exciting year.

As the calendar moves toward the end of spring and summer beckons, the excitement for the upcoming college football season builds with each passing day. With just 100 days left until Week 0 kicks off, college football fans and analysts are already looking ahead, eager to see how the 2025 season will unfold. From top storylines to key matchups and bold predictions, this is your comprehensive preview of what to expect as the college football world gears up for another thrilling season.

The 2025 season promises to be one of the most unpredictable yet. The game is rapidly evolving, with NIL deals, the expanded College Football Playoff (CFP), and realignment continuing to change the landscape of college sports. With teams and players undergoing major changes, it’s an exciting time to look at what’s ahead.

Let’s dive into the top storylines, key games, and bold predictions for the 2025 season.

Top Storylines for the 2025 Season

1. The Expansion of the College Football Playoff
   In 2025, the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams, changing the dynamic of postseason college football forever. For years, debates have raged over whether the four-team playoff was enough to truly crown the best team in college football. With the new format, more teams will have the chance to compete for a national title. The biggest question now is how the selection committee will adjust to this new format. Will conferences like the Pac-12 or Big 12, which have struggled in the four-team era, now have a better shot at securing spots? With six automatic spots for the highest-ranked conference champions, this expanded playoff will allow for more upsets, more underdog stories, and more excitement.
2. NIL and Its Impact on Recruiting and Team Building
   Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals continue to change the way college football is played and recruited. In 2025, NIL will likely reach even greater heights, with more money flowing into programs and players. The amount of financial power programs can exert will affect the recruitment of top-tier players. Schools with deep-pocketed alumni and boosters will likely have an advantage, but there’s a potential for a more diverse group of teams to climb the ranks. This season may see the first true NIL-driven power shift, as schools like USC, Texas A&M, and Miami may start to see more immediate benefits from their aggressive NIL initiatives.
3. Coaching Changes and Their Impact
   Coaching changes have always been a major storyline in college football, and in 2025, there are several coaching changes that will be under the microscope. Programs that have made moves to strengthen their coaching staff in recent years—such as Florida State, Auburn, Michigan State, and Texas Tech—will be looking to build on those changes, while new hires at schools like Nebraska and Indiana could have major implications for their programs. The key question for these new coaches will be: can they create long-term success and bring their teams into the national conversation?
4. Player Development and the Transfer Portal
   The transfer portal has become a game-changer in college football, as it allows athletes to seek new opportunities without sitting out a year. This opens up avenues for coaches to rapidly rebuild teams and strengthens programs by adding experienced players. However, it also creates challenges, with the risk of disrupting team chemistry and creating imbalances in some conferences. Watch out for the impact of the portal in 2025, with teams like USC and Alabama expected to heavily leverage it to fill gaps on their rosters.
5. Conference Realignment Continues to Reshape College Football
   The realignment drama continues to ripple through the sport, as Oklahoma and Texas make their transition to the SEC in 2025, and other programs in the Big 12 and ACC scramble to find their place. Realignment isn’t just about expanding the footprint of conferences—it’s also about redefining the competitive balance of college football. As schools like Clemson, Florida State, and Miami position themselves for future moves, it will be interesting to see how realignment shapes the landscape for recruiting, TV deals, and postseason aspirations.

Key Games to Watch in the 2025 Season

1. Georgia vs. Alabama (SEC Championship)
   This annual matchup between two of the most powerful teams in college football is set to be a heavyweight battle once again in 2025. Both teams have reloaded with top-tier recruits, and the rivalry has only intensified in recent years. Georgia is coming off a dominant 2024 season where they made it to the playoff final while Alabama continues to be one of the sport’s elite programs under Nick Saban. This game will likely have huge implications for the SEC standings and potentially for the College Football Playoff as well.
2. Ohio State vs. Michigan (The Game)
   One of the most storied rivalries in all of sports, the Ohio State vs. Michigan game in 2025 is expected to be another epic showdown. Ohio State, under coach Ryan Day, has reloaded on offense, while Michigan continues to be a contender under Jim Harbaugh. This rivalry game could decide the Big Ten Championship and possibly one of the coveted spots in the new expanded playoff.
3. USC vs. Notre Dame
   The rivalry between USC and Notre Dame is one of the oldest and most exciting in college football, and 2025 will bring even more excitement as USC, with their high-powered offense, faces off against Notre Dame, a program looking to return to prominence. This matchup could have major ramifications not only for the Pac-12 but also for the College Football Playoff as USC looks to maintain its momentum after a strong season in 2024.
4. Clemson vs. Florida State (ACC Championship)
   With Clemson looking to bounce back after a slight dip and Florida State aiming to return to its former glory, this game could be a defining moment in the ACC and could have major playoff implications. Both teams have NFL-caliber talent on both sides of the ball, and their rivalry is bound to intensify as Florida State tries to knock off the king of the conference.
5. Oklahoma vs. Texas (Red River Rivalry in the SEC)
   2025 marks the first year that Oklahoma and Texas will play each other as SEC members, bringing new stakes to the historic Red River Rivalry. While both teams are still adjusting to life in the nation’s toughest conference, their rivalry remains fierce. This game will not only be a critical showdown for the SEC standings but also for the future of both teams as they build their programs in the SEC.

Bold Predictions for the 2025 Season

1. A New National Champion Emerges
   In 2025, Georgia, the defending national champion, will likely enter the season as the favorite to repeat, but a new team will rise to challenge the Bulldogs. USC, with Lincoln Riley at the helm and Caleb Williams leading the offense, will be in the hunt for its first national title in a while. The Trojans’ explosive offense will be tough to stop, and they’ll be well-positioned to compete for the championship. Expect them to make a deep run in the expanded playoff.
2. The SEC Will Dominate the Playoff
   Despite the expansion, the SEC will continue to dominate college football in 2025, sending at least four teams into the expanded 12-team playoff. With powerhouse programs like Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Texas A&M, the SEC will prove its dominance once again as the premier football conference in America. The new playoff format will give the SEC an even greater advantage in securing multiple spots and giving the league more opportunities to win national championships.
3. Texas A&M Will Be a Playoff Contender
   Texas A&M, under coach Jimbo Fisher, has been recruiting at a high level, and 2025 could be the year they finally put it all together. The Aggies will be a serious contender in the SEC, boasting a potent defense and an offense that is beginning to click. Their SEC West schedule won’t be easy, but they will be one of the top teams in the league by the time the playoff picture begins to take shape.
4. Quarterback Play Will Define the Season
   With so many talented quarterbacks across the country, including Caleb Williams (USC), Quinn Ewers (Texas), Bo Nix (Oregon), and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan), the quarterback position will be critical to success in 2025. Expect one of these quarterbacks to lead their team to the national title, while another may fall short due to inconsistencies or injuries. The importance of a top-tier signal-caller will be more evident than ever, especially in an expanded playoff format.
5. Upsets and Chaos Will Be More Common
   With the expanded playoff and more teams having a shot at the title, 2025 will see more upsets and surprises. The increased parity in college football—combined with the unpredictability of the transfer portal, NIL, and conference realignment—will lead to more chaos in the rankings. Don’t be surprised to see a Cinderella team make a deep playoff run and shake up the college football hierarchy.