The 2025 season is just around the corner

It might still be grilling season, but talkin’ season is about to heat up! We’re less than fifty days to the 2025 college football season and there is a huge list of things we need to discuss before the season kicks off. Whether it’s new coaches, incoming freshman, or weekly matchups, it’s too hot to not discuss. Let’s dive in and check out what’s in store for this new season of college football:

1. Can the reigning National Champions repeat? Despite losing to their archrival Michigan at home and despite losing to Oregon on the road, the Ohio State buckeyes prevailed to win the National Championship last season. To repeat, which only twelve teams have done since 1936, they will have to replace some major pieces on both sides of the ball. Junior signal caller Lincoln Kienholz and five-star freshman Julian Sayin will be competing for the starting QB position this fall. Also, All-American wide receiver Jermiah Smith and incoming freshman Chris Henry Jr., son of late Cincinnati Bengal Chris Henry, who most likely will be lining up next to Smith, look to keep the offense rolling for the Bucs. Both lines seem to be a question for this team. However, coach Ryan Day is a great recruiter and developer of talent, and he will keep this well oil machine running this Fall. Ohio State opens the season with Texas coming to the Horseshoe on August 30th.
2. Can Coach Sark and his Longhorns finally get a national championship? The hype is real in Austin-Arch Manning is now the starter for the Texas Longhorns. By now the world has seen Arch play behind center and have seen the potential he has, the question is, can he project his team to a new level? Though it was only two games, Arch threw for 939 yards and 9 touchdowns with a QBR of 87.5 as a starter. If you want a comparison, just look at Trevor Lawerence. The only difference I see is Arch can run, and he can run fast. If you look at past national champions, you will see the majority of these teams had someone special behind center, and Arch is special. In 2025, the Longhorns have a brutal schedule- they open at Ohio State, play Georgia in Athens, have their annual showdown with Oklahoma, and end the year with their archrival Texas a&m. If this team wants the grand prize, they need to unleash Arch.
3. Does Lincoln Riley survive this season? The irony of Lincoln Riley heading to Los Angeles a few years ago to escape the SEC has the college football wondering if he can actually win in the B1G? His record at USC is not awful- 25 wins and 14 loses with 11-3 in 22, 8-5 in 23, and 7-6 in 24(first year in B1G), just worse after each year. And this season doesn’t look to be any easier- Oregon, Michigan, and Notre Dame on the road, and you might want to add Matt Rhule’s Nebraska cornhuskers to this mix as well. If Riley can find a way to win these games, his seat becomes significantly cooler, and the Trojans can gain some momentum for the future.
4. Is Gunner Stockton ready to lead the Georgia Bulldogs? Expectations are always high in Athens and this season will not be an exception. The Bulldogs finished 11-3 last season, ending it with a loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. With Carson Beck transferring to Corral Gables, the starting QB position will go to Gunnar Stockton, who played admirably when called on last season. The Sophomore is a physical Quarterback who can throw on the run if the pressure comes. He just needs to make better decisions with the football, and that will come with experience. With their two biggest games in Athens (Alabama and Texas), the schedule sets up nicely for Kirby Smart and his bulldogs for another SEC run.
5. Will Marcus Freeman’s Fighting Irish finish what they started? Notre Dame was a very sneaky team in 24. After their loss to Nothern Illinois, most people had written the Irish off, but that loss was the best thing to happen to that squad- the Irish went on a thirteen-game winning streak which took them to the National Championship game! The Irish have an early first test against Miami, then they host the Texas a&m aggies, Boise State, and USC at home. If the Irish can survive a few road tests, they could be sitting pretty again in the playoff.
6. Can Mario Cristobal and his Hurricanes get out of their own way? The Hurricanes always pass the eye test in the preseason, but somehow the hype is too much for the Hurricanes, at least as of late. However, the tide could soon be turning for the Canes with the addition of UGA QB transfer, Carson Beck. Add a top 15 recruiting class, the Hurricanes are looking to get back to their winning ways in ’25.
7. Has Dabo Swinney finally accepted this new college football landscape? Dabo Swinney is one of the longest tenured coaches in College Football, and he is also one the most respected in the sport. But with all those accolades and admiration, his Tigers have not been playing the caliber football they’re known for. The changing landscape of college football has not caught Coach Swinney off guard, but his approach to this new era has costs the Tigers on serious talent. In 2025, Clemson plays a one of their tougher schedules in recent memory- LSU at home, South Carolina away, and Georgia Tech and Louisville on the road as well. Coach Swinney is hoping his senior Quarterback, Cade Kublink and some exciting freshman give his Tigers the jolt they need to win another ACC championship and maybe something a little sweeter.
8. Can Josh Heupel get the Vols to an SEC championship? Josh Heupel came to Knoxville at a time when the program had been a hot mess since for almost fifteen years. For a storied program like the University of Tennessee, that would seem to be unbelievable, but the reality is that until Heupel arrived, the Vols went through four coaches and during that span, they were either really bad or very mediocre. Thankfully for the Vols, they now have a coach who knows x’s and o’s, and who can recruit with the best of them. That’s a winning formula for most successful teams; they just need to get out of their own way. Georgia comes to Knoxville on September 13, and mark my words, the Vols have that game circled. If they can upset the dogs, their crown for the east is for theirs to the taking.
9. What’s next for Dan Lanning and Oregon? Head Coach Dan Lanning is not one for moral victories, he is strictly business and doesn’t take losing well. His frustrations are valid- Going undefeated the entire season just to lose in the first round in the playoff to Ohio St was a gut punch, and not because it was in the Rose Bowl, but because it was a team they had already played and defeated. However, a new season brings renewed hope, and with a roster that comes back and a great recruiting class, this team is showing no signs of slowing down.
10. Has James Franklin peaked in Happy Valley? Penn State is one of those teams that play great the majority of the season but always find a way to lose a game they shouldn’t have. They were one game away from making it to the National Championship, losing 27-24 to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, a game they could have won. Coach Franklin has a favorable schedule this year, but if they fall short again, how long do the fans in happy valley accept these shortcomings?

Week Zero beings on August 23 with Iowa State taking on Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland at Noon.