Texas Longhorns Started the 2025 College Football Season as the No. 1 Ranked Team

The Longhorns, who were eliminated by the eventual national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff Semifinals, are coming off a 13-3 (7-1 SEC) regular season, their first as a member of the Southeastern Conference. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, who started multiple games in the absence of Quinn Ewers, will take over as the team’s full-time starter in 2025.

Texas had never previously opened the season as the No. 1 overall team in the AP Top 25. The Penn State Nittany Lions, who were also eliminated in the College Football Playoff Semifinals, rank No. 2 in the preseason poll, followed by defending national champion Ohio State, the Clemson Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs.