July is a time for discussion and debate as we consider what lies ahead in a 2025 college football season that will undoubtedly be filled with many exciting outcomes and culminate in the second – and likely final – iteration of 12 teams. College football Eliminations.
Is this the year that Steve Sarkisian and Texas finally get over the hump and reach the top of the mountain? With a new quarterback under center and a pair of new coordinators in place, can we Ohio State being the first program to repeat as national champions since Georgia did you do it in 2021 and 2022?
These are some of the key debates underway with kickoff now less than 50 days away. But as media pundits across the country begin to launch their preseason polls and reveal their national championship picks, it’s important to examine the path each team must take to qualify for this year’s CFP.
With that, we asked our college football writers the following question: Based on schedule, roster and playoff structure, which team is best positioned to compete in the CFP this year?
FOX Sports’ Laken Litman, RJ Young and Michael Cohen debate the topic below:
Michael Cohen: Clemson
Cade Klubnik #2 of the Clemson Tigers throws the ball during the first quarter against Louisville. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Given the strength and depth of both SECOND and the Big tentwo leagues whose members will host the AP Preseason Poll when it is released later this summer, the program selection exercise with the the clearest The path to the College Football Playoff is largely about identifying the most talented team beyond those limits, a school immune to the rigors of such a brutal schedule. The nation’s 11 toughest programs for 2025 will all be played by SEC schools, according to the measure of program strength compiled by ESPN, and 30 of the top 32 programs belong to SEC or Big Ten programs. The only outliers are Syracuse at No. 17 and State of Florida at No. 24, both playing in the ACC.
A little further down the list, at No. 40 overall, is the presumptive ACC favorite. Clemsona team that is both the defending conference champion and a trending national championship pick given the addition of highly touted defensive coordinator Tom Allen (formerly of Penn State) and the return of star quarterback. Club Cadewho totaled 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions while leading the Tigers to the College Football Playoff last fall. A case can be made that Klubnik, now a senior, is among the top returning starters in the country alongside Garrett Nussmeier of LSU And Drew Allar from Penn State. The season-opening showdown between Klubnik and Nussmeier on Aug. 30 at Clemson could go a long way toward shaping early-season Heisman Trophy discussions and mock NFL Draft debates.
But aside from the undoubtedly tricky opener, Clemson has an extremely manageable schedule the rest of the way. The Tigers avoid Miami, perennial winner of the offseason, who is chasing the first College Football Playoff appearance in school historyand will undoubtedly welcome their two toughest conference opponents at home in EMS on October 19 and Florida State on November 8. It’s entirely possible that the toughest tests of Clemson’s season will come in the closing games against LSU in late August and the rivalry game with South Carolina – another trending playoff pick behind emerging quarterback LaNorris Sellers – end of November. Anything less than another trip to the College Football Playoff would be a disappointment for head coach Dabo Swinney, considering how well the stars have aligned for his program in 2025.
RJ Young: Oregon
Dante Moore #5 of the Oregon Ducks warms up during the Oregon spring game at Autzen Stadium. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
Combine a cherished schedule with a program that has won 10 or more games in the Pac-12 and Big Ten over the last five full seasons, and you’ll likely get the same thing.
The toughest team the Ducks have on their schedule is Penn State, a team they know they can beat. The following week, the Ducks will host a Indiana team that must cross two time zones. Yes, they have a cross-country flight from Eugene to Piscataway, New Jersey, to play Rutgersbut you’re not going to face the Ducks here. Nobody will.
The Ducks should be a sure bet to finish 11-1 and squarely in the conversation to host a first-round playoff game.
Yes, Dante Moore must show he is good enough to drive the offense, and there will be new wideouts on the outside, with Evan Stewart suffering a season-ending injury this offseason and Tez Johnson leaves for the NFL. But they improved in secondary with the addition of Dillon Thienemanwho is the second best safety in the sport behind Caleb Downs. Over the past two years, Thieneman has 210 tackles and six interceptions. If he didn’t play Purdueyou would hear more people talking about it. It’s also a defense that knew how to put quarterbacks on the ground with 40 sacks last year. With Matayo Uiagalelei And Alexander Bear on the defensive line, they should get close to that number again.
There aren’t many programs that have been as good without winning a national title as Oregon since the creation of the PCP. Add in the fact that the Ducks have won as many Big Ten titles in the last decade as Penn State, and this is only their second year in the league.
Laken Litman: Penn State
Kaytron Allen #13 of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs the ball against Notre Dame in the Capital One Orange Bowl. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Nittany Lions are a popular preseason pick to win the national championship this year. James Franklin’s team is ranked No. 1 in several preseason polls and appears to have the roster and coaching staff to back it up.
After reaching the CFP semifinals last year, this team wants to go further in 2025. Quarterback Drew Allar and the running backs Kaytron Allen And Nicholas Singleton return, which will be huge for this offense, especially if Allar can take the next step in his development as a passer. He’s already projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and has some new weapons to help him in several notable wide receiver moves. Defensively, coordinator Jim Knowles joined the program from defending national champion Ohio State, which immediately gives Penn State more influence on that side of the ball. There’s a reason Knowles knows the Buckeyes inside and out and can preview the game when these Big Ten rivals play in Columbus on Nov. 1. Penn State is 1-9 against Ohio State over the last 10 years and a road win would define the season.
The Nittany Lions have a winnable regular season schedule, which makes their overall outlook positive. They’ll host Oregon on September 27, providing an early barometer of where this team really is, and then have a fairly stable October before the showdown in Columbus. They’ll host Indiana, which is coming off its best season in program history last year, but Penn State doesn’t have to play Michigan Or Illinois. Maybe the selection committee will dock Power supply ultimately for not having a strong non-conference schedule – Nevada, Florida International And Villanova are the top three opponents, – but Franklin should have a strong enough team that should realistically win the conference that it won’t matter in the long run.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She has previously written for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 on the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on @LakenLitman.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of “The Number One College Football Show” podcast. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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