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ESPN Releases Top 25 For Next Two College Football Seasons

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 9:40 AM ET

With the 2025 college football season almost here, ESPN has released its updated rankings with a twist.

ESPN has decided to rank college football teams for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Each program is judged by their quarterback situation, the likelihood of having a multiyear quarterback on their roster, their talent in the trenches, roster management, star power and coaching staff.

As of this June, ESPN values Texas over any other program in college football.

"Wouldn't rule it out. Arch Manning finally becomes QB1 for the Longhorns, and he could position himself as a top NFL draft selection in 2026. But Manning is in a unique situation because of his background and the money he has already earned in college. He doesn't need to rush off to begin his pro career and could benefit from a second season as the starter under coach Steve Sarkisian," ESPN's Adam Rittenberg wrote.

Texas isn't the only team receiving love from ESPN. Unsurprisingly, Ohio State and Georgia are inside the top five.

"[Ryan] Day is a new man after winning his first national title, which validates so much of his success," ESPN said in regards to Ohio State. "He oversees one of the top personnel operations in the sport, although there are some renewed questions about his coordinator spots, with Brian Hartline returning as the primary OC and longtime NFL coach Matt Patricia coming in to run the defense."

Here's the top 25 from ESPN:

Texas
Ohio State
Georgia
Oregon
Notre Dame
Penn State
Clemson
LSU
Tennessee
Alabama
Miami
Arizona State
Michigan
SMU
Florida
Ole Miss
Illinois
South Carolina
Iowa State
Indiana
Kansas State
Missouri
Iowa
Louisville
BYU

A few notable programs, including Oklahoma and USC, just missed the cut for the top 25. The biggest issue for Lincoln Riley's program is that he doesn't have a guaranteed starter for the next two seasons.

It'll be fascinating to see how these rankings from ESPN age once this season is over.

For now, Texas is on track to be the king of college football.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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