Boise State not included in Brett McMurphy’s preseason top 25

Brett McMurphy of On3 released his preseason top 25 on Monday, and no Group of 5 teams made the cut. 

McMurphy filled out his entire top 25 with Power 4 teams and Notre Dame, which checked in at No. 7 on the list. Boise State plays at Notre Dame on Oct. 4 in a battle of two 2024 College Football Playoff participants. 

The Broncos and Tulane of the American Conference were among 15 teams receiving honorable mention from McMurphy. 

Boise State, the two-time defending Mountain West champion, is +176 to be the Group of 5 representative in the CFP, well above Tulane (+790), Liberty (+920) and Memphis (+920). 

The five highest-ranked conference champions in the final CFP rankings receive automatic bids to the 12-team playoff. 

With star tailback Ashton Jeanty leading the way, Boise State finished 12-2 overall last season following a loss to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos landed at No. 8 in the final AP top 25, the program’s highest final ranking since 2011. 

Boise State earned 35 of a possible 39 first-place votes in the 2025 preseason Mountain West media poll and placed 10 players on the preseason all-MWC team. It’s the 18th straight year the Broncos have been selected as the preseason favorite dating back to their time in the Western Athletic Conference. 

Boise State will open the 2025 season on Thursday, Aug. 28 at South Florida. The game will air live on ESPN with a 3:30 p.m. Mountain time kickoff. 

Here is McMurphy’s full preseason top 25:

1. Georgia (SEC)

2. Penn State (Big Ten)

3. Texas (SEC)

4. Clemson (ACC)

5. Alabama (SEC)

6. Ohio State (Big Ten)

7. Notre Dame (Independent)

8. Oregon (Big Ten)

9. Miami (ACC)

10. LSU (SEC)

11. Michigan (Big Ten)

12. Texas A&M (SEC)

13. Kansas State (Big 12)

14. SMU (ACC)

15. Florida (SEC)

16. Illinois (Big Ten)

17. Utah (Big 12)

18. Oklahoma (SEC)

19. Tennessee (SEC)

20. Arizona State (Big 12)

21. Ole Miss (SEC)

22. USC (Big Ten)

23. Texas Tech (Big 12)

24. Indiana (Big Ten)

25. Louisville (ACC)

Next 15 teams (in alphabetical order): Auburn, Baylor, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, TCU, Tulane, Washington and Wisconsin

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