It’s an interesting time in college football, and for once, I’m not talking about anything happening off the field. As the 2025 season begins, I can’t shake the feeling that I don’t know what’s going to happen. At least, not with the same misplaced confidence I usually have.
What’s happening off the field is shaping the product on it, particularly in the national title race. The College Football Playoff tends to dominate the conversation, but for all its flaws and ripple effects elsewhere, the reality is the 2025 chase feels wide open.
At least, as wide open as it realistically gets.
Parity has long been a pipe dream in college football, but there’s at least a version of it in today’s game. I’ve argued an expanded playoff shrinks the number of teams capable of winning the national title in a given season, but who those teams are seems to change year to year. In the past, if you gave me three picks before the season, odds were one would win it. This year, I’m not nearly as sure.
The portal and NIL have helped even out top-tier rosters, as has the loss of extended COVID eligibility — no more 25-year-old quarterbacks sticking around. Programs such as Ohio State will always hover near the top, but maybe the Buckeyes spend a season sitting sixth before climbing back into the top two.
Those shifts have reshaped my power ratings as well. The gap at the top isn’t nearly as wide as it used to be. Another change: I’ve never shared these ratings publicly. This season, I will.
Every week of the regular season, I’ll release my top 12 teams. Why 12? Because that’s how many make the CFP. If the bracket expands, so will my list.
These are power ratings, not a poll. If No. 1 loses a close game, there’s a good chance it stays No. 1. Think of it this way: if I rank you first, I’d favor you over No. 2 on a neutral field. Same for No. 2 over No. 3, and so on.
The order will evolve as we learn more about teams, though not with the knee-jerk swings you see in polls built solely on results. Injuries and other factors will matter too. There’s a long season ahead, but before most of the country has taken a snap, here’s where things stand.
All listed odds courtesy of Fanduel.
2025 Preseason Fornelli Power Ratings
