With the start of the college football season less than a month away, the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll has just dropped, and the results have officially made history. For the first time ever, the Texas Longhorns will begin the season at No. 1 in the coaches poll, setting the stage for an unprecedented and highly anticipated clash to open the campaign against defending national champion, No. 2 Ohio State!
The Longhorns, now a projected frontrunner in a loaded SEC, received 28 of the 67 first-place votes in the poll. They'll have an immediate chance to prove the voters right when they face an Ohio State team that received 20 first-place votesand enters the season with sky-high expectations. This marks the first time a season has ever opened with a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup in the history of the coaches poll, guaranteeing a seismic Week 1 showdown in Columbus.
Rounding out the initial top five are No. 3 Penn State (with 14 first-place votes), No. 4 Georgia (with 3 first-place votes), and No. 5 Notre Dame. The poll’s top three teams having double-digit first-place votes is also a first since 2012, highlighting the deep field of contenders at the top.
Just outside the top five, Clemson received the final two No. 1 votes and will open the season at a promising No. 6. Rounding out the initial top 10 are Oregon (No. 7), Alabama (No. 8), LSU (No. 9), and Miami (Fla.) (No. 10). The No. 8 ranking for Alabama is particularly notable, marking the lowest preseason spot for the Crimson Tide since the second season of the Nick Saban era in 2008.
The poll also offers a glimpse into the power dynamics of the new conference landscape. The SEC placed a total of nine teams in the Top 25, while the Big Ten landed six, with No. 12 Illinois achieving its highest starting position since 1990. The Big 12 has five ranked teams, though none higher than defending champion Arizona State at No. 11. Meanwhile, the ACC only placed three teams in the top 25 (Clemson, Miami, and No. 16 SMU), and No. 25 Boise State is the lone Group of Five representative.
With historic rankings and a monumental Week 1 matchup already set, the 2025 college football season is ready to begin with a bang, and the US LBM Coaches Poll has provided the perfect roadmap for all the drama to come