College Football Week 0, 2025: The Ultimate Season Kickoff Guide
- Young Horn
- Aug 19
- 6 min read
College Football 2025: The Ultimate Week 0 Preview
College football is officially back! With seismic shifts in conference alignments, new starting quarterbacks stepping into the limelight, and the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, 2025 promises to be a season unlike any other.
This blog offers a comprehensive preview: updated AP Top 25, player-level storylines, must-watch Week 0 matchups, betting angles, and historical context.
Preseason AP Top 25 — 2025 Edition
According to the latest preseason AP poll, released ahead of the season:
Texas (25 first-place votes)
Penn State
Ohio State
Clemson
Georgia
Notre Dame
Oregon
Alabama
LSU
Miami (FL)
Arizona State
Illinois
South Carolina
Michigan
Florida
SMU
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Texas A&M
Indiana
Ole Miss
Iowa State
Texas Tech
Tennessee
Boise State
Conference Breakdown:
SEC leads with 10 teams (Texas, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Tennessee)
Big Ten contributes six (Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana)
Updated Team & QB Storylines
Texas Longhorns (#1)
Opening the season ranked No. 1 in AP history, led by Arch Manning, who now assumes full starting duties after Quinn Ewers’ departure.
Early test: Week 1 at No. 3 Ohio State—a postseason rematch and a tone-setter for both programs.
Penn State (#2)
Stability at QB with Drew Allar, powerful running backs (Singleton, Allen), and a top-flight defense makes them playoff contenders.
Ohio State (#3)
Defending champs loaded with talent. QB uncertainty remains, though Ohio State’s arsenal is as deep as ever NCAA.
Clemson (#4)
Cade Klubnik returns with a strong receiving corps. ACC Heaviness makes them a team to watch.
Georgia (#5)
The perennial powerhouse reloads once more. QB projection: Gunner Stockton steps in for Carson Beck NCAA.
Notre Dame (#6), Oregon (#7), Alabama (#8), LSU (#9), Miami (FL) (#10) round out the top ten—all playoff threats depending on QB play and defense.
Player-Level Storylines
Arch Manning (Texas QB) – Texas’ first-ever preseason No. 1 QB carries legacy, expectations, and Heisman buzz.
Drew Allar (Penn State QB) – Returning leader, high-powered offense behind him.
Ohio State – While the QB role may be unsettled, WR Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs headline preseason All-American lists.
Cade Klubnik (Clemson QB) – First-team AP preseason All-American at QB, shouldering championship-caliber offense.
Gunner Stockton (Georgia QB) – Stepping into the fray for a top program with high expectations.
Other Notable Names: Key RB tandems (Penn State), elite defenders in the SEC and Big Ten, and breakout transfer QBs reshaping mid-major narratives.
Week 0 Matchups: What to Watch
Week 0 remains historically loaded with significance:
Betting Angles
Arch Manning Heisman buzz – A media darling and early favorite in the crowded race.
Texas at Ohio State – High stakes from the start.
Notre Dame / Clemson / LSU – Top contenders with paths to the playoff. Keep an eye on live betting trends as games unfold early.
Week 0 surprises – History suggests early games can upset expectations; underdog plays could pay.
Historical Context: Week 0 Spotlight
Week 0 has regularly served as a marquee slate:
Memorable moments like USC’s explosive debut under Lincoln Riley and Florida State’s dominant 2024 opener defined seasons Decider.
Ireland, Australia, and unique international venues add spectacle early and expand the sport’s global footprint.
Why This Season Is Must-Watch
Texas makes history as preseason No. 1 for the first time ever.
Power conference realignment and the 12-team playoff formula elevate every game.
Quarterback turnover and new faces make the season unpredictable and compelling.
Week 0 & Week 1 are packed with marquee matchups, giving fans and bettors tone-setting moments from the start.
Week 0: Individual Matchup Previews (TV/Times, keys, angles)
Iowa State vs. Kansas State — Dublin, Ireland (Sat, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN)
Why it matters: A ranked-on-ranked Big 12 tilt (both AP Top 25) on a standalone stage.
QB edge: Avery Johnson’s dual‑threat dynamism vs. Iowa State’s disciplined front.
Key matchup: K-State OL vs. ISU simulated pressures; explosives vs. bend‑don’t‑break.
Numbers to know: Market consensus around a field‑goal spread; total hovering high‑40s/low‑50s.
Angle: Special teams and field position loom large in a neutral‑site opener.
Fresno State at Kansas (Sat, early evening)
Why it matters: Debut of Kansas’ fully healthy attack against a well‑coached MWC power.
QB edge: Jalon Daniels’ experience vs. a reloaded Fresno back seven.
Key matchup: KU WRs on intermediate crossers vs. Fresno’s pattern‑match rules.
Angle: If Fresno sustains on the ground, they can shorten the game and cover.
Stanford at Hawai‘i (Sat, late night)
Why it matters: The island opener is a yearly barometer.
QB room: Hawai‘i’s Micah Alejado adds juice; Stanford leans on WR Elic Ayomanor’s NFL‑caliber win rate.
Key matchup: Stanford’s young OL vs. UH’s simulated pressure; explosive plays off RPO glance routes.
Angle: O/U profiles as the week’s volatility spot; late‑night variance favored.
Sam Houston at Western Kentucky (Sat, evening)
Why it matters: Early C‑USA pecking order.
QB edge: WKU’s Air Raid DNA vs. a stout Bearkats front.
Key matchup: Tempo—if WKU hits 80+ snaps, the game tilts their way.
Angle: Derivative plays (WKU team total overs) correlate with pace.
FCS Kickoff: UC Davis vs. Mercer — Montgomery, AL (Sat, prime time)
Why it matters: Two 2024 quarterfinalists collide under the lights.
QB edge: Miles Hastings’ experience vs. Mercer’s efficient play‑action.
Key matchup: Davis’ gap‑sound run fits vs. Mercer’s duo/counter tags.
Angle: First‑half unders historically live in showcase FCS openers.
Conference‑by‑Conference Outlooks (2025)
SEC
Top tier: Texas, Georgia, Alabama, LSU.
Contenders: Ole Miss, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas A&M.
Big questions: How fast can Arch Manning translate hype into week‑to‑week SEC answers? Who wins Georgia’s identity games without Beck? Can Alabama’s offense find explosive balance under new stewardship?
X‑factors: Defensive depth (edge/CB) and portal cohesion; red zone TD% will separate the West.
Big Ten
Top tier: Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon.
Contenders: Michigan, Illinois, Iowa‑State‑style grinders now in‑league.
Big questions: Oregon’s WR attrition vs. Dante Moore’s upside; OSU QB stability with elite skill groups; can Michigan manufacture explosives post‑McCarthy?
X‑factors: Travel + weather in November for the West Coast entrants.
ACC
Top tier: Clemson, Florida State, Miami.
Contenders: NC State/Louisville tier.
Big questions: Cade Klubnik’s jump from ‘steady’ to ‘special’; can FSU’s portal defense replicate 2024 havoc rates?
X‑factors: QB health—ACC depth is thinner behind starters than SEC/Big Ten.
Big 12
Top tier: Kansas State, Iowa State, Utah (physical identity translates), Kansas (if Daniels is 100%).
Big questions: Can K‑State hold up in the trenches vs. diverse tempos? How high is Kansas’ defensive ceiling?
X‑factors: Road spots at elevation/heat; turnover luck swung wildly here last season.
Heisman Watch / Betting Board (entering Week 0)
Favorites & values
Arch Manning (QB, Texas): Media gravity plus SEC stage; early road test sets narrative.
Drew Allar (QB, Penn State): Stat accumulation + playoff path.
Cade Klubnik (QB, Clemson): ACC favorite with All‑America buzz.
Jeremiah Smith (WR, Ohio State): Rare non‑QB path via generational production.
Dark horses: Dante Moore (Oregon), Jalon Daniels (Kansas), Carson Beck’s successor at Georgia if the offense hums.
Strategy notes
Early numbers move fast: Shop multiple books; steam often hits after marquee openers.
Correlate with team futures: Heisman winners typically
Absolutely—I've kept everything from the last version and added three big expansions: individual Week 0 match-up previews, conference-by-conference outlooks, and a Heisman betting section. I updated the canvas with those sections so you have a single, polished blog ready to publish.
Here are the key sourced details I used while expanding:
Week 0 slate & TV windows: Iowa State vs Kansas State in Dublin is set for Sat, Aug 23 at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN; additional Week 0 listings and FCS showcase windows pulled from ESPN and 506 Sports.
Week 0 betting context: Current market ranges and previews (e.g., K-State ~-3, total ~49.5; volatility notes for Stanford–Hawai‘i; Sam Houston–WKU angles).
Game-specific previews: Sam Houston @ WKU how-to-watch/storylines and FCS Kickoff (UC Davis vs Mercer) confirmations.
AP Top 25 context (kept from your prior update): Texas No. 1 for the first time; Penn State No. 2; Ohio State No. 3; Clemson No. 4; Georgia No. 5. I kept this intact and consistent with the AP reveal you asked me to use.
Heisman market framing: Arch Manning opening favorite and broader odds board ranges for other candidates. (Odds move; these are for context.)
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