With the 2025 college football season kicking off this week, ESPN attempted to rank the top-100 players in the country with a clear choice at No. 1.

Five of the six national champions from the 2018-23 seasons went undefeated, marking an era filled with dominant teams. Last year’s debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff featured a two-loss Ohio State team as national champion, which could signal that being a dominant champion is now more difficult.

It is true that most teams that landed in the preseason AP Top 25 have plenty of reason for optimism. They were good enough to get ranked after all and, in the 12-team era, that puts a program squarely in the race for the College Football Playoff.

Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, and Kathryn Tappen Return to Call Big Ten Saturday Night and Select Primetime Games, Beginning with No. 14 Michigan Hosting New Mexico on Aug. 30, on NBC and Peacock

Who our 28 college football staffers believe will win the national title (Texas?), the Heisman (not Arch?) and more, plus bold predictions.

Texas is gearing up for a run at the national championship, and the Longhorns' defense will be led by one of the best players in the country.

This year’s college football season hasn’t kicked off yet, but analysts have already started predicting who will claim the 2025 SEC Football Championship title

Oregon State football and head coach Trent Bray have announced that Texas and Duke transfer Maalik Murphy is the starter for Week One.