It's pretty rare that there's ever a serious race for No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Even if there's a debate, it's typically settled long before ballots are cast. Over the last 20 seasons, the difference in first-place votes between No. 1 and 2 has been within 10 ballots only twice.

The AP Top 25 college football preseason poll leads with the Texas Longhorns and Penn State ranking at No. 1 and No. 2. Read highlights and analysis ahead of the 2025 CFB season.

The AP Top 25 preseason poll was released at noon on Monday, sparking excitement among college football fans nationwide. With the release of the poll, 25 teams now have a number next to their name. Among those are several in the Big Ten conference, four of which Rutgers will face this season.