| 1. Ohio State |
Buckeyes are the composite #1 across early lists. |
| 2. Texas |
Loaded with talent and returning key players. |
| 3. Georgia |
SEC powerhouse with strong returning core. |
| 4. Indiana |
Defending national champs — still ranked high despite losses. |
| 5. Oregon |
Consistently high finishes boost expectations. |
| 6. Notre Dame |
Strong returning offense & defense projected. |
| 7. Texas Tech |
Rising Big 12 contender in many lists. |
| 8. Texas A&M |
Good balance of talent and coaching. |
| 9. Miami |
Coming off CFP run, expected to stay in top tier. |
| 10. Oklahoma |
Projected rebound back to Top 10 range. |
| 11. BYU |
Strong returning core and offensive talent. |
| 12. LSU |
SEC team with upside. |
| 13. USC |
Loaded recruiting class + portal help. |
| 14. Michigan |
Often in mid-teens in early rankings. |
| 15. Ole Miss |
Returning playmakers and offense. |
| 16. Alabama |
Still nationally relevant despite recent struggles. |
| 17. SMU |
Popular sleeper in composite lists. |
| 18. Utah |
Showing up in some rankings just inside top 20. |
| 19. Louisville |
Rising ACC presence in early rankings. |
| 20. Penn State |
Returns core players, stays in top-25 conversation. |
| 21. Iowa |
Gradual climb back into Top 25 mix. |
| 22. Washington |
Scattered around mid-20s in early lists. |
| 23. Houston |
Strong program building into relevance. |
| 24. Missouri |
Appears on composite just inside cutoff. |
| 25. Tennessee |
Often rounding out the lower end of Top 25. |
