The Athletic's Stewart Mandel is a preseason Penn State believer, placing the Nittany Lions atop his too-early top 25 for 2025. "I'm skeptical they can actually pull it off," Mandel writes, "but on paper, James Franklin's team deserves that status given how many players are returning."

Ohio State comes in ahead of the best the SEC has to offer and Big Ten rival Penn State to lead the way in the USA TODAY Sports way-too-early Top 25 for the 2025 season. The No. 1 Buckeyes have to replace quarterback Will Howard but will be able to surround the new starter with an elite collection of skill talent headlined by star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

The Buckeyes are No. 1 after their national championship win, but which team is between them and runner-up Notre Dame?

Notre Dame outlasted Penn State in a 27-24 thriller to reach the program's first national championship game since 2012 in the Orange Bowl. Thanks to the 12-team College Football Playoff format, the Fighting Irish officially became the first team to win multiple bowl games in the same season.

The Ohio State-Notre Dame game Monday delivered ratings good enough to make it the second-most watched sporting event of the past year.

Notre Dame football is getting hit in the transfer portal a few days after losing to Ohio State in the National Championship game. Marcus Freeman’s team is finishing up an exceptional season in South Bend that included wins in the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl.