Joel Klatt reveals early 2025 college football top 25 power rankings

Spring ball is in the books for all college football teams and while the transfer portal and other facts will certainly change the complexion of the fall season, we have a better idea of who and what teams are at the moment.

And with that, Joel Klatt is weighing in.

The Fox Sports premier college football color commentator did his whole Monday show on his post-spring top 25 programs across the sport and was more bullish on some unpopular teams, but also more bearish on some that many think could be better this year.

With that in mind, here is Klatt's top 25 as well as his thoughts on why he ranked them where he did, and our brief thoughts on each, as well.

25. Oklahoma Sooners

Michigan's Week 2 opponent leads off Klatt's list as the No. 25 team in the country. The Sooners hope to be resurgent with John Mateer transferring from Washington State and Brent Venables taking over the defense.

Klatt's take

"Now, a lot of people up until this point have overlooked Oklahoma in this process, but I'm not going to do that. I think Oklahoma is going to be a really good football team. They're coming off obviously that disappointing 6-7 season after they won 10 games in 2023. The offense last year was a disaster. So they got better. They brought in one of the really good offensive coordinators in the country."

24. Baylor Bears

The Big 12 is somewhat wide open without any flagship powerhouse teams, and Baylor isn't that far removed from being a premier team in the conference, even when Oklahoma and Texas were in it.

Klatt's take

"Again, another one of these teams that I think a lot of people are overlooking, but if you look at the way that they finished last year, you can get somewhat of a glimpse of what they could be next year. They won what? Xix straight at the end of last season. I'm a big fan of Dave Aranda. He's doing what Brent Venables is doing, which is going back to his roots. And he's going to be calling the defense, which is what he did last year, which helped them improve. They've got Sawyer Robertson coming back at quarterback."

23. Iowa Hawkeyes

Michigan avoids playing Iowa yet again this year and hasn't played it in the regular season since 2022 in Iowa City. There's little question that the defense will be good, so the question continues to center around an offensive attack that has been less than stellar more often than not.

Klatt's take

"Iowa has earned the benefit of the doubt first and foremost. And, secondly, there are some metrics that I think can lead you to believe that this will continue to improve. 

"First and foremost, you look, you look down, they were 8-5. Is that great last year? Maybe 8-5 is not great, but three of those losses were by three points or less. So they're right there. A lot of times, close losses can turn into close wins the next year, in particular, if you're improving, if you're on an upward trajectory. I believe that they are -- Tim Lester came in as the offensive coordinator. And that's always been the question with Iowa is offense."

22. Auburn Tigers

Auburn has been trying to work its way back from mediocrity for a few years now and it's now Hugh Freeze's third year at the helm. There is some rebuilding with Payton Thorne moving on, but the personnel should be better as the Tigers have recruited very well.

Klatt's take

"Jackson Arnold transfers in from Oklahoma, the former five-star player, and he'll be the quarterback at Auburn. They've got Cam Coleman at wide receiver, who I think is a really good player. And then they've got a couple of guys in the portal and one more in particular -- and this was quiet, I think for the most part. Maybe not down South among Auburn fans, but the No. 1 wide receiver in the portal shows Auburn -- Eric Singleton from Georgia Tech. I think he could have a big year for the Tigers. So we'll see what they're able to do."

21. Indiana Hoosiers

After losing to Indiana for just the second time in nearly 40 years, Michigan avoids the Hoosiers in Curt Cignetti's second year. Though Klatt doesn't expect Indiana to be as good as it was last year, he does still have IU as one of the best teams in the country -- even with the personnel turnover.

Klatt's take

"They have a tough three-game stretch, which will tell us a lot about them when they go to Illinois, Iowa, Oregon -- that's right in the middle of their schedule. And we'll see from there. But again, I would not bet on the Hoosiers just falling away."

20. Ole Miss Rebels

An SEC team that had a really good year last year, there are some questions about the quarterback with Jaxson Dart moving on. Still, Klatt sees a really good team on the horizon.

Klatt's take

"They're going to turn to Austin Simmons, who backed up Dart last year. Lane's always active in the portal. They're always going to be talented. They brought in reinforcements. I'm sitting there and I'm listing teams and I'm looking at teams and coaches and thinking about the guys that I trust, the systems that I trust. It's easy to leave Ole Miss up there, even out at times, but I'm not going to do that. I just, I trust -- I know this sounds crazy after the Twitter stuff, but like, I trust Lane Kiffin a lot on the field. He's going to have a very good football team."

19. Texas A&M Aggies

Mike Elko has recruited really well, but then again, so has Jimbo Fisher. The Aggies are usually good for at least one big, surprising win, but outside of that, it hasn't fared too well. Still, Klatt is optimistic about the team's trajectory.

Klatt's take

"Some don't have them ranked. I have them ranked. Mike Elko is getting this program back on track. I really like Mike Elko a lot. I like his approach. I think that he fits there, which is important because that's a unique culture. It's a unique fan base. It's a unique culture. And there's something really special about that. I was fortunate enough to be an opponent at Kyle Field."

18. Miami Hurricanes

This site was really high on the Hurricanes entering last year with Cam Ward at the helm. Though he played up to expectations and went No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, Miami dropped some games it really shouldn't have. Now, it has brought in Carson Beck from Georgia and hopes to do better in a not-so-stacked ACC.

Klatt's take

"The offense should be pretty good as far as offensive line goes, running back goes. I think wide receiver is a concern for me. For them, they lose Xavier Estrepo. Restrepo has been Mr. Reliable for them for four years. They also lose their tight end, who I thought started to play really well late in the season, Elijah Arroyo. The pass catchers aren't as good as they were last year, and (Carson) Beck hasn't been throwing any passes to them in the spring. So I can like a lot of what Mario Cristobal has done. But again, it's like cautious optimism. I'm not going to go overboard with Miami."

17. Iowa State Cyclones

The Cyclones have been quietly good for some time now under Matt Campbell -- who was a popular pick among maize and blue fans to replace Jim Harbaugh after the struggles in the 2020 season. He's produced talent and identified underrated recruits well. Klatt thinks they're in a good spot entering 2025.

Klatt's take

"I like Matt Campbell a lot. He's building off of that 11-win season -- first in front and in program history. John Heacock is back for his 10th season as the defensive coordinator in Ames. They should be good, but they relied so heavily on Higgins and Noel, those two wide receivers that like for me, I just couldn't get them over the hump as a team."

16. Kansas State Wildcats

Another Big 12 team that has quietly flown under the radar, all while being one of the more dominant teams in the country. No one really thinks much about KSU outside of the Big 12, but its to their own peril.

Klatt's take

"Avery Johnson had a bit of an up-and-down year as a starter at quarterback for Kansas State. Remember them picking Avery Johnson is largely why Will Howard had to transfer, and he ended up going to Ohio State and winning a national championship. So here comes Avery Johnson, more reps, more experience under his belt. That should help him. They've got to replace DJ Giddens set at running back, but they still have Dylan Edwards."

15. Arizona State Sun Devils

ASU came on in a big way last season, even making the College Football Playoff for the first time. Though star running back Cam Skattebo is off to the NFL, Klatt still thinks highly of the Sun Devils, thanks to the quarterback situation with Sam Leavitt.

Klatt's take

"Even without Skattebo, 16 starters back -- their quarterback, Sam Leavitt, he's back. Jordan Tyson, the wide receiver, he's back. And the passing game, nd you're like, oh, OK, well, this is going to be a really good team. Leavitt had a great year last year, and a redshirt freshman, Tyson, was an all-American last year. He got hurt late, that hurt them in the playoff and is largely why they had to rely on and lean on Skattebo so much in particular, in the playoffs."

14. BYU Cougars

Another quietly great Big 12 team, BYU is one of those teams that few want to play, even when it was independent. Klatt believes that the Cougars might be the Big 12 team to beat this year. BYU also got a transfer from Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Gentry this offseason.

Klatt's take

"BYU is going to go in at least now in May as a team that I think is going to be the best Big 12 team. Jake Retzlaff is really, really good. He's a gamer. I love his game. I think a lot of people are going to put Arizona State in this spot, maybe even Iowa State in this spot, but man, Retzlaff, watch out for them and watch out for their backs. LJ Morton, Chase Roberts, the wide receiver on offense. They will be good on offense. The defense should be one of the best in the Big 12 again, led by Isaiah Glasker, the linebacker, Jack Kelly, great player. BYU is playing a physical brand of football at the line of scrimmage."

13. Florida Gators

After years of undercutting expectations, Florida appears to be back on the rise. As Klatt notes, a big reason why is due to who is under center, mixed with what we saw when he was under center.

Klatt's take

"Florida is at 13 for me. And this is a huge belief in DJ Lagway. He's one of the most exciting players in the country. And you look back at what they were able to do and establish with him last year, 6-1 as a starter. And the only losses when he went down with an injury in that game against Georgia. Billy Napier, he blocked out all the noise last year. It was noisy around the Napier situation, his job status. And he blocked it out. And, that team, they got better. And then they got a little bit better and then they got even more better. And then Lagway took them to another level. And the defense played really well down the stretch. They hold those last four opponents to 17 points or fewer in every game. I'm just saying like, I get it.

"The schedule is still tough. The schedule is brutal. Like, Oh, Oh, you Florida's again, got another one of these terrible schedules, but man, Florida is a good team."

12. Michigan Wolverines

Klatt has Michigan rated higher than both USA TODAY Sports and On3, though both of those institutions note that if the offense takes off under Bryce Underwood, then that could upend the college football landscape completely. The defense should be among the nation's best, so much of the Wolverines' success will rely on what the offense is able to do with Chip Lindsey as coordinator.

Klatt's take

"Now here's why I believe in Michigan: last year, they beat USC, they beat Ohio State, they beat Alabama. And in those games, you know what their offense did? Virtually nothing, virtually nothing. And specifically in that game against Alabama, remember all the guys that were going to the draft weren't playing in that game. So they stopped Jalen Milroe and Alabama basically with the group of guys that are going to be playing this year. Wink Martindale figured it out. 

"I thought early in the year, there were growing pains with him coming back to college, and he had to dumb it down. He's too smart. Wink Martindale is too smart of a defensive coordinator. And they, at times, were doing a little too much. They simplified a little bit. He learned the college game a little bit more, the tendencies of it. And that defense took off in the second half of the year. So, because of that, that's going to allow their offense to get its footing. 

"Now they've got that tough game early in the year against Oklahoma, but think about it, man: they beat Ohio State, they beat Alabama. And in those two games, they had 234 yards and then 190 yards of offense. That's it. So they don't need to be great on the offensive side. They bring in Chip Lindsey as their new offensive coordinator. And now it's going to be kind of a wait-and-see of who's going to be the quarterback. And that was a lot of what we had last year. And I think you're going to have that again next year.

"This is not a ranking that has anything to do with Bryce Underwood. This again is defense. This is Sherrone Moore. It's philosophy. And we'll see what the offense actually is. Now, if the offense is good, this is a top 10 team. And so that's when we get into like, what could they possibly be? Is it Bryce Underwood? Is it Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene there to bridge whatever gap there might be? Keene has started 34 games at UCF and then Fresno in his career. So is it the talented, true freshmen? Is it the experienced transfer? We'll wait and see.

"I've got my questions about what they have on the outside, alright? But again, the defense is going to be very good. I know they have to replace Mason Graham. I know they have to replace Kenneth Grant. I know they have to replace Will Johnson. But that defense, even without those players, largely stopped Alabama in that bowl game."

11. South Carolina Gamecocks

Yet another team that appears to be on the rise but can't fully bring things together to get into the College Football Playoff. Shane Beamer has recruited well and appears to have the other USC on the right path. He just needs to put it all together in a tough conference.

Klatt's take

"They almost made the playoffs a year ago. Dylan Stewart on the edge defensively, he's one of the better players in the country. They've got to replace their running back Raheem Sanders, as well as TJ Sanders, Kyle Kennard on the defensive line. Some of these guys that were contributors for them. And I know that their schedule is going to be brutal, but it's backloaded. Their last seven games is going to be at LSU, Oklahoma, Bama, at Ole Miss. Then they've got a bye, then they're at A&M, Coastal Carolina -- thank you SEC schedule -- then Clemson to finish. So again, a tough finish for South Carolina, but again, you kind of trust their quarterback. You trust what Beamer is building, and I've got them at No. 11."

10. Illinois Fighting Illini

The most experienced team in the Big Ten and fifth in the country, Klatt recognizes just how good Illinois might be after having a solid season last year. Michigan avoids the Illini this year and the schedule should help Bret Bielema and company take advantage.

Klatt's take

"Sneaky, sneaky, good team. This No. 10 ranking should signal to everybody to watch out for Illinois. They've got the experience in the right places to be a really good football team. And they've got the schedule. That's going to land them probably in the College Football Playoff. Bielema's building exactly what you expect him to build at Illinois -- a tough, hard-nosed team, very experienced.

"They're returning 16 starters, including their quarterback. I love this experience metric. As we get further and further into the NIL and transfer portal era, what are we seeing? Michigan experienced wins the national championship, Ohio State experienced wins the national championship, Illinois experienced -- maybe they won't win the national championship. They're going to be damn good."

9. Alabama Crimson Tide

Michigan's most recent win comes against Klatt's No. 9 team in Alabama. The Crimson Tide aren't thought of quite as highly as the Nick Saban-coached team, but Klatt is excited about the potential with Ryan Grubb reteaming with Kalen DeBoer.

Klatt's take

"I like Kalen DeBoer. You know that I thought it was going to be better last year. Was it just not a fit with Jalen Milroe and Kalen DeBoer? Maybe (Ty) Simpson's a former five-star, he's been waiting three years for this chance. Ryan Grubb, by the way, who was with Kalen DeBoer for years and then last year went to the Seahawks with Mike Macdonald to be their offensive coordinator, is gone now and now he's back with Kalen DeBoer -- just to clarify back with DeBoer at Alabama. So there's Ryan Grubb. And every time these two guys have been together, DeBoer and Grubb (have been) lights out offensively."

8. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia made a run in the College Football Playoff a year ago but did not look anything like the dominant team of the previous three years. Klatt had trouble placing Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs and they certainly have some questions offensively that they'll have to answer.

Klatt's take

"Think about the standard at Georgia right now: they won 11 games in the SEC, and yet the season was a giant disappointment because they didn't win the national championship. That's where Kirby Smart has put Georgia. And you can't go to the quarterfinals and lose to Notre Dame and it be a success at Georgia. Unfortunately for Kirby, he, in a lot of ways is becoming the standard bearer."

7. LSU Tigers

The second-highest rated SEC team on Klatt's list, LSU seems to be a perpetual 9-3 team under head coach Brian Kelly, but he returns his star quarterback and still has a lot of talent. Could this be the year the Tigers break through? Can this be the year that LSU doesn't lose its first game of the season?

Klatt's take

"They've got 17 transfer players coming in, No. 2 by average player ranking. So not just quantity, but quality. The only thing working against them in my estimation is that like, I think Brian's going have to take a team above what he has ever taken a team. And then their schedule is tough. So they, they miss Georgia and Texas, but they've got a season opener on the road against Clemson. Don't love that game for them. They've got to get a South Carolina, Florida, and A&M. Those are at home. And then they play Alabama on the road, Ole Miss on the road, Oklahoma on the road."

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Irish ran roughshod over most teams they faced following the embarrassing loss to Northern Illinois -- that is, until they ran into Ohio State. Quarterback is a question but some of the pieces that got Notre Dame to the national championship game do return.

Klatt's take

"Notre Dame is at six -- big question for me is at quarterback. All right. Looks like CJ Carr is going to be there starting at quarterback next year after Steve Angeli backed up Riley Leonard last year -- he (Angeli) entered the portal transferred to Syracuse in the spring window. So again, CJ Carr looks like it's his deal.

"Notre Dame is going to be able to pound he rock. All right. So this style that they've been able to lean on with Marcus Freeman is largely going to be able to play forward because their offensive line -- their offensive line is stacked. Five guys who started at times last year. They've got Jeremiyah Love behind them. I think this run game is going to be dynamic. Marcus Freeman is a dynamic coach. He has elevated Notre Dame's program from a program that we thought was kind of topped out for where college football was to 10 wins."

5. Clemson Tigers

Clemson needed an expanded College Football Playoff to make it back, but the Tigers haven't exactly fallen off -- they just haven't fully dominated as they had in the 2010s. But with a loaded roster and a not as strong ACC slate, Clemson is right there, Klatt says.

Klatt's take

"I think Dabo Swinney is going to have a group that is capable of winning the national championship. Clemson is really good. Dabo's done it before. And with, listen, for all the criticism that he's gotten over the last couple of years, I'll give it to him, man, he has stayed the course. He has been consistent. He is going to ride this Clemson culture right into what I think is almost like -- it's like a twilight type of it. It's like they are re-emerging at the top end of college football. I think we saw that last year, even though they made the playoff, no one really was talking about them."

4. Oregon Ducks

Michigan avoids Oregon after losing to the Ducks last year, and this year, it will be a Michigan native leading the charge in quarterback Dante Moore. It will be a bit of a new-look team, but one that has a lot of potential.

Klatt's take

"I believe in Dante Moore. We forgot about Dante Moore. I'm just telling you right now, we forgot about Dante Moore. This was a highly recruited guy that went to UCLA and played for Chip Kelly and played as a true freshman. Now he was playing behind a really bad offensive line and there was a start in particular and some snaps in particular that he took in Rice-Eccles Stadium against Utah on the road. When that Utah defense was fierce, it didn't go well for him. They went in a different direction. He transferred and he sat behind Dillon Gabriel last year at Oregon. And now he's going to get his shot. I think Dante Moore is a dark-horse Heisman candidate. Watch out for Dante Moore. He was a huge recruit."

3. Ohio State Buckeyes

With as many questions as Ohio State has, we don't agree with this ranking, but the defending champions do deserve some benefit of the doubt. OSU has to replace both coordinators, the starting quarterback, most of the defense, and several other players. We see how that worked out last year. Still, the talent in Columbus is insane, so it stands to reason that the Buckeyes might be the third-best in the country, despite all of that.

Klatt's take

"They've got to replace 14 NFL draft picks -- 14. That's wild. But have the two best players in the country. This is what's so crazy. They just had 14 players drafted, and the two best football players in America are still in Columbus. Jeremiah Smith, the wide receiver, Caleb Downs, the safety, that's wild. Big shifts on the coaching staff, which they're going to have to navigate. Ryan Day is going to have to navigate that."

2. Texas Longhorns

One of the five teams Michigan lost to last year, but the Wolverines won't see them in the regular season for two more years. Quinn Ewers is gone, but Arch Manning takes over. The Longhorns open with Ohio State, so we'll get a quick barometer of either team.

Klatt's take

"It's officially Arch Manning time. I believe he is going to be my Heisman front-runner to begin the year. I think he can have that impact and that large of a season. They get CJ Baxter back to pair with Tre Wisner at running back. There are some holes to fill, but again, Steve Sarkisian -- like Ryan Day, like Dan Lanning, like Kirby Smart, like Nick Saban used to do at Alabama -- they're just reloading at Texas. No. 1 recruiting class in the country last year.

"I think the biggest concern for me with Texas is that they're replacing a lot on the offensive line. That is a bit concerning. They're going to be young, but talented at wide receiver. They've still got Ryan Wingo, DeAndre Moore, watch out for him. The defense should be excellent. And it should give that offensive line a little bit of time to get their feet wet."

1. Penn State Nittany Lions

Michigan avoids its Big Ten foe for a second straight year and one where the Nittany Lions are looking to do what the Wolverines did in 2023 and OSU in 2024. Will it work? Jim Knowles takes over as defensive coordinator but much of Penn State's success or lack thereof will be in the hands of the offense.

Klatt's take

"You look at what Michigan did in 2023. You look at what Ohio State did in 2024. Both of those teams had a core group of veteran players stay. They stayed and they won a championship. Both of those teams had veterans at quarterback. They had veterans on both sides of the ball. They were excellent at the line of scrimmage. They had chips on their shoulders from the way that they were bounced in the postseason in years prior. All of that is true about Penn State. They're returning their quarterback, both running backs, Singleton and Allen, four players on the offensive line. They brought in Jim Knowles as their defensive coordinator to pair with Andy Kotelnicki as their offensive coordinator. He's in year two. I just look at this: my only question was at wide receiver for James Franklin."

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Joel Klatt post-spring top 25 power rankings revealed