The college football season is approaching and teams are preparing to win their conferences. Here are the 2025 college football conference winner predictions.
There are high expectations for Clemson because of who they return. Cade Klubnik is back as one of the best quarterbacks in the country and the wide receiver room should be able to support more growth. Three starters return on the offensive line, but the defensive line has a lot of the headlines. Between T.J. Parker, Peter Woods and Will Heldt, there may not be a better defensive line in the country. With solid linebackers and a good corner in Avieon Terrell, defensive improvement from solid to elite is within sight.
Clemson will have key games against SMU (at home) and Louisville (on the road). They avoid Miami as well. The Tigers have the talent to win the conference.
Arizona State made noise by making the CFP last season. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is back after passing for 2,885 yards last season. Army-transfer Kanye Udoh is in to help fill the void left by Cam Skattebo at running back, while star receiver Jordyn Tyson is back. The offensive line has four starters returning, but more impressively, the defense has nine players back from their first unit. With an offense and defense that both ranked in the top 40, bringing back so much, a return to the CFP is very possible.
The Big 12 is wide open, but Arizona State has the best chance to win the conference. They will have key games against Texas Tech and Iowa State, but avoid other top contenders, Kansas State and BYU.
Penn State made the CFP semifinals last year and may have a better relative overall roster this season. Quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kyron Hudson could’ve been in the NFL Draft, but came back. The offensive line has four starters back, while the wide receiver room is vastly updated with the additions of transfers Kyron Hudson, Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross. Penn State’s defense returns six players from a unit that ranked in the top 10 in scoring. Defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant, along with cornerback A.J. Harris, have the chance to be impact players.
The Nittany Lions have games against Ohio State and Oregon, which will be tough. They don’t have matchups with some of the other top teams in the Big Ten, Illinois and Michigan. If Penn State takes care of business in one of their two big games, they should make the Big Ten Championship with the chance to win the conference.
Arch Manning is taking over at quarterback after playing solidly in a pinch last season. Running backs Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter can give him a good running game to lean on. Ryan Wingo has the potential to become a star in 2025 after a solid freshman season. The offensive line will need to improve quickly with a lot of new faces on it. Defensively, the Longhorns have a good pass rush with Ethan Burke and Colin Simmons. The star on defense is Anthony Hill at linebacker, but Malik Muhammad is one of the best corners in the country in his own right. They ranked third in the country last season and they could do it again this season.
Not only does Texas have the talent to win the conference, they also have a more manageable schedule in conference. They play at Georgia, but avoid LSU and Alabama, which should make their path to an SEC Championship easier.
AAC: Navy Midshipmen
Eight starters return on offense, while three are back on defense. The team won 10 games last season and don’t have to play one of the better teams in the conference, Tulane.
C-USA: Liberty Flames
Liberty only brought back two starters on offense, but will see six starters on defense back from a team that won eight games. Quarterback Ethan Vasko joins from Coastal Carolina and other transfers should help keep Liberty competing for the conference again. They have a favorable conference schedule, as they don’t play some of the other favorites in the conference, Sam Houston State, Western Kentucky or Middle Tennessee.
MAC: Toledo Rockets
The transfer portal has raided the MAC, but Toledo brought back five starters on each side of the ball, which should give Jason Candle enough to work with. They added some transfers of their own to help, including running back Chip Trayanum from Kentucky. The Rockets also have a schedule that sets up well, as they don’t play other top contenders, Buffalo and Ohio.
MWC: Boise State Broncos
Boise is the class of the MWC, even after losing Ashton Jeanty. The Broncos have 13 starters back that helped them make the CFP last season. With Maddux Madsen expected to take a jump, Boise State is in play to make the CFP again as a group of five representative. While they should be able to handle their schedule, it also helps that they don’t play San Jose State, who figures to compete for the titel as well.
Sun Belt: James Madison Dukes
James Madison went 9-4 last season and have seven starters back, including running back George Pettaway. They’ve lost a lot in the portal and also gained some talent as well. While they do play Georgia Southern, they avoid other contenders Arkansas State and Texas State.
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