The Associated Press released its preseason Top 25 poll on Monday, and Clemson football will begin the 2025 season in elite company. The Tigers checked in at No. 4 with four first-place votes, marking another year in which Dabo Swinney’s program is in the national title conversation.
Texas claimed the top spot with 25 first-place votes in the Associated Press Poll, followed closely by No. 2 Penn State (23 votes) and No. 3 Ohio State (11 votes). Georgia rounded out the top five at No. 5, earning one first-place vote. Clemson’s position in the poll places them ahead of other top teams such as Alabama (No. 8) and Michigan (No. 14), and right in the middle of what should be one of the most competitive national championship races in recent years.
Clemson won’t have to wait long to prove its ranking is warranted. The Tigers will kick off the 2025 season in a high-stakes, top-10 clash against No. 9 LSU. The matchup will not only be one of the most anticipated openers of the college football year, but it could also set the tone for the playoff picture from the very start.
The rest of the poll features a mix of expected contenders and surprise risers. Miami comes in at No. 10, Arizona State lands at No. 11 after a strong 2024 campaign, and Illinois makes waves at No. 12. South Carolina starts at No. 13, giving the Tigers’ Palmetto Bowl matchup late in the season even more weight.
For Clemson, this year’s lofty preseason spot is both a recognition of the talent returning to Death Valley and a challenge to live up to expectations right away. With a Week 1 spotlight game and a tough slate ahead, the Tigers will have no shortage of chances to prove they belong among the nation’s best.
Full list of Associated Press Preseason Top 25
1. Texas (25)
2. Penn State (23)
3. Ohio State (11)
4. Clemson (4)
5. Georgia (1)
6. Notre Dame
7. Oregon (1)
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Miami
11. Arizona State
12. Illinois
13. South Carolina
14. Michigan
15. Florida
16. SMU
17. Kansas State
18. Oklahoma
19. Texas A&M
20. Indiana
21. Mississippi
22. Iowa State
23. Texas Tech
24. Tennessee
25. Boise State
First-place votes in parenthesis
