Every college football season brings its share of surprises. With 136 FBS teams, preseason projections are bound to miss the mark as rosters settle, chemistry builds, and coaches figure out what works. This year has been no different, with several preseason favorites stumbling and others blowing past expectations.
Here are the five biggest surprises of the 2025 season so far.
Clemson Tigers (1-3)
No one has been a bigger disappointment than Clemson. Ranked in the preseason top 10, the Tigers are already out of the playoff picture after a stunning loss to Syracuse.
Cade Klubnik has regressed badly, with his worst completion percentage to date, only six touchdowns in four games, and nearly as many interceptions as all of last year. Any thought of a Heisman run or first-round NFL hype is gone.
Dabo Swinney’s insistence that the program would turn the corner has fallen flat. Unless Clemson finishes with a remarkable run, Swinney’s job is in serious jeopardy.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-2)
Notre Dame was expected to breeze back into the CFP after making the championship game last season, but close losses to the No. 2 and No. 9 teams have left them playing catch-up. Their rebound win over Purdue was decisive on the scoreboard but not entirely convincing, as the Irish gave up 30 points to one of the weakest teams in the FBS.
The backfield duo of Jadarian Price and Jeremiah Love has not been as dominant as projected, and the defense has allowed far too many points for a supposed contender. Both areas must improve if Notre Dame wants to rejoin the playoff conversation.
Florida State Seminoles (3-1)
Few outside Tallahassee expected Florida State to start this strong. After a disastrous 2024, head coach Mike Norvell was widely believed to be on the hot seat. Instead, the Seminoles have looked revitalized, beginning with a two-touchdown win over Alabama in the opener.
Despite Friday night’s thrilling double overtime loss to Virginia in Charlottesville, the Seminoles still look like an ACC favorite and darkhorse for the CFP. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos has been the spark, emerging as one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. The next big test is October 4th against No. 2 Miami, which will show how real this turnaround is.
Florida Gators (1-3)
Hyped as a breakout star, quarterback DJ Lagway has struggled mightily. He has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, is averaging under 200 passing yards per game, and has been ineffective as a rusher.
Head coach Billy Napier has taken much of the blame. His inability to inspire or scheme for this roster has put the program in freefall, with the home loss to USF standing out as the low point. Napier is firmly on the hot seat and it would be shocking to see him survive the season.
Texas Longhorns (3-1)
The record looks fine, but Texas has been underwhelming. Arch Manning’s much-anticipated debut has been rocky, with sub-50 percent passing and fewer than 200 yards in a game against UTEP raising red flags.
The loss to Ohio State was forgivable, but the rest of the schedule has not been daunting. If Texas continues to play at this level, three or four more losses are quite possible. Manning needs to elevate his play quickly if the Longhorns want to live up to the hype and make a playoff push.
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