Nebraska Football Receives Votes in AP Preseason Top 25; Six Big Ten Teams Ranked

For the sixth consecutive year, Nebraska football will begin the year unranked.

Just like with the coaches poll, the Huskers are outside of the top 25 but with votes. Nebraska received 23 points in the voting, placing NU tied with Tulane for 33rd.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule looks over a linemen drill. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

History at the Top

For the first time ever, Texas is ranked at the top of the preseason poll. In the closest preseason vote since 1998, the Longhorns edged out the Penn State Nittany Lions by just six points.

Those two are followed by Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia, to round out the top five. The rest of the top 10 features Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, LSU, and Miami.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. — Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Six teams received at least one first-place vote: Texas (25), Penn State (23), Ohio State (11), Clemson (4), Georgia (1), and Oregon (1). The last preseason poll to see at least six teams receive a first place was in 2016, when seven teams, ranked preseason 1-7, each received at least one vote.

Six Big Ten Teams Ranked

While Nebraska is not ranked, six others in the league are. Half of those are in the top 10 with Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon.

Illinois is knocking on the door of the top 10 with a spot at 12. That is four spots higher than the Illini finished in the 2024 rankings.

(From left) Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki coach up quarterbacks Ethan Grunkemeyer, Drew Allar, Bekkem Kritza and Jaxon Smolik during practice outside Holuba Hall on Saturday, August 2, 2025, in State College. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The other two in the top 25 are Michigan (14) and Indiana (20). The Wolverines are just a season removed from winning the national title. The Hoosiers are heading into year two of the Curt Cignetti era, which saw year one feature a run to the College Football Playoff.

USC and Iowa also received votes but fell outside of the top 25.

College Football Playoff Possibilities

If these rankings were used to the eventual College Football Playoff, with the five highest-ranked conference champions making the field, the automatic qualifiers would be Texas, Penn State, Clemson, Arizona State, and Boise State.

Notre Dame takes the field for the first round of the College Football Playoff. — Notre Dame takes the field for the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, and Clemson would receive byes in the updated straight seeding format. The rest of the field would be matched up as listed below:

(9) LSU at (8) Alabama [Winner vs. (1) Texas]
(12) Boise State at (5) Georgia [Winner vs. (4) Clemson]
(11) Arizona State at (6) Notre Dame [ Winner vs. (3) Ohio State]
(10) Miami at (7) Oregon [Winner vs. (2) Penn State]

Nebraska's Schedule vs. the Top 25

The Huskers are only slated to face two top 25 teams in the regular season. Nebraska hosts No. 14 Michigan on Sept. 20 before travelling to No. 2 Penn State on Nov. 22.

Fireworks go off during a light show at the end of the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. — Fireworks go off during a light show at the end of a third quarter at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

NU will also take on the other two receiving votes teams from the Big Ten. Nebraska hosts USC on Nov. 1 and Iowa on Black Friday.

None of Nebraska's three non-conference votes are ranked, or even receiving votes.

Associated Press Preseason Top 25

Texas
Penn State
Ohio State
Clemson
Georgia
Notre Dame
Oregon
Alabama
LSU
Miami
Arizona State
Illinois
South Carolina
Michigan
Florida
SMU
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Texas A&M
Indiana
Ole Miss
Iowa State
Texas Tech
Tennessee
Boise State

Nebraska Football 2025 Schedule

Aug. 28 (Thursday) vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City) 8 p.m. ESPN
Sep. 6 vs. Akron 6:30 p.m. CDT BTN
Sep. 13 vs. Houston Christian 11 a.m. FS1
Sep. 20 vs. Michigan 2:30 p.m. CBS
Oct. 4 vs. Michigan State 11/2:30/3
Oct. 11 at Maryland TBA
Oct. 17 (Friday) at Minnesota 7 p.m. FOX
Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern TBA
Nov. 1 vs. USC TBA
Nov. 8 at UCLA TBA
Nov. 22 at Penn State TBA
Nov. 28 (Black Friday) vs. Iowa 11 a.m. CBS

Home games are bolded. All times central.

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