2025 College Football Schedules Present Tough Challenges for Teams

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — As college football enters 2025, teams are bracing for demanding schedules filled with challenges and rivalries. With the season rapidly approaching, discussions about playoff formats and athlete compensation swirl around as well.

Florida‘s Gators, fresh off a resilient season despite an early 1-2 start, face an especially tough road. They will play the SEC’s top three ranked teams: Texas (No. 3), Georgia (No. 4), and LSU (No. 6). The Gators visit LSU on Sept. 13, followed by a trip to No. 21 Miami a week later.

“Our schedule is brutal, but we’ve trained hard to compete,” Florida coach Billy Napier said.

Wisconsin’s Badgers also face a challenging path after failing to reach a bowl game last year, their first missed bowl in 22 seasons. They will meet six ranked teams, including road games against No. 9 Alabama and No. 5 Ohio State.

Wake Forest will shift gears under new coach Jake Dickert, as their schedule includes just one preseason Top 25 team. They face SMU at home on Oct. 25, and managed to avoid matchups against powerhouse teams like Clemson and Miami.

Missouri, coming off two consecutive 10-win seasons, has a favorable setup, playing their first six games at home and avoiding heavyweights Texas, Georgia, and LSU.

Meanwhile, South Florida‘s opening matches are daunting, facing Boise State and Miami consecutively on the road, before handling challenging conference opponents.

Clemson, opening their season against No. 6 LSU, looks to take advantage of the SEC competition while Miami has three early-season matches against ranked teams, all at home.

As teams like Ohio State and Penn State focus on strengthening their schedules, many schools manage lighter paths, highlighting the unevenness of competition in college football.

Looking to the future, the 2025 season poses significant hurdles for numerous teams. Each matchup could influence playoff positioning and the landscape of college football.