The Top 5 tone-setting games for the 2025 college football season

We all know the old cliche that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. To a certain extent, that has never been more true in FBS college football in the expanded College Football Playoff era. Nevertheless, ask any coach, player, or fan if setting the tone early on and putting your best foot forward right out of the gate is important. You’ll be answered with a resounding yes. So, let’s take a look at the games in Week Zero and Week 1 that will go the furthest in setting the tone and expectations for the remainder of the 2025 season.

5. Nebraska vs Cincinnati (at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City)

In year two of the Dylan Railoa era at Nebraska, there is an expectation that the Cornhuskers will build on the 2024 season that saw Matt Rhule end an eight-season Bowl game drought in Lincoln. Raiola and company defeated Boston College 20-15 in the Pinstripe Bowl to cap off a 7-6 season. That was the first time the Huskers had completed a winning season since 2016.

In order to avoid taking two steps back after a big step forward last season, it’s paramount that Nebraska takes care of business on a neutral field versus Cincinnati of the Big 12. Not only does Nebraska want to start off 1-0 for themselves, but the Big Ten has become the measuring stick over the past couple of seasons, with Michigan and Ohio State winning the national championship. Can’t afford to let down the B1G so early on. Also, it’s worth noting, Raiola will be playing in the home stadium of idol Patrick Mahomes. Will there be added pressure?

Cincinnati is looking to put it all together in year three of the Scott Satterfield era. The Bearcats improved from 3-9 to 5-7 in year two. A win over a B1G opponent to start the season off would do wonders for a team that odds makers are expecting to show even more improvement in 2025. FanDuel has the Bearcats with a win total of 6.5. An upset victory over the Cornhuskers would go a long way towards securing not only a bowl game, but would be a major shot in the arm as Cincinnati heads into a wide open, unpredictable Big 12.

4. Iowa State vs. Kansas State (in Dublin, Ireland)

Nothing says setting the tone like a conference game to start the season. Either the Cyclones or the Wildcats will be making a trip back across the pond touting pole position in the conference and the other team will be the basement dweller. Psychologically you just want to get things rolling early.

Not only is this important for the Big 12, it’s also a platform for two quarterbacks that hope to be Heisman contenders and hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft. Iowa State’s Rocco Becht has back-to-back seasons with over 3,000 yards passing and saw his passing yards and passing touchdowns increase in his second season as a starter in 2024. The redshirt Junior will be looking to level up once again and, in doing so, help the Cyclones complete some unfinished business as Iowa State lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship game.

Avery Johnson for Kansas State is one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in all of college football. As a starter a season ago, Johnson passed for over 2,700 yards and 25 touchdowns and he rushed for over 600 yards and had seven rushing touchdowns. Johnson has always been immensely talented, but consistency has been the issue at times. The interceptions crept up into the double digits for Johnson a year ago. Newly promoted offensive coordinator Matt Wells was Kansas State’s and Johnson’s quarterbacks coach a season ago. Having a play caller that is looking through the lens of a quarterback coach should be a boost for the third-year Wildcat. Kansas State wants to improve upon its 5-4 conference record a year ago and defeating Iowa State in Week Zero would be a great start.

3. Alabama at Florida State

With two programs of this kind of historical ilk, you’d think that the only thing that would matter in this game would be to walk away with a win. However, there is much more percolating below the surface of this SEC/ACC matchup.

Both the Crimson Tide and Seminoles had atypical seasons a year ago. Kalen DeBoer roamed the sidelines as the first coach not named Nick Saban in 17 years. The results were mixed as there were some high moments in wins over Georgia and LSU, but also some inexplicable lows with losses to Vanderbilt and a struggling Oklahoma team. Florida State missed out on the College Football Playoff in 2023, despite being undefeated and ACC champions that season, largely because of the loss of quarterback Jordan Travis. That led to a depleted roster, getting smacked around by Georgia in the 2024 Orange Bowl, and the negative moment just carried right into the 2024 season. Florida State went an astonishing 2-10 a season ago and are desperate for redemption.

Vegas certainly expects Alabama to walk into Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee and take care of business. Alabama is an 8.5 point favorite right now according to FanDuel. However, both Alabama and Florida State will be breaking in new quarterbacks. The slightest bit of struggle early on could increase the anxiety of the Alabama team dramatically and the same can be said for the near 80,000 decked out in Garnet and Gold if Florida State stubs its toe early. Even a relatively close result in this matchup will get looked upon differently by the fanbases and pundits around the country. If Alabama wins narrowly, it will signify that the Crimson Tide is far off from where it needs to be and its Saban standard. If Florida State has a chance to win late in the fourth quarter, hope will spring eternal in Tallahassee for what remains on the rest of the schedule.

2. Notre Dame at Miami (FL)

Another set of blueblood programs set to take battle to start the season. Notre Dame and Miami both saw their seasons end in a way that left a bitter taste in the mouth of their respective faithful. Notre Dame once again came up short in the National Championship game, its first title game appearance since the 2012 BCS Championship. While the result was much closer against Ohio State this past season under Marcus Freeman than it was for Brian Kelly’s team versus Alabama, the fact remains that the Irish have not won a national title since 1988. Freeman and company will look to change that this season, but will be doing so with quite a few leaders and playmakers gone, including quarterback Riley Leonard. Either CJ Carr, Steve Angeli or Kenny Minchey will be making the start for the Irish on the road versus what is likely to be a Top 25 opponent in the Hurricanes.

Miami will have a new QB at the helm too as Carson Beck transferred in from Georgia. Beck was the starter for Kirby Smart’s squad during the 2023 and 2024 seasons and the Bulldogs to two SEC Championship Game appearances and a CFP berth in 2024. The veteran signal caller injured his UCL in the SEC Championship game in December versus Texas and that put his future in flux. Many believed that Beck would just move on to the pro ranks, but the uncertainty about Beck’s elbow and his up and down performance before the injury didn’t get the best feedback from the pro evaluators.

So, with relationships strained with Georgia, Beck decided to hit the portal and ended up at Miami. It will be intriguing to see just how healthy Beck is for this game. Replacing Cam Ward is not an easy task even if fully healthy with a full offense to work with. Add in that you have to face a Marcus Freeman coached defense and are working in a new offensive system, and the difficulty gets ratcheted up.

The pressure will be on for Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes as a late season loss to Syracuse last year blew a golden opportunity at the playoffs.

1. Texas at Ohio State

The true measure of greatness is consistency. That will be put to the test for both Texas and Ohio State. Steve Sarkisian a year ago went on the road and defeated the defending national champions from the Big Ten, Michigan, early in the season. That spring boarded Texas to a CFP berth where they would ultimately lose to Ohio State. Can the Longhorns pull off a road victory versus the defending champ two seasons in a row and exact revenge while doing so? If they do, no doubt it will have a lot to do with an impressive performance from their quarterback, and member of football royalty, Arch Manning. Manning waited his turn behind Quinn Ewers, but is now QB1 in Austin. What a test for the talented signal caller to begin his time as Texas’s full-time starter.

Ohio State and Ryan Day finally got over the hump and brought back the national championship to Columbus. Now, can the Buckeyes stay on top of the mountain. The B1G has impressed as a conference by winning the last two national title and loosening the clutch that the SEC seamed to have on the sport. However, the only programs to go back-to-back within the last twenty years are Alabama and Georgia. No doubt Day and company want to put themselves on that level and dealing an SEC opponent another blow in doing so would just be the icing on the cake.