The 2025 college football season was odd from the start. Texas quarterback Arch Manning began the season as the least statistically proven Heisman favorite of all time and never came particularly close to (unreasonable) expectations. The sport’s most proven entities in a year of change were Clemson (preseason No. 4) and Penn State (No. 2); the Tigers began the season 1-3 and only ever rebounded so much, while the Nittany Lions lost six straight midseason games and fired head coach James Franklin. Sure, defending national champion Ohio State spent most of the season ranked No. 1, but there was a steady undercurrent of uniqueness. Indiana -- which began the season as the losingest major...
