Klatt pointed to Clemson’s 16 returning starters as the backbone of his prediction. The Tigers finished the 2024 season 10‑4, securing the ACC championship with a narrow win over SMU, and earned a College Football Playoff berth as a 12 seed before falling to the Texas Longhorns.

After ranking Penn State No. 1 in his post-spring poll, Joel Klatt kept the Nittany Lions in the top spot, while another team skyrocketed.

Despite coming off a national championship victory, Ohio State isn’t the top-ranked team in Joel Klatt’s preseason college football rankings. On Monday, the FOX Sports analyst explained why the Buckeyes are the third-best team in the country entering the 2025 campaign.