The Big Lead

New national championship favorite emerges after top college football teams falter

Week 1 in college football has seen a lot of chaotic results, and the national championship picture has already shifted greatly after teams like Alabama and Texas lost.

By Matt Reed

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Puglisi (12) passes against the Marshall Thundering Herd during a college football game
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Puglisi (12) passes against the Marshall Thundering Herd during a college football game / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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The 2025 college football national championship picture has already shifted significantly after just one week of play, and that means there's already a new favorite to win the title based on ESPN's Power Football Index rankings.

RELATED: Updated 2025 Heisman Trophy odds after college football Week 1

While the FPI isn't actually used to determine which teams reach the College Football Playoff, the system has proven to be a solid indicator of which schools will win respective matchups and who has the best odds to reach the coveted playoff in a deep field of college football teams.

While top-ranked teams like Alabama, Clemson and Texas were all defeated in Week 1, there's a new leader at the front of the pack and it's SEC giant Georgia after all their recent years of dominance in the sport.

The Bulldogs routed Marshall during their opening matchup on Saturday, and despite the fact that the team lost several important players to the 2025 NFL Draft, there are many that expect them to be in the national title mix alongside teams like Penn State, LSU and Ohio State.

If the Bulldogs are able to find themselves back in the College Football Playoff mix again this season, Georgia will certainly have earned it considering that Kirby Smart's team will face five preseason-ranked opponents in their SEC schedule.

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