Many fans know it as soon as the college football schedule comes out—the game that’s circled, the player you love to hate, the rival coach who lives to spoil your team’s season.

We’re now entering the dog days of summer, with the only thing keeping us sane being the knowledge that crisp autumn Saturdays are inching closer. That also means the enemies are lining up at the gates.

Today, we’re scouting where each post-spring Top 25 team stands—and who stands in their way. These are the potential foes, coaches, players, and programs that could derail an entire season.

1. Penn State: Ryan Day
James Franklin and the Nittany Lions haven’t been able to get over the Ohio State hurdle, especially since Ryan Day took over in Columbus. Penn State has dropped six straight to Day’s Buckeyes, including last year’s 20-13 loss in State College. This year, Day enters with a new quarterback and youth on both sides of the ball, while Penn State counters with one of the country’s most experienced teams—led by veteran QB Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Franklin also hired away Day’s former defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles. The Nov. 1 showdown in Columbus could have major playoff implications.

2. Clemson: LaNorris Sellers
Clemson’s biggest threat this season is clear—South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Last year, Sellers scrambled, dodged tackles, and pulled off a stunning upset that nearly derailed Clemson’s season. Revenge is the goal, but new defensive coordinator Tom Allen must first find a way to contain the elusive QB. The Tigers have playoff aspirations, and while they might not need a win over the Gamecocks to reach them, losing again to their rival would haunt fans all offseason.

3. Texas: Oklahoma
Texas opens with a playoff rematch against Ohio State, but the Longhorns’ most critical game, as always, is the Red River Rivalry in Dallas. The Sooners come in revamped with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and Dallas-area native QB John Mateer, a transfer from Washington State. The stakes are always high, and this year’s matchup could make or break Texas’ SEC championship push.

4. Georgia: Alabama
Nick Saban may be doing TV now, but Alabama still haunts Georgia. Even after Saban’s retirement, the Crimson Tide beat the Bulldogs last season—marking nine wins in the last 10 meetings. Georgia hasn’t beaten Bama in the regular season since 2007. With this year’s game in Athens, a loss to Kalen DeBoer’s squad would be a bitter pill for Bulldog fans.

5. Ohio State: Sherrone Moore
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn’t wear the villain cape quite like Jim Harbaugh did, but he’s still a thorn in Ohio State’s side. Moore has played a major role in Michigan’s current four-game win streak in the rivalry, serving as acting head coach in 2023 and taking over full-time last season with a stunning win in Columbus. He’s shown he can win the biggest games—and Ohio State fans are tired of watching.

6. LSU: Daytime Home Games
LSU fans dread day games—especially in sweltering September. Tiger Stadium is a different beast at night. In 2025, LSU only has one confirmed night SEC game (vs. Florida on Sept. 13). The rest are in the dreaded “flex” window. Since 2000, LSU is 112-15 in Saturday night home games. Brian Kelly is 1-1 in daytime matchups against ranked SEC opponents in Baton Rouge.

7. Notre Dame: Miami
Most current players weren’t alive during the infamous 1988 clash, but longtime fans still view Miami as a villain. QB Carson Beck, a Georgia transfer, now leads the Hurricanes and evokes strong emotions after an injury cost him a shot at Notre Dame in last season’s playoff. With a new defensive coordinator and major personnel changes, the Irish must be ready early. Freeman has dropped at least one September game every season—he can’t afford another.

8. Oregon: Ohio State (or Jeremiah Smith)
Ohio State torched Oregon in the Rose Bowl last season, with WR Jeremiah Smith hauling in 187 yards and two touchdowns. The Ducks don’t face the Buckeyes in the regular season this year—but a rematch looms in the Big Ten title game or playoffs. Penn State also poses a regular-season challenge, but it feels like Oregon and Ohio State are destined to meet again on a big stage.

9. Alabama: Vanderbilt
Remember when Alabama had a 100-game win streak against unranked teams? That ended last season with a shocking 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt—the Tide’s first loss to the Commodores since 1984. That game kickstarted Bama’s first three-loss season since 2010. The rematch is Oct. 4 in Tuscaloosa, and the Tide won’t forget.

10. BYU: Utah
It’s always Utah. “The Holy War” rarely disappoints. Last season, Utah entered as the Big 12 favorite and BYU as an afterthought. This year, the roles have flipped. The Oct. 25 matchup could be a Big 12 title eliminator—and one of the most emotional games on the schedule.

11. Illinois: Max Klare
Purdue TE Max Klare torched Illinois last year for 133 yards and nearly helped the Boilermakers complete a 21-point comeback. Now, Klare plays for Ohio State, which visits Champaign on Oct. 11. Illinois will have to stop Klare andHeisman contender Jeremiah Smith if it hopes to upset the defending champs.

12. Arizona State: Regression
The Sun Devils finished 2024 red-hot and return most of their production. The issue? No one repeats in the Big 12. ASU went 6-2 in one-score games last season. The last six Big 12 title-game participants before 2024 all regressed significantly the next year in similar games. History says repeating is nearly impossible.

13. South Carolina: LSU
While Georgia and Clemson are familiar enemies, LSU might be Public Enemy No. 1 this season. The Tigers have an 18-2 all-time record vs. South Carolina and won last year’s game 36-33 after the Gamecocks blew a late lead. That loss cost them a playoff bid. A win this year could change the narrative.

14. Iowa State: Kansas State
No, there’s technically no Week 0 elimination game—but this is close. Iowa State and Kansas State open the season in Dublin in a battle of Big 12 contenders. The Cyclones shut down K-State’s offense last year and now aim to do it again. Someone will start 0-1 in conference play before September even begins.

15. SMU: TCU
The Iron Skillet game is coming to an end—at least for now. Last year, SMU throttled TCU 66-42 in a game that saw Sonny Dykes ejected. Dykes, once SMU’s head coach, had beaten them twice since switching sides. This year marks the 104th (and possibly final) meeting. Expect fireworks.

16. Texas Tech: Baylor
Joey McGuire left Baylor midseason in 2021 to take over at Texas Tech. Since then, he’s 1-2 vs. his old program, including a 59-35 blowout loss last year. Tech has Big 12 title hopes—but they need to beat Baylor consistently to get there.

17. Indiana: UCLA
Indiana’s 2024 playoff team lost two key pieces to UCLA: new OC Tino Sunseri (who coached Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke) and DB Jamier Johnson. Johnson had 35 tackles and a pick last year and now strengthens the Bruins’ secondary. They visit Bloomington on Oct. 25.

18. Kansas State: Iowa State
Turnovers and red zone failures doomed Kansas State in last year’s loss to Iowa State. They get a chance to fix that immediately—Week 0 in Dublin. The Wildcats averaged nearly 38 points in wins and just 15 in losses last year. QB Avery Johnson must prove this offense is ready for a more consistent run.

19. Florida: Georgia
Georgia has dominated Florida under Kirby Smart, going 7-2 with four straight wins. Even after a strong finish last year, Florida still hasn’t closed the gap. If the Gators want to prove they’re back, it starts with the game in Jacksonville.

20. Michigan: Ohio State
Yes, Michigan has won four straight—but the rivalry remains as bitter as ever. Sherrone Moore capped a rocky first season with a shocking win in Columbus, and Ohio State hasn’t forgotten. Even with several Buckeyes off to the NFL, this game will define the season.

21. Miami: Syracuse
Georgia Tech isn’t on the schedule, so we’ll go with the next best villain: Syracuse. The Orange kept Miami out of the ACC title game last year with a shocking win. On Nov. 8, they return to Hard Rock Stadium. The rosters have changed, but the stakes haven’t.

22. Louisville: Kentucky
Louisville has lost to Kentucky as the favorite multiple times since 2016. Last year, the Cardinals finally reversed that trend.

23. Texas A&M: Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian has done a masterful job reloading Texas to meet its full potential. Last year, he took the Longhorns into Kyle Field and spoiled the Aggies’ hopes of reaching the SEC Championship Game. This year, Texas A&M travels to Austin for the first time since 2010, with Arch Manning mania dominating the headlines and the Longhorns eyeing a coronation on their path to a playoff berth. Sarkisian, a fan of college football rivalries and traditions, will press every motivational button to fire up his team.

24. Ole Miss: Mississippi State
Don’t get anyone in Oxford started on the dreaded cowbells clanging away from fans of “the school down south.” That school, of course, is bitter rival Mississippi State—whose former coach, Dan Mullen, famously referred to Ole Miss as “the school up north.” SEC fans aren’t exactly fond of the cowbells either, which are technically banned artificial noisemakers. To Rebels fans, they’re worse than nails on a chalkboard. The good news for Ole Miss: the Rebels have won four of the last five Egg Bowls. The bad news? They’ll get a heavy dose of cowbells this November in Starkville.

25. Oklahoma: Texas
In the wishbone era, and again under Bob Stoops and later Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma quarterbacks ruled college football. Landry Jones, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Caleb Williams, and Dillon Gabriel all put up huge numbers for the Sooners. But recently, Oklahoma has slipped, and Texas is now surging into the Cotton Bowl with its own version of quarterback royalty in Arch Manning. The Sooners need to right the ship, and all eyes will be on Dallas to see where the program stands in this new SEC era.