Week 0 of the college football season is in the book, and with just 10 teams in action over the weekend, we've still yet to see the heavy hitters and some of the darkhorses this year.
Before you go locking in your Week 1 college football picks, let’s take a closer look at some teams that may be flying under the radar but are poised for quality seasons.
Five most undervalued college football teams for 2025
Washington Huskies
Let’s begin in the Big Ten, where the Washington Huskies are being left for dead with +4500 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to win the conference. While doing so may still be a long shot, this team is being forgotten about nationally and could be in store for a good season.
It all starts with sophomore quarterback Demond Williams, who many believe will be a breakout star in 2025 after he threw for 944 yards (on 9.0 yards per attempt), eight touchdowns, and a single interception as a true freshman. He has a high future NFL Draft selection in Denzel Boston to throw to, an effective workhorse running back in Jonah Coleman, and an improved offensive line this time around. Ryan Walters may not have worked out as a head coach, but he’s an ace defensive coordinator.
The Huskies were dealt a tough hand in the fallout of Nick Saban’s retirement, abruptly losing their coaching staff and much of the roster. Combine that with a difficult schedule draw (they faced seven of the conference’s Top 10 teams) in their first year in the Big Ten, and last year’s results are forgivable. It’s led to decreased expectations nationally heading into 2025, but perhaps that should not be the case, as Jedd Fisch has earned the benefit of the doubt.
Oklahoma Sooners
It’s difficult to consider any team undervalued in the SEC, where expectations are always through the roof for nearly every program. Still, some teams will be undervalued compared to others, especially in the betting market against one another during conference play.
Brent Venables is in a pivotal moment of his tenure in Norman after finishing with his second 6-7 season in three years. Still, some of the problems can be explained, if not completely forgiven. The Oklahoma Sooners had a rash of unprecedented injuries at the offensive line and wide receiver throughout the season, leading to a complete collapse of the offense.
They’ll be much improved on that side of the ball, led by transfer quarterback John Mateer and his rising star of an offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle. The defense was nasty, ranking fifth in success rate, and will again be led by a dominant front seven.
Managing a difficult schedule will be tricky, but Venables retained much of the top talent on his roster while making significant improvements in the portal. That’s how you win in today’s day and age of college football.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Brent Key has done an admirable job in Atlanta. Before we give him too many flowers, however, let’s see how he does with a 2025 squad that is poised to make some noise in the ACC.
The offense is in great hands led by dual-threat Haynes King, who is in his third year as the starter for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and is one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. Running back Jamal Haynes has racked up 2,320 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons, making this one of the most proven backfield combos in the nation.
Buster Faulkner was retained as offensive coordinator, providing a level of continuity that is nearly unparalleled in today’s “movement age” of the sport. Overall, the Yellow Jackets rank second in the ACC in returning production, which could prove to make them undervalued compared to the splashy roster overhauls happening elsewhere.
If Georgia Tech can stay healthier at quarterback this season and continue the defensive improvement we saw last season, this team is ready for another jump.
Houston Cougars
You can sum it up with one name: Willie Fritz. He’s a proven winner at multiple different stops, so here’s banking on an improved season for the Houston Cougars after a 4-8 finish a year ago.
He made a few changes this offseason, bringing in two new coordinators and fortifying the roster with transfers. The offense can’t be any worse than last season (knock on wood) and has 22-year-old Conner Weigman leading the charge. The defense was surprisingly stout a year ago, ranking 40th in success rate, holding teams to 324.9 total yards per game.
They were already a pain in the rear end to play, notching upset wins over TCU, Utah, and Kansas State, with a four-point loss to Oklahoma. It should be more of the same this season, and I envision plenty of live-underdog opportunities in Houston, especially with an improved offense.
San Jose State Spartans
A casual observer may note that the San Jose State Spartans are without star receiver Nick Nash and therefore are due for a drop off. I don’t think that will be the case, however, as the rest of the team looks ready for a strong season in Year 2 under Ken Niumatalolo.
Walker Eget returns at quarterback to operate Craig Stutzmann’s tantalizing system that should turn heads yet again. The receiving room has plenty of weapons, and the backfield is a three-headed monster that should provide more balance this time around. The defense had a strong showing (28th in EPA per play) and retains talent in the middle at linebacker and safety.
There are plenty of winnable games in the Mountain West this season, as there’s not a clear group of contenders outside of Boise State. The Spartans could be due for Year 2 improvement under this staff and yet have a win total of just 7.5, making them an undervalued asset heading into the season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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