The 2025 school soccer season kicks off with fireworks, that includes eye-catching Week 1 showdowns like No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Notre Dame. Regardless of the thrill of preseason powerhouses and Heisman Trophy contenders going head-to-head, early stumbles in September hardly ever finish postseason goals, actually not within the new 12-team playoff period of school soccer. The true strain hits because the season progresses and playoff standings are on the road.
Listed here are six high-stakes matchups that you just received’t wish to miss (utilizing preseason AP Prime 25 rankings):
No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Alabama (Nov. 8)
After falling in need of the inaugural 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff, strain is constructing for LSU’s Brian Kelly and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer. Each traditionally profitable packages should not far faraway from current title victories, with LSU in 2020 and Alabama the next yr.
Each are coming off matching 9-4 seasons, every with a 5-3 convention report within the rugged SEC. Alabama needs to be favored in each recreation forward of this one aside from a late September go to to No. 5 Georgia. If LSU can knock off Clemson, the Tigers needs to be favored in all their video games too forward of this tilt.
Final fall, a two-interception recreation from Garrett Nussmeier harm the Tigers, who struggled to cease Jalen Milroe and Co. Now Nussmeier is taken into account a Heisman contender and he’ll get an opportunity for a marquee convention street win over the Tide and DeBoer, who desires to distance himself from final yr’s 9-4 debut season,
No. 1 Texas at No. 5 Georgia (Nov. 15)
Texas and Georgia, the 2 highest-ranked SEC groups within the AP Prime 25 preseason ballot, sq. off in Athens lower than a month earlier than the league title recreation, which is the place they final met (a 22-19 Bulldogs win in December).
Texas has a brand new quarterback in cost in Arch Manning; he briefly entered each video games in opposition to Georgia in 2024, finishing 3 of 6 passes for 19 yards after a gradual begin by Quinn Ewers and a 20-point deficit in Week 8.
Each groups have plenty of soccer to navigate earlier than this one but it surely might be a dandy — and a precursor to a different assembly and even two earlier than the season ends?
No. 2 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State (Nov. 1)
Penn State earned the No. 2 seed within the Prime 25, surpassing the reigning nationwide champions, Ohio State, who got here in at No. 3. The Large Ten rivals meet on Nov. 1 in Columbus in a matchup more likely to carry league title recreation and playoff implications.
Drew Allar, a two-headed dashing assault and a stout protection ought to have the Nittany Lions favored in each recreation earlier than this one, with all due respect to No. 7 Oregon (Sept. 27). Similar for the Buckeyes, who’re a 2.5-point favourite over the higher-ranked Longhorns within the opener.
Ohio State is 24-8 in opposition to Penn State and has received eight in a row. Coach James Franklin’s sole victory in opposition to the Buckeyes was in 2016 throughout his second yr on the helm.
This yr, the playoff format shifts to straight seeding, that means the highest 4 groups might be rewarded with a bye. exhibiting right here may impress the CFP committee earlier than its first rankings of the season, too.
No. 16 SMU at No. 4 Clemson (Oct. 18)
Expectations are excessive for Clemson, which is loaded. After LSU, the Tigers might be on cruise management when SMU comes calling for a recreation that matches two CFP groups from a yr in the past (each misplaced within the first spherical).
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, a Heisman favourite, had a standout outing in opposition to the Mustangs in 2024, throwing for 262 yards and 4 touchdowns. Receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. had a career-high eight receptions, 143 yards and two TDs. The 2 are anticipated to choose up the place they left off.
SMU QB Kevin Jennings is again amid some query marks elsewhere, however the schedule isn’t daunting forward of the journey to Clemson.
No. 11 Arizona State at No. 22 Iowa State (Nov. 1)
The Solar Devils went 11-3 and grabbed an computerized bid to the Faculty Soccer Playoff final season, thanks partly to a dominant 45-19 Large 12 championship recreation victory in opposition to … Iowa State.
The Cyclones have some difficult video games forward of this one however wins there set this up properly for an opportunity to impress the CFP committee.
Energy 4 convention champions nonetheless earn a spot within the 12-team bracket, however they received’t have the posh of a first-round bye except they’re ranked within the high 4. The Solar Devils might be within the working both manner, however each win counts for each groups in pursuit of a playoff berth.
USC at No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 18)
After consecutive underwhelming seasons, USC coach Lincoln Riley might use a significant street win, and is there a much bigger assertion to make than in opposition to a storied rival?
Notre Dame has overwhelmed the Trojans seven occasions within the final eight conferences, together with the final two wherein the Combating Irish averaged 48.5 factors. USC final received a recreation in Notre Dame Stadium in 2011.
The Irish have nationwide title hopes. The Trojans have hopes that Riley is discovering the proper components to show issues round in what might be one of many final video games on this longstanding collection. The contract for a rivalry that dates to 1926 expires after their recreation in 2026.
Honorable point out
No. 8 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia (Sept. 27), an opportunity for ‘Bama to enhance to 10-1 in opposition to the Bulldogs since 2008 or for Kirby Sensible to chop into his 1-6 report as a head coach in opposition to the Crimson Tide … No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Michigan (Nov. 29), a matchup of the final two nationwide champions in a collection that has seen the Wolverines win 4 straight … No. 25 Boise State at No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 4), a uncommon shot for a high Group of 5 group to place up a marquee midseason win on the street … No. 3 Ohio State at No. 12 Illinois (Oct. 11), an opportunity for Bret Bielema’s Illini to point out if final yr’s 10-win season was a fluke.
