Urban Meyer picks his top three national champion favorites for 2025 season

It’s never too early to start making picks for the next national champion, even before spring football begins and the next transfer portal period opens up. A trio of analysts for FOX, including former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, got together on The Triple Option podcast to discuss who the most likely candidates were to become the next national champion.

Opinions were mixed. Host Mark Ingram, the former Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner, picked Texas to reach the pinnacle.

“Right now the favorite, +550, I have to go with the Longhorns, man,” Ingram said. “You’ve got Arch Manning coming. You’ve got [Steve Sarkisian]. What he’s been able to do with that program since he’s taken over. Arch coming in, it’s Arch season now. They got good players coming back. They have one of the best defenses in the country. I think they have good culture. They’ve got the NIL money to go ahead, get whoever they want out of the spring portal, out of the fall portal, retain players.

“So as of now with the top-five favorites I’m going to go +550 with Texas.”

Meyer would end up agreeing with that as one of his picks for the next national champion, though he would also provide two others. His first selection will likely be a popular pick.

“I’ve got to go with returning quarterbacks, which there’s none there other than Drew Allar,” Meyer said, ostensibly picking Penn State.

The other three schools Meyer picked are probably even less of a surprise. No one would be all that shocked if one turned out to be national champion.

“I’m going to go with Texas, two,” Meyer said. “Ohio State, obviously they’re loaded and they recruit their tails off. Julian Sayin, I keep hearing great things. I stood next to him, he’s very slight. But he’s got a great arm, great release, ball gets out fast. Keep hearing great things about him.

“Yeah I’m going to go, if you’re saying I have to, I’m going to say Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, in that order.”