Go ahead and pinch yourself. We have actual college football in less than two weeks.

The 2025 season is almost upon us, and with it comes the second year of the 12-team College Football Playoff. New stars will emerge. Familiar faces are back for an encore, some wearing new uniforms.

We unveil ESPN’s 2025 preseason All-America team realizing there won’t be any debate about those players left off (yes, that is sarcasm). Only five players who were first-team selections on our 2024 postseason team made the cut: Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, Florida center Jake Slaughter, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Michigan place-kicker Dominic Zvada.

Clemson and Alabama lead the way with three first-team selections each, while Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Texas and Pittsburgh have two first-teamers each. Georgia has one first-team selection, but three second-team selections.

OFFENSE

Klubnik was one of the most improved players in the country last season. His next step is proving that he’s one the best players in the country. Coming off a season that saw him account for 43 touchdowns, Klubnik has all his top receivers back and enters his third year as the Tigers’ starter. Klubnik passed for 36 touchdowns a year ago and his ability to scramble for first downs makes him especially difficult to defend.

Second team: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Love is poised for an amazing season after rushing for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns — and not losing a fumble — in Notre Dame’s run to the national championship game this past season. Despite playing injured in the postseason, the 6-foot, 214-pound Love showed his mettle. He combines breakaway speed with the kind of toughness and tackle-breaking ability that separates the great running backs.

Second team: Kaytron Allen, Penn State

There’s no shortage of power and speed in Penn State’s running backs room. Singleton will team with Kaytron Allen to give the Nittany Lions the best one-two punch in the country. Singleton, a 6-foot, 224-pound senior, has started since his freshman season. He rushed for 1,099 yards this past year and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. He also caught 41 passes and accounted for 17 touchdowns (12 rushing, 5 receiving).

Second team: Makhi Hughes, Oregon

Smith returns as college football’s premier player and the one who strikes the most fear into opposing defensive coordinators’ hearts. The 6-3, 225-pound sophomore is a nightmarish matchup for defensive backs with his blend of size, strength and speed. He had 17 touchdown catches last year, including four in the Buckeyes’ first two playoff games, and averaged 17.5 yards per catch.

Second team: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Williams joins Smith as the second true sophomore to earn first-team All-America honors. He had five touchdowns catches in his first four games last season at Alabama and returns as one of the most explosive players in the game. He should be even more consistent in Year 2. Williams averaged 18 yards per catch and tied for fourth nationally with five receptions of 50-plus yards.

Second team: Antonio Williams, Clemson

Stowers is still developing as a tight end after starting his career as a quarterback. The 6-4 redshirt senior has bulked up to 235 pounds and looks more like a receiver with the way he runs routes and gets open. It seems his best is yet to come, even after catching 49 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns a year ago. His top game came in Vandy’s upset win over Alabama, when he pulled in six catches for a career-high 113 yards.

Second team: Max Klare, Ohio State

The NFL scouts love Fano, and there are a lot of reasons why. The 6-6, 302-pound junior has been a starter the past two seasons and has split time at left and right tackle. Fano earned a 93 overall grade last season by Pro Football Focus, which led all FBS tackles. He’s a devastating run blocker and didn’t allow a sack this past season after the opening week.

Second team: Francis Mauigoa, Miami

Ioane blossomed into one of the Big Ten’s best interior offensive linemen last year in his first full season as a starter. The redshirt junior has slimmed down to 330 pounds after playing closer to 350 this past season. With Ioane back, along with Singleton and Allen at running back, Penn State should have one of the top running games in college football.

Second team: Joe Brunner, Wisconsin

When Slaughter announced that he was returning for his senior season, it was huge news for the Gators’ offensive line and a huge boost for coach Billy Napier. The 6-4, 303-pound Slaughter makes life easier for quarterback DJ Lagway and is a steadying force for the offense. Slaughter played 800 snaps last season, and his experience, versatility and toughness will serve the Gators well in 2025.

Second team: Parker Brailsford, Alabama

After beginning his career at Kansas, Reed-Adams is back for his second season at Texas A&M after starting every game at right guard this past year. The Aggies should have one of the best offensive lines in the country, meaning he will have talented players on each side of him. The 6-5, 330-pound Reed-Adams is effective in the running game, and he also allowed just one sack last season.

Second team: Cayden Green, Missouri

One of the most physically imposing offensive linemen in college football, the 6-7, 366-pound Proctor enters his third season as Alabama’s left tackle. For such a huge man, he’s incredibly quick and mobile; he also played basketball and threw the shot put in high school. Proctor recorded 639 snaps and 54 knockdown blocks last season, earning second-team All-SEC honors from the coaches.

Second team: Kage Casey, Boise State

All-purpose: Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh

Is there anything Reid can’t do? He was an instant hit at Pitt this past season after transferring from Western Carolina and scored touchdowns three different ways (4 rushing, 5 receiving and 1 on a punt return). The 5-8, 175-pound Reid is a blur on the field. He averaged 154.9 all-purpose yards last year, the most among returning FBS players, and could get even more touches in 2025.

Second team: Isaac Brown, Louisville

DEFENSE

Stewart burst onto the scene this past season as one of the best freshmen in college football and immediately asserted himself as one of the most feared pass rushers in the SEC. The 6-5, 245-pound Stewart finished with 6.5 sacks to rank third among FBS true freshmen. He also forced three fumbles. With a year of experience in the SEC, Stewart should be even better, and more consistent, in 2025.

Second team: Colin Simmons, Texas

Woods has said he wants to be more consistent this season, and to that end, he has been diligent this offseason about getting in tip-top shape as he enters his third year on campus. The 6-3, 315-pound Woods has elite interior pass-rushing skills and played some on the outside as a freshman. He’s more suited to play tackle and finished with 8 ½ tackles for loss, including three sacks, this past season.

Second team: Christen Miller, Georgia

Overton is one of those rare players with the size (6-5, 285) to handle the hybrid bandit position, which is part defensive lineman and part edge rusher. Overton started his career at Texas A&M before transferring to Alabama. This will be his second season in Kane Wommack’s defense, and after recording 42 total tackles and a team-leading nine quarterback hurries a year ago, Overton is in line for a big senior campaign.

Second team: Rueben Bain, Miami

The bad news for Clemson fans is that this is likely Parker’s last season in orange. The good news is that this should be the best version of him. He’s a dominant 6-3, 265-pound pass rusher who is always making big plays. Parker forced a school-record six fumbles last season and has 16.5 sacks over his first two seasons. His production only went up this past season after battling through migraines early in the year.

Second team: Keldric Faulk, Auburn

From the time he arrived on the Forty Acres, Hill has been destined for stardom. Now in his third season, the 6-3, 235-pound Hill is one of the country’s most well-rounded linebackers. He tied for fourth among FBS linebackers last season with 16 ½ tackles for loss, and he also forced four fumbles. Whether he’s pressuring the quarterback or chasing down ball carriers, Hill is a big play waiting to happen on defense.

Second team: Deontae Lawson, Alabama

There’s stuffing the stat sheet on defense, and then there’s Louis. He was everywhere for the Panthers last season with 101 total tackles, including 15 ½ for loss, and had four interceptions, returning one 59 yards for a touchdown in a win over Syracuse. He also forced a fumble and blocked a kick. Louis enters his redshirt junior season as one of the most disruptive defenders in the country.

Second team: Taurean York, Texas A&M

An outside linebacker in Illinois’ scheme, the 6-3, 275-pound Jacas has been a fixture on the Fighting Illini’s defense since his freshman season. He has 16 career sacks (eight last season), and with 13 tackles for loss a year ago, he is the second-leading returnee among Big Ten linebackers. Jacas is one of the most productive edge rushers in college football, but he makes game-changing plays no matter where he lines up.

Second team: CJ Allen, Georgia

Marcus Freeman continues to bring in promising young talent to the program, and Moore was a prime example this past season. He returns for his sophomore season as one of the top cornerbacks in the country. Moore was the FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, when he led the Irish with 11 pass breakups and finished with two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Second team: Avieon Terrell, Clemson

The only question with McCoy is his health after he tore an ACL in January while training at home. The Vols hope to have him back for the start of the season in some capacity, but there’s no timetable at this point as he continues to recover. McCoy, who started his career at Oregon State, was the backbone of Tennessee’s secondary last season. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions, and the Vols allowed just 11 touchdown passes in 13 games.

Second team: Chandler Rivers, Duke

Downs came into college football as one of the top prospects in the country, played that way as a freshman at Alabama and took yet another step this past season after transferring to Ohio State and helping lead the Buckeyes to the national championship. The prototypical safety, Downs was third on Ohio State’s team last season with 81 tackles, 7 ½ of them for loss, and had two interceptions.

Second team: Koi Perich, Minnesota

Taaffe came to Texas as a walk-on and enters his redshirt senior season as one of the top defensive backs in the nation. Taaffe has played in 43 career games with 26 starts. He had 78 total tackles last season, including 5 ½ for loss, 2 interceptions and 10 pass breakups. Taaffe’s instincts and range are both outstanding. His 91.3 coverage grade led all safeties last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Second team: KJ Bolden, Georgia

SPECIAL TEAMS

Zvada’s return for his senior season was a coup for Michigan’s special teams. He has a huge leg, and his ability to make long field goals is invaluable in close games. Zvada was 7-of-7 on attempts of 50 yards or longer a year ago and 21-of-22 overall. And he can make clutch kicks: See his 21-yarder in the final seconds of Michigan’s win at Ohio State last season.

Second team: Will Ferrin, BYU

Thorson is still working his way back from a left (nonkicking) knee injury in the SEC championship game last year. He was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the country last season. Thorson is essentially an extension of Georgia’s defense, as 22 of his 42 punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and 14 more were fair catches.

Second team: Ryan Eckley, Michigan State

Brown is getting a reset at LSU after rolling up 3,273 all-purpose yards at Kentucky over the past three seasons. The Tigers want to get him as many touches in as many roles as possible. Brown is the Wildcats’ record holder for career kickoff return average (30.3 yards) and leads all active players with five kickoff returns for touchdowns, the most of any SEC player in history.

Second team: Kam Shanks, Arkansas

When Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk raised the Stanley Cup over his head for the second straight season, the on-ice celebration included two of the most important people in his life: Father Keith Tkachuk, who played 18 seasons in the NHL; and brother Brady Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators.

Keith was smoking cigars and hoisting the Cup with Matthew around the arena. Brady was holding a beer and diligently avoiding contact with the Cup, as superstition dictates that an NHL player should never touch it if they’ve never won it before.

The celebration was another memorable moment for the Tkachuk boys and their father. This month, another one arrived: The trio graces the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 26 Deluxe Edition.

“Growing up, Matthew and I dreamed of playing just like our dad,” Brady Tkachuk said. “Even now, his influence on how we play and prepare remains huge. It’s an honor to be featured on the cover. Having him standing alongside us makes the whole thing even better.”

We spoke with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk recently about their video game history, the Panthers’ wild offseason, Brady’s future in Ottawa, Matthew’s health heading into next season and their thoughts on the new NHL collective bargaining agreement.

But first, we asked two of the first players named to the 2026 U.S. men’s Olympic ice hockey team about chasing gold. Responses were edited for length and clarity.

You guys became USA Hockey legends after the 4 Nations Face-Off, if you weren’t already. Obviously, the tournament did not end the way Americans wanted. Is winning Olympic gold in the 2026 Winter Games in Italy the ultimate revenge on our friends in Canada?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: I don’t even know if you look at it as revenge, but it’s been a long time coming since USA Hockey’s been at the top of the mountain. Canada’s owned the Olympics or World Cups or even the world championships, although we got that back a little bit this year. They’ve been the leader in all of that and the team that we’ve all been trying to knock off.

I don’t think it’d be as much as revenge than showing how far along USA Hockey has come. We’ve had some incredible players and national teams that we’ve looked up to our whole lives but that haven’t gotten the job done. So, not only would winning [gold] accomplish dreams for us, but hopefully it would bring a lot of satisfaction for those guys that paved the way for us.

Brady, you play in a Canadian city while trying to win Olympic gold for the Americans. What’s that dynamic like?

BRADY TKACHUK: Learning from experience, it’s a little bit of a different position to be in. All the people that support you on a day-to-day basis, now they don’t want you to win.

Your dream as kids is winning the Stanley Cup and winning a gold medal for your country. I know that’s always been our two main goals. But we got into hockey, and a lot of people got into hockey, from the 1980 Miracle on Ice. And now, we have an opportunity to pave the way for the next generation of kids in the U.S. that maybe wouldn’t be playing hockey if they didn’t get to experience USA Hockey in the Winter Olympics and potential gold medals.

There’s not just playing for ourselves in that locker room with that group, but you’re really playing for your country and you’re playing for the next generation of kids. And like Matthew said, you’re playing for the guys that have paved the way, that are to be so supportive and fired up to be watching.

You guys are NHL 26 cover athletes, along with your dad. We spoke to Keith recently, who reminisced about seeing the glow of a video game screen under the doors of your bedrooms, whether it was when you were younger or in Matt’s case, when he was playing in Calgary. What’s your brief history of playing video games together?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: Yeah, we would play. I think during COVID was probably the last time I religiously played, and that was when we were all under one roof before I had my house in St. Louis. Brady and I played a lot. NHL is definitely one of them. I think Brady has played more throughout his life than I have, and that was one of the things that he was much better at than I am. So, I didn’t really play too much against him.

We played the game like how you’d probably expect us to play: Turn off all the penalties, make all the guys really big and fast. It was like prison rules NHL. So, it was a lot of fun.

BRADY TKACHUK: I honestly feel like we had a pretty religious routine. Right after school, if it was a nice day, out for roller hockey then dinner and then we were playing NHL. We try to sneak in a best-of-seven if it was early enough, but it was a lot of fun. Either we played together or most of the time, we’re playing together against each other and it was a ton of fun.

Now that you’re in the NHL, what is the level of interest or concern among the boys when it comes to their EA Sports ratings? Do they still care?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: We don’t talk about it too much. I know that there’s one day, maybe it might be at the beginning of the year, which I guess is coming up here soon, where you go over your rating or you guess another player’s rating. I think where they get pissed off is when you guess their rating and it’s way lower than their actual rating is.

You’ve got to be careful with who the sensitive guys are on the team because you don’t want that to actually affect them — and you never know if it might. Hockey players are proud athletes. You want to have a decent rating.

BRADY TKACHUK: I’m probably one of the guys that will just play a game as the Sens to see where my rating is at, to see how good my guy is. This version is exciting because it’s more individual-based. You can see within the game how I am in real life, and that’s really cool and unique.

These ratings are always fun. And to be honest with you, I don’t know what the rating is going into this year’s game. I know they give a midyear bump and that’s the goal: That hopefully I get a midyear bump because that means I’m playing well.

Matthew, your name was recently listed by the White House as being part of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, joining names like Wayne Gretzky and Mariano Rivera. How did you get involved in that?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: I’m not actually allowed to comment on that until it’s official yet. So, I have to wait on that a little bit. But I promise in a few weeks, if that comes true, I’ll answer that for you.

Let’s talk about something that did come true: The Florida Panthers somehow hanging on to Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand as free agents. How shocked were you that GM Bill Zito was able to pull that off?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: I don’t know if I was shocked. I think at the time, as a player and more importantly as a friend, you’re more worried that one of your buddies is going to go elsewhere. At the end of the day, you want your teammates and your best buddies to be happy with whatever decision they make. So, if that’s chasing a ton of money or if that’s going to where they want to play, you just got to be happy for them.

The best part about those three is they all believe in what we’re doing in Florida. They want to live in Florida, they want to play on a good team, and they want to have a great group of players surrounding them.

Out of all of them, I was most confident in [Ekblad] staying the most. Just because he’s been a lifelong Florida Panther. I just think it was going to be impossible for him to leave. And then the other guys … I mean, this was a chance for them to cash in. You just didn’t know if it was going to be with us or not.

I was surprised, though, that they were all able to stay. I thought that with the way the money was tied up, you didn’t know if it was going to be possible — and somehow it was. Everybody was taken care of so well.

Bill did a great job of making sure it could happen. You want your best buddies to be rewarded with how great they played and how great they’ve been up to this point. I think they all got rewarded very well, and I’m just so excited to have a chance to hopefully run it back with them this year.

When did you know about Marchand? Was it when he was smoking cigars on the back of a golf cart outside of the Elbo Room? At some point, were you just convinced the guy liked it down there vs. leaving as a free agent?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: Marchand, when he first got traded, I would’ve thought there was never a chance that we’re going to be able to keep everybody. As time goes on and you have success and you get to know guys and you get to know what their wants and desires are with the rest of their career — or where they want to live — you can start connecting the dots. People just don’t want to leave Florida when they come. I think that that is the case with them and everybody that’s been there.

The only time you’re going to see guys leave is if it’s such a crazy difference with money. Some of these guys that we’ve had the last few years have really cashed in with other teams, which we’re so happy to see. I think that’s really the only way you’re going to see guys go elsewhere.

We have too good of a thing going right now, and everybody wants to be a part of it.

Brady, your dad threw cold water on all the speculation about you leaving Ottawa when we spoke recently. How much did making the playoffs, showing the progress of the Senators, give you a sense of relief that maybe some of that speculation might go by the wayside now?

BRADY TKACHUK: Yeah, I think we really needed to make the playoffs to show everybody that we’re a team that’s capable of that, but also capable of doing more than just making the playoffs.

The last couple of years, it was kind of stagnant. We had high expectations and we didn’t quite accomplish what we needed to. And with that came doubt. But I think it showed with the steps that we took last year that we have a great hockey team. I think that we’re kind of just getting started with what we want to accomplish. Playoffs are great to get to, but that’s not our end goal. The sky’s the limit for our group.

I think [that success] helped with all the speculation. When things aren’t going well, people are always assuming or trying to think in my shoes. But I was kind of never really in that thought process. It was all about sticking it out. It’s been a long time coming, for not just our team but the city, to get into the playoffs. And I think it was really important to me to end that drought.

Through all that adversity that we faced with being the bottom five teams to finally get to the playoffs was an amazing feeling. But now that we got there, I think everybody wants a little bit more and wants to accomplish all of our childhood dreams.

Obviously, the season is getting closer. Brady, we saw you were training with Trevor Zegras this summer. What are your thoughts about him getting a fresh start in Philadelphia with the Flyers?

BRADY TKACHUK: Yeah, I drove up to Connecticut and skated with him. I’ve known ‘Z’ throughout the years but got to know him pretty well when we played world championships together. He’s a great guy, and I think it’s going to be great for him to get a fresh start in Philly and under Rick Tocchet. They have a great culture there, and I think he’s just going to do a good job of fitting in.

I’ve always thought playing against Philly that they play super hard, but they have a lot of great players with skill. So, I think that is going to be the best thing for him. I’m excited to see his progression this year and see how the change affects him. I bet that’s going to be for the good.

Matthew, you were dealing with some significant injuries by the end of last season and said it was “50/50” regarding offseason surgery. What’s your path for the next few months? Are you still hoping to maybe hit the ice in October?

MATTHEW TKACHUK: I’m still hoping to hit the ice as soon as possible. If I do get the surgery, it definitely will be the first two, maybe three months [of the season] if that’s the case. But it’s still undecided at this point.

Finally, the NHL and NHLPA have signed off on a new collective bargaining agreement. We haven’t heard from many players about this deal. What did you like? What did you wish was in it that didn’t make the cut?

BRADY TKACHUK: I think Marty [Walsh], Ron Hainsey and the NHLPA did a really good job. A lot of it came behind the scenes with the NHL. They kept it discreet.

I think it’s important that we did a four-year deal and to navigate where our league is in four years’ time. Obviously, there’s things that will probably trend and want maybe more of in four years’ time. But I think the changes that they made are exciting. The 84-game schedule [means] more hockey for people to come and watch. I think it’s going to be good.

Less preseason crap, too.

MATTHEW TKACHUK: Took the words right out of my mouth.

That’s the one main thing I like. I’ve never liked the preseason setup. I mean, guys do a great job of coming into [camp] in shape. There are the captain’s skates before the preseason because everyone wants to get back and see the boys. So, I think preseason has been overrated. It’s way too long, and the games are way too much. However they were able to shorten that, I was on board with that for sure.

Just get into the season. Just get on with it.

Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk said he remains undecided about getting surgery before the 2025-26 season but acknowledged he could miss significant time should he require it.

Tkachuk, 27, revealed after the season that he sustained a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia injury while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He missed the final 25 games of the NHL regular season but returned for Game 1 of the Panthers’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tkachuk had 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) in 23 games during the playoffs, including seven points in the final against Edmonton, to lead the Panthers to their second straight Stanley Cup championship.

Coach Paul Maurice said his star forward was “a mess” healthwise heading into the postseason.

“We weren’t hopeful at the start that he would survive the first round,” he said.

Tkachuk said after the season that it was “50/50” whether he’d have surgery, adding that the offseason provided ample time to make that call. Tkachuk told ESPN on Friday that “I’m still hoping to hit the ice as soon as possible.” Should he decide to go under the knife, Tkachuk said, it’s likely he’ll miss multiple months of action.

“If I do get the surgery, it’ll definitely be the first two or maybe three months if that’s the case. But it’s still undecided at this point,” said the Panthers star, whose contract and cap hit could be placed on long-term injured reserve during his recovery.

It’s been a notable offseason for Tkachuk. He appears on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 26 and is featured with brother Brady and father Keith on the cover of the game’s deluxe edition.

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk were among the first six players named to the 2026 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey roster for the Winter Games in Italy next year. Matthew Tkachuk also married fiancée Ellie Connell in July.

All of that was after another epic, multiday Stanley Cup celebration by the Panthers in Fort Lauderdale and Miami that featured spontaneous appearances at bars, clubs and beaches as well as a championship parade.

The Panthers’ chances for a third straight Stanley Cup received a boost this summer when GM Bill Zito was able to re-sign a trio of star veteran free agents: center Sam Bennett (8 years, $64 million), defenseman Aaron Ekblad (8 years, $48 million), and winger Brad Marchand (6 years, $31.5 million).

Tkachuk said that he wasn’t surprised that all three players wanted to remain with the Panthers but that he was amazed that Zito found a way to make the money work under the salary cap.

“I thought that the way the money was tied up, you didn’t know it was going to be possible, and somehow it was,” he said. “Everybody was taken care of so well, and Bill did a great job of making sure it could happen. I think they all got rewarded very well, and I’m just so excited to have a chance to hopefully run it back with them this year.”

Tkachuk said he was confident that Ekblad would return, having been a Panther since he was drafted by Florida first overall in 2014. He was a little less certain about Bennett and especially Marchand, who both had a chance to break the bank in free agency.

“When Marchand first got traded [at the deadline this spring], I would’ve thought there was never a chance that we were going to be able to keep everybody. But as time goes on and you have success and you get to know guys’ wants and desires for the rest of their career, you can start connecting the dots,” Tkachuk said. “People just don’t want to leave Florida when they come [here]. We have too good of a thing going right now, and everybody wants to be a part of it.”