You know what they say, “Offense wins games, defense wins championships.” Never is that more true than when it comes to the sport of college football.
If your defense can stand up to the best offenses in the nation, your team has a shot at standing tall when the College Football Playoff rolls around. With that in mind, Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus tried to separate the top units.
Of course, there’s a couple familiar faces. Even with Nick Saban in the media world instead of the sidelines, he has Alabama at No. 1. Who else has an argument? Check out his top ten below.
Kalen DeBoer’s teams are usually more offensive-minded, and Alabama should be improved on that side of the ball, with the addition of Ryan Grubb as offensive coordinator. However, their defense is looking like they could be dominant in 2025, as well. There’s a reason many are expecting a major bounce back season for the Crimson Tide.
Chadwick: “Even though Nick Saban is no longer in charge, the Crimson Tide still have an elite defense. Alabama ranked second in PFF’s defensive line and secondary rankings. The Crimson Tide also placed eighth in PFF’s linebacker unit rankings.”
Arch Manning gets all of the attention, but the defense will be the backbone of Texas in 2025. The Longhorns have come close to getting to the national title over the past two seasons. Their defense will be a huge reason why if they’re able to break through their glass ceiling this year.
Chadwick: “The Longhorns’ back-seven on defense is easily the best in college football, featuring both the top linebacker unit and secondary in PFF’s offseason rankings. Anthony Hill Jr. is college football’s top returning linebacker, Michael Taaffe is a top-five safety and Malik Muhammad is the sixth-ranked cornerback.“
Cade Klubnik is back, but it’s the other side of the football that’s elevating excitement for Clemson this season. The Tigers defensive line looks nasty, in a good way, and it could propel them to another ACC title and beyond.
Chadwick: “The Tigers boast the best defensive line in college football, largely thanks to defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge defender T.J. Parker. They’re both top-10 players in the nation and project as the best prospects at their respective positions in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
With a new quarterback at the helm in Gunner Stockton, Georgia is going to have to rely on their defense a bit more in 2025. That’s how they were able to win multiple national titles under Kirby Smart. Expect a return to form for the Bulldogs in 2025 after last season’s disappointing finish.
Chadwick: “Even after losing three first-round picks from last year’s defense — Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker and Malaki Starks — the Bulldogs still deserve a place in the top five. Georgia has PFF’s No. 4 linebacker unit, No. 7 defensive line and No. 9 secondary entering next year.”
No Abdul Carter, no problem. While Penn State lost their best player on defense to the NFL, they have more than enough to replace him this season. There’s no reason to expect any drop-off for the unit under Jim Knowles — if anything, the Nittany Lions should be improved.
Chadwick: “The Nittany Lions may have lost edge defender Abdul Carter, a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they still have a top-five defensive line in college football. Zane Durant is PFF’s second-ranked defensive tackle, and Dani Dennis-Sutton placed ninth among edge defenders.”
The backbone of Marcus Freeman’s teams will always be the defense. It propelled Notre Dame to the national title game in 2024, but they came up just short. A motivated unit, the Fighting Irish will be ready for war as they look to prove last season’s run was no fluke.
Chadwick: “The Fighting Irish’s elite coverage unit propelled the team to the national championship game last year, and it remains an elite group in 2025. … The one question mark is the lack of star power along the defensive line, but the Fighting Irish still have experienced players there.”
Dan Lanning cut his teeth on the defensive side of the football, so despite Oregon’s impressive offenses under his watch, the unit will always be humming. They shut down basically all of their opponents not named Ohio State in 2024, so the bar will be raised for the unit in 2025.
Chadwick: “The Ducks’ secondary placed sixth in PFF’s offseason rankings, with a few exciting transfers leading the charge — none more so than Purdue‘s Dillon Thieneman, PFF’s third-ranked returning safety for 2025. Oregon was also the honorable mention in PFF’s defensive line and linebacker unit rankings, with stars Matayo Uiagalelei and Bryce Boettcher headlining, respectively.”
Caleb Downs will lead the way, but Ohio State’s defense is far from a one-trick pony. They’ll look a little different, with Jim Knowles jetting for Penn State, but the Buckeyes are one of the best at replacing talent, both on the field and on their coaching staff. Watch out for this unit in 2025.
Chadwick: “Safety Caleb Downs is the best defensive player in college football, and PFF’s second-ranked player overall — behind only teammate Jeremiah Smith. Downs will lead a top-five secondary in college football. The team’s linebacker unit also found its way into the top 10 and features PFF’s sixth-ranked linebacker, Sonny Styles.”
Mike Elko is no stranger to stifling defenses. If Texas A&M is going to compete in 2025, the defensive coordinator turned head coach will make sure it starts and ends with his side of the football. There’s a reason many are picking the Aggies as a sleeper CFP contender.
Chadwick: “The Aggies have PFF’s sixth-ranked linebacker unit, led by the No. 2 linebacker in college football, Taurean York. The defensive line is a top-15 group with potential breakout stars in edge defender Cashius Howell and defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim.”
What’s the best defense money can buy? Texas Tech will look to answer that question in 2025. The Red Raiders knocked it out of the park in the transfer portal, and they’ll be hoping there’s no buyer’s remorse when the season begins in a little over a month.
Chadwick: “The Red Raiders, well, raided the transfer portal this offseason and built up one of the best defensive lines in college football. All four projected starters are incoming transfers, and Texas Tech now has PFF’s third-ranked defensive line.”
