This season’s first College Football Playoff rankings didn’t bring much drama, except for which undefeated team would secure the highest payout.
The answer? Defending champion Ohio State University.
The Buckeyes claimed the top position in the initial 2025 rankings announced on Tuesday, followed by Indiana and Texas A&M.
The 12-member committee prioritized the dominating performances of Ohio State and Indiana over Texas A&M, whose rigorous schedule and a narrow win against No. 10 Notre Dame didn’t weigh as heavily. Notably, the Buckeyes and Hoosiers have only had two games this season decided by fewer than 10 points.
“In terms of A&M’s defense, I think statistically they’re slightly behind both Ohio State and Indiana,” said committee chairman Mac Rhoades. “It was a tough decision, and that division was how we made our choice.”
BYU, also undefeated, ended up at No. 7.
Teams ranked No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6—Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi—all had one loss each. Unsurprisingly, the top six teams were from either the Big Ten or the SEC, maintaining expected performances despite newer challenges.
This is the first of six weekly rankings leading up to the final list on December 6, which will determine the 12-team playoff field.
The playoff tournament is scheduled for December 19-20, featuring four games at the campuses of the No. 5 to No. 8 seeds. The top four seeds will meet the winners later over the New Year’s holiday, culminating in the title game on January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium near Miami.
Texas Tech held the eighth spot, with Oregon State at ninth. The rest of the top 12 included Notre Dame—the only non-power conference team involved—followed by the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma.
If the playoff field were set today, Texas and Oklahoma would not make the cut, as they would lose slots to No. 14 Virginia in the ACC and Memphis. This is partly because the rule allows for the top five conference champions to secure spots even if they’re not among the top 12.
Interestingly, Memphis, while not in the committee’s top 25, held the highest rank among Group of 5 conference leaders.
There’s still a month remaining in the regular season and a conference title game in early December, giving teams ample time to enhance their standing.
“Look back to last year; Arizona State wasn’t even in the first two rankings,” Rose noted about the Sun Devils, who made their way through the Big 12. “So everyone should remember, this is just the first ranking, and there’s plenty left to play for.”
The final tally for the top 12 shows six SEC teams, three from the Big Ten, two from the Big 12, and one independent, with no teams from the ACC.
Among those still vying for a shot are No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 17 Georgia Tech, both of which had spent part of the season in the AP Top 10, thanks to some notable upsets during September and October.
Tweaks to This Year’s Bracket
This year’s bracket has seen a significant change: the removal of first-round byes for the top four conference champions. Consequently, Virginia will drop from No. 14 to No. 11 in the rankings, now facing a road game against Mississippi State.
Rhoades also pointed out Oregon State, which was ranked No. 6 in the AP poll but slipped to No. 9 in the playoff rankings. The Ducks’ standout victory this year was a win against Northwestern, yet a double-overtime win at Penn State didn’t impress as much, considering last year’s semifinalists were out.
“When assessing Oregon State, we focused heavily on the quality of their play and what we saw on film,” Rhoades said.
First-Round Matchups Based on This Ranking
No. 12 Memphis vs. No. 5 Georgia: One can almost envision SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey bemused as an unranked team slides into this position at the expense of others.
No. 11 Virginia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss: Virginia’s only top-25 matchup this season was against Florida State, which, to their detriment, now looks quite different.
No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 BYU: The two schools first met back in 1992, blending their football and religious backgrounds.
No. 9 Oregon vs. No. 8 Texas Tech: A clash of booster bowl opponents featuring Phil Knight (Ducks) and Cody Campbell (Red Raiders).
