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The top five teams may not have changed in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, but some newcomers have entered the fold.
The Ohio State Buckeyes remain at the top of the list, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama and Georgia to round out the top five.
Then, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Oklahoma and BYU make up the top 12 in the rankings.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) throws a pass during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Western Michigan Broncos at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY Network/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
Instead of Memphis being the top-ranked Group of Five champion, the No. 24-ranked USF Bulls are now in the bracket. They would replace BYU for now as five conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the 12-team playoff.
Miami, which is projected to win the ACC, would also replace Oklahoma if the season ended today.
As it stands, Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Alabama would each receive a first-round bye as the top four teams.
OHIO STATE TOPS FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF STANDINGS WITH INDIANA BEHIND AT NO. 2
After this week’s exciting games, a big question loomed over the top teams in the rankings: How was the selection committee going to view the Hoosiers’ comeback win over Penn State on the road?
Fernando Mendoza, with 36 seconds remaining at Beaver Stadium, found Omar Cooper Jr. for a 7-yard touchdown pass, where the latter made a miraculous effort to not only secure the ball, but also put his foot in bounds to make the game stand. Indiana went up 27-24 and maintained its undefeated season.
The Nittany Lions have now lost six straight games and seen their season deteriorate, leading to the firing of James Franklin as head coach.
Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates a victory over Penn State following an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at State College, Penn. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
However, the selection committee decided to keep his second ranking at the top intact.
“That was one of our longest discussions in our meeting,” CFP committee chairman Mack Rhoads, who is Baylor’s athletic director, told ESPN Tuesday night about keeping the Hoosiers at No. 2. “Indiana, we gave them the edge defensively, and certainly offensively as well. You think about Indiana’s body of work. … Indiana found a way to find a way.”
Meanwhile, the Aggies knocked off another ranked opponent, beating Missouri, no longer in the top 25, on the road.
Looking further into the top 12, the Red Raiders moved up two spots from No. 8 to No. 6 after a dominant 29-7 win over BYU this weekend. Unfortunately for the Cougars, their first defeat dropped them five places from the initial ranking to 12th.
Rhoads said the committee saw a “convincing victory” for Texas Tech over BYU.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) looks to pass against Penn State during the first half of an NCAA college football game. The match took place in State College, Pennsylvania on November 8, 2025. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
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In the middle of the pack, Utah was ranked No. 13 by the committee, followed by Vanderbilt, Miami, Georgia Tech, USC, Michigan, Virginia and Louisville.
To round out the top 25, the committee chose Iowa, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, USF and Cincinnati in that order. USF and Cincinnati were both newbies in the rankings. As mentioned, Missouri fell out of the top 25, as did Washington after losing last week.
