College Football Playoff Selection Committee Releases Second Rankings of 2025 – College Football Playoff

Lead: The College Football Playoff selection committee published its second set of 2025 rankings on November 11, 2025, reflecting games played through Saturday, November 8. Ohio State sits atop the list at 9-0, followed by unbeaten Indiana (10-0) and Texas A&M (9-0). The release sets the weekly pecking order that will influence seeding for the expanded 12-team playoff and shapes the next month of marquee conference matchups. The committee also reiterated logistical details about the playoff bracket and the national championship scheduled for January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Key Takeaways

• Ohio State is No. 1 in the second CFP rankings at 9-0, maintaining an unbeaten record through Nov. 8.
• Indiana ranks No. 2 at 10-0 and Texas A&M is No. 3 at 9-0, giving the committee three unbeaten teams in the top three.
• Seven teams in the top 25 carry a single loss (teams ranked 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 16), while most of the remainder have two or more losses.
• The list includes traditional power programs and surprise entries — Vanderbilt appears at No. 14 with an 8-2 record.
• Top-4 positioning is especially consequential because the four highest-ranked teams will receive a first-round bye in the 12-team playoff format.
• Games through Nov. 8 determine this snapshot; the committee will meet weekly and update rankings through the regular season.

Background

The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee issues weekly top-25 rankings during the regular season to determine seeding and at-large berths for the postseason bracket. Since the CFP expanded to a 12-team format, the committee’s weekly standings have gained added importance: the top four teams avoid the first round, while teams ranked 5-12 host first-round games. The committee’s process balances on-field results, strength of schedule, conference championships and head-to-head outcomes when available.

Committee deliberations are confidential, but its published rankings and explanatory statements provide the public and teams with a transparency checkpoint each week. The ranking period for this release covers games through Saturday, November 8; the public release date is November 11, 2025. With conference championship races ramping up over the next month, positions in the top 12 are likely to be fluid as teams play remaining regular-season opponents and vie for automatic berths.

Main Event

The second CFP rankings list Ohio State at No. 1 (9-0), Indiana No. 2 (10-0) and Texas A&M No. 3 (9-0). Alabama (8-1) and Georgia (8-1) occupy Nos. 4 and 5, signaling the committee’s continued recognition of programs with strong résumés despite single setbacks. Several one-loss teams — including Texas Tech (9-1), Ole Miss (9-1) and Oregon (8-1) — populate the top 10, while established programs such as Notre Dame (7-2) and Texas (7-2) appear in the middle of the rankings.

Notable placements include BYU at No. 12 (8-1) and Vanderbilt at No. 14 (8-2), both of which could influence the at-large group if they maintain records and secure signature wins. Michigan sits at No. 18 with a 7-2 record after a difficult stretch of the schedule, illustrating how losses against ranked opponents and timing affect committee evaluations. The full top-25 list reflects a mix of Power Five heavyweights and Group of Five or independent programs making late-season pushes.

The committee’s release also reiterated the playoff mechanics: five highest-ranked conference champions plus the next seven highest-ranked teams are seeded into the 12-team bracket, with the top four receiving first-round byes. With the national title game set for January 19, 2026, teams are now focused on conference finales and rivalry games that could swing seeding and at-large inclusion.

Analysis & Implications

Being among the top four is the clearest short-term objective for elite programs because of the bye advantage. Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M control their immediate destiny but must navigate conference schedules that include ranked opponents and rivalry games. A slip by any of the top four would open a window for one-loss teams in the 5-12 range to move up and claim a bye or a more favorable first-round matchup.

The committee’s approach to strength of schedule and conference championships means midweek metrics and advanced analytics will be part of future debates, particularly for teams on the bubble. For example, BYU and Vanderbilt, both ranked inside the top 15, will be judged not only on wins and losses but on the quality of opponents and conference standing. That can benefit programs that schedule tougher nonconference opponents or finish with conference titles.

From an economic and broadcast standpoint, rankings shifts affect television matchups, merchandise and recruiting narratives: teams rising into the top 12 gain additional national exposure and the potential for a home playoff game. For conferences, having multiple teams ranked in the top 25 reinforces media deals and bowl placements; conversely, a poor showing for a major conference could have downstream effects on perception and revenue distribution.

Comparison & Data

The table above reproduces the committee’s top-25 order through games played Nov. 8. Three teams are unbeaten (Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M) and seven teams enter the ranking with a single loss. That distribution underscores how tightly clustered many contenders are entering the season’s final stretch, and why a single late-season loss can have an outsized effect on seeding and at-large prospects.

Reactions & Quotes

The official committee release reiterates the CFP’s process and stakes, offering teams a weekly benchmark as they approach conference finales. Athletic departments and national media reacted quickly to the placements, highlighting a mix of affirmation for unbeaten teams and renewed scrutiny for programs sitting near the bubble.

“The selection committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the regular season.”

College Football Playoff (official)

That statement, part of the CFP’s explanatory material, frames the committee’s weekly role: to provide an ordered view of which teams are most likely to earn playoff berths. The CFP also notes how conference champions factor into seeding and selection.

“The five highest ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will be seeded into a 12-team bracket.”

College Football Playoff (official)

Observers emphasized that the bracket rule makes conference championship games especially consequential for automatic berths, while teams aiming for at-large spots must build strong bodies of work before the committee’s final meetings.

Unconfirmed

• The specific vote totals and individual member rankings from this meeting have not been released publicly and remain confidential.
• How the committee will weigh upcoming head-to-head neutral-site matchups versus conference titles in final seeding is not publicly detailed.

Bottom Line

The second CFP rankings provide an early-season map of contenders and challengers: three unbeaten teams lead a crowded field that includes several one-loss squads vying for top-four protection. With the playoff field expanded to 12 teams and the top four receiving byes, every remaining regular-season game carries significant seeding implications.

Fans and programs should track conference championship trajectories and key head-to-head matchups over the next four weeks; those results are likeliest to reshuffle the top 12. The committee will release weekly updates until the final December rankings that set the playoff bracket for the 2025-26 postseason.

Sources

• College Football Playoff — Official release (CFP, official announcement)