Ohio State Leads Initial College Football Playoff Rankings, Indiana and Texas A&M Follow

The first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings of the 2025 season have placed Ohio State at the top, with Indiana and Texas A&M rounding out the top three. The CFP committee, comprised of 12 members, released its preliminary standings, marking the start of six weeks of rankings that will culminate in the formation of the 12-team playoff field in December.

Ohio State, the reigning national champions, earned the top position after a series of commanding performances this season. Indiana follows in second place, while Texas A&M occupies the third spot. The committee's decision emphasized overall team dominance and defensive statistics, prioritizing the consistent margins of victory posted by the two Big Ten programs over Texas A&M's more challenging schedule and narrow win against Notre Dame.

Other notable placements in the initial rankings include BYU of the Big 12, which remains undefeated and holds the seventh position. The fourth, fifth, and sixth spots are occupied by Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams--Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi--each of whom has suffered only one loss this season. This distribution reflects the continued strength of the Big Ten and SEC in the national landscape, even as the season has produced several unexpected outcomes.

Texas Tech is ranked eighth, with Oregon just behind in ninth. Notre Dame, representing independents, holds the tenth spot, while Texas and Oklahoma round out the top twelve. However, due to CFP rules that guarantee places for the five highest-ranked conference champions regardless of their overall rank, teams such as Virginia from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Memphis from the American Athletic Conference are poised to enter the playoff bracket even if they are outside the top 12 in the committee's rankings.

Memphis, although unranked in the top 25, currently leads its conference and, under the existing rules, would secure a playoff berth. The current playoff structure will see first-round games played on the campuses of seeds ranked five through eight, with the top four seeds receiving matchups against the winners of those contests over the New Year holiday period. The national championship game is scheduled to take place at Hard Rock Stadium near Miami.

The top 12 teams in the standings are comprised of six SEC teams, three from the Big Ten, two from the Big 12, and one independent. The ACC does not have a representative in the initial top 12, although Virginia is positioned to gain entry through the conference champion rule. The committee chair highlighted that early rankings are not definitive and that significant changes are possible as the season progresses, referencing past seasons where teams have made substantial climbs in the rankings during the final weeks.

Elsewhere in the rankings, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, currently 16th and 17th respectively, continue to remain in contention after impressive upsets earlier in the season. The CFP committee also discussed the rationale behind Oregon's placement at ninth, pointing to the strength of their wins and the evolving quality of their opponents.

Looking ahead, the playoff bracket will see first-round matchups such as Memphis facing Georgia, and Virginia traveling to play Ole Miss. Notre Dame is set to meet BYU, while Oregon will compete against Texas Tech. The winners of these games will face the top four seeds in the subsequent round. Notable adjustments to this year's playoff format include the removal of first-round byes for the highest-seeded conference champions, leading to a more competitive and inclusive playoff structure.

As the regular season enters its final stretch and conference championship games approach, the CFP rankings are expected to undergo significant changes. Teams and fans alike will closely monitor upcoming results, knowing that each game could have a substantial impact on the final playoff bracket.