The first CFP rankings of the season, released on November 4, 2025, placed Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 1, followed by fellow Big Ten school Indiana Hoosiers at No. 2 and Texas A&M Aggies at No. 3. The fourth spot went to Alabama Crimson Tide, followed by other one-loss SEC teams: Georgia and Ole Miss.
Committee chair Mack Rhoades noted that Ohio State earned the top rank through superior statistical performance on both offense and defense; Indiana’s strong record kept them in close contention despite the Buckeyes edging them overall. All 25 teams ranked hailed from Power Four conferences, and the committee indicated that the top four teams will receive first-round byes under the expanded playoff format.
The rankings serve both as recognition of current performance and as an early snapshot of playoff positioning, but analysts caution that ranking alone doesn’t guarantee success. With major games still ahead and conference championships looming, teams further down the list (and their fans) have plenty of time to change the narrative.
